Two weeks have gone by after Sassa and Nanny finished making the first batch of skincare products. The residence's attendants tested it first for themselves and wrote down the side effects they experienced everyday for two weeks. Thankfully, nothing bad happened and everyone glowed up. Ash's face also went back to his usual glass-like, poreless appearance.
I went to Namayana Palace's main residence and gave her the products myself. She was so happy after receiving them. "But please don't use too much of this coconut-based moisturizer, Mother. It's only good for people who have oily skin. It'll clog your pores and you'll get ugly if you use too much of it. You can use it when you have acne though, it's much more effective than a bird's poop." I instruct her carefully.
"Thank you, saridayang. I will keep what you said in mind," she says, slightly irritated by my constant nagging.
"Use it for a week and write down the side effects everyday. Don't sugarcoat or lie in your reviews so that I'll know what to improve on. Doesn't mean I'm a princess who literally came out of you, you'll protect my innocence or do whatever you usually do; I want the truth and nothing but the truth— eh, Mother, wait! Mother!" I shout at the now-closed door after being thrown out of the drawing room. "I'm not finished yet. Mom!"
The door opens ajar and a Lady-in-waiting pops out her head. "The Royal Consort gives many thanks to Saridayang for the gift she has received."
"Let me in." I try slipping inside the room, but I am too weak and Ash isn't helping me. I stump my foot in frustration and huff at her. "I'm not done yet."
"Her Royal Consort would also like to tell Danamuda Ashburnham that the weather is nice today." She then completely closes the door. I try to open the door by turning the knob, but it is locked from the inside.
"Urgh!" I groan in frustration. I kick the door, but it only makes me cry when I feel like my toes are cracking. I jerk my head back to stare daggers at Ash. "What does she mean? What's with the weather? Is that a code? What did she tell you?"
He sighs. That smile that isn't really a happy smile plastered on his face again. "Should we take a walk?"
"Hmpf! No. Get out of my face. You didn't even help me push the door, I could've gotten it, you know," I say and start walking away. I feel him follow and walk three steps behind me, giving me enough space to myself.
I sent another batch of beauty products to other palaces after some of my stepmothers asked Mother to lend them her secret beautification after they saw her extra glow.
Another half a month passes and I find myself at Magayon Palace opposite to Consort Alicia and some of Father's other wives.
"Please do me justice, Hara. Take a look at my appearance; I have become hideous." Consort Alicia sobs uncontrollably, while her henchmen, Concubine Mehia and Concubine Avria, shed crocodile tears.
It's true that she now looks uglier than before. Her face is covered in pimples, some of which are large red pimples ready to pop at any moment.
"If I may, Hara. What happened to Consort Alicia was unfortunate, but it has nothing to do with Saridayang Iris." Mother defends me, adding, "I tried the products myself, and even my Ladies-in-Waiting used the gifts Saridayang gave me, and they are all fine."
"Why would I lie about this kind of stuff? I am hideous!" The other shrieks.
"I have known the Third Consort for a long time, and I can tell you that she is conscious of her beauty. She will not allow her attendants to apply products to her face unless they have first tested them themselves first. The only reason she did not do it this time is because Saridayang was the one who gave her such items," Concubine Avria speaks up without being addressed, a small and faint smile plastered on her face thinking it's a victory for them.
"Indeed. Saridayang is aware that the Third Consort will not allow her attendants to test the products on themselves because the princess specifically gifted them to her, so she tampered with them," Concubine Mehia seconded.
Stupid. You won't win if you spell it out.
The Queen rests her fan on her lips. She knows that Concubine Mehia is lying. I smirk. It's my win. I straighten my posture after seeing the Queen's reaction; resting the fan on one's lips indicates that one does not trust the other.
"Oh, hush you two. Everyone here has tried the princess' gifts and nothing happened to us. How do you know the Third Consort isn't doing this because she's envious of His Majesty's attention for the Fifth Consort and the princess?" Aside from Mother, Consort Ermentrude, the second consort, is the only one who rushed to the Queen's palace to defend me against Consort Alicia's accusation. I can't be grateful for her gesture though, because her true intention is to quarrel with Consort Alicia, not to defend me.
