"Holy fuck where am I?! Didn't I die earlier? What the hell happened?" She thought to herself as she scanned the wide room filled with nothing but horrible designs. Not only is her wardrobe broken, everything inside might collapse soon!
"Here's your water, better clean your room yourself. God, no wonder no one wants to become your maid." The woman in a maid outfit said as she put the basin filled with murky water at the side of her bed.
Everything was dirty! It doesn't scream the typical noble daughter filled with riches! And the maid's attitude towards her is making her feel mad. Of course, Rachelle is confused about her situation, but this woman feels like a reigning queen somehow.
Clearly Rachelle could tell that she is a noble. Judging by the maid, it seems that her family is powerful enough to hire a maid.
"Oh and one more thing, the master called you." The maid said and left her room with the door banging loudly. She couldn't help but squint her eyes at how loud the maid shut the door. Are people here doesn't know what manners are?
Still perplexed at her situation, she stood up from laying on the bed and went to the vanity mirror that she saw. It was musky and had a lot of dust in it as if it wasn't clean for like a week now. She then tried to wipe off the dust that was covering the whole mirror.
Once it becomes clear enough for her to see, she gasps at the sight of a beautiful woman in front of her. With red hair that resembles the colour of an apple and green eyes that glints whenever the sun ray's hit her face. But what appears to shock her even more was how malnourished the woman is.
She's literally the definition of stick and bones!
"What...?" She uttered, yes she couldn't deny that the woman in front of her that might be her now is beautiful. But the fact that her question still lies in her mind didn't make her appreciate the beauty in front of her.
"But wait... Why do I look like someone familiar?" She muttered to herself as she keeps on observing the woman who is her now. Dating back to what she read, the description of the evil woman suddenly popped into her head.
'Red hair? Green eyes? Abused and mistreated? It's definitely Felicia Vivianne Del Montague!' Her mind expressed, shocking all of her nerves. Oh no, she felt tense at this point. Felicia died at the end of the novel, of course, who wouldn't be scared?
"But wait. The novel didn't mention that she was this poor. Felicia in the book was rather glamourous and a bit tacky in fashion." She murmured to herself. She then glanced at the murky water the maid had sent to her.
"Really? I read lots of stories with villains lavishing themselves with their riches and I end up being a broke villainess?! With an unloving family, used and beaten by my step-sister and now with death waiting for me? Am I fucked up?!" She couldn't help but yell out her frustrations.
"Why am I so unlucky? First I read a novel that defines bullshit. Second I died because I didn't pay my rent, and now I'll die because of some plot and schemes? Oh hell no I won't allow that!" She added to herself, hyping herself.
"Let's see. I do not know why the Duke is calling for me. But since I'm living in the annexe and someone keeps on stealing the budget resulting in Felicia's lack of care, then I should also strike him a beating. If I do remember it correctly, he hates Felicia's gut." She muttered, didn't bother to use the murky water to wash off her face and instead grabbed anything in her rotting wardrobe.
Of course to appear very troubled and to create the first misunderstanding, she needs to ruin this dress to appear like being mistreated. One thing that the Duke hates is belittling the lineage of his family, even if she is hated by him, he cannot allow her to show her off with rags.
After lots and lots of tearing apart her dress, she then wore it and just tied her long red hair into a ponytail. She looks like she hasn't been treated right after all these years of abandonment.
Checking out how presentable she looks right now, Felicia's beauty still cannot be hidden by mere rags and simple hairstyles.
Finishing her doll up, she then immediately head to where the main building was. Residing at the annexe attached to the main building really makes everything so bad. Was she forced to move out of sight? If that's so then Felicia's family is full of sickos.
Everyone, even the maids that were passing through keeps on laughing at her. The snickers and mockeries of the maids kept the hall wild and bussing. It must be because of them that Felicia is this thin and underdeveloped. No wonder Helena from the book was spoiled rotten to the core.
She did not let those dirty mockeries of the maids ever get through her. Rachelle is a woman with ears made of steel. Back when she was at the compound, everything is noisy and her ears developed the sense of just letting the noise out of her ears.
'Her body is so weak! I can't believe I'm already huffing here!' She complained. She felt like she had walked the entire wall of China or climbed the top of Mt. Fuji. Her legs were shaking and her lungs felt like wanted to explode. She keeps on cussing and cursing about why this house is so big.
After how many huffs and puffs, she finally arrived at the doorstep of the Duke. There was no knight nor butler to help her open the door. Even maids did not want to help with her struggles.
