chapter two
PASSING TIME
it's been five years since you found out you were in a cliché novel. if only you had read it. you would have probably gained more knowledge about the novel, and not stay stuck with 'athanasia dies. the emperor, claude de alger obelia is a horrible father towards athanasia.' as your only source of useful information.
even though you were sisters with athanasia, you never really talked to her. you were more like acquaintances. you kept your distance well.
you read a lot of isekai novels in your past life. all of them were the same.
• get hit by a truck
• wake up somewhere unfamiliar
• realise you're in a novel
• realise you don't want to die again
• stay away from the main characters
• obsess over living a quiet life
• end up falling in love
at one point, they started getting boring. you understood that they wanted to live, but their continued obsession over living a quiet life in a small village was too repetitive. they all had narrow perspectives.
the father of this body was a murder machine, right? claude de alger obelia.
well he could kill you.
it would hurt, but that was the price of it.
you didn't want to waste your time running away.
since this life would also cause you pain.
"f/n!" athanasia held on to your hand. "let's go pick some flowers."
"i am sorry, i am studying." you picked your book up.
ever since you hands grew a little stronger, you started to draw, write...whatever you were capable of.
the first time you wrote something, lily freaked out.
"p-princess, oh my lord! princess! do you know how to write? our highness must be a fairy. let's see, what does this say?"
athanasia had been playing with some jewellery, while lily observed your hand writing.
"well, of course, you don't know the language, but the letters are perfect! your highness, let's get you to study!"
ever since then, you've been studying nonstop everday.
"f/n, want to go to the fountain?"
she reminded you of jihye.
you didn't know why.
"lily assigned me work, i need to complete it.."
"join me when you're done!"
"okay."
after some time, you finally finished it.
"hm." you decided that maybe you could visit the fountain too.
halfway through walking alongside the flowers, it hit you.
"wait a minute, i don't know where the fountain is."
you usually spent your time inside the room, reading, studying and drawing. you never really went outside a lot.
"well, i'll surely find it somehow. this place can't be that big."
you walked for a while more. no signs of a fountain.
"i give up. i'm going back." you turned around. "i'm lost."
you searched for something.
'there's a big tree there. i can rest a bit.'
"what is this annoying rascal doing here?"
you heard a someone say.
you opened your heavy eyelids.
"that's—!"
there were two tall men, towering over you.
"your majesty, that must be one of the princesses."
"what do you mean princesses?" he snapped.
"the princesses are twins."
"twins? so there's two filthy bugs, then." the blonde man massaged his temple. "tch."
you got up and dusted your dress, then looked up at the blonde man.
'the red haired man called the blonde haired your majesty, so he must be the emperor, claude de alger obelia.'
"greetings, your majesty." you lifted your skirt and bowed.
"hm." he grumbled. "it's got manners."
you looked at his blue, twinkling eyes.
"your name." he demanded.
"f/n." you answered without hesitation.
the other man placed a mat down for the emperor to sit on.
"i faintly remember." his eyes glowed. "felix."
"yes, your majesty?"
"go away."
"okay, your majesty." he walked as far as he could.
"farther." the emperor commanded.
felix walked away a few more steps.
the emperor finally rested his head on the tree.
'i thought he said he'd talk to me.'
the comfortable silence continued.
his hair stood perfectly still, despite today being a little breezy.
you glanced at his golden locks.
he glared at you, sensing your eyes creeping towards his hair.
of course, his glare was kind that sent shivers down your spine..but it was nothing to be afraid of if you thought about it.
"tired..?" you asked, bluntly.
he held his forehead, as if it was pounding. "who's your mother?"
when you sat in silence, he spoke again. "now i remember. it's that cunning woman, isn't it? that wench."
'i thought he loved her. why call her a wench?"
"what is your sister's name?"
"athanasia."
"athanasia." he tested the name on his tongue. "i had found it very amusing. how dare she give her that name?"
then, it fell silent again. he seemed to have fallen asleep.
you stood up. "rest well."
'he must be ill or something. maybe that's why he was so grumpy. did he lose his mind too after he lost his wife?'