PHEMOLRIA

5. SUBSTITUTE

I forgot that this is how it is in fairytales, but why do I still feel surprised? Honestly, I don't know.

"What did you do to my fiancé?" He looked at me with a mad expression.

He's damn livid!

Who wouldn't? From his reaction, I can already say that he loves the beautiful woman in front of me, so much. The type that he won't let her get bitten by a mosquito.

I don't know why, but never in my entire life has I felt insecure, except now.

He turned his head to Guimea.

"Your Majesty..." She held her skirt to bow gracefully. "I am casually walking here and I don't see her, so we stumbled together. It's not all her fault."

She even smiled at me sincerely.

I felt a little jealous when I witnessed how positive and kind she was.

"I already saw everything with my own eyes, Guimea." Really? Guimea had already defended me, that it was not just my fault, but the way he looks at me right now is still very terrifying. "And you didn't even ask for her forgiveness," he added.

Wow! He is really serious about blaming everything on me.

I avoided my gaze at the ground. I don't like the feeling of being scolded. My Dad doesn't even shout at me, even if it's my fault.

"L-leo... It's not all her fault, okay? Calm down." She held his arms, while he was still looking at me intently.

Would he please just stop staring at me?!

I was amazed at myself right now at how I can still keep my mouth shut.

His eyes stayed on me, thinking.

"Alright," he said. "How lucky you are, Lady." And then he left us.

Guimea looked at me with sympathy. I know she's genuine about her being concerned and wanting to help me.

I see... That's how kind she is.

"I'm sorry for your Highness' attitude towards you." She left me a smile after patting my shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I need to go now. I must follow him."

They are a matched fairytale cast; a prince and a princess.

"Hey, what are you doing here? You must follow the Prince. You are his servant."

I faced the owner of that voice. There I saw Belinda with reddish hair and brown eyes.

Guimea already did. Should I still follow that grumpy Prince?

My eyes went to the rag she was holding down to the bucket of water she was also carrying.

She was the reason why the floor is that shiny, huh?

"Won't you mind if I help you?"

"No... but I think the Prince needs you."

I wrinkled my nose. I don't think he still needs me.

"Okay, let me help you." I let myself decide.

I know she wanted to refuse, but because of my perseverance, she had no choice, but to let me do what I wanted.

I grabbed the rug in her hand, she started moping the floor. I realized that it is not that difficult because there's only a little dirt, but what's tiring is the floor's range.

I wonder how Belinda manages it.

I'm not friendly. I don't even know what came to me to approach her. Maybe I just missed my friends.

"Isn't it tiring to do this every single time?" I asked.

She smiled bitterly. "Not really. Who am I to complain anyway when I needed this job to earn money and to raise my siblings?

I suddenly feel compassionate towards it. "Do you mind... if I ask about your parents? Where are they?"

"They are already both dead..."

A memory flashed through my eyes, the day that I knocked on her door when I was seven. No one answered, so I thought she was asleep.

"Mom, I'm hungry! Can you cook for me? Please!" I shouted from the other side of the door.

Still, I didn't hear her voice.

"Mom?" I repeated.

When I couldn't stand it anymore, I just went inside in a hurry.

I covered my mouth in fear and my heart pounded loudly when I saw what happened.

"No..." In a few steps, I went to my Mom's body, lying on the floor holding a bottle of medicine. I don't know exactly what that is, but after I grew up, I realized that it was a bottle of sleeping pills. "Mom... Wake up! Dad!"

"What happened?!" And my Dad entered the room. I saw how fear penetrated him after seeing my Mom. "Jesus! Call your brother!"

I went silent. I feel like I am feeling the same pain she feels. I now admire her for being strong and brave.

"I'm sorry I asked," I apologized.

Even when she's smiling, I can still see the sadness in her eyes. "No don't be sorry, it's okay."

"So... Why are you in a hurry?"

"Tonight a masquerade ball will be held here. Everything needed to be fixed before evening."

Weird, why am I feeling excited? I might not like fairytales, but I like parties.

"Really? Why are they having... a party?" I tried my best to not sound interested.

"Prince Neo is going to come back from China. Prince Neo is Prince Leo's older brother."

Older brother? So that arrogant prince isn't the first prince in this kingdom?

"I see... so he has a brother?" I said.

"Yes, he also has a little sister." She stood up as she finished wiping the floor. "Princess Elona is her name, the only princess in this kingdom. I swear, she is really beautiful. You still haven't seen her yet, right? Well, it's a delight to say that you and she are a little bit the same."

I got confused. Is she comparing me to someone?

"The same? In what way?" I kind of laughed at the question.

