Immediately, Adele rose up from the floor, picked up the cloth and covered that portrait. Then, hurriedly she climbed up the stairs with wobbling legs.
As she got out of that mysterious room, she saw that the royal sword was still glowing, but this time it was giving out a crimson beam and then what happened was unexpectable.
Those split apart walls, merged together and entrance towards that mysterious room was closed by itself. Eventually, the royal sword stopped glowing and everything went back to normal.
After going through that surprising incident, Adele's lips only mumbled one thing.
"What was it all just now?"
Glancing at the royal sword, she went outside for locking the door of her parent's room, the way it was before. But unfortunately, as she put her hands inside the pocket for keys, it was not there. She panicked and searched for it everywhere and it was then that she realized.
Back at the mysterious room, when Adele stumbled down, after viewing the portrait of that girl resembling her, something fell down, making a loud cling sound. At that moment, she was not aware that it were the keys that fell.
Even so, she did not had the courage to enter that room, so she went again to Eleanor's personal cupboard and took the spare keys with worriedly clenching her teeth and locked the large door of that massive master bedroom.
After clearing up everything, Adele thought that she was all safe, but actually she was not, beacuse she knew that if Eleanor found out about, her sneaking inside the master bedroom and losing the keys, like an exploding volcano Eleanor's rage would explode out.
When Adele arrived at Eleanor's room, sweat was dripping down from her face. She slowly paced towards her personal cupboard. Placing each step closer, Adele's heart panicked with fear.
Taking a deep breath, she carefully managed to keep the spare keys inside, got outside the room and pretended as if nothing happened. She then strode through the spacious landing of their magnificent staircase.
That girl in the portrait...is my ancestor? But! No one ever told me 'bout her? Or...is it beacuse nobody know about a room like this in our mansion?
On top of all how could that portrait girl look exactly like me? I mean not even a single differen-
*step-step*
"No! First let me take to her, if she agrees, then I will definitely hire him"
Interrupting her mind thoughts, a pleasant voice of someone speaking from below the staircase was to be heard. Adele looked down with an annoyed face and saw that it was Eleanor.
Suddenly, Adele felt a thump on her heart. Being panicked, she ran towards her room, locked the door and mumbled with her lips trembling.
"Oh no! What am I gonna do now? Queen Mother would immediately find out that the real keys to the master bedroom are missing! Ah...she'll get super mad at me!-"
*knock-knock*
"Princess Adele could you please open the door, it is your queen mother".Eleanor uttered in a courteous manner.
Hearing Eleanor's voice, Adele stood startled with a pale face. Her palms turned cold like a freezing ice cube. She then slowly walked towards the door and opened it with shivering hands.
As Adele's eyes met her mother's glinting green orbs, her veins shuddered with fear. Eleanor then slowly reached out her hand towards her.
Adele pressed her eyes closed, thinking that Eleanor would slap her, but unexpectedly, she just faintly patted on her shoulder. With wide opened eyes, she looked at Eleanor.
She felt confused of watching Eleanor smiling instead of being angry at her. For making her more puzzled, Eleanor uttered something that caught her off guards.
"I am sorry Princess Adele"
"Bu...But...Why are you apologizing Queen Mother? Isn't its me who should say sorry?".Adele stuttered her words.
"But why? It's me the one who didn't trust you and believed on that fake news article...that's why I heartly apologize to you Princess".Eleanor said by smiling with her pretty, round lips.
By hearing such warm words from her mother for the first time, unknowingly, Adele's eyes were filled with tears of happiness.
"Um...it's okay, Well, I am also sorry for behaving rude towards you that day, Queen Mother".Adele said by sniffing her nose.
Eleanor's face brightened up with delight, being overjoyed, she went closer to Adele for an embrace, but then hesitated and stepped aback, thinking that Adele would dislike it.
Holding back her overwhelmed feelings, she placed both of her hands on Adele's shoulders and spoke in an intense serious tone.
"Princess Adele, there is also one more thing that I want to tell you"
"What is it Queen Mother?".Adele tilted her head as she asked.
"Well, I am going to hire you a manager"
With frowned eyebrows Adele asked."But why Queen Mother?"
Eleanor exhaled a breath of relievement, beacuse she expected Adele to decline her decision. Clasping her hands together, Eleanor said.
"Princess, you know that all of the members of our Embiran family had been taking over the throne when they reached at their age of eighteen, even his majesty was like that *sniffles*..."
Saying the name of her beloved husband, from her own lips, gave a sickening feeling to Eleanor, but, she controlled her tears, because she only wanted Adele to show her strong side outside and not that hidden weak one which she had inside.
*Inhale*
"So, now it is your time to take over the throne and for that you might need assistance, suggestion in different royal matters and on top of all, a handler for every paparazzi situations of yours..."
Pausing her words, Eleanor gently lifted Adele's chin towards her face and said softly.
"These all services could be only provided by a manager, so that's why I am hiring you a one, are you fine with my decision Princess?"
Pressing her lips nervously, she waited for Adele's answer.
"Um...Queen Mother..."
"Ye-yes?".Eleanor stuttered her words.
