ã€ŠOld Workã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Youre Elisabeth

    Warm tears trickled down my face. With each droplet, I wiped my face with my forearm, trying to cease the miserable sobbing and put an end to how pathetic I was being.

    Why? Why do I always have to go along with what other people say? It¡¯s so unfair! I work my ass off every day, trying to lure in those good grades, and she tells me I¡¯m not doing anything? That I¡¯m worthless? That I can¡¯t do a single thing?

    I grabbed and pulled at my hair, squeezing my knees to my chest to create a tighter human ball. Perhaps, this was my method of attempting to keep everything that was falling apart together. I was conscious of how foolish I sounded and how ungrateful I was. Nonetheless, I wanted to purge my mind of all the tears and despair so I could awake the next day, ready for whatever could await me.

    Or, could I end it here and never have to anticipate my demise?

    The mere idea was intimidating, and yet, it seemed the only possible solution to my madness.

    Why couldn¡¯t I have been born as someone else? What was the point of my birth?

    These questions darted rapidly through my mind with no end. I sniffled while hiding under my blankets. The cozy, fuzzy fur of the cloth soothed the anger and frustration that reverberated throughout my mind. There was nothing left but the sorrows of loneliness pecking away at my throbbing heart.

    Bundled under all these blankets, I began to feel warm, and sweat gradually began to bead on my forehead.

    So hot...

    Unexpectedly, the heat started to become unbearable! I could feel my fingers burning, turning black and ashy at the tips. My hands trembled as I shrieked at the horrid sight. The oxygen was slipping away from my mouth. Strangely, white flames began to flutter around my body. At this point, I had thrown the covers off and was clutching my throat for dear life.

    What the¡­? What¡¯s happening?! Why is it so hot? I can¡¯t breathe!

    I kept coughing, and soon enough, I couldn¡¯t even hear my voice. My surroundings blurred, and I could no longer see the prison-like walls of the room where I laid each night crying my pitiful life away. It was pitch black until I opened my eyes to a place where everything seemed so bright. I squinted and covered my face with my arm to defend myself from the glare. The scenery had drastically shifted. My head was still spinning in a whirl, refusing to stay stationary until a few moments passed.

    It seemed that someone had answered one of my questions.

    ¡°Elisabeth Madeline Carabell! Get up, you worthless child!¡±

    I instantly sat up choking. Still, my vision remained blurry. Everything was a blob of muted colors. I rubbed my eyes to clear them.

    ¡°You still dare to be late for your classes? I bet you the headmaster is thinking of expelling you just for the fact that you are Elisabeth Carabell! The Carabell family is already struggling enough as it is!¡± the voice rebuked me.

    Before me, I saw a tall man with rounded gold-rimmed glasses on. White hair decorated his head, paired with a stern expression and plenty of wrinkles from stress. He wore a formal arrangement of an elegant black coat over an undershirt with frills and rounded buttons. The one thing that contrasted his simple ensemble was his glowing, green eyes. They were small, yet they empowered all those in the room with relentless rage. The expression he displayed was ruthless and made me feel quite overwhelmed with uneasiness.

    Clinging to his side was a short woman with ink-like hair and hazelnut irises. She was clothed in a long-sleeved black garment and an apron. Freckles decorated her light skin¡ªwhere under her eyes, she had dark circles. Quietly, she held her hands clasped together before her as she watched the dramatic scene unfold.

    An old man and a maid? What a strange fantasy. I must be dreaming, but this seems so real.

    The wallpaper was white, with golden embellishments plastered all over. A large portrait of a stunning young lady was strung up at the center of the wall, framed in polished mahogany. The artist captured the girl¡¯s luscious dark hair and her heavenly complexion that was beautifully paired with her distinctive bejeweled evergreen eyes. The longer I stared at her, the more she stared back at me. It was as if we had sworn secrecy of some sort, and that would be specially kept between us.

    The scenery was exceptionally detailed, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why everything appeared so realistic. As much as I am a creative person, I¡¯m afraid dreams can only go so far in its vivid and vibrant fantasies.

    All of a sudden, a cold and bitter wave of anxiety washed over me like a tsunami with its towering wall of murky water and other miscellaneous masses that sloshed around within it. The distressing words struck with such an impact that even a natural disaster could pale in comparison.

    ¡°Class? I¡¯m late for my classes?¡± I asked frantically.

    I rubbed my head in guilt.

    Geez, I¡¯m in a dream, and I still care about going to school? I could never shake away that habit. I wish I wasn¡¯t so caught up with work, then maybe I would smile more often. You may think it¡¯s a stupid thing to care about so much, but for me, it was my entire life.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    I glanced up at the two. The old man was beet red and seething with dangerous wrath. I leaned backward in accordance to my survival instincts.

    Is there¡­is there smoke coming out of the ears that belonged to the wrinkling man with the formal attire? No, no, I think that¡¯s just my imagination. Why am I asking myself such stupid questions?

    ¡°What do you mean late for school? Teresa came in here trying to wake you up, and instead, you slap her, you insolent girl! I¡¯ve had enough of your delinquent behavior! If I hear another word that you¡¯ve been acting up, I will disown you!¡±

    I was beginning to become irritated with all the yelling, itching to say something that I knew I would instantly regret.

    ¡°Who are you anyway?¡± I questioned the man.

    Slap!

    The man hit me across the face in spite of my ¡°dumb¡± question. My hands shot up to the red area that remained on my oddly soft and squishy cheek.

    What? How could I be able to feel him hit me? Is this not a dream?!

    My heart started racing.

    Am I¡­where am I then?

    ¡°You stupid little girl, don¡¯t you dare act any less stupid than you already are! Get dressed immediately and go to school accordingly. Why couldn¡¯t I have Viktoria as my daughter? You¡¯re a complete disgrace!¡± the man yelled at me as he stormed out of my room.

    A disgrace? Are you kidding me? What have I done to deserve this? Even here, I am treated as if I¡¯m worthless¡­ This makes no sense! I have a right to know where I am and how I got here!

    ¡°You must listen to your father! Expulsion and the orphanage will be your only companions if you don¡¯t stop acting up,¡± the maid lectured me.

    I didn¡¯t want to incite anyone else¡¯s anger by asking questions I knew would be blatantly ignored. In the end, I remained silent and allowed a complete stranger to dress me in uniform.

    When I was told I needed to wear my uniform, I was expecting a button-up top and a lengthy skirt, not a full-on luxurious dress! What even is this place? Am I supposed to be Elisabeth Carabell? I¡¯m not! Not one bit! I am a normal human being in America trying to crawl into a decent university or college, not some rich man¡¯s daughter!

    In the movies, princesses¡ªor any rich girl of any kind, would have had a closet full of fancy, schmancy, over-the-top, articles of clothing with the utmost quality. Yes, indeed, I did see something like that. However, what¡¯s with all the lace?! Why is there so much fabric?! Isn¡¯t this all too heavy to wear?! This is a crisis! People could die in these abominations!

    I¡¯m not lying, dear readers, believe me! I think I could drown in all the silk before I could survive just a couple minutes in this strange, old-fashioned world. Truth be told, this girl must have had a pretty shitty taste.

    My maid searched through many dresses that were excessively poofy and pompous. After numerous dresses piled up on the canopy bed, we had finally decided on a pine-colored off-the-shoulder ball gown dress. It was entirely made out of silk with some jewels stitched onto the left breast of the gown that trailed down to the hem. Puffs of white lace from the layers of fabric I wore underneath peeked through at the chest and my feet. I was told to pick a fancy pair of white gloves to wear. Then, she matched some moderately high slippers for me.

    When I looked into the mirror, I saw luscious black locks. My face was slim, and my nose high. My lips and cheeks were pigmented a blushing pink and my skin almost as pale as snow. Most of all, my eyes were distinctively a beautiful emerald. The dress I wore brought out the color of my eyes well, and I somehow had a small body?

    Is this really me? Am I really not dreaming? To think that I would end up being the same girl in the portrait who¡¯s creepily watching me from that picture frame!

    ¡°My Lady, it is not the time to be admiring yourself in the mirror!¡± Teresa shouted at me and ushered me out of my room.

    Admiring myself?! This person is definitely not me! I don¡¯t look this gorgeous!

    I arrived in the dining room, exasperated, and my new father didn¡¯t even want to bat an eye at me. A woman sat beside him and glared at me. On her small shoulders rested a curly black crop of hair, paired with her sharp chocolate eyes, boring her gaze into my chest. Her demeanor is elegant, but to think someone so graceful could look so scornful.

    ¡°You have no right to be in the same place as us! No breakfast for you, you glutton! I can¡¯t believe I gave birth to such a horrible daughter!¡± the woman screamed.

    I assume she¡¯s my new mother¡­ I don¡¯t understand anything at all. If these people are my parents, does that mean everyone else at home is gone? Is this some new universe? Am I going insane?

    I was shunned away before I could say a word. The whole manor was unnecessarily large and shiny. Everything was decorated with gold and expensive-looking items. I was about to start caressing a golden vase and some other decor. Lamentably, my observations were roughly cut off due to that annoying maid¡¯s persistence on leaving right this instant.

    ¡°Lady Carabell, we must leave now!¡± she reminded me.

    I was pushed into an excessively glamorous carriage and rushed off the Carabells¡¯ property. Teresa rode beside me, reiterating the details of my arrival. I am supposedly attending a prestigious academy for my twelfth year. I quickly came to the conclusion that this ¡°Elisabeth Carabell¡± is about seventeen. The carriage was spacious with burgundy velvet seats and cushions. Outside, I saw large estates and many people dressed in shabby clothing. The rich were all in lavish carriages being pulled by horses led by a coach while the less fortunate were forced to labor and walk every place they went. Either that or they were the ones driving the carriages.

    Apparently, they¡¯re having an opening ceremony with all the students attending. My maid, Teresa, gave me my schedule without any other details. Everything is so strange. I¡¯m stuck here trying to figure out what happened before I even woke up in this place. I¡¯m sure I was in my room sobbing about something, and then a flame engulfed me. Did I die? Something weird about this is that the blazes that burned me alive were white. That¡¯s definitely not normal fire. For now, I¡¯ll have to go along with this new identity and try to learn more about this place. I wonder if I¡¯ll survive as Elisabeth Madeline Carabell.

    When I arrived, people started murmuring to each other in little groups. Unfortunately, I happen to have overheard plenty of things.

    ¡°Elisabeth is still attending? I¡¯d thought she would¡¯ve been expelled because of her poor grades.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, look at her. What an eyesore.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t do a thing, what a loser. Nobility could use fewer people like her.¡±

    ¡°The Carabells must be losing popularity pretty fast just because of her existence.¡±

    ¡°Stay away from Elisabeth, she has a disgusting personality.¡±

    How¡­how could people say things like this to a single person? What kind of person was Elisabeth? Was she really that bad?

 Chapter 2 - An Unenthusiastic Audience

    As a ¡°straight A¡± student, I used to have this disgusting habit of assuming that everyone who failed to do well in school was all doomed to be troublemakers. I never said it aloud, but gradually, I realized that these people aren¡¯t actually all that bad.

    Some students just like to have fun and enjoy their lives to the fullest. If you overlook all the delinquent behavior and touch base on who they truly are behind their foul mouths, you would think so too. Sometimes, they say things that are surprisingly highly intelligent¡­they just don¡¯t always do. If a person¡ªno matter their reputation or wrongdoings¡ªtries their utmost best, I think they could accomplish more than you could ever guess. It irritates me when I hear my beloved friends insult another student just because that student doesn''t give a shit about their education. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t help but defend people like that¡ªfor they always have much more to show than what you¡¯ve been told.

    My heart felt crushed after hearing those brutal words¡ªnot because they are scrutinizing "me"¡ªbut because they are basing Elisabeth wholly on prejudice.

    After all, how many of them have actually spoken to her?

    ¡°My Lady, you must hurry.¡± Teresa ushered me along. "Your incident with Lady Lancaster is still fresh, you must not tarnish your reputation further."

    "What incident?" I asked her with rising concern.

    When she didn''t acknowledge my first question, I reiterated the inquisition with a more vehement tone.

    Her face contorted into discomfort. She hastily reached out to straighten a stray strand of the raven crop on my head. "My Lady, please! It is not the time for this discussion!"

    Unwillingly and reluctantly, I entered through the towering gates. The academy entrance was enormous, and many of the school structures were made of glittering marble. What really made the scene so unbelievable was the abundance of ladies and gentlemen wearing outfits fit for grand balls. It was as if they had been preparing for this day for quite some time.

    Despite all the bustle, I found my way in and followed the crowd towards the auditorium. People naturally avoided me, which was advantageous for me. I didn¡¯t need to deal with anyone just quite yet, and I didn''t feel like it either. The seats were white with red velvet like a lavish cushioned armchair. Every student had their own, except for me. I was stuck standing in the rear.

    That¡¯s unusual, why wouldn¡¯t I have a chair? Has it really come to the point where people are discriminating against Elisabeth? It¡¯s great that she wasn¡¯t half-blind like I was. Reading books and staring at screens in the dark didn¡¯t do me good. I¡¯ll learn from my mistakes this time.

    The lights were focused on an elderly man with a scruffy beard. He was positioned directly in the middle of a huge stage where he spoke with loud volumes. Everything was arranged much like an expensive theater with some VIP seats for people of authority above us.

    Who would be watching from those seats?

    ¡°Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the opening ceremony of the prestigious academy for the upper class. I am Headmaster Oscar, the head of the academy. Will each student come to the stage and present themselves before society?¡± Headmaster Oscar asked.

    Present yourself before society? This is a thing? I don¡¯t even know basic royal etiquette. Everyone here seems to be so experienced and comfortable¡ªwhat if I make a joke out of myself?

    One by one, the students came by the call of their name from the headmaster. They introduced themselves and curtsied or bowed accordingly. With that, they left the stage with elegance. The one that stood out the most was Caydel Whitensen. His hair was light brown and his eyes a brilliant blue. The female students seemed to be very fond of this person, which was one of the reasons why he caught my eye.

    With great pride and dignity, the young gentleman ascended the velvet stairs to the stage and faced the audience fearlessly. He gave a warm smile before bowing deeply to us.

    ¡°My name is Caydel Whitensen, the Crown Prince of Whitensen,¡± were his words.

    I could hear stifled squeals.

    Ah...I see he is that kind of person. Though I do understand where they¡¯re getting at, he is attractive, and he is a prince, but is there something important I am missing? I feel like there''s another reason why the audience is reacting in this way. Perhaps, I''m being silly. He is a prince and the heir to the throne of whatever kingdom he may belong to.

    Before I could put two and two together, I was shaken back into reality.

    ¡°Miss Elisabeth Carabell,¡± the headmaster announced.

    My heart lurched forward.

    I¡¯m not ready for this at all. Whew. Here we go.

    I walked down the aisle towards the stage stairway. I could feel the others staring me down, expecting me to be rude and arrogant.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Even the headmaster said my name as if he weren¡¯t fond of it. I really am infamous for being a terrible person, aren¡¯t I? That¡¯s not going to stop me from trying my best anyways. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve done this before, so I¡¯ll end up winging it either way.

    I stood before the audience with my best posture and gazed forward at the many uncomforting faces.

    ¡°Hello everyone, my name is Elisabeth Carabell, the daughter of the Carabell family,¡± I introduced with a bright smile and a curtsy.

    The students glanced at each other uneasily.

    Did I say something strange?

    Even if I did, I exited the stage without any other issues. My attention diverted from my thumping chest to those who encircled me in an instant, attempting to hear what they were saying about me. A mysterious gloom loomed over those around me. Malicious words blossomed from here and there and all that breathed.

    ¡°I heard that she¡¯s an illegitimate child. Any Carabell child that was raised properly always succeeded expectations, but her? She can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°Wow, she has the nerve to introduce herself as a part of the Carabell family.¡±

    ¡°How disrespectful.¡±

    There are rumors about Elisabeth like that? If the people I saw this morning were my parents, I¡¯d say we look very similar. I have "my" father¡¯s eyes and "my" mother¡¯s hair. There shouldn¡¯t be any questioning being done about whether or not I¡¯m an illegitimate child. I¡¯m surprised the oh-so-grand reputation of the Carabell family has permitted this absurd story. Ridiculous.

    Everyone quickly silenced themselves when a certain person was announced.

    ¡°Miss Viktoria Lancaster,¡± the headmaster boomed.

    My heart plunged again. Her golden hair trailed behind her as her silky train glided across the stage. The noble lady¡¯s facial features resembled that of an ethereal goddess. Amethyst eyes peered at the crowd with virtue and allure. For some odd reason, I felt as if her gaze was directly caught on mine. I wasn¡¯t sure if I had seen wrong, but I could¡¯ve sworn she slyly grinned at me with this¡­this dark sense of superiority.

    Huh? Why would I¡­why would I be nervous when it¡¯s not my turn? That¡¯s so strange.

    ¡°Viktoria is stunning, but she¡¯s very smart too. Elisabeth should learn from her.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, Viktoria excels in every subject. She has no rival. I aspire to be as studious.¡±

    ¡°She retains such a high reputation too.¡±

    The constant whispers circled around, but as soon as this Viktoria girl was on the stage, everyone shut their mouths. They appeared to be acting so innocently?as if they weren¡¯t degrading another person just a moment ago.

    ¡°I am Viktoria Lancaster, the daughter of the Lancaster family,¡± she said with a silky voice.

    Her curtsy seemed to keep everyone in a trance, and as soon as she left the stage, they averted their watchful eyes. Every footstep resonated so clearly with dignity and power as she ambled down the staircase. Her golden hair danced behind her as her eyes twinkled a mesmerizing purple hue.

    I wonder why everyone loves Viktoria so much. Popular people are really out of this world. I was always curious about how it felt to be loved and respected by your peers. Even though people didn¡¯t hate me, my type of popularity was much different. My fellow classmates were aware of me and my achievements, but it¡¯s not like they would wholeheartedly support me unconditionally. I wasn¡¯t blessed with the best genes, so it¡¯s not like I ever had men chasing me. I was their student council president, that one kid who was equally kind to everyone, but never the one everyone aspired to be.

    The thought made my hands shake uncontrollably. Tears started to well up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I couldn¡¯t show everyone such a pitiful side of me. It didn¡¯t matter who saw it, but it mattered if they did.

    No matter how hard I tried to improve myself, it¡¯s like people only ever nod and look away. For once, I just want someone to appreciate me. Well, it¡¯s not important now. Calm down¡­

    After I took a couple deep breaths, my special ritual to ease the nerves that liked to stress me out, I set my head on straight. Determination fired up in my soul, burning the malicious thoughts that taunted and ridiculed me.

    I¡¯m going to try my best for now, and then I¡¯ll figure out how to handle my inconvenient situation. What if I¡¯m actually asleep and I¡¯m missing my classes? I may have imagined that slap earlier. I need to confirm a couple things before I go crazy. Hmm, I wonder if I can convince another person to slap me.

    Once the student introductions were finished, the headmaster nodded his head and resumed the rest of the ceremony. This process included a detailed explanation of where exactly we, the students, were supposed to go. It was much to my convenience.

    ¡°Students, please proceed to your first classes of the day. Student rankings will be posted at the end of each semester. Excel and do well,¡± the headmaster dismissed us.

    Silk and lace twirled and twisted as each lady gracefully rose from their seats. The aroma of various perfumes burned away my nostrils as it swirled about in the atmosphere. I found myself developing a pounding headache from all the clashing and intertwining scents. I gagged a bit, using my hand to cover my mouth. A lurching feeling started to bounce about in my stomach, greatly contributing to my queasiness from the constricting corset I wore.

    So¡­much¡­perfume¡­

    The gentlemen awaited the departure of all the female students before finally escaping this stuffy auditorium. I heard someone choke from behind me, and once I turned to look, it appeared to be Prince Caydel. He was covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He wore a pale complexion and seemed to be extremely relieved to see that most of the ladies had left. I chuckled to myself, being the only person who noticed this.

    It seems I¡¯m not alone on this. How reassuring!

    Firstly, I need to go to my mathematics class. Looking at the schedule Teresa handed me, it¡¯s just like any other school. There are core subjects like language, math, science, and history. Of course, this is some prestigious school for the richer than rich kids in the age of royalty. There¡¯s bound to be things like basic manners class. I¡¯m lucky they don¡¯t have anything athletic on the female schedules. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I simply suck at all things that have to do with running.

    Back in the old days, men would be the ones doing physical work, not women. That¡¯s, of course, different in modern times, where females are finally recognized as equal to men. It¡¯s simply a battle of capability and good behavior when it comes to the traditional female students here, though it''s not like that ever changed.

    As I strode down the hallways, desperately searching for any class that had to do with math, I was rudely interrupted by an immature statement.

    ¡°Look, it¡¯s Carabell¡¯s lowlife,¡± a student scoffed at me.

    I paused in my footsteps and sent a deathly glare. The others in the hallway watched this entail from afar, ignoring the concept of assisting a person who is clearly being bullied.

    Excuse me. What did he say?

 Chapter 3 - A Stabbing Pain

    I sighed bitterly, squeezing my fist tightly until it turned as pale as snow. My thoughts swirled as I contemplated whether or not it was a good idea to fire back some snarky response or pretend as though I didn¡¯t give a damn. My hand¡¯s iron grip gradually loosened, and I threw out an exhausted sigh instead.

    No, not now, I can¡¯t be bothered to deal with him. I don¡¯t need to be late just because one person said something I didn¡¯t like. If I did that every single time it happened, I would never accomplish anything in my life.

    I rolled my eyes and turned my heel the other way. He squared his shoulders and carefully watched me as I continued on.

    ¡°Hey, are you scared? Aren¡¯t you going to fight back, little bell?¡± he challenged me with a lopsided smirk.

    Scared? Are you kidding me?

    I gritted my teeth, eager to take a swing at him whenever my mindset decided to crumble.

    There¡¯s no point in trying to defend myself?or Elisabeth in the least. I¡¯ll just have to prove it in my abilities.

    When I reached my destination, I couldn¡¯t ignore how ginormous the door to the class was! It was a polished wooden door with shiny golden handles. I placed my hand on the smooth loop of the handle and cracked the door open partly. A breeze of perfume tickled my nose as I discreetly peeked in. I looked up to double-check and confirmed that it was definitely the correct math class. I squeezed the handle.

    ¡°Here we go,¡± I mumbled, trying to instill some confidence within myself.

    ¡°Can you open the door now?¡± a low voice abruptly questioned me.

    ¡°Oh! Sorry,¡± I apologized hastily on instinct.

    I turned back and saw a familiar set of vibrant sapphire eyes peering back at me. He raised his eyebrow at my instinctive motion. Then, he stroked back a tuft of his hazelnut hair. I pushed the door open and proceeded through first. He came in, following me. Some students were already here, and they immediately turned to the spectacle of both of us entering. However, they kept their heads turned away from me and focused on him. I sighed again softly.

    Prince Caydel! I didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d be in the same class. Isn''t that weird? If Elisabeth is as stupid as everyone says, why is she taking the same classes as the heir to Whitensen''s throne?

    "Ah, your highness," a lovely voice resounded from beside me. "Good morning."

    The young lady curtsied towards Caydel. Unlike his unenthusiastic reaction with me, the prince gave her a bright warm smile.

    "Good morning, Lady Lancaster," he responded with an amused expression.

    Wow, I see how it is. Elisabeth is beautiful too, you know?

    Once she arose, her golden locks swiveled to the side and her amethyst eyes fluttered to momentarily acknowledge my presence. The gentleness in her expression quickly hardened into hostility. The color in her pupils darkened so drastically that I could have sworn it changed into another shade.

    Why is Viktoria looking at me like that?

    All of a sudden, a wave of pain stabbed into my heart, squeezing as if someone had ahold of it. My throat burned as I felt my eyes pool into tears. As if she also felt the same sensation, she swiftly diverted her gaze, and the pain ceased. I watched as she followed the prince up the stairway to a seat, every step echoing in my mind as my surroundings blurred.

    What the...what the hell was that?

    Unknowingly, I was clutching my chest and shivering. I shook my head gently before turning to find a vacant seat. Although I was still shaken up by the sudden encounter, I made myself comfortable.

    This room is considerably spacious, which wasn''t a shock, seeing as how glamorous this academy is. A huge blackboard was adorned at the front with a lectern before it. Observing further, the walls are decorated with wine red, and the convex ceiling was polished golden. There are a couple of rows of cushioned seats and many mathematical decors and tools. One of them had five rounded balls strung up from the top of two squared bent strips of metal.

    Wow...I didn''t expect to see Newton''s cradle here. The device was invented in 1967, more than half a century after the Victorian era! Then again, no one I''ve met had a British accent. Could it be possible that this world is a mix of different historical periods?

    With the entrance of my professor, quiet rippled around everyone. At last, the class commenced with the professor¡¯s introduction.

    ¡°I am Professor Finnigan, your mathematics teacher for the year,¡± a tall man with wavy black hair and lengthy brown attire spoke.

    He looks similar to my ¡°mother.¡± The hair and the face really resemble her. Strange. Maybe I¡¯m just thinking silly things¡­

    The professor went down the list of students for attendance without even calling out names. No teacher was yelling for missing students and no students responding to correct mispronunciations.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Does that mean he already recognizes everyone¡¯s faces? That¡¯s remarkably fast. Perhaps, it¡¯s because everyone that attends this academy is already quite well-known outside of these walls. I know Elisabeth has a reputation, but it¡¯s not a very good one.

    The lesson resumed with multiple sneers aimed at me. They continued to gossip loud enough for me to be able to listen. The majority of their conversation consisted of comparing Viktoria with Elisabeth.

    How rude. Focus on learning, not burning holes into people¡¯s heads. Ah, well it doesn¡¯t really matter much since this lesson is pretty mild. I just need to concentrate and use the best of my capabilities. It''s just like how I''ve always done.

    ¡°Miss Carabell, what is the answer to this equation?¡± Professor Finnigan suddenly asked me.

    My fountain pen froze in place, blotting a circle of ink that spread as I rose my head up to meet the professor''s chocolate eyes. The students giggled at the directed question. I couldn''t understand why he decided to pick me of all people to answer the equation.

    Certainly, he knew as well as anyone else that Elisabeth was a delinquent, a lady who couldn''t care less about education. Everyone else seemed to think that, so why is he asking me this question?

    I tried analyzing his expression, but he kept such a good poker face that I simply gave up. I glanced down at my paper for a quick reference, and then back up to the professor.

    ¡°26,795.854,¡± I answered slowly, making sure to articulate the numbers so that it seemed I was nervous.

    If I speak slowly, he won''t destroy me when he explains why it''s wrong.

    Then again, I was pretty confident I had the right answer. I only wanted to be humble.

    ¡°Correct,¡± Professor Finnigan said.

    Critical hit!

    The class was shaken by my answer. Everyone glanced at each other to unearth some valid explanation as to how I accomplished such a feat. Then, a crude suggestion caught my attention.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because they¡¯re related.¡±

    My lips parted mostly in shock and partly in finding something to retort against such a false accusation. Then, realization slapped me across the face, just like how Elisabeth''s father did.

    Wait a moment, we''re related? Is that why he looked so much like Elisabeth''s mother? Then, could it be possible that the students aren''t wrong?

    I slowly clenched my teeth. My heart dropped a little. My mind churned in frustration.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever become accustomed to being criticized for my hard work. These students would say anything to hurt Elisabeth, wouldn¡¯t they? It would be different on Earth. No one would say a word.

    ¡°Silence! If you question my teachings, you may leave the class and receive an F for the semester,¡± the professor scolded us.

    Interestingly, the academy also uses an A to F grading system.

    When I glanced to my side, I noticed how Prince Caydel shot me a perplexed look. Our eyes met sharply, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel highly unpleasantly bothered by his presence.

    What the¡­? I didn¡¯t even notice he was sitting a few seats to my right. Why is he looking at me? Well, besides him, everyone else has finally stopped side-eyeing me. Now I can actually focus.

    Unexpectedly, the silence struck harshly, and no one uttered a word, not until she spoke.

    ¡°Since everyone seems to doubt your credibility, Lady Carabell, why don¡¯t you come and explain the problem to the rest of the students?¡± Viktoria asked me with one of her lovely smiles.

    The more I look at her, the more it seems like she''s sneering at me.

    The professor paused to think, and then said, "Yes, why don''t you come and explain this problem for the rest of the students, Miss Carabell?"

    A ripple of murmurs shook through each section of the classroom. "Viktoria has never challenged Elisabeth like this..." Their gazes laid expectantly on me.

    Sadly, the only terrible grades I ever earned in school were all participation assessments. If I don¡¯t want to repeat history, I better pull myself together. Why, oh why, do teachers want us to participate so much?

    As you can see, there was only one option I could choose.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I agreed?to everyone¡¯s great surprise.

    I slithered out my seat and stepped down the low oak stairs with a clack of my evergreen heel. The bold sound resonated throughout the large dome-like room. I approached the professor with a blank expression, and I gently took a piece of broken chalk from the dusty ledge. I began to write with ease as my audience held their breath. Only my loud and clear voice could be heard, paired with the light tapping of the chalk. As soon as I placed the chalk down, Professor Finnigan clapped his hands together and nodded. My classmates were stuck in shock, turning their heads to one another in astonishment.

    ¡°Impossible¡­¡±

    ¡°My answer is wrong, and yet she gets it right?¡±

    ¡°This is absurd!¡±

    The nobles murmured in little groups, trying to solve this new problem that has suddenly been brought to their attention?me.

    ¡°Well done. You may return to your seat, miss,¡± he told me.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I responded with a little smile, brushing the remnants of the chalk off my hands.

    Even though my performance was without a single fault, it was these two words that spooked both my professor and my fellow students. A chilly gust of wind must have wandered in the room because everyone had shivers running down their spines. No one could challenge my eyes with a single glance, in fear of inciting another dreadful ¡°thank you¡± from the lips of the most hated noble lady in the entire academy. By the time I reached my seat, I could feel the drastic change in attitude. Viktoria turned her head away and Caydel seemed disturbed by something.

    At my end of the row, I twiddled with my fancy fountain pen and scribbled multiple notes onto my paper as Professor Finnigan resumed his lecture.

    I know it¡¯s weird, but I really like looking at my own handwriting. It¡¯s therapeutic somehow. Especially since the flow of letters from the tip of the pen is actually entertaining to watch.

    The loops curled around as I wrote my name at the top of the parchment in cursive, trying to match the writing of those calligraphy artists I used to like back on Earth.

    I miss my ballpoint gel pens though...

    Little doodles traveled around my notes without any actual purpose but to soothe my mind. The bell rang with a ding, dong, and a?

    "Damn! Do I have to deal with this every single class?" I mumbled to myself in a low whisper.

    Ladies and gentlemen of the upper class scuffled about to scoop their belongings and prepared to rush away to another lesson?where they would continue their newfound juicy gossip.

    ¡°That¡¯s it for today. Everyone is dismissed,¡± Professor Finnigan announced with a flourish of his hand.

    There was a brief shuffling of feet. Students gradually left their seats and approached the door in little groups. I stood up and hurriedly gathered all my stuff in one swipe.

    Pen, notes, more work¡­

    Slowly and stealthily, another surprise snuck up behind me. His figure was tall, and his shadow loomed over me. Without waiting for me to turn around, he blurted out something I never thought I would hear from another person¡¯s mouth.

 Chapter 4 - Just Break It Off!

    ¡°Lady Carabell, do you believe that your position as the future queen of Whitensen is some hilarious joke?" his voice thundered. "Do you think that you don''t have enough influence? What more do you desire, hm? We¡¯re already engaged, but it appears that''s worthless to you!¡±

    The tone of his voice was menacing, looming over me despite the additional height I gained from the raised slippers I wore. I casually turned to confront him face to face. Initially, I planned to say something remarkably witty, but my breath was caught in my throat. Barely a moment passed before the imperial atmosphere began to suffocate me. The crown prince was scarcely a few inches away from me.

    His...his aura is nothing like how we met before class. It''s as if the power of his piercing gaze is strangling me.

    I was more than just confused when I glanced around and saw that everyone, including Professor Finnigan, had vanished! It was difficult for me to divert my eye contact, so I simply let myself fall into the depths of his mesmerizing gaze. His eyes illuminated an intense blue as he stood without cowering from his spot. I captured the perfect vision of his thick eyelashes and sharp jawline. Arms crossed, and smooth lips firmly compressed together, he refused to leave without an answer. His eyes gazed down at me as if I were some pesky insect, trying to nip away at his skin. I felt as if he was itching to swat at me, but he kept his hands restrained. Even though he looked enraged, something about the way he watched me warily felt as if he¡¯s holding back something more.

    ¡°Engaged...? What are you talking about?¡± I questioned him, just as bewildered as he is.

    Immediately, he clicked his tongue and leaned his head down closer to mine. His silky hazelnut hair bounced a bit.

    ¡°I''d rather you not play dumb,¡± Prince Caydel snapped at me. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid to break off ties with you after what you tried to do to Lady Lancaster. I know about every single diabolical plan you''ve ever executed behind the closed doors of the Carabell Estate."

    He reached his hand out to grasp my chin, and somehow, my body obediently remained still. My heart throbbed rapidly, but there lacked any sudden alarm of danger. He was careful not to grip too tightly and rather beheld me as if I were some delicate butterfly.

    "You''re such a beautiful lady, and yet you continue to spout lies and nonsense unbefitting the characteristics of a future monarch," he whispered darkly.

    "Hah," I scoffed sharply, drawing my chin away.

    If it were back on Earth, I might have found that little compliment a tiny bit flattering, but it isn''t me he''s talking about. It''s Elisabeth.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand,¡± I told him with a small shrug.

    He ruffled his fingers roughly through his hair and glared at me with clear disdain.

    ¡°What don¡¯t you understand?¡± he returned vehemently. ¡°You are harming those around you with your actions! How many maids have returned home in tears and how many times have you disrespected your peers and elders without a morsel of remorse?¡±

    My actions? Is he some fucking hypocrite?

    His silk-gloved hand reached out to grasp my left hand. He gradually pulled it closer to his lips and derisively stated¡ªas if reminding me, "Lady Carabell, I have the power to put a ring on this finger of yours and rip it off whenever I please."

    I scoffed and leered at him in disgust. I ripped my hand from his grip and just chuckled to myself in disbelief.

    ¡°You have it wrong, your highness. If you have so much against me and my actions, why don¡¯t you just break off the engagement? I¡¯m sure being engaged with me has brought you plenty of trouble, so just break it off! Am I right? Go ahead and break it off, I have no qualms about it!¡± I shouted at him.

    He was immediately taken aback by my sudden rise in volume.

    "Don''t be ridiculous!" I continued, shoving him back. "You? Having the ability to just say you''re engaged with me whenever you want? Are you trying to tell me that you''re the only one who can break off the engagement?"

    Without another sentence exchanged, I furiously descended down the stairs and exited the classroom with the shake of my head.

    Unbelievable! It''s like everyone hates Elisabeth! What has this girl been doing that she¡¯s on the receiving end of all this hostility? It''s a shame that a handsome person like him has such a nasty personality!

    <hr>

    - During Elisabeth and Caydel''s argument -

    "I quite dislike last-minute meetings," Professor Finnigan told the mysterious cloaked lady as he scribbled on a piece of paper. "Miss Carabell''s performance in class will not be affected by any personal bias of mines. That is an agreement I pledged to the headmaster. I am nothing like Madam Rose. If you are here to try to manipulate Miss Carabell''s grades, you''ll, unfortunately, be disappointed."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    The corners of the lady''s lips curved up. She set down the hot teacup in her hand on its saucer with a clink. Then, she crossed her legs and leaned to the side of the leather armchair. The two were within the professor''s personal office, where bookshelves lined the walls and a large desk piled with paperwork faced the door.

    "Yes, of course, I''m aware of that. I only wanted to make sure that it remained so. Nevermind that opinionated woman named Madam Rose, this is about you. You are Duchess Carabell''s favorite younger brother, are you not?" the woman asked him nonchalantly.

    "I am her younger brother," he acknowledged, placing down the feathered pen.

    The lady laughed and added, "And her favorite one at that."

    "Could you get on with this discussion, Lady Millien? I have other classes to attend to. This meeting is almost nothing of importance to me," Professor Finnigan stated bluntly.

    The noble lady in disguise laughed heartily. She sighed as she gazed elsewhere thoughtfully.

    "You know, I''ve spent the majority of my free time cleaning after Lady Carabell''s catastrophes. I know I don''t have to inform you about the incident between Lady Lancaster and your "lovely" niece. If you like, I can provide you with the same poison the daughter of the Carabells had her hands on. It was such a potent substance! I''ve luckily convinced the common nobles that one of Lady Carabell''s maids did the deed on her own accord, so all Lady Carabell has to do is act like it''s not her fault," she told him.

    The information about the recent incident didn''t pique Professor Finnigan''s interest at all, but even so, Lady Millien continued to ramble on.

    "I''m sure many of Lady Lancaster''s friends will support her side of the case, but I''ve already laid down the fake evidence. No matter how much Prince Caydel loves Lady Lancaster, the odds are forever in Lady Carabell''s favor. I''ve been watching her from afar and she''s doing an abnormally outstanding job! It''s as if she''s actually innocent. I wonder how the Carabells raised her for her to become so twisted. Her older brother is also a bit twisted. I wonder if it runs through their blood. Oh, that''s right! You''re related to that stuck-up young lady," Lady Millien said sarcastically.

    "The Carabell affairs are none of my concern. Have you forgotten? I belong to the House of Finnigan now, not the House of Carabell," he clarified.

