My Life Is Your Undoing |WMMAP|

7. Mountain Of Headaches

I'm still sulking by the time we get back to the Ruby Palace.

On top of having to worry about my own death, Lily's death, Diana's death (because I still don't know how she defied the laws of the novel and survived the labor) and Jennette's eventual appearance, now I have one more headache in Claude stealing Diana away from me.

Why is life out to get me? What have I ever done? What sin could I have committed that was so atrocious I got reborn as Athanasia?

But if the heavens are trying to get me to kneel and cave in, then they are very wrong! I never give up, not even if the odds are stacked so highly against me that they may just collapse and bury me alive.

When we get back to my room, I tell no one in particular that I'm going to take a nap, catching the glances that Lily and Diana exchange. Lily tucks me in, Diana presses a kiss on my forehead, and I know they're both off to discuss whatever happened in Claude's office.

This leaves me free to ponder over the mountain of headaches I'm saddled with.

The most pressing matter: Claude's recent interest in Diana.

I can't control his feelings for her any more than I can control being reincarnated as Athanasia, so I decide to work on Diana. I'll just tell her how much I loathe Claude, behind his back, of course, and hopefully my words can convince her to ditch that scoundrel.

I mean, between me, the most adorable angel (in Diana's words), and Claude, the lowest level of scum (in my words) to ever exist, it shouldn't even be a competition.

As for the others... to avoid Lily's death, I just need to avoid my own death. And to prevent Diana's death... Well, that's technically already done, even if I am worried about the cost – if there is anything I've learned from my two lifetimes, it's that there is always a price to everything.

It's the matter of whether you want to pay it or not, and what sort of retribution will befall you if you don't.

Therefore, my next greatest hurdle comes in the form of the lovely brunette who is my alleged half-sister, Jennette Margarita... except she isn't. She's not my sister. She is the daughter of Penelope Judith, Claude's incorrigible ex-fiancee, and Anastacius, Claude's older brother.

And if I play my cards well, there are endless possibilities to exploit that information...

After all, Jennette was a product of an affair between the two, and despite knowing all that, Claude in the novel loved Penelope enough to take her in as his own daughter.

Yet...

I can't help but think of Diana, and how she made it sound like Claude was heads over heels in love with her. It's a stark contrast from the novel, where he seemed to have only been coveting her body.

I smother a yawn, but the day is catching up to me and I find my eyelids getting dragged down by an invisible weight. Darkness creeps over my vision, wiping away all thoughts of my parents and Jennette.

☆゜·。。·゜゜·。。·゜★

"Princess, it's time to wake up."

"Hnng..." I mumble, rolling over in my sleep.

"Rise and shine, Your Highness." Lily's voice sounds oddly strained, or is it just me?

I hear the sound of drapes being pulled back, and wince as shafts of sunlight stream into the room, blinding my vision even when my eyes are closed.

"Lily!" I complain, getting up. I know I'm a sight to behold with my hair sticking out everywhere.

"It's the middle of the afternoon, not the morning," Lily deadpans. "Your Highness took a nap and slept like a log for three hours."