"Damn it." Those were the first words that came out of Titania's mouth when she regained consciousness. She felt miserable after that 'woman' Astra forced her to sleep. Her head hurts less now, but she doesn't feel any better.
"Good morning, my lady." She almost had a heart attack when the young maid named Marie popped out of nowhere near her bed.
"My name is Marie, and I will be your personal maid starting today." The young maid introduced herself. Titania looked at her with uncertainty in her eyes. 'Why would that cold-blooded jerk send a personal maid?' is what she thought before she forced a smile.
"You've been sleeping for a whole week. You must feel uncomfortable now." Marie said.
This made Titania gape in terror. 'I've been what?!' is what she thought. She couldn't believe that statement, nor did she want to consider it. If this person told the truth, she's been skipping meals for a week, but she doesn't feel hungry yet? How could that be possible?
Titania looked at the young made and thought that the person in front of her looked harmless, but she didn't want to lower her guard down.
"Do you want to eat first? Or shall I assist you as you take a bath?" Marie asked as she smiled happily. Titania wondered why a person she's unacquainted with would act so soft and kind towards her? As if she bears utmost importance for this young maid.
"I'll eat first," Titania said. The young maid's eyes twinkled as she excused herself to get some food for the lady.
Titania didn't waste this chance to escape. She stood up and immediately went towards the door. As soon as she opened it and was about to go out, her head bumped into a sturdy body of a man. It made her fall on her butt.
"I see that you're awake now." Titania shuddered as she heard that voice. That chilly and unfriendly voice. She quickly stood up as she looked directly into the archduke's eyes.
"Yeah, after you put me again to sleep, you big jerk." She said bravely, but the expression on the archduke's face didn't change. It was still cold and distant. As if he was looking at something that didn't interest him.
"You sure are a brave young girl." He said as he took a step approaching the young woman. "You have changed." The archduke reached out his hand and was about to touch her face.
However, Titania dodged it quickly and rushed, heading to the door. She got out of the room and ran as fast as she could to escape from that man.
"Blaze!" Titania heard the Archduke shout, but she just chuckled as she thought she had fooled the man.
"Serves you right! You big jer—"
Before finishing what she was saying, a man grabbed her by the waist and lifted her while she was busy laughing at the archduke.
Blaze is his name; he carried her like a sack of rice and brought her back to the room. He is one of the strongest knights in the whole empire. Blaze placed her to face the archduke sitting on the chaise lounge sofa near the bookshelves.
"I now understand that you also lost your elegance." The archduke said as he crossed his legs. Titania didn't answer nor say anything back. She realized that it was not the time for her to make more scenes.
There are scary men in front of her and behind her back. She shouldn't have done that in the first place, is what keeps on lingering inside her mind.
"Milady, I brought your— " Marie was taken aback after seeing the archduke who is currently sitting on the sofa and his knight who is standing behind Titania.
"Forgive me for my rudeness, your grace." She bowed in front of the archduke. Marie places the tray filled with food on the table near Titania while still keeping her head down.
The archduke stood up after seeing the tray of food. "I presume you are about to eat your breakfast." He said. Titania rolled her eyes and muttered "Obviously," to herself.
"Help the lady finish her meal comfortably. And if I may suggest, assist her on taking a bath." The archduke looked at Titania from head to toe which made the young woman scoffs in disbelief. "She might run away like a cat who's afraid of water." He added.
Titania held her annoyance and even tried to fake a smile. The archduke just looked at her with his usual nonchalant look.
"You shall go to my office afterward." The archduke commanded before finally leaving the room with his knight. Titania angrily sat on the floor while trying to suppress her frustrations.
"Are you alright, Milady?" Marie worriedly asked as she sat down beside the young woman. "I know you've been scared of the Archduke all your life, so you might feel frightened right now." Titania slowly looked at the young maid beside her.
"I am scared? Of that guy?" Her forehead creased as she covered her mouth in shock. The words that the archduke said were finally making sense now. Since she is not the real Titania, she doesn't feel her fear of that man.
But in this world, Titania feared those deep purple eyes.
"I made a huge mistake!" She exclaimed. She kept walking back and forth while thinking of solutions. "I shouldn't have acted like that. I'm so stupid!" Titania said as she slapped her face consistently, not until Marie stopped her.