    "Ah, yes! Now, does that mean the Lancaster affairs are also not your concern? You are married to Duke Lancaster''s cousin, right? She was originally a Lancaster before she was wedded into the House of Finnigan. Then, her husband miraculously died and you came to her stead! I find that extremely suspicious¡ª"

    Professor Finnigan suddenly stood up, knocking a bottle of ink across his work.

    "Oh, so it''s true! You were involved¡ª"

    "Lady Millien, what do you want?" he questioned her, slumping back into his seat.

    The noblewoman shifted, which made the hooded cloak slip slightly down her form, revealing a part of her face. She twirled her chocolate hair and flashed her sapphire eyes. The professor was unsettled by the unique, vibrant intensity of the irises she bestowed.

    "The Lancasters are going to request that you remove Lady Carabell from your high honors class. I want you to refuse, despite the fact that you have a debt to pay to them. I''ve gone to great lengths to put that ungrateful brat with that smartass crown prince. Besides, you keep my secret and I''ll keep yours. Isn''t that a good deal?" she asked seriously.

    The professor nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes... Yes, of course. However, I didn''t hear clearly. What did you call the crown prince? Was it...smartass? I''ve never heard of such a term."

    "Nevermind that. You wouldn''t know what that means."

    <hr>

    - In English class from Elisabeth''s perspective -

    "Miss Carabell, could you read the last few paragraphs of the passage?" Professor Ophelian, my English teacher, requested.

    "Yes," I answered softly.

    What may have come off as a timid response was really my sorrowful cry of exhaustion. The past three teachers I''ve gone to have somehow selected me out of all of the students to interrogate about the classes'' lessons. I can''t believe they''re really out for Elisabeth''s neck! Even Elisabeth''s blood-related math teacher, Professor Finnigan, is trying to test me! And it''s all because of whatever Elisabeth may have done to Viktoria! I don''t even know if she actually did anything to her and yet everyone is accusing me of the crime. I have to ask Teresa when I find the chance.

    I managed to recite the passage perfectly, right before the bell rang. At this point, the shocked expressions on my classmates'' faces have become usual.

    Ah, the last class before lunch has finally ended! What a relief. Perhaps, I should ask Professor Ophelian about why the professors keep badgering me with questions.

    I scooped up my belongings once more and trotted over to the professor, who was sitting quietly at her desk. Her straight blonde hair trailed down her shoulders. I noticed there was a hint of purple in her irises when I looked closely.

    "Professor Ophelian, I have something to ask you," I told her after hesitating for a moment.

    "Do you, Miss Carabell? When was the last time you spoke to your professors so politely? Well then, what is it?" she responded.

    I bit my lip before I asked, "Why are all of my professors targeting me? I mean, selecting me to give answers during lessons or recite paragraphs as you did. I don''t mean to say that I believe I am special in any way. I just noticed how odd it was when in all of my recent classes, this is a reoccurring scene."

    "Ah, we are doing an assessment on your academic capabilities for the first semester. There is nothing to be concerned about. That is, if you still don''t care about your education," Professor Ophelia informed me.

    As assessment? Why would they be conducting an assessment?

    The professor smiled as she watched me in utter confusion.

    "You see, after your predicament with Lady Lancaster, her allied nobles have been bothering Headmaster Oscar about your enrollment in our academy. After some thought, the board of education has decided that it is only fair that we dispute against your expelling with solid evidence that you belong in our prestigious classes. Then again, if we find that you are unable to keep up with the workload, we won''t hesitate to have you removed from further lessons," she explained.

    "I''ll be expelled? Just because the nobles bothered the headmaster?" I questioned her.

    "That is not exactly the case, Miss Carabell. All of your professors, including me, believe that you are unfit for education here at this academy. Just because you''ve answered a few questions correctly each day doesn''t mean that you won''t be expelled. You must prove that you are worthy to be taught lessons fit for monarchs and those alike. Perhaps, if you manage to place within the top five on this semester''s scholar progress rankings, we will think otherwise. As always, they take place mid-semester for students to check where their current ranking is. Why don''t you aim for that?" Professor Ophelian suggested.

 Chapter 5 - A Poisonous Mind

    Aim for the semester''s scholar progress rankings? If everyone already knows that Elisabeth is bordering on illiteracy, doesn''t that mean Professor Ophelian is setting me up for failure?

    I wasn''t sure whether or not Elisabeth''s beloved English professor expected me to burst into tears or roll my eyes. Either way, we exchanged a little nod of minor understanding before I escaped that uncomfortable discussion.

    A light wafting of our lunchtime meal breezed through the hallways. It smelled deliciously savory. A bit of a peppery scent with a hint of what may be steak¡ªif this world has any. The aroma was quite pleasing after a morning of my growling empty stomach. I thought the professors were speaking in gurgles before I realized it was my stomach embarrassingly voicing its "hangryness."

    Ah, I was always a meat lover. I hope their cooking is substantially better than American school lunches. It would be a shame if this world didn''t have steak. Some people would seriously be missing out.

    I took a deep breath and exhaled, feeling all the exhaustion seeping out. Then, I started coughing from the restrictions of the corset. I covered my mouth with my elbow and gradually took softer breaths.

    It''s funny how even though I''m in an entirely new world, nothing seems to be phasing me... Oh, okay, maybe that wake-up slap from Elisabeth''s father did shock me quite a bit. My parents have never laid a hand on me like that even though we argue often. Who would have imagined waking up in such a regal setting? Life wasn''t exciting enough for me to continue living on Earth. Now, this?this is another kind of exhilaration.

    My life on Earth was so monotonous. Waking up, going to school, studying until the sleep drained out of my body, and then taking tests! Tests...stupid things that judged your worth, and yet, it was all that mattered in my small little mind. There was no one to comfort me. My friends weren''t really my friends despite the years we''ve spent sitting beside one another at the same lunch table. I never really knew them, and they never really knew me¡ªnot that they ever tried. The loneliness tore my mind apart. If I hadn''t burned alive, tortured by the excruciating pain of death, would I have resorted to taking my life in a swifter, yet anticlimactic way?

    I never would have considered drowning, but perhaps...no, let''s not go there.

    I remember how much the flames hurt. It hurt so much that my body became numb¡ªimmune to negative emotion and all agony.

    Shivers ran up and down my spine, and my hands trembled as if I was afraid. I took a couple of slow deep breaths to soothe my poisonous mind.

    That''s what I''ve always wished for¡ªlike anyone trying to hurt themselves would''ve wished for. Never feeling sadness nor a pinch of pain. There was a moment of darkness, and there it was again¡ªloneliness. I die, expecting there to be a sense of closure, but the longingness for peace and happiness thrives.

    So much has happened in this world that I kind of want to stay to see how everything ends. There''s the thrill of adventuring someplace where everything is unique, and it''s an opportunity for me to find something that truly makes me want to live. Then again, everyone hates Elisabeth Madeline Carabell. Would I want to stay to see her fate?

    In the corner of my eye, a feminine figure appeared before me in plain maid attire, her hair swept up into a neat bun perching on the very top of her head. The woman''s hands were clasped tightly together at the height of her waist as she waited patiently for me.

    "Teresa?" I called out as I rushed to straighten the wonky ruffles of my evergreen gown.

    The stoic-looking servant nodded, her bun bouncing a bit. She gave a weak smile before letting the corners of her mouth relax. The motion was ominously unnatural. There was a dark gloom looming around her, paired with her anxious glances away from making eye contact with me. For some reason, I felt unsettled by her movements.

    "Yes, my lady, I will be escorting you to the dining hall for your meal," Teresa informed me.

    "Oh, you are?" I blurted without thinking. "I didn''t think that you were going to."

    The other students didn''t have their maids follow them like a human tail to the dining hall. I just naturally assumed that it would be the same for me. It seems Elisabeth is always a special exception. It''s like the "main character trope" of all those novels I''ve read on Earth. She''s supposed to be special. But me? Playing the role of someone special?

    She gazed at me confusedly. Then, she tilted her head down, as if attempting to display inferiority.

    "Indeed... I am your maid. Of course, I would accompany you. Now, what would you like to do about that obnoxious boy who bothered you earlier?" she asked me.

    I knitted my eyebrows together and smoothed my rosy lips into a line.

    "The one that spoke to me before math class? Nothing. Why would I do anything?" I questioned her with a frown.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Teresa looked a little bewildered to hear these words come out of Elisabeth''s mouth, for she fidgeted and tilted her head to the side to think.

    "But, my lady, you always¡­I apologize. It''s just a slip of the tongue. Let us proceed to the dining hall," she decided with a strange expression of uncertainty.

    Teresa is acting peculiarly. I wonder why she would bring that student up. Did she expect me to punish him? Even if I am in Elisabeth''s body, that doesn''t mean I''ll resort to her ways.

    I pulled back a strand of my raven hair.

    I''m not like that. I never will be.

    "Hey, is there something bothering you?" I asked her with concern. "You seem a little nervous. Are you okay?"

    Something in my mind is telling me she''s hiding something. She appears extremely anxious.

    Teresa''s hands twitched as she replied, "Yes, perfectly fine, my lady."

    Although she said this, her expression tells me that she''s clearly lying. I watched as she reached for a handkerchief from a pocket and dabbed a bit of condensation from her face.

    "Alright, I''m just worried about you. That''s all," I told her with a warm smile.

    "Worried, my lady?" Teresa asked, but I didn''t respond.

    She tugged at her sleeves as if they were bothering her, and something in her eyes felt odd. The atmosphere was thick as she followed me to the dining hall. The recurring enormous double doors greeted me when we arrived, except, they were open to welcome all students. The savory scent of delicious food washed over me. There was a grand arrangement of long tables with white tablecloths and golden embellishments. Lit candelabras ran down each of the tables alongside tableware.

    Teresa and I found Elisabeth''s name embellished on one of the labeled velvet-cushioned chairs at the long tables. On both armrests of the seat, there were red cloth napkins that draped over them. It was unlike the other chairs that the other students rested in. Teresa was breathing heavily and seemed to be dazed, so she didn''t notice when I removed the napkins. There were words scratched in that I didn''t have to look close to read.

    I read the words aloud softly to myself, "Wench...whore...lowlife."

    Teresa gasped and covered the armrest with the clean cloth napkin again. The other noble students took a single glance at the "artwork" on Elisabeth''s chair and just turned their heads away. Their expressions showed me how much they couldn''t care for Elisabeth''s existence.

    "My Lady, I beg forgiveness! I will find who did this and report them to the headmaster!" she exclaimed, and rushed to have a servant bring another seat to replace my vandalized one.

    Teresa didn''t seem so frazzled earlier. Why is she so worried?

    By the time Teresa came back with the new seat, the other students were delivered their meals by multiple waiters that filed out of the kitchen area at the back of the dining hall. A tall man with a curly mustache laid down a delicious-looking plate filled with five-star worthy food. Teresa stood beside me as I reached out for the fork to eat.

    "My Lady!" Teresa exclaimed once more, rushing to take the plate away. "You know the food is poisoned! I always prepare your meal separately."

    "Poisoned?" I asked her.

    Suddenly, she slapped her hand over her mouth. A surge of fear instantly possessed her. The waterlines of her eyes began to pool, and her hands trembled. She immediately collapsed into a kowtow as she hyperventilated in breathless gasps. My lips parted slightly, and all of my bodily motions froze.

    Is she...is she having a panic attack?!

    I rushed to pull her back up. She struggled against my grasp and started wailing in a tangled mess consisting of the cotton fabric of her skirt. The neat bun she had was transformed into a dark ball of loose ends hanging on her head. She grabbed onto my skirt and tugged pleadingly.

    "No, no! I''m sorry... Jillian will be here soon. She''s¡­ She''s coming with the food! Please believe me, my lady. Punish me, don''t punish her!" she shouted desperately.

    Tears began gushing down her face as she sobbed in a frenzy of terror. I loosened my grip and gaped at her bewilderedly. Other students sent me glares, but the majority of them simply ignored the scene. The dining hall''s servants didn''t even interfere. I squatted down, fighting my dress to stoop down to Teresa.

    "What are you doing? It''s not a big problem! Look, I''m not too concerned about it. I can wait, I know how to do that," I quickly said.

    My words only worsened Teresa''s hyperventilating. She started bowing her head over and over in a crazed trance.

    She won''t calm down if I speak to her like this. I have to do something!

    I placed my hands in hers and gently squeezed them.

    "Please don''t worry about it, Teresa. I understand. You''re okay, alright? I won''t hurt you. I won''t hurt Jillian. It''s okay," I repeated softly.

    Her breathing became less raspy and her wailing sobs became silent streams of tears. The two of us remained where we were for a few minutes. Then, I helped her back up and she brushed away her tears after a few deep breaths.

    Out of nowhere, another servant appeared by my side, her blonde hair cropped at the shoulders and rounded baby blue eyes¡ªunlike Prince Caydel''s vibrant irises. She was shorter than me, but her small stature made her seem adorable. In her hands, she presented a platter with a domed cover. She instantly dropped it, letting the contents splatter on the ground, and rushed to Teresa. I was still recuperating from Teresa''s sudden meltdown, and it didn''t help that this maid had jumped onto her without warning.

    "Terrie!" she exclaimed, her voice sweet, but worried.

    One of the other students came by and sneered at the sight of the two. "Disgusting¡­the Carabell maids are such a mess." She walked away before I could react.

    The young maid turned to look at me, tears dripping from her light blue eyes. The longer she gazed furiously up at me, the more I noticed how perfect her facial features were.

    Wow, she''s such a beautiful girl. She has the kind of innocent baby face that some people could die for. I never thought I would be able to witness someone that mirrored the human expectations of angels. Though, if I were to be going by my research back on Earth, angels were known to look terrifying and intimidating to scare off demons. On the other hand, demons were attractive to trick humans into trusting them. There''s no actual proof as to if that is true, but I''d like to think that''s why Lucifer was depicted in oil paintings as a handsome man. I, however, have problems with not falling in love with gorgeous people. I guess I wouldn''t do very good against an actual demon.

    By then, the students at the table were finishing up and leaving to stay away from all the commotion. That''s when the maid arose with her arms wrapped around Teresa. The sleeves of her servant attire were strung up, and I gasped, drawing my gloved hands to cover my mouth.

 Chapter 6 - Shut Up, Elisabeth!

    Bruises, discolored and swollen, ran up and down her pale and delicate arms. There were old crusty scratches and deep scars. Soiled by the innumerable count of injuries, the vestal image she bestowed vanished. It was wrong to try to perceive that all who looked pure were treated pure. The blemishes of abuse boldly displayed the truth, hidden behind sleeves or tucked away in the crevices of one¡¯s mine.

    Oh my goodness...what happened to her?

    Immediately, when she noticed I was staring at them, she tugged down her sleeves defensively. Her expression was unmoving, leaving no room for me to read what thoughts wandered in her mind as they most likely accused me of all sorts of wrongful crimes.

    The sky blue in her irises wanted to shred me apart. However, it was a fact that I did not do anything worth rendering immobile and lifeless. Not me, but perhaps, Elisabeth Madeline Carabell.

    She held Teresa close to her and squeezed her as if protecting her from the claws that I¡¯ve yet to unleash on anyone. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± the young maiden questioned me, fury burning in her eyes.

    The question was abrupt and took me aback. The accusation aggravated me to no end. I tilted my head to the side threateningly, saying in body language: "Excuse me?"

    What did I do to Teresa? I didn¡¯t do anything! I know now that Elisabeth is on nobody¡¯s good graces, but couldn¡¯t they at least give her the benefit of the doubt?

    Suddenly, the students turned to look at me, wearing expressions filled with prejudice. Some scoffed, some leered, and some couldn''t care less of what became of this scene.

    ¡°Jillian, please. It was not our lady¡¯s fault. It was all me. Please have mercy on us, my lady. I will make sure this doesn¡¯t happen again. Please believe me, my lady,¡± Teresa begged remorsefully.

    I was beginning to feel very offended. I furrowed my eyebrows as I shook my head in disbelief. ¡°Have mercy? I won¡¯t do anything. As I said, don¡¯t worry about it. The both of you can leave and rest.¡±

    Jillian¡¯s face contorted to disgust, her innocent facade fading away.

    ¡°My Lady, please don¡¯t act like you are Lady Lancaster. It is frightening,¡± Jillian softly told me before turning to leave with Teresa.

    ¡°Jillian! Watch your mouth!¡± Teresa exclaimed, but Jillian remained unaffected.

    Act like I¡¯m Lady Lancaster? But...I¡¯m not¡­I¡¯m just being me...

    ¡°What does she have to do with this situation, huh? Why do you people always have to bring Viktoria up?¡± I questioned her angrily.

    Murmurs buzzed through the dining hall. The adrenaline ran through my veins like coursing energy. Jillian whipped her head around, wearing an expression that said: ¡°Screw you, you fucking piece of shit.¡± Teresa grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

    ¡°Could you just shut up, Elisabeth?! No one cares for what you have to say anymore! No one likes you. His Highness, the crown prince, should¡¯ve broken the engagement by now. You¡¯re a ridiculous excuse for this kingdom¡¯s future queen!¡± Jillian screamed.

    So that is why everyone is so uptight. The future queen of Whitensen is their future queen, and they hate Elisabeth! Prince Caydel is basically the future king of this kingdom! It¡¯s no wonder everyone was glorifying him!

    I clicked my tongue.

    Could I be any more oblivious?

    The realization was cut short when Jillian tried lunging herself at me. The girl was aggressively tugging herself from Teresa. Teresa bear-hugged Jillian in an attempt to subdue the maiden in rage.

    ¡°No, Jillian, no,¡± Teresa kept telling her when she struggled to free herself from Teresa¡¯s grasp.

    Jillian sneered at me. "You''re a worthless noble! Worthless and useless!"

    I took a step closer to her and shoved my finger in her face. ¡°I asked you one stupid question, and you can¡¯t even answer it! Viktoria has nothing to do with what happened! More or less, you¡¯re the one who started blaming me for something I haven¡¯t even done!¡±

    ¡°You think anyone¡¯s going to believe you after you tried poisoning Viktoria? This whole thing has to do with Lady Lancaster! Don¡¯t try lying to me. I know you too well. You¡¯re not a noble, you¡¯re less than that. You don¡¯t even deserve to be a citizen of this kingdom. I can¡¯t wait to see you becoming a prostitute or a farmer¡¯s slave! That¡¯s who you should be, Elisabeth Madeline Carabell,¡± the brazen maid told me in a burst of outrage.

    Poisoning? Even if Elisabeth did do that, that has absolutely nothing to do with Teresa breaking down in a fit and me being blamed for causing all this ruckus. Everything would¡¯ve been fine if this girl didn¡¯t start jumping to conclusions the moment she saw her friend in tears. The fact remains: I haven¡¯t done a single thing!

    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± I laughed mockingly, ¡°you¡¯re going to pay to come to see me when I¡¯m a prostitute? How kind of you!¡±

    ¡°You¡­! You¡¯re crazy, you know that? You¡¯re crazy if you think you can keep treating people as if you¡¯re lower than them,¡± Jillian argued, breaking from Teresa¡¯s grip.

    ¡°As if I¡¯m lower?¡± I scoffed. ¡°I was helping Teresa!¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "You''re full of it!" Jillian stated before Teresa forcefully dragged her away.

    Teresa kept bowing to me as an apology for Jillian''s behavior as she left with the rambunctious girl. I curled my fingers into tight fists. My nails dug into my skin. I could feel my vision blurring and my throat burning.

    Are you serious? This is so frustrating. I haven¡¯t even?alright, that¡¯s fine. Be that way. Keep thinking I¡¯m trying to be like someone else. You¡¯ll be sorry when you see what it means to be Elisabeth Madeline Carabell.

    I straightened my gown and ran my fingers through the black curls on my head. The pained expression I wore just a moment ago vanished in a matter of seconds. I adorned a mask of apathy, acting as if I didn¡¯t almost burst into tears from the exasperation of being wrongfully accused.

    This dress and the long hair is such a pain to deal with. I should find something to tie it up later. I need to drink something. My mouth feels dry...and stale...and bitter.

    I sighed as I pulled the locks back and reached for a napkin. I bent down and wiped the sauce from the platter. The servants that were waiting for the scene to die down watched me in awe. I gently turned my head up to look at them.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll clean it myself,¡± I told them with the loveliest smile an angry person could pull off.

    Immediately, they took worried glances towards each other. Gradually, they left me alone.

    This is such a mess.

    ¡°Oh wow, Elisabeth, I never thought I would see you in this state,¡± a voice hummed from behind.

    I turned and caught my eyes on a familiar set of vibrant blue eyes. I was gazing up at a man that almost replicated Prince Caydel. Instead, his hair was glittering blonde, and his demeanor was laxer. The fact that he remotely looked like that bastard irritated me. Everything was irritating me.

    The man leaned to one side. ¡°Hm? What¡¯s gotten into you, Eli? Aren¡¯t you happy to see my face? Give me a kiss, would you? I¡¯m sure the recent turn of events has gotten you a bit frustrated, so let¡¯s skip your class and hang out for a bit.¡±

    Whaaat?

    I dropped the napkin in utter astonishment.

    ¡°No! Why would I do that?¡± I questioned him.

    I can¡¯t believe it. There are still people willing to cheat with Elisabeth?!

    This suddenly aroused an interesting question.

    Was she...cheating on Prince Caydel?

    I unconsciously rubbed my gloved fingers over my lips.

    Although she¡¯s probably cheated on Caydel, she¡¯s managed to still have someone to cheat with this terrible reputation she has.

    How disgusting.

    Beautiful women have it all, don¡¯t they? Men and riches. It¡¯s truly unbelievable.

    ¡°Hey, if you¡¯re so low to try and woo someone who¡¯s publicly taken, how about you stoop down and help me clean? Make yourself useful,¡± I told him.

    He gasped so sharply that I turned my head to see what was wrong with him. ¡°My, Eli, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯ve become so attractive in a matter of a few days. I prefer being the sadist in the relationship, so you can continue cleaning. Urm, rather, that terrible situation you¡¯ve put yourself in.¡± He leaned down to whisper in my ear. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you failed to kill Viktoria. I even helped give you the poison with my most precious resources.¡±

    Oh my God!

    I jerked myself away from him. He leaned back, amusement displayed all over his face. The expression strongly reminded me of my argument with Prince Caydel earlier.

    This guy supplied Elisabeth with poison to kill Viktoria?! Holy crap!

    I was struck dumbfounded by all my recent discoveries. The first thing I did was distance myself a few more feet. He drew himself away and dragged over a seat for himself to sit and watch me labor like the peasant everyone is treating me like.

    I was technically a ¡°peasant¡± on Earth. I was normal, and I worked for everything I was given. That¡¯s how things should be. However, I shouldn¡¯t be the one receiving all the punishment for something that I didn¡¯t do. It¡¯s unfair treatment!

    ¡°Don¡¯t you owe me something for all that I¡¯ve done for you? I prepared the most expensive wine, and I¡¯ve cleared my schedule to allow a free night. It¡¯ll be just me and you, just like how you like it. As I¡¯ve said before: If you marry me, I¡¯ll get rid of my lovely harem?¡±

    I instantly stood up and brushed the crumbs off my hands. ¡°Keep your harem.¡±

    I lost any interest in what he was saying the moment he uttered harem. I¡¯m not into that, and I¡¯m not into Prince Caydel look-alikes. Both of them are jerks. Now I know I should stay away from anyone that looks like them.

    ¡°Aw, really? I was hoping you¡¯d say that. I¡¯ve grown quite attached to the ladies. It¡¯s nice that you¡¯re going to share the bed with them. I¡¯ve been longing to have a night with all of us together,¡± the man rambled on.

    ¡°Hm? A night with all of us? Are you kidding? No!¡± I exclaimed.

    I was so disgusted that I had my mouth agape.

    ¡°Are you holding back because your relationship with Prince Delly has become strained? I assure you, I¡¯m a better match,¡± he boasted. ¡°Besides, he¡¯s still a virgin. That kid won¡¯t know how to treat you right.¡±

    Delly? Is that Prince Caydel¡¯s nickname?

    I burst out laughing. His sly grin immediately dropped. ¡°Really? Thanks for the information!¡±

    What a pedophile. I should probably leave quickly. Is there security? What do I do when an adult has entered an academy campus and is trying to pursue underaged teens? Caydel is graduating this year, and this dude is older than him. You think princes could get arrested in their own kingdom?

    Slam!

    As I contemplated these things, I didn¡¯t notice how a certain someone snuck up and snatched the unknown intruder and threw him into a column in the dining hall. The nobles in the dining hall all gasped.

    I assume that''s security.

    ¡°Hey...hey...easy¡­ It was only one sentence.¡± The trespassing prince tried to reason with the man who pinned him firmly. It was to no avail, and rather, it only increased the man¡¯s irritability.

    Armed knights rushed into the hall, filed in rows. Students immediately moved away from the entering ensemble. The man holding the older Whitensen prince had beautifully smooth pale skin and piercing vermilion eyes. He adorned a lush velvet cape and was equipped with a blade that he kept in its sheath.

    It doesn''t look like he''s here to hurt anyone. It''s not like he''s running around with a sword and trying to poke anyone with it.

    ¡°You think you could try to seduce the princess of Lotte without any repercussions?¡± The knight squeezed the prince¡¯s shoulder with a crushing sound.

    I cringed at the snapping of his bones. The prince yelped at the agonizing pain.

    Another enrobed knight emerged from the crowd. ¡°Sir Garrod, must I remind you that we are here to apprehend Prince Patrick for trespassing the academy grounds?¡±

    Yeah, I should leave. Immediately. Good idea, me.

    Instantly, as I took a single step, it was as if my camouflage disappeared.

    ¡°Oh, Princess of Whitensen,¡± he called out.

    Princess of Whitensen?

    I glanced around awkwardly.

    Where¡­? Oh...that¡¯s right! Elisabeth is technically a ¡°princess¡± because she¡¯s engaged with Prince Caydel.

    My heart jumped. Suddenly, he leaned towards me and looked me directly in my eyes as if there was something that intrigued him.

    Woah...personal space, please!

    ¡°Hmm, odd,¡± he mumbled. He sighed, pushing the prince into the other knight¡¯s arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice you were here...with this man.¡±

    I took a step away from him.

    Under his breath, he mumbled, ¡°Ah, I¡¯m just disappointed in you.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I gasped.

    He advanced me! I didn¡¯t approach him!

    ¡°Oh, you heard that? My apologies, your highness,¡± he said half-heartedly.

    They wrapped the prince¡¯s arms behind his back and escorted him away as if he were to be brought to trial.

    Poor guy. I should...probably go prepare for my next class. Forget lunch.

 Chapter 7 - The Past Hurts

    - Within the headmaster¡¯s office during Garrod and Patrick¡¯s conversation -

    Garrod snuck a mischievous smirk from behind Patrick. The moment the headmaster glanced up to look at the knight, the sly grin vanished as if it were never there. His condescending expression was wiped clean until it was like a blank canvas. Garrod would much rather beat this prince to death and be captured and tortured rather than listen to the two of them converse meaninglessly. The thought danced around in his mind. He would rather go bald than listen to this.

    ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself, Headmaster Oscar,¡± the knight murmured. ¡°I have appointments to attend to.¡±

    On second thought, his lady wouldn¡¯t appreciate seeing him bald when they reunite. He remembered how she liked to run her slender fingers through his raven hair, gently tussling the messy crop on his head. She would always smell fresh when she wrapped her arms around him, and the feeling of her skin touching his was always rejuvenating after a long day¡¯s work. The warmth soothed the demon blood that coursed through his veins. The little memory made his heart ache. The first thing Garrod planned to do was find her after he conquered Lotte. The empress of Lotte cannot possibly keep them apart.

    ¡°Yes, of course. Your work is exemplary, Sir Garrod. It was a pleasure to be in your presence,¡± the headmaster nodded.

    The mischievous prince spun around in his leather seat and smiled contemptuously. ¡°Ahaha, that reminds me, lil¡¯ knight.¡±

    Garrod refrained from opening the door and turned around to face Patrick. He intently watched Patrick, only remaining because this man was Whitensen¡¯s first prince. Otherwise, he would pummel the egotistical bastard until there was nothing left of him. At this point, he was seriously considering throwing away all the reasoning that was left in his head and disintegrating the whole kingdom if it meant he¡¯d keep Patrick away from the only lady he loves.

    ¡°You¡¯re no worse than I am with those wretched scarlet eyes of yours,¡± Patrick taunted the esteemed knight, pointing his index finger at the ruby irises Garrod bestowed. ¡°How many women have you seduced into your doing with that dangerous magic you have? Hmm? You¡¯re as much of a lowlife as everyone calls the daughter of the Carabell family. Except, she has money, and what do you have? You have nothing but the role of being the right-hand man of my little Delly. It¡¯s a shame!¡±

    Garrod remained silent, trying to restrain the glow of his vermilion eyes. Instead, they blazed brighter, and the office rapidly filled with an influx of the intensity of the magic. The amused prince was momentarily blinded by them. Patrick threw his arms up to cover his eyes, only to realize the light didn¡¯t hurt his eyes but petrified him. Chills ran up and down his spine, and his heart rate began to increase, racing until his chest began to pulse in pain. He started breathing heavily as if he were sprinting away from a demon as fast as he could. The headmaster instantly swiped his hand, cutting the air in the room with his fingertips like a blade. The red glowing swiftly reduced to a dim, pink shimmer. Garrod rubbed his eyes from the irritation of the magic and bowed, his hand over his chest.

    ¡°I will leave now. Have a good day, your highness and Headmaster,¡± Garrod monotonously stated, pretending as if he didn¡¯t suddenly emit a powerful aura.

    However, as soon as Prince Patrick finishes speaking with the headmaster, Garrod would search and torture the prince in all ways possible for messing with his lady and saying such nonsense before a demon of his caliber. The princess of Lotte was doing military training in Leonard. He was only waiting until the time was right to go and find her. How he knew Prince Patrick met her was another matter.

    At this point, Patrick was stuck in a state of shock, mortified by the aura that could have killed him. Then, he burst out laughing. It was maniacal and sounded more like he was sobbing.

    ¡°Wow, so that¡¯s what it feels to be slowly eaten away by the Red Demon,¡± the prince remarked and continued chuckling, unaware of how the headmaster was highly concerned for his well-being.

    Headmaster Oscar sighed exhaustedly. ¡°Your Highness, his majesty has already prohibited you from going within one hundred meters of the academy grounds. We simply cannot allow you to continue loitering with our female students and getting into altercations with our male students. This goes especially for Miss Carabell. That young lady already has enough trouble going out for her. You¡¯re already aware of the restraining order that Duke Carabell issued.¡±

    The prince was still recovering from Garrod¡¯s magic, and he simply swiveled to the other side of his seat to gaze upon the headmaster.

    ¡°Trouble? That¡¯s hilarious. She wouldn¡¯t be having any issues if the board of education didn¡¯t suddenly want to have her kicked out,¡± Patrick stated, shaking his hand at the headmaster. ¡°Let¡¯s be realistic; none of you want her in this academy.¡±

    There was a moment of silence. For a split second, the spunky prince could have sworn the headmaster was itching to burst out in rage. Instead, the elderly man kept his composure and sat quietly at his desk.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°His Majesty ordered us to admit her, so we did. However, with the current circumstances and the recent turn of events, we have to consider expelling her. Although your father issued a royal order to let her in our prestigious academy, we have all the rights to re-evaluate a student¡¯s education when their behavior begins to harm and disrupt others.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one to ever refer to the king as my father. It¡¯s so funny. It¡¯s always ¡®Oh, his majesty wishes to speak to you¡¯ or ¡®His Majesty orders you to do this¡¯ and blah blah blah. I¡¯m sick and tired of it, y¡¯know? Who are you to interfere with what I do with Elisabeth? You¡¯re not even my father,¡± Patrick reminded the headmaster.

    ¡°I may not be your father, but I was your tutor. I have tutored generations of the Whitensen royal family. I have a long life as a mage. I advise you to stop with the nonsense you¡¯ve been on about and focus on building a name for yourself. You are an intelligent man. Had you taken your work seriously, you could have achieved accomplishments beyond your peers.¡±

    Prince Patrick strung his arm around the back of the seat he sat in, leaning in a repulsive position. ¡°Huh, you mean Delly? That kid couldn¡¯t give a single damn about his accomplishments. He¡¯s too hung up on the past.¡±

    The headmaster frowned at the prince¡¯s language, being familiar with its derogatory meaning.

    ¡°And it seems you¡¯re too caught up on your ancestors¡¯ past,¡± the headmaster remarked.

    The prince shifted in his seat. ¡°Ah, I just want to leave now. You''re an annoying old man."

    Crack!

    The headmaster broke the desk with the slam of his fists. The wooden furniture crumbled and incinerated into flames, and its ashes fluttered around the room. He threw a book towards Patrick, who quickly dodged the incoming object.

    ¡°That is enough, your highness! I won''t tolerate such disrespect!¡±

    <hr>

    - Elisabeth¡¯s perspective when she arrived at the Carabell Estate -

    The moment my heel clicked the marble floor within the estate, it was the maids¡¯ cue to bow like robots executing their code. None of the servants looked pleased to see me and I couldn¡¯t tell whether they weren¡¯t happy to see me either. Their expressions were wiped clean. The ladies appeared brainwashed, all the light in their eyes gone. My heart felt heavy in my chest when I laid my eyes upon Teresa and Jillian among them.

    It seems they went straight home after that incident. I should probably say something to lighten the serious mood.

    ¡°Ah, could you guys at least relax? I¡¯m not planning on doing anything but staying in my room,¡± I told them as politely as I could with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± they chimed together in perfect unison.

    My smile dulled when I heard their response. They cleared the way for me to walk through. An equal number of maids were on each side of me. Somehow, the silence was eerie and I could feel my heart starting to pulse rapidly. I hesitated in proceeding forward. My voice was caught in my throat.

    I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this...awkward.

    Suddenly, Elisabeth¡¯s father appeared out of nowhere. He rapidly approached me and held his right hand up in the air when he reached me.

    Slap!

    With one strong strike, I fell to my knees and clutched the red mark on my face. The polished floor reflected Elisabeth¡¯s face before me. The duke¡¯s sleeves were strung up as he wore a vest over the undershirt. His hands were stained with ink and calloused from work. I could clearly see how his muscles were built and the large scars that decorated them. Despite how old he appeared, he was still fit. The maids rushed to clear the area.

    ¡°Honestly! What is it going to take for you to learn from your mistakes?! Do you think I am pleased to hear that you made a show of yourself with your maids at the dining hall?!¡± the duke¡¯s voice thundered.

    I glared at him, the pain subsiding thanks to the adrenaline in my veins rushing. I clenched my fists.

    ¡°You¡¯re a duke, and look at you, making a show in front of all those maids because your daughter had an exchange between her own maids...¡± I told him boldly.

    The statement made the veins on his muscular arms bulge. ¡°Thanks to you, we had to replace our whole arsenal of maids! I kept two of them from the previous line-up, and now you¡¯ve gone and caused a commotion at the academy with them!¡±

    Caused a commotion? Does he even know what happened? He doesn¡¯t even know why I reacted that way!

    ¡°Hey...if you don¡¯t care about Elisa?me, why don¡¯t you act like it? Are you telling me you¡¯re trying to discipline your daughter while she is being discriminated against at the academy and treated like dirt? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s the reason why something happened at the academy between me and your daughter¡¯s maids? You are a duke! If you cared, you would¡¯ve?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not my daughter!¡± he interrupted, shouting the words vehemently.

    A pounding headache overwhelmed me and I held my head. The man hesitated in his next action. His eyebrows furrowed and he leaned back while pushing his golden circular glasses up.

    ¡°If you were my daughter, you wouldn¡¯t be so ignorant and entitled. We are the Carabells, how can we possibly breed such a child?¡± he scoffed.

    ¡°Hm! Is that what you call having children? Breeding? It¡¯s no wonder Elisabeth became so messed up,¡± I mumbled under my breath, but he didn¡¯t seem to hear me despite how close he was.

    Rather, the duke was dazed and looked a bit concerned about something that buzzed in his mind. A silence hung in the thick atmosphere. I bit my lip as I awaited his next words anxiously. At last, he merely sighed and turned away.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t care about you,¡± he finally decided. ¡°Go ahead to your room then. Mind you, the heir to the Carabell family is Allen. It will never be you, Elisabeth. Remember that.¡±

    The heir¡­? Elisabeth has a brother?

    The duke¡¯s footsteps became softer until I realized I was left alone, kneeling on the cold marble. I shivered and choked on a sob.

    Who thought I would be able to live like this?

    The sound of the light tapping of heels grew in volume.

    ¡°My Lady, will you please stand up?¡± a soft voice asked me timidly.

    I rubbed the tears to clear my sight. When I glanced up, I saw Jillian holding her small hand out. I reached out to grab her little sign of politeness, but she quickly withdrew the offer, letting my hand hover alone.

    Oh, come on! All of you people in this world suck!

 Chapter 8 - The Bitterness of Life as a Noble

    ¡°Tch! I get it. You don¡¯t like me. Do you have to make it so obvious?¡± I questioned her frustratedly, hauling myself up from the cold marble floor.

    My words only disturbed her. She averted her gaze and pondered for a moment. Then, she turned back to face me with a devious smirk. It seemed whether or not I was speaking nonsense didn''t matter as long as she watches me suffer from afar. Her blonde bob bounced a little when she locked her eyes onto me. She observed as I straightened my overly voluminous evergreen gown.

