TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
CHAPTRE 14

Meridia did not expect the hope dreamed so far would be granted easily overnight.

Not just one thing surprised him. At once everyone was friendly to Meridia. It was no surprise that Marigold remained friendly despite pretending to be him, but now everyone was like following his twin's habits. What's wrong with all of them?

Meridia did occasionally wish for him to be treated the way they treated Marigold. But unexpectedly, Meridia could not get used to seeing it. There are different flavors, all seem to not really accept them.

Marigold to invite him to prepare together, ranging from bathing, wearing a mask, choosing fragrances, and dressing up. Meridia was unable to resist because the servants who normally nailed her now insisted on helping her become as beautiful as possible.

"What is your real intention?" Meridia was tired of their behavior. Marigold smiled as he patted Meridia's slippery shoulder "It turns out you still don't know? Dad's gonna have our maturity party tomorrow. From now on we must prepare so that tomorrow we can perform well."

"Marquess can't possibly do this crazy thing."

"Rather than you think that, why don't we just relax? your skin will wrinkle easily if you keep bending your face so."

For a whole day Meridia felt treated like a king's daughter who loved her followers dearly. Meridia was even invited to eat with her father and mother. Despite Zoya's attitude showing that she still doesn't accept it completely, things have changed.

But Meridia did not understand what the reason behind their change in attitude towards her was. Meridia did not forget her vow that was spoken consciously as her anger peaked upon hearing Ziel's nonsense.

No matter how much they tried to persuade, Meridia did not know how to retract her words so as not to happen. Even if she knew, Meridia did not want to break the curse.After realizing it, Meridia was not at all happy with the kindness of others to her. What is the pleasure of receiving kindness without sincerity in it.

Meridia gets a hunch that there will be riots going on that will make the party so unpleasant both for her and for the Emerald family.

Marigold has also said that Meridia will be introduced as a relative of the Emerald family. Not surprisingly, why persuade Meridia until Ziel had to show the public that she was Marigold's sister?

"I've prepared a dress for you. I've bought it for a long time just in case and purposely prepared it for you." Marigold was not someone who was easy to defeat his charm. To make it even more radiant, Marigold needed Meridia as a stepping stone. Meridia's feelings at that time had told her that Marigold's choice of dress was no better than the daily dress worn by her twin sister.

"Thank you."

The day of the party has arrived. Usually Meridia would only be busy in the kitchen preparing cutlery without being able to go to the hall. Now instead he stood side by side with Marigold while paying attention to all the party decorations that were already half finished.

It's a party for me too, but I'm not happy.

"Hows it? you likey? Dad prepared it so fancy for both of us." Marigold said enthusiastically. The golden-crowned girl let out her voice in order to be heard only by Meridia, "You should be grateful for being able to enjoy a party like this once in a lifetime."

"Your Majesty, it's time for the two of you to get ready."

Meridia was forced to come along and only then was she shown by Marigold the dress she was going to wear at her debut party tonight. Meridia gawked at him "This black dress is so elegant, I chose it for you because I'm sure it will suit you very well."

"Don't you think the dress was too open?"

The black dress is elegant, but only polite if worn by adult women. The tear on the skirt of the dress is quite high above the knee. For girls who are just entering adulthood it feels inappropriate to directly wear an open dress at a debut or maturity party. That seemed to describe Meridia's 'brave' nature'.

"Just calm. No one would dare to comment badly on you. There's me. I'll protect you." Again the same shit.

Black is not so popular with young girls because it is like a color of misfortune and increases their age to be older than they should be.

Marigold wanted Meridia to look older than him so that she would shine more and no one would notice that they were twins. Marigold secretly asked the makeup artist to make Meridia's makeup thicker than it should be.

They are not in the same room when preparing. This is done so that the room does not feel cramped and stuffy because there are some people besides makeup artists who help them prepare as the star of this event.

"Sorry, Madame. Can I ask for a mask?"

"Yes? ah yes, I don't mind with that, but your makeup is already perfect. Why do you need to cover it?"

"I'm a very shy person so I avoid being in the spotlight. Moreover, the main star is Marquess Ziel's daughter, I'm just hitching a ride so I don't want to tag along."

After dressing up, Marigold came out of his room to meet his parents. Until there Marigold immediately reviled many questions related to the mood of his twin sister.

"I still don't know if he's taken the curse or not. The curse is not something I can purify." Marigold was unwilling to admit it, but he had hitherto not understood how to overcome Meridia's abilities. Their strengths should complement each other.

"Father and mother need not worry, I'm sure Meridia is not a bad child until she wants her family to have trouble."

Zoya bites her fingernails "I can't stand being close to her. I can't even smile in front of him after he's been so troublesome to us and never let us calm down." Ziel sighed, his hand stroking his wife's back "He still doesn't understand our sudden kindness."

"When do we have to be like this?"

"Mother, don't worry so much. I'll ask Meridia to undo the curse."

The Marquess Hall, again in the same month, was filled with dozens of noble families who got invitation letters. Unlike last time, this time the audience came more children of Marigold's age.

Yes, it is not strange because his age tonight became an adult which became a place of introduction with the opposite sex. If lucky, there may be a couple who advance to the guarantee as soon as possible.

They were busy talking about whether Marigold managed to become Arden again considering this time even the son of William Palmieri was present also to enliven the party tonight. If Arden and Marigold return to pair, the gossip will be even louder in every corner of town.

