Chapter 24
While I was wondering if it would be a good idea to wear that dress that looked so comfortable, a maid took the dress off my hands.
“Hurry up and wash yourself. It’ll take most of the ti for you to get clean and put make up on.”
The brown-haired maid annoyed , sotis, with her overbearing way, but at least she didn’t treat as bad as the other maids in charge of the bedroom. Lina always took care of .
One of the other maids looked up and down the dress Lina had taken from . “How did you find a dress that looks like it will fit well? That’s good. I’ll prepare this, you just have to hurry up and get ready. Lina, please go wash Lily.” The maid curled her lips and pushed towards the bath. Lina looked troubled, seeing the other maid treat badly, but she kept her mouth shut.
I was used to this treatnt, but good-hearted Lina seed worried that I would get hurt. I didn’t care if the other maids treated harshly. I was more worried that Lina, who treated so well, would be hard because of it.
The bath and make-up didn’t take as long as I had thought they would. The water was already hot and, because it was just a walk in the palace’s garden, there was no need to apply a large amount of make-up. It was putting on the dress that caused the most issues
‘Why is it so tight?’ I wondered, embarrassed. I’m sure it would have fit fine if I’d worn it so ti ago, but it appeared that I’d gained so weight from all of the eating and sleeping I did. I really did enjoy every al, being prepared by exceptional palace cooks. And the bed was so soft, that all I did was sleep when I wasn’t doing the light, manual labor required of by the maids. It made realize the benefits of being in a nice position.
‘Wow! Lina had told I looked better with a bit more weight and I guess it’s true’. I almost couldn’t recognize the person I was seeing in the mirror. My skinny arms and legs had beco plumper, and my cheeks were a bit chubby as well. My face was not as tense as it once was, and I almost cracked a smile.
I was admiring myself in the mirror when I heard a man’s voice outside the door. “His Majesty, the Emperor is coming”
The door opened and the emperor entered, dressed fancy. I could see the improvents in him from one month ago. The dark circles under his eyes hadn’t fully disappeared, but they were certainly better than before. Perhaps it was because I was able to put him to sleep regularly at night.
“See the brightness of the great Ivant!” soone announced.
I was distracted, thinking about the emperor, but as soon as I noticed Lina and the other maids greeting him, I reflexively bowed my head. My bonnet fell to the floor. I panicked and scrambled for it. In that mont, I had a chilly feeling that I made a huge mistake. The maid next to looked at with anger. ‘Dolls don’t greet. It might have insulted him that I bowed down. What was I thinking?’
I pretended to be as nonchalant as I could, hoping all the progress I’d made with the emperor would pardon . Thinking about it, this was the first ti I ever greeted him. ‘Please, don’t let this first greeting be my last one!’ I worried.
The emperor just stared at without saying a word, but it felt like the calm before the storm. For a mont the room was filled with a terrible silence. Even the fall of a needle in the carpet would have sounded like a thunder.
‘I’d prefer if he was just angry. I can’t take this!’
The emperor broke the silence. “Get out, everyone.”
Lina and the other maids reacted at lightning speed to the evil emperor’s order, sputtering acknowledgents. “I-I will imdiately retire.”
“I hope you will spend a peaceful ti together.”
‘No! Please don’t leave alone!’ I scread inside, but no one could hear .
I was alone in the room with the emperor. With his eyes still on , my nervousness grew. I swallowed, loudly.
‘This is what I get for lowering my guard’, I thought. ‘I have to be more careful from now on. At this rate, my head will part from my neck well before the heroine shows up.’
The emperor reached out for my pale hand, and I instinctively looked up at his face.
“Let’s go out” he said. I was confused. Hadn’t I made a mistake. He rolled his eyes at my hesitation. “Why aren’t you coming?” It was strange to hear him speak to like an adult.
He stepped closer when I still hadn’t moved. Taking the bonnet out of my hand, he threw it on to a chair. “You don’t need that. Why are you trying to cover up your pretty face?” Then he reached out for my hand once again. “Let’s go, Lily.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)