    ¡°Hmph, you deserved that slap. I¡¯m simply waiting for Lord Carabell to come home and finally put this estate at rest. Your existence alone is enough of a trouble.¡± Jillian scoffed. She turned her heel and walked away from me. ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid and think that you¡¯ll redeem yourself in any way. The duke won¡¯t fire me simply because we have a little tension. He doesn¡¯t trust you. No one does.¡±

    I sighed as I watched the small figure sashay away as if she had not a single care in the world but my demise. It was as if the slap that left this bright red mark on my face was all that was needed to improve her mood. I briefly remembered the bruises and scratches that decorated her arms. That young girl has more matters to be concerned about than whether or not the daughter of the noble house she¡¯s serving in is going to suffer.

    I¡¯m worried about how she obtained all those markings. I would like to think that her arrogant facade is just a self-defense mechanism. After all, she doesn¡¯t hate me, she hates Elisabeth. On the positive side of things, I think I¡¯m developing a ¡°nice¡± idea of the personality of the original owner of this body.

    The thought that I was different from Elisabeth was the only thing that kept me confident that our relationship could be somehow repaired. However, another thought haunted me in the back of my mind.

    Elisabeth has a brother. I have a brother now. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t hate me as much as Elisabeth¡¯s parents do. He¡¯s Elisabeth¡¯s brother. Or maybe...maybe not. Perhaps he won¡¯t like seeing Elisabeth. Surely, there¡¯s tension between the two. Especially if the duke is going as far as rubbing in the fact that Allen, who I suppose is the name of Elisabeth¡¯s brother, is the heir to the Carabell family.

    I ruffled the black curls on my head as I churned these theories in my mind. One of the curls rudely jumped back into my face.

    ¡°Ah! I just want my straight hair back!¡± I exclaimed to myself angrily.

    These annoying curls! I want to get rid of them! I want hair that''s easy to tame, not hair that could attack its bearer!

    - Elisabeth¡¯s perspective at the end of her first week at the academy -

    Yes...I will practice inner peace. Inner peace... I am a human being of serenity...

    ¡°Disregard?!¡± Teresa shouted. My finger twitched abnormally. ¡°They¡¯ve drawn on your seat and destroyed your belongings. How am I supposed to be okay with this, my lady?¡±

    Teresa was beginning to look more and more concerned as the week went on.

    ¡°I¡¯m not bothered by it. They¡¯ve been doing this all week. I¡¯m used to it,¡± I explained, trying to calm the overly stressed maid.

    She sighed in defeat. Then, her face brightened up after remembering something. As soon as Teresa turned away after excusing herself to bring me tea, I started internally cursing.

    Fuck serenity! Ahaha! I think I¡¯m going insane! What is this? Is this the one-hundredth time this week that someone has tried to sabotage everything I do in my classes? Isn¡¯t that rude? Where have ¡°noble¡± manners gone? How can anyone call this high society when everyone treats each other like they are lower than dirt?! More specifically, treat me lower than dirt!

    I was about to slam my hand on the desk when Teresa arrived at the door of the room, holding a polished tea set on a rectangular metal tray. My hand hovered for a moment before it gave out and landed on my thigh. The aroma of sweet tea teased at my nose. Wisps of steam breezed about when she carefully set the tea down by the side of the English book I was studying for an assignment. I pushed away a few stacks of papers to make space for the tray.

    Teresa curtsied. ¡°My Lady, here is the tea you¡¯ve requested. It was recently shipped in from Leonard yesterday.¡±

    The tea, regular black dried leaves, and for some reason, only found in the nearby kingdom, Leonard. Whitensen is a coastal kingdom, making up the majority of the eastern coast of the continent, Ager. From what I¡¯ve learned in history class at the academy, Whitensen mostly deals with seafood trade and the harvest of pearls for jewelry. That¡¯s why you often see ladies of the Whitensen kingdom depicted with pearl earrings and necklaces.

    From requesting tea, I¡¯ve also learned that Elisabeth has had a history of splashing tea in other ladies¡¯ faces. She mostly aims the tea at the face of other nobles, but her previous maids were also a common target for practice. She also favors bitter coffee over all other drinks. It¡¯s no wonder she¡¯s so rude to everyone. She always has a bitter aftertaste in her mouth. This was also evident in the way Teresa nearly bawled her eyes out when I told her I¡¯d rather have tea with sugar and milk a few days ago. She sputtered and blabbered about how much I adored coffee over tea.Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Ha! Me? Liking dark coffee? I was always a tea person on Earth, and on the rare occasions where I did drink coffee, it was always filled with sugar and milk.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I finally said, and her eyes seemed to glaze over with tears.

    ¡°Of course, my lady. I will allow you to work silently on your own, so I will excuse myself,¡± Teresa told me.

    I nodded in response, remembering the last time I tried to convince Teresa I could do the work on my own.

    It was after I was slapped by Duke Carabell and pitifully rejected by Jillian. Teresa kept insisting on letting her do my work for me, saying that if I wanted good grades, I should let her handle the load. Then, that situation followed with me adamantly refusing her help. We exchanged arguments for a while until she finally gave up. At last, Teresa let me go do my work in peace. It was only after she realized I was actually capable that she left me alone without any questioning. It really goes to show how incompetent Elisabeth made herself seem to others. There most definitely has to be something that¡¯s keeping her from being expelled from the academy previously, so I¡¯m going to hope that she had something of a brain before.

    I¡¯m going to hope.

    Before leaving, Teresa added, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the academy¡¯s debutante ball tomorrow, my lady. It¡¯s important that you make a good impression on the newly debuted students.¡±

    I stretched my arms a bit before replying with, ¡°I know, Teresa. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    She left shortly after my response, only being partially satisfied with my enthusiasm.

    She¡¯s been going on and on about how crucial it is for me to attend this ball. Students of the high society attend this ball as their debutante and to celebrate their eighth year of education at the academy. The younger students, years seven and below, are not admitted. This will mainly be a way for debutantes to meet senior nobles from the academy and establish strong connections. I don¡¯t know bullshit about things like that, so I¡¯m going to just pray that no one bothers me while I¡¯m trying to steal food. All I¡¯d have to do is be civil and restrain myself from attacking anyone when they say something to me.

    I jotted down a few answers to practice questions with my fountain pen and closed the English book.

    ¡°Finally!¡± I exclaimed in triumph.

    I slumped in my cushioned seat, feeling my back aching from sitting there for so long. I rolled my shoulders, hearing the cartilage in my body cracking with the movement.

    Agh. That did not make me feel any better. My back still hurts so much. This heavy and tight bun that Teresa did my hair into is giving me a headache.

    After massaging my temples, I reached my hand out towards the tea, scooping a bit of sugar and pouring some milk into the small cup. The details on the teacup were beautiful. It was golden around the rim and bottom with painted blue floral designs around the middle, between the golden stripes. The color of the tea was a dark brown shade, smelling oddly bitter. I was dousing the concoction with the sugar and milk, hoping that the scent would be masked and the flavor, wonderfully sweet.

    Tea! I was beginning to get sick and tired of drinking the same old milk and water. Not that I¡¯m ungrateful. I¡¯m actually pretty glad I awoke as a noble. How different would life be if I were a normal citizen of Whitensen?

    I set the tea down with a clack.

    Actually, I could¡¯ve been free! I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with these insulting nobles, and I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with everyone constantly reminding me about how much they love Viktoria and how much they would much rather have her as Prince Caydel¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Speaking of Caydel?that asshole, I think he¡¯s been avoiding me. Ever since our first encounter, he¡¯s simply kept his distance. Honestly, I don¡¯t really mind. I don¡¯t like him either. What kind of stuck-up person thinks they can simply walk up to me and act like they¡¯re superior? His handsomeness does not make up for his trashy attitude towards me.

    ¡°Hm! Prince Caydel should get down on his knees and apologize if I¡¯m ever going to marry that asshole! Forget marrying him, let alone even considering him!¡±

    The remark made me feel just a little bit better. This week¡¯s troubles have been eating away at my mind. I refrained from spouting any more nonsense in case Teresa was walking by and somehow miraculously heard me. I reached out for the tea and stirred it a bit with the little spoon Teresa provided for me.

    I¡¯m still concerned about the recurring food poisonings at the academy¡¯s lunches. I can very much leave this world as fast as I got here.

    I straightened my lips and pressed them together firmly.

    I can¡¯t die so quickly. I have to fix Elisabeth¡¯s reputation, so people will stop targeting her. I only just arrived in this world, I can¡¯t just die straight away. That¡¯s pitiful!

    I stood up abruptly and brought the teacup with me as I stared out the windows that the red tapestries only covered a portion of. The thought of death was suddenly so much less appealing than when I was sobbing in my room alone.

    Ahhh, it would be so much better if technology had been invented in this world. So much for trying to be a computer science major. The knowledge is positively useless! I could try to be some technology Einstein, but do I really want to suddenly pull out random information in front of a bunch of people who couldn¡¯t care less for what I have to say?

    I lifted the porcelain teacup to my lips. The cup was still warm in my hands. I took a big sip and exhaled softly.

    Hm? The taste is strange. It has a bit of a metallic flavor. I even put in plenty of sugar and milk. Was it not enough? I wonder if I should...If I should...

    The handle slipped from my hand, and I felt my head growing lighter and lighter.

    Thud!

    ¡°Your Highness!¡± a voice called out.

    The golden embellished walls of Elisabeth¡¯s bedroom grew hazy and dull in color. A figure clad in armor appeared before me almost instantly. The last thing I saw before the darkness was the piercing ruby eyes of...of a beautiful demon? The glow from his vermilion eyes burned with its intense luminosity. His arms stretched out to me, calling to me. The darkness enveloped me, drowning me in its loneliness.

    I can''t be alone. I don''t want...I don''t want to be alone...

 Chapter 9 - You Care for Elisabeth?

    - Within Elisabeth''s room when she collapsed -

    A towering man¡¯s shadow quickly draped across the young lady¡¯s immobile body. His eyes, hidden with a black mesh, became unveiled when he rushed by Lady Carabell¡¯s side. The mysterious figure¡¯s eyes were let unleashed, pulsing a glowing red. It partially illuminated the dim room, where only a bit of light trickled in from the windows, where the lamp¡¯s brightness only revealed where the girl sat, shockingly studying away diligently.

    Garrod most certainly did not sign up for babysitting this spoiled noble girl, but as they say, it¡¯s just his duty and nothing more.

    Donning a black cloak with a hood that slipped down from his head, the knight exposed himself to rummage for something within his pouches. Garrod swiftly slipped out a small glass bottle from inside his cape. He popped the cork out with his gloved fingers. Then, he carefully fed the young lady with the concoction. He tilted the bottle ever so slightly so as not to pour its contents sloppily on her clothing and her face. Her pink and soft lips gently touched the tip of the bottle as he parted her lips apart, and the clear and sweet medicine flowed down into her mouth slowly.

    Meanwhile¡­

    ¡°Are you kidding me? Shouldn¡¯t you know your drink was spiked with cyanide? Princess, you¡¯re losing your touch.¡± The knight cursed Elisabeth after feeding her the liquid within the miniature bottle.

    There was no reason for a girl with abnormally extensive knowledge in poisonous substances to suddenly collapse by her own craft. It was unthinkable! You¡¯d think that her recent poisoning attempt would have refreshed her mind about the details of common toxins.

    Lady Carabell isn¡¯t that dumb.

    Garrod knew that too well. Unlike others, he observed Lady Carabell with something more than the puppets the nobles used to watch her.

    He observed her in person, hiding within shadows and accessing private properties. All of which could have possibly had him lose his life. To keep from being caught by one of the Carabells¡¯ trained knights, he kept his movements as elusive as a fox. Rarely did he ever let himself be seen in plain sight like this.

    At first, he thought this might have been some mistake. There¡¯s no way she actually drank cyanide, knowing that it could kill her. He kept telling himself that until she lost footing and fell to the floor with an audible thud to finish off. Unfortunately, the knight wasn¡¯t able to catch her with his late reaction. To sum it all up, she ended up with a decent lump on her head. The knight unenthusiastically had to lug the noble girl onto her bed. Leaning over her body, Garrod touched the bruising area on her forehead gingerly.

    ¡°What stupid girl would voluntarily feed herself with lethal poison?!¡± Garrod scoffed and crossed his arms in disbelief.

    The door swung open, and a maiden in a slightly dirtied maid outfit appeared from its crack. She stood by the doorway and gasped sharply. In her hands was a tray of small butter cookies, some rounded, some squared. A few of them looked to be filled with some red jam. Her eyes tentatively darted from Garrod to Elisabeth.

    ¡°My Lady!¡± Teresa shouted, dropping the tray with a clatter.

    The cookies fell to their demise, scattering around the floor. Her feet pivoted, and she ran by her young lady¡¯s side.

    No! The cookies! How could you¡­!

    The knight was craving something to eat, his mouth watered with the idea of tasting one of those beautifully made cookies. It was a shame they had to go to waste like that.

    When the maid approached, the knight immediately bowed to greet her, shaking off the thought of snatching one of those fallen treats to snack on.

    What else could he possibly do? If he ran, it would seem as if he was guilty. He would much rather not receive a scolding from the crown prince.

    This is just not good.

    ¡°Oh my...Lady Carabell!¡± The maid patted the cheeks and touched the forehead of the unconscious girl. Then, she whipped her head up to look at the knight. Teresa gasped sharply, barely restraining the surprise that exuded from her face. ¡°Sir Garrod, how are you...how are you here?¡±

    When she met the knight¡¯s vermilion eyes, the pupils of her chocolate eyes dilated. She couldn¡¯t break contact, and it seemed as if her mind became fixated on them. She suddenly rushed to fix her messy dark hair and adjust her wrinkled uniform. It¡¯s as if she forgot about Lady Carabell¡¯s existence and only cared about how presentable she was in front of the handsome man with the devil-like eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s fine. I always keep poison antidotes with me.¡± Garrod¡¯s voice barely cut through her mind. The words simply hit her like a dummy and drooped off miserably.

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Teresa mumbled absentmindedly.

    There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, and the knight broke it with a sigh. ¡°Oh...I forgot.¡± Garrod wrapped his eyes with the black mesh once more, securing it behind his head by tying a tight knot. These devil eyes were always a pain for him.

    When are they never? Honestly...

    As long as a female-born person catches clear sight of his eyes, it¡¯s almost certain that they will become mesmerized and find an abnormal obsession with him. It¡¯s quite like how sirens attract men with their singing. In Garrod¡¯s case, he attracts women just by gazing into their eyes.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    It was odd that the last time he met Elisabeth face to face, she was unphased and highly uncomfortable. Recalling how much he wanted to tear apart Prince Patrick excited him that day, and he simply forgot about the importance of his famed mesh mask.

    At least, it was famed in the eyes of the other noble ladies within his circle. They usually swooned over how he seemed so mystifying and attractive with his face half-concealed. However, he never paid them much thought since his mind was always caught on the only princess of Lotte. For the first time in his life, he met a lady incapable of reciprocating his affection once his eyes laid sight. It wasn¡¯t the thought of pursuing her that made his veins pump with adrenaline, but how much she seemed to warm his heart so easily just by laughing.

    Instantly, Teresa snapped back to attention, showing more concern for the young lady than the reason why the knight could possibly be in her lady¡¯s room. If Garrod were her, he would attack the uninvited guest first, and then check if Elisabeth is okay. To the contrary of Teresa¡¯s reaction, she¡¯s not dead and is clearly peacefully sleeping. Her chest rose softly, and her breath was like a soothing hum. Despite this, the anxious maid held the girl¡¯s hand in desperateness.

    In the knight¡¯s mind, this scene was unusually odd. Never had he seen someone so concerned for the Carabell¡¯s lowlife.

    ¡°She¡¯s poisoned?! How could that be? She¡¯s¡­¡± Teresa stopped in the middle of her sentence when she noticed how Garrod raised an eyebrow with suspicion. ¡°Did you, perhaps, poison my lady?¡± Teresa questioned the knight.

    A smirk spread widely across Garrod¡¯s face. He restricted himself from bursting into a laughing fit.

    Him? Poison Lady Carabell? Does she think he actually cares about the existence of Elisabeth Madeline Carabell?

    ¡°Hmm, do you think so? You¡¯re aware, I assume?¡± Garrod returned, watching the lady peacefully rest on her bed.

    ¡°Aware? Well, she couldn¡¯t possibly have drunk it knowingly!¡± The maid gasped and covered her mouth. ¡°I...I just didn¡¯t think she would be so vulnerable to such things since she has had multiple attempted poisonings previously. I was sure I checked everything she brought back from the academy to make sure she wouldn¡¯t be in harm¡¯s way. That¡¯s why you must be the one who poisoned her!¡±

    Garrod hid another mischievous snicker with his gloved hand. The maid was frenzied, running through her memory, checking what could have been toxic despite her adamant claim.

    Could this maid possibly care for the notorious Elisabeth Madeline Carabell?

    ¡°We both know she is not innocent, but I¡¯m in no rush to spout this nonsense to the king. I work for Prince Caydel, not Lady Lancaster,¡± Garrod reminded her.

    The statement made her shudder, and her hands twiddled to keep herself from saying something that could put the young noble in danger. Teresa nervously glanced back up to look at the knight.

    ¡°Should I report this incident to Duke Carabell, Sir Garrod, or does Prince Caydel request that this issue be silent?¡± Teresa questioned him cautiously.

    ¡°You pick your poison, missy. It doesn¡¯t matter to me,¡± the knight said lackadaisically. ¡°Do you think I came because of Prince Caydel?¡±

    ¡°No...no...not at all! I only know that you are the crown prince¡¯s right-hand man. Who else could you have come from?¡± Teresa asked boldly.

    The knight chuckled ominously. ¡°Another time for this conversation, I suppose? Make sure she is hydrated...with normal water. I¡¯d suggest disposing of the tea quickly. It¡¯s¡ª¡°

    ¡°Cyanide, I¡¯m sure of it,¡± Teresa interrupted.

    The maid¡¯s brazen attitude entertained Garrod. ¡°You¡¯re quite knowledgeable.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s¡­¡± Teresa stuttered. ¡°I overheard some people speak of it. I just made an educated guess¡ª¡°

    ¡°And I didn¡¯t know that the Carabell maids were being educated.¡± The words rang in Teresa¡¯s ears.

    That¡¯s right.

    Normal maids weren¡¯t supposed to know anything but chores and cooking. That¡¯s how things should have been in the Carabell Estate, but ever since Lady Carabell stopped doing her schoolwork at a young age, teen Teresa took the opportunity to complete the studies herself. Using this method, she would be able to be educated enough to leave the estate as an adult and finally be free from her life of slaving away for superiors. It was past time for her to throw away this exhausting job. Teresa was nearing the age of thirty.

    Before she could say something about her suspicious knowledge, Garrod placed the small bottle on the nightstand by Lady Carabell¡¯s bed and shushed the maid.

    The knight turned his heel, pulling the mesh down a bit to let his eyes flash an intense ruby glow. The luminosity blinded the unsuspecting maid. Shielding her face with her arm, she failed to realize that the knight had taken the chance to escape. All that was left was the bottle he placed on Elisabeth¡¯s bedside. When Teresa turned around to scan the lavishly decorated room for his presence, only the missing cookies seemed to suggest that someone had been here. She rushed to pick the tray up and brush some of the crumbs onto it.

    She¡¯d much rather become a teacher at a school than clean after nobles and others alike like this. That¡¯s, at least, how she wanted things to go. Her interest in learning had diminished once she saw that her lady had begun to become substantially more responsible. Teresa wouldn¡¯t mind continuing to serve her lady as long as she remains as gentle and kind as she is now. And, she wouldn¡¯t have to leave Jillian alone in this estate.

    Being alone is worse than being surrounded by people who couldn¡¯t care less for you. She decided that once Jillian is free from her debt, she would bring her along with her.

    ¡°Teresa.¡± The man¡¯s authoritative voice boomed, and she didn¡¯t flinch even a little.

    Instead, she rose quietly and curtsied to the duke with ease. She had already seen her lady collapsed on the bed and the Red Demon Knight gazing over her in a matter of minutes, could the presence of the duke be any more shocking?

    ¡°Elisabeth is still sleeping? Ridiculous! How could she be my daughter if she never studies hard nor puts an ounce of effort into anything she does? The academy debutante ball is tomorrow! Every single time she disappoints me with her lax and uncaring attitude.¡± Duke Carabell proceeded to approach the canopy bed, but Teresa wedged herself between him and her lady.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please do not disturb Lady Carabell. She had fainted from overwork. I moved her to her bed for her to rest,¡± Teresa explained quickly.

    The duke glared at the maid, who was substantially shorter than him. ¡°Overwork?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lord, you may see her studies completed on her desk.¡± Teresa slowly reached to grab a finished problem set, being careful not to incite his rage. ¡°I have not done any writing nor mathematics for her. You can see that it is all not my handwriting and that her hands are stained with ink.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡± Duke Carabell softly asked as he pushed his golden-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. Teresa held out the paper for him to take. The aging man checked the work briefly before handing it back to Teresa. ¡°I see she has improved.¡±

    His evergreen eyes appeared gentler after he looked at the work. When he glanced at Elisabeth and her ink-stained fingers, the wrinkled forehead he had seemed more relaxed, and its crevices smoothed. Without a single word to Teresa, he left the room, closing the door carefully. Throwing out a heavy sigh, she stooped back down to check for more cookie crumbs.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny¡­¡± Teresa whispered. ¡°I think I¡¯m beginning to care for Elisabeth.¡±

 Chapter 10 - Someones Memories

    - In the depths of Elisabeth¡¯s mind -

    The darkness shrouded all in my sight. My body felt as light as a feather as I floated about in this gloomy abyss of my mind. The loneliness paid me a brief visit. I didn¡¯t want to embrace it, I didn¡¯t want to admit my defeat so soon. Most importantly, I didn¡¯t want to be lonely...

    But, how could that be possible if loneliness is always accompanying me as my one and only loyal friend?

    I tried to reach out to whoever there was to take my hand, but it seemed that the more I sought to extend my body to feel, the less it mattered in my fuzzy mind. Even my voice was failing to make a single audible noise. Suddenly, acute spasms in my head throbbed as if I was hit by a blunt object. My thoughts were in a whirl, flying and looping around in unintellectual blurbs.

    Images snapped and passed in my mind. Vibrant color and monotonous black and white alternated in the pictures. As if caught in a trance, I laid there, in a rift of darkness. Thoughts swirled and twisted around me. It was like the strings attached to each of my limbs were abandoned by the puppeteer that gave me their bittersweet commands.

    A scene flashed brightly before my eyes, and I recoiled from the shock. However, my body didn¡¯t respond to my startled reaction.

    What...the?

    A voice, evil and cruel, sang a song of the sin of envy. Its melody was so clear amidst the dull ringing in my ears. It was only a moment before I realized the music resonated from my own gaping mouth. I lost control of all that I knew as I danced along to a memory from long ago.

    I was sitting in a red cushioned chair with delicate floral carvings in the armrests. Before me, there was a glass tea table with a sparkling tea set. Along with the arrangement, there were cookies and scrumptious-looking biscuits. In the seat opposite me, there was a small girl in a luxurious purple dress, decorated with flowers the color alike. Her features and movement seemed so elegant. There was a beautiful garden surrounding the serene area. It smelled sweet thanks to the garden¡¯s blossoms, and the fresh air was delightfully refreshing. The aroma of the tea was also pleasing, but oddly enough, I could smell a bit of bitterness.

    As I struggled to insinuate any movement, my vision continued to dilate. When it began to clear, the only thing I couldn¡¯t see was the young lady sipping away at the dark tea in the cup she held so carefully. A film of blurriness censored the girl¡¯s face. Despite my struggles to focus my vision, the image of her remained fuzzy. It was as if someone didn¡¯t want me to see who it was.

    ¡°This is not your body!¡± a male¡¯s low voice suddenly thundered, echoing in my ears and making my heart jump at rates unhealthy. A wave of immense power restricted me and only made it harder to move. Their words were like a stab through my head. Each sentence increased the unbearable pain throbbing in my mind. ¡°Just watch! Just watch, girl! Watch!¡±

    Before I could regain my thoughts, my body started to move rapidly and without control.

    Wait, wait, wait, what is happening?!

    The moment I tried to pull away from what I was doing, another wave hit me. ¡°Girl, you must only watch! Listen and watch!¡± My head spun from the impact, and I could only succumb to the mysterious man¡¯s wishes.

    ¡°I am Elisabeth Madeline Carabell, the daughter of a duke! You should know that! Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re any better than I am, you wretched wench! I will be a queen soon, so have some respect. Don¡¯t go around as if you were his. You know what you are? You¡¯re a whore,¡± my hoarse voice screamed at the noble lady.

    I¡¯m not saying that. I would never say that! That¡¯s not me!

    Without realizing it, I started throwing priceless items I found around as if they were worth nothing. A porcelain vase crashed and shattered, a teacup broke into pieces, and the hot murky liquid splashed onto the young girl¡¯s dress. A distinct stain appeared on the dress¡¯s precious fabric, and somehow, the dirty sight of it pleased me. A maid rushed to my side to clean up the mess, but I pushed her to the brick ground with a rough shove. She hit her head upon the edge of the glass tea table, knocking everything over. Shining red blood dripped down from her face.

    Wait! I¡¯m not doing this on purpose! I swear!

    I tried to stop my actions, but the endeavor was to no avail. It was as if a disaster were playing right before my eyes.

    The maid seemed to have passed out from the blunt hit to her head, and the lady had tears streaming down her face. The girl, although beautiful, had a look of contempt in her eyes. Even though I couldn¡¯t identify who it exactly was, I knew it was someone I had known so well.

    ¡°How dare you!¡± My body moved to point at her with my index finger. ¡°You have no right to stand next to me! You¡¯re just some commoner! You cannot possibly be anything of a noble family¡¯s daughter!¡±

    I was stuck in this girl¡¯s body while she continued to demean and degrade the other who was pouring out tears.

    I can¡¯t even stop this! This is...this is so cruel! Why are you making me watch this?

    ¡°Huh! You don¡¯t have anything to say now, do you? What can you do? Are you going to cry now? How pitiful,¡± I continued to ridicule her.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Even though she was being yelled at and she was in a sobbing mess, she didn¡¯t fail to respond with a retort. ¡°Elisabeth, you will pay for what you have done once karma is through with you. You¡¯re nothing without your title. You¡¯re nothing more than Carabell¡¯s lowlife.¡±

    And with those statements, the horrible recollection of this violent memory ended. Her tears landed onto my famished cheeks, stinging with each touch, as I bowed down so unwillingly. More and more sorrow and sadness enveloped the empty space that surrounded.

    I¡¯m alone. I¡¯m all alone. Why is everyone so cruel?

    The thought that I heard didn¡¯t belong to me, but at the same, it seemed I related to them regardless. A pool of tears emerged from my feet, and with one step, I slipped into despair. Down on my bruised knees, I saw blood on my hands. It dripped down into a puddle of bodily fluids.

    Blood? Why blood? What is happening?

    Drip. Drip. Drip.

    A maniacal voice started laughing in a frenzy. My reflection, my old self, appeared before me. I had long dark hair with thick glasses perched on my face. My outfit was simple, a sweater and some black leggings paired with sneakers. I reached out desperately to the person I used to be.

    Could it be possible? Could I possibly miss who I used to be? Do I really miss you?

    All of a sudden, it flickered to a young lady with gorgeous locks of black hair and glowing emerald eyes. Every movement I made, she mimicked. Her glamorous gown twisted and glimmered.

    Was she who I am?

    The mirror cracked with a loud shatter. I recoiled in fright with a shriek. Shards fell one by one as a disfigured image of another girl was displayed.

    Who is she?

    The confusion that this mirror gave me started to irritate me. I had a sudden urge to destroy the mirror until not a single reflection could disorientate who I truly was.

    Hmm, everything seems to be working as planned.

    Planned? What is working as planned?

    The mirror dispersed into particles that formed another fuzzy, yet vibrant scene.

    This time, I wasn¡¯t in any other person¡¯s body. I was like a ghost, watching, but not being able to interfere. A petite child with a long crop of glistening wavy raven hair sat across from another child. When I looked closer, I noticed how her eyes were a familiar emerald green.

    Is that Elisabeth? As a toddler?

    ¡°Elisabeth. Elisabeth! Look at these sweets, aren¡¯t they pretty?¡± a soft and childish voice questioned her, his voice bouncing around my mind like an echo. ¡°Hey, you think I could get the maids to bring us more?¡± The child¡¯s voice eventually matched with an image of a little boy with curly blonde hair and extremely familiar shining blue eyes. He had chubby cheeks tinted with pink.

    Wait...is that Prince Patrick with curly hair? Oh my goodness, he looks so adorable! I would much rather have him this way than the flirtatious and shameless man he is now. Hmm, that¡¯s odd. I wasn¡¯t able to identify who that girl from earlier was, how come I can figure out that this boy is Patrick?

    ¡°You are struggling against me too much. I have made you a spectator now. Do not question these memories. Just watch, girl,¡± the male voice boomed, making me cringe from the volume. I unenthusiastically decided to obediently observe.

    This kid...this kid is so annoying. I¡¯d rather go speak with Prince Caydel instead.

    The words that I heard in my mind were that of a little girl¡¯s. The murmurs of these foreign thoughts drove in and out my mind in a frenzy. It was as if my body was rejecting them. I tried to say something, but I couldn¡¯t form proper sentences. It was like this was a movie, and I was the one muted. However, little Elisabeth¡¯s thoughts became more distinct and precise. Her small mouth didn¡¯t move, but I could hear her thoughts as if she were speaking them.

    If I went to that stupid girl¡¯s place and asked her to eat one of those colorful mushrooms, would she be dumb enough to listen? Ahh, of course, not. I shall try something else. Perhaps, arsenic would be sufficient? This fool of a child...Patrick, was it? I could manipulate him into my doing. I could have him poison that ugly wench with the amethyst eyes. Those witch-like eyes...I want to gouge them out with my own fingers!

    The thoughts that I accidentally listened in were astonishingly violent and cruel!

    Elisabeth was actually like this as a child? Did she actually think about things like this? It¡¯s no wonder why everyone grew to dislike her!

    When I tried to approach the two, they didn¡¯t react to my presence. Instead, the two continued on with their awkward tea party. I continued to spectate their discussion.

    ¡°Elisabeth! Look! There¡¯s a pretty butterfly¡­¡± Small Patrick pointed out a colorful butterfly with wings like crystals. ¡°But, I think you¡¯re much much more pretty!¡± the boy exclaimed with a blushy and happy grin. He squirmed in his seat, anxious to hear her delighted response.

    ¡°Ugh, please don¡¯t compare me to those ugly and lowly insects! Do you have any respect for a lady of my status? How could you be a boy related to Prince Caydel? It¡¯s no wonder the king is choosing his heir early. It¡¯s clear you¡¯re no match,¡± the snarky girl remarked.

    The way that she spoke was unlike that of a girl of her stature and resembled that of a mature woman.

    ¡°But...but Eli¡­¡± He began to cry, and his nose started to run with mucus.

    The sight disgusted little Elisabeth, for she turned her nose the other way and scrunched her face.

    ¡°Shut your trap! And don¡¯t ever call me that again! It¡¯s Elisabeth. Elisabeth Madeline Carabell, do you hear me? Humph! You¡¯re a couple years older than me, but you act like you¡¯re still a whiny baby! You¡¯re unworthy of my presence! I¡¯m going to find Prince Caydel. Unless you can show me you¡¯re a disciplined boy, I¡¯ll never see your way.¡± The devious little girl paused for a moment, and her mouth widened into a mischievous grin. ¡°Perhaps, if you manage to show me your respect, I¡¯ll one day accept you.¡±

    The overly innocent young boy¡¯s eyes glowed with glee. ¡°Really? You¡¯ll accept me?¡± His oblivious reaction made little Elisabeth giggle.

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± she replied nonchalantly, ¡°I will accept you.¡±

    Instantly, the image shattered into bits. My eyes fluttered open, darting around to scan my surroundings for what other memory I could possibly see.

    I awoke in my?no, Elisabeth¡¯s bed?

    I gasped as I sat up, my hand over my chest. By now, I was in my nightgown, and the windows were covered. Not a single bit of sunshine glowed from the cracks where the windows weren¡¯t covered completely.

    Is it already night?

    Teresa immediately scurried to my side. ¡°My Lady, you awoke! I was so worried!¡± She was about to hug me, but she abruptly composed herself and cleared her throat. ¡°My apologies. I couldn¡¯t allow this to happen again.¡±

    Again?

 Chapter 11 - A Gift to Ridicule Me

    ¡°Oh, I know you didn¡¯t want me to talk about it, so I won¡¯t mention it. I deeply apologize, my lady,¡± Teresa told me as she gave me a slightly angled curtsy.

    Seeing her head tilted down as she parted her skirt at each side with her hands so elegantly made me feel guilty. Her usual tight bun was loose today, and it bobbed forward when she dipped.

    The difference between maids from the Victorian era on Earth and maids from Whitensen is that maids in the Victorian era wear caps to cover their heads. However, in Whitensen, all of the female servants wear their hair in simple hairstyles, mostly to accommodate their demanding chores.

    I had overheard that Viktoria''s maids were given ornaments to wear upon their updos. In actuality, the majority of upper-class Whitensen decorate their personal servants as if they were nobles as well. Some households parade around with ladies that were so beautifully done up that they were mistaken as the nobles of that household. Sometimes maids wore decor as a trademark for a certain household. It was only the maids of the Carabell Estate that lacked such luxurious gifts from the family in waiting.

    I quickly followed her apology with a series of passionate no''s. "You can tell me, Teresa. Also, you don''t have to keep curtsying to me." I tried to appear as sincere as possible, and in doing so, the smile I displayed only made Teresa visibly uncomfortable. It was as if it were contagious because immediately, I couldn¡¯t help but feel suffocated.

    It didn''t help that I was still wearing the same dress I wore from earlier. The corset strings had slackened throughout the day. However, I have an inkling of suspicion that Teresa may have intentionally done that. This morning, when she was weaving the strings through the grommets, she did it a bit more relaxed.

    Teresa struggled to comprehend how uncomfortable and uneasy I become when she is lowering her head to show not only respect but inferiority. For, in this world, being superior is all that had mattered for Elisabeth. ¡°I see¡­¡± she finally muttered, rising from her curtsy carefully.

    Although I told her she could tell me what had happened before, she seemed to be evading the topic.

    Ah, Elisabeth, if only you weren''t such a vulgar character towards others around you. Then, I wouldn''t have to deal with everyone doubting me so much.

    The thought suddenly overtook my mind in a trench of unexpected realization.

    Doubt. How absurd. I have never seen people discredit me and my capabilities so much within a week. I never thought I would be belittled and criticized as if I were some poor target waiting to be shot at.

    I meandered my way away from these blurbs of awareness that kept on reminding me about how cruel people have become to me thanks to this identity I have stolen.

    I had vainly wished, and I have received it. I received wealth at the cost of my sanity. Who would¡¯ve known that it could be achievable to give off such a drastic impression on others and have them react to you so negatively?

    I squeezed the comforter with my fists and demanded, "Teresa, tell me what happened." Her face became pale. "Why are you acting like this?"

    She diverted her eye contact. "My Lady, I would rather not have this discussion."

    "Why? Why does it seem like you''re always hiding something from me? What are you hiding?" I questioned her, refusing to let the topic die down.

    My continued prodding began to stress her, for her expression was pained, and her hands began to tremble.

    "Teresa?"

    "I don''t want to talk about it!" she shouted, breathing heavily.

    She started hyperventilating, clutching her chest. Without letting me assist her, she pulled out a small glass bottle filled with white pills. I watched as she struggled to open it, and dryly swallowed one of them. The room filled with dense air, and the guilt kept nagging at me, telling me I shouldn''t have pushed her to her breaking point.

    "I''m sorry," I apologized, reaching my arms to wrap around her. Almost on instinct, she jerked away. "Ah."

    I let her take a few moments to ease her mind without trying to comfort her. For some reason, she was fearful of me. It wasn''t like this the last time she had a breakdown.

    I didn''t push the topic any further. I couldn''t possibly be cruel enough to do such a thing when a person is traumatized by it.

    - Sunday, the next day at dawn -

    ¡°My Lady, you must prepare for the academy debutante ball!¡± I blinked wearily in silence as my right-hand maid rushed to part the curtains and let the sunlight drift in.

    Had the Teresa I met on Day One returned?

    "I have been given the authority by the duke to scold you whenever you forget. I have brought a basin of water. I will briefly pat down your face with the damp towel." I didn''t notice when I first awoke, but on my bedside table, there was a metal bowl filled midway with clear water. Teresa rushed to dab my face. "And..." Her words dragged on. Her face was overflowing with glee. It seemed she wanted to jump in merriment from the news she was going to deliver. "The duke has allowed you to eat a proper breakfast with him today.¡± The last sentence caught the words in my throat.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The duke is allowing me to eat a proper breakfast with him?

    ¡°What? Really? Why?¡± I asked. It couldn¡¯t be possible that Duke Carabell has become more lenient with Elisabeth. There was no way there wasn''t something ominous about this.

    The first couple of days were unpredictable: one moment, he would ignore me, and the next, he would rant about my incapabilities and shortcomings. It''s not that he had much to inform me. I had swiftly learned to adapt since the first day at the academy. On the other hand, it was a pain in the ass. There was no reason anyone had to learn all these random manners and outrageous rules.

    It was useless information...says me, the person who had burned alive into a world where her technological intelligence is utterly worthless.

