Zadhea couldn't react for a long time. She sat there like a statue, staring into nowhere.
"Mi-Minosha, Are you alright?" Lady Evelyn asked nervously.
"Don't fucking call me that," Zadhea snapped at her angrily, her chest going up and down.
Since she learned the truth, she didn't want to hide her true self anymore.
Maybe they weren't really the reason for her tragedy. But still... She was pushed into this world because of them.
Damn! She didn't even read that motherfucking novel but here she was... Becoming the villainess just because they had kind of similar names.
Damnit! She hated them! She hated herself! She hated everyone!
Theresa took a deep breath and then released it slowly before talking again.
"I don't know why you are so angry, Minosha. I-I mean Zadhea. But you know... We should accept the truth. We should accept the challenges coming to our lives. We can't complain others for our destiny. So don't curse the author. Don't curse the character you have become..."
"...I know."
"Just listen to me. Don't talk. Do you know how I ended up in here?"
Zadhea became silent. She was so irritated earlier. Because of that, she couldn't even pay attention to other things. Nonetheless, she very well knew that to go to another world, you should die. That means...
"You died. But how?"
Theresa's mind went back to her past life. To be honest, her death was kind of hilarious. She went to the hospital to take care of Minosha the moment she learned about her deadly accident.
The hospital floor was somehow wet with water maybe due to rainy weather. She was in a rush so... She slipped and fell backwards, hitting the back of her head against the corner of a trolley nearby and then boom!
She ended up here after having a small chat with someone who introduced herself as a 'System'.
Zadhea became stupefied before slowly mumbling, "Theresa, thank you! Thank you so much for your kindness!"
It seemed like she wasn't the only one who died because of someone else's well-being.
"It's nothing. The system told me to continue helping you. That's why I am here. So please bear with me."
"Gosh! Thank you, Lady Evelyn. Your support is necessarily required. I hope you support me throughout my mission."
"Zadie, don't be so formal. We are friends, aren't we?"
"Yeah, Indeed. Gosh, I feel so relaxed. Finally, someone familiar to me, is here with me. What a relief." With a soft sigh, Zadhea closed her eyes, placing her back against the tree trunk.
"Honestly, I feel like you are a different person," Said Evelyn.
"What did you mean by that?" Zadhea lazily asked, her eyes closed.
"You always seemed to shut yourself from others. You seemed to distant yourself from us. You looked cold and unapproachable..."
This time, Zadhea opened her eyes and looked at Evelyn deeply.
"No, Evie. I didn't deliberately shut myself. It's just... I felt like I don't suit you guys. Like I'm different from you."
"Everyone is different. Everyone has their own, unique personality."
"Yeah, I know but... I'm way too different." 'Like a mature aunt. How can I explain that to you?'
"It's fine as long as you won't shut yourself anymore."
"Okay, I promise. I'll tell you everything."
"That's great."
The two girls happily hugged each other under the oak tree.
-----------
Queen Margaret shot her daughter a strange look.
Zadhea put down the silver spoon filled with her favourite apple pie she was about to taste when she felt her mother's eyes on her.
"Why are you looking at me like that, mother queen?" She asked, annoyed.
"Did you get along with Lady Evelyn well?"
Finally, the questions and answers time!
When could she have her lunch peacefully?
"Yeah. She's nice to me."
The queen's frown disappeared instantly as a smile took over her eyes.
"That's good."
"Wait, queen mother..." Zadhea glanced at her mother suspiciously, carefully examining her. "Are you the one who invited her to my courtyard without my permission?"
"Why?" Queen Margaret gave her an unhappy look. "Don't you like it?"
"I love it but still..."
"Then there shouldn't be a problem."
"Humph!"
Zadhea huffed angrily before eating her apple pie again.
"You don't act like a lady at all. See, you don't even know how to eat elegantly! Scoop out the pie slowly. Don't rush. Don't poke it with your spoon! It's disgusting!" Her mother started lecturing her as usual.
Gosh, this child was giving her a headache!
Zadhea murmured in her mind, 'Eat like a lady, Drink like a lady, dress like a lady, shit like a lady!'
The last part made her smile.
'Oh there was something like this as well, "Fart like a lady." Hee hee!'
They were some jokes she found from a comment related to a YouTube video about how to eat elegantly like a lady. She watched it out of curiosity and then quickly went for the comments section. As expected, it was filled with hilarious comments that she almost fell off her chair reading them.
"Look at Lady Evelyn! I chose her especially because she is famous in upper class society because of her elegant, well behaved gentle manners as a lady despite being a five year old. Then look at you! Do you even wear gowns? All you wear is pants and shirts! Do you think of yourself as a boy? Why didn't you become a boy in the first place then?" Queen Margaret snapped at her when she saw her daughter's sarcastic smile. It looked like she was mocking her on purpose.
"That's enough." Zadhea's grandma stopped her. "She's still a kid. Don't blame her like that."
In the end, like a spoiled brat, Zadhea threw her silver spoon away and ran towards her chamber, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Midnight arrived.
Zadhea skipped her evening tea and dinner as a result of the conflict between her and the queen. So she was starving.
'Aaah. It's just dinner. Why do I feel like I haven't eaten for days? Damn! This body is so weak. I must train it even harder.'
Like a thief, she sneakily left her chamber and climbed down the wooden staircase. Of course, there were soldiers everywhere. But she knew that they wouldn't gossip around the princess's midnight starvation. Thus she was in a relaxed mood.
She played hide and seek on her own until she reached the kitchen. Fortunately, there was no one inside because the kitchen staff left for their complex to have some sleep already. Phew, she was lucky.
Zadhea was about to grab a slice of strawberry cake when she heard a faint sound near the rack where the wine bottles were stored. Alerted, she picked up a wooden stick she found nearby and went towards the rack, whispering, "Who's that?"
Was it a rat? A cat? Or a ghost? Or... An enemy???!!!
A boy who was around seven or eight years old stood up from where he was sitting with some old bread as he sensed the princess's presence.
"I'm sorry!" He fell on his knees in front of her the second she appeared near him. "I'm sorry, your Highness. Please don't send me away. I won't ever steal food, I swear!"
Zadhea looked at the pitiful child. He had brown curly hair with a pair of big, silver eyes. His clothes looked worn-out and his whole persona looked grim.
But she couldn't deny that he looked cute overall.
"Rise up," The princess said curtly. "Who are you?"
"Nothing but a maid's son. Please forgive this lowly, unworthy person, your grace." He begged.
Zadhea squinted her eyes. Since she was a villainess, shouldn't she act according to her role?