Chapter 227 226: The Guest Arrives [Pt2]

"Freshia, you are finally here. I wanted to come down and welcome you myself but some problems kept me busy. I hope you were not disappointed with my late arrival."

After a short wait in the guest room, Rui finally made her appearance. She looked healthier and happier than Freshia had ever seen her look.

In Freshia's memories, Rui had always looked a little detached and bored, almost as if she was done with the world and ready to disappear at any point in time. So to see her happier and enjoying life was something heart warming.

'My friend is so unfortunate. Her head cook just had to die when she was beginning to feel happier. But not to worry because I will cheer her up.'

"Rui, did something good happens to you? Your face is almost glowing."

Freshia tried to start a conversation, but for some reason, Rui's face broke out into a flushed expression. She even looked at her side to avoid looking at Freshia.

"W-What are you talking about? My life is the same as ever and nothing has changed."

Rui stuttered as she spoke. A mortifying silence took over the room before Rui broke it was a small cough. She seemed to want to distract herself and Freshia from what just happened.

"A-Anyway, this is not what's important right now. We are here to talk about you and the queen, right? L-Let me order tea and snacks so that we can get out talk started."

Rui's voice broke at the start but she recovered by the end of her sentence. She rang the small bell on the side table and the door immediately.

The same handsome white-haired man Rui had seen in the hallway before entering the room. Rui's face broke out into an adoring smile as soon as she saw that familiar face.

Freshia was sure that something was going on here. Rui was behaving almost as if she had a crush on this man and Freshia understood why.

It was a tendency of demons to get attracted to unique and beautiful things. And this man was everything packed into one. But it was still not right for Rui to display such favoritism so openly.

'No wonder the head butler was worried about Rui. She's too innocent for her good. She is being seduced by a servant and she did not even realize it. I will have to keep an eye on this servant myself.'

"My lady, please call me if you need something else. I will do my best to serve you as soon as possible."

Yohan Strout, the servant Freshia had marked as her enemy spoke up. Even his voice was smooth and calm, soothing Freshia's mind. She could just get lost in it and allow her senses to drown-

'No Freshia. Snap out of it. Your only lover is the queen and she's the only one you are attracted to. Stop and get your mind out of the gutter.'

Freshia was getting sucked up by Yohan's charms as well. That was why she shook her head to get it cleaned up and to get Yohan's influence away from her head.

"Yohan, you can go-"

"Actually, can he stay in our room? You would be more attuned to our wishes and what we need."

Both Rui and Yohan looked startled at Freshia's request and Freshia found herself proud of what she had done. She had managed to catch Yohan off-guard and the chances of him slipping up were betting better now.

In the end, Rui sighed and put her hand down.

"Fine Yohan, you can stay in this room for the time being. If Lady Freshia wants you in here then I don't have a problem with it."

Yohan blinked slowly once and then twice before bowing and taking his place at the back of their table. He did not press anyone for anything more and Freshia made sure to keep an eye on him.

'This man is dangerous for sure. Even I got seduced for no reason. I will need to gather evidence against this man before I can get royal guards involved because of illegal magic.'

………………………..

Yohan was amused by Lady Freshia's blatant lack of trust in him.

Oh, she tried to hide it but she was not a good actor. Her eyes and her actions gave her intentions away. And her tone of voice also betrayed that she did not trust him.

'The head butler must have said something to her. They did enter the mansion together.'

Yohan was not surprised by Lady Freshia's attitude if she had been swayed by the head butler. She seemed like a stubborn person who hardly changed her mind.

Yohan had sent a fast-traveling message to the rebellion about Lady Freshia and gotten a swift reply as well from them. And what they had said had surprised Yohan for sure.

'The queen's lover, huh? She sure doesn't look like it but I guess the queen must be into dumb people.'

Yohan was not one to criticize people's taste in lovers. He had some absurd lovers as well in his lifetime so he could not complain.

And Lady Freshia was pretty enough to act as eye candy. Yohan was not going to deny this much at least.

"Yohan, can you go and get us some more cookies-"

"Send someone else to get them for us. I want you to remain in the room for as long as we are here."

Lady Freshia cut Rui off before she could finish. Her glaring eyes told Yohan to contradict her words and Rui seemed to be getting annoyed by this. Especially since it was not her first time cutting someone off in-between speaking.

Yohan weighed his options and decided to give Lady Rui a look that asked her to be patient. Lady Rui had a hard time calming down but she did do so in the end.

"Then Yohan, send for a servant to get us some cookies and you can take a seat in the corner. You will get tired if you keep on standing up like this."

Lady Rui tried to make Yohan's situation easier but Freshia was not having it.

"He can just keep on standing for the time being. He's a butler, right? And butlers are trained to be able to stand for hours. Don't tell me that Yohan cannot even do this much."

Lady Freshia taunted, now coming after Yohan's pride as a butler. Yohan could not refute her words if she made excuses like this and neither could Lady Rui.

Yohan, who had been about to follow Lady Rui's words stood up straight again. It caused Lady Rui to clench her fists in rage but she could not retaliate against Lady Freshia's words openly.

She could not risk angering Lady Freshia and incurring the queen's wrath in the future. That was the only reason she had made friends with a dumb person like Lady Freshia.

"By the way lady Freshia, can I ask you why you decided to escape the royal palace and the queen? As far as I know, you both love each other very much."

Rui tried to start a conversation, wanting to forget what was happening with Yohan. If she remembered it, then she would just get angry again for no reason.

It was better for her to distract herself with another issue.

Lady Freshia scowled as soon as she heard the queen's name brought up and she ended up pouting in anger.

"Don't ask me about that cheater. She promised me that I was her only one but then she went behind my back and got another toy to play with. And this one isn't even from our realm so I cannot do anything."

Rui watched as Yohan's ears perked up. He seemed interested in this conversation so that was the only reason Rui decided to continue probing into it.

"Hoh? The queen found a new toy? It's been ages since that lady happened. As far as I knew, the queen had gone monogamous once you both became lovers, right?"

Rui questioned with an innocent expression only she could pull off. Her reputation did not even allow Lady Freshia to put up a guard against her and she broke down into a sob.

"That's what I *sob* thought as well. B-But the queen *sob* she betrayed me so openly. I don't know what to do anymore now."

Freisha cried her eyes out and the other two in the room let her finish. They needed more information from her so they needed lady Freshia to be able to answer them when she was in her right mind.

"And this person, where is he from/? Do we know anything about him? Or is he someone who does not show his hand? Is he like the other travelers we have seen before?"

Lady Rui continued her gentle questioning but Freshia seemed out of it. Her sobs broke out into dull crying and she refused to answer anymore.

But there was one piece of information she was able to give Yohan and Rui.

"T-That man had a childish companion who called herself a goddess. She said she was the 'little goddess' and she was truly prideful and awful to bear."