The poor turtle stumbled when she bumped into me, so I guess I had another inspiration to be buff.
“Your Grace, I apologize for my slowness. Expect me to speed up the pace.”
I shook my head when she said that she would speed up her space. What a great joke because if she can, then why would I return?
I put my cloak on her because she was as pale as a sheet of paper. Giving fan service and carrying a lady in a bridal style way was never this fun!
“Your Grace, you could put me down, the woman and the man ...”
How dare you nag me as if you’re my Mom? Wrong response, it should be: “Your Grace, what an incredible strength you have!”
“Tell me that fucking rule, and I would not show any mercy to you.”
This woman had to know that I’m not the type of person who would resist being put in a box.
Did I become too hard on her? Carrying a rock made time slower, but when I glanced, I couldn’t help but grin. Her rosy cheeks and heart-shaped eyes said it all—being with me was like ecstasy because I’m once in a blue moon, baby!
“Have you become my fan?”
Although I already knew it, I had to hear it from the person itself.
“Your Grace, how did you know?” she asked.
Of course, I would always recognize my lovely fans, so don’t be shy with me and I would always welcome you with open arms!
“You gawked at me as if you have seen a knight in shining armor.”
When she said that I belonged to the top 10 handsome bachelors in the empire, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Who would’ve thought that Reyner contributed a significant result in an unexpected time?
“Who is more handsome, me, or Reyner?”
Actually, this is my ultimate fan test.
“Of course you are, Your Grace!”
Thus, this concludes that I’ve found an interesting and genuine one who replied in less than a minute.
Sniffs signaled code blue—I should stop or else I’ll lose her, which I can’t afford to happen, so I thanked her for telling the truth even though it was obvious.
****
“Frederick, what were you thinking?” Reyner asked.
“I appreciated that you’re always here for me, however, you know that I’m the kid who always dived in the water no matter how deep or shallow it was.”
We’re back from trekking, and this man thought that extreme sports were equal to suicidal. All I have to do is to release “his kryptonite” then the violent storm would be quiet.
“No, I was referring to Lady Bethany, you didn’t have to carry her as if she was your Duchess.”
The next seconds of my life became eternal suffering.
Why did you put her in a tough situation? Don’t you know she has a weak body? We should empower women not include them in a scandal. Blah, blah, blah!
I told him she would be alright because I’ll help her to the best of my abilities. James was a life savior when he informed me she returned our belongings and gave us heat packs.
Staring at the gift gave smiles to my face, she deliberately uses teal blue cloth being my favorite color.
“Lady Bethany doesn’t deserve a trashy guy that only uses the head between his legs. ”
“You just can’t believe My Lady has the best preferences!”
I put my hand on my chest as the roasting heat inside me made me sweat. Dang! This curse won’t stop until it killed me!
I ordered everyone to leave and cast a barrier spell in this room. I don’t want everyone to see how miserable I am.
When I woke up to find Reyner, a group of noblemen passed by. I asked what was the commotion about because it engrossed them in a heated argument.
They explained what happened at the banquet. I smirked when they mentioned my new fan.
After I relayed my plan in their investigation, I searched for her. Maybe my feet wanted to find her, maybe because Count Viscar was a pest who viewed himself like a deadly best in front of the weaker people.
Where did she go?
“My Lady, you already gained 3 friends today. That’s amazing!” the maid said.
The Lady hummed like a nightingale. I bet her mood would be better if she would meet me. What could be the best approach?
I slapped the wall and got closer to her. How did you like that?
Also, I glared at the nosy maid who didn’t know how to read the atmosphere.
“My Lady, I think I should go.”
That was one of the best decisions you’ve ever made, lass.
“Your Grace, what brings you here?”
That was it? I expected another kind of response.
“I think I should be the one who’s asking that.”
Gotcha! You couldn’t resist my charm, so you resorted to pushing me away. You’re the type who enjoyed chasing games. Noted.
“I apologize, Your Grace, it was just your face that was too close to mine, my reflexes...”
You don’t have to apologize because your tomato cheeks explained it all.
“I understood. But why do you always forget to bring your coat whenever we meet? A concerned woman about the freezing weather who gifted me handmade heat packs. Therefore, I conclude you handed out those elsewhere.”
Yep, there’s no way that she would forget putting on her mittens, scarf and would just put a see-through shawl on you. Where have you been, Grimaldi? Why are traces of straws on the hem of your skirt?
“Yes, I gave it to someone who needed it the most,” she said.
Someone who needed it the most? Was it a horse?
“Lady Bethany was a kind-hearted person, it touched me. You did two heroic deeds today. I can’t help but admire you.”
