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The matters in the east ninth district were just an excuse to invite Inez over. The real purpose of the invitation was to cause inner turmoil in the ninth princess. Until now, Aries was certain Inez hadn\'t trusted her, but at the same time, their time together was enough to stop Inez from scheming behind her that could endanger Aries\'s life.

Aries chuckled as she held the pen, sitting behind the desk with the thought. Inez didn\'t stay too long, but her expression when she left Aries was too obvious. The handprints around her neck bothered the ninth princess. Knowing her, she would surely feel responsible one way or another.

\'It can be because I am her prey, or…\' she fluttered her eyelashes ever so tenderly, smirking as she raised her chin up. \'… because she now thinks I am someone who can understand her heart.\'

A faint chuckle slipped past her lips once again while she shook her head. Inez was an easy prey.

Although the ninth princess was a vicious enemy when rubbed in the wrong way. She was a vulnerable woman hidden in a tough shell and Aries had been aiming from within since the beginning, crawling under her skin.

Knock Knock…

The smirk plastered on Aries\'s face faded when she heard a knock on the door. Turning her attention towards it, she tilted her head before her lips parted.

"Come in."

As soon as her orders reached outside the door, it slowly creaked open, revealing Cherry, her lady-in-waiting. The side of Aries\'s lips curled up into a warm smile while Cherry made her way inside.

"Your Highness, the crown prince sent a word and is inviting you to have luncheon with him," she reported politely when she stopped near the desk.

"Oh?" Aries arched a brow, leaning back at this surprise invitation. "Did he say anything else?"

"He said he simply wants to make up with the crown princess."

Aries rocked her head, scrutinizing Cherry\'s aura. \'I don\'t think that\'s the only reason.\' She smiled when her lady-in-waiting raised her gaze.

"Alright. I\'ll finish this document and join the crown prince. For now, send this to the minister of finance." She tapped the stacked documents placed on the corner of the desk.

Cherry nodded, tilting her head down, and picking up the documents. She kept her silence the whole time until she left the room.

"Hmm…" Aries narrowed her eyes, propping her chin on her knuckles. "I have a bad feeling about this. I\'m certain he won\'t just invite me to share a meal with him in the middle of the day. Her reaction proves that."

Considering how Aries and Joaquin parted this morning, she was certain he was planning something. The \'drug\' Abel injected into the crown prince\'s system was enough to give him a terrible nightmare. Abel told her it was a nightmare anyone would want to wake up from. So, she was certain that experience raised a lot of suspicion about Aries.

"Well… it\'s not like it is a big deal if he is suspicious of me," came out a whisper, nodding in agreement. "The more he thinks of me, the better."

Aries continued to finish the document she was reviewing before joining her beloved crown prince for luncheon. Deep in her heart, she expected Joaquin was planning something. However, what she didn\'t expect was that the thing he prepared for her was enough for her to wish he was dead that very second.

<strong>******</strong>

"What do you think, Circe? Do you like my gift?"

Aries gazed at the person before her. He was standing on his knees, hands on the grass of the west garden of the inner palace where Joaquin arranged their lunch date. He had a rope around his neck like a dog, barely skin and bones. Although there weren\'t major fresh bruises on him, she caught the raised scars on the man\'s exposed skin.

"He is someone I caught in my expedition years back. My men trained him properly, so he\'s tamed and won\'t bite his owner." The side of Joaquin\'s lips stretched, studying his wife\'s reaction. "I thought of giving him to you to make up with you. Want me to show you some of his tricks?"

Joaquin proudly tugged the rope he was holding that was connected around the man\'s neck. "Bark."

"Arf! Arf! Arf!"

Aries\'s heart sank, watching the man bark like a tamed dog, sticking his tongue out while Joaquin laughed heartily. Yet, she kept her calm surface while watching the man play dead at the crown prince\'s behest.

\'Curtis… what have they done to you?\' she mentally ground her teeth, knowing this man who used to be a bright young scholar in Rikhill.

This man, Curtis, was a young lad full of dreams. His eyes used to twinkle every time he thought of how he could fight drought and famine with his plants. Everyone used to call him a genius, and he was also Aries\'s dearest friend.

She thought he had died that day. But it seemed Curtis faced a much harsher fate than death. The bright young man was now turned into a human dog to entertain the crown prince.

"See? He\'s someone good to play with." Joaquin faced Aries with a proud smile after showcasing his pet\'s tricks. "What do you think about it?"

"What do I think about it?" came out an icy voice, shifting her sharp eyes at the crown prince. "It\'s despicable."

"Hah…" he frowned, but then raised a brow when Aries approached Curtis and squatted down.

"Pets should be treated well, Your Highness. Although they might seem tame, they never forget. You cannot tell when they will bare their teeth on you." Aries laid her palms opened and smiled gently at Curtis. "Taming a pet… you have to capture their heart. In that case, they will cherish you just as much… they\'d kill for you."

Curtis was panting with his tongue sticking out, gazing at the palm in front of him before placing his hand on it like a dog. When he raised his head, Aries smiled affectionately.

"Good boy." She ruffled his hair before lifting her head at Joaquin. "This gift is a surprise, but I appreciate it. I hope he doesn\'t disappoint."

Joaquin locked eyes with her, and there was no trace of deception in her eyes. If anything, she seemed amused, something he didn\'t expect, since his plan was to see her reaction. Even so, he was pleased.

"He won\'t." He smiled, watching her stand up while he handed the rope to her. "He\'s all yours."

"Thank you," came out in a soft voice while accepting the rope, setting her eyes back to Curtis. "I\'ll show you what a dogman should be."