    Eventually, the duke had grown to leave me alone for the remainder of the week. I haven¡¯t had a single exchange of words with him since, and I¡¯d rather keep it that way. Without realizing it, it seemed I hadn''t seen Duchess Carabell since my first day in this world too. It''s as if she''s some phantom, appearing here and there, but never in my line of sight.

    "No, I shouldn''t go eat with him," I told her, and I could''ve sworn her expression turned sour, almost instantaneously. "I shouldn''t. I am supposed to be atoning for what I''ve done. Besides, I can''t eat anything more than a morsel before I go to such a valuable event. It is Whitensen noble courtesy, isn''t that right?"

    At this point, I was just making excuses not to come face to face with Elisabeth''s father.

    Teresa stopped dabbing my face and placed the towel down. "My Lady, I thought you would be happy about this. This is the first time the duke has requested you to eat at the dining table." I didn''t know what to say, so I stared forward in bitter silence. "Forgive me, I have overstepped my boundaries."

    I shook my head and shifted my legs to the side of my bed. I let the plush carpet touch my feet before deciding to say something in response.

    "Don''t you think the duke is trying to stuff me up to feed a lion?" I questioned her.

    My maid dropped her arms to her sides. "Excuse me, my lady?"

    "Nothing. I just feel like...like there''s something I''m forgetting," I said, combing back my messy hair. "I''ll go get myself some fruits to eat. You people have strawberries, right?"

    "Why yes, but I thought you hated strawberries. My Lady, wait! I cannot allow you to go into the kitchen pantry!" I paused in my footsteps and let my shoulders droop. "You''re still wearing your nightgown, and not even the duke enters the kitchen. It''s taboo!"

    A few minutes had elapsed, and Teresa rushed back with a tray of plump red strawberries. I let my lips be tinted with its juice as I indulged in its sweetness. Teresa didn''t wait and watch me eat, instead, she dove through my ginormous room of glamorous gowns, polished shoes, assortments of ribbons, and glittering jewels. Rarely did I ever go in there, and the idea of being lost in one''s own room is ridiculous.

    "Teresa, don''t you think we should get rid of the excessive amount of dresses I have?" As soon as I proposed this, Teresa popped right out of the grand room, her eyes starting to pool with tears.

    "Get rid of? My Lady, how could you suggest such a thing? These dresses are prepared for every single event you attend. There''s an outfit arranged for when King Therin chose his heir last year, another for the crown prince''s coronation, and a variety for different tea parties. You can never be caught with the same dress twice!" she flusteredly exclaimed.

    "Ha, then I assume there''s a dress for when we have the afterparty for my wedding with Prince Caydel?" I asked on a whim, sucking the strawberry''s juice from my hand.

    Teresa disappeared into the room for a brief moment and extracted an extravagant pearled dress that looked remarkably heavy. There were layers upon layers of fabric, and the pearls, varying in shape and color, were unsightly. "Here it is, my lady! Your favorite dress."

    "Discard it," I stated almost instantly. She protectively clutched the dress. "Ah, right. Better yet. Sell it."

    We exchanged some banter after I strode into the room and started tossing out the horrendously expensive and hideous gowns. I reasoned that they won''t go to waste as money in my pocket.

    Just then, I laid my eyes on an unbelievably stunning work of art. My breath was taken away by its magnificence.

    There were countless layers of sparkling lilac tulle, building into a perfectly shaped and voluminous skirt. The hemline stretched to the floor with charm. At the back was a corset weaved collectively with a silky sheen ribbon. A lighter shade of purple floral lace embellishments decorated the chest area and the hem, making for lovely decor. It was sleeveless, unlike the traditional off-the-shoulder or long-sleeved gowns that Whitensen noble ladies liked to wear. The overall presentation was a gorgeous silhouette of grace and elegance.

    "My Lady! I apologize! I couldn''t bring myself to throw this dress away! It was simply too enchanting. I was greedy, I know. I will remove this wretched thing from your sight immediately," Teresa reached out to take it, but I put my hand between her and the gown.

    "This one," I blurted out. "I want to wear this one. It''s absolutely beautiful! Why would you throw it away?" I questioned her.

    "Well, I... It was given to you by his highness, the crown prince, to ridicule you," she explained, trying to reach for it once more. I placed myself smack in between her and the dress, unsatisfied by her answer.

    I pressed further for more information. "Ridicule? How? It''s stunning. How could it ridicule Eli?I mean, me?"

    This time, Teresa furrowed her eyebrows in disbelief. "How does it ridicule you? My Lady, this dress was intended to be for Viktoria¡¯s birthday last year. I remember how furious you were when you learned he was giving it to her, so you demanded that he give the dress to you. Lady Lancaster adored purple dresses. It is not even your size. You hated the color purple. I admit that I did hide this from you. I didn''t expect you would go into this room and rummage through the dresses yourself. You never went into this room before."

    Wait, she adored purple dresses?

    A memory of the day''s previous events flashed through my mind. That strange recalling of Elisabeth''s tea party with that little girl drinking tea. She wore a beautiful purple dress with floral ornaments. That dress looks uncannily familiar to this one.

    Was that girl in my dream Viktoria Lancaster? It couldn''t be, could it?

    I bit my lip and asked, "What? Seriously?" I was entirely confused by the crown prince''s actions. "It couldn''t have been any gift to any other girl."

    "Viktoria Lancaster and Prince Caydel have a history together, my lady. If it weren''t for the arranged engagement with you, he would have gone to pursue Viktoria. This was his way of rejecting you without outright saying it."

 Chapter 12 - The Duchess Can Sew

    Ah, I knew it.

    Upon hearing Teresa mention Prince Caydel and Viktoria¡¯s relationship, I heaved a heavy sigh. I pretended not to be overly thrilled that I hit the nail on its head. ¡°I see, I had a minor suspicion of that. That¡¯s quite a shame.¡±

    Upon observing the daily routines of students at the academy this whole week, I found that Prince Caydel and Viktoria frequently accompany each other to their classes. Although I do have the majority of my lessons with the crown prince, Viktoria seems to have all her classes with him. It¡¯s a bit awkward walking past them despite the spacious hallways, knowingly being the fianc¨¦e of one partner of their affectionate duo. I shouldn¡¯t feel like a third wheel as the ¡°lover¡± and ¡°future wife¡± of one of them, but I assume it comes naturally for unwanted engagements like ours. We aren¡¯t even dating, and if anything, this whole relationship is just some messed up farce.

    My maid simply furrowed her eyebrows at that statement. ¡°But, my lady, I thought you knew all this time. Why are you acting as if this is the first time you¡¯ve heard this?¡± Whenever she thought I was acting strange, she¡¯d tilt her head to the side and gaze at me as if I were some otherworldly creature. That was what she was doing now.

    For a good few seconds, I sat there in silence, computing, and analyzing her question through my head.

    Of course, Elisabeth knew!

    Instantly, my head throbbed, and I jerked my hand to my head to hold it. Teresa reached out to me but refrained from doing anything. She seemed to be at a loss for words, for she didn¡¯t say anything, and stared at me in a sorrowful manner. When the pulsing stopped, I took a moment to breathe and think for a bit.

    I wanted to hit myself, and I wanted to condemn it on lack of sleep, but I was more than well-rested. However, I¡¯ve been having pounding headaches often lately, and I sure would like them to go away. And, for some peculiar reason, my memory is a bit rusty. Everything has been frustrating: from being whisked away into a foreign body, a strange land, and an outlandish world at that, and not understanding precisely how you arrived here.

    You have no idea how many times I overheard students talking about how I¡¯m not tailing Prince Caydel to his classes. They talk about how I''m not accompanying him to whichever extracurricular he did after school. They go on about how I''m not watching Prince Caydel like a hawk, and how they are now free to do as they like around him. In the end, I disregarded the comments and remarks about my ¡°newly earned¡± behavior.

    ¡°You forget things that aren¡¯t important sometimes,¡° I said, at last, knowing it was a rather lousy excuse.

    Teresa brought her hand to her mouth as if having a sudden revelation. ¡°Yes, yes, of course,¡± she agreed hastily. ¡°It is only human to forget these things.¡±

    I wrinkled my face in suspicion. I never really understood why Teresa continually had these bursts of mood swings. One moment, she would question me, and the next, she would pretend as if she wholeheartedly agreed to whatever I had just said.

    I don¡¯t believe I missed anything, so why is she acting like that?

    Ignoring her strange habit, I asked tentatively, ¡°Then, are you hiding the dress from me because you¡¯re afraid I will punish you?¡±

    Teresa immediately averted her gaze in a pitiable attempt to pretend as if I didn¡¯t just poke directly at the growing guiltiness in her heart. ¡°Well...yes, but it¡¯s beautiful, and I couldn¡¯t bear to see it go away to waste.¡± She paused for a brief moment, and hesitantly resumed in a much more timid voice. ¡°If...if I had the brilliant noble status of being the daughter of a powerful duke, I would choose to wear it, my lady.¡± Suddenly, she shook her head and waved her hands to deny the words she spouted out. ¡°No, no, no, I didn¡¯t mean it. I cannot possibly wish for something like that. I¡¯m just some maid. I cannot dare to think of such a greedy and self-indulgent thing.¡±

    She may not realize it, but her mannerisms and style of speaking are considerably more pleasant and suited for an esteemed lady than how others speak to me at the academy. She would make a wonderful daughter of a duke, and she¡¯s already pretty educated for maids in Whitensen. Most maids are forced to labor for the rest of their lives without ever learning how to read nor solve simple math problems.

    A smile spread across my face, and I caressed the dress¡¯s layers of lilac tulle. It was light in weight and diligently woven together. Such a garment must have taken great lengths of time and hard work. It would be a sin to let such a magnificent gown be left here to disintegrate over time¡¯s cruel clockwork.

    If she loves it so much, how could I throw it away or sell it to some pawn shop?

    An idea flickered through my mind. ¡°Let¡¯s have you fitted.¡± Teresa¡¯s eyes instantly widened upon hearing these words leave my mouth.

    ¡°Pardon, my lady?!¡± she sputtered out.

    Her dramatic reaction made me giggle a little. It was a pure giggle and not meant to mock her in any way. Despite this, she remained mortified. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll look gorgeous in it. Maybe a little tweaking and we¡¯ll be ready before it is time for us to go to the debutante!¡± I exclaimed.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°But, my lady, I simply cannot! I am merely a maid, I cannot be as done up as a noble,¡± she passionately refused. Her face started to burn with a shade of rosy pink.

    ¡°Why not?¡± I shot back. ¡°The maids of other noble households wear garments so glamorous that they are even mistaken as nobles.¡±

    With that, Teresa struggled to refute my statement and frustratedly gave in to my stubbornness. I reached my hands out to loosen and release her dark locks of hair from her uniform bun. Although she flinched from my unexpected action, she remained as calm as she could while I let the locks rest on her shoulders and trail down her back. I didn¡¯t know her hair was so luscious and well-tended, for it was shiny and glistened like a chocolate waterfall in the light.

    ¡°Your eyes look much softer and feminine when your hair is down. I believe this whimsical dress will excellently suit you,¡± I said to reassure her. ¡°It will be fine.¡±

    A ripple of anxiety washed over her, and she just shook her head once more. ¡°No, this is wrong. This dress was meant for Lady Lancaster.¡± She rubbed her arms nervously, but there was a glint in her eyes that watched the dress with longing.

    I retracted my hands to my hips and leaned to the side.

    What should I do with a dress that neither of us is positively willing to wear nor discard?

    Failing to find a valid answer to this question lingering in my mind, I turned to Teresa to hear her opinion. ¡°Well, what should we do?¡±

    ¡°I...I think I have an idea. Marianne knows how to alternate dresses. She could change the dress so that it¡¯s different from the original,¡± my right-hand maid informed me in a soft whisper.

    ¡°Marianne?¡± I blurted out without thinking. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    I don¡¯t recall ever hearing this woman¡¯s name before. Is she, perhaps, a local tailor?

    Teresa¡¯s mouth dropped. ¡°My Lady, she is your mother!¡± The maid threw her arms up, forgetting that she is the inferior of the noble who she is speaking to. She was forgetting that she used to be terrified of Carabell¡¯s Lowlife and was forgetting that she can only stand tall when beside the duke. ¡°She is Duchess Marianne Carabell! I mistakenly referred to her by her first name, but I cannot believe you have forgotten who your very own mother is!¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    All this time and I¡¯ve never heard the name of Elisabeth¡¯s mother. You can¡¯t exactly blame me, it doesn¡¯t seem like she wants to talk to me, seeing as I haven¡¯t had a run-in with her since Monday. No one at the academy mentions her either, not by her first name anyways. It¡¯s quite shocking how little the Carabells associate with one another. Though, I may be part of the problem here. I don¡¯t want to speak with them either.

    I exhaled. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡± Teresa calmed down and looked down at her feet.

    ¡°I understand. You two haven¡¯t been on good terms for years. My suggestion is a bit of a stretch,¡± she said to me with a solemn expression.

    Now that I¡¯m thinking about it, she just used Duchess Carabell¡¯s first name. Does that mean she¡¯s close to her?

    I overlooked the thought. ¡°But didn¡¯t you like the original style? Wouldn¡¯t altering it make the dress lose its feel?¡±

    ¡°Feel? No, my lady. It is not simply an alternation that Madam Carabell makes. She improves them,¡± Teresa told me in admiration, her eyes glowing at the thought of making this dress even more stunning than before.

    I didn¡¯t want to ruin her mood, but I had to break it to her. ¡°Teresa, how do we know she¡¯s going to assist us? She despises me.¡± I remembered how her dark eyes shot arrows into my heart when I met her that morning of the transmigration.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, my lady. I can ask her to alter the dress within seconds.¡± She gave me a bright smile that was so contagious that I grinned along with her.

    I¡¯ve never seen her smile so freely before. Her relationship with Elisabeth¡¯s mother must be remarkably close. It¡¯s heartbreaking to know that Elisabeth¡¯s maid has a better bond with her mother than her herself. At least I could laugh with my mother on Earth.

    I...I kind of miss her.

    - A few hours and eaten strawberries later -

    ¡°My Lady?¡±

    As soon as the door opened, I gasped, jumping up from my cushioned seat by the vanity. Although I had to be careful since I only just had my hair done up by some other maids, I rushed to touch the fabric of the dress and run my fingers over the baby blue flowers. They were meticulously embroidered, every stitch small, yet carefully thought out. It was glittering, illuminating with every single brush of light upon it. The azure fabric itself was absolutely charming, and without the embroidery, there was no doubt it would still be beautiful. The chest area was filled with sewn little flowers, and the waist had a gleaming satin bow that also laced up the corset from the bareback of the gown.

    The original version of this soft blue gown was nothing compared to this!

    I couldn''t help but feel like a little girl gawking at princess-like dresses.

    The other maids in the room were only slightly impressed by the magnificence of the gown, but they were mostly astonished to see me squeal like an idiot over dresses that Elisabeth¡¯s family could easily afford with the snap of a finger.

    ¡°Madam had the dress changed to a light blue color and added more detailed flowers. The fabric was also touched up so that with every swish and turn you make, it would sparkle. It would look incredible on you, my lady,¡± Teresa added, and that little sentence made the broad smile on my face droop.

    ¡°No, no, no, you are the one who¡¯s going to wear it.¡± I crossed my arms and looked at the maid with unbudging eye contact.

    The other maids in the room couldn¡¯t contain their bewilderment. It was written all over their faces.

    Did Elisabeth just say that she was going to make Teresa wear a dress as gorgeous as that?

    She wavered for a short moment, biting down on her lip, but ultimately, she gave up. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Even though she was uncertain about it, I saw the corners of her lips draw up slightly. It was almost unnoticeable, but the sight of it made my heart warm.

 Chapter 13 - Nouveau Riche

    I¡¯ve always wanted to dress up other girls. I had friends, but I usually never went out to sleepovers with them. My life perpetually lacked the pleasant feeling of playing innocent dress-up or doing one another¡¯s makeup. As I brushed light blue pigment onto Teresa¡¯s eyelids, I couldn¡¯t help but smile and feel my heart flutter with excitement. I squeezed the handle of the brush.

    I¡¯ve always wanted to do this.

    I¡¯ve always wanted to do simple things like this. I¡¯ve always wanted to dress up for parties with my friends. I¡¯ve always wanted to spend the night without a single care in the entire world.

    And yet, things are never as simple as that. I wouldn¡¯t have voluntarily chosen to go to any ball if it weren¡¯t significant to the Whitensen distinguished circle. In the end, I never would have had any of this if I hadn¡¯t been burned alive and thrown here. That lingering feeling of my body disintegrating in agonizing torture makes shivers run up and down my body. I forced the images of the earlier event out of my mind.

    With a few swipes of vivid lip tint, I finished Teresa¡¯s look with satisfaction. My audience of two maids, one by the name of Emma, and the other, Karolina, nodded in approval to my completed work of art. Emma had a braided updo of autumn hair and wore an unmoved expression. Her golden eyes were cold like her partner, Karolina. However, Karolina had her short and wavy burgundy bob with airy bangs, and her eyes were nearly pitch black. Karolina¡¯s skin was a glowing bronze. To others in Whitensen, she would be a foreigner. Her stature reminded me of women from the military. Upon requesting their input, they refused to comment on my makeup application, so I just accepted their silence as validation.

    ¡°You may look towards the mirror now,¡± I told Teresa with an exuberant smile.

    The transformed maid nervously gyrated herself. The moment her back was fully facing the opposite direction of the large mirror with carved golden framing, I saw her beam with a sweet and joyous laugh. When she saw herself, she reached toward her reflection. She¡¯s been stretching her hands out to anything now. I wasn¡¯t particularly shocked that she wanted to touch her own image.

    ¡°Wow, my lady, I didn¡¯t know you were exceptionally talented in makeup.¡±

    I didn¡¯t either, Teresa. Maybe the years I spent gawking at videos online about makeup has finally paid off in a way. I¡¯m glad someone appreciates my work. I wish that happened more often.

    My cheeks warmed at the compliment. ¡°Thank you. Now, we don¡¯t have much time left. We should start dressing in our gowns.¡±

    The mention of "we" and "our" arose the question: Is Elisabeth truly bringing her maid to the debutante?

    They didn¡¯t ask me about my choices, but I could tell they were perturbed by my decisions.

    I know I don¡¯t precisely behave like the original Elisabeth Madeline Carabell. Sometimes, I wish people would stop thinking every single thing I do is strange and out of character. At this point, I¡¯m just curious as to how the original Elisabeth actually acts. Rumors will be rumors, and there¡¯s only a little truth in what people say about you.

    Regardless of the negative thoughts that clouded my mind, Emma and Karolina prepped the gowns for fitting.

    I had hand-picked out a heavily beaded golden gown that glimmered and shined with scarcely any lighting. It was more of a nude color than a vivid yellow-golden, and the layers were made of embroidered lace with an innumerable amount of embellishments. The upper section of the dress had an illusion neckline that held up the lacey breasted area of the gown. The overall ensemble was a majestic and eye-catching, glittering nude-golden gown.

    However, when they brought it out, the gown not only glittered but glowed!

    ¡°What? How?¡± I gasped in astonishment.

    Teresa grinned mischievously. ¡°Madam also tweaked your dress a bit.¡±

    I was about to run over and start touching the dress, but something in my mind nagged at me.

    She couldn¡¯t possibly have done this out of goodwill.

    Refraining from exerting any excitement, I swiveled back to look at my maid. She was smiling as if she wasn¡¯t a slave to the renowned spoilt brat of the Carabell family.

    ¡°Teresa, are you sure she didn¡¯t do anything else to it? It¡¯s not like she¡¯ll suddenly do favors for me out of the blue.¡± Her expression turned sour quickly. I was being cautious like I always was. I¡¯ve been hurt like anyone else would have been in life. People say one thing but mean another and do one thing for something in return. Humans learn from trial and error, and I¡¯ve possessed more trials and errors to not be trusting of what anyone gives me. ¡°I just don¡¯t think the duchess would be that generous.¡±

    I¡¯m not stupid. The words rang in my ears and stung at my heart.

    ¡°My Lady...madam did it as a gift,¡± Teresa told me with hurt in her eyes. ¡°I thought you would be pleased.¡±

    ¡°Pleased? This is something from a woman who didn¡¯t apologize after telling me she regretted giving birth to me! How could I trust something from a woman who doesn¡¯t even love me?¡± I questioned her passionately. Without noticing, I was referring to Elisabeth¡¯s mother as my own.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I could feel my eyes welling up with tears, and my chest aching as my heart raced. Emma and Karolina excused themselves, leaving Teresa and me together.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady. I didn¡¯t consider your feelings,¡± she apologized despondently.

    The makeup made her look like a mourning angel, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty that I told her that someone she admired was untrustworthy and scheming. Suddenly, I felt hot streams run down my face. Droplets of rouge-colored tears landed on my silk nightgown. When she caught sight of my miserable state, her expression shifted to distress.

    ¡°My Lady, I¡¯m sorry!¡± she pleaded, rushing to go onto her knees. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you cry.¡±

    As I looked down at her, eyes swollen from crying, the sight of her kowtowing exasperated me so much I completely forgot about why I was breaking down. ¡°Why are you doing that?!¡± I yelled, making her body jump from the startling volume of my voice. ¡°Why do you make it seem like I¡¯m your superior? If anything, I¡¯m below you! You¡¯re a beautiful and smart person, stop putting yourself below others! I could be sobbing for whatever reason, but it makes me angrier that you keep kneeling and apologizing!¡±

    I wiped my eyes, smearing the ruined makeup of eyeliner, glittery eyeshadow pigment, and blush on my forearm.

    Taking a breath, I asked her, ¡°Why do you find me scary?¡±

    Her lips parted for a moment, but then she closed them as if trying to sow away the fear in her mind. ¡°I...am not trying to be afraid, my lady.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked.¡±

    ¡°Then, I am not going to answer you.¡±

    - At the time of the debutante -

    We arrived precisely on time, a bit later than we wanted to since Teresa and I had our hair and makeup ruined. Not to mention having to fit the dresses last minute. I was still shaken up by all the adrenaline of rushing around in a crazed panic.

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s hard not to do things at the last minute.¡± I sighed with a chuckle to make myself feel less worried about entering the ball.

    Teresa nodded. ¡°However, the later, the better. You would have a bigger audience to see your grand entrance.¡±

    I straightened my lips. ¡°I¡¯d rather not, Teresa.¡± Again, she tilted her head and furrowed her eyebrows.

    As soon as I exited the carriage, I heard an entourage of nobles having a conversation. I recognized a few of the students. One of them has a family running the Whitensen coal mines, and the other had a family dealing with enormous cattle farms.

    ¡°Lady Lancaster is attending the ball with the crown prince as her escort! Can you believe that? The prince has already started making his moves for Viktoria,¡± one of the ladies spoke.

    ¡°I can imagine his highness is going to break off the engagement with Elisabeth to marry Viktoria instead,¡± another added.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s so obvious.¡±

    Ignoring the ladies, I held my hand out for Teresa to hold to stabilize her as she stepped down. The once maid had transformed into an ethereal princess within hours. Her skin was flawless with a tint of pink, and her lips were a soft rosy shade. Most of all, the floral blue tulle gown perfectly suited her. The nobles turned their heads towards us, and I sent them a sly grin.

    ¡°Look at their dresses!¡± one of the nobles within the group exclaimed.

    ¡°Do you know who they are? They¡¯re from the Carabell household. Look at the carriage, the Carabell feather crest is on it. The lady with the green eyes must be Lady Elisabeth Carabell!¡±

    ¡°What?! Elisabeth never wears such dresses, let alone bring another lady with her!¡±

    Their faces were briefly caught on our beauty before they turned to scorn.

    ¡°I thought Whitensen¡¯s longtime noble families were supposed to have splendor and dignity. They talk as if they are nouveau riche,¡± I remarked boldly without showing my irritability. ¡°Such a dirty style of talking is only reserved for them.¡±

    They gasped at my statement, although it was directed to them derogatively, they turned their faces and walked away. The nobles of the older families of Whitensen have a reputation to uphold. The newer nobles are taking up their places. If they had thrown back some snarky retort, they would be looked down on. Despite their impressive history, their families are struggling to keep up with the nouveau riche. The only stable positions in Whitensen are the duchies. However, thanks to Elisabeth, the Carabell duchy might be declining.

    ¡°My Lady, are you sure it is acceptable for me to wear such attire to the debutante?¡± Teresa asked me worriedly, twiddling with her silky light blue gloves.

    ¡°What do you mean? This is a formal ball, of course, your attire is fine!¡± I told her.

    ¡°If you say so, my lady,¡± she said, trailing behind me as I walked across the academy campus to the grand ballroom.

    The moment I stepped through the ginormous doorway, I caught sight of the most glittering chandeliers and shining marble. Grand arrangements of assortments of fruit and desserts on delicate plates with floral and golden designs lined excessively long tables. The cloth on the tables had matching golden patterns. The sculptures were extremely detailed with their carvings. Ladies and gentlemen wore their utmost best attire. A strong feeling of deja vu welled up within me. It was a repeat of the first day at the academy. Except, everyone was overly glammed up, more so than on the first day.

    With all the gorgeous noble ladies, I felt considerably insecure. If I hadn¡¯t stolen Elisabeth¡¯s body, I would never have been able to be as beautiful as they are. This beauty doesn¡¯t even belong to me. I closed my fingers into fists, wrinkling the nude-colored silk gloves I wore.

    I don¡¯t deserve such luxury.

    As I observed the ballroom from the lofty steps of stairs leading down to the floor, I started to notice how everyone was staring back at me. I could hear my heart pulsing in my head.

    ¡°My Lady, we should go down,¡± Teresa suggested, and I gently nodded.

    As I walked step by step down the lengthy stairway, their eyes followed me, small murmurs passing through the crowd. Some gawked at the lady behind me, wondering who she could possibly be, and others were just confused. My right hand brushed the white railing until the end, where it closed off at a loop. As I looked around towards everyone else who was watching me, I suddenly decided to smile to make myself feel less awkward. Teresa followed my lead and beamed.

    The ladies hid their faces with fans, and the men whispered to each other. One of the gentlemen approached me without hesitation. He was a handsome young man with hazel eyes and a light crop of hair loosely swiped to the side.

    ¡°My fair lady, what is your name?¡± he asked with the most charming voice. However, it reminded me of Prince Caydel and Prince Patrick. The two of them have unmatchable irresistible voices.

    I laughed softly. ¡°I am Elisabeth Madeline Carabell, the sole daughter of the Carabell family.¡±

    The crowd suddenly rumbled with commotion, and the gentleman¡¯s expression shifted to one of detest.

    ¡°That¡¯s Lady Carabell?!¡±

 Chapter 14 - Diamond in the Rough

    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I said, spreading my glittering skirt out and placing one foot before the other to curtsy and greet all the prestigious nobles.

    Teresa mimicked the gesture without failure, parting her tulle gown with an elegant demeanor. Our respectful display caused these debutants and nobles to have an uproar of astonishment. The ballroom buzzed with questions, all which ranged from: ¡°Is she really Elisabeth?¡± to ¡°Where¡¯s the crown prince?¡±

    I was a little startled that people didn¡¯t recognize me. In what ways has the previous Elisabeth dressed up in that made her unidentifiable when wearing a golden gown like this? I¡¯m sure I haven¡¯t changed that much since Monday. Ah, are my eyes still swollen? Perhaps, Elisabeth doesn¡¯t cry?

    I groaned quietly to myself, wondering if I might have lost my mind from eating too many strawberries.

    What am I thinking? No, of course, it¡¯s not that!

    I was still concerned that I hadn¡¯t reduced the puffiness enough. Teresa was rubbing ice on it earlier, but that wasn¡¯t too long ago. We were in a rush to travel to the debutante. A few minutes longer, and we¡¯d be late. Before all the commotion could die down, everyone immediately started bowing and curtsying. They were attempting to show their utmost loyalty and inferiority. The scene happened too quickly for me to comprehend the purpose of such an endeavor. I was extremely perplexed as to why they were doing such a thing. Teresa turned around to see the reason. Upon catching sight of someone, she gasped. Following her motion to look at the top of the stairs, I widened my eyes.

    Holy crap! Okay!

    Two shadows appeared from the top of the stairway, looking down upon the guests with eminent power and amnesty. ¡°His Highness, Prince Caydel Regulus Whitensen, the crown prince of Whitensen, has arrived! As well as his partner, Lady Viktoria Estella Lancaster, the first daughter of the Lancaster duchy, has arrived!¡± a butler announced with a booming voice.

    Immediately, Teresa and I glanced towards each other and rushed to move to each side of the stairway. I snuck a look at the influential couple.

    The crown prince wore a white outfit filled with regalia and a royal blue sash that crossed over his chest. Golden details decorated parts of his garments by the cuff, the chest area, and his collar, which was also a royal blue. His hair was styled as it usually was, hazelnut hair swept loosely on both sides of his face with the hair on the upper nape of his neck shaven off. His prominent and vibrant azure eyes glowered with intensity.

    Shockingly, Lady Lancaster had a silvery ball gown quite similar to my style. However, it lacked the glistening glow that Duchess Carabell added to my dress. She paired the outfit with argent silk gloves and some shining silver jewelry. Her usually straight blonde hair was curled at the ends, and a braid ran around her head, secured at the back in a mini bun. Her makeup was gentle, but that only made her amethyst eyes more noticeable.

    As soon as I saw the black dress shoes the prince wore, anger rose in me, and I gripped my gown tightly enough to feel my nails dig into my palms through the fabric. For a moment, I could have sworn he was looking at me with those blasted eyes of his.

    What in the actual fuck? If you¡¯re going to go with my opponent, shouldn¡¯t you break off the engagement with me first?!

    Teresa struggled to withhold her discomfort, so I could tell she wasn¡¯t exactly pleased to bow down before the pair. Her expression was filled with scorn, and she bit down on her blushy lips to restrain herself from blurting out anything disrespectful.

    I knew I wasn¡¯t alone in this thinking, for a few of the nobles appeared to be questioning the entrance of the two as well. On the other hand, supporters of the Lancaster family were quite pleased. You could tell by how they remained silent and merely observed instead of whispering among their little groups.

    The moment both of them made it to the ballroom floor, classical music began to play, and the mood of the audience changed drastically. The jubilance of the ball had arrived. Once the prince nodded to allow them to rise, everyone parted the way for him to the middle of the grand hall. Then, the dances began!

    When I arose, I moved straight back to Teresa.

    ¡°My Lady, doesn¡¯t this frustrate you?¡± she asked me, preparing her hands for battle. I found it amusing that she would fight the prince for me, but I appreciated the enthusiasm.

    I bobbed my head. ¡°Indeed, he should¡¯ve broken up with me first. Maybe I should go and break it up myself,¡± I said with thought. The suggestion made Teresa grab my arm, refusing to let go of me.

    ¡°No! My Lady, why would you do that?¡± she questioned me, her head tilted to the side, and her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°I thought you loved the crown prince!¡±

    I narrowed my eyes. ¡°The prince and I had a wonderful conversation the other day, and we mutually agreed that we¡¯re both better off without each other. Don¡¯t you think?¡± I passive-aggressively smiled after saying this to her.

    Teresa was about to argue against that, but she was interrupted. ¡°Ah, then if you¡¯re doing that, why don¡¯t you get with me?¡± a voice spoke from behind. ¡°My sweet, Eli.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Teresa and I turned around to see the person who spoke to me.

    ¡°Your Highness, Prince Patrick! Greetings,¡± Teresa said quickly but softly.

    His blonde hair was barely fixed up, and he wore a servant¡¯s uniform, which seemed to be stolen. However, his eyes remained distinctly blue, and his demeanor as lax as it always is. In one hand was a tray of red and white wine, and in the other was one of the glasses he sipped on. I was curious as to how people didn¡¯t recognize him and apprehend him before he managed to sneak into the ball.

    I chose not to bother. ¡°Aw, is my Eli not going to say hello to her handsome prince? Since you¡¯re planning on ditching my lame excuse of a brother, perhaps, you¡¯ll be kind to give me a chance? I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t regret it, Lady Carabell.¡± The prince spoke flirtatiously and smirked.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you prohibited from academy grounds?¡± I reminded him. I had overheard students gossiping about this days ago. Eavesdropping others is very useful sometimes.

    ¡°Yes, of course, I am! Having beauty like this is a crime enough,¡± he laughed heartily. ¡°And I¡¯ve stolen plenty of hearts. I¡¯ve yet to take yours, the true diamond in the rough.¡±

    Suddenly, the atmosphere became thick with an ominous aura. ¡±Prince Patrick, you must have a death wish,¡± a familiar man¡¯s voice thundered.

    ¡°Oh, you again. It¡¯s funny how you¡¯re always around when I¡¯m with my dearest Eli,¡± the first prince told him without turning to look at who it was. ¡°You know, I thought you would never come?¡±

    Prince Patrick was, all of a sudden, yanked back by the man in knight¡¯s uniform and eyes covered with black mesh. The poor prince was dangling from his collar. ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Garrod questioned him angrily. I thought the Red Demon Knight was already very intimidating. However, I didn¡¯t imagine that him in armor and eyes sheathed would make him even more frightening. ¡°I was going to let you go this time, but your presence is just irritating. I¡¯d rather you not hang around the princess of Whitensen.¡±

    ¡°Could you be a bit gentler for one of your kingdom¡¯s princes?¡± Prince Patrick asked. ¡°Could it be that you are still upset that I met Princess Talissa? We had a lovely conversation, dear knight.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t just meet her. You harassed her, bastard!¡± Garrod stated, gripping the prince by the collar of the servant¡¯s uniform tighter. The prince gagged and coughed a bit. He seemed to be turning a bit blue.

    Instantly, the crowd surrounding us identified the two men. ¡°It¡¯s the first prince and the Red Demon Knight!¡± they exclaimed.

    The knight slung the prince over his shoulder and nodded towards me. ¡°Princess. Teresa.¡± I returned the acknowledgment with a curtsy. Teresa was a bit shaken up by how quickly he correlated her name to her face. The motion made him frown, and he sauntered off with the sly man winking at me. I cringed at the sight of it.

    Disgusting.

    ¡°My, what a scene,¡± others remarked.

    A lady leaned in a man¡¯s ear. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s admirable that the knight still refers to Carabell¡¯s Lowlife as a princess?¡±

    ¡°It is! I would never refer to that witch as a princess. She was never the princess of our kingdom,¡± he returned with a chuckle. ¡°Not even for my life.¡±

    I sighed, struggling to breathe thanks to my tightly wound corset. The breasts Elisabeth had were ampler than my previous body on Earth, so I¡¯m trying to become accustomed to having more assets. It¡¯s highly uncomfortable wearing a corset and sweating under these useless balls of fat. They were a decent size, but the beauty of having an hourglass figure comes with a price.

    People never stop talking about how evil or cruel or malicious Elisabeth is. I just wish they could find something else to talk about. It¡¯s troublesome trying to stop oneself from attacking others when you¡¯re continually being criticized.

    Teresa pulled me aside behind one of the ballroom¡¯s towering pillars.

    ¡°My Lady, please avoid Prince Patrick. It is not good for you to be seen with that man,¡± Teresa warned me.

    ¡°Ah, I know. The stereotypical man hoe,¡± I mumbled.

    The prince reminded me of those overly confident, but pathetic, characters in the books I read on Earth. Having met a few of them on Earth, I know exactly how they behave. I have a suspicion Elisabeth may have contributed to his narcissistic behavior.

    Teresa did her head and eyebrow thing again. ¡°What does a gardening tool have to do with the prince, my lady?¡± she asked, and I shook my head.

    ¡°Nevermind,¡± I said under my breath. If I could even breathe, that is. ¡°You think you could loosen the strings a bit?¡± I¡¯ve been dying ever since I had the dress on. If it had been done a little less restricting, I think I could be comfortable for the whole debutante. That, at least, would be amazing.

    ¡°I could, but it¡¯ll have to stay tight. You need to look your best, my lady,¡± my maid reminded me. My shoulders slumped in disappointment.

    As we walked by the dessert table, I snatched a macaron from one of the decorative plates. This, Teresa disapproved of. I couldn¡¯t help it. They looked so delicious. The cookie part of the macaron was off-white. Additionally, the filling of it was a white buttercream and decorated with gold leaf and edible sugar pearls. The peaks of the macaron were perfect, and I treasured each bite, knowing she wouldn¡¯t permit me to steal another. The initial crunch was satisfying, and the chewiness was superb.

    At the Carabell Estate, I didn¡¯t really enjoy a variety of desserts. It was unlike those stories where ladies enjoyed an assortment of small cakes and mousses. Teresa was usually strict about my diet, and if she pitied me, she would bring me a tray of butter cookies and jam, which happened daily. Meaning, she¡¯s always pitying me.

    We went into one of the lounge rooms near the ballroom, and I had Teresa redo the strings. When she finished, I went out to the balcony to feel the crisp and refreshing air.

    It''ll be the fall season in a few months, so I¡¯ll enjoy the sight of the trees with vivid green leaves before they start foliating. The academy grounds were filled with tranquility outside, but the ballroom was boisterous and too crowded for me to truly enjoy anything. I didn¡¯t want to be surrounded by people that didn¡¯t like me either. I didn¡¯t like the feeling of knowing Elisabeth¡¯s fianc¨¦ is spending time with her ultimate rival. That¡¯s a betrayal in its own sense, and because I am now Elisabeth, I¡¯m going to be infuriated in her stead.

    ¡°My, my, isn¡¯t that Viktoria¡¯s gown?¡± a woman¡¯s rich voice questioned us.

    Teresa and I immediately jerked our heads around to look at who had entered the lounge. The mysterious lady wore a black cloak to cover her face and gown. She started to approach us, her heels clacking against the marble.

