<strong>Chapter 12</strong>


    Even though I was curious, I decided to think nothing more of it and went to the side room. I examined my face as I removed the bracelet, revealing my true appearance.


    <em>‘Because I slept well, it seems like myplexion has gotten better than yesterday.’</em>


    If I wore the bracelet, I wouldn’t know what condition my body was in because it kept the skin to a certain color.


    When I lost my voice and got sold again, I was prepared to die in that ve cage. My health was already terrible enough, and after all is said and done; all that’s left was a pretty and mute female ve. With only these as my redeeming qualities, it wouldn’t evene as a surprise if I was sold for<em>that</em>purpose. However, as a human being with still a shred of self-respect, I at least want to die with dignity.


    <em>‘Because that is the only thing that’s left of me at this point.’</em>


    Therefore, if I got sold as a s*x ve, I promised to take my own life.


    Of course, that was until today, where I now have the hope that I could live after finding the memories of my previous life. Why give up when I have a chance to eat well and live well? Then and now it was always work, work, and work! Just thinking about it drives me insane.


    <em>‘Keep your mentality strong, there is no other job like this. Let’s just try to live a little morefortably from now on.’</em>


    Iughed inwardly and subsequently made up my mind.


    <em>‘Okay, so what if that crazy guy hugs me while he sleeps? I can just think of him as a big dog sleeping together with me. He was quite warm too, which was kind of nice…’</em>


    I blushed at my thoughts. It actually led me to this type of imagination!


    <em>‘No, what are you talking about? Liking the tyrant?! Absolutely not! Even if his body was warm and pleasant—no, what I meant was—!’</em>I grabbed my hair to prevent my traitorous ideas from emerging. The maidughed a bit when she saw me plucking my hair in distress.


    “What did you think of that made your face turn so red?”


    At her words, the color of my face became an alluring shade of red. Sheughed again and put the transformation bracelet back on my wrist.


    “If possible, don’t take this off. I forgot which Marie it was, but one day, His Majesty said that the bracelet was missing while sleeping and then… Oh! Never mind, it’s nothing. It’s just expensive, so don’t lose it.” The maid hurriedly turned as if it was a mistake.


    <em>‘Oh, true. If he got up and saw the different hair color, the tyrant would have just beheaded me right there and then while saying that this is not his Liliana.’</em>


    It was a quite a gruesome scene. I decided I would never take it off after a bout of deliberation.


    I checked once again to see if the bracelet was on my wrist and decided to ask something I was curious about since yesterday. I approached the maid who was diligently organizing the room and mimed the word ‘name’ with my mouth. Then the maid looked at my lips for a moment and smiled wide as if she realized it.


    “I am Lina! Lina Foid.”


    First, I nodded and mimed words again with my mouth.


    [Why am I Marie?]


    Lina moved her mouth trying to understand the words I was struggling to convey, I received an ufortable look after she understood what I was saying.


    “It’s short for Marite which means “doll”. The head maid called all dolls ‘Marie’ and we followed suit.”


    As I agreed without saying anything to the answer, Lina, who looked at me for a moment, asked carefully. “What’s your name?”


    Lina’s question surprised me. I didn’t know that the maid at the Imperial Pce would be interested in knowing my name. I hesitated a little and then gave it to her.


    “Iona?”


    I nodded slightly.


    Lina smiled cheerfully and grabbed my hand tightly and waved it up and down. “Pleased to meet you, Iona!”


    No matter how much you look, this bright and sunny maid did not suit this imperial pce. It was bitter here, but still, I felt lucky to someone like her by my side.


    “Ah! This is breakfast. You have to go to ss soon, so eat quickly.” With that said, Lena brought me a sandwich full of eggs and a ss of fruit juice.


    <em>‘A breakfast made just for me by someone else!’</em>


    I forgot the situation and almost shed tears, remembering how the majority of my<em>two</em>lives were all about skipping breakfast. At best, I would have breakfast at the amodation where I had a business trip. So, getting a breakfast prepared just for me felt like a dream.


    I bit into the sandwich with a thrilled face.<em>‘It’s even delicious too!’</em>


    The juice was also fresh and sweet, clearly having been meticulously prepared. Having emptied the bowl cleanly without even a grain of rice left, I obediently went to the training center under Lina’s guidance.


    Fortunately, the etiquette ss wasn’t that difficult. I’ve already received etiquette training as a noble when I was young, then I further received etiquette training as a maid when I was working for the aristocrats.


    However, the courtesy policies of the imperial pce were a bitplicated, especially in dealing with the emperor and various nobles. The courtesy ss was said to be over in a month, so I would soon be able to y as a doll in the emperor’s bedroom all day long.


    But that was forter. Right now? I was simply dying.


    <em>‘It’s so tiring.’</em>


    Both mind and body were gradually exhausted, perhaps because of the turbulent routine from yesterday’s dawn up to now. As soon as the etiquette ss was over, Lina and I returned to the side room.


    <em>Rumble</em>—


    When my stomach rumbled, the room was silent, and this silence only served to amplify the sound as if thunder had struck the ce. It was so loud that my hand stiffened while I was changing clothes.


    <em>‘It’s only been two hours since I ate that heavy sandwich.’</em>


    Was I always like this? I was thinking seriously for a moment when Linaughed a little after hearing the sound.


    “It’s your first time, so I guess you are nervous. I’ll bring you lunch soon. His Majesty will have lunch with the nobles, so he wille back in the afternoon.”


    After tying my waistband into a beautiful ribbon shape, she told me to rest and left the room.