I still find it strange everytime I look at my reflection in the mirror. To see another person's appearance instead of yours, it's still giving off an unsettling feeling.
I looked at my overall appearance. I had trouble sleeping last night because my body ached all over. The sun didn't even rise yet and here I am, already awake. My hair was a mess with strands flying off everywhere. Good thing Henrietta's hair was soft and smooth despite being wavy so it was easy to untangle her bed hair. The dark circles under my eyes were too obvious and my complexion doesn't look good.
The flame on the candle flickered. I asked the maids to leave a box of matches near the candelabra just in case I woke up in the middle of the night. Even though there are maids who does night vigils, I still didn't want to disturb them just to have them light up my room.
I sighed. Yesterday's events felt like it drained half of my life span. That person used his paralyzing spell on me twice.
I brushed my hair to side to get a clearer view of my neck. Near my nape was a white begonia marking. It was like an artistic tattoo but when I remembered what we talked about yesterday, my mood became even more gloomy.
/
"Your core is silver."
There are only three colors of mana cores mentioned in the novel.
White cores are the most common one. People who possess this core are normal humans who cannot use magic. Mages and disciples of the Temple have blue cores. They're the ones who can cultivate mana and turn it into magic spells, curses, etcetera.
And the rarest of the three is the golden core that only members of the royal family possess. And Alaric happened to possess the core that resembles Helios.
The novel never mentioned a silver core.
I sighed, "I'm sorry, I do not understand what you are trying to say."
"It means your core is odd," he said as he continuously threw supicious glares at me. "It's the first time /I saw it and it's troublesome. See these things?"
He pointed at the swarm of mana particles that were reslessly floating in the air. "They're bothering me. The priests and disciples in this temple needs these things to cultivate their own core yet here they are, swarming towards you. They're even more restless around you than the second prince."
I furrowed my brows. I also don't understand what's going on yet he kept on insisting that I have some explaining to do.
He glanced at my chest once again. And I had another urge to slap him.
"No matter how many times I look at it, your core is silver. The light it's emitting is different from white cores. Don't try to deny it," he warned.
I narrowed my eyes and confronted his glares, "I came to this temple because I need to consult something about my core. I am not trying to hide anything. Now, would you please unbind me from this spell of yours, kind sir?"
He arched a brow. Then a mocking smirk apoeared on his face, "You broke free from it, why not do it again?"
I felt a string of sanity snapped inside my head. What a lucky day. I had to deal with two people who seem to be lacking lessons in values education.
"I don't know how," I replied, giving emphasis to every word.
He crossed his arms across his chest. The intimidating aura that surrounded him started to disperse.
"You are odd," he commented. "Your core is the same with the golden core. If there was an appearance of a new and dominant core, /I would be able to detect it wherever the location maybe. Yet, I was only able to notice your core when you were already inside the temple's premises. And it doesn't look like your core just emerged today."
In the novel, the author did not mention what core each character has. Only the main characters were given attention to so I assumed that the side characters are all normal humans. Plus, the novel mainly focused on the fight for the throne and Alaric and Adelia's love story, not magic.
Is Henrietta's core... especial?
"The core is equivalent to the soul. And there is something strange going on with yours. Really strange..."
My heart raced when I felt my body become even stiffer. The magic circle that was emitting a clear, white glow suddenly turned into blazing crimson.
I grunted when I felt pain spreading throughout my body.
The man stepped closer and closer until there was only a thread of distance between us. He leaned forward, my green eyes reflected into his icy blue eyes. He was staring into my eyes yet I felt like he was looking right through me.
"Who are you?" His question sent shivers down my spine.
I'm uncertain if there was any hidden meaning to it but it felt like he caught me. Like he knows something about me. That I am not the owner of this body, that I am not from this world.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I opened my mouth to speak when he suddenly glanced towards the direction of the gazebo's entrance with a somewhat annoyed expression on his face.
"It seems your servants are as restless as these things," he said then he waved his hands once again, the sleigh bells on his sleeves created a tinkling sound. In an instant, all the glowing mana particles that were swarming around us disappeared and the whole place was once again engulfed in darkness.
I fell on my knees when he suddenly released me from his paralyzing spell. I felt like a marionette who couldn't move, my limbs were limp all over. Then he crouched in front of me, stretching his hand and placing a finger on my neck.
I hissed when I felt a searing pain on the place he touched.
"What did you do?" I glared at him.
He grinned, "I placed a mark on you. I'll be able to see your every move and monitor the mana flow inside your body. You are something peculiar. As much as I wanted to imprison you right now and check every part of your body, I simply must not do that."
My cheeks heated up, "Please mind your words."
But he ignored me. "If you suddenly disappeared, the temple's reputation would be put at risk since you were last seen here. So..."
He removed his hand from my neck. Then an innocent and warm smile appeared on his beautiful face.
"I'll see you again. We have a lot to talk about."
/
I clenched my fists. I feel a gush of irritation whenever I remember that smile of his and all the humiliation I received that day.