    Who...who is she, and how did she know?

 Chapter 15 - To Violate the Whitensen Rulebook

    Teresa didn¡¯t seem to recognize the woman¡¯s voice, so I assumed that this was someone Elisabeth didn¡¯t know. I certainly didn¡¯t know them either. There was no one I knew that correlated with her stature and tone of voice. We were both impatiently waiting for this individual to reveal themselves to us.

    ¡°Lady Carabell, you¡¯ve changed quite a lot recently,¡± the unidentified woman remarked. ¡°It would be ignorant of me to say that you¡¯re still the same old Carabell¡¯s Lowlife. The other nobles wouldn¡¯t believe their eyes if they knew how much you studied and kept to yourself these days. It¡¯s almost as if Grenada¡¯s blood has only just started to flow through your veins. And I thought he was another one of those demons that suckled at the youth surrounding him.¡±

    ¡°Please refer to the duke as ¡®Duke Carabell,¡¯¡± Teresa reminded her. ¡°Formality is important in Whitensen, especially if you¡¯re not acquainted with the duke.¡±

    ¡°Hah! Funny, I thought he was below me. I can refer to whomever however I like,¡± she responded haughtily. That little declaration started to frustrate me.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I blurted out, highly pissed off that some people dare to act this way towards people they have only just met.

    Who does this person think she is? At least, have some respect for people around you! Despite how much I hate certain people, I will refer to them accordingly to acknowledge their status.

    ¡°If you had been the same Elisabeth as you were previously, you would¡¯ve just yelled at me and started rebuking my anonymity and style of manner. You see, you have changed a lot. You¡¯ve become more stuffy and reserved,¡± the mysterious lady stated.

    I had adopted Teresa¡¯s ¡°tilt head and furrow eyebrows¡± method of conveying I was confused.

    How would she know I¡¯ve changed? From what I can deduce, it doesn¡¯t seem like this was someone Elisabeth has previously known.

    Pulling down her dark hood, she revealed vivid blue eyes and silky chocolaty locks of hair.

    Those eyes...they almost look like Prince Caydel and Prince Patrick¡¯s!

    Teresa seemed to make the connection as well, for she turned to look at me, and we both used body language to communicate the similarity. It went something like me mouthing ¡°wow¡± and her nodding in response.

    If I could estimate, she appears to be in her late twenties. Her composure carried this sense of dominance and intimidation. I could see her pink muted gown peeking out from the cloak. ¡°It¡¯s quite nice to meet you in person. I¡¯ve been observing your every move since the day you were born. I was wondering how you¡¯d react when we first met.¡±

    Hold up. What?! That¡¯s terrifying!

    ¡°You¡¯ve been watching me for that long?!¡± I exclaimed.

    Ignoring how shocked I was, she straightened her skirt and started to introduce herself. ¡°I am Lady Millien, Winnifer Millien. I¡¯ve come from the Kingdom of Vie to meet you. I was awaiting the opportunity to greet you at today¡¯s debutante.¡±

    Wait...if she has only just come to Whitensen, does that mean she¡¯s been having people observe Elisabeth from her birth? And, you have to consider that despite how Elisabeth lives two whole kingdoms away from her, she still managed to monitor her!

    Teresa attempted to register the name in her head, and suddenly, something had clicked together in her mind. Surprise flashed across her face. For some reason, she failed to say anything about whatever she had discovered. I was itching to ask her, but the threatening aura of this lady prevented me from making any discourteous actions.

    Instead, I returned the greeting. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nice to meet you too. However, did you just say you came from Vie?!¡± I sputtered.

    Lady Millien went ahead and sat down on one of the creme-colored couches in the lounge room. She crossed her legs and adjusted her dress once more before responding with, ¡°Yes.¡± I glanced at Teresa, she seemed to be as flabbergasted as I was.

    Vie is two kingdoms away from Whitensen. It¡¯s past Leonard, a kingdom wedged right between Whitensen and Vie. It¡¯s difficult to enter through Leonard since their customs only allow royalty to pass through. Assuming she went around Leonard, through Lotte, which is located north of Leonard, it could have taken months. Meaning that it is remarkably far and difficult to travel here as a Vienese.

    Teresa rushed to call a servant to bring drinks and some desserts, but the woman stopped her. ¡°Oh no, I am not going to stay long, Teresa. It was quite convenient that both of you decided to go into this room.¡± My maid froze in place. Her mouth was agape at the fact that Lady Millien readily identified her. Only Garrod had noticed it was Teresa, and he has a reputation for knowing almost everything about anyone, so I wasn¡¯t too concerned. But this? This is extremely strange!

    How does she know so much? No one else has recognized Teresa nor noticed that the dress originally was a gift for Viktoria. It¡¯s not that Prince Caydel cares enough about who accompanies me to know whether or not it¡¯s Viktoria¡¯s dress anyways. So, how could she know?

    My maid moved swiftly by my side. She leaned towards my ear and whispered, ¡°My Lady, there are guards outside the door!¡± I twisted my eyebrows.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°What? Are you serious?!¡± I questioned her.

    Lady Millien watched us with amusement spread all over her smug face. She slipped her cloak off and tossed it to the side. Her dull pink dress was plain, which scarcely suited her dignified personality.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have much choice besides sitting down and speaking with me. And, great Red Demon Knight, please, make yourself comfortable,¡± the woman confidently spoke, guiding her hand towards the empty space on the couch opposite her.

    What? He¡¯s here? What the actual?

    ¡°Sir Garrod?¡± I called out. The knight slowly made himself visible, stepping out from the balcony.

    ¡°Present, Princess,¡± he responded, placing one hand towards me and one behind his back, bowing to greet me. The gesture made me uncomfortable in more ways than I could count.

    Teresa wasn¡¯t fazed by his sudden appearance, but I was definitely concerned about the situation we caught ourselves in. The fact that she was more attentive to what the woman did than how Garrod has been tailing us all this time made my heart race. I whipped my head back and forth between the people who, I recall, weren¡¯t invited to have a lovely discussion over tea and crumpets.

    ¡°Now that we have the presence of the crown prince¡¯s eyes and ears, you can be assured that you¡¯ll be perfectly safe. Though, it¡¯s funny how you have a demon watching over you instead of an angel.¡± The lady laughed, twirling her dark curls.

    ¡°Safe? What a joke, Winnifer,¡± Garrod snapped at the lady. They seemed to have some tension. However, I knew that if Garrod shot arrows using his eyes, the winner would no doubt be him. It helps to research the people that surround you. I could tell why he would want to conceal his eyes, no one would want a crowd of ladies trailing them around. He seems to be the type to prefer having space and privacy, though he hasn¡¯t been giving me any.

    Lady Millien scoffed, chuckling for a moment before saying, ¡°You don¡¯t trust your own skills?¡±

    ¡°I simply believe that the way you said the word, ¡®safe,¡¯ is so hilarious,¡± he returned. Again, they scrutinize each other in silence. Which, I couldn¡¯t really tell if they were staring at each other since Garrod always had his mask wrapped over his eyes. At that moment, I thought the only advantage of having his eyes concealed was so he could pull an eye roll at people without them knowing.

    ¡°Now, dear Teresa, please recite the meeting protocol from the Whitensen rulebook according to our circumstances,¡± Lady Millien requested. Teresa anxiously glanced towards Garrod.

    The Red Demon Knight suddenly unsheathed his sword, the gleaming color of running blood, and directed it at the woman. Immediately, another knight appeared to deflect the strike. However, the opposing defender visibly struggled to withstand his strength. I noticed how Garrod didn¡¯t seem to be putting much of his weight into his slash. ¡°Must the Order of the Knights always defend this wreathed lady?¡± he questioned her, carelessly releasing the exertion from his sword and dodging the defender''s swipe.

    ¡°Ah, ah, ah. Those two words you used to describe me don¡¯t coordinate. It¡¯s wreathed wench, Garrod,¡± Lady Millien corrected him.

    He retracted his blade back into its sheath, and Lady Millien¡¯s knight backed off into a corner of the lounge room. ¡°Teresa, recite the protocol,¡± he commanded her. He sounded so displeased that I grinned.

    Both uninvited parties glared at me when I did so. I couldn¡¯t really tell from Garrod¡¯s part, but the way he faced me gave me a general idea of his grouchiness. ¡°Sorry, was I supposed to remain serious?¡± I questioned them. ¡°It¡¯s hard to take any of you seriously when you¡¯re going back and forth like that.¡±

    Lady Millien cleared her throat, and Garrod stepped back to lean on the decorated wall.

    Teresa glanced at me for approval, and I nodded. She proceeded with the recitation. ¡°The protocol for the sudden confrontation of two nobles without consent in private: both sides must have guards to defend the persons involved in the conversation. Both sides must meet on equal terms. Also, both sides must agree to keep what is discussed privately to themselves. Lest they are caught by the opposition and be beheaded. If one does not follow the outlined protocol, the other party can refuse the meeting or use methods to evade the confrontation.¡±

    The reason for the protocol is to ensure that both groups partaking in the conversation are protected. I find it pretty useless, but it¡¯s something to make you feel just a little bit safer. Even though I¡¯m in an enclosed area with only Garrod to protect Teresa and me, which isn¡¯t a bad thing since he¡¯s practically a person capable of blinding people. However, we are definitely outnumbered, and I don¡¯t have to look outside to know if I am.

    ¡°Do both parties agree to this protocol?¡± Teresa questioned the people in the room. We all slowly nodded. ¡°If so, state your first and last name and say of agreement.¡±

    ¡°I, Winnifer Millien, agree to this protocol,¡± Lady Millien started off.

    ¡°I, Garrod Whitensen, agree to this protocol.¡± The moment Teresa and I heard his name, we flashed confused glances towards each other. Garrod¡¯s not related to the Whitensen royal family last I checked, and it¡¯s not like I can check right now either.

    ¡°Confirm real surname?¡± Teresa requested Garrod.

    ¡°Real surname confirmed. The day I was knighted and assigned to the crown prince, my last name was changed. I only use the last name when I do formal agreements. Otherwise, I am only known by my first name,¡± he answered.

    Teresa nodded and pushed for the rest of us to confirm.

    ¡°I, Ellenor Millien, agree to this protocol,¡± the knight Lady Millien brought answered. This, Teresa and I were both shocked. Either the two are related, or, like Garrod, obtained a new surname on the day they were knighted and assigned to the person they were supposed to protect.

    Then, I decided to go next. ¡°I, Elisabeth Carabell, agree to this protocol.¡±

    We all awaited Teresa¡¯s agreement, but she shook her head. ¡°My Lady, you are the first daughter of Duke Carabell, and still the future queen of Whitensen. Even if Lady Millien is a queen, she must only request to speak with you and await a response. These are the rules regarding the involvement of the kingdom¡¯s future queen in protocol agreements. I, first and foremost, have memorized all of these rules from the Whitensen rulebook to protect you, my lady," she informed me.

    Everyone else''s jaws dropped, and we started sending glances at each other, including me.

    Teresa continued with her argument. "I refuse to allow you to proceed with such a dangerous agreement with people whom you have not met before today. Therefore, this discussion is closed. Lady Millien, if you wish to speak with Lady Carabell, you must request a proper audience. Otherwise, you are violating the rules of the Whitensen kingdom. We will not hesitate to apprehend you and have you punished in ways we see fit.¡±

 Chapter 16 - The Crown Princes Promise

    Lady Millien wasn¡¯t offended at all. She uncrossed her legs, wiped that annoying grin off her face, and reached out to the cloak that she had tossed aside earlier. ¡°You have a sharp-witted maid, and here I thought I would be able to fool you all. Sir Garrod, you may want to refresh your memory. Have Teresa tutor you. Perhaps, you are all brawn and no brain?¡± the woman sneered.

    ¡°And, you mean to say you came here all for nothing? It sounds like you¡¯re just pretending to have known all the protocols. The real person who was fooled was you,¡± Garrod retorted. ¡°I may need a refresher, but I can sure refresh your mind with this shiny blade of mine. I know I don¡¯t need a tutor for that.¡±

    Teresa relaxed her shoulders. I¡¯m a bit concerned that she¡¯s easing up as soon as they pick up arguing. If anything, I would be cautious about how feisty they¡¯re becoming. She was tense when she recited the rulebook, and I don¡¯t blame her. That book is exceptionally thick and heavy-duty. Instead of using its knowledge, I might carry it around as a weapon, a weapon to swat at those domineering nobles.

    ¡°Shut up, you stupid demon,¡± Lady Millien snapped.

    The Red Demon Knight extracted his sword from its sheath and aimed it at the gal. Ellenor, Lady Millien¡¯s knight, promptly stepped forth to defend her lady. They faced each other, Ellenor narrowing her eyes, and Garrod jeering at her.

    ¡°How about you go back to your kingdom? Stop acting like overconfident wenches,¡± Garrod advised them contemptuously.

    ¡°Oh, now you¡¯re using the correct noun! Bravo!¡± Her sarcasm made Garrod want to take a swing at her. Before he could do anything of the sort, I stepped between the two to intercept the verbal conflict, which, very soon, could become physical.

    I shot a glare at each of them. ¡°This is a debutante ball, not a debutante battlefield!¡±

    Lady Millien tilted her towards me. ¡°You know though, this is a battlefield for noble ladies and?¡±

    ¡°No! This is a ball! Not a battlefield!¡± I exclaimed. I was about to go on a tangent about how people should stop referring to events as warzones. However, I needed to think before I started ranting.

    Teresa reached to my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay, my lady. We should take the initiative to leave now. Sir Garrod has vanished again.¡±

    Again? Are you telling me this has happened before?

    My eyes darted around the room, and he was nowhere to be seen. I frustratedly sighed. ¡°I was going to ask that knight why he has been following us!¡±

    Lady Millien flashed a smile towards me. ¡°I will see you again, Lady Carabell.¡± Her cloak was wrapped around her by now, concealing her dusty pink gown. She had slipped the hood over her head to hide her face. ¡°It was worth a try. Please accept my request when I send it. I have lots to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Lady Millien, if you try pulling a stunt with those guards again, the Carabell knights will have a serious word with you,¡± Teresa threatened her. Her eyes narrowed, and her head held high. Sometimes, I wonder how much being a Carabell maid means to her.

    I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t choose to be a Carabell maid.

    The disguised woman nodded in response and moved to leave with her knight. The moment the door slammed shut, I let out my breath.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe anyone will ask me to dance,¡± I said, sighing miserably.

    On the bright side, I haven¡¯t learned how to properly dance anyways. The behavioral and manners class at the academy isn¡¯t exactly helpful. The professor and my classmates just like to use the class period to make me into a joke.

    Teresa patted my back, suddenly reminding me about the corset strings. ¡°Hey, are you sure you loosened my corset?¡± It felt as if she hadn¡¯t adjusted it at all.

    ¡°Yes, I have, my lady.¡± She laughed lightly. I noticed how her hair was a bit tangled, so I reached out to fix it. As soon as I did so, she jerked back. I returned my hands to my side and started apologizing. ¡°Oh, sorry, I forgot that you¡­¡±

    Teresa averted her eye contact and shamefully shrank away from me. She fiddled with her hair by herself. I wanted to go and assist her, but if I did so, she¡¯d become alarmed again. I don¡¯t know what Elisabeth had done to her to make her feel so distraught whenever I came as close as touching her. Whatever she did, the results of it are making my heart sting.

    I haven¡¯t physically harmed anyone on purpose, so why does she act as if I¡¯ve hurt her? Then, the only conclusion I could draw was that Elisabeth did. Elisabeth hurt her.

    When she finished adjusting her waves of dark hair, she continued to open the door. She placed her hand on the loop and tried turning. However, the handle didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡°Ah, is it stuck? Let me try,¡± I told her. I scrambled over to her and started pulling at it. The more I struggled, the faster my heart raced. ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Since when does this happen in real life?¡± I jiggled the door handle more furiously.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Teresa sighed. ¡°Lady Millien is a conniving fox. There must be something outside blocking the handle from turning,¡± she said as she crouched down to look at the gap beneath the white-painted wooden doorway. She undid her hair and pulled out her hairpin. On one end of the pin was a long pointy stick, and on the other, a pale blue jaded hydrangea. ¡°My Lady, is it alright if I use your hairpin for this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I answered quickly.

    My maid let her wavy hair slick down her back. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I have to redo the style again. I believe I can run the hairpin under the door and push the obstacle away. The pin is of the highest quality, so I don¡¯t think it can bend,¡± she explained.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± I said, crouching down with her. She glanced back at me, refusing to break contact for a few moments. Assuming I was bothering her, I hastily moved away. ¡°Sorry, was I blocking the light?¡± Teresa moved her head side to side.

    ¡°No, my lady,¡± she replied softly. ¡°I was just thinking of something.¡±

    I chuckled, brushing back the free curl hanging from my updo. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± I asked.

    Her face blossomed with rosy pink, and I thought she was going to refuse to answer my question. To my surprise, she said very honestly, ¡°I thought you resembled a goddess, my lady.¡±

    I smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you, Teresa.¡± As I said this, she tried to use her strength to push the obstruction away. With one more push and a little more effort, you could hear that whatever had blocked the door squeaked as it moved on the other side. ¡°Ah, you did it!¡± I exclaimed.

    She moved away for me to push down on the handle, and when it was fully open, I saw a short chair moved slightly to the side.

    So that¡¯s our culprit.

    I gave the chair a rough kick. Stupid thing.

    ¡°My Lady, I would suggest that you refrain from accepting this unruly lady¡¯s invitation for discussion. I fear that she will kidnap you and use you for ransom from the duke,¡± Teresa warned me. I merely scoffed.

    ¡°Ransom? Are you joking? The duke couldn¡¯t care less about me,¡± I reminded her. A name instantly came to mind. ¡°He only cares for Allen. Allen is my brother, right? He¡¯s the heir to the Carabell family, right?¡± Suddenly, Teresa rushed to clamp her silk-covered hands over my mouth.

    Her eyes filled with terror. It seemed like she was frightened out of her mind, glimpsing around frantically. ¡°Please do not mention Lord Carabell¡¯s name, my lady! Word of that incident has not subsided yet, and they will never let it die!¡± Her hands were trembling, I could feel the shakiness through her gloves. Tears rolled down from her eyes. ¡°I beg you, my lady, do not mention the lord¡¯s name!¡±

    I was at a loss for words, and it''s not like it''s easy to speak when someone has their hand slapped over your mouth. It didn¡¯t take long for it to click in my mind that all of Teresa¡¯s trauma and mental instability is due to Elisabeth.

    Elisabeth had done something so cruel towards her brother that Teresa is crying! What is wrong with this noble lady? Allen is your family! Why would you do anything to him?

    My maid closed her eyes and slowly opened them. As soon as her breathing became steady, she released her grip over my mouth. The fearful mood had clouded over with tranquillity. Teresa didn''t hesitate to blame herself. ¡°I apologize, my lady, I will accept any punishment for this frivolous behavior I have displayed towards you.¡±

    Immediately, I crossed my arms. ¡°What did I say about this? I won¡¯t punish you!¡± I turned my heel and started proceeding back to the debutante¡¯s ballroom. ¡°We should head back now. I¡¯ve been gone for quite a while now. We¡¯ve made no progress.¡± I was beginning to become agitated. This is only my first ball, and there are so many problems occurring already.

    Teresa didn¡¯t say another word, but I knew she wanted to say something about my lack of discipline towards her. However, the last thing I wanted was to use physical force against someone, and I would never do that unless I had a perfectly justified reason. I¡¯m not a violent person. Even though I crave the sensation of slapping some of these insolent hoes and assholes, I will practice restraint.

    I heard the brisk tapping of shoes upon marble growing louder in volume with each tap. ¡°Lady Carabell, do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for you?¡± Prince Caydel¡¯s mouth was twitching, and he had his arms firmly crossed. His regalia were snugly attached to his chest. Like always, he seemed more daunting up close. The fact that I had no idea what he was talking about further infuriated him. ¡°You¡¯ve been forgetting a lot of things lately. I promised you, remember? How could you forget?!¡± he questioned me exasperatedly.

    Teresa quickly curtsied at his arrival. As soon as he laid his eyes upon her, his expression of detest hardened.

    ¡°You forget, and now you¡¯re mocking me with Viktoria¡¯s gown,¡± he snapped at me. ¡°Do you have no shame whatsoever? I have never met such a senseless and selfish lady in my life!¡±

    Teresa timidly moved closer to the prince. ¡°Your Highness, this gown is not Lady Lancaster¡¯s,¡± she informed him. Both of us whipped our heads towards her.

    ¡°What?¡± we blurted out. Prince Caydel cleared his throat, and I awkwardly shifted away from him.

    My maid nodded, spreading out the skirt to show to the crown prince. ¡°Yes, this is not Lady Lancaster¡¯s dress. Duchess Carabell made a replica of the purple gown. I am currently wearing the altered replica. The original is being processed and sent to Lady Lancaster¡¯s household,¡± she explained.

    The news came as a shock to me. I was so convinced that she was wearing the original dress. ¡°Wait, how come I don¡¯t know about this?¡± I asked her. Despite my bewilderment, the prince seemed a tad relieved by what Teresa told him.

    ¡°Madam requested it herself,¡± Teresa answered. ¡°I am not required to share anything with you unless you request it, my lady.¡± She turned to face Prince Caydel again. ¡°Your Highness, I hope you understand that this dress is not meant to intimidate you or Lady Lancaster. I truly wanted to wear it on my own accord. I have admired the original¡¯s beauty for over a year now. I understand that your love towards Lady Lancaster is truly genuine.¡± At this statement, she lowered herself to the ground and touched her head upon the cold marble.

    ¡°What do you mean, it¡¯s all on your accord? I was the one who wanted you to wear it even though you were hesitant. Don¡¯t act as if it¡¯s your fault,¡± I scolded her, dragging her back up to her two feet.

    Instead, I started to descend down to my knees. Immediately, the prince grabbed my arm. His grip was tight, and it seemed like he was trying his best not to dismember my arm.

    ¡°That¡¯s not necessary, Lady Carabell. I know sincerity when I see it,¡± the prince told me. His frustrated expression had long faded away, and all that was left was one of exhaustion. ¡°Now, shall we dance? I promised you that you would always be my first dance partner. I¡¯m not going to break that promise today. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t taken advantage of it. I don¡¯t find that begging you for my first dance is pleasurable.¡±

 Chapter 17 - People Are Always Changing

    - Caydel¡¯s perspective upon entering the ball -

    The debutante ball was filled with students and other nobles that came to observe their actions. Regardless of how crucial this ball was to some others, my appearance wasn¡¯t exactly necessary. This ball was for students to make beneficial acquaintances. I have already taken advantage of the opening ceremony for the academy, so it was meaningless for me to converse with anyone. On the other hand, any public ball Elisabeth attended, I chose to go to as well. It was an unspoken agreement between us.

    With Viktoria by my side, I felt more than uneasy. A few days before, she was trying to coax me into accompanying her to the ball. If it had been a few years ago, I might have given in to her the moment she asked, being awfully young and naive, but this time felt ominous. I felt like I was being played into a fool.

    Viktoria has always declined my offers of attending balls together. Never had she ever taken the opportunity to personally ask me. Her reasoning was that I had Elisabeth to go to the ball with. She also said that I should respect my engagement with Duke Carabell¡¯s daughter as long as I am engaged with her. And so, I listened to her for multiple years. It came to a point where I was the one rejecting her for every event and choosing to take Elisabeth instead. When I¡¯d tell her this, she would give me her most radiant smile and nod understandingly.

    I always loved that part about her, but that same part of her made my heart ache, and I wished that she¡¯d be more selfish and yell at me for having to neglect her.

    As toddlers, we always spent time together, playing house, running around in the garden, and studying the basics of the basics. She easily absorbed topics faster than I did, so I let her tutor me from time to time. As we grew into teenagers, I thought only a little would change. I thought she would let me visit her more often, but she didn¡¯t. All I saw was how she started to morph into someone remarkable, and the fact that I wasn¡¯t able to be a part of that change made me feel isolated. She was the only lady and friend I would willfully surround myself with. It was unlike how my father, King Therin of Whitensen, forced me to spend time with Elisabeth.

    And to my surprise, she told me quite frankly, ¡°Delly, I¡¯d rather you not come near me nor associate with me.¡± When I reached out to touch her wonderfully shiny and golden hair, she slapped my hand away. I retracted it, rubbing the sore mark. ¡°Have you forgotten? The general nobles are making us into an imaginary couple worth threatening the Carabell duchy. My father doesn¡¯t need more trouble as it is, he is only a marquess. Elisabeth¡¯s father is a duke. You and I are just friends, and you know that as well as I do. I don¡¯t want misunderstandings, so let¡¯s keep a distance for a while.¡±

    I wanted to say something in return, but I knew she was right. Because I knew she was right, I avoided her the best I could. From afar, I witnessed how she became more charming. Her silky hair grew to her hips, her face became more mature, and she definitely became taller, though I was sure it was due to the high slippers she was forced to wear. One part that never changed was that determined look in her eyes when she told me she was going to be the best scholar in the entire academy.

    The Lancasters quickly rose to power, becoming the second duchy in all of Whitensen. I thought, perhaps, this would mean I could spend more time talking to her. Instead, this indicated that she had all the methods at her disposal to ignore me without consequence. I tried my best to pretend as if I hadn¡¯t a care in the world what she did, but in reality, it was like I was being torn apart from inside my mind.

    The decision kept nagging at me. Disrespect Viktoria¡¯s wishes and visit her or do as she asked and spend time with Elisabeth, who you¡¯ve gathered, is the most irritable girl you¡¯ve ever met.

    Earlier in the week, Viktoria approached me and asked me, ¡°Delly, would you like to go to the debutante with me?¡± I wanted to turn around and scoop her into my arms.

    Instead, guilt welled up in my heart. And so, I declined the offer once, and again when she asked the second time. Until finally, I gave into my desires and said, ¡°Just this once.¡± Seeing that smile spread across her face and reach her amethyst eyes made my heart flutter, but I couldn¡¯t let her know how long I had wanted to hear that from her. I wanted to be more than the innocent child I was, so I remained composed and grinned cheekily to myself when she turned away.

    I let Viktoria loop her arm into mine, and we proceeded through the doors. ¡°His Highness, Prince Caydel Regulus Whitensen, the crown prince of Whitensen, has arrived! As well as his partner, Lady Viktoria Estella Lancaster, the first daughter of the Lancaster duchy, has arrived!¡± I overlooked the bowing and curtsying crowd, glancing over those that I recognized and identifying who was unfamiliar.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I would like to see this view beside Viktoria every time we attend balls.

    It was a passing thought, a passing thought that quickly vanished when I laid my eyes upon two guests. One was a lady with her hair into waves tied back with a bun and dressed in a light blue tulle gown, and the other, dressed in a glittering golden dress and her hair into a meticulous updo.

    It couldn¡¯t be...

    Both of them didn¡¯t seem like people I had known, but as I descended down the steps with Viktoria, the picture of them became distinct. It was when I was right in front of them that I realized they were both glaring at me as if I was shit. A set of dark eyes followed me with despise paired with a set of evergreen eyes that watched me with furiousness. On both sides of the steps, I felt the criticism of the two ladies.

    It was Teresa, the right-hand maid of the infamous Elisabeth Madeline Carabell, and Elisabeth Madeline Carabell herself.

    The moment we stepped down, the ballroom musicians started playing my favorite classical pieces. It was as if they expected me to dance them with Viktoria. However, I knew my limits, if I had gone any further, the king would soon have my head donned on his wall. I¡¯ve done what I said I would, I attended the ball with Viktoria. Now, I¡¯m going to find Elisabeth and?

    ¡°Your Highness, won¡¯t you dance with me?¡± Viktoria asked me so sweetly. Her arm was still looped with mine, and I was beginning to think that she had lost her mind. Never has she ever asked me that. She¡¯d always remind me that the gentlemen had to ask ladies to dance first, and never the other way around. She was an elegant young lady with old-fashioned manners. Viktoria always respected ballroom etiquette, so hearing her say this set off warnings in my mind.

    ¡°No, didn¡¯t you tell me that you¡¯d rather keep a distance between you and me?¡± I questioned her. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking me to stay around you? You¡¯re not making any sense.¡±

    She hugged me tighter, running her fingers up and down my arm, and my body only tensed. ¡°Oh, come on, won¡¯t you dance with me?¡± This was when I tore her off of me, repulsed by the shameless way she touched me. ¡°Prince Caydel,¡± she cooed. Suddenly, the goal of finding Elisabeth was vivid in my mind. It was like I couldn¡¯t stand to be near the one girl who was consistently on my mind. I didn¡¯t understand myself, but I knew that I didn¡¯t like what was happening.

    I didn¡¯t want to look back and see her upset, but then I heard the following question: ¡°Prince Caydel, why are you refusing to dance with me?¡± I shot around and looked her straight in her nauseously mesmerizing eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re not acting like yourself! That¡¯s why!¡± I exclaimed, trying to keep my voice lowered. I was already frustrated with her.

    Why was she acting like she cared about me now? Why was she teasing me? Why is she going against every single one of her own principles?

    This was not the Viktoria I knew, she never acted like this towards me. I didn¡¯t want to be around someone who acted like any other noble lady in Whitensen. Without realizing it, I was using Elisabeth as my only excuse for refusing Viktoria, and I loathed Elisabeth more than anything else in the world. The realization made the whole picture clearer.

    Something I hate more than Elisabeth, as unbelievable as it sounds, is seeing Viktoria act like Elisabeth.

    I navigated through the crowd desperately. I ended up sitting in one of the lounge rooms after failing to find that despicable Carabell lady. She was nowhere to be found, and it was one more thing I didn¡¯t understand. To think that the people around me are always changing without letting me take a break. I wanted life to move slower, to let me digest what I struggled to before it moved on.

    Life doesn¡¯t work that way.

    I had a change in thought. Right then and there, I refreshed my mind and elected to have a different outlook.

    Maybe I should find Garrod, let him tell me about what stupid gossips he had overheard. In the back of my mind, I wanted to ask him about his relationship with Princess Talissa from Lotte. Perhaps, he could give me some decent advice about how to fix this scrambled mess in my mind.

    I knew his weaknesses inside out, and although his most apparent flaw was his love for Talissa, I wanted to learn how he managed to keep his thoughts in check. Then again, that knight nearly tore up Patrick the other day over his one love. On second thought, it¡¯s not like Patrick didn¡¯t deserve it. I couldn¡¯t care less for my lazy brother. Dead or alive, he¡¯s just the same.

    I cast aside the memory of that incident.

    Garrod could still help me despite his anger issues.

    The mere idea made me aggressively facepalm.

    Agh, that¡¯s like saying a broken lock could still keep the jewels safe.

    I started off with a positive mindset, but it was to no avail. I could not find either of the two people I wanted to find, so I sat there in bitter silence. The lounge was eerily quiet. No one was bothering me nor nagging me about anything. Forty-six minutes had already elapsed since the opening of the debutante ball.

    What could be fun in speaking with a bunch of nobles with ulterior motives?

    Ultimately, I decided that speaking with a bunch of nobles with ulterior motives was better than sitting here and thinking so much that my head started to hurt. As soon as I stepped out of the lounge, I caught my eyes on two ladies, and in the corner of my eye, I saw Garrod keeping watch over them.

    Did something happen?

    The question was drowned by the rage that reverberated in my mind, and I stormed over to Elisabeth.

 Chapter 18 - It Was All a Lie

    - Elisabeth¡¯s perspective in the present time -

    I didn¡¯t want to come off rude, but I couldn¡¯t help but feel tremendously uncomfortable. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, your highness, I¡¯m not planning on dancing today.¡±

    I¡¯m not planning on dancing anytime in the future. Thanks to Elisabeth¡¯s repelling reputation, no one bothers to send invites to me. I can¡¯t exactly tell if that¡¯s a good or bad thing. If I had asked Duke Carabell, he might¡¯ve slapped me again and rebuked me for not trying to make beneficial connections. However, deep inside my mind, I knew I would loathe regularly attending parties, balls, and events. I would never have time to study. In the end, I would be expelled from the academy and most likely disowned by the duke!

    It¡¯s not exactly easy to learn material that would be considered fictitious in the world you came from. Not to mention having to learn every single topic you missed to comprehend the curricular that you¡¯re learning in your graduating year of education. You also have to consider that you were only recently informed that you are enrolled in this prestigious academy.

    Teresa jabbed me in the corset with her elbow, reminding me of the tightness. She whispered into my ear, ¡°My Lady, you should accept! It¡¯s ballroom etiquette!¡±

    The prince¡¯s expression was unreadable. No eyebrows furrowed, no twitching mouth, and no fierce glare. I didn¡¯t know what he expected me to say. For once, he wasn¡¯t fuming, so the whole situation was unpredictable.

    Ballroom etiquette, huh.

    Upon taking Teresa¡¯s whisper in mind, I questioned Prince Caydel. ¡°We¡¯re not in the debutante ballroom, and you want to request a dance with me? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re lacking proper manners?¡±

    My maid shot a disapproving glimpse at me. By this point in my bizarre experiences of this world, I just thought everything was amusing.

    You¡¯d think that after rejecting someone, they would be dispirited. However, in response to my inquisitions, the distinguished prince only chuckled. ¡°Yes, it may seem so. It looks like I need a refresher on manners. I¡¯m truly grateful for your refusal, Lady Carabell. Now, I have a valid excuse not to dance with anybody.¡± He pushed back his light brown hair to the side, being absolutely pleased with my answer.

    ¡°Why? Weren¡¯t you going to dance with Lady Lancaster?¡± I asked him. I had no idea why he wasn¡¯t going to. He clearly couldn¡¯t care less for me, and the opposite for Viktoria. I flashed a cheeky grin. ¡°Did you...perhaps...have a lovers¡¯ argument?¡±

    Prince Caydel froze, and after a brief moment, he slowly said, ¡°No...¡±

    Hearing his hesitant reply, I just laughed. He frowned when I did so, but I could see his face burning up with rosiness. It was obvious something had gone on between them. ¡°Alright, if you need someone to talk about it with, I¡¯m available. This might sound strange to you, but some people have told me I give good non-violent emotional support.¡±

    More specifically, the people in another world, living on a planet called Earth in a country not conquered by a royal family and in a town you have never heard of.

    I wasn¡¯t going to say that in front of him. It would sound like a terrible joke. Judging by the way his expression of disdain reappeared, I assumed he wasn¡¯t in the mood for any jests. Not any of Elisabeth¡¯s at the very least.

    I motioned to leave, and my maid nodded in agreement. As soon as Teresa and I curtsied, he returned the gesture with a formal bow. The action caught my breath in my throat.

    Well, that was unexpected.

    Seeing him take the initiative to treat me with some respect made me dislike him a little less. I dipped my head towards him and started off with Teresa by my side. When I ran the scenario in my head again, I couldn¡¯t help but think the prince has a soft spot for Viktoria.

    It¡¯s so adorable! I¡¯m sure if they make it past their little quarrels, they¡¯d make a great couple. Imagine how beautiful their children would be. If Viktoria and I were friends, maybe I would have the opportunity to hold their babies. Who am I kidding? The prince would never allow such a thing. I¡¯d be holding the heirs to Whitensen¡¯s throne. He would think I¡¯m trying to poison them.

    ¡°My Lady, those two would make a terrible couple,¡± Teresa told me as we strode away. I snapped my head towards her.

    ¡°What? Why wouldn¡¯t they make a good couple?¡± I questioned her.

    She puffed her cheeks and stopped in her footsteps. ¡°Because I support you and the crown prince!¡±

    I let out a small ¡°oh.¡± I smiled and slipped off my nude-golden gloves. I¡¯ve been sweating in them ever since our confrontation with Lady Millien. As I aired out my fingers, I reminded her, ¡°I¡¯ve told you already, the prince and I already had a wonderful discussion. We hate each other.¡±

    ¡°But, my lady, you two are engaged. There¡¯s no way you can break off the engagement without the king¡¯s approval,¡± Teresa argued, becoming frustrated with my stubbornness.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    For a moment, I thought I heard a weird grunt and muffle. I slowly turned around and caught my eyes on Garrod. He seemed to be suffocating someone. I was about to continue on as if nothing happened, but I jerked back and started right after him. Teresa tried to stop me, but I moved too quickly for her. ¡°Why are you doing that?!¡± The Red Demon Knight stopped squeezing the prince¡¯s neck. As soon as I saw the person he had his hands on, I sighed. ¡°Prince Patrick? You¡¯re here again?¡± The pummeled prince nodded in response.

    This time, he wore a butler¡¯s uniform. The vest was snug on him, and it was just as I thought: he stole it.

    ¡°I was...just trying to sneak one of those macarons you tried, and maybe, maybe I tried to talk to a few ladies, but that¡¯s not as important as the macaron you see,¡± he explained. There was a plump bruise on his cheek. Blood started running down from his nose, and he wiped it with the sleeve of the uniform. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you bothered to check if I was okay. I¡¯m so touched, dear Eli.¡± I was pitying him more than I was disgusted.

    Teresa shook her head. ¡°Just go home, your highness. Lady Carabell will not accept you.¡± The statement she made instantly reminded me of something.

    ¡°Perhaps, if you manage to show me your respect, I¡¯ll one day accept you.¡±

    ¡°Really? You¡¯ll accept me?¡±

    There was the ringing of little Elisabeth¡¯s mischievous giggle. ¡°Yes, of course, I will accept you.¡±

    Recalling how she plotted to manipulate the poor boy into her evildoing made me livid.

