n

n

n

"Let's go right now.

" the prince grabbed Marinette's hands and rushed to the door but a hand stopped him from behind quickly when that person saw him doing that.

n

"Your highness...lady Marinette is the crown prince's fiancee, please be considerate of her.

" Victor did say that to the prince with his sharp eyes gazing at him and yet he also grabbed one of Marinette's hands tightly.

nMarinette was stuck in between two handsome men's faces, she rolled her eyes and shook both of their hands off her. It somehow reminded her of a scene in the novel when two men chase after one girl.

nVictor loves Marinette, but about Philip, she wasn't sure about that. She didn't care much about it since she thought she wasn't the real Marinette.

n

"I need to change my clothes...and you too, your highness.

"

n

"Ah, right.

" the prince looked at himself, he really did forget to change the bathrobe he was wearing on his body.

n

"Victor, can you get some clothes for us?

"

n

"Ah...sure, sure.

" Victor was out of thought for a second seeing how pretty Marinette looks at that time. He shook his head and rushed out to get some clothes for the other two.

nAfter a while, he came back with two sets of clothes except it was the men's clothes and a knight's uniform at that.

nMarinette picked the smaller one for her body to fit and then glanced at the other two.

n

"What??

"

n

"I'm changing...can you...

"

n

"Ah, right...sorry.

" the prince turned his face to the door covering his eyes. Then Marinette stared coldly at Victor who was having the nosebleed.

n

"You too.

"

n

"Sure...sure...take your time.

" the knight's uniform was put on her body, it was kinda tight for her. And the prince in the knight's suit in Marinette's eyes wasn't quite bad.

n

"You look good, your highness.

" someone is a little bit jealous when Marinette told the first prince that.

nThey both sneaked out of the royal palace and ran to where duke Jellal was.

nLeading them to the royal gate, the crowd was still gathering in front of it. Many knights were stopping them at the gate.

nMarinette felt a little bit scared of facing duke Jellal.

n

"He was here a moment ago...

" the prince murmured squinting his eyes trying to look for one man among hundreds.

n

"Marinette, are you alright?

" Victor asked Marinette out of concern in a low voice while the prince was looking for the duke.

n

"I'm fine.

" she replied shortly lying straight to his face.

n

"I shouldn't have done that...I'm really sorry for bringing you in all of these messes.

"

n

"Victor...

"

n

"Really, I'm really sorry. I know you won't trust me...but I only wished for your safety.

"

n

"...thank you...for that wonderful thought...but how did you even swap the bodies in the first place?

"

n

"I got the potion from a lady...she said it will help me achieve what I wish.

"

n

"What you wish??

"

n

"I wish for your safety...I don't know if you want to hear this or not...but no matter which life it is, I always love you.

"

n'You love Marinette, not me.'

n

"...

"

n

"Say something...

"

n

"Victor...I--

"

n

"I know...I know...you love the first prince...and you're happy with him. I know he would make you feel the love...warmth, and happiness...but I just can't help but love you, Marinette.

"

n

"Marinette loves the first--

" she didn't finish her sentence, she didn't expect that. Marinette never showed a little bit of affection to Philip.

n'If she loves him...why didn't she have any memory of him?'

nShe was confused. But she had to put it aside and focus on the current situation. She turned her head from Victor to the direction Philip pointed.

n

"It's duke Jellal.

"

n

"It really is him.

" Marinette had little hope up since she will no longer be bound by the chain anymore. Before she walked to Philip, she grabbed both of Victor's hands and told him as her eyes didn't show any sign of lies in them.

n

"After everything ends, I'll tell you a secret.

"

n

"What do you mean...?

" she smiled and ran alongside Philip.

nWhen they came closer and closer to the duke, the duke when seeing three knights running toward him. He immediately ran and cast all the roses and vines to block the path of the alley as he entered the dart remote alley with many housed on each side.

nThe chase began, Marinette was running fine at first and so was Philip but those two, one had a wound on his leg and one had a wound on her stomach couldn't keep up with the duke.

nVictor decided to carry Marinette in his arm and ran but due to the chain, he couldn't carry one and left one behind.

nHe picked the prince and carried him on one shoulder.

n

"Hey!!!

"

n

"Sorry, your highness.

"

n

"What are you--

" Marinette's hair blew everywhere, her hair kept hitting Philip's face as Victor was standing on the flying sword he summoned at a very fast speed.

n

"Ouch!!

