"Hmmm"
"Hmmmm"
I use my hand to wipe my face when I feel something tickling my face. It continued until I feel whatever is tickling my face going towards my nose, I blow my nose as my eyes opens wide.
What is this?
"I'm back here?!!!"
I sit up from my lying position and start patting my face down to my toes. This body is definitely Vivian's body! I look around to see Margret, Mary, Ruby and Leon looking at me.
"I told you not to tickle her with the feather!"
Leon says taking a feather away from Margret's hand.
"It seems I'm really back here."
I say to myself sighing and sitting back on the floor.
"How come I'm in the guesthouse? I clearly remember blacking out in the care home."
Leon smiles and starts talking.
"Maste..no"
"Dexter saw you fall and quickly brought you back to the guest house."
"We were really worried something bad is going to happen to you"
Ruby nodded and sits beside me.
"You looked pale all of a sudden and you were barely breathing for 2 hours until a few minutes ago when you suddenly regained color on your face."
Ruby says now holding my hand. Does this mean when I wasn't in my body then, I also looked like someone who was on the verge of that?
If my mum sees my body like that she might actually end up on the verge of death though! I guess Vivian's body regained color when I fell asleep in Hye Rin's body.
I thought the three months I spent here is an hour in my world, does the time start counting after I close my eyes or even when I'm doing nothing?
I spent a whole day in the real world but it's only been 2 hours here, so the time probably resumed when I fell asleep. I ruffle my head in frustration.
"I'm tired, I didn't even sleep for a minute and I'm here."
I look around to realize someone is missing.
"By the way, where's Dexter? You said he brought me here and he probably saw my pale deathly face."
"Did he by chance go to get medicine for me?"
Leon clears his throat and cuts eye contact with me.
"Dexter had something else to attend to so he left after dropping you and put us in charge of taking care of you."
I scoff and roll my eyes. Shouldn't he have stayed a while to see if I'm really okay?
"At least he brought me here, I should be grateful the great Dexter even bat an eye at the poor me."
Does he think he's that great because he's handsome? Before I can say another word, my stomach grumbles. I ate a lot before I went to bed though, I guess Vivian is hungry. I rub my stomach and look at Mary.
"Do we still have some food?"
~~~~~
I get down from my carriage when we arrive in front of the palace. Edith gives me a small bag with my clothes and a few things I'll need. I'm officially entering the palace today after waiting for so long.
It's not like I wasted my time while waiting though, I met the princess while acting like I had no idea who she is. We've had many tea times and gone to the market together, it seems she doesn't have a lot of friends and that made things really easy for me.
"Lady Letitia, may I ask why you're wearing such clothes to the palace?"
"The clothe is nice but compared to what the other ladies are wearing, it's too humble."
I smile and take a look at the other ladies coming down from their carriages.
"If you're in the position of Queen and your slaves are dressing better than you or trying to be like you wouldn't it be upsetting?"
"One thing I've learned from the princess while meeting her is that she's always drawing lines. Even though she thinks I don't know she's a princess and claims I'm her friend, she's always talking down on me and imposing authority whenever we're together."
"Until I get to a position where I'm in charge of the authority, I'll be a calm, loyal beauty who knows nothing and was deceived by the princess who hid her identity from me."
Edith smiles and walks me to the gate where all the ladies are now lining up.
"Isn't lady Elmira?"
Edith says in a shocked voice, I look back to see Elmira and her handmaid walking towards us.
"Why is she here?"
I found out the list of people that'll be coming here and I'm supposed to be the only one from Maple Meadow, so why is she here?
Putting a smile on my face, I walk towards Elmira.
"Aren't you Lady Elmira?"
Elmira looks up and an awkward smile forms on her face.
"I'm right. I thought I was the only one coming from Maple Meadow, I'm relieved to see a familiar face."
"I didn't know you'd also be coming here, lady Elmira."
Elmira touches her hair in a sort of proud way before talking.
"The lady that was supposed to come is getting married. Her mother is my mother's friend so she suggested I replace her and the queen accepted."
Elmira says with a smile on her face. Is she happy that the queen personally accepted her? Like that's something to brag about. The queen chose everyone here anyways.
"I see. I hope we get along in the future."
. . . . .
Our handmaids are sent back home and we're gathered in a hall where our names are called to make sure everyone is present.
"Her Majesty the Queen and Her Highness the Princess will be entering the hall"
One of the maids announces and the door to the hall opens, everyone bows as the two women walk to the front of the hall. The queen comes forward and starts talking.
"It's nice to see that such young ladies are willing to come work for the country."
"You'll be divided into two groups and into another two sub-groups."
"First you'll be divided to work in the documentation department and others in the Inspection department."
"After you get your department, you'll either be documenting for the princess or for me. But don't worry, you'll switch who you work for after two weeks."
"Now, the princess appoint your Department and group."
Everyone claps as the queen smiles and signals the princess to go forward. She starts calling names and pointing to them where to go.
"Rhea Batt, Inspection department, Queen group."
"Letitia Sullivan, Documentation department, Princess group."
I walk forward and act surprised when I see the princess, she also looks surprised to see me.
"Letitia? The place you were talking about was the palace?"
The princess says in a shocked voice since I never told her I'll be working in the palace and just vaguely said I came to Renztead to work.
"You are a princess?"
~~~~~
"Until when do you think she'll be keeping an eye on this place?"
Ruby whispers at me as we look at Mrs. Dandy perambulating inside the care home. She's been asking questions about how the care home suddenly got medicine and food which I replied with;
"It's my personal money that made it happen, I'm Count Sullivan's daughter after all."
She's very angry about me not giving the money to her.
"Lady Vivian, can you come to help me with feeding some people?"
One of the staff working here says and I nod and follow her. I accidentally bump into a woman and I apologize.
I look back to take another glance at the woman, she seems to have a scar on her hand but I couldn't take a proper look.
"What are looking at?"
I look forward again to see Dexter in front of me.
"You're back. You always disappear someone in a blink of an eye, just where do you go in this tiny village?"
He flicks my forehead and replies;'
"It's none of your business, and don't you have somewhere you're supposed to go?"
That's right. I quickly flick his forehead back and run away before he retaliates.
Dexter touches his forehead and scoffs.
"Why is she so childish?"
"Wait, I flicked her first does that make me childish?"
. . . . .
At a far corner in the care home is someone looking at Dexter and Vivian talking.
"Is that perhaps that child?"
"That child is...Alive?"