CHAPTER 275: PRETENTIOUSNESS

A month later, the locusts finally arrived at the East.

The West was the first place the locusts attacked, and the East was the last.

The north didn’t experience any locust invasion because of its cold, snowy climate. But that didn’t make things easier because the North relied on the other parts of Amberale, especially the East, for most of their food.

Now the locusts had arrived in the East from the South.

The East had become filled with locusts, and they were rapidly devouring the crops, plants, trees, anything green.

"Where are the locusts now?" Aristia asked Owen curiously.

"The locusts are now in the Fenton Fief, princess." Owen supplied.

"That’s five fiefs away from ours." Aristia muttered, looking out of the window.

"In a few weeks, they’ll arrive in Orrivale." Adeline said as she poured a cup of tea for Aristia. "It’s good that the Kingdom is ready. All because of our smart third princess." She gushed, placing her hands together below her chin.

"Yes, it’s great. But what’s greater is that I’m free!" Aristia said, throwing her hands up in the air.

She was just a second away from doing a victory leap.

It was a month later and that meant that her punishment was over, so she was allowed to leave the mansion freely, she wouldn’t be forced to attend tea parties, and she could eat the food she usually ate.

Adeline nodded, putting the plate of sliced cake closer to Aristia.

As a way of celebrating, Aristia had asked for a cake to be made. Even Millie was eating cake.

"You can’t enter the forest alone, princess." Kai said. He hadn’t been around when Aristia suddenly went missing the last month, but he had heard of it when he came back and he had been terrified.

"She knows. I’ve told her enough already." Alaric said, but his voice sounded whiny.

[Aww, he’s so cute when he’s worrying about me.] Aristia thought.

Alaric’s back was turned to her and towards the others, so she couldn’t see the scowl he had passed Kai.

Kai only stared at him before meeting eyes with Owen. Owen just shook his head at him. They had already gotten used to Alaric’s pretentiousness in front of his sister.

They just wondered how Aristia still thought that he was adorable and sweet when he was just a little devil disguising as an angel in front of her.

Kai lowered his head to the slice of cake in the plate he held in his hand and focused on finishing it.

Alaric turned back to his sister, and the scowl was gone quickly like it was never there.

He smiled so brightly, his eyes curved into crescents.

"Tia, eat more. It’s good that you’re no longer being punished." He said genuinely.

Aristia couldn’t resist patting his head.

She scooped a big bite of cake into her mouth before saying in a muffled voice. "After we’re done eating this cake, maybe we all can leave the Estate—"

She was suddenly interrupted.

"No!"

Everyone paused and turned to the culprit.

"I mean there’s no need to leave the Estate today. I want us to take a walk around the Estate, Tia."

"O...kay." Aristia said with a bit of suspicion. "But if that’s what my baby brother wants, then no probs."

Alaric heaved a small, unnoticeable sigh of relief. He dreaded them leaving the Estate.

As soon as those so called fans saw his sister, it would be the end of the time that would spend together.

Aristia put down her fork, gaining his attention. Her plate was empty.

"I’m done. We can go now." She said.

"Don’t Owen and Kai have things to do?" He asked innocently.

Aristia shook her head. "No. Remember, they’re celebrating with us."

It was ridiculous, but she had turned this day into a celebratory event, viewing it as a ’holiday’ for those working for her. Owen didn’t have work and Kai was allowed leave from his training.

Alaric only nodded, accepting begrudgingly.

He had always known that it was highly likely that Kai and Owen would follow Aristia around regularly as her aide and mage and had gotten used to their presence in the mansion and around Aristia, but he still felt reluctant to accept them. So he would always find ways to exclude them.

The group of six people, a young lady, four children and a daemon, left the Estate’s balcony.

"So, where are you going to show us this time, Linny?" Aristia asked.

Adeline thought for a second before saying,

"I don’t think you’ve seen the Estate’s farms, princess?"

Aristia shook her head. "I haven’t."

"Then we’ll start from there." Adeline said, leading them out of the mansion.