No response?
“Please, receive this gift from mine.”
“Of course, Your Grace. It’s my plea…”
What was this soothing icy feeling? Should I hug her too? No, I can’t. She would think I’m a pervert, however, if I hug her it would be like lying down on cottony clouds.
“Your Grace, what was the meaning of your action?”
She didn’t know about the Royal Family’s blessing? Which planet did she come from?
“Your Grace, could you please explain why you were teasing me like this? I admired you because I had this impression that you were a man of principles, yet everything was an illusion.”
“I was not teasing you. My bad I did not inform you about the process beforehand.”
Calm down, My Lady. Recall the story of blessing because I’m lazy at explaining the history.
“I understand it, but why did you give me a priceless gift, Your Grace?”
I picked strands of her curly hair and smelled them. It has a faint smell of jasmine—a flower that suits her.
“Who knows, maybe it would become handy in the future? Be thankful because many women would kneel to receive my special gift.”
Honestly, you’re the first woman to whom I have given my blessing. I can’t understand why I am drawn to you letting other people hurt me. I hope I did not make the wrong decision.
Why do people hate darkness? All of my life, darkness fostered me, gave solitude to my wounded soul. Light for me was often short-lived.I am a deformed cub, so my parents only saw me as a competitor for resources. Why not erase my existence in this cruel world? Why would you always hit me with your leather belt when you could have strangled me with it?If the sight of me made you puke, then why not behead me? Please end my suffering now.Yes, I’m an unlovable child, but why am I still longing for warmth that would thaw my frozen heart and let me grow as an individual?Was it because of my dream that an angel would knock on my door on an unexpected day?“I’m Lady Bethany Grimaldi and, I want to be friends with you.”The Almighty God, was she the angel you’ve sent me?I made sure that the sleeves of my dress w
When someone’s life turned a complete 360 degrees, that’s when everything became shaky just like this carriage. I completely understood why Miuerella’s been acting like she lost her mouth.For sure, there were lots of questions inside her head and answers would arrive soon. I’ve been in her shoes before, that’s why I was in this kind of predicament.I held her hand, and that’s when she glanced at me.“I don’t know what would be the right words to say to erase your pain, but I will make sure that everything will be alright, Ella.”A sweet smile lit the spirits of people riding in this carriage that forced me to give one as well.“Thank you, Beth, I didn’t know how would I repay you for all the help you’ve given me.”Words left me. The muscles in my mouth hardened like a block of cement. At first, she meant gratitude for the “real
I got out of the bathroom and bent my body to check if he hid under my bed. My wardrobe creaked, but the figure of the Duke wasn’t there. A shadow resembled a human figure which made me unhinged, turned to be shadows of a coat and hat hanging on the coat rack near vanity table. Heavy tread of someone’s boots outside my room gave me false hope only to find those belonged to the maids.“Your Grace, please tell me where you are!”This endless pursuit needed to stop. I sat on my bed while rubbing a cotton towel onto my damp Rapunzel length hair that would take a lot of time to dry.“I’m still in Larson when I met a mage and told me a secret about the gift. I couldn’t believe it at first because Empire’s archives didn’t have any scripts mentioning the extra perks, so I gave it a shot and Voilà!”“Wow!”Phew! An image of a twisted man hidden in the bushes holding binocul
The dimples molded on my cheeks upon learning the glorious news.No one beats the careful plan paired with great execution! I stepped backwards because if someone might see me eavesdrop, missiles of nags would blast my ears afterwards.I guess sleep was still the best medication for boredom.“Lady Bethany, what a coincidence, I need your help right now!”His disheveled hair, heavy breathing, and unbuttoned wet shirt backed up his statement. What happened to this man?“Of course, this humble lady lends her hand for Your Highness.”Crown Prince Reyner invited me to his colossal VIP room, decorated with crafted furniture and golden embellishments. Whenever I stepped on the Venetian Red woolen carpet, it was like murdering the beauty of this exquisite material which costed half of my eternal soul.“Please wait for me, this won’t take long. I prepared everything on the dessert platter for you.&rdqu
“How about me, give me a task!”He even pointed to himself and raised his hand like a student who wanted to get called by his teacher. Do I really need to include him? But he flooded the discussion with his outrageous ideas about this love-friendship operation.“You killed her Father, do you think she would befriend you?”Before the debate ignited, I told them we need to be friendly and cautious about every word that would come out from our mouths because it might scrape her vulnerable heart.Like what I wrote in the script, I greeted Miuerella when I saw her sketching Mingming. She immediately dropped her graphite pencil when she saw me holding a tray.“Beth! Look at our Mingming, isn’t she cute?”I applauded at her artwork, then stroked Mingming’s black fur. Yeah, maybe the other reason Ella empathized with her was because no one wanted an animal that would bring misfortune.