"Milady! You might be feeling stressed because you haven't eaten yet for a long time." Titania looked at the young maid as she let out a sigh.
Titania nodded and sat on the chair near the table. She looked at the food in front of her. It was a standard breakfast, but it seemed too dazzling for her to eat.
"Where is this place anyway?" Titania asked as she stuffed foods in her mouth. Her eyes widened after tasting such delicious cuisine. She couldn't even pay attention to Marie anymore because the food suited her taste so much.
"We're in the Gailtrum Archduchy near Luthren, the capital city of Alynthian Empire," Marie stated, making Titania frown. She still didn't want to accept reality, that the book, that damn book pulled her inside and trapped her in this unfamiliar place.
"And my name is Titania? Right?" She asked once again. Hoping the young maid to answer 'no.'
Titania saw a glimpse of hesitation in Marie's eyes before she answered. "Yes, milady."
"DAMN IT!" Titania screamed and made Marie go into a state of panic.
"The truth is, I am not—" Titania stopped before she could say something that she knows she'll regret later. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.
"May I ask this, did you lose your memories?" Titania looked at the young maid as if she gave her an idea of what she said.
"That's exactly right. I lost my memories." Titania said with confidence. "I am so confused right now." Titania hid her face from Marie and pretended to feel sad.
"I knew it!" Marie said as she smiled. When Titania saw how innocent the young maid was, she felt guilty and wanted to apologize.
"What's taking so long?" Their attention went to the sofa where the archduke was sitting before. There they saw Astra, who was eating an apple.
"Good morning, dear fairy. Did you sleep well?" Titania threw the spoon she was holding in Astra's direction. Marie was in a state of shock, but the young magician easily dodged it.
"That's so mean, Miss Fairy Queen. I thought you were an ogre with that ugly expression on your face." Astra began laughing after he saw Titania's reaction to what he said.
Titania glared at the young magician. "Get out of here, you stupid woman!"
"Woman? Do I look that pretty in your eyes? I feel flattered." Astra beamed a smile which made Titania react violently but was immediately stopped by Marie. Well, at least she is trying to stop Titania from pulling Astra's hair.
"Anyway, the archduke is not a patient person. You should hurry. You wouldn't want your head to be cut off, right?" Astra snapped his finger and disappeared from their sight.
After Titania realized that she let her emotions took over again, she couldn't help but feel depressed. She thought that all her ugly flaws kept coming out the longer she stayed at this place.
"We should hurry, Milady. I'll assist you." Marie said as she took Titania's clothes off and brought her to the bathroom.
Titania watched Marie as she opened the water and put a lot of strange things in it. Titania couldn't even bother herself with the preparation. Instead, she was trying to think about how she'd find a way to get back to the real world without pissing the archduke off.
She got on the bathtub while in a daze as Marie scrubs her skin. It was too relaxing, making her feel sleepy all of a sudden.
Having a delicious meal and a relaxing bath? It's like heaven, but hell is waiting for her as soon as she finishes with her bath.
And so, she has decided to tell the young maid to slow things up to have enough time to strategize. She doesn't even know what to strategize.
"If I am Titania, then I am bound to die at Lennox's hands." She muttered to herself as Marie soaks the young woman's body in rose water.
"The book said that she'll be caught by the Emperor. All I have to do is not get caught!" She keeps on talking to herself, making Marie giggle although she doesn't understand what Titania is talking about.
"I remember the book mentioning that Lennox cannot disagree with the archduke. Why is that?" Titania looked up to Marie after asking her that.
"Because the Archduke is the Emperor's first cousin. And our archduke is a really nice person towards the Emperor, which made him the one the Emperor trusts the most." Titania nodded as she gained more information about this world.
"So, if I used the Archduke… the Emperor cannot chase me anymore!" A smile formed on her face, and she began clapping as if she just won.
"But how will I use that ice-cold archduke?" She kept thinking of ways on how she'd take advantage of the archduke.
When an Idea comes up, she keeps saying sorry on her mind because of what she is planning, but there's no time for her to feel wrong about other people when her life is on the line.
"I'll use that."