"Well, you and the Princess have the same long and straight black hair and black set of deep eyes. Your lips and hers are also really alike, pale, and your small and pointed nose. You look like sisters."

My mouth formed a circle. I am getting interested in her and I wanted to see her now to confirm everything. This book makes me feel not only a lost character but a reader. Every page seems to be getting more and more interesting.

After Belinda and I cleaned up, the headmistress ordered me to bring food to the princess's bedroom. After all, I had nothing to do because the prince didn't need me. He was busy with his fiancé.

Maybe I'll consider myself lucky for now to be able to see the Princess right after wishing for it.

I knocked on her door. Amazing, because that door was just as big as the front door in our mansion. This is also only the first time that I will enter a room in the palace and now I badly want to see the inside.

"Come in..." Okay, so that calm and soothing voice is the princess' voice?

I went in, closed the door again, and faced the princess while heading towards her holding the tray of her food.

Her room and all of her stuff have a combination of pink and cream colors. And I think she also has a walk-in closet like mine, but not as big as mine outside this book. Her bed is also light pink with soft fabrics, almost five times as large as the bed in my room.

If this is only a princess-sized bed, what more are the King and Queens?

Kidding.

"Who are you? What are you doing here? Where's my maid?" She raised her right eyebrow at me.

The princess is facing a big, yes not exaggerating, a really big mirror.

"The headmistress asked me to bring you food, Princess Elona." I bowed in respect.

I want to applaud myself. Seems that I am now adapting to the manners and etiquette that they have here! But... that doesn't mean that I like staying here now!

"Put it on that table." She pointed to the table on the right side of her room. I was about to leave, but just after a few steps she already stopped me. "Won't you mind if I ask you to join me?"

My eyebrows met.

As far as I know, the maids can't do the royalties on meals, like me.

"I'm sorry, Princess Elona, but I am afraid that I am not allowed to eat with you," I said.

She frowned, proceeded to the door, and locked it.

"There. No one is going to see us. So please..." I can already sense it. She's a brat. "Join me? Will you decline a princess' offer?"

Alright, I can't refuse her. Besides, I am also already hungry, it's already lunchtime and it seems like the headmistress has no plan to feed us, the maids.

Has Ald already eaten? He hasn't eaten since this morning and right now he's still in the garden arranging the plants and flowers.

I sat on the other chair. Now I have the chance to watch the princess serve me food.

Belinda is right, we look a bit alike.

"You honestly look beautiful, Lady. You don't suit this job." She smiled at me.

I smiled back, satisfied. I know right, I ain't suited here because I am a Jimenez.

She sat on the chair in front of me and held her palms together.

"So I guess you have already met my brother's fiance?"

I nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

So what if I already did?

Would the people around me just stop mentioning that prince to me?

"What can you say about her?"

What I think about her... Do I have the right to answer her? Should I answer that question?

"S-she's kind and pretty, Your Majesty."

She nodded her head, agreeing with me.

"Yes, she is." She stopped for a bit to eat the tart. "But you know what?"

I didn't respond.

"She doesn't love my brother. The irony."

I froze.

Wait, why not?

Right, in every arranged marriage, some cases turn out this way. Sometimes one of them doesn't love the other one. That's pretty sad.

"Why are you saying this to me, Your Majesty?" I just couldn't stop myself from asking.

Well, for me, every person talks because they have a purpose.

The silence embraced us for a few seconds.

"My brother does love Guimea so much, Guimea doesn't and I also think that she never will. I plan some ways to fix that."

My face probably looks priceless right now, but I still have many questions going on in my mind.

"I have to find a girl who will get the attention of my brother." She smirked evilly. "And you are the one who will be going to help me grant my plan."

"W-what?! I m-mean. What are you talking about, Your Majesty?" I may have sounded exaggerated, but hell! Is she crazy?

"What's wrong? Doesn't it sound exciting? I have already said that I am going to invite a friend, a noble girl from another kingdom. That is a lie. I don't have any friends. I saw you earlier when the headmistress talked to you and when you and the prince looked at each other. Can I say that it's romantically?"

Gross! Romantic my ass.

"You suit the role, Thrysia. Pretend to be my friend and be her substitute."

My jaw dropped.

I really can't believe what the princess said. How can I pretend, wear a gown, and be one of the fairytale casts? How can I be a substitute?

I don't want to involve myself with anyone while I am here.

"Questions filled the mind of the girl who doesn't believe in fairytales. Looking at the image of how Princess Elona looked at Thrysia and how Thrysia arched her eyebrows... Isn't it very exciting? What will happen in the next chapter? Is this the time when the girl who doesn't believe in fairytales and the cold-hearted prince are going to catch each other's attention?"