"Arden?" feeling called by someone, he looked at the source of the sound and put his juice glass back on the table. His eyes widened, his lip line lifted up "Victor? Are you here too?"

Victor was the son of Count Vounstein de Clealpina. They used to be first class mates in the academy, but Victor did not complete his education there and chose to practice specifically with drugs in his own town, in Norfolk. Even so, they remain good friends.

Arden never expected to see his old friend again at this party. He set aside his goal of looking for Meridia because he was so happy to be able to chat and share his story with Victor.

The magnificence of the Marigold dress is very helpful for its appearance which since the beginning has been perfect to become more and more shiny rivaling the star of the world. His long hair in a neat description, at the top of his head embedded tiara (smaller shape crown) wrapped in white gems to be the key to the image of his deity tonight.

Elegance is inevitable. Not only men, women were amazed at and envious of his form.

Meridia looked at the happy family from behind the hall pillars "It's a good thing I chose not to show up with them." Meridia had already walked into the hall as everyone was busy gathering with her one-on-one friends and no one focused on people just passing by.

"Tonight is a maturation ceremony for our daughter, Marigold Emerald. Thank you to all the people who took the time just to celebrate my daughter's celebration."

Victor nudged Arden's arm "See. Your future candidate has arrived. Don't you want to see him soon? I'll wait here until you're done, '" the god. But that doesn't make Arden happy.

"I'll stay here until they're done with their own business. We can both congratulate together." Victor put down his juice glass and patted Arden on the shoulder "What's wrong? did you two fight?" whispered. This time he did not flirt.

Naturally Victor thought so because he believed in the rumors that spread that Marigold and Arden were very suitable lovers. Not just anyone believes, when Arden accompanied Marigold to walk in the market Victor also had time to see it.

Back then, Victor bought all the herbs and roots to test out the new herbs he had learned in the previous class. Accidentally seeing Arden, Victor thought he was alone at first but Marigold suddenly appeared and they left.

"No. I mean, there's no special relationship between the two of us. We were just friends on Marchioness's birthday." an annoyed tone came out of Arden's mouth. It seemed that he was tired of hearing rumors of his own relationship.

"Oh that? I think the reason you come here so often is."

"No."

While Meridia sat on the sofa in the corner of the room to avoid the crowded crowd that could be there will be someone asking her status. When most of the guests crowded around to see the Emerald family, Meridia was instead engrossed in trying to drink wine that was deliberately provided for adults.

His nose was wrinkled, his tongue was strange, there was a bitter taste that was really not his taste. Meridia glanced around and put the glass back into another row of glasses "I wonder why anyone likes a drink with a taste like rotten fruit juice."

Meridia intends to return to the sofa where she is sitting if only Arden and Victor do not walk in the same direction. Although she looks very inversely proportional, Meridia remains anxious.

He changed course and tried to avoid it until because of the focus on only one object, he unconsciously hit a graceful woman clad in a velvet maroon dress whose model showed beautiful shoulders and legs. That woman is perfect.

"I'm sorry" said Meridia nervously.

"It's okay. Be careful."

Meridia blushed at the smile of the woman. Meridia stayed away to avoid Arden, but her ears heard someone calling the name of the woman she accidentally hit earlier "So Her name is Veronica?"

If heard from the call given, it seems that he is not from among the nobility but respected and high-class as well. In this world, education and wealth are the benchmark for the application of the caste system.

If he is not a noble but highly educated or a wealth owned by a large, then automatically he will be considered one of the classes of people with high status in his society.

Meridia fused in the crowd again and hid well. Occasionally his eyes glanced at the balcony peering "if there's no one better I go there."

Veronica, that woman was able to bewitch the eyes of the men with just one lyric. He walked alone with his close friends and congratulated Marigold and his family.

"Veronica, I heard you didn't get an invitation here. How did you get in?"

"I'm replacing Madam Hinelda. He couldn't attend because of work, so he gave me his invitation." Answer Veronica casually.

Veronica smiled as her friend said that she was so busy that she rarely came to events like this but her mini mala came like a surprise "What made your heart move to come here?"

Veronica did not immediately answer and instead favored a grin that managed to provoke the curiosity of her friend "What's wrong? why are you smiling like that?"

"I came here because I wanted to see something extraordinary. If you'd known this would have shocked a city."

"really? what gossip are you hearing?" tanyanya enthusiastic.

"Let's get a drink first. My throat will be dry before I can tell you everything."

Veronica was deliberately looking for a table that had more people there. He took the best quality wine and downed it like drinking plain mineral water "Not bad, but in my place it felt stronger." His comments.

"Hey, Veronica. Let's quickly tell me what gossip you heard? is that about the Marquess family?"

"You're right."

Veronica cleared her throat then slightly raised the volume of her voice "I heard the Marquess actually has two daughters."

Everyone near the table who heard Veronica's words were shocked. Even those who glanced at Veronica were not trustworthy.

"W-You kidding me?"

"No. What do you think I came here for? That's why I came to this party to see if she'd be celebrating the maturity party for her two daughters or just for the Saintess we know."

The hall became rowdy. They were no longer focused on Marigold but rather on the gossip spread by Veronica "Where did you hear that from? It could be just a slander."

"I've heard of an old woman who said she used to work here. You want to know what it's going on?"