The moment I stepped foot in their room, I asked Uncle whether the reason they summoned me was I pointed out their similarities.Duke Le Merck, you became like a cat who cannot urinate when I stated the fact that crimson eyes are a trait exclusive to the Le Merck family.He praised me for being sharp and requested if I could convince Miuerella in cooperating with the paternity test.Seriously, people in the higher part of the pyramid lived comfortably! They passed their important jobs to other people, even persuading their daughter on me.Of course, I didn’t have a choice or else I won’t get any points. I went back to the roofed deck to check whether the future couple was still alive—what I meant was breathing.Reyner’s gone. Maybe it had to do with the devilish Duke’s affairs since James also mentioned his name.Her dazzling aura caused by the power of love almost killed me.I called her name
I expected he totally forgot about me after the Count’s case. What does he need?~~~“Good Morning, Your Grace. What fine weather do we have, so am I.”“Have you felt good?”“I’m an optimistic person.”“Optimistic, you say?”“I have a visitor today, so I am afraid that I might not fully entertain Your Highness.”Let’s not waste our time over nonsense people.“What’s your favorite color?”“It’s green.”~~~He thanked me before we ended the conversation. Why would he ask for my favorite color?“Beth, should I tell them to slow down?”“We should reach the place before lunchtime, so that’s a big no.”She explained I occasionally shook my head, so I assured if something was wrong with me, I’ll tell her
I sighed at his silly request, which made me want to punch him until his pretty face became distorted, and disposed of his body to the nearest river in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep. But of course, I didn’t want Mingming to be his hostage.I looked at him straight in the eye and said, “Please forgive me as I lead a very busy life. Second, I just met you and haven’t known your name.”He finished the flower arrangements, washed his hands on the sink near the cashier, and suddenly grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it!Once more, these tomato cheeks made an appearance. I can’t see it, but its existence was here. Also, my embarrassed ass made me move my chair as far as I could.“Hehe, Miss Grimaldi, why did you move that far? I couldn’t see your beauty! By the way, the name’s Liam... Liam Wright.”He pretended to cry and wipe his fake tears with a white handkerchie
Purification Element. A person with this ability was a saint not only in the Empire but also in the universe.This healing power had a limit: you cannot resurrect the dead.People who were born with this ability were the victims of Solipique. Or the church might control them for the rest of their lives."My Lady, were you sure? My vision was back to normal. Breathing was easier than before.""Yes, I only prayed for your recovery."The Nora I know came back. Her lively voice and inquisitive nature annoyed me again."Serving my lady was the best decision I ever made!"I clapped my hands."Now, what meal does my lady want?""No. I would bring your meal. You're not fully recovered yet."She would experience a mental breakdown once she saw the terrible scenery outside."Do not leave this room until I say so."Hope that she would follow that order while I look for the head chef.An extraordinary journey as a kangaroo began when I had to hop to avoid stepping on the corpses. The sights at my
Chapter 39"Hey!" I shouted as run towards her while lifting my dress.Unfortunately, she disappeared before I could even explain everything. I placed my hand on one tree.This game became complicated. Why did those developers knock off my Jenga tower when I'm in the middle of placing my blocks?I am a mere employee. What can I do?For now, let us serve my new target."Did you like your room? I could arrange another one if you'd like." Mercella asked.After all, we unload my things."I am fine with everything," I said.She giggled. "It was my first time to hear those words from a noble lady.""Your Highness. Thanks for your kindness."The girl in a messy bun was Pauline."I like it, Your Highness."This lady who can't even look at her eyes is Sharon. I heard she had a boutique.Lady Mercella clapped.
