Chapter 15

Hands of Lilly's, the whispering voice of Lilly's were shivering badly. The sight of Claude getting further away was seen from my gaze.

"Uwuuu..."

I was able to open my mouth after Claude was completely out of my sight.

"Wahhhhh...!"

From my long life, and this short life, I have never once cried before in fear.

* * *

Me who was very healthy that didn't get sick easily was having a hard time after I met with Claude. It was normal to throw up after having a time together eating, and sure. I was used to that. But now, I almost died from drowning in the lake.

After the incident, I caught a cold I've never once caught before (The time when Atti was sick before was not cold but just a light fever.) and was lying down with blankets wrapped around me.

During the care of Lilly and the other sister maids, I had my final conclusion that Claude is one true a d.o.g.g.y bast*rd.

I know he saved me in the end, but I'm pretty sure that bast*rd didn't save me right away even after seeing me flapping.

What a bad psychopath. How can he look at with that kind of eyes when a five year old kid is about to die by drowning? Further more, when that kid is his daughter!

When I think about that, I still get goosebumps. I shouldn't be surprised. It is normal he'd be like this. He even killed Atanasia without any hesitation in the novel. Sob sob.

I suffered nightmares every night after the incident as I cried sorrowfully. Then Lilly would not leave my room and sit beside my bed, and rub my head. She would hug me, too. Those days, I was able to just barely go back to sleep in Lilly's warm arms.

* * *

These days, I wonder what living means. I was helpless in a complete different way than my last life. If I was any other normal kid, that incident would definitely stay as a life trauma and would not be able to face water ever again.

I just want to gather more gold and get out of here as soon as possible. I think plan B would work out for me better than plan C. How do I make that wicked psychopath fall for me? Wow, I feel like all of my tries 'till now were all for nothing.

I will be able to escape from this palace one day, right? Ah, now that I think about it, my 2 beauties were already taken by Claude.

...

This bad bast*rd! He told me to come myself to get it back but am I crazy? To go in that evil place with my own 2 foot when notneven being called?

"Hanna."

No matter how hard I think, I cannot get myself to think of an inspiration to make me keep on living. That is why I was trying to raise my life will that is already touching the very bottom, by using this life's good points.

"Give me choco."

(Who thinks this is a mood?)

Hanna expressed panick. But I am not in the mood to do aegyo (act cute). My inside is already painted pitch black.

"Choco."

"I-I can't. Ms. Lillian said...."

"I will eat choco."

Hanna didn't hand me choco that easily. Seemed like she was scolded harshly by Lilly. Hmm well it is true my desire for sweets are increased by Claude giving me sweet cakes unlike Claude.

Hah, fine. Then I've got no choice.

I used my ultimate plan at Hanna.

"Sister, Atti wanna eat choco."

Hanna's face started to loosen. Here, take my sparkle sparkle attack!

"D-Don't do this to me."

Sparkle sparkle.

"I really can't, princess! Sorry!"

But Hanna just ran away as if she couldn't take it anymore and left giving me nothing.

What, what?! Where do you think you're going?! My chocolate! Go after you give me chocolate!

"Hanna!"

I can't believe it. Did Hanna just win over my sparkle sparkle attack?!

Looks like I was getting too much stress that my aegyo (acting cute) level has been decreased. Grrr, I feel dirty. But do you think that'll stop me from eating?

I carefully hid in the kitchen without being caught by the maids. Its been 5 years since I lived in this palace so I knew the time when the kitchen was empty of people. I also know where they hide chocolates and candies!

I slowly sneaked further into the kitchen. This was very immature thing to do but that couldn't stop me from wanting those chocolates.

These kind of good quality chocolate was never given to be last life!

It was me who would eat only a meal a day, and that one meal's average would be a past-the-due-date cheap sushi from the grocery store. I would be going to jail even if this was just a dream. I couldn't dream about eating expensibe chocolates. Well at least for me it was a sin.

That's why I'm gonna eat it, chocolate!

I looked around and of course found no one there. Feeling joy, I ran to the shelf where the chocolate was hidden.

"Seth, where are you going?"

"Wait, I think I left the lid open. Be right back."

Gasp!

I quickly hid my body from the sudden sound of the door opening.

The one maid who entered the kitchen was sister Seth.

"The lid was off after all."

Ah. Then wouldn't it be fine to just ask for chocolates instead of stealing? That's right! This is fate to meet in a timing like this!

"Um....."

"Ah! Bug!"

Just when I opened my mouth to call out for her, Seth shouted sharply with her eyes wide open.