"

n

"Sorry...

"

n

"Your Grace, it's me!!!! Stop running!!!!

" the duke ignored all the words shouting from Victor's lip and kept on running.

nHe was old but his ability to run was even faster than the flying sword.

n

"This damn old man--

" Victor noticed Marinette on his shoulder, immediately shut up since he knew Marinette loves and respects her father the most.

nMarinette clenched her fists biting her lip, she took a deep breath. She was frightened and traumatized by Marinette's memories she saw.

nShe felt like something was stuck between her throat, the words she could call the duke to stop didn't dare to come out.

n

"Fa--fa--father!!!!!

" she raised her voice shouting that one word loudly, from the bottom of her heart, she wished even for a little bit, wishing he would slow down.

n

"Marinette, you might need to look at this.

" Victor put Marinette down, Marinette was afraid to raise her head. She kept staring at her feet, unable to face the duke who she called father.

n

"Fa--

" just when she raised her head up to face the duke, the duke wasn't there but a random white-haired man was standing there looking cluelessly instead.

n

"Miss...what did you just call me??

"

nMarinette bowed to that old man in embarrassment, he looked nothing alike to duke Jellal except having white hair.

n

"I thought you were my father...

"

n

"Ah...is that so??

" the old man chuckled with eyes became teary staring at Marinette.

n

"Sir...??

"

n

"I thought you were my daughter...you know...I lost her last year, hearing you called me that...meant a lot for me.

"

nMarinette's eyes widen watching the man in front of her sobbing saying words like that to her, her eyes didn't only see the old man but a young woman behind him too.

n

"I'm sorry for your loss, sir.

" Marinette bowed to him once again.

n

"Why did you run away from us, sir??

" the first prince asked.

n

"I thought you were my debt collector...and I don't have any money...

" the pitiful old man murmured to them sniffling along with his sentence, he looked up at the mighty dragon Igneel.

n

"We already got debt on us...even at the day we were born...if only...if only I have money...my daughter wouldn't have died...

"

n

"I thought he was duke Jellal back there.

" the prince whispered to Marinette.

n

"It was really the duke, he must hide somewhere around this alley...

" Marinette replied to the prince, but her eyes couldn't turn away from the floating woman behind the old man's back.

nIt's not your fault...father...please...don't think like that...

nA little bit of tear came out of Marinette's eyes, she turned her head away from the other two wiping that little tear.

n

"We need to go now, sir. We're sorry for the inconvenience.

" Victor bowed to the old mand and signaled Marinette and Philip to follow him.

n

"Young miss??

" but the old man suddenly called Marinette, she and Philip turned at the same time staring at him.

n

"Yes?

"

n

"Why are you wearing chains like that? Is it a new fashion?

"

n

"Ah...yes. Yes, it is a fashion.

" the prince made a ridiculous lie before leaving. Marinette followed them behind after smiling at the old man and mouthed her words at him,

"Your daughter won't be happy seeing you like this...and it's not your fault.

"

nAfter they left, the old man took the crumbled paper out of his pocket and took a look at the face of the criminal to check.

n

"I won't...have to pay the debt anymore...

" the old man ran quickly to the knight he could see in his sight and then pointed the direction to the knight.

n

"I saw them in that alley...I can take you to them...but is the price still valid?

"

n

"Of course, sir.

"

nFather...how could you... the pitiful soul of his daughter was crying then turning to ash seeing her father did such a thing.

n

"We found the criminal, Marinette, and Victor. Call all of the knights!!!

"

nThe knight gathered at one equipped with many types of weapons from sword to crossbow.

n

"Lead the way sir--

"

n

"Sir!!!!!

"

nDeath Roses Magic: Sleep

n

"Sir!!!!

"

nThe old man fell down to the ground just when he was about to run leading the to the criminals, many roses appeared on the old man's body then bloomed in such a beautiful way enchanted all the eyes of the knights making them drowsy then fell on the ground one by one.

n

"My daughter become a criminal?? In such a short time??

" a couple of red eyes came out from the dark with the trail of roses behind him as he walked to get the paper from the old man's hands.

nThat man sighed and vanished into thin air, he appeared on the roof of the house a second later running back to the people who he thought were the knights earlier.

nTo be continued....!

n