The Hero's Forsaken Princess
Chapter 43: The Woman in His Heart

Chapter 43: The Woman in His Heart

Eve could feel the unwelcome environment in the manor. Though the people were talking to her politely, they still appeared distant, deliberately avoiding her.

For the whole day, she chose to stay in her room. Fortunately, Silvester was there to accompany her.

"Princess! Princess! Are you sad?" Silvester flew toward her.

Eve smiled and stroked the parrot’s head.

"No, Sylvester. I’m still trying to adjust to this new home."

"Should I call Crazy Master?" Silvester asked her.

But Eve shook her head. "It’s already late. Your master must be resting now."

Eve and Silvester fell silent the moment they heard the peal of laughter outside the manor. It looked like the knights were having fun.

Eve approached her window and glanced down to take a peek at them. Some knights were gathered on the balcony, talking and drinking.

She tried to listen. She smiled when she learned that they were sharing their experience during the battle. They also began praising Alaric.

"I want to hear more about Alaric’s heroic act," Eve softly murmured.

With that, an idea popped into Eve’s mind.

"I will cook for them and try to befriend them," she said with eyes filled with resolve.

Eve was used to doing household chores like cleaning, washing clothes, and cooking. She’s been doing those menial jobs when she was still in Lotus Pavilion.

"Silvester, let’s proceed to the kitchen!" Eve excitedly said, leaving her chamber in a hurry.

She wished to gain Alaric’s knights’ favor. She hoped they could also treat her the way they treated Princess Thalia.

Sera ran into her in the hallway. ’Princess Eve is still awake. Where is she going?’

"Your Highness, do you need something?" Sera asked her.

But Eve just smiled at her and shook her head in response. Out of curiosity, Sera followed her to the kitchen.

Some servants were also surprised when Eve suddenly barged into the kitchen.

"Your Highness, are you still hungry?" Sera asked her again.

Eve shook her head once more. She gave her a hand signal, telling Sera that she was going to cook.

Sera and the other servants looked at her amusingly. They never expected that Princess Eve could cook. They watched her curiously as she moved across the kitchen. They wondered if they should help her or not.

"Is she going to make us work an extended time tonight?" One servant whispered to the other.

The other servants heaved a frustrated sigh in response.

Sensing the several pairs of eyes staring at her, Eve paused for a moment. She searched for a quill pen and a pad.

[ You can take a rest now. You don’t have to assist me. I can handle this. ]

The servants were taken aback when they read her message. They were wrong to think badly of the princess. It turned out Princess Eve didn’t want to hassle them.

"You can leave. I’ll stay," Sera instructed, dismissing the other servants.

They courtly bowed before taking their leave.

’I’ll have to keep my eyes on her, or else, she might set this kitchen on fire.’ Sera was still doubtful of Eve’s skill in cooking.

As Eve prepared the ingredients, Sera sat down and watched her.

’In fairness, this princess never makes demands from us as though she doesn’t know how to command others. She is too timid.’ Sera thought to herself, observing Eve silently. ’Is she pretending to be kind?’

"Your Highness, why are you cooking? Didn’t you like the food that we served earlier?" Sera’s voice interrupted Eve.

She glanced at her and scribbled on her pad.

[ I like the food the servants prepared for me. I finished them all. I’m cooking not for myself but for the knights who are staying up all night to guard the estate. ]

Sera was stunned at Eve’s response. She didn’t expect her to be this thoughtful. She heard a lot of things about Eve.

People believed that Princess Eve had been pampered and sheltered by the royal family because of her illness. Sera thought she was a spoiled princess.

’Hmm. She acts strangely... so different from our impressions of her.’ Sera was amused.

"Your Highness, let me help you." Sera finally stood up, offering her a hand.

Eve allowed her to help since she also wanted to get close to Sera. After half an hour, they finally finished cooking the hotpot.

Sera accompanied Eve in delivering the hotpot to the knights stationed for their night duty.

The two ladies were on their way to approach the knights when they heard them talking about Eve. Reflexively, Eve halted on her steps as she continued to listen.

"I feel sorry for our young general for marrying the third princess. It appears to me that the royal family took advantage of our young general. Among the three princesses, Princess Eve is the most plain-looking one."

The other knights agreed.

"I also heard she was both dim-witted and sickly."

The knights burst into a peal of laughter, their eyes glinting with mockery as they made fun of Princess Eve’s status.

"Honestly, if not for the royal command, General Stormholt would have been with his first love. Being an ordinary Knight Commander before, he couldn’t defy the royal decree so he had to marry the princess."

"Yes. I really thought General Stormholt would marry our Knight Commander Serafina. They grew up together. And they are a perfect match on the battlefield."

Eve stood frozen in her spot as she overheard this conversation. She could endure those insulting words directed at her but there was one thing that shocked her to the core.

’Alaric is in love with another woman. He can no longer be with his first love because he married me... Another woman is occupying his heart.’ Her chest constricted at that thought.

Though she knew that what she had with Alaric was just a marriage of convenience, she was still shaken by the discovery that Alaric had another woman in his heart... his first love.

According to them, this woman was also a Knight Commander... a strong female warrior who had been on the battlefield with Alaric. Furthermore, the two grew together.

Eve almost dropped the hotpot she was holding. Fortunately, Sera was there to support her.

Sera stayed silent. Though she also overheard them, she didn’t make any remarks to console Princess Eve.

With a sad expression on her face, Eve handed the hotpot to Sera. She couldn’t face the knights after what she had heard.

"You go and take a rest now, Your Highness. I will be the one to give this hotpot to them."

Eve could only nod, lowering her gaze. Without much delay, she turned and ran back toward the entrance door.

Sera had conflicting thoughts as she watched Eve’s retreating figure.

Taking a deep sigh, Sera strode toward the knights. They immediately shut their mouths upon seeing her.

"Commander Se–" The knight couldn’t finish his word upon meeting Sera’s warning glare.

Alaric gave them a strict order not to mention Commander Sera’s name. Sera had to hide her real identity from Eve.

The other knights smiled awkwardly, wondering why their female commander was there.

Sera put down the hotpot at their table. The knights looked at her in puzzlement.

"What is this, Com–"

"Princess Eve cooked this for all of you," Sera declared, rendering everyone speechless.

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