He vanished into thin air after chanting a few verses that temporarily cured the pain that his paralyzing spell caused. The mysterious man didn't leave any trace of his sudden appearance. With a wave of his hand he fixed the shattered crystal orb and fixed the arrangement of everything inside the gazebo.
Sir Keith and Annie came running with worried expressions on their faces. They said that after they saw Alaric leaving the gazebo they immediately went to fetch me but an invisible barrier suddenly blocked their way. They were so worried that they even called the temple disciples for help. Yet when the disciples arrived, the barrier already disappeared.
The worrywart Sir Keith asked what happened and I told him a priest talked to me about my condition to ease his worries.
He just sighed a breath of relief and after that we went back to the capital. The moment I entered the mansion, I was immediately summoned to the Marquis' study. And I found out that whenever the Marquis was anxious, he tends to drown himself with work so when I entered his study, a huge pile of documents was placed on his table.
I expected one hell of a scolding but the Marquis just expressed his worries, still unable to reprimand his daughter. He spoiled Henrietta too much.
After that I immediately went to bed and was about to sleep when my body ached once again. I tossed and turned all night and woke up haggard.
I heaved a sigh and placed a hand on my chest, feeling the steady beating of my heart.
The silver core that pretty man was talking about... is it Henrietta's? From the way the man said it and the way he reacted, it seemed like it's an impressive core. So why did Henrietta remain cannon fodder?
Or does an outsider like me have a different core? He did say that mana cores are equivalent to a person's soul. If I'm in Henrietta's body, does it mean that the core he was referring to is mine?
But... I'm certain this body is reacting to things that are familiar to Henrietta. I faced Alaric twice, and everytime, I feel butterflies in my stomach and it's creepy when I don't even have feelings for the person. These reactions... aren't mine. I'm sure of it.
Does it also have something to do with my core?
I shook my head and decided to put everything in the back of my mind. I have one goal right now. To completely gain Alaric's trust. First, the marriage engagement.
I pressed my lips and looked at my reflection again. Golden rays coming from the break of dawn seeped through the gaps of the curtains highlighting the appearance refected in the full size mirror.
I stared at it full of determination.Today, I will talk to father about it.
Then I walked towards the table where a basin of water was placed. The maids in charge of night vigil prepares them everyday before sunrise. They do it so that their masters can wash their faces before allowing anyone inside the room.
I dipped my hands into the basin but immediately backed away when I felt burning pain on my fingers. Because I was too surprised I stumbled on a lampshade causing for it to fall.
I gritted my teeth while looking around for anything that contains cold water. My eyes landed on the flower vase on the coffee table. I hurriedly walked towards it, threw the flowers to the ground and dipped my hands into it. Good thing the vase had a wide mouth, I had no trouble fitting my hands in. The moment the cold water touched my skin, only then did I feel relief.
I scrunched my brows.
The water in the basin was boiling hot. Fortunately I only dipped my fingers instead of my entire hand. Because the room was still dark and I was lacking sleep, I failed to notice it.
A knock on the door caught my attention followed by a girl's voice.
"Milady? Is there something wrong?"
It was Annie. So, she was in night vigil this time.
I sighed, "Come in."
The doorknob clicked and Annie entered the room. Her eyes widen the moment she saw the mess.
"M-milady, what happened?" she asked while walking towards me.
"The water in the basin was hot," I answered while looking at my hands inside the vase. "Were you the one who prepared it?"
Annie stopped walking then she lowered her head, "I-it wasn't me, milady! Giselle and I are on night vigil, i-it was her who prepared the basin!"
Giselle? That's odd. Giselle has been serving me for a while now, and I noticed that her meticulousness makes up for her timid personality. Even though she's still scared of Henrietta, she rarely makes mistakes. She avoids doing things that would offend her master.
So, why did she suddenly made a mistake? Especially with a task that she's been doing almost everyday.
"Where is she?" I asked.
"She was called in the kitchen."
I closed my eyes. "I'll deal with it later. Get me a basin of cold water."
Annie did what she was told. She came back holding a basin of cold water then proceeded to opening the windows and cleaning my room. I sat at the sofa with my hands dipped in cold water. My fingers were red but it doesn't look like it's going to leave a wound. It took some time for the burning pain to disappear and when it did, I had Annie apply ointment on it and wrap it with thin, clean clothes.
After taking a bath, she helped me get dressed. It was usually Giselle who does this but she didn't arrive. Compared to Giselle's, Annie's actions were rushed. As if she didn't want to be left in the same room as me. The same when she profusely refused to sit inside the same carriage with me.
I was about to ask about Giselle when the head butler arrived.
"Milady, the Lord would like to have breakfast with you," he announced without even entering the room.
Ever since I came to this world, the Marquis and I never ate at the same table together. He's always at the imperial palace, if not, he would be eating at his study. I think this was already a normal occurence since whenever I sat on the dining table, the maids would only prepare my utensils.
I wonder why he decided to have breakfast together? I'll take this opportunity to talk to him.
When I arrived at the dining hall, the marquis was already there. He was sitting at the head of the long dining table with a coffee cup in his hand. His black frock coat made his golden blonde hair that was combed backwards neatly stand out. Underneath his coat was a black vest and a plain shirt with stiff, standing collar. A silver rose brooch with a round ruby jewel secured the folds of his white cravat.