When they finally reached the Estate’s farms, Aristia’s eyes had widened in amazement.

"Wow! It’s huge." She said.

Adeline nodded, then explained. "This area was just a large space of empty land. His highness turned it into a farm after you talked to him about farming."

[That was two years ago.] Aristia thought, shaking her head in amazement.

She knew that Wilson listened to her, but she didn’t know it was to this extent.

The farm stretched far beyond what her eyes could see. Different crops were planted in each plot.

"Oh. Workers will arrive tomorrow to harvest the crops." Adeline said. "Do you want to see the animals?" She asked, looking down at Aristia.

Aristia’s eyes widened. "We have animals in the Estate?"

Adeline turned to her with an expression Luke she had just asked an unexpected question.

"Yes, princess. Where do you think we get the meat from?"

Aristia was speechless. She had been thinking that they got it from the market. She never knew they got the animals fresh.

"Ahem! Let’s see the animals." She said.

Adeline led her to the barn. Just like the farmland, it was also large.

There were different animals; sheep, pigs, cows, goats, ducks and chickens. They were all large. It was obvious that were were being fed well and properly taken care of.

Workers moved about, tending to the animals.

Aristia was surprised. There were animals in the estate and she wasn’t even aware.

But it was understandable— the estate was so large.

A middle aged man held a chicken up. "This one’s large enough. Perhaps his highness and his family can have this for dinner."

The person he was talking to nodded and pointed at a few other chickens. "Yes. These ones are also ready."

Aristia recognized the first man as the Estate’s head cook.

[Oh, so we’re having chicken for dinner. That’s decided.]

The man noticed them.

"Princess, Prince, Young masters." The cook said, bowing in greeting to them.

After receiving a response, the cook straightened up, his eyes landing on Aristia. "What would you like to have for dinner, Princess?"

Everyone knew what Aristia’s punishment was, so the cook thought that now her punishment was over, she should choose what she wanted to eat, especially since she was so sweet and adorable.

Aristia smiled, melting the man’s heart. "I’ll eat whatever cook makes. You make delicious food."

The cook smiled widely at her praise. "Well, if it’s what the princess wants."

Soon after, Aristia and her companions left the Estate’s farm.

"Princess, would you also like to see the fruit orchard?" Adeline asked.

Aristia thought for a moment and nodded. "Sure."

Adeline led them to the Estate’s orchard.

Just like the farm had different animals, it was the same way the orchard had different fruit trees.

Aristia turned to Adeline.

"Did papa also make this orchard two years ago?"

She was asking if it was because of her that there was an orchard.

Adeline shook her head. "No. This orchard has always been here since his highness was given this Fief and built this estate. Most Estates of the eastern Lords have orchards."

Aristia nodded in understanding. She recalled that a tea party she had attended a month before had been held in the orchard. That was in the Churchill Estate.

Aristia noticed servants picking up fallen fruit from the trees.

When they moved closer, a servant handed them apples.

[Mm. Apples. But I need to wash them first.] Aristia thought.

Just as she had that thought, as if Kai knew what she was thinking, he said,

"Princess, let me wash it for you."

She turned to see Kai walking towards her.

"Oh, okay." Aristia nodded, handing him the apple.

The apple levitated in the air when Kai held it, and a ball of water formed from nowhere, wrapping around the apple.

When Kai was done, he he returned the apple.

"Thanks," Aristia smiled.

[There’s no salt, but I don’t think these apples have germs.]

Kai nodded shyly.

"What about mine?" Alaric asked, wanting his to be washed too.

"I can only do this once and I’ve used it for princess Tia." Kai replied without batting an eye.

Owen, who was just about to ask for the same, went silent.

Alaric’s eyes widened. That was such an obvious lie!

He rolled his eyes and wiped his apple on his shirt before taking a bite.

Aristia couldn’t force Kai to use his magic, but she could give Alaric her washed apple. But before she could say anything, Alaric had already started eating his.

Just as the sun began setting, the group was done with their tour around the Estate.