"Fred, my dear, no matter what happens, promise me you would make this a secret."Though he was clueless why he would need to hide his gift, he agreed with his mother's statement.Not until one day, he learned about the death of his father from the maids. Solipique. A taboo tradition where two people could switch elements. Placing the starved victim in a magic circle while mumbling the spell was the required step. If you were the one who did the ritual, there were no side effects. But if you are the victim, it inflicted a curse on your body.Random symbols crawled their skin. It would glow up, and a burning sensation penetrated every tissue of their human being. The intense pain was worse than dying. The artificial way of obtaining an element caused it.If you could not bear the pain, the quick fix for it was to say goodbye in this world. By doing this, you would also prevent the person who stole your element from using it. The people involved in the ritual shoul
Soaking my body in steamy warm water infused with aromatic essential oils and flower petals was on the next level of luxury. When your life was chaotic, it was a necessity. I wish I could also soak my problems and watch them disappear in water.Two hours was enough to prepare for my little adventure.Food, extra clothes, water, book, paper, self-made first aid kit, pillow, and blanket.They’re not in the house, so I left my message with our butler.Few kilometers away from our estate was a peaceful mountain called Trevkor. The 350m mountain had a mildly strenuous hiking trail as well.I instructed them to pick me up before the sunset. Wild animals won’t hurt me.Of course, I would never enter a war without weapons. My second drawstring bag contained things I need to defend myself, considering I would stay here for 6 hours. From a utility knife to a makeshift stove, I pulled them all.Back in my world, I also had this same
The Prince left the moment he heard his announcement. I glanced to my left when a big rough hand overlapped mine. "Let's go to Lady Miuerella." We were already standing in Ella's room before I noticed it. The weight I carried on my back became heavier when I saw her bright smile. She pulled my hand and whispered how happy she was. Her writer's block left. "Beth, what's the Duke doing here?" "He would escort us back to Daria." She frowned. "Why so soon? I thought we are going to celebrate the festival with them?""Someone ate Prince's Reyner's fruit." She remained silent while the stream of tears flowed onto her cheeks. In Daria, there is a tradition that involved the members of the Imperial Family. They could only marry someone who has eaten Persephone's pomegranate. Well, yes. The author added a touch of Greek mythology. When
"Big Brother!" She dropped the stuffed bunny on the floor and ran towards her brothers. "We missed you. Look, I met two princesses from another Kingdom. You want to meet a princess, right?" Leo lifted her, looked at his sister with fatherly loving eyes. If their enemies saw this scene, they would kidnap the vulnerable girl. "Brother, put me down! I will greet the princesses." The little girl hit her brother's chest. Leo chuckled before granting his sister's request. She attacked us with her overflowing cuteness when she gave us a curtsy. She almost hit her head on the floor when she lost her balance. Good thing I caught her in my arms. Her brothers rushed to her side and called for the Royal physician. We did the same thing and introduced ourselves when the doctor told us there was nothing wrong with her body. She drove her brothers away until they reached the exit door. Liam sniffed, knelt on the floor,
"Dame Bethany! I'm glad you visited! Come, join with us!"Barging in during the hour where the Imperial couple savored their tea together made me feel ruthless. Whatever I've already done."Greeting to the Suns of Daria."In this world, a curtsy was a must.The Empress pointed at the seat next to her.There was a welcoming spirit in the air I did not understand."Were you here because you'll tell us about your pregnancy? I am here to protect your reputation."I smiled at how close the Empress and the Duchess were. Oh, yeah, they were siblings after all.I shook my head and cleared my throat."Your Imperial Majesty, this woman believes in the purity before marriage. Also, I went here to ask for your Imperial Highness's permission.""You'll ask permission to marry our nephew? Oh, I admire your braveness. As the rulers of this Empire, we will impose the rules."I choked cause the moment the Emperor said those
His eyes widened and murmured."I had to accept that the heavens won't give me to you."He announced we must reveal our cards now. I accepted it.First was his card. He had a straight because he had 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 cards."Please reveal yours."Ten of hearts,Ten of diamonds,Ten of spades,Nine of hearts,Nine of diamonds, which meant..."A full house. Congratulations, you didn't have to marry a jerk like me."He extended his hand to mine. There was one more thing I had to ask, though."Why Prince Liam? We did not spend enough time together but, in all the people, you were the one who cared about authenticity the most."Yeah, when he revealed himself as the Prince of Tozia, that's when I saw his character's stats. He has Earth elements which explained why he was interested in flowers.They doused the bouquets in authenticity spell that only people with Earth elements hav
Based on my conversation with Nora, it was not surprising to see my face in the newspaper.Dame Grimaldi, an authentic life Countess Brivaldi?Ridiculous! In Miurella's novel, Countess Bianca Brivaldi fought for her love even though the world was against them.I shook my head as my teeth chewed the sausage. Starting today, I had to fuel my body by eating more carbs and protein.I asked for another serving while my brother smiled as I pig-out in front of him.My decision was right when the archery training began. This body burned all those sausages, beans, eggs, and bread after an hour of exercise and practice.My cruel brother made me ran 20 kilometers. These delicate hands never touched the bow, and the arrow was like a squished tomato after the session.These circumstances didn't stop me. I formed my fist, sat on the bench they placed in the empty meadows, and closed my eyes. The pain I expe