Crash! Squish!

The thing revealed under Seth's sharp hook of the high-heel was nothing other than a miserably squished c.o.c.kroach.

"How dare a dirty bug enter the kitchen."

I was sweat dropping from the cold voice with no one noticing me.

"I probably should suggest Ms. Lillian to make palace cleaning day to be sooner. I can't forgive how there is a c.o.c.kroach in the palace princess is living in.

Seth sister is so c-cool! That goddess-like movement to kill a fast c.o.c.kroach!

"But weren't there some kind of sound?"

B-But I should maybe not go out now.

Of course Seth won't treat me like how she treated but after seeing a dead body in front of me... I feel like I Seth is going to tell Lilly instead of giving me chocolate. And then I'll get in trouble...

When I stayed silently like this, Seth turned around to leave.

Then I slowly started to move the body I've been hiding, and peeked my head out.

Sniff. It is so hard to get chocolate today. I slowly reached out for chocolate once again.

Rustle.

Huh? I heard a small sound from the side.

I cautiously turned my face around to the place where the sound came from. Carefully, carefully... Did someone come in???

However, there was no one there.

A moment of silence past by.

What was that? Was I hearing things? No, I am sure I heard something. I became dumbfounded.

Then I had a flashback of the rumour sister maids talked about a few years ago. No, they still talk about it now, too. That rumour of the 'Ghost in the kitchen'.

"Gasp."

I became more scared as I had a nightmare of that mysterious water monster pulling me down the water last night.

I thought it was only because of Claude's doing all these years, but now... This feels like something else.

It looked more haunted as the kitchen was dark and quiet without any sound or anyone. The light was going on and off faintly, and it was dusty.

I have come here to steal some chocolate without Lilly knowing, but it wasn't this scary. Now it looks like there actually is a ghost living here.

I sweat-dropped. I felt like as if the ghost will appear behind my back and Ta-da! Just like that would grab me on the shoulder.

"Princess!"

Grab!

Yes, just like this.....!

"AaaaaahhhhhCK!"

I screamed as I was scared to h*ll. It's a ghost! Ghost grabbed me on the shoulder! DID A DEAD MAID WHO WAS KILLED BY CLAUDE COME TO GET ME?! OR DID THAT WATER MONSTER CAME HERE TO CATCH ME?!

"Oh my, princess! I'm sorry. Were you scared?"

But the one who appeared behind my back was Lilly. She seemed surprised as well.

"Princess, we need you to come outside."

But Lilly seemed to be urgent that she picked me up before properly calming me down.

Ah! But I was found out I was in the kitchen. Besides, there already were 2 chocolates from the basket in my hands.

Woohoo! I am indeed speedy in... is not what I am going to state. I put the things on my hands in the small pocket sneakily without Lilly noticing it. From my point of view, Lilly didn't seemed to know that I took some chocolate. Just how urgent is the situation to be like this?

And soon, I was able to know the reason.

"We are grateful we can serve princess Atanasia."

I was frozen in place in Lilly's arms from seeing the maids bowing in front of me. Just how many is this. One, two, three, four, five....

I gave up counting 'till thirty. Will these sister maids will be serving me from now on?

Déjà vu. This was like a scene from a specific kind of k-drama I saw. The romance comedy drama that was so opposite of my situation that I didn't even feel jealous and just thought it was a some kind of fantasy. Yeah, my situation which was me scrubbing the oil off the pans.

I remember it as a very popular drama with the daughter of rich parents's romance.

Eh, but I, not following the fans who made this popular, thought it was way too out of reality and was too childish.

The scene I've witnessed was when the protagonist came back to her house after shopping. There she saw the people working in the house lined up, greeting her.

"I was ordered to serve by princess Atanasia's side."

Felix who was standing by, walked to where I was when I was in a 'What The H*ck' situation.

Are you getting me medicine after getting me sick?

(This is a metaphor/idiom in Korea.)

Claude really was a stup*d head who was very unpredictable. I could only laugh what was not a laugh, realizing that fact.

Once upon a time, a bast*rd who just left giving few cold words in cold tone to I, who was wet and shivering, nicely gave me many maids and a personal knight.

Furthermore, Felix was a person Claude always had by his side. Even though it is just temporary, what does he mean by this?

"We are grateful for his majesty's favour but to set sir Robain as..."

(To people wondering 'Who Is Robain?': Robain is a last name for Felix.)

Lilly, too, looked dumbfounded as if she didn't expect or heard anything about this. Then Felix smiled faintly, looking at me.