Chapter 3 - Chapter 3: The Reader(3)

"My lady, did his highness really invite you there?!" just when she walked back inside the mansion back to her room, everyone was shocked seeing the letter with the imperial stamp on it she was carrying in her hand.She had no intention to lie so she just told them straight out right in front of Diana's face who was still sipping her soup.Then Marinette walked upstairs without a care about the commotion caused by Diana as she rushed out of the manor right after that.Around the time while she was preparing herself, Diana was still running away elsewhere in the capital. The duke and Tristan ordered the knights to search for her.She didn't pay any mind, to be exact, she really didn't want to interact with the female lead nor the male lead.The female lead will have any one of her male leads to comfort her anyway so why would she care about her?If you're saying that she was her half-sister, at least she should comfort her, then you misunderstood. Marinette never begged the engagement in the first place, and to Marinette, Diana was never her sister, just someone who she looked at with envy.She remembered clearly in the novel, the part of Diana's birthday.Marinette was born on the date a day before her, so the dukedom was supposed to hold the birthday party for two days in a row.But never once, Marinette had her own birthday party while Diana had it all, the famous guest, the big cake, and everyone wishing for her.Every year on her birthday, she was allowed to come out of her basement for a day, but unfortunately, that year, she didn't return to her basement after her birthday ended.She snuck outside of the basement going to the street market with the little money she saved up to buy Diana a gift but her genuine effort was burnt right in front of her.Diana accepted the gift because of the sudden appearance of Marinette at her party, everyone was talking bad about Marinette, despised her but she paid them no mind and looked happily seeing Diana receiving her gift.But after the party ended, she saw her gift to Diana was burnt right in front of her eyes.It traumatized her, she decided from that day that her basement was better than the cruel outside world.Her basement with the bone of rat, and eating the rotten food, was still way better than that.The part from Diana burning the gift wasn't written in the novel, it was written in Marinette's diary, the book she found earlier."My lady, what do you think about these two dresses?" the person in the maid uniform who is Marinette's personal maid carried two of the dress in both of her hands looking all pumped up as if she was the one the crown prince invited.'It was supposed to be Anna who should come here.'She soon understood the meaning behind the maid's action, those eyes sneaking a glance at her necklace every time she could."Ella, I don't really like pink. Pick other dresses.""...yes, my lady."The two dressed soon presented in front of her, this time it was orange and yellow."No, I don't like this."'Tsk, she was the one who bought it herself.'Ella bowed and walked back to the closet hiding her real thought.She bit her lip enduring the gap Marinette treated Anna and her.She went through her closet, the place she usually came as she wanted when Marinette was out of the house.All of these dresses were her favorite but the lady she served was very annoying in her eyes.'Such a rich brat, if she was poor as me then she won't be such picky--'She was lost in thought of talking bad about Marinette, that was when a pair of hands were put on her shoulder from behind."Hey, Ella...tell me how many dresses did you steal while I was unconscious!?" she flinched with cold sweat rolling down on her forehead listening to the devil-like tone near her ears, it was as if her whole body had been paralyzed just like a snake tightened its body around her."What are you saying--""What am I saying?! Are you asking me that, you thief?!""It seems there is a misunderstanding, my lady." Marinette released her hand and walked back to her bed then sitting crossing her leg there."Misunderstanding or not, your life is on my palm now." Marinette threw the list of her dresses right in Ella's face.Ella stumbled falling on the floor unable to get her face up, her lip started to shake, she tried her best to find an excuse but the detail of the dresses Marinette bought was all on the list."I'm sorry, please forgive me...please spare...my life, my lady.""Hm?" Marinette's lip lifted up as a grin started to appear on her face, Ella heard the stepping sound of Marinette's feet toward her, she closed her eyes accepting her fate then,"Here!""??""What're you doing frozen up? Do you want me to wear it for you too?""My lady..." tears fell down dropping on her hand as she reached out to get the same necklace as Anna.She didn't even ask about the reason why her lady gave it to her, she assumed all of the things was just Marinette testing her but she was wrong when the necklace was put on her neck."Now your life belongs to me."'Huh?'Ella's eyes widen confusing about Marinette's words.Marinette pulled Ella's chin toward her then touched the gem on the necklace slightly."Ella, if you ever betray me or take this off...this necklace will kill you."'Kill me...?! Then Anna's necklace...'"Anna also got one because she is loyal to me."Ella felt defeated, she gritted her teeth seeing Marinette laughing mockingly at her then chased her like a mouse out of her room.Marinette (Sun-hee)'s POVHm?'Did she really think what I said was the truth?'I tried to hold back my laugh seeing her walking turning her head down out of my room.That way, there will be more and more maids coming to my side in no time.Let's see whether the kindness of Diana or my money could buy them.'Money is really an excellent servant.'I wished to say that for a very long time, I wanted to know what it feels like to have the