    That nasty little girl caused such an innocent child to turn into such a hot mess. Would it be weird to say I hate myself even though I wasn¡¯t the original person who owned this body?

    ¡°It was a lie,¡± I blurted out. ¡°It was all a lie.¡±

    Garrod loosened his grip and let the prince rest against the wall. He slumped in tiredness, but he still turned his head to look at me deliriously. ¡°A lie? Oh, of course, I knew it was a lie. However, it was such a beautiful lie. I couldn¡¯t help but believe it.¡± Teresa and Garrod exchanged confused glances.

    ¡°Let me tell you something that isn¡¯t a lie. Chasing after someone like me is not worth it. Don¡¯t loiter around the academy like some creep. Go home and get your bruise treated,¡± I told him with my hands on my hips.

    He just laughed, laughed, and laughed until I thought I saw something of a tear. If it was a tear, he didn¡¯t let me see it clearly, for he put his hand over his face. ¡°The truth is so cold I refuse to accept it.¡± The moment he removed his hand, it was if he restarted his mind, and all that I said went in one ear and out the other. ¡°You¡¯ve become so much more beautiful, my dear Eli. It¡¯s so unbelievable. I didn¡¯t think someone so perfect could become more than perfection.¡±

    Before the prince could blabber on further about Elisabeth¡¯s attractiveness and charisma, Garrod grabbed his collar and made a swift chop to his nape. The man¡¯s body went limp, and the knight carried him up into his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a few things to ask me, Princess?¡± Garrod questioned me.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Call out my name whenever you feel like asking. I¡¯m going to dispose of this body first. If you¡¯ll excuse me, your highness.¡±

    Hold on. ¡°Dispose of?!¡±

    As soon as I reached out to stop him, an intense red glow illuminated and blinded my sight.

    He¡¯s gone again! Why are people so rude to Elisabeth? Honestly.

    My brain stopped churning thoughts.

    Ah, nevermind, there are plenty of reasons why...

    A sudden headache overwhelmed me, and I clutched my head. I began to rub my temples. ¡°Teresa, let¡¯s just head straight back to the ballroom.¡± She guided her hands forward for me to continue on first. ¡°Can I take home some treats?¡± At this point, my maid looked just as exhausted as I was, so she merely gave me an expression of consent.

    I knew she wanted to know what the conversation between Patrick and I was about, but I don¡¯t believe I should share something that isn¡¯t in my discretion to share. I¡¯m not Elisabeth. I didn¡¯t ask to be her anyways. I don¡¯t want to take responsibility for something I didn¡¯t do, but here I am, feeling bad for someone¡¯s despair that was the result of her meddling.

    The ballroom was as lively as it had been before I left it. The ladies and gentlemen have already danced a few rounds by now. Some were beginning to appear a bit lethargic. Others were just as energetic as they were when the debutante had only just started. Teresa and I looked ghastly in comparison to them. Luckily, they hadn''t eaten much of the desserts. There was plenty left for me to harvest.

    The chamber music was buoyant and cheerful. The duo of violins gave off a lovely spirited voice, and the violoncello made a mellow sound. The candles in the chandelier were relit with newer ones. However, the longer I stared at them, the worse the sick feeling in my stomach became. I could envision the white flames that danced around me the night of the transmigration.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re excited about this either,¡± I said in a whisper to my maid.

    All of a sudden, it was like her exhaustion had faded away. An odd glow returned to her eyes. ¡°No, I am thrilled, my lady!¡± Her words made me want to drop to the floor and sit there for the rest of the debutante. I would go back to the lounge, but lord knows what could happen if I do that. ¡°Truly, my lady,¡± she added, trying to convince me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just go back to the estate. We¡¯ve arrived. That was already too much of a hassle anyway,¡± I complained. ¡°What more could I do? No one wants to talk to me, and I don¡¯t want to talk to them either. Those same people are the ones making my life a living hell at the academy.¡±

    Teresa shook her head. The utter motion made my shoulders sag miserably. ¡°No, my lady, we should, at least, stay here for a bit longer. The duke will be furious if he finds out you returned early. You know the debutante is very important to Whitensen society.¡±

    I groaned, feeling the corset restricting my body again. ¡°Let me go collect some sweets then.¡± I was about to head straight towards the array of desserts, but Teresa caught me by my arm.

    My heart abruptly picked up the pace.

    ¡°Let me go and take some sweets for you. The other guests will think you¡¯re a glutton if you take so much for yourself,¡± she reasoned.

    Whew.

    I thought she was going to tell me something important. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they couldn¡¯t think less of me. Even my mother called me a glutton. What could be worse? Having my maid being called a glutton too. One of us having a bad reputation is better than the both of us having a bad reputation.¡±

    Teresa stepped between me and the path to the dessert table. ¡°Teresa¡­¡± I said with irritation.

 Chapter 19 - Resolve Your Differences

    ¡°Your reputation is constantly fluctuating, my lady. Recently, the negative gossip about you has decreased. We should strive to improve your social standing,¡± my maid said firmly, not budging from her spot.

    She wore an expression of shameless defiance. Teresa was entirely unaffected by my visible frustration. It was like she regained the ability to talk back to me. Typically, she wouldn¡¯t dare to do such a thing.

    Is it because we¡¯re in the middle of a ball? Is that why?

    Sometimes, she¡¯d have a burst of anger, and other times, she¡¯d just scold me for my manners. The majority of the time, she relies on the duke and the duchess to feel remotely confident when facing me. Without the duke or the duchess, Teresa almost crumbles when she¡¯s near me. Never do I hold it against her. Whatever the previous Elisabeth had done, it had scarred her mentally.

    Meaning, if I ever meet the original Elisabeth, I¡¯m going to have a very ¡°civilized¡± conversation with her.

    I sighed, folding my silk gloves up, stuffing one in the other. ¡°Alright,¡± I finally decided. ¡°I suppose it¡¯ll be nicer if people stop treating me like trash.¡± Teresa¡¯s ¡°strict teacher¡± demeanor reduced to the miserable slump of dejection.

    The mere idea was appealing. I would love to be treated like a human being by my peers. Something I dearly miss from my life on Earth was how people had at least one ounce of respect for me. Then again, how much work would it take for these self-absorbed students to stop acting so awfully towards me?

    An intrusive thought emerged in my mind.

    Perhaps, that¡¯s why Elisabeth wanted to be with Caydel so much.

    She wanted to become queen, and as queen, people cannot easily say anything towards you that could be the slightest bit offensive. Although she is a duke¡¯s daughter, her status doesn¡¯t seem to protect her anymore. Suffering from the aftermath of her schemes is all I needed to draw that conclusion. Either that or Elisabeth wanted the power of ruling over all of the citizens in Whitensen. I¡¯d like to think she had a broader range of motives, and that she isn¡¯t the usual villain like she is told in everyone¡¯s stories.

    ¡°Is that your maid?¡± I turned my head to look at the person who the sweet and familiar voice belonged to. A lady with luscious golden hair and amethyst eyes suddenly appeared by my side. It took a moment for me to register who it was. My expression immediately became sour when it dawned upon me.

    I was already in a shitty mood, I thought today couldn¡¯t become worse.

    Her silvery dress¡¯s fabric brushed by mine as she stepped before me. The ensemble made her look like an angel, delicate yet powerful. ¡°I simply cannot believe it, Lady Carabell. You¡¯ve finally let your maid attend a ball, the debutante at that.¡± Viktoria seemed to be a little agitated, for her expression was unmoving. Usually, I¡¯d see her smiling or something of the sort. I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s still the optimistic person she¡¯s always been when we shared classes. Perhaps, that was all just a facade, and she¡¯s showing her true colors now.

    If I recall correctly, this is the debutante! Showing your charm is important! At least, that¡¯s what Teresa had reminded me over and over again when we were dressing up for the ball earlier.

    For some reason, my pounding headache had returned. There was this burning sensation in my heart that made it arduous for me to move without becoming exhausted. I tried not to make the pain visible in my expression, but that¡¯s when I noticed that Viktoria''s face had started to contort. It seemed that she furrowed her eyebrows in...pain?

    ¡°Lady Lancaster¡­¡± I spoke, giving her a curtsy to greet her. However, she didn¡¯t return the greeting. The fact that she didn¡¯t bother to reciprocate the action meant more than disrespect.

    There was no argument about it. Viktoria knew all about the customs and manners of ballroom etiquette, and it seemed she knew it so well she didn¡¯t have to take those classes at the academy. Unfortunately, my knowledge of ballroom etiquette is on the lifeline of Teresa¡¯s assistance. However, even I knew the basics of greetings. Obviously, I expected something in return. The Lancaster family has a reputation for having the most respectful daughter within all of Whitensen¡¯s noble circle. Sadly, it doesn¡¯t seem like I¡¯m going to receive any respect from her. Even Prince Caydel bowed to me as I left. At least, he tried.

    I wasn¡¯t standing for any more bullshit tonight. ¡°Would you be kind enough to return my greeting, Lady Lancaster. Or, do you think your status as Duke Lancaster¡¯s daughter is more than that of being Duke Carabell¡¯s daughter?¡± Teresa flinched upon hearing my words. ¡°We are equals in name,¡± I added.

    ¡°My Lady¡­¡± She seemed to be worried about what I was going to do. I ignored her concerns, and I knew I was going to regret it. I made up my mind that I would atone for my mistakes later.

    I was more than pissed off. I wanted to go back to the estate, and guess what? I can¡¯t!The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Oh, balls are fun. Oh, the debutante is the most exciting event for young ladies. Oh, don¡¯t stress about it.

    Don¡¯t stress?! Are you kidding me?

    Despite my rage, I remained as composed as I could possibly be.

    ¡°Lady Carabell, you¡¯ve become more reticent these days. Is it because you know you¡¯re guilty? You don¡¯t think you deserve respect from me, do you?¡± Lady Lancaster questioned me. ¡°Oh, of course, you¡¯re asking for it. You¡¯re Elisabeth Madeline Carabell, of course, you would dare to ask someone to pay respect to you after having attempted to poison them. Do you think you could blame the poisoning on someone else without any repercussions?¡±

    Is she trying to cause a ruckus? Is it because she¡¯s bored? That couldn¡¯t possibly be a decent reason for bothering your opponent at the academy¡¯s debutante ball!

    I had rehearsed this scenario in my head multiple times, so I had a gist of what exactly I should say. It was also because the duke had ordered Teresa to teach me what to say to evade further embarrassment and shame for the Carabell family. As selfish as it sounds, I truly didn¡¯t care whose reputation it saved as long as it protected mine.

    ¡°Whether or not you believe it was the maid, the fact is, my former maid has been found guilty for the crime and punished for her actions. You can¡¯t possibly be saying that the royal court failed to detect the culprit accurately.¡± I adjusted my stance and looked at her directly in the eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to cause a disturbance in the middle of the debutante, right? If you have further concerns, you may contact me through a letter.¡±

    Viktoria¡¯s cheeks turned a bit red. ¡°Lady Carabell, how dare you!¡± By now, the altercation attracted the attention of the guests surrounding us. Ladies and gentlemen have begun to whisper amongst each other. My heart began to throb with adrenaline.

    Instead of snapping back at the famous noble lady, I made a display of myself by giving her my best curtsy. ¡°Good evening, Lady Lancaster. It was quite enjoyable to speak to you today. I will take my leave.¡±

    I was hoping she¡¯d let me escape in peace, but it didn¡¯t turn out that way. ¡°Enjoyable¡­! You were the one that poisoned me, Lady Carabell! I will never forgive you!¡± she was shouting, acting so dramatically that my distress boosted the speed my heart raced at. The crowd around us began to become rowdy with the news. Teresa started to breathe laboriously, gasping for air.

    Crap. Crap. Crap.

    Gradually, I noticed how the crowd around us had frozen in place. Mouths were kept open, expressions remained the same, and dresses didn¡¯t swivel. Only an elderly man moved towards us. He was dressed in a black regal robe and had his hands folded. He wasn¡¯t tall, but his straight posture made him appear authoritative.

    ¡°Miss Lancaster and Miss Carabell, I would suggest that you refrain from causing a scene at the academy debutante ball.¡± When my eyes laid on this man¡¯s face, I immediately realized that it was Headmaster Oscar!

    The wrinkles in his face clearly showed his disapproval of our choices. I glanced over to look at Viktoria and saw that she could also move. Regarding everyone else, they remained immobile. It was actually quite hilarious the poses these guests were frozen in. I might have laughed, but I knew this would give the headmaster another reason why I should be expelled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Headmaster,¡± I apologized, deciding that if Carabell¡¯s lowlife didn¡¯t say something first, she would definitely be scolded more harshly. Viktoria also thought similarly, for she also apologized, but I beat her to it. Years of learning to swiftly say sorry after every single thing I thought I might have done wrong has trained me for moments like this.

    He took in a deep breath. ¡°You two are not allowed in the same classes starting Monday. It is clear no matter where you two are, you will always have issues with one another. I hope that you can learn to resolve your differences. However, to cause such a disturbance at the debutante ball of Whitensen is entirely unacceptable.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even say anything that would be considered overly offensive to Viktoria. Yet, the headmaster is acting as if I did. Here we are, being scolded on equal terms even though I didn¡¯t raise my voice.

    The headmaster frowned at us, checking a shiny and golden pocket watch he pulled out from his garment. The chain dangled for a bit before he shoved it back into his robe. ¡°I have taken the initiative to pause time in this space for you. In a matter of ten seconds, make up your mind whether or not you will resume your actions. This will determine your status of enrollment at the academy. I am greatly disappointed in you, Miss Lancaster. I had expected more from a diligent student like you. As for you, Miss Carabell, I hope that you will find some peace in your heart and stop this nonsense.¡±

    Then, the headmaster proceeded towards me. Upon observing me, his expression deepened with concentration. ¡°You have a buildup of stress within you. This could be detrimental to your health. I will remove some of the tension, but please do yourself a favor and properly rest.¡± He reached out and placed his palm over my forehead. I watched as this strange black aura was extracted from me. As he did so, I felt my body relax and feel lighter. ¡°That should do it.¡±

    The headache had faded away! How did he do that? Could he be a mage from Leonard?

    ¡°Time is up,¡± Headmaster Oscar informed us.

    The crowd suddenly buzzed with commotion.

    ¡°Did you feel that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did. It was like I was stuck in place.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so strange, I feel like I¡¯ve forgotten something."

    When I searched my surroundings, our headmaster had vanished!

    Whatever Headmaster Oscar had done had erased our conversation from their memory. Meaning, I should take this opportunity to leave with Teresa immediately. Viktoria and I exchanged brief glances and proceeded off in opposite directions. I motioned for my confused and flustered maid to follow me. Teresa trailed behind me, swooping up desserts from the tables as we walked by.

    To think she would still bother to take some desserts with us before we left. Sometimes, I wish Teresa would take a break more often. The minor chores should be left for me to handle. I¡¯m really grateful for her help. If I didn¡¯t have such a smart and attentive maid, I think I would have made plenty of foolish mistakes.

    Gazing at her balancing some plates in her hands and laughing as we hightailed it out of there made my mind feel more at ease.

 Chapter 20 - The Lord is Home

    My beloved maid sat across from me in the luxurious horse-drawn carriage. Our hair was a bit tangled after that rush out of the ballroom, so we loosened the pins and shook off the rest of the ornaments. The pile of decor rested beside us in the carriage. It would awkwardly shift when the wheels of the moving vehicle rolled over a rock. The rest of the ride primarily included me stealing a few bites from the looted treats, and Teresa swatting at me occasionally for attempting to consume more.

    ¡°My Lady, you should not,¡± she would tell me. After scolding me, she would pull the desserts farther away from me. There was a limit to how much distance she could create between me and my delicious treasures. It¡¯s a Carabell carriage! It may be lavish and glamorous inside (representative of the Carabells¡¯ wealth), but it¡¯s still just a small space.

    What can I say? If we wait too long to eat them, they¡¯ll become stale!

    I knew she was right about how critical it was for me to maintain a healthy diet.

    However, is it really about me? Or, is it all about the Carabell family¡¯s reputation? Yes, I am assuming this because I am a selfish fool and would prefer that the entire world revolves around me.

    Not really. You¡¯re mistaking me for Elisabeth Madeline Carabell. However, it¡¯s true that when these people are supposedly caring for me, they are actually just pampering me to look gorgeous before society.

    I never know what to think about Elisabeth¡¯s predicament. The only reason the duke is keeping Elisabeth alive is that they don¡¯t want to tarnish their reputable image of raising accomplished children. I assume that if I manage to convince Prince Caydel to marry me, I will have satisfied the ¡°accomplished¡± requirement of Carabell descendants. I can¡¯t see what other feasible reason there could be. Either way, I merely wish to indulge in all the junk food in this world without being reprimanded.

    The route back to the estate only took approximately half an hour, but it felt like it had been eons since the ball. By then, I had switched multiple positions in the carriage. I leaned over here, moved my legs there, and even tried lying down. The whole endeavor to find just a little bit of comfort failed miserably. No matter what I did, my corset remained painfully constricting. Perhaps, I should have waited until we arrived back at the estate to devour the sugary goodness.

    The snacking made me think about the debutante some more?if I hadn¡¯t already been thinking about it enough during the ride.

    Who am I kidding? How was it possible for me to not think about the whole ball? So many strange and perplexing events took place within the span of merely two hours! And, to think that both of the Whitensen princes had approached me in such unusual circumstances. It was the first time they had spoken to me since my initial arrival at the academy. You can¡¯t forget how the most honorable Viktoria Lancaster tried to suggest that the Carabells are liars in front of an entire ballroom of guests.

    Teresa wasn¡¯t wrong when she said the academy¡¯s debutante ball was exhilarating.

    I placed my hands in my lap and leaned over to the curtained-covered window. ¡°Teresa.¡± The maid directed her dark eyes towards me. I thought I should tell her, my consciousness had been nagging at me since I dragged her out of the debutante. ¡°Headmaster Oscar paid us a visit,¡± I informed her. She didn¡¯t seem very shocked at the news. Instead, Teresa adjusted her hair to the other side of her neck, coiling it into a twirl of black hair, and twisting it into a bun. She secured the bundle of locks with a few pins. When Teresa finished, she let out a soft exhale.

    At last, my maid told me, ¡°Yes, this has happened before.¡± Without noticing it, my mouth was agape.

    If she¡¯s saying that, that must mean she was involved in an altercation that required the headmaster to intervene. I recall how the elderly man took precautions to wipe people¡¯s memories after he paused time. If I¡¯m correct, she was directly involved, and that could be the only way she remembers.

    ¡°If the headmaster took the initiative to erase the memory, that means you don¡¯t need to share what took place with me. I trust his decisions, as should you, my lady.¡± I didn¡¯t exactly know what she meant about trusting him, but I took her word for it. I couldn¡¯t tell if she was saying it generally, or if she was referring to my pending status of enrollment at the academy.

    Eventually, the bumpy ride back made me start to feel motion sickness. Paired with a stomach full of sugar, I wanted to throw up. Our arrival at the Carabell Estate was a bit abrupt, and you¡¯ll see why very shortly. Windows were dim, and there seemed to be a quietness when we rolled by the property.

    A slight breeze that blew past us as we stood outside before the grand golden and shiny gates of the Carabell duchy¡¯s ginormous estate. While I waited for the closed gate to open, Teresa struggled to contact the butler that supervised the barriers surrounding the Carabell property. With every buzz, I could see her frustration spreading throughout her face. The coachman stepped down from the driver¡¯s seat of the carriage and expressed his growing annoyance along with both of us. He wore a scowl that made my skin crawl with goosebumps.

    Huh, that¡¯s odd. You would¡¯ve thought there would be someone to open the gates for us.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Teresa, why isn¡¯t anyone answering?¡± I questioned her. The coachman shrugged and slumped down to the gravel.

    My maid gave up buzzing the bell as soon as she heard me ask that. ¡°My Lady, I¡¯ll be using the servants¡¯ master key. Is that okay?¡± I nodded, and the coachman sent me a face of relief.

    ¡°Thank goodness, Teresa. You¡¯re the only responsible one here,¡± the coachman remarked. I saw a red tint flicker across the glammed up maiden¡¯s cheeks.

    Alright, okay. I know you don¡¯t like Elisabeth, Mr. Coachman, but could you not include me in your compliment one person and insult everyone else spiel?

    I sent the man a glare, but he ignored my facial messages of ¡°don¡¯t be an asshole.¡± The coachman was around his early thirties or so with light brown eyes that twinkled as they watched my maid search for the keys. He was pretty decent-looking, with a little stubble on his chin. His build was a bit lean, but I assume that his legs were built. He¡¯s an errand boy for the Carabells. Elisabeth must have ordered him around often. However, one thing that was unique about this man was his vibrant fiery red hair beneath the cap he donned. If you couldn¡¯t already notice it wasn¡¯t his natural hair color, the roots of his hair were black.

    Rarely do I ever come across people with dyed hair in Whitensen. It¡¯s actually quite a pleasing sight to behold. It reminds me of Earth, and all the various shades of dyed hair people could have. To think that I actually miss the world that I came from...

    As I stared at his crop of hair, he caught his eyes onto me. I could see his gaze swiftly harden, and then I averted the unsettling eye contact. Teresa pulled out a golden ring of multiple keys and flipped through each one until she found a key that she was content with. Next, she took out a pendant that was looped around her neck beneath the neckline of the light blue tulle gown she wore.

    I was wondering what that chain was. Teresa had been wearing it ever since the opening of the debutante ball.

    Suddenly, a bright light flashed. I shielded my face with my arm to prevent the intense glowing from blinding me. I could hear the horses shriek and whinny. Along with that was the sound of a grown man struggling to withstand some weight. Slowly, the burst of luminosity dispersed, and the enormous gates were open.

    The coachman groaned. He was trying to soothe the startled horses. ¡°Do you always have to do that?¡± Teresa proceeded through and held her hand out to emphasize that we should hurry in. That¡¯s when I noticed that there weren¡¯t any locks on the gate.

    My maid brought her fingertips to her lips, and I kept my mouth shut.

    The flash must¡¯ve been a diversion in case anyone was following us and trying to find ways into the estate. I want to have a magical necklace like that! Though, you would think Elisabeth would have a set of keys to enter the estate whenever she liked. I guess it¡¯s just worthless wishing. The duke doesn¡¯t trust me. Thanks for letting me know, Jillian.

    The coachman went ahead to the stables on the Carabell property with the carriage after he dropped us off at the curb of the estate. When we had reached the entrance, there was an eerie stillness. At this point, it was clear no one was awaiting our return. Teresa knocked gently, and we waited for five long minutes.

    ¡°Teresa, it¡¯s been a while now. At least, longer than usual. Why aren¡¯t they letting us in?¡± I asked her. My legs gave out, and my body slumped to sit on one of the steps leading to the polished oak doors.

    I just wanted to flop on that wonderfully soft and cushiony mattress with its light comforter and silky quilt. It may not actually be my bed, but I sure would enjoy it right now.

    She frowned and tried knocking with a bit more force. Once again, silence followed after, and I sighed exasperatedly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lady, but they are not coming to let us in. I apologize for the inconvenience.¡±

    This is ridiculous! I can¡¯t even go into my own home!

    I was remarkably frustrated by how unresponsive any of the maids or butlers were. By now, I was beginning to regret coming home early.

    If I had stayed at the ball instead of rushing back to the estate, would it make any difference?

    I couldn¡¯t tell whether or not it would. The servants of the Carabell Estate couldn¡¯t care less for me.

    I was about to suggest using those fancy keys Teresa had on the door¡¯s lock when I thought I caught a noise coming from within the estate. Slowly, I heard footsteps and an unfamiliar man¡¯s voice. ¡°No, I will not stay. I would prefer it if you refrained from sending me unimportant letters. They have become a nuisance amid the current circumstances in Leonard.¡±

    Teresa gasped. I could hear her mumble, ¡°The lord is home.¡±

    The lord? Is that who I think it is¡­?

    ¡°Allen, you have to understand,¡± the duke¡¯s voice resounded. ¡°I am sending letters to suggest that you come home and stay at home! Leonard may enter a war soon, and I cannot allow my son to go missing because of it.¡±

    Allen? Allen Carabell? Elisabeth¡¯s brother? Oh my goodness, is he really here?

    Teresa shot worried glances towards me. Unexpectedly, she started to push me away from the door.

    ¡°My Lady, we should not confront the lord,¡± she told me in a frenzied tone. ¡°We should not!¡± I struggled against her grip, refusing to leave.

    ¡°You are the heir, and I expect that you act accordingly. As soon as Elisabeth leaves the estate, you have the duchy for yourself,¡± the voice of Elisabeth¡¯s father resounded.

    There was a brief shuffling of feet, clicking of the lock, and at last, the doors had opened. ¡°You think I will?¡± The gentleman nearly ran into Teresa and me.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± I mumbled. He was a handsome man, and quite a bit taller than me. He immediately made me think of the gender-bent version of Elisabeth. ¡°Allen?¡± I called him. His expression darkened drastically upon laying his gaze on me. Immediately, I noticed how his emerald eyes resembled that of Elisabeth¡¯s father so much. Shivers ran up and down my back.

    Not a moment longer, the door slammed shut in my face. I jerked back. ¡°Hey!¡± I shouted. I glanced back at my maid.

    My eyes widened when I saw that Teresa had tears streaming down to her chin, wetting her beautiful tulle gown. ¡°My Lady, please. We should not try to go in any longer,¡± she begged. ¡°I will find us a place to stay outside of the estate. We cannot return home.¡± I caught her by the arm before she could run away and do anything.

    ¡°I am sick and tired of this. Why shouldn¡¯t we? It is my home!¡± I exclaimed. I was about to go and yank that door back open when she pulled me back.

    ¡°No! Please, my lady!¡± she screamed. ¡°Have mercy on the lord!¡±

 Chapter 21 - Im Sorry, Teresa

    My mouth was partly open, words struggling to come out. I wrinkled my eyebrows, and I ceased struggling against Teresa. ¡°You think...you think I¡¯ll hurt Allen?¡± I questioned her. My bitter facial expression slowly shifted into despondency. My heart felt crushed into smithereens, grounded into powder, and tossed into an ocean to float away.

    So she just took all of my recent generosity as some phase? When will she stop believing I¡¯ll harm someone? What can I do when I live around a bunch of lunatics who assume I¡¯m about to murder when I approach them or another person?

    ¡°Ah, my lady¡­¡± Teresa started, but I cut her off by walking away from the estate¡¯s entrance.

    That¡¯s fine then. If everyone believes I¡¯m going to hurt others, I should find somewhere else to live. If I sell what I¡¯m wearing now, I¡¯ll be able to afford a modest house and still have a portion of the money to sustain my living on. Huh. Wealth and lavishness at the cost of my sanity. No, thanks!

    Teresa rushed after me and grabbed me. ¡°My Lady, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I just didn¡¯t want what happened between you and Allen to happen again. Please, believe me. It¡¯s the last thing I want to happen.¡±

    I slackened the tenseness in my shoulders, letting them hang low. By now, it was late evening. The sun had drifted beneath the horizon already, and the moon glowered softly. Clouds masked the crescent, but its shining light shone through. All I wished for was a warm rinse, and some dearly needed sleep. My legs were more than exhausted. The heels have been digging into my feet for the past few hours. I just wanted to tear them off and finally rest, my mind at ease, and the coolness from the windows breezing around the space.

    A week. It¡¯s only been a week. This is insane.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too. I¡¯m a selfish person at heart, and you know it better than I do,¡± I admitted, grabbing a crop of my wavy hair in aggravation. ¡°I hate this feeling that just keeps telling me that I¡¯m wrong. I always give in to what it says.¡±

    On days where I had a dull schedule, I hated the life I led. Nothing could distract me from the hollowness in my chest. It was as if the world had paused its clockwork and started rewinding back. You would begin to reminisce about what fond memories you had. Without noticing it, you¡¯d commence the stages of despair. This burning sensation in your throat arose, and your mind would sink deeper into its remorseful oblivion.

    Everyone has that moment where you despise whatever choices you make and whatever you said to someone. It¡¯s that moment when you turn to look at yourself in a mirror and think, ¡°What a mess.¡±

    The door to the estate didn¡¯t open again that night. I couldn¡¯t help the looming sense of abandonment from a family that I didn¡¯t belong to.

    Teresa went ahead and made arrangements with one of the nearby inns. We had a few inns decline our request to stay, and each time they did, I watched as her soul gradually disappeared from her eyes. It¡¯s as if her pride crumbles over and over whenever we¡¯re rejected.

    ¡°Could we rent a room for a few nights of stay?¡± Teresa would ask as sweetly as she could.

    Their response was usually monotone or disgusted. The innkeepers failed to refrain from showing their clear disdain for us.

    ¡°For her? No, we will not provide our rooms for Lady Carabell. Last time we did, she destroyed one of our rooms.¡±

    ¡°B-but...¡± Teresa stuttered, trying to find a reason why we should stay. After noticing how much she was struggling, I motioned for us to leave.

    I didn¡¯t only realize Elisabeth was infamously known throughout Whitensen as a malicious noble lady, I realized how much the everyday people detest the mention of her.

    How awful.

    I flopped on the bed. The place was pricey, with a sizable bath and some prepared snacks that I avoided tasting. Beautiful paintings adorned the walls, but I couldn¡¯t help but think that if someone were struggling, they¡¯d steal all of them and sell them for revenue.

    It wasn¡¯t a terrible idea. I would do that. If masquerading as Elisabeth doesn¡¯t work out, I know I have my options.

    The walls were a deep red that reminded me of the color of scarlet wine. Teresa had booked a separate room from me, so it was complete silence that submerged me into the depths of my thoughts. After tossing and turning for an excruciating hour, I rose up from the meticulously arranged bed, crawling out to sit at the small wooden desk that was across from it.

    The innkeeper provided us with a fresh change of sleepwear, some slippers, and a nightcap. We sported the silky nightgowns as we had no other clothes. I didn¡¯t complain, I felt so much better after crawling out of that stuffy golden gown. At the desk, there was a pen with some dipping ink and sheets of paper. I wanted to write something, to purge my mind of all its negative thoughts, but the writing fuel within me was depleted until its last drop. As I was about to touch the pen to the paper, I heard a thump come from next door.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

    Teresa? What was she doing that was making all this racket?

    I started walking towards the wall to find the source of the noise. It seemed like my maid was trying to lug some weight around. My mind was astonishingly alert and immensely bored, so I slipped on the inn¡¯s supplied slippers and chose to leave my room. The hallway was dim, with a few lit sconces running down each side of it. Staring at them brought back unpleasant memories that crept into my mind and made my heart begin to race with anxiety.

    Fire. The burning sensation. That frightening hot scalding.

    I shook my head and walked over to Teresa¡¯s room next door. I knocked a few times. The noises in there paused. I could hear her light footsteps increase in volume as she approached the door from the other side. The moment she rotated the knob and the door creaked open, she took a step back.

    ¡°My Lady! Why are you still awake?¡± she questioned me. Teresa was wearing the same silky nightgown as I was, and her hair was put into a single braid that trailed behind her. In her hands was a spool of rosy pink thread. ¡°Ah, was I being too noisy? I apologize. I was searching for my sewing tools.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I was just curious as to what you were doing in the middle of the night,¡± I answered, rubbing my eyes tiredly. ¡°Was having a little trouble sleeping after today¡¯s events.¡±

    She stepped aside for me to see inside her room. It was scarcely lit, there was a single long candle illuminating the area. ¡°Come in, my lady. I am making you a light dress so you can attend your classes at the academy with something suitable for a noble lady. This will only be for tomorrow.¡±

    Immediately, I thought that her definition of ¡°suitable for a noble lady¡± was much different from mine. However, when I made myself comfortable on the edge of her bed, I saw that she was making a beautiful lace pattern over a few layers of fabric.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± I complimented her, and she spread an unnatural smile across her face.

    I ran my fingers over the stitching. Each one of Teresa''s sewing movements was excellently executed at a rapid rate. She weaved and tied thread so briskly that I couldn¡¯t keep up with how exactly she did it. I watched dumbfoundedly at her exceptional hand sewing skill.

    A question came across me. ¡°Where did you find all this?"

    ¡°The innkeeper¡¯s son is a tailor. He let me take some of his materials if I gave him the shoes I wore for the debutante,¡± Teresa informed me, paying no mind to it.

    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±

    Wait, what would a man do with heels? Is he a crossdresser?

    Again, I wanted to slap myself.

    How likely would it be for a man to share the same shoe size as Teresa? I mean, the shoes are also worth plenty of gold. Perhaps, he¡¯s planning on selling it. Ah nevermind, it¡¯s his now. He can do whatever it wants with them. Oh! Maybe I could ask Teresa to make the dress design to my taste.

    ¡°Could you make the sleeves with all lace and shaped in a bishop style?¡± She nodded, and I resumed when she didn¡¯t complain about the request. ¡°Then, for the bodice, you could keep it simple and make the skirt ruffled with the same lace as the sleeves.¡± Teresa quickly caught on to my suggestions and replicated them with the best of her extraordinary ability.

    I strove to assist her with some of the most straightforward portions of the stitching, so I could feel less of a foreboding nuisance when sitting beside her. The sewing made my mind feel more relaxed, and I noticed that Teresa seemed fairly contented with all the stitching and cutting fabric.

    ¡°Do you like making dresses?¡± I asked her tenderly, doing my best to ensure that I¡¯m not staring at her excessively. I was overly sensitive to her feelings by now. ¡°You¡¯re a natural at this.¡± Her smile vanished from her face, and she promptly laid down the section of the sleeve she was diligently working on. I took a risky glimpse at Teresa and observed how she gave a quiet sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s the most pleasurable aspect of my job as your long-time maid, my lady. I have sewn many of your dresses since the day you were born. Of course, you had received many gifts throughout your life, but whatever you requested, I created. At those times, you were the happiest little girl. I would do anything to make sure you were in an agreeable mood¡­¡± Teresa abruptly stopped speaking. I looked up to see why she did.

    She had her hands cupped around her face, which was tilted down as if she was ashamed. The moonlight shone on her, making her raven braid glisten. A little droplet of a tear fell down to the dress¡¯s newly stitched lace. Breathy sobs escaped her lips. Instead of recognizing her as a hardworking maid, she resembled a vulnerable, tender woman suffering from the excruciating agony of grief. I despairingly yearned to comfort her, but I didn¡¯t know what I could do. I lacked the ability to know what to mention when others are suffering.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...I¡¯m so sorry, my lady.¡± She continued to weep, her hands trembling, and her eyes squeezed shut. ¡°I¡¯ve failed as your right-hand maid.¡± As soon as she removed the contact from her face and hands, she clenched the uncut fabric. She hesitantly parted her eyes and gazed away from me.

    ¡°Teresa¡­¡± Although I haven¡¯t known this woman as long as the previous Elisabeth had, I could tell that this was the first time she had confessed anything remotely like this. If the original Elisabeth were here instead of me, would she dare to mention this?

    ¡°My Lady, I want to apologize, so let me apologize. As unruly as this sounds as your inferior, I have spoiled you without any discipline. Now, when we go outside, others refuse to look your way with respect.¡± She loosened her grip on the cloth and pushed it aside. ¡°I have not only failed you, but I have failed the duke and the duchess. I thought, as the maid of the daughter of a duke, I could live luxuriously, but I was wrong. I was there to pay a debt I had to the Carabells, how could I be so vain to think I could exist right beside you in peace?¡±

    I wanted to ask her about the debt that she mentioned. However, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do that after she told me this. She took a peek at me and then averted her gaze. An awkward silence filled the room.

    At last, all I could think of saying was: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Teresa.¡±

    What other stupid thing could I think of saying?

 Chapter 22 - A Broken Family

    - At the Carabell Estate after Allen shut the door on Elisabeth and Teresa -

    The young man started gasping, his two limbs beginning to give out under his weight. Without waiting for another moment, the duke rushed to summon for some of the nearby maids. ¡°Jillian, hurry up!¡± The girl with cropped blonde hair sprinted over to the kitchen faucet to fetch some cooling water. The entire estate buzzed around the lord within seconds. ¡°My son, you are safe. I am here for you.¡± The duke tried to conjure up any feasible approaches to assist Allen. No matter how concerned the esteemed duke was for his dear child, he could do nothing to soothe him but mutter how much he cared for his son. Although he seldom showed it, it was true he loved him.

    Allen began coughing, falling to his knees and hands. Salty tears streamed down from his emerald green eyes as he choked, gasping desperately for air. Sweat began to bead on his forehead. Jillian dabbed at his face with a damp towel and provided him with the retrieved water. The distraught duke just paced back and forth as his son melted down into a mess. He felt helpless. The only individuals capable of causing the duke¡¯s sharp green eyes to be filled with sorrow were his children?that didn¡¯t exclude Elisabeth.

    ¡°Marianne...Marianne!¡± Duke Carabell roared, his face contorting to dread. The duchess flashed before him in a wisp of black smoke, and swiftly calculating the scene, she nodded to her troubled husband.

    ¡°Clusi yuaras monde ende sliipaq. Thonkal ufag thi cluadsat,¡± the duchess chanted the language of Whitensen mages. Holding her hand out, a flash of dark magic, exuded from her fingertips, enclosed Allen. The motion made his body go limp like a ragdoll, and the panicked maids encircling him shriek.

    The duke rushed over to his son and brought him up into his arms. The warmness of his son in his grasp made him relieved. ¡°Close your mind and sleep. Think of the clouds,¡± he translated out loud. His rapid heart rate gradually slowed down, and his mind felt at ease.

    ¡°Hmph! And many, many, years ago, you would have thought the language was dirty. Let¡¯s have him sleep in the guest room,¡± his wife proposed. The duke was visibly peeved at the objectionable timing of her remark.

