The villainess must die

VIII : The Ball

I couldn't fall into a deep slumber after that incident.

Breathing heavily, as someone knocked on my door, letting them enter as I did, I was greeted by an unfamiliar face. "I am your new maid, ma'am", she bowed as she smiled at me warmly. Running to open the curtains gleefully as I let myself sit on the bed, staring in disbelief. I shot daggers but she just gave me a giggly atmosphere. "What is her problem?" I thought to myself. I stood up and pointed at the door. "Get out."

I'm frightened, today was my most awaited first ball. I am not risking anything today, not after that incident. Soon, she clapped her hands. "Don't be frightened, your grace! Today is your ball!" Soon, more maids were in front of me. They pushed me in the bathroom as they tried to bathe me. "I can handle myself! Geez." They flinched except her. Leaving me to clean myself, I did.

As soon as I went out, they pulled me up and got me dressed in the gown that the duchess sewed for me. It was perfect, it hugged my waist tight as its ends fell flat on the ground. "You are going for a fierce look, aren't you my grace?" she pulled and sat me in front of the mirror.

Damping powder into my cheeks, as I sighed. The weather wasn't as great as usual, not to my favor. It gave me a strong gut feeling that an unintended coalition would come forth later on. "You look tired," hearing a voice that fluttered across my ears. "I am, sister."

The continuous rubbing of materials into my face was uncomfortable as I was a teenager who don't need any more products. "How is my cute little sister doing?" I flinched as I felt a pinch on my cheek. "Brother! Stop doing that, I'm fifteen!" I screamed as I threw a brush at him.

It was just like when I was still in Seoul, with my best friend. "Your grace!" The maids lowered their heads as the duchess entered the room while greeting me with a warm hug. "Today is the day, you need to put on a show," kissing my forehead as she fixed my hair. "Are you done?" She spoke again before scanning her eyes from then to the maids.

"Yes, your grace, ma'am is ready!" They bowed down their heads again before heading out. "Shall we?" My sister held my hands. Hers was as cold as Brother Allen's.

3rd Person's POV

The clouds were growing heavier each step they made. As the wind was unusual for their eyes. They weren't weary of this at all, nothing stopped the family from taking poor Bennett, Catalina, to the ball for her social debut.

Everything looked gloomy, as if a spell was casted around the dukedom. Catalina, on the other hand, was still as conscious as she was yesterday. Thinking that the voice she heard was familiar yet not.

The carriage brought them, yet they seemed to be going in circles. Then a loud thunder shook the ground as they all fell in a deep cliff. Catalina groaned, trying to reach out for someone, yet it was too late.

Her senses opened, she saw herself in a garden. She was holding tight to a tree that had the Maximyst's crest carved all around it. It looked like it was her doing, but when she opened her eyes again, she didn't remember anything from her past life anymore. "CATALINA!" Catalina looked around as her mother, the duke, her siblings were all looking at her with worried expressions, even the duke.

"Mom? Daddy? What happened?" The tone of her voice was different. She was the same person but the only memories she has now was her life as Catalina. Neither A-LE nor Bennett was in her head.

"What about the ball?! Oh no!" She whined angrily. "I was supposed to be the star!" All the family looked at each other. "Honey? Are you alright?" She was the same yet different person. Her personality was just like the real "owner" of the body. "Who are you?!" Soon, she pointed at a girl who was holding books in her hands while fixing her eyeglasses.

"You've been in a coma for three months my darling.. This is Amora. Amora Carillon, we hired her to keep you safe honey. She's our ally." The duchess hugged her tight at my sobbing. "I thought that I was going to lose you, my sweet sweet Catalina," she cried dried tears.

Days passed, Catalina was going berserk as she grew to be the villain she was before. The character was created from a long forgotten A-LE's book. She threw things, asked for jewellery, spoiled.

A-LE's POV

"Where am I?" as soon as I shot my eyes opened, I saw myself infront of many mirrors that have my face and Bennett's alternating with each other. I folded my hands tight, frightened. "I need to show you something" a soothing voice came, soon everything smelt like strawberries and fresh air from a farm. "Where am I?" I asked as everything turned into a beautiful garden.

"A-LE, the mission that I gave you is more dangerous than you think it is," I was spun around by a pair of hands. It was Bennett. "The book you made killed me, everything that you didn't write, happened. I'm sorry for using black magic and cursing you. I thought of removing it but my powers seemed to be blocked in your world, even in here." She looked frustrated and sorry. "I knew about the things that you wrote, you meant me no harm, I am sincerely sorry. I was stressed and angry," with teary eyes she knelt, begging.

"The only thing that I could do for you is warn you A-LE," eyes staring at the green grass, looking soft yet prickly, still, no thoughts came.

"What's happening in my world? How is my bestfriend?" I muttered, eyes dead silent. "Sarah is alright, we have resolved your issue, she still thinks that I'm you," she was still sobbing as she grips on my dress. "What are the warnings?" Coming back to my senses, I pulled her up and held her tight. "Someone's out there trying to kill you, I don't know who but I have a strong gut feeling that she knows you are not from that place, you will be staying in here to master a spell that would help you survive, but only can be used three times." I sighed and looked at here deep in the eyes.

"Who is she? I don't mind mastering something but who's trying to kill me?" she bit her lips and hesitated. "I still don't know but be careful with Amora, she has this dark aura around her when she's with you."

"How would you know?" I asked as I raised an eyebrow. Amora would not do anything reckless, she is new. "The story is changing in your book, I can see every detail but not what's really happening. How come she had taught you black magic before me? She knows my plan, yours too."

Then I heard a glass shattered.