Episode 60
Prea’s eyes met mine, and I quickly lowered my gaze. Prea detested those who didn’t show proper etiquette, even among nobles, so she would surely be offended by a lowly maid like me staring directly at her.
‘Is she looking at me, wondering if she can bribe me? She had a vicious personality, using anyone and everyone she could.’
A scene from the novel came to mind. The scene where she had Sylvia lured to a certain place and then bribed someone to sell her off.
I clearly remembered her words at that time.
‘You should have been satisfied with the Duke. You’re suffering this because you’re aiming for the Crown Princess position. I’ve found you unpleasant from the moment we met, Sylvia. I had a hard time hiding it.’
And after turning her back on the horrified Sylvia, Prea had stopped for a moment and added,
‘Oh, right. I almost forgot. Thank you for keeping that stupid maid by your side. She sold you out easily. Hee hee.’
In reality, she had obtained the information by threatening the family of a servant employed at the mansion.
It was easy to see her cruel nature, which didn’t shy away from any means.
‘Still, it would be better if she used me. I might not be able to control it properly yet, but I can use this power to help Sylvia when she’s in trouble.’
I clenched my fists, telling myself I had to do well. If things got too difficult, I could always tell the Crown Prince everything. So I wasn’t too worried.
I subtly lifted my head and saw Prea’s gaze return to Sylvia.
Her soft smile and sparkling eyes, as if genuinely interested, were perfect. It was hard to believe that she was inwardly cursing Sylvia for interfering with her plans to become the Crown Princess.
To think she could even fake such a gentle expression… Even I, who knew the original story, was almost fooled.
But Sylvia, remembering my warning, kept her distance from Prea.
“What do you like, Lady Veronica?”
“Well, I’m not sure if I have anything I particularly like.”
“I thought you might like cute and lovely things. Am I right?”
“Who doesn’t like those?”
Sylvia’s curt replies were shutting down the conversation. Yet, Prea persistently continued, making it a rather one-sided and awkward exchange.
Exhausted by Prea’s persistence, Sylvia turned to Lady Cartlow, who was sitting nearby.
“Thank you for inviting me to this tea party. The tea is fragrant and not too astringent, I like it.”
“I’m glad you like it. I hope you’ll join us again next time, Lady Veronica. I think I’ll be able to serve even better tea then, since I’m expecting some tea leaves from the Western Continent.”
Sylvia’s eyes widened at the invitation to join them again.
“Ah… Yes. I’ll be sure to attend if I’m not being a nuisance.”
“You wouldn’t be.”
I listened to their conversation, my ears perked up.
‘So she does have a favorable impression of Sylvia.’
In the novel, they didn’t become close because Sylvia was preoccupied with Prea. I was glad it was different this time.
‘Since her conversation with Sylvia isn’t going well, is she staring at me again?’
I wondered what her problem was, why she kept looking at me.
One side of my face felt like it was burning. It was hard to keep avoiding her gaze.
I rubbed my cheek, desperately wishing for this moment to pass. As if answering my wish, time ticked by.
The tea party seemed to be coming to an end. I wiped the sweat off my brow and breathed a sigh of relief that the arduous time was over.
And Sylvia, who would have been chatting amicably with Prea in the original story, had become closer to Lady Cartlow instead, since she had been keeping her distance from Prea.
“I’ll send you an invitation next time, if you’re free.”
“Yes, thank you.”
They exchanged friendly glances, as if they would become good friends. It was a heartwarming scene.
After the tea party ended, I cheerfully followed Sylvia, intending to address her as “Miss.”
If it weren’t for the hand grabbing my shoulder.
My head turned stiffly, a sense of unease washing over me. Seeing the gleaming red eyes, I felt a cold sweat break out.
“Is something the matter, Lady Seirthe?”
I replied calmly, but my palms were sweaty.
“You’re acting as if I’m going to eat you alive.”
As I nervously looked around, trying to figure out what I had done to offend her, I saw a smirk on her face and a glint of interest in her eyes.
“Tell Lady Veronica something for me, will you?”
“What should I tell her?”
“Hmm… tell her I’d like to meet her at my mansion. I’m disappointed we couldn’t talk much at today’s tea party.”
“I’ll convey your message. But she’s been quite busy lately…”
“Busy? Busy enough to refuse my request?”
