As the last prince makes his entrance, I carefully observe his appearance – in case I assume the wrong person to be Azher. Black hair as the sleepless night sky, grey eyes like a hazy shadow. A face that's definitely worth airing on-screen and a charismatic finest aura that fits perfectly for the emperor's role.

"Yup, I definitely guessed the right person." I mumble underneath my breath.

All the guests remain silent as the emperor starts his welcoming speech. I don't hear a thing for my attention is too focus on only Azher, the hero in my Vision Of Ardiane.

*****

"My answer is no. Get out from my eyesight while I'm being nice." He shoves me right away, turning his back to me.

I'm very stunned that my eyes blink a few times in disbelief. I haven't yet said anything and was kicked out instantly?

"Pardon me, Your Highness. I'm afraid you have gotten the wrong idea. I'm not here to confess." I dare to correct Azher's assumption.

His feisty eyes lay on me as he turn around. "Fine. What brings you here rather than the ball downstairs? Make it fast." He demands grimly, arms crossed.

"I want to draw a deal with Your Highness." I speak my purpose straightforwardly without any filter.

"Not interested." He shifts his head to his side.

"Please go before I call the imperial guards." He shoves me away once again.

"Please listen to my proposal first. How could you answer me without hearing it first?"

'Gosh! How can a prince be so arrogant? Does he thinks he owns the world or something?' I rant on the inside but keep on a calm manner on the outside.

"…Your way of talking is quite informal to a prince of the empire. Daring and bold must I say."

I flinch, realizing my mistake. Well, in the 21stcentury, we normal citizens don't learn about specific middle-era royal etiquettes, dear prince!

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I didn't mean to, but please hear me out. I'm sure you'll be interested." I bow my head down in the utmost respect. Fake respect, of course.

"For the hundredth time, get out from my sight." He walks right past me out from the balcony, perhaps already tired and irritated from my non-stop persuasion.

I clench my fists in frustration. Urgh, seriously! This guy doesn't hear a thing about what I have to say! By then, an idea popped into my mind. Fine, proud prince. Don't want the easy way? Then let's use the hard way.

"I know the truth behind Her Highness Amira and Prince Zane's death." I so daringly declare, turning around to him.

He halts a bit but then scoffs in an instant. "Hah, keep bluffing."

"Piece of advice." He turns his head to the back a bit. "Don't act like you know something if you know nothing."

I grit my teeth hearing that mocking 'advice'. My hands are itchy from wanting to smash his brainless head and mountain-high ego.

You need him to stay alive. A sentence whispers on my mind as if there is an inner voice within me reminding of his importance. Thanks to that, I take a deep breath and search for the right words to say.

"Her Highness Amira didn't kill Prince Zane, rather His Highness tried to save Her Highness. But in the end, both of them were killed."

Suddenly, a shining light entered the corner of my sight. It is the light reflected from a sword being aimed at my neck. In a blink of an eye, Azher is in front of me, wearing a grim cold expression. "I should have killed you the moment you disobeyed my orders."

His tone is as icy as the north pole. Cold sweat starts to rush down from my body as I feel the sharp sword barely touching the veins in my neck. Fear and uncertainty fill my mind.

'…Calm down. In this kind of situation, the best thing to do is remain calm and don't act recklessly.'

"P-Please calm down, Y-Your Highness. I'm not here with any bad intentions nor ulterior motives." I say, trying to calm him down, barely managing to not stutter.

Ignoring what I said, he slowly pushes his sword onto my neck. "All spies would say the same. Talk if you value your life. How did you know the truth about my mother and Zane's death?" He asks with a gaze that is more than enough to kill me if it were weapons.

With the tension and fear running through me, my mind goes jam. I can't come up with any fake beliavable answers. How should I explain?! Saying that I knew from Vision Of Ardiane, the name I gave to a dream I continuously had when I was a child? Nonsense! Even I will not believe such a fact despite being the truth.

"I-I accidentally found some documents about it in the forest while hunting." I spontaneously lie, saying whatever runs in my mind.

"Found some documents about it while hunting?" He asks again with a small sense of doubt.

"Yes. I found it while hunting with my father and my bro-"

"Why should I believe you? Even His Majesty doesn't know the truth, or…" He leans his head closer to mine, whispering right beside my ear. "Was it you who sent the assassins?"

"No!" I strongly deny. "It's a long story, but believe me. I'm not the one who sent the assassins nor am I here to threaten Your Highness. Besides, I was only 7 at that time."

Because of his question before, I can't help but wonder. He's a prince, one of the candidates for the crown prince position. In order to achieve that, he must remember all the noble houses' names, reputations, and functions in the political world and governments. I'm the duke's only daughter, first in power of the young ladies' world. Is he not aware of my identity?

The vivid grey eyes that are piercing through me are getting sharper for every second that flies by. Perhaps convinced by my lie, he finally puts away his sword, but still has his guard up. I sigh out of relief, but my heart is still pounding fast. Gosh, I didn't know having a sword aimed for my neck was that terrifying…

"Tell me what you know."

"Umm… Long story short, the assassins tried to kill Prince Zane. Her Highness Amira happened to see the assassins circulating him at the park, then immediately ran for help. The assassins noticed her presence and killed them both. The case was closed after finding the 'killer' after 3 weeks of investigation." I explain briefly.