If not for the wrinkles under his eyes, one would think he was Henrietta's brother instead of the Marquis Lovell.
This family is blessed with beautiful genes.
"Good morning, father," I greeted which caught his attention.
He placed the cup on the saucer, took the napkin and wiped his mouth. "Sit down."
The head butler pulled the chair at the right side to where the marquis was sitting. I nodded and took the seat.
"Your complexion is rather pale, are you feeling unwell?" Father asked, worry arising from his usually stern face. His gaze then landed on my bandaged fingers. His eyebrows furrowed even more. "Your hand..."
I gave him a small smile, "Father, there is no reason to fret. I got myself in a small accident this morning. I am fine."
"How am I not to worry when your fingers are bandaged entirely?"
Both him and Sir Keith are worrywarts. The only difference is Sir Keith was a ball of sunshine and worries about everyone, while the Marquis only turns soft when it comes to his daughter. He's pretty much indifferent towards other people.
I grabbed a spoon and a fork to show him that my hand is fine. "They still function well, father. They'd heal by tomorrow."
He sighed then he called the head butler who was standing at the corner of the dining hall along with Annie and five other maids.
"Philip, have the resident physician check Henrietta's hands after breakfast," he ordered.
The head butler nodded as a response, "Yes, milord.".
Only the sounds of utensils were heard during the whole breakfast. The dishes served were delicious but it was hard for me to focus on eating. I was still unfamiliar with dining ettiquettes and didn't want to appear rude or disrespectful. Even though the marquis is lenient when it comes to me, my skin isn't thick enough to take advantage of it.
So, I waited till the end of breakfast to speak to him. But surprisingly, he spoke first.
"What did the temple say about your core?" he asked whole wiping his hands with a table napkin.
I pressed my lips when I remembered what happened at the temple again. I suddenly felt conscious, wanting to touch the mark on my neck.
"They said my core was unstable because I was in a coma for a few days. But they said I was fine," I lied. I really didn't get any answers. All I got was more questions and met a mysterious man who added to my long list of problems.
The marquis nodded and he called for Philip once again. "Hire a mage from the Tower to monitor Henrietta's condition."
"F-father you don't have to—"
"You will also bring both Sir Keith and Sir Arthur with you wherever you go at all times," he added.
Honestly, many people would find the Marquis' overprotectiveness bothersome. Henrietta would even throw a fit at his actions. Because it takes away her freedom to do anything. However, I find this action... warm. Especially seeing how genuinely the Marquis worries for his daughter. Even staying up all night waiting for his daughter to gain consciousness and hiring people to protect and oversee his daughter's safety.
Henrietta is actually very lucky to have a father like him.
/I wonder what would it be if my real father was like him?/
"Thank you, father," I blurted out of nowhere. Everyone in the dining hall were shocked to hear those words coming from my mouth, from Henrietta's mouth. The Marquis stiffened with wide eyes looking at me.
Henrietta never said 'thank you', no, she's never been respectful and courteous, even to her own father.
I was also surprised that I suddenly said those words. But somehow, I felt grateful because I never knew knew I'd meet such a sincere person in this world. I thought that now that I became Henrietta, I'd get scorned by everyone around me. Turns out, I was wrong.
I cleared my throat and decided to change the topic. "B-by the way, father. I'd like to talk to you about something."
Th Marquis blinked, recovering from his surprise. He then dropped the napkin and asked, "Go ahead."
I nodded. I placed my hand on my lap, hidden underneath the table. "It's about my engagement with the second prince."
"What is it?"
I took a deep breath. "The official announcement on the engagement, is it possible to postpone it?"
He was taken aback by what I said. For Henrietta, who's obsessed with Alaric and desperately wants to marry him, to postpone the official announcement truly is shocking. Even more shocking when she said 'thank you'.
"W-what made you want to postpone it? Isn't it what you always wanted?" he asked.
I know I told Alaric that I'd break of the engagement. But I realize that after remembering what my ettiquette tutor, Countess Fletchburn, said. I could use this engagement as an advatange. I'd still break the engagement off in the end.
"I am uncertain of my feelings for his highness," I answered, forcing myself to put emotion into it to make it seem believable. "I have been chasing after him all my life, but not once did he look at me. This... this hurts me as a lady."
I'm never the vengeful type. But after what Alaric did to me yesterday, I thought I'd tarnish his image a little bit. Either way, I'm still doing this for him, so he could sit on the throne and spare himself from staining his hands with the blood of a cannon fodder like me.
I continued, "Father, give me a few months to re-evaluate my feelings. I do not want to regret it later on."
He gave me a loud sigh, "If that is what you want, then we'll go with it."
"Thank you, father," I beamed.
He was once again taken by surprise. But after a few moments, he regained his composure.
Then, a rarely seen smile appeared on his face. "It's so nice to hear you say that."
I blinked. Everyone in the room was even more surprised.
Who wouldn't? The always rude and ungrateful young lady of the family, finally learned how to say thank you. And the always strict and stern head of the household finally smiled years after his wife's death.