>>Corvina
"Eyes down," I ordered when Tracy came to my room to give me my lunch, "Don't even think about glaring at me." I had a book in my hands that I was reading as I sat by the window to get some sunlight. I had shut her down the moment she started glaring at me.
She lowered her eyes as she placed the food tray down on the table in front of me.
"Do you need anything else?" She pursed her lips after asking. Must be hurting her pride that she actually has to do her job.
"No, you may leave," I put the book down, "You can come after an hour and take the tray."
"Yes," She turned around and left. But not before she turned and glared at Hael who stood by the door. She whispered something to him but I couldn't hear what she said since the door was on the other end of the room.
Hael stood unfazed which seemed to make Tracy's mood turn foul. She didn't do anything there, she glanced at me and saw me looking at them, so she just left.
I moved my face away the moment she closed the door behind her and started eating. I've been ignoring Hael since 'that' night but he has been pretty persistent. He still comes to my room and does the small tasks he used to in the past but he's been staring at me awfully a lot.
I put the food in my mouth trying to ignore it but the intensity of his gaze was something that one couldn't easily ignore. Why? Is he curious that I didn't punish him but punished Tracy instead?
I chewed my food slowly and looked out the window.
Well, that is understandable.
The last two years of my life, I spent them constantly torturing Hael. I kept using the gemstone on him each time I heard he was with some woman.
In my past life, I didn't see him literally sleeping with someone like I did now. But I believed the words that made their way to me, because they came with proof. The biggest one being that Hael never said he didn't do it. When I asked him about it, he would just keep his mouth shut. I recalled a few times that it happened. I always made a public specter of it.
...
Hmmm?
When did I start asking him about it though? I didn't do that from the start... Did I? I can't really remember.
I turned my face around to look at him
!!!
He still had his eyes on me even though he was tidying my bed.
Oh Gosh!
"Hael," I called out to him in a panic
"Yes, My lady," He immediately walked over.
Oh, shit
I didn't utter a word to him for the past few days and now it just slipped out. Great. Hael seemed happy though. His unamused look had finally broken after I called him out.
"Tomorrow's my birthday." I said,
"Yes, it is,"
"What are you getting me?" I honestly had no idea what else to talk about. Although, asking this question did send a wave of dread down my spine. It was a similar question to what I said right before I turned eighteen.
And the next day was hell. There was so much blood on the first floor, with corpses everywhere.
I felt nauseous and had to look away.
And in the middle of it all, was Hael. My skin stood up and my stomach knotted.
"Ah," He wasn't sure, "What would you like, My lady?" His question made me come back to reality
There was a soft moment of relief when I looked at his face again.
Right,
The time I have left may have reduced, but I still had exactly two years left before the tragedy.
I looked down at the food plate and poked the vegetables, "Get me a book," I said softly.
"Yes? A book?" He was surprised by my request, "What kind of book?" He must even be wondering if I'm joking around.
"A novel," It is honestly pretty boring not having anything to do the whole day.
"A novel?" He stared at me, "What kind?'
"I'll leave it up to you," I am well aware that the past me was not an avid reader, but I was also a bitch who spent her time doing other shit like spending my money shopping and on other useless shit, "You may leave,"
...
Hael didn't look pleased but he did leave in the end and I got to spend time with my thoughts peacefully.
What did I do with my allowance before?
I think I liked spending it on pretty things. I would always spend my monthly allowance on lavish things. I let out a sigh. No wonder when I looked in the safe I found it empty. I never had the habit of saving up.
I put some food in my mouth again.
If I stop now, I would be a target of a lot of suspicion. I licked my lips. I can't just start saving up out of the blue. If no one else, I'm sure Hael is going to notice.
And he's the only person I don't want finding out what I'm planning.
I ate slowly, I didn't have much of an appetite.
I shouldn't save up my allowance, rather, I should buy jewelry with a high resale price. I can use it when I run away.
I'll buy an organized bag where I'll put the gems when no one is in my room. I'll buy the smaller gems with high prices, like those pink diamonds and I'll keep it safe till the day I run away.
...
But wouldn't hoarding jewels make me suspicious? I don't have anyone to help me out. If I keep everything in a bag, that would be weird.
Hmm
But then again if I hoard money, that would be the most suspicious thing. Buying and keeping precious gems is better. I nodded to myself. That's the only thing I can run away with too.
I put the fork down on my place and let out a confident exhale.
Well then, I have one part of my escape plan ready!
***
>>Hael
A few days have passed since 'that' night but Corvina didn't punish me.
Something has definitely changed.
In normal circumstances, she would have me kneeling desperately on the ground, gasping for air pathetically as my mind raced with thoughts of death.
She would have used that gemstone without a second thought.
But this time, she saw 'it' with her own eyes and all she's done is ignore me. She punished Tracy but not me. Why?
People don't just change overnight
My eyes darted over the bookshelf,
She sent me to buy her a novel but what am I supposed to get her? She never told me to do something like this before. This all is too strange to just ignore. It's almost like there's another person inside that body.
I randomly picked a novel out and took it to the cash counter.
"Ring this up," I handed it over to the girl at the counter but she paused the moment she looked at the cover.
"Sir, is this for you?" She seemed a little nervous. She had a few freckles around her nose and it was funny how her hair matched the frame of her titled glasses.
"No," I answered, "It's for the lady I serve,"
"Oh!" She let out a breath of relief, "That's good," She smiled, "That'll be three bronze,"
"Why?" I asked as I handed over the money.
"Hmm?" She was startled by my question but I pointed at the book and she got nervous again, "Oh, that," She handed the book to me, "It's a book, especially for women." She avoided my gaze, "Adult women."
I turned it around to take a look at the cover. There wasn't anything special on it, except an artwork of a woman with a flower in her hands, a flower that was getting violated by manly fingers.
Hmm?
"Haha," The cashier laughed nervously, "Good day sir, I hope your miss likes the book." She ushered me out of the shop as the image on the cover irritated me.
It didn't take me long to realize what I had bought.
Ah~
This is an adult novel.
I smirked,
Well, maybe then My Lady Corvina will enjoy it