"I am fine with your decision, I have no problem for you to hire me a manager"
At first, Eleanor did not believe her ears, she was actually in a confusion that what she heard was actually a lie or truth. The Adele who had always been harsh towards her, was today being considerate and easily agreeable. Seeing this, Eleanor felt a somewhat satisfaction.
But, in reality, Adele's agreement had a different intention. Even though, she behaved calm outside, there was fear still lingering in her heart.
She knew, that if not today, someday Eleanor will definitely find out about the missing of the real keys to master bedroom. That was the reason for her to agree with Eleanor's decision, because she thought if she pleased her as much as possible by listening to everything she asked for, the intensity of her anger explosion would get low.
"Um...But Queen Mother from when will my manager start their job?"
"Oh, it's from tomorrow, the sooner the better, isn't it?"
Adele nodded with a pretentious happy smile on her face. She then, looked at the dandy, bronze clock in her room, in which the time was past 9:30 pm.
"Goodnight Queen Mother, it's time for me to sleep now".She said in a fond tone.
"Oh, you are right, Good night Princess, Sleep tight!".Eleanor then walked off with wearing the utmost ecstatic look on her face. After she left, Adele quickly closed the door and locked it.
*Inhale*
"Phew, she didn't find out, but, someday she will..."
*groan*
"I should not act cowardly like this, even if mother finds out everything, I should act brave, what's a big deal in viewing your own parent's room, hmph!"
Talking to herself, Adele looked at the clock, it was exact 10 pm. She then turned off all the lightings in her room and laid on her plush, comfy bed. While lying, her mind again went to think of the incident that happened in that mysterious room.
Again, what were those strange memories? I still can't recall anything like that happened before? But still...all those fond encounters between them in those memories, it kinda felt familiar and...
I think that portrait girl and the girl from my dreams have some kinda connection? It was like...if they were deeply in love? Woah...hang on!
"Is it the portrait girl whom she was callin by the name Alina in my dreams?".Adele rose up with saying in a loud tone.
*sigh*
"Ha...what am I doin? Thinkin 'bout some stupid facts and fantasizing 'bout them? I shouldn't act childish, soon I'm goin to take over the throne, duhh"
Resisting her brain strictly from having such thoughts again, Adele laid down with the blanket covering over her face. But, there was one thought, which insisted on staying in her mind.
I wonder, that...how could they both look exactly like me and Julie?!
A while later, with those thick, long lashes subtly touching her skin, Adele slowly closed her eyes and fell deep asleep.
.
.
*chirp-chirp*
She slowly opened that large door, wearing a pure-white, frock and entered inside a supremely massive room. Her long blonde hair which nearly touched her knees ruffled, as she paced towards a bed there, with light footsteps.
Leisurely, she bend down her face close to someone who was sleeping on that bed. Gazing at that person lovingly, with her beautiful, gray eyes, she whispered.
"Princess Alina, Wake up"
.
.
Panting heavily, Adele frantically opened her eyes, pulled off the blanket from above and hurriedly sat up on the bed.
*Sigh*
"Argh! Again this girl's dream? C'mon I'm not even done with recoverin from that incident yesterday and-"
*vzz-vzz*
Hearing the phone ringing, Adele stopped her self-talk and looked at the screen to become over-startled of seeing the name 'Queen Mother' on it. Adele quickly glanced at the clock and saw it was only 5:30 in the morning, half an hour before she usually woke up everyday.
Adele knew that even if Eleanor never thought of taking care of her, she had always kept all details about her everyday routine. Because of that reason, Adele thought that there must be something very urgent for Eleanor to call her, this much early in morning. Thus, without thinking further, she picked up the call.
"Good morning Queen Mother".Adele greeted in a respectful tone.
[Good morning Princess! You woke up early today? What's the matter?]
"Um...It's just...I was done with my sleep"
[Oh! It's a good thing, well then...please freshen up yourself quick and come to the living room, I am going to introduce you to your manager, okay?]
"Sure Queen Mother"
*beep*
After the phone call ended, Adele fastly freshened up herself and then by wearing a white, berber-fleece coat over her pajamas, she went downstairs towards their spectacular living room, decorated whole majestically with a glorious picture of her father, framed aside their luxurious sofa set.
Stepping closer, she saw a slender figured silhouette of someone, standing behind that grandiose high-back chair, placed in their living room, on which Eleanor was sitting with her legs crossed, in a regal manner.
"Oh Princess! I did not expect you to be this quick!".Eleanor said being impressed. She then gestured for that person standing behind the chair to come forward.
From that darkness behind, appeared a slender and attractive yet small figure of a young girl, which was moving towards her direction.
She wore on a lovely beige suit, which drew off her delinquent figure overall perfectly, with a gold brooch of the symbol of Embiran family, pinned at the right side of her chest and at last, the french twist tied up in her fine hair prettily, made her look flawless from every angles.
As that girl stood under the luminating rays of the rising sun coming from outside, the face of her seemed to be blurred to Adele.
"So Princess, this is your new manager, Miss, Julia Nanon".She uttered loudly.
Unhearing the rest what Eleanor said, only the last words- 'Julia Nanon' echoed through her ears.
With halting hands, Adele hindered the rays coming over, and viewed the manager more carefully by squinting her eyes as much as she could, to only have a gasp inside of her heart.
J-Julie is my manager?!
( To be continued )