Camilla's sudden burst of anger took Francis by surprise. He had navigated the minefield of her changing attitudes with caution, and her sharp reaction left him slightly taken aback. Deciding to take a step back, Francis sighed and nodded, acknowledging her assertion, "Okay, Camilla. She's not your friend."
Camilla rolled her eyes in response, turning her gaze away from him. Francis observed her reaction and felt the icy chill that had crept into their conversation. Despite his best efforts to bridge the growing gap between them, he sensed that there were deeper issues at play.
As they continued walking side by side, the silence weighed heavily on Francis. The unspoken tension was a shroud that obscured the truth behind Camilla's transformation. He couldn't help but feel the lingering doubts and questions that remained unresolved.
Finally, Francis decided to break the silence, his tone calm and thoughtful. "Can I ask you a question, Camilla?"
Camilla turned her eyes toward him, her expression guarded but willing to entertain his inquiry. Before she could respond, Francis continued, "Why did you suddenly change, Camilla?"
Camilla blinked slowly and offered him a faint, enigmatic smile. Her voice carried a hint of sternness, revealing the complexity of her feelings. "Francis, do you know how I was treated before? Did you ever notice it?"
The question hung in the air, and it was a stark reminder of the shadows that had lurked in the background of their friendships. Francis recalled the times when Camilla had been overshadowed, the moments when her presence had been eclipsed by the vibrant energy of Adela. He had been blinded by his own affections for Adela, not realizing the impact it had on Camilla.
Camilla's tone softened slightly as she continued, "You always noticed Adela and Adela."
Her words were an indictment of the past, and Francis couldn't help but feel a deep sense of regret and guilt for his lack of awareness. The unspoken pain and neglect Camilla had endured were now laid bare, and the weight of their unresolved emotions hung heavy between them.
Camilla's gaze shifted away from Francis as she opened up about the past, her voice carrying a hint of resignation. "But don't worry; I'm not bothered by that anymore. Now I have everything."
Francis, confronted with Camilla's words, felt a sense of remorse welling up within him. He had been blind to Camilla's feelings and her struggles, and he couldn't help but acknowledge the depth of his mistake. With a small voice, he admitted, "It was my mistake, Camilla. Was it... about anything with Adela?"
Camilla's reaction to the mention of Adela was swift and laced with irritation. She refused to let Francis divert the conversation toward the one topic she wanted to avoid. "Don't do Adela and Adela, Francis. I don't want to hear about her. Did you come here to talk about her?"
Their exchange was strained, and as Camilla halted in her tracks, her eyes locked onto Francis. He stood there, at a loss for words, uncertain of how to react to Camilla's outburst.
Camilla's frustration hung in the air, palpable and charged. She took a deep breath, then continued, "Francis, I'm happy now. Can't you see my success, or do you not want me to be successful?"
Francis, deeply shocked by Camilla's accusation, was at a loss for words. How had Camilla come to such a conclusion? He had always wished for her happiness and success, but somehow he had failed to communicate that effectively.
"Camilla," he finally managed to say, "you're mistaken. I want nothing more than for you to be happy and successful. I just... I want us to be friends again, the way we used to be."
Camilla's anger flared as she continued to express her frustration. "How many times do I need to tell you I don't want it?" Her jaw was tightly clenched, and her gaze was stern and unforgiving.
Francis, recognizing the depth of her irritation, found himself at a loss for words. He had touched a sensitive nerve, and the unease between them had reached its peak. To diffuse the tension, he adopted a different approach, choosing to feign ignorance and brush off her anger with a disarming smile.
"Okay, okay, calm down," he chuckled, his smile intended to convey that he was joking and hadn't meant to provoke her. "I didn't mean to say it, Camilla. Sometimes, it's necessary to be free. So, I'm appreciating your new change."
Camilla, still bristling from their previous exchange, took a step back, her stern expression softening slightly. She realized that Francis might not have intended to upset her, and his willingness to appreciate her changes touched a chord.
Her demeanor shifted as she seemed to put their earlier disagreement aside. "I have to meet the emperor," she explained. "Would you please take these books for Master?"
Francis watched in surprise as Camilla handed over the books to Master Wilson and walked away without offering any explanation for her abrupt departure. "Aren't you going?" he called out, his voice filled with genuine confusion.
Camilla glanced back at him, her expression a mix of determination and urgency. "I told you I had to meet the emperor. As you are going to meet the master, take these," she explained, her tone hurried as she handed him the books.
Francis couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he watched her depart. Camilla's sudden need to meet with the emperor raised questions in his mind. Was it related to the immortal stone, or was there something else at play? The mysteries that had been unraveling around them only seemed to grow deeper.
"Camilla!" Francis called out once more, hoping to receive some clarification or insight into her sudden change of plans. But Camilla continued on her way, her determination unyielding, and she did not turn back to acknowledge him.
Left standing in the wake of Camilla's departure, Francis pondered the possible reasons behind her urgency. The immortal stone had become a topic of intrigue and concern, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was a connection between her meeting with the emperor and the stone's secrets.
With a heavy sigh, he mumbled to himself, "Suddenly, what happened that she remembered to meet the emperor? Is it something to do with the immortal stone?"
Continue.