Opening the door, her stoic face became cold when the office of the Duke had everyone inside. The Duke was working at his table, the Regent Duchess is playing with her daughter, Helena, and her brother who was also playing with Helena.
'Wow, am I the adopted one here?' She thought.
"Greetings, Lord Duke. To what do I owe you for you have called me?" She said, making everyone look at her. they gasp at the sight of her, frowning at how disgusting she looks.
"Y-you!" The Duke couldn't even keep a straight conversation with his legitimate daughter. "What? What's wrong with me, Your Grace?" She asked, still keeping her stoic face.
"Oh, sister! What are you wearing right now? You don't look good!" Helena who came to her clasp her hand with her and look at her with eyes tearing up. If not for Rachelle who read the novel, she wouldn't be able to tell that it was all fake emotions.
"If you could keep your hands from yourself then I wouldn't be sick like this. Wouldn't you think so, Regent Duchess?" Felicia said, pulling her hands away from Helena. Helena then gasp as she fell on the floor, enraging everyone else inside the room.
"How dare you do that to Helena?!" Her own brother shouted at her as he immediately went to Helena's side and hugged her. Helena then cried, sobbing in the arms of her stepbrother.
"I-Im sorry, sister. It's my fault for touching you..." Helena said as she cried. The Duchess then glared towards Felicia as she swoon over her daughter, caressing her in her arms.
"What? Now it's my fault that you stumbled on your own?" Felicia asked, snorting as everyone was glaring at her. Even her own father was ready to throw his hands at her cheek. "Felicia! Your sister did nothing wrong! Why would you push her? She's frail and weak." The Duchess scorned Felicia while Helena was crying in her arms.
"Was it not enough for you to be locked up? Was it not enough for you to be on probation after pulling a prank on Helena? How shameful for you to become the eldest daughter of the dukedom!" The Duke shouted at her.
"Please, don't shout at sister. S-she maybe not like me just because I'm not her real sister, but I'm willing to forgive her..." Helena said, looking at Felicia who was still looking at them.
Felicia at this point wanted to chuckle and roll her eyes. Her anger towards this family was immensely triggered when Helena schemed again on her. But is that it? Felicia thought that her schemes would be more deserving of an Oscar award but no.
"Grand Duchess? It's funny how you say that she's frail and weak. Look over here and tell me who's frail and weak. Your daughter over there looks healthy, however, look at me. Who's frail and weak now?" Felicia replied. Felicia indeed looks weaker than Helena herself.
"Enough! Stop with this nonsense, it doesn't change the fact that you pushed her!" Her brother, Alexander Dean Del Montague yelled at her. These idiots keep on protecting Helena, even though it was very clear that she fell on her own.
"Please! Calm down! Let's not fight, I have already forgiven her! Please, brother? Mom? Dad? We can all forgive sister." Helena said as she stepped into everyone when it was getting heated.
"Oh please, even I can do acting much better.' Felicia thought.
"All of you, calm down. Let's not fight anymore, my daughter had already forgiven Felicia." The regent Duchess, Tyren Joanne Del Montague said, patting her daughter on her head but still glaring at Felicia.
"Alright, if Helena said so," Alexander said and sighed. It would do no good if Felicia joined them. She's too troublesome, always getting handsy with Helena who always forgives her despite Felicia bullying her.
"I called you here because of something urgent that came from the palace. They had proposed for you to become the Crown Princess. You'll be marrying the Crown Prince and learning proper etiquette and mannerism. I am against this engagement not because you held significance, but rather because you are useless so it's time to put you in your place to become useful." The Duke announce, making everyone gasp.
"Dear? What about our reputation? Just look at how hideous she is!" The Duchess retorted, standing up as she couldn't help but feel infuriated at the news.
"Mother is right, Father. We can't let her become the crown Princess! She'll ruin everything!" Alexander commented, against this verdict that was passed by the emperor.
"Helena could be a great match, don't you think so Alexander?" The Duchess tried to pull Helena who was not making any move after hearing what the Duke said.
"The Saintess can't become the Empress, can she? Since the Pope had already declared the Saintess that it is her, wouldn't she be devoting her life to the holy church?" Felicia disrupted their conversation.
A saintess should be devoted to the church, therefore she must forget everything, even dating and marrying.
"Shut your mouth!" The Duchess shouted at Felicia in anger. Infuriated with the words that Felicia had said to them. What she said was the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Now look who's angry.