She followed Marta out of the room, her mind racing with possibilities. Fluffy floated next to her, its small, fuzzy body bouncing in the air as it whispered in her mind. "Stay alert, Princess. But don't let them see you're suspicious. Smile!"
Evelisse forced herself to smile, even though her heart was thudding in her chest. 'Got it. I'll act clueless.'
As they reached the corridor, Evelisse found herself surrounded by her seven brothers, all dressed in their best formal attire. Each one seemed to be competing for the title of "Most Handsome Prince," and the sight was almost enough to make Evelisse forget her worries—almost.
Lucien was the first to approach, offering his hand. His formal black coat with golden embroidery made his shoulders look even broader, and his deep blue eyes softened when he saw her.
"You look beautiful, Eve," he said with a rare, gentle smile.
Felix, standing on her other side, practically beamed, his blonde curls bouncing as he tried to peek at her face. "You're like a little sunbeam!" he chirped, clearly pleased.
Jared, leaning casually against the doorframe, gave a cheeky wink. "Don't let the servants swoon too hard."
Callum, more reserved as always, nodded approvingly. "It suits you," he muttered, trying to hide his faint smile.
Leo and Lance, the twins, exchanged matching grins before chiming in unison, "You look adorable!"
Marcus, always serious, stepped forward to adjust her ribbon slightly. "Perfect," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Evelisse blushed under their collective praise, squeezing both Lucien's and Felix's hands. "Thank you, everyone. I can't wait to have tea with all of you."
Lucien nodded, leading her down the hallway. "We've set up the garden pavilion. You'll love it."
As they walked, Evelisse couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. These boys loved her dearly, despite her being a stranger to them. She didn't deserve this affection... but she couldn't afford to let them down.
'For now, I have to focus on keeping up the act. I can't let them worry about me. Not until I know what's really going on.'
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
The garden was breathtaking. The midday sun cast a golden glow over the flowers, and a gentle breeze made the blossoms dance. A long, beautifully decorated table awaited them under the shade of a wide, flowering tree, laden with pastries, tea sets, and bouquets of pastel flowers.
Evelisse's breath caught. 'It's... beautiful.'
Lucien pulled out a chair for her, and Felix immediately set a cushion down for her comfort. The twins bustled around, arranging teacups while Callum adjusted the centerpiece. Jared poured the tea with an almost exaggerated mannerism, giving Evelisse a smug grin when she complimented his precision.
Marcus handed her a small plate of scones, his usual serious expression softened. "They're your favorite, right?"
Evelisse smiled, taking one. "Thank you."
Fluffy floated above the table, practically vibrating with excitement. "This is perfect! Everyone looks so happy!"
The tea party was lively and chaotic, as expected from having seven older brothers with wildly different personalities.
Jared challenged Lucien to see who could pour tea without spilling a drop, and Felix attempted to decorate Evelisse's scone with a ridiculous amount of clotted cream and berries.
Leo and Lance argued over whether raspberry or strawberry jam was superior while Callum quietly sketched the scene in a small notebook, occasionally showing Evelisse his drawings of her surrounded by her brothers.
As the tea party progressed, Evelisse found herself relaxing, basking in the warmth of her brothers' laughter and teasing. Even the unsettling message from earlier seemed to fade, replaced by the genuine happiness on their faces.
Felix suddenly hopped up from his seat, his face bright with excitement. "Eve! We wanted to give you something!"
Lucien nodded, producing a small box from his coat. He handed it to her, his expression serious. "This is for you."
Evelisse opened the box, revealing a delicate silver tiara inlaid with tiny emeralds.
Fluffy squealed in excitement.
[Task Complete! Reward Unlocked: Instant Popularity Boost and Personalized Tiara!
♡Affection Points Increased: +14]
[Total points accumulated: 33♡]
Evelisse's eyes widened, her heart swelling with gratitude. "It's beautiful..."
Lucien gently placed it on her head, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. "You're our princess. You deserve to feel like one."
Evelisse's eyes shimmered with happiness. "It's beautiful... thank you."
She couldn't help herself—she sprang up and wrapped her arms around Lucien, surprising him with a spontaneous hug.
Lucien froze, then hesitantly returned the embrace, his hand gently patting her back. "You're really affectionate today," he murmured, his voice barely hiding his pleased tone.
Evelisse pulled back, realizing she had hugged him without thinking. She ducked her head, cheeks warm with embarrassment.
Leo and Lance immediately demanded hugs too, practically tackling her. Felix pouted, muttering something about being the favorite and then wrapping his arms around her tightly. Jared laughed and ruffled her hair, while Callum gave her a hesitant but gentle pat on the shoulder. Marcus simply gave a small, approving nod, but his eyes were softer than usual.
Evelisse giggled, feeling more at ease than she had since arriving in this world.
