"Philippe?"
The soft voice calling his name startled Philippe from his daydream, causing him to choke on a piece of apple.
He coughed repeatedly, turning to find Emilie standing there.
The girl cleared her throat, an amused smile curling her lips.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Her brow furrowed slightly as she gazed intently at Philippe's face. "It's just that you looked…" she paused, then shook her head. "Never mind."
Come on, don't leave it halfway! Philippe grumbled inwardly.
He sighed, meeting the clear eyes before him. "What are you doing here?"
Emilie chuckled. "I should be asking you that!" She stepped closer, a faint lily scent from her hair carried on the breeze. "I got bored in the room, so I decided to take a walk."
"Then we're the same," Philippe replied, a genuine smile blooming on his face. Strangely, the usual awkwardness was absent. The interaction felt so natural. What's happening to me?
Emilie's gaze then dropped to the paper bag in Philippe's hand, her head tilting slightly.
"Want one?" Philippe offered, holding out the bag.
"May I?" Emilie's face lit up, her eyes sparkling.
Philippe nodded. Emilie took an apple and bit into it enthusiastically. "Wow, this is delicious!" she exclaimed with her mouth full, like a child who'd just gotten candy.
Unconsciously, Philippe smiled at the sight.
Emilie swallowed. "What? Is there something weird on my face?"
Philippe felt his cheeks warm. He quickly looked away, scratching his non-itchy cheek. "No, nothing," he answered.
"Oh, okay…"
"I thought you were busy in the room," Philippe said, deliberately changing the topic. "I was thinking of inviting you for a walk earlier."
Emilie paused for a moment, then a wide smile spread across her face. "Next time, if you want to invite me, just say it directly!" She laughed softly, her laughter sounding so cheerful.
Philippe joined in the laughter, though it felt a bit forced. He sensed something different about himself today—a foreign confidence.
"Then," Philippe said, stopping and turning to face Emilie. "Would you accompany me now?"
Emilie's eyes widened; seconds later, her smile formed, and she nodded. "Where to?"
"To a quieter place. There's something I want to discuss with you," Philippe replied, his gaze sharpening. He then offered a faint smile, trying to lighten the mood. Emilie hesitated briefly but finally nodded in agreement.
They found a small garden hidden among the buildings, far from the main street's bustle. The gentle trickle of water from a small fountain was the only sound there. After ensuring no one else was around, Philippe looked straight into Emilie's eyes.
"I'm being followed."
Emilie's reaction was a mix of shock and understanding. Shocked that Philippe had finally brought it up, but not surprised by the fact itself.
A small sigh escaped her lips, as if blaming herself. Seeing her response, Philippe realized she already knew. He felt a bit embarrassed and scratched his cheek.
"It seems… they started following me after I fully recovered."
Emilie tapped her chin, her eyes staring blankly. "I see…," she murmured. Then, she looked back at Philippe. "Do you want to catch them? Force them to talk?"
Philippe hadn't expected Emilie to think that far ahead. But the idea sounded good. He nodded firmly.
"Alright," Emilie said. "Let's make a plan."
***
That morning, the air felt colder in front of the palace gates.
Philippe, Emilie, and Armand escorted Madeleine to the line of guards. After a brief farewell, Madeleine stepped through the gates, flanked by two fully armored escorts.
So strict, Philippe thought, watching Madeleine's figure grow smaller until it vanished behind the palace walls.
He sighed and turned, looking at his two bored friends.
"Want to explore?" he suggested. "Better than just waiting here."
Armand perked up immediately. "Great idea! I didn't get to see the city yesterday!"
That's because you were busy arranging your pile of weird stuff, Philippe snarked inwardly, though an amused smile appeared on his face.
"Do you have any ideas where to go?"
Armand puffed out his chest, a proud smile on his face. "In that case, let's go to the bar!"
Philippe gaped. He slowly turned to Emilie, who was also staring at him. The girl could only sigh in resignation.
***
The sky had turned orange as they finally exited the bar. The evening city bustle welcomed them.
Philippe, who had only ordered food, helped Emilie support Armand, who was unconscious after downing who-knows-how-many glasses of ale.
Amid the crowded street, among children's laughter and vendors' shouts, that unnatural chill gripped him again.
This feeling again.
Emilie, walking beside him, immediately sensed the change in Philippe.
She looked at him, and Philippe returned the gaze with a sharp nod. Emilie nodded in understanding.
Instantly, Philippe scanned the surroundings, searching for the source of that piercing cold aura. His eyes swept the crowd, tracing every corner and shadow, until they stopped on a dark wall across the street.
There, in the dim shadows, stood the cloaked figure. Its terrifying smile was clearly visible.
The stalker!
Following the plan, Philippe acted immediately. Without hesitation, he released his hold on Armand and dashed through the crowd, heading straight toward the figure.
The stalker showed no surprise. Calmly, it turned and stepped into a narrow alley, then quickened its pace into a run.
Philippe chased it into the alley's darkness.
Meanwhile, Emilie, now bearing Armand's full weight, watched them disappear.
Then, with nearly silent movements, she dragged Armand to the roadside, propped him against a wall, and bolted in the opposite direction.
The hunt had begun!
***
A/N: I still hope that someone is still reading this chapter haha... maybe I'm hoping for too much. Anyway, even so, I'll be honest and say that I'm hoping for comments from you guys. Even if it's criticism of this series, that's fine, because for myself, it is indeed bad... Anyway, my life is too lonely... I need you guys to liven it up, even if it's just one or two people, please?
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