Alexander was reading a book about herbs to search for materials that could be used to make a potion that might help him earn some money.
The matter was a bit complicated, which forced him to spend a lot of time searching through various books
Alexander felt someone standing behind him. But he did not sense any hostile intent from him. So, he simply ignored him, thinking that she was one of the cafe's waiters
But she continued to cough provocatively behind him
Alexander closed the book and turned to her. “Why don’t you go to the doctor if you are sick? You—”
Alexander stopped his words when he identified the person who was standing behind him
It was Princess Layla
Was she the one coughing behind me the whole time?
Alexander knew that his words had hurt her from the dark face she was showing
Alexander smiled embarrassedly. “Princess Layla, I am happy to see you. You seem to be coughing a lot. Sit here and I will order you some tea that will calm this cough.”
Alexander got up and pointed to one of the seats
Layla sat on the bench while Anastasia stood behind her
"Miss Anastasia." Alexander nodded his head to greet Anastasia
Anastasia smiled. "It's good to see you're doing well after all this time, Mr. Alexander."
Alexander had to admit that he preferred Anastasia to this annoying child, Layla
He didn't care much about appearances
But the calm attitude and trustworthy atmosphere surrounding her made her more mature
The waitress approached them and tried to act calm, although there was tension on her face. "How can I serve you?"
“Tea for Princess Layla, and bring a mocha frappuccino with extra caramel for Anastasia.”
"..." The corners of Anastasia's mouth twitched
What on earth is this thing?
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The waitress left after taking their orders
Alexander leaned back on the chair and smiled at them. “Can I help you with anything?”
Layla smiled with narrowed eyes. "I didn't expect you to be so bold, Alexander."
Alexander tilted his head slightly to the side and showed a questioning expression
Layla explained. “I'm talking about the letter.”
"Oh." Alexander understood what Layla was talking about. “Yes, I gave a letter to Princess Diana. Is there a problem with that?”
Layla's look sharpened when she heard his last sentence
Is there a problem with that?
Did he really dare to ask?
Alexander noticed her angry expression. “It's just a letter. I don't understand why you're upset.”
Alexander picked up the cup of tea and took a sip to clear his throat
Talking to this girl was tiring for him
Baaam!
Layla hit the table, which shattered under Layla's force. "Just a letter? How dare you give her a love letter in public."
cough! cough!
Alexander, who was drinking tea, started coughing when he heard Layla's words
A Love Letter?
me?
What is this girl talking about?
Alexander calmed his feelings. “I don’t understand what love letter you are talking about, I have never given a love letter to anyone before.”
“Don’t act so innocent. Everyone saw you giving a love letter to my younger sister.”
"..." Alexander's face went blank
Is she talking about Diana?
Alexander became more confused, but he was able to quickly realize what was happening. "I think there's a misunderstanding. That envelope wasn't a love letter."
“So what was it?”
“...” Alexander did not reply
What should he say?
He couldn't tell her about Diana enlisting Eric's help
Because Layla will make Diana give up this topic. Which makes all of Alexander's plans futile
I have to find a suitable excuse to mislead her
Layla smiled sarcastically. "Don't try to find an excuse to avoid my question."
"..." Does this girl have the ability to read minds?
The door of the café opened and a girl wearing an academy uniform entered
There was a gold badge on the chest area indicating that she was from the student council
This girl is the student council president, Sylvia
“Sylvia...” Layla stood up and headed towards Sylvia with a bright smile that contrasted with her previous stern face
“Layla..” There was a gentle smile on Sylvia’s face.
But that smile quickly disappeared when she looked at Alexander. "Alexander.."
"..." Why doesn't anyone smile when they see me?
I don't care, but it's still annoying when you frown every time you see my face
Sylvia continued, addressing Alexander. “The Academy Council has requested your presence.”
Alexander's pupils widened
Why do they want to meet him?
He had a bad feeling about this
“Can I refuse?”
“The principal ordered me to drag you to the council if necessary.”
As expected from that old crook
Alexander got up from his seat, looking innocently at Layla. “It was a pleasure talking to you, Princess Layla. But as you can see, I am a busy man.”
Alexander left without looking back, but he still felt that Layla's eyes were still piercing him
The corners of Alexander's mouth rose slightly
He was able to overcome this obstacle without losses
“You are the savior, Sylvia.” Alexander whispered
“Did you say something?” asked Sylvia, who was walking behind Alexander
“No, I was talking to myself.”
-----------------
Alexander was standing upright in front of the academy council with his hands behind his back
Frederic was frowning heavily as he tapped on the table while looking at Alexander's face. After several seconds, Frederic broke the silence. “Why am I not surprised by the fact that you are the one who started this problem.”
Alexander looked down in embarrassment
Sylvia told him everything as they walked to the council
He didn't expect that simply giving a letter to Diana would cause such an uproar
It was just an ordinary letter
I am truly innocent
But he knows that Frederic and the instructors will not buy these excuses
He must find a solution to this problem or a way to evade responsibility
Frederic rested his chin on the palm of his hand and said slowly. “You know what the real problem is, Alexander.”
"..." Alexander did not answer
Frederic continued. “A lot of noble families have begun to withdraw their investments from the academy because they are worried about what is happening. They would not send their daughters to a place full of reckless young men who confess their love in front of people like this. Therefore, these families have no reason to provide financial support to the academy anymore.”
“This—” Alexander tried to speak
But Frederic interrupted him in an annoyed tone. “Do you know how much money the academy will lose if this financial support stops?”
Alexander began to think seriously about this matter
Ten thousand, or a hundred thousand at most
Frederic's face darkened and the words came out from between his teeth. "One million coins."
"Hugh." Alexander gasped loudly and felt his legs become weak, causing him to stagger backwards
Sylvia grabbed him from behind and supported him. " calm yourself."
But her words did not reach Alexander, whose mind was filled with the echo of Frederic's voice
A million coins... a million coi... a million