After her long bath, she covered herself in a bathrobe made of silk and sat down in front of her large dressing table as Marie continued to find suitable clothes for the young miss. Titania couldn't get tired from staring at her reflection in the mirror.
"My freckles are gone." She said as she touched her face. It was too smooth, like a baby's. "I wish I could have this face forever."
Once Marie chose an outfit, she helped Titania wear the long white chemise first, and on the top is the white and blue long dress with blue frills. It suits Titania's sparkling crystal-blue eyes.
The dress has short sleeves and a flower in the middle located on her chest. It's an effortless design, but Titania's beauty made it stand out.
Marie decided to straighten Titania's hair and place blue flower hair clips on both sides near her ears. She made Titania wear 2 inches' light-blue high heels, which compliments the color of her dress.
"Shall we put more accessories?" Marie asked, but Titania shook her head.
"This girl is already too pretty. You'll make her look like a goddess." Titania said as she stared at the reflection in the mirror. It's too good to be true.
Titania stands up as she makes her way to the body mirror on the other side of the bed. She turned around to have a better look at her whole body.
"Too perfect." She sighed. "Is this the reason why she died young?" After saying that, she realized that Titania's age was never mentioned in the book.
"Do you know how old I am?"
"You're 19, Milady. The perfect age to get married. But you're a fairy, so our beliefs don't apply to you." Marie beamed a smile as she continued to comb Titania's hair.
Nina, who is now in Titania's body, thought that they were both the same age. 'So did the real Titania died?' is what lingers in her mind.
"Wait… Did I die?"
Her questions went unanswered after they heard a knock on the door. Marie opened it, and there they saw Blaze, the knight that carried Titania before like a sack of rice.
Titania's face went pale after remembering who that man was. She has read about that him. He is said to be one of the most powerful knights in the empire, only next to the archduke. He is also said to be a man of few words.
Titania bid Marie goodbye, pretending that it would be the last time that she'd see her. For a person in a dangerous situation, she's quite a carefree one.
She followed Blaze towards the said office of the archduke. Blaze opened the door for the lady and let her go inside first. Titania, who's doubtful of what's happening, rushed inside.
There she saw Astra, who was busy stuffing his mouth with pastries. And the archduke who is sitting in the middle of the room where his desk is located.
"Have a seat." The archduke said. Titania, who is wary of the archduke, obeyed his command and sat down beside Astra.
"Why are you sitting here?" Astra asked. Titania just looked at him with her eyes trying to tell him to shut his mouth.
When Titania turned back to the archduke, she saw his deep purple eyes staring directly at her. She stayed completely still. The fairy wouldn't want to end up having her head cut off, wouldn't she?
"I thought you had a lot of questions to ask?" The archduke asked as he crossed his arm near his chest. "You're awfully quiet. Where did your vigor go?" Titania swallowed a lump on her throat after the archduke mentioned that.
"I- I realized that making a scene wouldn't make me feel any better." Titania did her best to look normal and calm when she wanted to punch the man beside her for trying to laugh because of her stutters.
"I see. So you went back to reality." Titania forced a smile after what the archduke said. 'Just smile,' is what she keeps on telling herself. The archduke continued to stare at her face, which made her feel agitated. 'He wouldn't behead me just because he wants to, wouldn't he?'
"I once thought that you and the emperor get along well." Titania once again swallowed due to her nervousness. She saw Titania's memories, but some of them are not making any sense. And so she can't say anything about it, or it would just create more trouble for her.
"Why would the beloved Fairy Queen appear in the battlefield on the South all wounded and nearing her death?" Titania froze on her seat after the archduke looked directly into her eyes as if he was trying to look deeper into her soul.
"I… don't remember anything." What she said was not all lie. Her memories about being on the battlefield are hazy and distorted as if someone incidentally messed with her memories. She wants to avert her eyes, but it feels wrong to do so.
Titania didn't want to submit to the fearsome archduke. "There's a lot of things that I, myself, don't remember. So may I ask, where am I?" The archduke chuckled that startled the Fairy Queen. She didn't know why he laughed like that.
"Who cares where you are." He said and sipped wine that was placed on his desk. His menacing aura was terrifying, and his deep purple eyes glistened as he stared back at Titania.
"Tell me, who are you?"