    The duke and the duchess only wanted to convince their son to come back to the estate and stay. The thought came across the ducal couple a few days ago.

    ¡°Allen has to return home. I don¡¯t want him to stay in Leonard. Grenada, do you know what is going on there? Do you know about how the Leonard mages are trying to round up the non-magic users and murder them?¡± Duchess Carabell questioned her husband at the dinner table.

    They had a species of boiled and seasoned crustacean that was common in Whitensen, senters. Senters are almost like a cross between lobsters and crabs. It was left untouched by the duchess, and so were her dining utensils. The inquiry hung in the dining room like the illuminated chandelier overhead of them.

    ¡°We cannot ask for him to return if he refuses to. That son of mine is as stubborn as any of the Carabells,¡± the duke remarked, confliction obvious in the way he frowned.

    Should he be proud that his son is almost just like him? Or, should he also demand that Allen come home on the grounds of dragging him back?

    ¡°Leonard mages have no discipline. Oscar is a rare exception. To think we would send both our children to an academy run by a Leonard maniac.¡± The duchess chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. ¡°Things have changed quite a bit since our times, but it seems the ones that remain in Leonard are still trying to create anarchy.¡±

    Duke Carabell propped his head in his hands. His wife watched him agonize over the thoughts inside of his mind. She reached out to his shoulder and rubbed him in an attempt to comfort her husband.

    ¡°For once, Marianne, I don¡¯t know what we should do. Our children, I don¡¯t know what I will do with them. Elisabeth has stayed quiet these couple days. However, Allen is still traumatized. That incident has permanently changed him. Couldn¡¯t they just make amends? This is ridiculous!¡± he shouted without warning.

    Grenada slammed the table and stood up. Marianne swiftly blocked him with the flick of her finger. A burst of inky dark magic restricted him from moving away.

    ¡°You blasted mages.¡± The man gave up almost without hesitation. At first, he thought of breaking through the magical barrier, but he knew how almighty Marianne was. Before he met her, he thought he would never marry a mage. In the end, the influential duke strove to pursue her, his heart stolen by the mischievous vixen. He speculated that if she was the most powerful mage in the Whitensen kingdom, perhaps, she could be an exception. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this woman was his beloved wife, the table would have been splattered with blood by now.

    His wife peered at him with a face of commiseration. ¡°You know you can¡¯t just tell them to overcome their fears and issues. We can¡¯t change what went down that day. As usual, I contacted Allen¡¯s therapist in Leonard, and he¡¯s informed me that Allen hasn¡¯t been visiting his office recently. We aren¡¯t with Allen in Leonard, there¡¯s nothing we can do besides sending letters. I promised him I wouldn¡¯t use magic.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just use your magic regardless of the promise?¡± The mere suggestion made the duchess want to strangle him. She shot him a menacing glare. ¡°I¡¯ll never break our marriage promise if you¡¯re concerned.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The duchess silently stared at her husband, and then she burst out in a cackle. ¡°Of course, I know that!¡± She wiped a tear from her eye. ¡°I gave you two shackles already, and society knows them too well for you to get rid of them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t refer to our children as shackles,¡± the duke returned. He poked away at his senter. Their dinners have already gone lukewarm.

    The influential mage leaned over to Grenada. ¡°The children are shackles, and I¡¯m the chain.¡± Her sultry voice stimulated goosebumps up and down the man¡¯s scarred arms. His eyes were in the rapture of his wife¡¯s beauty. Then, she quickly added, sitting straight up, ¡°I don¡¯t want anymore. The more children I give you, the older you look.¡±

    The duke gazed upon her with disapproval, heaving a sigh. ¡°I want to be a good parent.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try then?¡± the duchess questioned him. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re trying.¡±

    He sent her a scowl. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m trying! You don¡¯t bother with communicating with our children!¡±

    ¡°You are trying to lecture me? I can¡¯t look at either of them since the incident. Elisabeth has a mind of a devil, and Allen is beyond saving.¡± The duchess wanted to slap the duke across the face for turning the conversation against her.

    Grenada rubbed his head with firm circular movements. ¡°We must do something. How many years has it been, Marianne? Here we are, trying to resolve an issue that has lasted for nearly five years now.¡±

    ¡°You know why. We¡¯ve been avoiding it, and this is our punishment. Our son has escaped to a country starting a civil war due to our other child. You cannot disregard how our daughter was recently put on trial for poisoning the Lancasters¡¯ eldest daughter,¡± Marianne reminded him. ¡°I can¡¯t stand to think that Elisabeth came from my womb.¡±

    The couple was miserably recalling all their faults in parenting. One of them didn¡¯t know how to communicate with their children, and the other wanted nothing to do with them.

    ¡°I am a duke, and you are the last of Whitensen¡¯s mages. We know how to hurt so easily, but we¡¯ll never know how to heal. This is exactly why I should have never started a family.¡± The duke began to cry, droplets rolling down his wrinkled face.

    Duchess Carabell pushed out her chair and glared at him. ¡°You can¡¯t possibly be regretting these past years now! Are you trying to tell me you wouldn¡¯t have married me and had kids? Just a moment ago, you were saying that you would never break our marriage promise. Here you are, saying that you don¡¯t want this family!¡±

    ¡°Marianne, I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±

    Slap!

    ¡°Grenada, don¡¯t you dare speak to me until you have your act together! I merely suggested bringing our son home, and now you¡¯re blurting out nonsense about not wanting a family!¡± the duchess screamed.

    For the next three days, Duchess Carabell avoided the rest of her family, not bothering to speak to her husband. Sitting at his desk, the duke poured over his work, straining his eyes to focus on the words on the neverending papers.

    ¡°This...this is not right,¡± he said aloud.

    Both of his hands were stained with ink, black and red. The duchess¡¯s words rang in his ears.

    ¡°Grenada, don¡¯t you dare speak to me until you have your act together!¡±

    The duke may be all-powerful because of his status, but he had plenty of familial predicaments. His son is traumatized, his daughter enjoys attempting to murder people, and he may or may not have a future divorce on his case. The Carabell family didn¡¯t have the image he yearned for: happy and closely-bonded.

    ¡°Where did I go wrong?¡± he questioned himself. ¡°Where did I go wrong?!¡±

    His butler brought his meal straight to his office. However, the man had lost his appetite days ago.

    ¡°Duke, you must eat,¡± the butler warned him. Not heeding his words, the duke waved him away.

    He, his wife, and his daughter all lived within the same estate. Even so, they never crossed paths. It¡¯s as if they were all steering clear of one another. The academy debutante ball was right around the corner. The duke thought that if he visited Elisabeth under the pretense that he was just making sure she was prepared for the ball, he could see someone of his own blood. Teresa, his daughter¡¯s maid, had requested to order some black tea leaves from Leonard. He was already immensely suspicious of his daughter¡¯s ploys, so he looked into the order, and there was nothing that was off.

    That¡¯s odd.

    He was informed that Jillian would be receiving the shipment. The man adjusted his golden rounded-rimmed glasses and checked the time. It was evening already. Staying still, reading documents and handling so much of the duchy¡¯s work, was eating away at his motivation to continue. Ever since that dinner, the duchess has continued to discreetly do her duties as his wife. She usually did the estate¡¯s calculations while the duke worked on the business relations.

    A thought crept into his mind. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if I go check Elisabeth¡¯s room, right?

    He eventually convinced himself to visit his infamous daughter. ¡°A duke shouldn¡¯t need a reason to visit his daughter.¡±

    Walking through the halls, maids curtsied, and servants bowed. He scarcely paid them any attention. The duke strode through the eerily quiet halls nearby Elisabeth¡¯s room. He had an ominous feeling about this visit, so he picked up his pace. Upon reaching his destination, there was a ginormous wooden door painted white with golden embellishments. He knew his daughter adored the style, so she remodeled her room with all of the same patterns. He could recall the costs straight from the top of his head. However, he didn¡¯t want to think of the expenses now. The unmindful father put his hand on the smooth emerald handle and pushed it open.

    This was where he was going wrong. A parent should knock on their children¡¯s door before proceeding in. Then again, it didn¡¯t matter. Elisabeth¡¯s maid greeted him without failure. He observed the room and noticed how there were crumbs on the ground. Once the duke laid his eyes on his sleeping daughter, his veins started pulsing with adrenaline.

    ¡°Elisabeth is still sleeping? Ridiculous! How could she be my daughter if she never studies hard nor puts an ounce of effort into anything she does? The academy debutante ball is tomorrow! Every single time she disappoints me with her lax and uncaring attitude.¡±

    To his disbelief, Teresa dared to stop him from proceeding to berate his daughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please do not disturb Lady Carabell. She had fainted from overwork. I moved her to her bed for her to rest,¡± Teresa explained quickly.

    It was only the beginning of his observation of the abnormal change within the Carabell Estate.

 Chapter 23 - Her Non-Blood-Related Daughter

    After checking on his daughter, who was supposedly sleeping peacefully, the duke left the room without a single criticism or complaint upon his departure.

    Elisabeth couldn¡¯t possibly have completed all her work like that. That isn¡¯t like her character. Perhaps, she inherited the magical ability from Marianne? That couldn¡¯t be. Why hasn¡¯t she ever used it in the past?

    The magicless man monitored his children for any signs of emanating mana development from the day they were born. Lately, he hadn¡¯t bothered to do any surveillance for magic activity. It was unlike him, a person who favored details to the floating particle of dust. The fuel for work had faded away, and the duke felt lethargic upon his daily wakening.

    The mere atmosphere of such serenity in Elisabeth¡¯s room was unfathomable. His reckless and delinquent daughter laid on her bed with her chest slowly rising and sinking. It reminded him of the days where Elisabeth was an adorable infant with chubby and rosy cheeks. She would giggle with delight whenever you tickled her. Those days, she seldom ever did anything besides dozing away.

    Duke Carabell refused to believe he reminisced of the past like those buffoons he worked alongside. He was typically a man of the present and future, thinking only of what could benefit him now and forever onwards. Having two children was an expensive investment that had severely backfired on him. Now, he yearned to return to a period where he lacked the assets to live as much as he did today. The Carabell family may have been established in Whitensen for a few centuries. However, the Grenada Era was currently the peak of the Carabells¡¯ glory.

    Why should he want to return to such a time where they were only known as some average noble family?

    The exhaustion, frustration, and depletion of motivation wore him away. Grenada Carabell has finally succumbed to the limits of the weak and fragile human body and mind.

    In his present frail state of consciousness, a thought had popped in his head to remind him of his earlier argument. Marianne must have noticed my shift in behavior.

    Then, there it was again?that nagging feeling. I should apologize. The distinguished duke groaned with exasperation.

    - Meanwhile, Duchess Carabell was making arrangements in another area of the estate -

    The maids sat down upon the cold marble ground with their legs crisscrossed. The kitchen workers were also invited, along with those that attended to the gardens. The duchess¡¯s audience was nearly the entire staff of servants within the Carabell Estate. There was the exclusion of one particular maid, and the madam of the house made sure it was so.

    ¡°Now, my soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± the maid with the cropped burgundy hair and piercing dark eyes shouted, bringing her hand up for a uniform salute. Her voice was bold amongst the silence of the servants around her.

    The mage chuckled. ¡°That is the standard of enthusiasm all of you should pursue.¡± The duchess paced back and forth, her flowing vermilion dress trailing behind her. ¡°I have ordered my son to return home.¡±

    Her arsenal of employees flashed glances at one another. However, the maids serving under Elisabeth remained unphased. They were purposely hired by her husband for their monotonous reactions and iron-strong mentality. The sight aggravated the duchess.

    ¡°The heir is returning home, and you¡¯re as stoic as ever. Pathetic.¡± Duchess Carabell scoffed at them. ¡°You will only smile if I ask that you do. You will only laugh if I ask that you do. Where is the fun in that?¡± The same maid with the short hair rose her hand. The duchess narrowed her eyes at the brazen girl¡¯s action. ¡°Go on, Karolina. What do you have to say?¡± she questioned her.

    The soldier maid proceeded to rise to her feet and face the duchess. ¡°We were hired to work, not to smile or laugh. There is no fun in work. I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re concerned about something that does not pertain to the announcement you are making.¡±

    ¡°Oh? And what announcement am I making?¡± the powerful woman asked the audacious girl. The duchess waited for her answer with a mocking sneer.

    Go on. Tell me.

    ¡°You have not completed your announcement. I cannot answer that,¡± Karolina said matter-of-factly.

    Ah, I love the sound of that.

    ¡°That is exactly right! Good job!¡± the duchess sarcastically praised the maid. Marianne Carabell clasped her hands together in false glee.

    The military-like maid responded with, ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± This time, Duchess Carabell sent a threatening glare. She had enough of the girl''s military attitude.

    ¡°Karolina, have you no discipline?¡± The mage approached the girl, her heels clicking with every step. ¡°This is not an army camp, this is the Carabell Estate, and I am not your commander. You will refer to me as ¡®madam¡¯ and nothing else.¡±

    ¡°Discipline, madam? I have discipline?¡±

    Smack!

    The sound resonated within the enormous room, echoing around the other servants. A red mark appeared on Karolina¡¯s cheek. Some gasped, and others didn¡¯t react. The kitchen workers were usually kept separate from any of the nobles. None of the Carabells ever went within the proximity of the kitchen, so the workers never witnessed what could happen if someone were to cross any of them.

    Without changing her unemotional expression, Karolina said, ¡°I apologize, madam.¡± With that, Marianne was satisfied.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°As I was saying,¡± the duchess moving away from the maid, ¡°the heir to the Carabell family will be returning home.¡±

    Some servants cheered. Others remained as stone-cold as ever. Whichever way, the staff of the Carabell Estate paid close attention to what came out of the duchess¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I want all of you?¡± She directed her finger to the crowd. ¡°?to be on your best behavior.¡± There were some nods of acknowledgment within the audience. ¡°I want to see all of you sending him a warm welcome. We have to create a magnificent dinner for him. We have tonight and tomorrow morning to prepare. Don¡¯t worry about informing the duke, leave that in my hands.¡±

    The next day, Duke Carabell laid awake in his bed. His wife was missing from beside him. The man barely had a wink of sleep. As soon as dawn had reached and the birds started chirping outside his window, he called for a maid. After dressing up, bags under his eyes, and facial expression weary, the woman appeared at the door of his room.

    ¡°Duke,¡± the lady with the slightly loose bun greeted him with a curtsy. ¡°What would you like me to do for you?¡±

    The exhausted man paused to sort out his thoughts. Then, he finally said, ¡°Scold Elisabeth if she does not prepare for the debutante. Also, have Elisabeth join me for breakfast.¡± The order made the maid¡¯s mouth drop, but she instantly closed it, thinking it was rude. Teresa simply couldn¡¯t contain her astonishment. She quickly curtsied once more.

    ¡°Yes, yes, of course, your grace,¡± she responded happily.

    The duke had all night to figure out how he was going to repair his family, and one of the options he came up with was to start with his youngest and work his way up for their favor. He believed it was a foolproof plan. However, upon sitting at the dining table, he waited for an hour for his daughter to come, and she never did. He felt his hands tremble with rage.

    Smash!

    The duke tossed his plate of toast, some eggs, and strips of pork to the ground. The breakfast plate fell and shattered into pieces on the polished marble. He strode forward to his butler, having the urge to pummel him in place of Elisabeth.

    ¡°My wife...my son...and my daughter.¡± He wanted to cry, the loneliness becoming evident in the way he sauntered over to his butler for comfort. The fact that no one was responding to him made him shrink back into his seat at the dining table. He propped his elbows on the table and clenched his head.

    - In Duchess Carabell¡¯s personal study room after Duke Carabell¡¯s breakdown -

    ¡°Was he sobbing?¡± she asked lazily. Her maids nodded, and she flashed a grin. ¡°That¡¯s good. If he doesn¡¯t show a single sign of remorse after boldly saying he didn¡¯t want our family, I will just leave him. If he¡¯s not crying now, he will be crying later.¡±

    The maids swiftly curtsied and left Marianne alone with her mind. Shortly after their exit, there were three knocks on the door. A smile spread across the woman''s face. She excitedly went to open the door, knowing who it was. The duchess swung it open abruptly.

    ¡°Madam!¡± Teresa exclaimed, jumping back. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go to open the door for me!¡±

    The duchess couldn¡¯t care less for what Teresa had to say, but she invited her in. The area was filled with spellbooks and magical tools. There was a ginormous telescope that pointed towards the glass dome roof. Some medicinal plants were growing in the direct sunlight, and the aroma of the place was floral. Teresa loved the calm atmosphere of this area of the estate, so she often visited the duchess. Marianne cherished Teresa¡¯s company, thinking of her as a younger sister. Eventually, they developed a close bond.

    The debt Teresa had was for the duke, not for the duchess. Therefore, the unmanageable mage did as she pleased, spoiling the maid as if she were her own daughter, a daughter that she accepted.

    ¡°Madam, you must know why I am here,¡± the maid said to the duchess. ¡°This dress¡­¡± Teresa held out the lilac tulle gown for the mage to see. ¡°I would like to kindly request a favor from you.¡±

    The domineering woman sat down on a floating orb. ¡°Yes, yes, go on.¡±

    ¡°I would like you to alter this dress, preferably keeping its original aura,¡± Teresa requested. ¡°In exchange, I will retrieve some materials for your magic development.¡±

    The duchess reached out for the gown, and Teresa freely handed it to her. ¡°This dress...it has that Whitensen prince¡¯s touch. So this is the dress Caydel wanted to give to the Lancasters¡¯ daughter?¡±

    The maid nodded.

    ¡°Then, is this for...her?¡± The disgust appeared on the duchess¡¯s face immediately after realizing it.

    Marianne couldn¡¯t bear to speak her daughter¡¯s name. When she gave birth to the cute and seemingly innocent child, she thought the name was beautiful. However, the tip of the name on her tongue made her want to gag. She would never do anything for Elisabeth, even if her dearest friend Teresa had asked her.

    On the other hand, Teresa shook her head. ¡°No, this is actually for me, madam.¡±

    The sentence made the mage narrow her eyes.

    Surely that wretched girl wouldn¡¯t have allowed Teresa to simply take the dress and bring it to her own dreadful mother.

    Without thinking about it a moment longer, the duchess whispered a chant. ¡°Daploceti.¡± The dress diverged into two copies. Duchess Carabell held one in her right hand and one in the other. ¡°Can you guess which is the original, Teresa?¡±

    The maid didn¡¯t bother to strain her mind to search for any discrepancies between the two gowns. ¡°They¡¯re exactly the same.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly. In the copied version, I have removed the crown prince¡¯s trace. The Whitensens have always rubbed me the wrong way. I would rather you not wear a dress tainted with their aura,¡± the mage informed Teresa. ¡°Return the original to the Lancasters. Do not tell that girl about this until after it has been sent off. I will take a few moments to change up this gown. Now, why has that girl given you this gown?¡±

    The question made Teresa avert her eyes to her feet. ¡°Well¡­ I told my lady that I desired to wear the dress, so she gave it to me. She truly did!¡± she added, trying to convince the duchess.

    ¡°How peculiar. Is that girl being generous to you now?¡± Marianne probed further out of curiosity.

    ¡°Yes. Yes, my lady is,¡± Teresa answered without a hint of hesitation.

    The duchess had changed the color to light blue by now. She chanted a couple more spells. ¡°Edde hydrengiesat medi ufag leci. Meki thosat gumno sperkli.¡± The blue tulle dress was engulfed in a cloud of ashy magic. As soon as the haze dispersed, the final product was a glittering light blue gown with lace hydrangeas running down the skirt.

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing, madam!¡± the mage¡¯s audience of one praised her.

    Marianne presented the dress to Teresa to touch. ¡°Has that girl chosen her dress yet?¡± The inquiry made the maid freeze.

    Teresa retracted her hands. ¡°Yes, she has.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t mind if I take it, no?¡±

    ¡°Excuse me, madam?¡±

    The mage swirled her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The statement didn¡¯t help to ease Teresa¡¯s uneasiness. ¡°Brongah mi Elosebith¡¯sat dibatenti drissat.¡± Within a flash, a simple golden gown appeared in her hands.

    ¡°What an odd choice for that girl.¡± The duchess scrutinized the ball gown. ¡°This style would suit her elegant features better. To think she used to like dresses that displayed her bust." Marianne let out a hearty laugh.

 Chapter 24 - The Carabell Servants

    The wisps of magic wafted through the gown, and within seconds, Elisabeth¡¯s dress was entirely engulfed by the haze. With a shake, the magic particles vanished, and the gown had undergone a remarkable transformation. The fabric glittered, and the details of the embellishments were exceptional. The maid and the mage gazed upon the masterpiece with satisfaction.

    ¡°This is absolutely gorgeous!¡± Teresa exclaimed. Her eyes glowed at its beauty, which made the aristocrat chuckle.

    "I''ll take the initiative to personally send the original back to where it belongs." Marianne moved her hand in a circular motion. ¡°Peckegi thi urogonelam drissat. Stempaq thi ontindide eddrissat.¡±

    The incantation carefully placed the original lilac gown into a sturdy cardboard box that was flown in before them. Then, some silvery gift wrapping paper swallowed the receptacle, and a spool of green ribbon tied it closed. For the finishing touches, a stamp smudged with black ink flew through the air to imprint an address. The concluding product was a silvery package with a shimmering emerald bow perched on the top.

    ¡°Sinde otu tu thi Lencestirsat.¡± The box darted through the space above them and merged through the walls. Teresa watched the process in awe.

    The duchess smugly grinned and proudly handed the altered garment over to her. ¡°Of course, this gown is beautiful. However, I¡¯ll just make one final touch. I want to make sure of something before I proceed.¡± Marianne¡¯s last sentence led the maid to stare at her with a confused expression, her usual tilt head, and furrow eyebrows movement. ¡°Are you sure that girl didn¡¯t do anything to you? I can easily take away all the enchantments as fast as a snap.¡±

    Teresa placed the dress beside her and folded her hands properly. She dropped her head forward to formally speak before the Carabell duchess. ¡°She has never been kinder, madam. Please, believe me. I would never lie to you. I know where my place is.¡± The statement made the madam gaze solemnly at the maid.

    She slid off her floating illuminating orb and proceeded to search for a title among her many bookshelves. Teresa hesitantly rose her head to watch the duchess. ¡°Ah! Here it is,¡± she cried out. The noble lady reached out for a thin book with a paper cover. ¡°This...this is a book of my favorite fairy tales. Long ago, an aspiring writer had fallen in love with me. Almost daily, he would send me poems and stories. Although he no longer exists, his stories have given me the comfort I needed to look forward to another day. Grenada would go insane if he heard I still had items from him, especially now.¡±

    The maid had a feeling of anguish clutching her heart. The duchess flipped through each page with a shining glow in her eyes. ¡°Madam, do you still¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no, I don¡¯t. I am not like that. That man passed when I was twenty. I met the duke a few years later. I love the duke no matter what,¡± Marianne said to Teresa with a pure smile. ¡°I¡¯m just upset about what he said at the dinner table some days ago. I may be the mighty mage of Whitensen, but I have feelings too. People forget that you¡¯re human when they believe you have all the power and glory anyone could wish for.¡±

    The mage gradually noticed how Teresa tightly clenched her teeth and hands. The maid was remorseful of her close-minded way of thinking. To believe that the rich were always fortunate and stuffed with food each night.

    Yes, it was glorious to be able to fill your stomach with all the flavors of the world. Yes, it was splendid to be able to afford anything you desired. However, do not disregard how challenging it is to reach where these people are. Do not forget that, as a noble, if you make one single wrong move, people are waiting to call you out. This is why Duke Carabell labored for hours without repose. He was attempting to fix his mistakes with multiple patches and cover up the bruises that were exposed to the public.

    Marianne approached the maid and reached her arms out, something she would never do towards her own daughter. She coiled her hands around the troubled maid and gave her a warm embrace. The maids that attended to the duchess thought she had become desensitized. However, the noble still had emotions. Marianne was showing her rare kindness to Teresa, so it gave the receiver a sense of jovialness.

    ¡°You have too much sympathy, and you¡¯re an emotional woman,¡± the duchess told her before releasing her grasp. ¡°Some people would never feel an ounce of pity for someone of my rank. You should learn to be that way before someone takes advantage of you. You know how high society is.¡±

    The duchess is so beautiful, smart, and talented, Teresa thought, I never imagined she felt that way.

    Without warning, the mage snatched the dress and whispered, ¡°Barno thosat drissat loki e phuinoxay.¡± The fabric was engulfed with flames, and the maid gasped in terror.

    ¡°Madam!¡± she yelled, almost jumping onto the duchess. ¡°Why are you doing that?!¡± Teresa clawed at the gown with desperate tears streaming down her face. However, the noblewoman had a robust arm that held her back. ¡°Please stop! Stop!¡±

    No matter how long the flames danced around the gown, it didn¡¯t burn away. There was hardly any stench of the disintegrating material. Teresa¡¯s heart rapidly bounced around within her chest.

    ¡°This is my gift to that girl for being kind to you. If you ever find yourself in an incident that involves explosions or fires, this golden dress will act as a barrier. Ah, but your arms and head will be burned or blown off, so be mindful of that.¡± The thought made the duchess laugh despite how morbid it sounded.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°What...why would we need a fire-proof dress, madam?¡± the oblivious maid questioned her.

    ¡°Just some precautions. I¡¯ve been feeling scorching energy nearby here, and it could possibly be within the estate,¡± Marianne answered nonchalantly. She handed the golden gown back to Teresa. ¡°Be mindful of what you do.¡± For an additional gift, the duchess held out the story booklet, and the recipient shook her head.

    ¡°No, no, I couldn¡¯t possibly take something as important as this from you.¡±

    ¡°Just take it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find a use for it in the future. I trust that you¡¯ll know what to do when the time comes.¡±

    - Karolina¡¯s conflict with the servants in the dining hall -

    A heel slipped between the soldier-like maid and her path. ¡°You think you own the place the moment you step here?¡± The voice came from a shorter girl with cropped blond hair. Her light blue eyes were soft, but her mouth was shaped in a smirk. ¡°I like the dominance you exude. I¡¯m glad someone here has the guts to snap back at these frivolous nobles.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t swing that way, comrade,¡± Karolina responded, making a small detour around the maid. Jillian took a step to block her. An idea dawned on Karolina. ¡°Perhaps, you want to challenge me for a fistfight?¡±

    The girl only grinned. ¡°No, of course, not. I have something to discuss with you. Won¡¯t you come with me?¡± the light blue-eyed maid proposed.

    There was a moment of silence. Then, Karolina responded with, ¡°Can¡¯t you say it here? If not, I¡¯d rather complete my work. I don¡¯t work for you, I work for the Carabells. Don¡¯t be a nuisance.¡±

    The other servants watching the scene entail glanced at each other, their hands covering their mouths as they whispered. Jillian felt her face grow hot, and without paying any attention to her, the other maid proceeded to string up the other end of the ¡°Welcome home, Allen!¡± banner. Karolina stepped atop a stool to elevate herself to tie the knot.

    ¡°Karolina!¡± one of the other maids shrieked.

    Crash!

    She effortlessly regained her balance, but the moment she did, a crowd of servants surrounded her.

    ¡°Karolina tore it! She tore the banner! The duchess will be furious!¡± Jillian shouted to those who didn¡¯t precisely witness the accident.

    A set-up. I¡¯ve been set up, Karolina analyzed her situation.

    ¡°What nonsense. You tripped me.¡± The hardened maid approached the babied one. ¡°Don¡¯t be a lying wench. Doing that is not going to get you any favor.¡± The others overhearing what she said gasped sharply.

    There was the tapping of footsteps. ¡°What is going on?¡± a booming voice questioned them amid all the commotion. Everyone but a few trembled upon the sight of the person who had made the inquiry. All the maids curtsied, and all the male servants bowed.

    Duke Carabell had entered the dining hall long ago. He was only observing what everyone was doing. They were all too distracted by their work to notice him. Grenada caught wind of the planned event his wife plotted behind his back. Only now did he think of checking on their progress.

    ¡°Jillian Esther and Karolina Blake! Come here!¡± he demanded. The atmosphere darkened as they stepped forward. Jillian, however, was pleased with the situation. As soon as both of them arrived before the noble, they waited for his severe reprimand.

    Jillian¡¯s bubbly happiness was abruptly cut short. The duke held back his hand, and neither of them flinched. Karolina was unphased by the posing punishment. However, Jillian was plainly ignorant.

    Slap!

    Some of the onlookers shot looks at each other, not recognizing what was transpiring. Jillian gasped, her hands glued to her sides. She didn¡¯t dare to touch the mark upon her face.

    ¡°You have the audacity to attempt to destroy the welcome arrangements for my son, who I haven¡¯t seen in years. Everyone here knows how long we have been awaiting his return. To try to do such a thing when the master of the house is here is utter disrespect. This was also thoughtfully planned out by the duchess. How dare you try to taint her work? You have a deathwish, young girl!¡± Duke Carabell¡¯s anger crackled through his veins. ¡°To think that you have served us so loyally these years, and now you¡¯ve developed the behavior of an uncultured servant!¡±

    The audience quickly dropped to their knees. ¡°We apologize, Duke Carabell! We will repair the damage that Jillian caused immediately!¡± one of the decorators cried out.

    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed in all of you! Couldn¡¯t you pay attention and be more careful? I trust that you respect the newly hired maids. I would not employ them into the Carabell Estate if they were so clumsy. If you cannot meet my standards, I will not waste another moment with your presence in my household.¡± Grenada lectured the group. Then, he turned back to Jillian. His emerald eyes pierced through her, empowering her with his authority. ¡°Go clean the horse stables. You are not to come back until dinner.¡±

    Jillian gritted her teeth to refrain from blurting out anything repulsive to her superior. She darted out of the dining hall with shame. The duke turned, his coattail breezing behind him, and proceeded to exit the grand room after ordering the servants to fix the banner before Marianne could notice. Karolina silently trailed behind him, waiting until the door to the dining hall shut close with a slam.

    ¡°I apologize, Duke Carabell,¡± she said, dipping into an apologetic stance.

    The man only patted the woman¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I appreciate your work, General Blake. You don¡¯t owe the Carabells anything.¡±

    ¡°I am no longer referred to as ¡®General Blake.¡¯ I am now referred to as Karolina,¡± she quickly corrected him.

    Grenada sighed when he saw how she refused to raise her head. ¡°You had the position of general of Lotte¡¯s ground military, being here is nothing compared to that. Such an esteemed person should not be the servant of some other kingdom¡¯s duchy. At least, stand straight before me.¡±

    At the suggestion, Karolina fixed her posture. ¡°Your family has helped my family so much. I cannot repay you enough. I would have never become general without the duchess¡¯s assistance. Let me continue to serve you.¡±

    ¡°Marianne didn¡¯t recognize you,¡± the duke reminded her. ¡°It¡¯s a futile endeavor. You are an excellent soldier. To lower yourself to the likes of a maid doesn¡¯t make me feel comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Soldiers serve their commander, and maids serve their master. There is no difference,¡± she returned. ¡°And I think you¡¯ve made an incorrect statement, duke.¡± Grenada raised his eyebrows at her confidence. ¡°Duchess Carabell remembers me. There¡¯s no doubt.¡±

 Chapter 25 - Eddies Tavern

    - Elisabeth¡¯s perspective after moving into the inn -

    By now, I had eased into my new routine. With all these unexpected changes in my schedule and setting, if I cannot adapt quickly, it will be the death of me. Despite the adjustments in location, my coachman, the lean man with the vibrant red hair, would pick us up early in the morning like he always did. Every single time, he would wait patiently at the back of the inn and radiate a gentle smile towards Teresa whenever she emerged from the rear door. He was stubbornly ignoring me.

    I have become accustomed to being overlooked simply because of my previous reputation. Eventually, the coachman came around to greet me, only with apathy. The minor effort made me feel a little bit better about myself. Or, about the chances of me redeeming the name of Elisabeth Madeline Carabell.

    The impressions people have of me are changing. I¡¯m finally making progress!

    With every measly shift in attitude towards me, I would sit before the mirror and point at the noble girl before me. ¡°People will learn to love you.¡± The action did disturb Teresa, who narrowed her eyes whenever I stared at my reflection and recited these words. In response, I asked her, ¡°Don¡¯t you think people are warming up to me?¡± Her silence gave me a clear answer. In the end, I would sigh and admit that it was a gradual process.

    Lately, the maid had chosen to leave her straight hair down and pin back her bangs to the sides of her face. The style enhanced the refined appearance she already had. Teresa is doing quite well in maintaining her sophisticated quality. Her light freckles and pinned back hair resulted in a youthful look.

    To avoid attracting any attention, my maid and I would wear casual clothing. Then, upon our arrival at the academy, Teresa would help me change into whatever elegant arrangement of a hand-sewn dress and jewelry she had prepared the day before. The slippers were usually a modest white.

    Thankfully, my attire has begun to suit my personal preferences in style. I always loved some frills and lace, but moderately worn and paired with jewelry that complimented the rest of the ensemble. The hairstyle trend I¡¯ve been having is my long and curly hair loose, and some strands of the raven crop around the front of my face clipped at the back with various ornaments. At least, when I see myself, I don¡¯t look like I¡¯m going to some lavish ball.

    Besides that, I believe Teresa has a not-so-secret admirer. With each passing day, I observed how our coachman treated her kindly and delicately. He held out his hand to let the maid place each heel in the carriage, although entirely casting me aside. I wasn¡¯t exactly upset with this development, I could freely witness a blooming love that Teresa was sadly refusing to accept.

    The coachman brought her a rose one morning, and I giggled at how abashed she was. A warm pink tickled at the apples of her cheeks. As soon as she received the gift, she curtsied towards him and shoved it in my hands.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it beautiful, my lady?¡± she sputtered, trying to keep her back towards the shameless coachman. I awkwardly held the flower. Then, she repeated the question, desperately wishing for me to say something.

    Instead, I ripped the thorns off and wedged the stem of the bloom into her hair. ¡°Beautiful. Isn¡¯t it, Mr. Coachman?¡± He covered his face, only feeling embarrassed after I directly asked him.

    ¡°Beautiful,¡± he echoed, heaving himself onto the driver¡¯s seat. Teresa cleared her throat, and once we both entered the carriage, she shrunk into a ball. When the horses started, she jerked forward, and I rushed to catch her.

    As soon as she settled herself and fixed her plain dress, she bunched up her fists on her thighs. ¡°My Lady, why did you do that?¡± Teresa demanded in a hushed voice. She kept the scarlet rose in her hair, which I couldn¡¯t help but continue to peep at teasingly.

    ¡°I thought it looked good,¡± I replied at last. Without another word, Teresa patted her face and gazed away from me. I cheekily grinned at her.

    My diligent servant had advised me that she would keep tabs on what went on in the Carabell Estate. As soon as there were signs that Allen had any intention of leaving, we would return. And so far, he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. We had no idea what we were going to do besides remain where we were. I knew one of the people she kept in contact with was Emma. However, I recalled how close Teresa was with Duchess Carabell. I assume that they are also maintaining contact. Meaning, the messages regarding staying away could have also come from her.

    ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t just come home?¡± I questioned her one morning while we were preparing for the day¡¯s classes. She shook her head. Teresa and I were in my room, and it was approximately 6 a.m. The sun was only beginning to rise, so our area remained dimly lit by a few candles. I stretched my arms out, waving them in the air while I threw out a yawn. ¡°Is there really nothing else we can do?¡±

    Teresa finished fixing up my hair into a clean bun. She took a step back and said, ¡°I received a message from Emma. The duke and the duchess have refused to let you come back. Emma wasn¡¯t told when you would be able to return. As for our other options, the additional estate that the Carabells own in the capital is a bit far from the academy. Currently, it¡¯s being transformed to house the Finnigans.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°What? The Finnigans? We¡¯re giving them an entire estate?¡± I blurted out.

    My maid faced her back toward me as she stored away all the hair styling tools into a drawer. ¡°Yes. Duchess Carabell gifted the estate to them. Even relatives of the Carabells cannot be living like commoners. Not only that, but she loves her younger brother quite a bit.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I mumbled, rising from my seat at the vanity to grab some of my books. ¡°So we can¡¯t go to that estate then. Is there no other place we can go?¡±

    ¡°Not to my knowledge, my lady. Your other relatives refuse to keep in contact with you. The duke and the duchess may know where they are, but I don¡¯t believe they¡¯re in Whitensen,¡± she answered.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t? Why aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Teresa rubbed her temples. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have an answer to your questions. We must hurry to the academy. You need to have a clean attendance record if we¡¯re going to have you graduate.¡±

    I rushed to arrange the books into my bag, which I strung over my shoulder. Teresa snatched a few items from the table, and we scurried out the room, my maid locking the door before tagging along with me.

    Just before I left, I heard a man call from behind me. ¡°Eli! Have a good day at school!¡± The innkeeper¡¯s son waved us off. I flashed a smile, gave him a nod, and returned the wave. This, I did simultaneous while backing out of the inn.

    ¡°Yes, thank you!¡± I responded.

    The innkeeper¡¯s son was a kind gentleman that would often greet me in the morning before I left for my classes. He had brown hair and eyes and was moderately tall. After some time, I became accustomed to referring to him as Eddie, his full first name was Edison. He had a warm smile that made starting my day feel less burdening. It was something to look forward to upon waking up.

    Eddie¡¯s family had recently moved in from Lotte, where their family had stayed for generations. This could explain why they easily let us stay in their inn without any prejudice. Had they known how terrible a reputation I have, they would never have allowed us to occupy a single room nor take a step within their property.