"Vhar!"
"Preposterous!"
The two concubines shout. And I notice Consort Alicia flinching as Consort Ermentrude finishes her sentence. So that's it. Either she tampered with the products or she really had an allergic reaction and purposely waited for it to get worse in order for me to be punished due to jealousy. Knowing Consort Alicia, she won't leave her palace if even a single strand of her hair is out of place. And now she's outside her palace, causing a commotion and purposely causing this whole thing to blow up. No matter. She's still ugly and I win.
"How dare you! You have no right to say that about Consort Alicia; she is the King's favorite and well-loved consort, why would she do such a thing?" Concubine Mehia shouts, spitting saliva from her mouth. "Are you suggesting the consort is a brazen woman? Exactly like someone?" She says, her words oozing with meaning.
"Astahi!"
"Aren't I wrong? We all know that the King doesn't want his wives getting pregnant at the same time and yet you did! You even gave birth at the same time as the First Consort. I wonder what kind of debauchery you—"
Consort Ermentrude moves at the speed of light, dragging her heavy gown and stomping her feet angrily as she inches closer to the concubine and slaps her hard on the face. The Consort disregards all manners and squabbles with the two concubines, pulling their hair and scratching their faces as they bare their teeth to each other, screaming profanities and spilling secrets.
"ENOUGH!" The Queen's authoritative voice reverberates throughout the room, causing all of us to visibly flinch. "If you continue arguing, I will sentence you to confinement."
Consort Ermentrude is the first to quiet down, her breath short and unsteady. But it's too late. Concubine Mehia had become very indignant, staring at the Queen and spitting words of hate at her. She chases after Consort Ermentrude, trying to bite her face, but the second consort moves out of the way at the last moment, mouthing obscenities at the concubine.
I chuckle to myself as I glance at the Queen's horrified expression. It's apparent that she didn't see that coming.
The Second Consort is outraged, screaming as she tries to resist the concubine's grip on her after the latter has caught her with the help of Concubine Avria.
"CONCUBINE MEHIA, STOP AT ONCE!" The Queen orders, stern and loud enough to burn ears. I keep quiet and watch her resolve the problem.
"But that wench started it—"
Then, the Queen raises her hand, stopping the concubine. "The Queen does not want to hear another word from you. I will punish all of you to six months confinement. Reflect on your actions."
The two concubines look at the Queen, blinking as they stare at her blankly. Then Concubine Ermentrude finally releases her hold on the Second Consort and she falls to the ground, sobbing and whimpering. Concubine Ermentrude hugs her knees as the Queen frowns.
The Queen walks over to me and pats me on her head, saying, "Saridayang, I forbid you to make such items again. Keres, seize all products from everyone and burn them. Those who use such products will be subjected to physical labor. There will be no exceptions," she orders one of her people.
She then looks at Mother. "I know you want to protect Saridayang Iris, but your constant condoning of her might make her think that whatever she does will go unpunished."
"I punish Saridayang by grounding her for a month. She is not to go out of her residence and may not be visited by anyone. I impose this punishment as the person in charge of the Inner Palaces. Everyone is dismissed."
.
"She's stupid! Plain stupid! I hate her!" I fumingly rant as I pace back and forth inside my room after being sent back by the Queen. "What kind of judge is she, not even investigating and just throwing punishment here and there. If she's at where I came from, the media would be all over her by now. She'll be viral in a snap. That woman! She's keeping me in check, I tell you!"
Ash scratches his hair and sighs through his nose as he follows my every step. "She's the Queen. Whatever she says is the law."
"That saying is for kings. And people who are queens in their own right, not a consort."
"As the Queen, her words are only next to the King; correct. But as the head of Inner Palaces and as the person who lives in Magayon Palace, her words are the law in the Inner Palaces," he explains and I stop to look him in the eye.