Just then, a gust of wind swept through the garden, rustling the flowers and causing the teacups to rattle on their saucers. Evelisse shivered as a faint, whispering sound seemed to drift through the air, too quiet to make out, but it felt like a warning—dark and foreboding.
Lucien narrowed his eyes. "Stay close, Eve."
Jared frowned, glancing around. "Did anyone else feel that?"
Evelisse forced herself to smile, gripping the tiara. "Maybe... just the wind?"
As the tea party continued, Evelisse tried to shake off the uneasy feeling. She couldn't help but notice the slight tension in Lucien's shoulders or how Marcus kept glancing over his shoulder as if expecting something.
When Evelisse reached for the teapot to pour more tea, her hand brushed against something tucked beneath the ornate silver platter. Her fingers closed around a small, folded note.
Her heart pounded as she discreetly slipped it into her lap, unfolding it beneath the tablecloth.
**"You may have woken up, but don't think you're safe. Some things are better left forgotten. Don't poke your nose into adult matters—you'll only get hurt. Stay where you belong, little princess."**
Evelisse's fingers trembled, and she quickly folded the note back up, tucking it into her sleeve. 'Someone's warning me... or threatening me. Either way, they know I'm looking into things.'
Fluffy, sensing her tension, whispered, "What's wrong?"
She forced a bright smile when Felix leaned closer. "Are you okay, Eve? You look pale."
"I'm fine!" Evelisse replied quickly, taking a sip of tea to mask her unease. "Just... too much excitement."
Lucien gave her a concerned glance but didn't push it.
The tea party continued, with the brothers sharing stories and competing to make Evelisse laugh. Even the twins got into a mock argument about who was better at swordplay, which ended with Leo accidentally spilling tea on Lance's lap.
Evelisse couldn't help but giggle, her tension easing just a bit.
[Bonus Reward Unlocked: Cuddle Magnet Buff! Your hugs now have an increased cuteness effect!]
♡Affection Points Increased: +7]
[Total points accumulated: 40♡]
Evelisse blinked at the notification. 'Cuddle Magnet Buff? What does that even mean?'
Fluffy chimed in, giggling. "It means you're now officially irresistible! Your brothers will want to dote on you even more!"
Evelisse's cheeks flushed. 'I thought they were already clingy enough!'
Felix noticed her smile and immediately wrapped his arms around her shoulders, nuzzling her cheek. "You're smiling! That's a win!"
Lucien, not to be outdone, patted her head gently. "You should smile more often. It suits you."
Even Callum gave a soft chuckle, adding, "You've gotten more expressive lately. It's... nice."
Jared smirked, leaning back. "Don't let her get too comfortable, guys. Next thing you know, she'll have us wrapped around her finger."
The twins high-fived each other. "We're already wrapped!"
Marcus sighed, though his lips quirked up at the corners. "Hopeless," he muttered, but his tone was warm.
Evelisse found herself leaning into Felix's embrace, her worries momentarily forgotten in the chaotic, sugar-filled mess that was their tea party. The brothers' laughter, their gentle teasing, and the way they seemed to genuinely adore her made her feel... safe.
But as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the garden, Evelisse's mind drifted back to the note.
'Adult matters... what could it be? And why shouldn't I get involved?'
When the party finally ended, and her brothers walked her back to her room, Evelisse couldn't shake the feeling that the day's warmth had only briefly chased away the cold, looming threat. As the door clicked shut behind her, she pulled out the crumpled note, rereading it by the dim light of the setting sun.
Fluffy perched on her shoulder, its tiny ears twitching. "Princess... something's wrong. We need to be careful."
Evelisse nodded, determination hardening her gaze. 'Someone is trying to scare me... or warn me. Either way, I can't let this go. I need to find out the truth—even if it means uncovering something no one wants me to know.'
A sudden knock on her door made her stiffen, and Fluffy's fur bristled.
"Eve? Are you awake?" It was Lucien's voice.
Evelisse quickly hid the note under her pillow. "Y-Yes! Come in!"
Lucien stepped in, his usual calm demeanor somewhat strained. "I just wanted to check on you. You seemed... tense earlier."
Evelisse forced a smile. "I'm okay! Just... tired."
Lucien hesitated, his eyes sharp and assessing. "If anything's bothering you... you can tell me."
Evelisse swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding. "I know. Thank you, Brother Lucien."
After he left, Evelisse sat on the edge of her bed, the note burning a hole in her thoughts.
'A looming secret... and someone doesn't want me poking around. I have to be careful... but I also have to know.'
Fluffy whispered, "This is just the beginning. We'll find the truth... but you have to be smart."
Evelisse clenched her fists, determination flaring in her chest. 'I won't be a helpless princess. I'll find out who's trying to scare me—and why.'
As the evening shadows crept through her room, Evelisse couldn't help but feel that the tea party had only been a temporary relief. Whatever dark secret loomed over her family, it was coming closer—and she needed to be ready.
'It's about time I visit those prisoners!'