-Snow's pov-

"What's the pretty darling doing out of her castle past bedtime?" she asked with a playful smile.

"I'm just out for some fun, aunt Bella," I laughed awkwardly.

"Who told you about the Carolina district? You've got some luck to stumble upon it without proper information," she frowned.

"Aren't you just happy that I'm in a safe district?" I dodged the question.

"Nice try, deary. What do you know about the five districts?" she pressed.

"I-I don't know anything, aunt Bella," I shook my head honestly.

She seemed to contemplate my answer for a bit then smiled.

"Alright. Then I should go alert your father--,"

"No!" I screamed.

"Aunt Bella, please, I-I... I just... I couldn't stay there much longer... I just wanted to have some fun," I explained.

"Do you know how dangerous this place is?" she asked.

I nodded my head as she sat at my table.

"Snow... Are your spirits bothering you?" she asked.

I looked at her in shock.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"It's not like your father could avoid such situations. And when a spirit of his was recovering, his mental state was a little... Off," she explained, holding my hand.

"Since I was his fiancé, I did my best to take care of him," she smiled.

"... So are you going to tell father?" I asked.

"No, but next time, if you want to go out secretly, tell me, I'll accompany you and help you sneak out," she said, putting a finger on her mouth.

I laughed. Aunt Bellatrix was very sweet and playful.

"Alright, I promise--," as I said that, my stomach started to grumble.

"Veener! Fried chicken and fries for the girl," Aunt Bellatrix ordered.

"Coming up, miss," he said with a flick of his pencil.

"He looks a bit young to work," I said offhandedly.

"He does doesn't he? On the contrary, he's already an elder and owns the place," she replied.

"He's an ELDER?" I gasped.

An elder was what you referred to a beast who has already stopped aging.

"Unfortunately yes, I won't grow older than this," Veener sighed, serving me a plate.

There was a condition where beasts stop aging earlier than they're supposed to, it's caused by weak magic and malnourishment.

"Oh, come on, I know women who'd kill for a man like you, you aren't as childish as you look," Bellatrix giggled.

"You flatter me, your husband might just get jealous," Veneer smiled.

"Please. The only people my husband would be jealous of are the twins and Benny," Bellatrix rolled her eyes.

"Uncle Liam? Jealous? Now this I have to hear!" I said excitedly.

"Then let's take off this mask first," she said, gently taking it and smiling warmly.

"There, so beautiful," I flustered, aunt Bellatrix really is a one of a kind beauty! A real charmer too.

"S-So why uncle Benny?" I asked, still a little red in the face.

"Well, he's my closest confidant... And well, he used to be my most enthusiastic suitor," she snickered as I almost choked on my water.

"Really!?" I asked.

"Yes, even if I was engaged, he never failed to bring me flowers, compliment me, brush his hand against mine, all in front of my dearest fiancé," she laughed.

"Wow, uncle Benny knew no shame!" I exclaimed.

"And he still doesn't, that's quite a big factor," she smiled before we were rudely interrupted by a commotion.

"You thugs can't keep coming by to harass my staff. I'm getting annoyed," Veneer said calmly behind the counter.

The three burly men laughed. They weren't wearing armor but they wore a crest of a black panther. But I was unfamiliar with it.

"It would be a lot easier for everyone if that wench would stop playing coy and agreed to be the boss' pet," one of them sneered as I followed their gaze to a timid looking waitress.

She looked like she was about to cry.

"Aunt Bella?" I asked cautiously.

But she only put up her hood and handed me my mask.

"Don't interfere..." She said as I put on my mask.

"Your boss has no dignity nor respect, it shows in his subordinates. It's no wonder Livia would never choose to go near the likes of you," Veneer spat.

"And you think you're such a big shot don't ya?" The guy growled, getting ready to throw fists.

Veneer glanced at our table briefly.

"I suggest you leave. Before I call the knights," he said wearily.

"Ha! And what would they do? Throw us in jail?" they laughed.

"The knights of the Carolina district are under the command of district officer Bellatrix Ascot, I'm sure you understand how a Sterlean Duchess would be... 'Unwelcoming' to a persistent disturbance in her district," Veneer glared.

My eyes widened. I only knew that Bellatrix worked here, but she was running a whole district in another kingdom? That was quite the achievement.

As a foreigner, she must have clawed her way up regardless of her status back home.

"Foreign trash doesn't concern my boss," the guy waved dismissively.

I was enraged and about to say something when my aunt stood up and gently pushed me down back to my seat.

"Leave it, Snow," she whispered.

"Who in the heck is that damn boss?" I hissed quietly.

"Duke Myoga, Haruto Myoga, pay them no mind," she said, as calm as she could be.

She wasn't fazed at all. Perhaps she'd heard the term one too many times before... I wonder how her life is here, away from her family.

"T-That's slander! How dare you insult lady Bellatrix?! She is the top district officer! Her district surpasses all with safety and provision!" the waitress who I assume is Livia screamed in outrage.

A few people looked and nodded in agreement, but no one was willing to help.

"Doesn't change the fact that she's some delusional outcast, if she really wanted to help, she should've just thrown herself at the king," one of them snickered.

"Idiot, how'd you think she got a whole district to herself? She's got the looks I'll give her that," the three men laughed as I looked at my aunt who seemed to have spaced out.

"Wait here, my dear." she said calmly, tapping her earrings twice, her hair color and eye color both changed.

I saw Veneer and Livia look at them in disgust as my aunt approached.

"Oh. So it was you bastards again. I knew I heard some whining little imps," my aunt glared.

"K-Knight commander, Suzuki Riko..." the three men faltered.

"It's knight commander Suzuki to you. I don't want my full name to be sullied by your damned mouth," she sneered.

"What do you think you're all doing in the Carolina district? You think Duke Myoga has any jurisdiction here? I'll do you a favor, scram. Before I call the knights to give you an eye opening beating before throwing you out myself," she threatened.

"... Tch, another hot shot ey? You know, I think I could actually respect you, if you weren't such a dog for that 'District Officer' how can we respect someone like that huh? Turn your back like you do for your people. You disgrace your kingdom, " at those words my aunt froze.

She was too stunned to speak.

I took a spoon to look at my reflection and shifted into a slightly older version of myself. I looked like the same age as Snow in the game, I straightened my hair and changed the color of my eyes.

I stood up and took off the mask.

"Oh dear, Knight Commander Riko, please don't mind their words too much," I said worriedly as the three men's greedy gazes ate up my kind and demure girl act.

"And who's this little lotus?" one of them asked.

"Looks like a brothel's top product if you ask me," the other drooled.

"What's your price, lotus? I'll glady drop my courtesan, what brothel are you from?" the third offered.

Disgusting pigs.

"O-Oh! I-I'm no courtesan..." I stammered shyly.

"Are you from here?" they asked.

It would spell diplomatic trouble if they laid a finger on a foreigner in my aunt's territory.

"N-No, I mean yes! I'm from Bonhall, I'm only visiting the capital, my name is Yukionna," I introduced myself as my aunt grabbed my wrist.

"What are you doing, Yukionna?" she asked angrily.

"Friend of yours, lotus?" they asked again.

"Right, knight commander Riko is an acquaintance of mine!" I said cheerily.

"Why don't we show you around then?" they offered as I saw a glint of a crystal from one of their pockets.

Are they recording me?

"That's enough, you're not taking her anywhere," my aunt stepped in.

"Now, now, Riko, if it's only around the district I don't think it'll do any harm," I said gently as she gaped at me.

"What?"

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