"Are you on that bitch's side? Because if you're on mine, I don't feel it-ah," I snap at him, mocking his accent.
His lips twitch, his patience wearing thin, but he tries to remain composed. "I am on your side. Believe me, I am. And because I am, I want to be honest with you. Do you want me to be honest with you?"
We stare at each other's eyes. I can't get myself to answer him. Truthfully, I am scared. I have a hunch, a certain amount of awareness, but I don't want for my hunch to be confirmed. Because then I would be an asshole. I wasn't born yesterday; my physical appearance might be of a four-year-old child, but my mind is. I know my wrongs; I have an idea of what he wanted to say.
"... No," I said after a long silence. I pause to compose myself and look him in the eye. "No."
He's the first to break our contact, looking away as he sighs in disappointment. He slaps his thighs with both of his and stands up. "Well then. I will excuse myself."
He walks out of the room without looking back. I watch his back fade away as I remain frozen in place on my spot.
I don't want to hear what I already know. Not from him.
"Shit." I rub my temple in a circular motion and put pressure on it. I think I'm suffering from migraine.
A single tear falls down my cheek, yet I ignore it.
"Am I really?" I quietly ask myself.
I slump on my bed and start reflecting on my life here. Nothing has changed. I'm still the old me, the bratty, uppity little rich girl born as an only child from a nouveau riche family with nothing to herself.
"There are only two types of people in this world: a person who will clean the trash in the ocean, and a person who is a trash. If you think you will be a trash in society, better kill yourself before you pollute the ocean."
That's what my teacher once told the class.
"I am a trash."
"Fucking brat," I laugh diabolically and shouts at the top of my lungs. "Fuck! Shit! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"
I throw the pillows and mess the beddings of my bed. My eyes start to itch as beads of tears start to form in my eyes. "Ugh, so stupid." I sniffled. "Fuuuuuck!"
It wasn't supposed to be this way. I was supposed to get whatever I set my eyes on. I was supposed to be better than anyone. I was supposed to be the superior one, the one who everyone looked up to. I was supposed to be smarter and a trendsetter. Just like other reincarnators. Just like other transmigrators. Just like in other stories.
These people should be praising me, lining up to declare their love for me, clinging to me, and cherishing me. They should be embracing my ideas. But why? Why am I not experiencing what other reincarnators experience? Why can't these people react the way they were supposed to?
In other circumstances, everyone who was hit by trucks and was transported to other worlds was accepted almost instantaneously. All their Earthly ideals, although far-fetched from their new world's philosophy and way of living, were supported — from food choices to milk teas, to beauty products. Even the fashion industry of the world they landed on would be influenced by them. So why was it different from me? Why didn't everything play out the way it was supposed to?
When I convinced Father that I wanted pastel-colored clothes, I thought people would learn to incorporate my choice of style into their works, but no, they didn't. When I told Father that I knew the cure for chickenpox, I thought everyone would praise me, but no, they didn't. None followed my fashion style. None praised me. I thought it would take time, but I was wrong. It turned out time wasn't needed, because, for them, I am nothing. They don't have to put on a fake smile whenever they see me; I have a lot of stepmothers who are more fitting for such pleasantries. They don't have to flatter me because I have several stepbrothers who have a long list of accomplishments under their belts.
Now that I think of it, the only probable reason why I am not getting side-eye or snide from people is that I am Father's daughter. I am the person who broke the curse; the kingdom's hope. But in reality, I am nothing more than that: the King's only daughter.
People are afraid that they will suffer the same fate as the midwife who died four years ago. They are afraid to be cursed, just like the country many decades ago. They kept their mouths shut and obeyed all my commands, never pointing out my wrongs because they were afraid. None were ever sincere.
The breaker of the curse, a beacon of hope… none of them matter. I am still, and will always be, a lady who the Royal Family is grooming to someday be wed for the kingdom's interests; after all, I am the King's only daughter.