PHEMOLRIA

6. GRABBED

I don't know why I made that decision. After all, I shouldn't have cared about him, not even less than a week after I met him. Plus, he's arrogant.

But my life outside is kinda boring. The idea isn't that bad, right? I am sure that I can get out of here sooner. There's no harm in adding thrills to my life here and also, aside from having an interest in it, I am also afraid of declining the Princess. Well, she could just kill me if she wanted to.

Maybe I also pity him for loving Guimea so much, but as Princess Elona said, Guimea will never love him back. One-sided love hurts. I know, even if I am inexperienced about it. I don't even know how it feels to be with someone, to be committed.

So there's nothing wrong if I help, right?

Really. Why am I convincing myself like this?

I don't know how many times I have slapped my face, but now, I still feel like I am just dreaming!

I just shook my head and continued sweeping. It's already afternoon, so Belinda and I are helping to fix their hall to make everything fast until evening comes. Again, I am still amazed about everything here because the designs are beautiful and classy even if it's a bit old.

It's tiring. If their reception area is already big, what more is this hall?

"Hey, are you alright? The Prince is looking for you." Belinda almost scared me after appearing just behind me.

"He's waiting upstairs. He needs you to help him. I told you so, you should just stick beside him." Right after saying that she proceeded to do her job, arranging the flower vases like her life depended on it.

I insisted that I would just help her because the prince didn't need me, but I was still called.

I went up the grand staircase to the main door. The hall was at the side of the palace, so I still needed to enter the main door and climb up to the next stairs to the second floor where the bedrooms are.

Finally, I arrived.

What a big door, bigger than Elona's.

I knocked on his door without hesitation.

"Your Majesty?" I called.

A few seconds came before I heard his voice.

"Come in," he said.

I lifted my shoulders before entering his room.

My jaw dropped. This room is also bigger than the princess! This is almost as big as our school gym!

I... really can't believe this.

"Are you just going to look around my room or help me prepare for the ball?"

I frowned. I tried my best to not look irritated and smile.

This lucky guy. He gets what he wants, lives in luxury, and has a maid, like me, who can just order around.

"I can't feel your eagerness to have this job. Do you want me to fire you?" He said, after seeing me do the work lazily.

I was left with no option but to grit my teeth.

I chose a pair of tunics from the tunics hanging on a metal rack, which seemed already picked out from hundreds of clothes. Why am I the one who needs to choose his clothes anyway?

Can't he see? Everything here suits him. Can't he just grab one and go?

"I have been on a hard time here and you're not with me. What's the use of having you as my maid?"

I pretended to choose again from the rack to freely roll my eyes where he wouldn't see me, just to release my annoyance. I can't even think of shouting at him, funny, his knight might appear and behead me.

And I still don't know what to choose from those clothes. Fine. I do have a sense of fashion. This should be easy for me!

I also noticed his hair isn't like what the philosopher has... like what I had seen in books. More like it's modernly messy.

"What a fudge!" I covered my eyes when he took off his clothes without a single notice!

Thankfully, I have a fast reflex to cover my eyes with the tunic that I chose earlier.

"What?" And he still has the guts to act innocent after what he did, huh?

I was about to run away, to leave him, but he was too fast to hold my wrist to stop me.

I automatically avoided eye contact with him.

"Where are you going?" When will he stop acting so innocent?!

He is naked!

I looked at the ground instead.

"W-wait..." My hand was shaking when I threw the clothes at him. Thankfully, he caught those. "Wear that! And-"

I didn't get the chance to finish what I was about to say when he came closer, and I stepped backward continuously.

I mentally cursed when I hit the wall.

Even though I wasn't looking directly at the prince's face, I could still see his serious expression. Is he this stupid?! It's obvious, I felt uneasy about him taking my personal space!

"Y-you should get dressed up, Your Majesty-"

I only got the chance to breathe out properly when someone knocked on his door and got his attention. I want to be grateful to whoever is behind that door.

"Your Majesty?"

I froze.

Hell no, that's Guimea!

The prince moved away from me and signaled me to open the door.

Of course, I obeyed him.

"Oh, it's you!" Guimea looked excited about seeing me.