Her words had a subtly sharp edge. Despite her cheerful smile, I felt a strong sense of wariness.
“I don’t know why you’re looking at me so nervously, but becoming close to me would be beneficial for your mistress as well. She needs to expand her social circle, doesn’t she?”
She was speaking as if she knew I was wary of her.
I had thought Sylvia could handle her advances, but Prea wasn’t someone to be easily dismissed. If gentle persuasion didn’t work, she seemed like the type to resort to threats.
As I nervously racked my brain, trying to figure out how to survive this, a cold hand cupped my cheek. I felt her smooth, manicured fingertips on my nose.
“I’m only being nice because you’re cute, little maid. You’re quite my type.”
I stared at her with wide eyes at her unexpected words, and she chuckled.
“Then tell her I look forward to meeting her soon.”
As she walked away without a second thought, I wasn’t sure if I should be happy about gaining the villainess’s favor or worried about attracting her attention and causing more trouble.
“So Lady Seirthe said she would send me an invitation?”
Nod, nod.
“And she told you she liked you?”
Nod, nod.
Perched on Sylvia’s hand, I nodded.
It was so hot that I felt like I was melting. I had transformed back into a bird because it was too difficult to stay in my human form.
Sylvia, who had been stroking my head contentedly, frowned after hearing my words. Even her frown was beautiful.
“Sigh… Why are so many people interested in Lily?”
“Beep!”
‘That sounded very unlike a reverse harem heroine!’
People flocked to Sylvia even if she did nothing.
Of course, one of those people, Heron, was acting strangely different these days, his usual languid flirting from the novel gone, as if he was preoccupied with something else.
“Lily…”
I tilted my head at Sylvia’s sudden words.
“Beep?”
‘Why?’
“If I put you in a cage, I wouldn’t have to show you to others. But I can’t do that…”
“Beep…!”
‘What are you saying?!’
Startled, I jumped off her hand and fluttered into the air. Sylvia chuckled and shook her head.
“I’m just kidding.”
I was relieved and landed back on her hand, but I felt a chill.
The villainess taking a liking to me, Sylvia making possessive remarks… Was I, a reincarnated bird, the type to drive people a little crazy?
Everyone who interacted with me wanted me to be their bird, or they seemed displeased when I got close to others. Their reactions were strange.
“Chirp…”
‘Ugh… this is bad, right?’
The feather on my head swayed anxiously. Sylvia poked it with her finger.
Then, she spoke casually,
“Oh, right. Lily, Cesar said he would visit tomorrow afternoon.”
“Beep?”
‘After meeting the villainess, now Cesar is coming? And Heron will probably send a spirit soon, saying he wants to see me.’
Perhaps noticing my troubled expression, Sylvia gave me a sparkling jewel. My tail feathers instinctively perked up.
Sylvia chuckled at my reaction, wagging my tail like a happy puppy.
“Don’t worry too much. You said he didn’t recognize you.”
“Beep.”
‘He didn’t.’
“But it will still be difficult to face him. You liked Cesar a lot and followed him around. But now you have to act cold and indifferent, as if you don’t know him.”
“Chirp.”
‘Cold and indifferent…’
I recalled his cold voice and indifferent expression.
At first, I had been scared of being discovered, and then I felt both relieved and hurt that he didn’t recognize me.
And now, whenever I thought of Cesar, my heart pounded. It felt even stronger as a bird.
The warmth of his touch still lingered, making my heart flutter.
‘Sigh. What is this?’
My heart was in turmoil, as if being scolded. I had thought it was just lingering attachment to my former owner, that’s why he kept crossing my mind. But it seemed like I had unknowingly fallen for his kindness.
“Lily. What do you want to do?”
“Beep?”
“Do you want to meet Cesar with me? Or do you want to rest or do something else, like before?”
My mind was telling me not to get any more involved. I knew how the story in the original novel unfolded.
If I stayed by Sylvia’s side, became one of the Crown Prince’s people, and followed the original plot, I would eventually achieve the stable and peaceful life I desired.
I could ask Sylvia, the future Empress, to cover for me regarding the destroyed building. As long as I avoided the Holy Kingdom and stayed within the Empire, I would be fine.
The artifact around my neck rattled, as if mirroring my wavering heart.