    For once, I saw a genuine smile from someone who didn¡¯t personally know Elisabeth. Perhaps, that¡¯s the main reason why. If I had just moved to another kingdom, where no one knew me, I¡¯m sure my circumstances would be much different. To start anew, with a clean reputation among the people that you surround yourself with, what a glorious dream.

    One method I used to waste away the idle time I had after I finished the school work for the day was assisting Eddie in running his tavern. It was my way of paying his father back for generously letting us stay. He owned the one down the road and to the left of the fork from his father¡¯s inn. Starting independent businesses actually runs in the family.

    I would follow behind Eddie as we walked by some bakeries and small shops. Teresa initially disapproved of my employment, but the moment Eddie suggested she could work alongside me, her mood immediately shifted positively. We blended in with our surroundings, wearing garments any usual citizen of Whitensen would wear.

    During the day, there was rarely any activity. When the evening struck, it was bustling with townsfolk. The noisy and merry atmosphere was a unique change from the stuffy silence of the academy. Here and there, people shouted, cheered, and laughed. It was more than voluntary labor, it was entertaining.

    ¡°Eli, can you clear that table? I¡¯ll handle the counters for now,¡± Eddie told me with a wink. He rolled up his sleeves and opened up some fresh bottles of booze.

    ¡°Yep! On that,¡± I replied, trotting over to the table and sweeping the empty jugs onto my tray.

    Eddie poured the amber juice into a customer¡¯s glass. As soon as it was partially filled, the alcoholic man clutched it within one hand and chugged down the burning liquid. ¡°Eheheheh, that¡¯s the good stuff!¡±

    I enjoyed the freedom of some trousers and a plain shirt. I wasn¡¯t really in any sort of disguise, but in humble attire, people surely treated me better. I assume it¡¯s because Elisabeth never dressed like this, and Eddie only ever refers to me as ¡°Eli.¡± I¡¯ve grown attached to the little nickname. Again, Teresa shot me looks of displeasure.

    ¡°My Lady, you should not allow him to refer to someone of your noble status that way. He is not your husband. He is not a relative either,¡± she reminded me.

    I trotted over to the kitchen area, my maid following behind me. ¡°Yeah, of course, I know that. However, if people knew who I was, it could hurt Eddie¡¯s reputation. I can¡¯t be selfish and want people to address me so formally. If anything, it¡¯s a disservice to him and me. I like being able to work.¡±

    The last sentence made Teresa stand there with the most irked expression. Then, she sighed and left me alone so she could wipe down a recently vacated counter.

    ¡°I have a few more jugs for you, Jule,¡± I handed Eddie¡¯s dishwasher a couple more to add to her load. The motion made her groan, and her shoulders sink.

    ¡°Ugh. Can you believe Ed is making me work overtime?¡± she asked me, putting her rubber-gloved hands on her hips.

    I chuckled, wiping my hands upon a nearby towel. Alcohol is frustratingly sticky, so I stuffed my hands in the sink Jule was cleaning the jugs in. I let the water run over my hands before wiping them off again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. You can go home. I¡¯ll help with the cleaning.¡±

    ¡°Haha! Are you kidding me? I gotta pay my bills.¡±

    We both giggled and exchanged some words before I heard someone shout, ¡°General! Is that you?!¡± The voice resembled Eddie, except he was more excited, which made him sound a pitch higher than usual.

    General? There is a general at our tavern?

    The curiosity nagged at me, begging me to go and see who this ¡°general¡± person could be. Jule and I darted out the backroom of the tavern and spotted a lady with burgundy bob hair and intense dark eyes.

    ¡°Karolina?¡± Teresa and I called out.

    Jule rushed over to who I knew as the usually uptight maid, and exclaimed, ¡°General Blake!¡± Eddie also followed along, jumping onto the woman. By now, they had attracted the attention of a few tavern customers.

    ¡°You two¡­¡± she mumbled, easily tearing them off of her. As soon as she relaxed, she laid her eyes upon me, and they widened. ¡°My Lady?¡±

 Chapter 26 - She Thinks Its Hopeless

    Shortly after, Karolina seated herself at the bar with Teresa on one side and Jule on the other. Eddie continued to work the counter, grabbing a bottle of doker, a Whitensen variety of whiskey. Because I refused to consume alcohol, Jule described the taste and sensation like burning, yet sweet. However, the sugar content in comparison to ordinary whiskey is much higher. The bottle was pretty small, only about the length of the bartender¡¯s palm. Eddie popped the mini cork and let its contents trickle into the glass. Karolina swirled the alcohol around.

    ¡°You were a general, Karolina? I never knew,¡± I said, walking into the back room to hang the towel. I was profoundly interested in hearing her stories. When I came back, face to face, with her, she looked me up and down.

    Taking the glass of the doker and bottoming a swing, she told me, ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s only the best general in all of Lotte. Maybe in all of Ager.¡± Jule giggled with a smug smirk. ¡°We heard she was going to Whitensen for some business, so we set up shop here. Ed and I were her former comrades. Weren¡¯t we, Ed?¡± He grinned, popping open a fresh bottle of red wine for another customer.

    Teresa drew herself up. ¡°I¡¯ll go get fresh towels.¡± I sent a nod toward her, and she continued into the back room.

    ¡°Mind if you tell me your stories? That¡¯s, of course, if you¡¯re comfortable. Just in case there are some things you don¡¯t want to talk about. I don¡¯t mean to¡­¡± I glanced away and scratched away at a missed spot of dried alcohol on the counter.

    ¡°Yeah! General, can we?¡± Jule asked Karolina, who, in return, scolded her for referring to her as ¡°General.¡± Still, Karolina refused to answer any of our questions.

    Eddie leaned over the bar towards Jule. ¡°We should talk about how we fought off some raiders in Amarinth. That was our most adrenaline-filling mission.¡±

    ¡°No. No. We should start small and work our way up,¡± she argued. The working bartender straightened himself and went to put the burgundy wine away.

    ¡°I would rather start with the exciting stuff. Come on. How long do you think we have? It¡¯s a full house tonight!¡± Eddie spread his arms towards the rest of the tavern. The crowd was busy chattering away while taking occasional sips and swings.

    Some drunks lounged around, speaking to one another in slurs. Others were joyfully roaring with laughter. You can¡¯t deny that business is going well for Eddie. As I caught my eyes on a group leaving, another employee taking the coins, I nodded to him. Then, I rushed off to clear some more tables.

    Teresa came into view from behind me, giving me a startle. ¡°My Lady, here.¡± She handed me a fresh cotton towel. I would grab all the glasses and jugs, balancing them delicately. Then, Teresa would follow it up with a few swipes across the surface.

    We¡¯d have to work quickly. Otherwise, the spilled alcohol would drip and annoyingly stick. After the end of a night, Teresa and I would sit in the backroom and soak each dirty rag with hot water. The process continued with us wringing out the liquid and letting the towels hang on a rack.

    Jule and Eddie went on and on about their duties as the mighty soldiers in Lotte. I could notice how Karolina didn¡¯t add anything to their storytelling.

    ¡°Ah, Karolina. I have been meaning to know for a while now. What business are you on?¡± Eddie asked, finally referring to the woman by her first name. Jule waited for the veteran to speak. However, Karolina only drank her second glass of doker in silence. ¡°Karolina?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business. I only wanted to come for a drink. You noisy lot are obnoxious,¡± Karolina snapped at them. She abruptly sat up, pulled out some bronze coins, and placed them on the counter. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me everywhere.¡± The former general glared at her past comrades.

    Teresa and I watched as Karolina approached me. ¡°My Lady,¡± she greeted me, giving me a slight curtsy.

    ¡°My Lady?¡± Jule questioned me. ¡°General, why are you curtsying to your inferiors?¡± My military maid walked out of the tavern, ignoring Jule¡¯s inquisitions.

    Eddie quickly shushed Jule, and I sent him a look of relief.

    - When Karolina exited Eddie¡¯s tavern -

    ¡°Your Highness, greetings,¡± she executed another curtsy to the future monarch. There was no telling how exactly she knew he was there. Perhaps, it was instinct or the mysterious aura that loomed over her.

    The night sky was littered with sparkles of stars. Occasionally, around this time, there would be drunkards wobbling about. If there were any townsfolk nearby, they would be too intoxicated to notice Karolina¡¯s exchange with the royal. The busier streets are typically closer to the tailor and traders¡¯ market. When the moon is shining bright in the sky, everyone that isn¡¯t planning on drinking avoids the routes near taverns as a precaution. Sometimes, brawls would break out, or you would be jumped by a man with a knife. Not that loopy people would be any match for the royal or the former Lotte general.

    Generally, the area wasn¡¯t considered a crime hotspot, but all accidents can be fatal. If you lived closer to the capital, you had a higher guarantee of safety. There were people known as candlers. They created candles out of blue-tinted wax, representing the royal family¡¯s distinct ocean eyes, and lit them every night in the city of Edithan, the capital of Whitensen. The wax sticks would perch on candle holders donned upon bejeweled poles running up and down the many roads. If a single candle went out, it would be relit by a candler within seconds. It was an ethereal sight and was one of many ways the Whitensen kingdom flaunted its wealth. Therefore, the streets were never entirely dim.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    You would also be considered a local bastard if you purposely blew the candles out. The candlers had an ominous ability to pinpoint which candle was blown out at what time and what had blown it out. Perhaps, you might find yourself beat up in an alley if they found out it was you who blew out the candles. There were tales about resentful candlers lighting homes on fire over it. Of course, they were only stories. It was common courtesy to walk calmly in the Edithan streets. After all, the capital was filled with nobles and knights. The rich were never in a hurry, for their wealth continued to rapidly grow. The knights only trailed behind the nobles, so they were also never in a hurry.

    The moment the nobles and knights moved swiftly, the candlers would be notified of their movements. It was an easy way to tell if there had been a scuffle in a specific area during the night. Then again, it was a flawed tactic. The wind was also a factor you had to take into consideration as a candler. Despite that, Edithan candlers were a group of men and women not meant to be messed around with. Even gangs do their best to avoid them. It was clear candlers had better torture methods at their disposal than gang groups.

    Whitensen knights often patrolled in Edithan since the knights¡¯ academy is located there. It was a massive training ground, their classrooms being battlefields. If the knights weren¡¯t on the training grounds, they were mastering the art of combat tactics within closed rooms. Or, it could be lunchtime.

    Close to the knights¡¯ academy was the academy for the upper class, the academy that Elisabeth, Prince Caydel, and Viktoria attend. Upon graduation, the nobles would handpick graduating knights as tradition. In a way, they both support each other.

    The crown prince scoffed, hiding within the shadows to be unseen. The military-trained woman couldn¡¯t catch sight of his silhouette. Her dark eyes strained to capture him. ¡°Don¡¯t ever refer to me as ¡®your highness.¡¯ I despise it, especially from you.¡± Karolina rose after hearing that statement.

    ¡°I have the information you want about her,¡± she informed him. The prince emerged from the shadows, a hood masking his face. He resembled more of those ghouls they told children about to frighten them. He had a menacing air and appeared to be almost invisible in the unilluminated street.

    There lacked any sense of movement, but she located his voice from another position. ¡°All I need to know is if she¡¯s safe.¡±

    ¡°Your princess is. You are too attached to her, you should let her go,¡± Karolina advised the smitten prince. When silence followed, she ran her fingers through her hair. ¡°The queen will not allow it. What are you going to do?¡±

    She continued to stand there, feeling as if he had left already. Then, she turned on her heel and walked down one end of the street. The stillness was filled with the sound of croaking insects. Her light footsteps accompanied their music. Karolina lifted her head to watch the shining stars.

    Hopeless. That man is unfortunate.

    A drunk fellow lunged at the scrolling woman, but she took a step to the side to avoid his touch. She didn¡¯t pay much mind to the pathetic life. Only a single thought came across her regarding him.

    This man may seem hopeless, but at least he has an opportunity to change his life.

    - The next day at the academy -

    There was one room in the academy that was always vacant, and it had this extraordinary grand piano. I always thought it was strange how some modern instruments appear in this world, and others don¡¯t. It¡¯s as if the creator didn¡¯t know what to add and what not to. That is if there were a creator.

    The academy does teach about the theories of the origin of this world. Though, there are so many possibilities that there¡¯s never a definite answer. Some say a childish man created this world to idle away his time. Others believe there were powerful mages that were otherworldly and wanted to produce lives of their own. Then, the go-with-the-flow people conclude we shouldn¡¯t waste our time wondering about mysteries that cannot be solved within our generation?or solved at all.

    ¡°Teresa, what is this area for?¡± I questioned her. ¡°It¡¯s always empty.¡±

    She peered through the parted doors. ¡°This must be one of the spare piano practice rooms that students would use to prepare before their lessons. Professor Johann¡¯s classroom has migrated farther away from here, so there¡¯s no point in rushing from here to there.¡±

    Professor Johann was the academy¡¯s genius pianist and music teacher. I heard he was Elisabeth¡¯s private piano tutor before she ultimately quit on him.

    ¡°They have another piano practice room near his classroom,¡± Teresa told me, pointing me to the upstairs.

    ¡°Huh. Then, what¡¯s the point of keeping this room like this?¡± I asked, taking a step into the grand ballroom with the singular piano.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of changing it? Pardon me, my lady, but the academy has plenty of classrooms,¡± Teresa reminded me.

    I chuckled. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. There are so many classrooms that I get lost.¡±

    I was approaching the piano by now, curious as to what it sounded like. I used my gloved finger to wipe the dust off the edge of the black-lacquered instrument. A single swipe appeared, revealing the glossy finish. Then, I went to press one of the white keys. I noticed how the keys were dusted off, and the rest of the piano remained covered in miscellaneous particles that floated around in the closed space.

    ¡°No one plays this piano?¡± I inquired, a bit confused by the cleanliness.

    Teresa shook her head, taking a few steps through the doors. ¡°I¡¯m not aware. I scarcely come to this area.¡±

    I pressed a key, and the sound resounded clearly, not one pitch sharp or flat. ¡°I think someone comes in here and tunes the piano too. There¡¯s someone that¡¯s maintaining it. You think it¡¯s a student?¡± I didn¡¯t wait for her answer, and I plopped down upon the seat.

    Teresa was patient with me, letting me do whatever it is I was going to do. I wanted to grace the keys with my fingers and play a lovely tune that both of us could enjoy, but as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to.

    Hopeless.

    <hr>

    Here is the special treat for Carabell''s Lowlife''s birthday!

    I never smiled at you after your birth. You had Grenada''s piercing emerald eyes and my beauty. However, you were useless.

    Remember, I will only ever smile this way toward Teresa. She is like the daughter I have always wished for. Don''t you dare show your face before me again.

 Chapter 27 - Sentimental Attachment

    ¡°Forget it,¡± I said at last, ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    I rose from the seat, straightening my skirt. I melancholy gazed at the grand piano. Then, I started off to the exit, my heels clicking on the unpolished marble and echoing in the space. Upon taking a final glance at the instrument, it appeared desolate within all the empty space. The piano was, once again, abandoned in the ballroom.

    I envisioned a lively ball with the percussion instrument singing its distinct sound. There would be joyous dancing, and the gentlemen would bow before their partner of choice. When the music began, they would take their lady and lead the waltz. That is what I imagined balls to be like. The academy debutante surely met its visual expectations, but the experience was lacking.

    Teresa followed behind me, gently closing the ginormous double doors as we departed. The action locked away the imaginary ball I saw within the confines of its walls. She was eerily quiet about my abrupt change of mind. Whenever she became like this, I knew she was restraining herself from giving any of her input.

    I take it Elisabeth has groomed her to be this way, to refrain from speaking out her thoughts. Teresa¡¯s role as my right-hand maid also interferes with her ability to share what she wished to. It¡¯s clear she wants to nag at me for every little thing I do, but she has been scolded so many times that she doesn¡¯t bother to save herself from punishment.

    I paused and focused my evergreen eyes on her. I followed that with the rise of one of my eyebrows. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡±

    The unexpected question didn¡¯t impede her answer. ¡°No, not at all,¡± she hastily responded, shaking her head.

    Alright, so she¡¯s not going to tell me what she¡¯s thinking. At least, I know what I¡¯m thinking. I¡¯m thinking that I¡¯m just some wimp that can¡¯t leave what¡¯s in the past in the past. As a kid, I didn¡¯t have a choice about whether or not I was going to play the piano. Initially, I thought it was fun. Learning the notes was simple, and I was still a little girl, oblivious to the real stress and anxiety that awaited me.

    I do have many regrets, but I¡¯d like to not think about them. Because if I do, I¡¯ll never be able to sleep without wanting to hit myself for everything stupid I did. Thoughts like ¡°I could have done this¡± or ¡°I could have done that¡± would bombard me and make me wish I had never let the idea trickle into my mind.

    Classes had ended for the day, and Teresa and I were meandering the halls. Elisabeth may have attended this academy for nearly twelve years, but I haven¡¯t. Before I am expelled, I want to at least take the opportunity to say I walked through every single hall and know exactly where each room is. There¡¯s the chance I won¡¯t be dismissed from the academy¡¯s enrolling students. On the other hand, how likely is that? I am one person attempting to shove all this foreign information into my brain. The shoving part is simple, but the retaining portion is not.

    ¡°My Lady, the crown prince is up ahead. Do you want to take another route?¡± Teresa suggested, subtly moving her hand towards his direction. The royal happened to be speaking to Viktoria.

    I have no idea what argument they had at the debutante, but it seems like that has been resolved.

    To my dismay, the crown prince¡¯s face was scrunched up in agitation. He was storming toward our direction, so I made the choice of making a slight turn into another hallway to avoid him. I heard him say something to another student, so I exhaled. Unfortunately, the moment I looked to my side, the royal and I caught eye contact, and that¡¯s when I knew I couldn¡¯t escape. Strangely, his facial expression relaxed when he laid his eyes on me. The mere motion made me uncomfortable. Regardless, Teresa and I dipped into curtsies.

    ¡°Lady Carabell, these few days...where have you been staying?¡± he questioned me, his arms crossed.

    I frowned upon hearing what he said. ¡°Why does it matter where I¡¯m staying? It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Teresa jabbed me in my rib, and I sent her a glare in response.

    ¡°You can¡¯t stay at an inn forever. If other nobles find out, they¡¯ll never let you have the end of it,¡± the crown prince reminded me.

    The fact that he knew about me staying at an inn made me sigh again. ¡°They never let me have the end of anything. There¡¯s no point in trying to appease those who will only ever see my faults,¡± I told him. ¡°Let¡¯s be reasonable. You¡¯re only warning me about this because you¡¯re concerned about your reputation, not mine.¡±

    Prince Caydel didn¡¯t hesitate to admit it. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re absolutely right.¡± I appreciated his honesty, but I still gave him a scowl. ¡°Nonetheless, I¡¯ve arranged for one of the Whitensen mansions to house you for the meantime. Everything will be provided, and there will be no bias within the property.¡±

    My irritation deepened. ¡°No, that¡¯s not necessary, your highness.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    The crown prince ignored what I said. ¡°Lord Carabell is home, isn¡¯t he? Shame, is it?¡± He leaned towards me and inspected my face for any sign of change. I was a bit conscious of how much he was staring at me, a habit perhaps.

    Garrod, you asshole, it must be you telling him these things. How else would he know? I haven¡¯t gotten a chance to confront you about it. Mark my words, I will.

    I directed my line of sight to a pillar and focused my eyes on any sign of movement.

    Could that motherfucker be standing there right now?

    There was a flash of red, and I noticed a dark figure peering at us from behind the structure. The demonic knight gave me a lazy salute. I flared up with rage. If the crown prince knew he was there, he was entirely unbothered by him.

    You¡­!

    I pretended as if I didn¡¯t want to murder him from here. ¡°No, why would it be a shame if the lord has returned?¡± I snapped. ¡°He¡¯s my brother. Should I not be happy? I have not seen him for years.¡±

    The remark made him scoff. ¡°Huh, really? That¡¯s a bit out of character for you. I expected something...passionately frustrated,¡± he said thoughtfully. Teresa and I listened to him as he continued to rant about me right in front of my face. ¡°You would maybe make a snarky remark or two. Then, you would try to warm up to me. Every single thing you did had infuriated me to no end.¡±

    ¡°So, I am not infuriating you now? What a shame, your highness,¡± I told him with immense sarcasm. Teresa jabbed me in the rib for a second time, and I wanted to jab her back with even more force.

    I know he¡¯s our future king but cut me some slack. This girl is planning on moving out the moment she has a chance. I just need to sell all of my dresses and accessories without Teresa noticing.

    ¡°No, you are not infuriating me. That¡¯s why I have no issues inviting you to stay at my mansion. Teresa will also be accommodated there. I have ordered my guards to pick up your belongings at your inn and relocate them to the mansion. I have a separate carriage prepared for you outside the academy right now. You don¡¯t have to worry about sitting next to me.¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯s something that benefits you.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    I furrowed my eyebrows, placing my hands on my hips. ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯ve taken my personal items and just brought them to your mansion without even asking me?¡±

    ¡°Does it seem like you¡¯re willing to stay?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°See, I was thinking ahead. If you want the absolute truth, these are not my orders. These are orders coming from the king. He has eyes and ears everywhere. As your fianc¨¦, I am supposed to care for you,¡± the crown prince informed me.

    ¡°So if I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m being treated well, I can just go to his majesty and complain?¡± I questioned him.

    He paused and let a sneer spread across his face. ¡°Yes, of course. You¡¯ve always complained to the king. I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯t taken advantage of your connection with him. I never understood why he adored you so much.¡±

    Adored? Did I hear that correctly? Who in their right mind would treasure Elisabeth after all the cruel things she has done to everyone around her?

    ¡°Why are you acting as if you didn¡¯t know? You know his majesty loves you,¡± Prince Caydel told me with a hint of suspicion. ¡°I will be heading to the mansion. If you ever feel unsafe, just know that the Red Demon Knight has a loyalty to you as your personal bodyguard.¡±

    ¡°About that...I could just not go to this mansion with you,¡± I told him.

    ¡°Yes, but then how are you going to retrieve your items?¡± My mouth dropped, and Teresa poked me to close it. ¡°I will see you later.¡± He flashed a smile that looked more like a mocking grin.

    A thought lit up in my mind.

    Or, I¡¯ll abandon them and just continue staying at the inn while secretly selling away every article I am currently wearing. If you tell people that they came from a noble, it¡¯s worth ten times the price. I have no idea why the regular people of Whitensen like clothing worn by nobles so much.

    Before I could suggest this to my maid, I remembered that Prince Caydel also has our debutante gowns.

    - The day after the debutante -

    I wanted to suggest selling our dresses to the market so we could pocket the money and save it towards purchasing a small house just outside the capital.

    However, my maid couldn¡¯t believe what I had just said. ¡°No, we are not going to sell the ballgowns,¡± she told me vehemently. ¡°They were gifted to us by the madam.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean a single thing to me. We can put the profits towards my own home. The gowns could pay for all of us for some time. Then, we wouldn¡¯t have to worry about paying the innkeeper. I didn¡¯t bring any of our money to the debutante, and I didn¡¯t have the chance to retrieve it from the Carabell Estate either,¡± I argued.

    She clutched the hangers they were draping down from. I was about to reach out to take the golden one I wore, but she jerked it away from my grasp. ¡°We will not,¡± Teresa firmly told me, a fire burning in her eyes.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so attached to them. I can give you plenty of other dresses when we¡¯ve settled down somewhere,¡± I tried to reason. This didn¡¯t waver her standing. Instead, she held both gowns tighter.

    ¡°They¡¯re precious to me, my lady. This blue tulle gown was the dress I wore for my first ever ball, and this shimmering golden gown was your first gift from the duchess.¡±

    I understood why Teresa wanted to keep her dress, but there was no way I was going to keep the one I wore for the debutante. I couldn¡¯t care less about the duchess¡¯s gifts. She didn¡¯t hesitate to tell me how much she hated me when we first met. Besides, she is not my actual mother. I have no attachment to a woman who only thinks of me when her favorite maid shows up to ask for favors. I¡¯ve heard what they say about my relationship with Duchess Carabell. I know that she doesn¡¯t want to see her own daughter¡¯s face nor recall her daughter¡¯s name. I¡¯m not so object-oriented to warm up to her just because she gave me a luxurious dress.

    ¡°Please, you must realize the sentimental value they have!¡±

    Sentimental, my ass. You can keep your gown. I¡¯m selling mine.

 Chapter 28 - Selling Sentiment for Survival

    ¡°My Lady, please,¡± my maid continued to beg me, her dark eyes glazing over.

    I was exhausted from squabbling with her by now. Deep within the back of my mind, I was wishing for her to give me another faulty reason, so I could brutally puncture it and end this conversation.

    When I didn¡¯t react to her consistent whining, she stood there, desperately searching for anything that she could say to convince me. As if an idea had only just popped into her mind, she gasped with an ¡°Ah!¡± Simultaneously, Teresa directed her pointer finger at me, and upon absorbing my expression of disdain, she slowly lowered her hand.

    I pushed my raven hair to one side, easing my irascible self into submission. ¡°What is it? Go on, tell me.¡±

    All it took was my permission to make her face beam with happiness. ¡°Then...if you¡¯re concerned about the use of your gown,¡± I pushed for her to continue, ¡°it has been enchanted so that it prevents fire or any explosion from harming you.¡±

    What? If it was enchanted¡­ Then...

    My eyebrows scrunched up as she resumed. ¡°Madam added the enchantment to protect you,¡± Teresa clarified. I gazed upon her without blinking.

    That just blatantly confirms it! The duchess of the Carabell family is a mage! Now I can add to the list of things I would have never found out if people didn¡¯t tell me. You¡¯ve surely accomplished quite a lot in your life, fake Elisabeth. No one ever talks about the Carabell family members themselves. It¡¯s all just gossip about our affairs. How was I supposed to know Elisabeth¡¯s mother is a mage if she avoids me like the plague?

    I groaned in disbelief, running my hands roughly through my wavy locks of hair. Teresa initiated her tilt head and furrow eyebrow command.

    Seeing her make that face only reminds me that I have no one I can confide in regarding my thoughts. Oh sure, I could, but I don¡¯t want to make Elisabeth¡¯s image that of a crazy psycho. It¡¯s already in a detrimental state.

    In a final attempt, Teresa displayed the golden gown¡¯s fabric for me to judge. ¡°Don¡¯t you see that she cares for you?¡± I tried to contain it, but my facial expression immediately shifted into fury.

    Excuse me? She¡¯s trying to tell me to just treasure whatever this woman gives me? I am trying to live here. The duchess certainly doesn¡¯t care if I live.

    ¡°And, you didn¡¯t tell me about this when I put on the gown that day?¡± I snapped at her. ¡°I had asked you if there was anything else the duchess did to my dress, and you acted as if nothing else had been added.¡± My maid protectively returned the gowns back to her chest, clutching them as if it were worth more than her own life.

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re always hiding something from me. Why is that?¡± I crossed my arms and clicked my tongue in annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re lying to me, and you¡¯re also concealing important details from me.¡±

    Why does she keep being like this?

    Teresa struggled to answer promptly. ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Then, she shut her mouth and didn¡¯t dare to finish her sentence.

    ¡°Let me say this then. You¡¯re wrong, Teresa. Duchess Marianne Carabell doesn¡¯t care for me.¡± My maid prepared to jump at the opportunity to retort against that. However, I refused to allow her to do so. With a glare, I silenced her, lips closed, and hands clenched in her lap.

    Now, where was I? Ah yes, the duchess¡¯s gift.

    ¡°If you were not my maid, would she have given us anything?¡± I asked her with the raise of one eyebrow. She fiddled with the dress, refusing to meet my eyes. I knew I was being blunt, but the more Teresa tells me about how much ¡°my¡± mother adores me, I can¡¯t help but call bullshit. ¡°Do you understand why I don¡¯t care? Whoever I was before, forget her. It isn¡¯t going to take a single gown for me to trust her, and the duchess should know that herself. Don¡¯t preach about her caringness, you¡¯re not the duchess.¡±

    Teresa is an outsider in Elisabeth and Duchess Carabell¡¯s relationship. Then again, she may very well be the only reason that the duchess remembers me. Even so, I downright despise it when people try and bud into an issue that doesn¡¯t concern them. Teresa may have been with Elisabeth all these years, I know that. I do have to consider the fact that I have not met the original Elisabeth, but let me be realistic. No one would eat up spontaneous ¡°kindness¡± from someone that has neglected them for years. Perhaps, not me, maybe someone desperate.

    I¡¯m not desperate.

    The fact remains: If you hurt someone, you can¡¯t expect them to just take whatever you threw at them for compensation. Strongly bonded relationships don¡¯t work that way.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of this conversation. We¡¯ll just keep both gowns.¡± I sighed, flopping onto the bed with weariness. Teresa placed her hand over her chest with relief. ¡°I wanted us to have somewhere we could stay permanently. I don¡¯t want to rely on inns nor my family. The Carabell name is useless when it belongs to me. I feel like I¡¯ve been leeching off Eddie and his father¡¯s benevolence. It¡¯s such a sickening feeling to have to always rely on others. What are we going to do now?¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    My maid strung the hangers of the dresses in the closet. Then, she told me, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can just stay here until the lord leaves.¡±

    ¡°When is that going to ever happen? Don¡¯t you think that now that Allen has returned, he¡¯s not going to leave? You know, it¡¯s been local talk at Eddie¡¯s tavern. Leonard is having internal conflicts between their own citizens. That¡¯s where Allen was staying, right?¡±

    My maid nodded in concurrence. ¡°Yes, Lord Carabell has been there for magic study since mages are of abundance there.¡± She spread her arm out to emphasize the ¡°abundance.¡±

    Huh, so Allen is a mage. That''s interesting. The Carabell family does have mana compatible blood, thanks to the duchess.

    ¡°Whitensen has nearly no mages in comparison to other kingdoms. Classes only briefly go over magic in this world. It¡¯s no wonder he left,¡± I muttered derisively. ¡°The mana of Whitensen¡¯s land isn¡¯t fulfilling to magic users either. In reality, Whitensen is lacking an entire population of people because the magical potential of its land is so little.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because of?¡±

    ¡°The Throne War,¡± we chimed in unison.

    Teresa clapped her hands together. ¡°Yes, the Throne War. You¡¯re doing better in remembering history, my lady.¡±

    ¡°History was never my expertise,¡± I returned, adjusting my position on the bed, making a T-pose. ¡°My professor is reviewing the topic in my social studies class. It won¡¯t hurt to have a factual refresh.¡±

    My maid nodded and resumed speaking. ¡°The lands of Whitensen were malnourished and drenched in blood. The essence died away along with those dead soldiers. That is the hypothesis historians have come up with.¡±

    ¡°Sad,¡± I commented, already wanting to change the topic. ¡°The mages are going to overtake the Leonard kingdom soon. Where else could my brother go but home? It¡¯s simply not safe. I don¡¯t blame him if he doesn¡¯t leave the estate. He is finally with his parents. My father and mother are not going to kick him out as soon as he arrives.¡±

    Teresa didn¡¯t admit it at first, but after a few moments, she said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve already taken matters into my own hands and sold some jewelry.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Teresa exclaimed, panic flashing in her eyes. ¡°Which ones did you sell?¡±

    ¡°All of them,¡± I stated. My maid was already freaking out, her hands on her head and pacing back and forth. I rolled my eyes and slid back to the side of the bed. I proceeded to walk towards the drawer of my vanity and pulled out a connection of jewels. I dangled the necklace in the air. ¡°All, but this set.¡±

    It was the magical necklace Teresa had used to blind us when entering the Carabell property. I figured we could use it in another situation. There was no way I was retailing something of this value.

    She placed her hand over her heart and curved over. ¡°Thank goodness.¡± I held out the jeweled necklace, and she mindfully took it into her hands, cradling it with care.

    Now that she¡¯s not thinking of the gowns any longer, maybe I¡¯ll cut snippets of the glistening fire-resistant fabric and sell it. That should surely make enough money for a cottage and some extra for savings.

    - After Prince Caydel¡¯s offer -

    Recalling that day, I would have to retrieve the gowns some way or Teresa would never let it go. She¡¯s my lifeline for navigation, communication, and mannerisms. Without her, I may as well be good as dead in this world. Therefore, for my beloved and dedicated maid, I will listen to her about the gowns and the sentimental value she sees in those glittering rags. At the very least, for now.

    Exiting the academy, a coachman from one of the immobile carriages waved towards us. I slapped my hand over my mouth and drew in my breath. ¡°That looks unbelievably expensive.¡± Teresa let her gaze run over the piece of art. ¡°That rich royal asshole...¡± I murmured as I stepped forward.

    ¡°Excuse me, my lady? What did you say?¡± she questioned me with her usual tilt of the head. I gestured for her to follow me, ignoring her inquiries.

    Waiting for us outside the academy was a lavish horse-drawn carriage. Golden embellishments decorated the vehicle with polished handles for the door. The frontal area had a golden sculpture of a bird with its wingspan stretched out. I couldn¡¯t quite identify what species it was, and the harder I thought, the less I cared about it. The coachman stepped down from his seat and opened the door for me to enter.

    ¡°Lady Carabell, this carriage was arranged to deliver you to the Rosalind Mansion of the Whitensen royal family,¡± the gentleman informed me.

    Inside, there was the familiar fabric of burgundy velvet seats. It was remarkably spacious, and there were little curtains that covered the windows.

    ¡°My Lady, please, go ahead,¡± Teresa ushered me.

    I sent her a nervous smile as I took one step into the carriage, which was much more glamorous than the ones the Carabells owned. If anything, I thought it was a conspicuous target for people to aim at.

    How are we speaking of safety when I am literally in a flashy ball on wheels pulled by horses with elaborate regalia? There is no way anyone is going to miss seeing this thing rolling down roads.

    I facepalmed, being careful not to smear so much of my makeup. ¡°This...this is not what I expected.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Did you want the official royal carriage for ceremonies instead?¡± my maid asked me.

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± I shouted, shaking my hands and head. ¡°Why would I want a ceremonial royal carriage? That¡¯s way too much for just a single trip. People may think I am holding my wedding today!¡±

    She frowned at my vehement refusal. ¡°I thought you enjoyed that, my lady,¡± she said innocently.

    I met her eye to eye. ¡°As I have said, whoever I was in the past, I want you to forget about that person. I¡¯m someone else now. I am going to think rationally and cautiously.¡± I paused in my words.

    Okay, maybe not rationally and cautiously all the time. I suppose I will make an effort.

    ¡°At least, I will think more rationally and cautiously than I used to. You have told me that I should not tarnish my reputation further. Do you believe a queen living so lavishly without any modesty would be respected by her subjects?¡±

    With that, she set her head down.

    I could just take advantage of this chance to steal anything I can from the mansion. In a way, I could legally loot this place before ditching it. A property belonging to a crown prince should have all the basic necessities: Food and water, clothing, and shelter. I could keep selling the gowns I have for an unreasonably high price, and eventually, we should have enough gold to make it out of the mansion on our own.

    I don¡¯t believe Prince Caydel wants me to stay long.

 Viktoria and Elliot + Important Notice!

    The Whitensen goddess figure had her golden tresses brushed away by one of her most loyal servants, Elliot. He was a young adult, appearing a few years older than Viktoria, and his build was more on the skinny spectrum. Elliot beheld a head of wispy chocolate locks and dark, soulless eyes. Half the time his expression was unemotional, the other half was intense concentration. As he tended to his lady, every movement he made was carefully planned, and not a moment could be wasted. Often, in the past, Viktoria scolded him for being so detailed-driven. Never did he change his ways. As a Lancaster servant of nearly one year, Elliot took advantage of every second to improve his work ethic and please Viktoria in all the ways possible.

    Typically, maids would attend to the hair and dressing of noble ladies. However, the Lancaster household could catch many nobles in surprise. Viktoria Estella Lancaster allowed this man to help her lace up her grommets and slip her feet into her slippers. He was like any handmaid, bringing tea and desserts, providing the necessary work for her studies. He would even take the time out of his day to ensure that her room remained spotless. Elliot was absorbed in perfecting his work, so there couldn¡¯t possibly be any affairs waiting to jump into the gossip circle. Sure, it has been spoken of many times, but who would dare to utter such nonsense when the crown prince is breathing down everyone¡¯s back at the mere mention of her name? Privately, it has been thought, but the Lady Lancaster almost everybody¡¯s mother knew never entered a relationship.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Abstaining from the trivialities of love, Viktoria took to the books, finding pleasure in the romance supplied in forbidden novels.

    That is, she used to.

    ¡°Can you believe his highness just waltzed away like that? I was trying to convince him to take a leisurely walk through Edithan. Isn¡¯t that what we did years ago? Why is it so wrong for me to request such a thing from him now?¡± the famously composed noble lady questioned her servant. There needn¡¯t be a response, for she continued to ramble on in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯ve been so kind to the crown prince, and he simply shakes me off like that?¡±

    ¡°My Lady, stop moving your head. I am having difficulty brushing,¡± Elliot told her in a monotonous voice. She sighed, placing her hands upon her vanity.

    Watching her reflection in the mirror, she inspected the amethyst irises she bestowed and glanced over her glistening hair, which was being diligently teased away. At last, her eyes darted towards her body, which was lean and had decently sized breasts, nothing to be remarkably impressed by. At least, Viktoria didn¡¯t have to remind others that her eyes were up here. She had lovely facial features, so her physical appeal wasn¡¯t exactly lacking either.

    To be known as the beauty with the brains was a title she toiled hours for.