Won't she even suspect us... Oh, why did I forget that I am just a helper here?

And, of course, as respect, I bow my head to the princess.

Guimea was about to open her mouth, maybe to say something to me, but the prince was too fast to grab her inside.

And me? Like a cat that was kicked out outside.

I growled. "I hate you, dumbass!"

I took the tray that was handed to me. Now I am assigned to the kitchen to help prepare the food.

"All this time you're just here?!" That voice...

My eyes widened after seeing the Princess behind me. I immediately wandered my eyes.

Gladly, there were just the two of us.

And as always, this girl never fails to look gorgeous.

She waved the masquerade mask at my face, for me to get back to my senses.

"Hello? The party was about to start, you need to get change!" she said.

"B-but... what about these?" I pertained to my job.

She rolled her eyes and clapped her hands three times.

From the kitchen where I was about to go, a maid in the same outfit as mine went out.

Girl. This is well-planned.

"Follow me!" As the princess marched to her feet, that maid lifted her head.

I felt horrified as soon as I realized who she was.

"Y-you..."

I had goosebumps right after she fixed her glasses.

"How are you, Thrysia?" she said.

I was about to open my mouth, but then...

"What?" Her face changed, and it creeped me out.

She even lifted her eyebrows at me.

"N-nothing..." I said.

I ran away from the kitchen.

I honestly wanted to shake that maid, that maybe in that way I'd see her again.

The librarian... whom I know the reason behind all of this.

Is it real or just my hallucination?

I searched for the princess. I almost forgot about her.

And I can't believe that I am putting effort into it just because of that arrogant prince who just kicked me out earlier.

I'll be gone for a few hours as soon as I start pretending as a noble girl. What if Ald looked for me? Or worse, the headmistress? I hate that headmistress.

Fine, I get them. We also have a headmistress in our house, as ill-tempered as her, but you know that feeling? That the headmistress in our house can't even look me straight in the eyes, but Lilia could kill me with her glares? She's always looking at me like throwing knives. As far as I know, she has no reason to get mad at me. Well, except when I failed earlier about the prince's food. She even told me not to cook for the prince again and the prince was the one who ordered it.

"Excuse me..."

I turned my back to see the owner of that voice. It was an unfamiliar face. A man, he is tall. We looked at each other for a few seconds before he passed through me.

Who the hell is that? I watched him walk through the wide hallway with a lot of paintings on the wall. He's handsome. Based on what he wears, I think he is also a nobleman.

I shook my head.

His white and sparkly clothes won't leave my head, like a tunic that a prince wears... and that set of deep black eyes.

I was about to go to the left hallway, which I failed to do after seeing the figure of another tall man.

Honestly, I don't know why I didn't just pass through him. I'm too sick of following his orders.

When will I be having my beauty rest anyway?

I wonder, are my parents or friends even looking for me outside this book?

I want to get out of here and live peacefully.

I almost forgot about the play. That was almost 25% of that subject. I can't lose it. That's one of my majors.

"I-I thought you were gonna leave me here all alone."

That voice...

"Why would I do that? I'm gonna get you back, my love."

My love? What a cheesy endearment. I was about to turn my back when I realized something.

I returned my eyes to them.

I thought he was talking with Guimea, but now that I have figured it out... I realized that he was not the one Guimea was talking to.

I hurriedly skipped steps, carefully, to see everything clearer.

I gulped as I saw Princess Guimea with another man.

They were near kissing each other.

I looked away as fast as I could to see the man who was watching them... which was Leo.

His fists were balled, his jaw was tightened and his eyes were red.

As the second split, his eyes turned to me. His face drew a question mark and again, there was his mad expression.

I stepped back. Planning to escape, but he immediately grabbed my hand. I was about to protest but when we stopped walking, I realized that, thankfully, I didn't. Because watching his tears proved to me that I should help him... get rid of his feelings toward Guimea. He's all worth my help.

The music of silence filled them. The look in each other's eyes makes the sparks scatter. Little by little, the connection builds up again. Little did they know that someone was watching them. She smirked and placed back her eyeglasses.

"That's it, Thrysia..."