money in your hands.I walked to the closet, disappointed by the dresses in it.Around that time, Marinette still wore these kinds of dresses, it was all bright and colorful color, there was even a rainbow dress in it.I really didn't have to prepare myself for the like of the crown prince, my current dress was fine but there was someone I had to meet there.At least, I should leave a good impression.I rang the bell that was put on the table and a butler appeared just a minute after it."Call all the maids to gather downstairs.""They are busy with their works, my lady."If Diana was the one who called, would he reject bluntly like this?He closed his eyes looking all high mighty."Then tell them, they don't have to come if they didn't want my dress."After a while, just by sitting in my room, I could hear all the noisy murmuring downstair.I walked to the stair, and all eyes were on me, I loved those eyes."Let's see which among all of you could get the dress and who won't." I said, everyone was confused, they stared at me walking down the stair. When I reached the main door, I turned my back and raised my voice "The dresses are upstairs."Using the opportunity of the other three weren't at home, I decided to buy the maids to my side first. It was all part of the plan.Just like that, they ran and stumbled on each other's end of dress climbing up the stair.The stair today for them was like a mountain which a prize placed on top.I was kidding with them, Marinette's dresses were more than the maids here.She was pampered ever since she got out of the basement, no more like ever since she was engaged with the crown prince.I should use my status while I still had it."Flynn, come with me." I glanced at the knight the crown prince sent to me. A man with red hair and eyes, in his white knight uniform, his collar bone, and his wide shoulder could be seen although they were underneath his clothes.His arm looked strong, he really looked like a well-trained knight and a spy of course.He was a spy to look over all my every movement, if there was an order to kill me from his master, my head will fall off.But unlike his coldness and cruelty, his handsome face with a sharp jawline paid up for it.I just used the excuse of buying the new dress to drag him with me but the real reason was I wanted to look around the capital and brought him to my side although the chance of that happening was near zero.We finally arrived at the square after leaving the Mortel's territory.It felt like a magical land, the citizens were wearing simple clothes, there were no cars and motors, everything was refreshing.I could hear all the talk because of the carriage with the rose emblem on it.With my eyes behind this mask which was given by duke Jellal, I could see all those people talking about the scar underneath this mask.I tried my best to stop my lip from shaking, it was the same as in my past life.Although I was used to it, the pain was the same.Human here with a scar on their face didn't receive any respect, and Marinette was a woman too. The beauty of the woman defines everything about them in this world.Huh?Suddenly, my ears felt warm.I looked back at the man who put his hands on my ear, although he was putting it preventing me from hearing those things, I could still but..."There were too many flies around here." his eyes were shaking when he tried to find the excuse.'Having the second male lead doing this to a villainess is hilarious.'"You can take it off now, I don't mind those flies." I walked into the shop before him, I saw him crouching when I entered the store. Just what was he doing hiding his face like that?His ears were red...That guy wasn't much different from Marinette, unlike Marinette, he never received any love at all from his parents not because his parents hated him it was because his parents were killed ever since he was young along with his little sister too."Welcome my lady. I'll be serving you for your shopping at our shop. What would you like, my lady?""This one.""Ah, would you like to try it?""No, I buy all the dresses in this shop except this one." her eyes went teary after I said that.I had two titles I could use to pay so I didn't care about the payment like how I was in the past."So how would you like to pay?""My fiance, the crown prince will pay for it." I said smiling at her and putting the engagement ring on the counter."My lady, we can't...accept this." she was shuttering."Just show it to him, and he will pay for it."Alright, spending the royal family's money was really exciting.Flynn looked at me in disbelief when he saw all the men carrying my dress walking in lines behind my back.They put all of it in the carriage."Pick me up one hour later." I told the coachman."Yes, my lady.""And you, follow me." I walked around the alley, I didn't know whether I could enjoy anything like this in the future so I should enjoy the moment--Memory Magic: Ultimate Art Of MemoryAck!It happened again!!"My lady!!!" I fell on the ground making my dress all dirty, the pain in my head was really painful.I took a deep breath enduring and got up from the ground using Flynn's arm to be my support to avoid causing the scene."Young master, her lady is--"Who was he calling young master? And why did he stop his question midway?Huh? Tristan?And what was the liquid on my face...?I touched the part between my lip and my nose, it was red, my glove was stained with the blood coming out of my nose.But the man who happened to be there as well didn't even ask me if I was okay."You're really bothersome. Your sister is missing and you're out here shopping--""Go!""What??""Go to your sister." I took Flynn's arm which was holding me who wasn't be able to stand up properly off my shoulder and walked in a different direction from Tristan.'It's just a nosebleed, don't act as I need you desperately to save my life...tsk, perfect brother of the novel.'To be continued...!