Rebirth of The Legendary Princess R-18

Chapter 5

When she woke up that morning, she drowsily tilted her head and glanced at the woman who’s facing her back at her. Napakagat siya ng labi. Nakakapanibago pa rin ang gumising siya sa umaga na nasa isang estrangherong kuwarto siya at may tao na agad siyang mabubungaran sa umaga. Nasanay kasi siya na ‘pag gumigising siya ng umaga ay ang alaram clock at lumang cabinet ang masisilayan niya sa pagmulat pa lang niya ng kanyang mata. Siya pa ang magluluto ng kanyang agahan, maghahanda ng kanyang gamit at isusuot sa pagpasok niya sa eskwelahan. Living alone made her independent and tend her own needs. Hindi na niya kailangan pa ang tulong iba maliban lamang sa financial na ibinibigay ng foundation ng orphanage.

Kumurap siya ng ilang beses bago dahan-dahang bumangon. Narinig yata nito ang pagkilos niya kaya pumihit ito paharap sa kanya. Mabilis itong yumukod sa kanya na may ngiti sa labi. Ito si Valerie, ang personal maid niya na nagdala noon ng nutrient pack. Upon remembering the bitter taste of that nutrient, she shivers uncontrollably. Inisip pa lamang niyang iyon ang kakainin niya ay kumukulo na agad ang sikmura niya.

“Magandang umaga sa’yo, Miss,” magalang at masayang bati nito sa kanya.

“Inutusan ka ba ni Prince-I mean Kuya Hendrick na puntahan ako rito?” tanong niya. Naalala kasi niya ang sinabi ni Hendrick na dadalhin siya nito sa garden ngayong umaga.

Kumunot ang noo ni Valerie at maang na napatingin sa kanya. Para itong nakarinig ng tanong na alien. “M-Miss, sa tuwing umaga po ay pumupunta ako rito para ipaghanda ka ng iyong isusuot,” puno ng kalituhang saad nito.

Agad niyang naitikom ang bibig at nagbaba ng tingin. “Oh! I-Inaantok pa siguro ako,” mahinang rason niya. Malay ba niya na ganito pala ang routine nito sa tuwing umaga.

Humagikgik ito at lumapit sa kanya. Inayos nito ang magulo niyang buhok. “Mamayang gabi ang selebrasyon ng iyong paggising, Miss, kaya naman inutusan ako ni Queen Minerva na dalhin na rito ang agahan mo at mag-beauty rest ka. Hihintayin din natin ang pagdating ng isusuot mong gown mamayang gabi,” excited na bigkas nito.

Nang marinig ang salitang agahan ay agad na napatingin siya sa trolley. Isang mangkok na naman ang nakita niya roon na sigurado siyang isang nutrient pack ang laman. Agad na pinagpawisan siya ng malapot at napatuwid ng upo. Ang dila rin niya ay animo namanhid at hindi makabuo ng salita para humingi ng ibang pagkain. She just stared at the bowl dumbly.

Valerie glanced at her and confusedly and said, “before, when I bring you food, you always complained to me that you're so lazy to chew and swallow it so I end up bringing this nutrient pack instead. And looking at you now, it's as if you're disgusted and hate this soup.”

She pursed her lips and averted her gaze, she stood up and headed to the bathroom. “Maliligo lang ako," mahinang bigkas niya dahil gusto niyang umiwas sa sinabi nito. She doesn't know what to answer.

After she closed the door and Valerie can't see her. She immediately heave a deep breath and gently slap her own face. “Pinapahamak mo talaga ang sarili mo!!" sermon niya sa kanyang sarili.

She shook her head twice and then decided to remove her dress. Isinampay niya iyon sa rack at lumusong sa bathtub na may lamang mainit na tubig. Tamang-tama ang timpla no'n at hindi nakakapaso. It even makes her full body relaxed.

She heaved a contented sigh and closed her eyes. She scooped a bit of water using her two hands and then leisurely splash it on her own face. Afterwards, she opened her eyes and decided to quickly finish her bath. And then after washing her body, she clumsily wear the blue robe hanging at the rack and went out.

Valerie immediately came forward and wipe her wet hair with the towel she's already holding. “If I'm as beautiful as you, Miss, maybe my previous lover didn't leave me to find someone new." She heard a hint of somberness in her voice.

Lakshmi tilted her head and glazed at her peaceful yet sad face. “You're beautiful,” she said.

Valerie's eyes curves. “Not as beautiful as you, young Miss.”

She raised her hand and held her wrist, stopping her from wiping her hair. “You are beautiful in different way, Valerie, magkakaiba tayo ng katangian. Maybe that old lover of yours is an idiot and blind to not see it."

Bahagyang namilog ang bibig nito. "Y-You never said anything like this before, Miss."

She immediately turned her back at her and said, "I was just casually saying it because you said that man find someone who's much more beautiful than you."

But as she face her back at her, her face is crooked up and almost want to hit her own face for her carelessness. She even want to put a gag in her mouth to stop her from talking. Ilang pagkakamali pa ba ang magagawa niya ngayong araw? Paano pa kaya mamayang gabi?

She heard her move so she immediately hide her reaction and smiled.

"But you know, Miss, even though you're always silent when I help you fix your hair and clothes you never treat me in a bad way." Lumapit ito sa malaking cabinet at kumuha ng isang purple dress na aabot sa kanyang sakong. Unang tingin pa lamang ay napakalambot na ng tela no'n.

But her eyes captured the other set of clothes inside. It was a pair of Black and blue t-shirt and slacks. "Can I wear that one instead?"

Valerie hurled around and look at her complicatedly. "Miss, this—"

"Ah—I can't?"

"N-Nakalimutan mo ba na uniform mo 'to sa Orion Academy School. May limang set ng uniform mo na ganito pero naiwan mo sa dormitory at extra lang ito at isinusuot mo kapag dito ka natutulog at papasok sa Academy," puno ng kalituhan na bigkas nito.

"I'm just kidding," mabilis na bawi niya at tumawa ng pilit.

Ngumiti ng malawak si Valerie at lumapit sa kanya. Nang aktong aalisin nito ang suot niyang roba ay awtomatikong napahawak siya sa tali no'n. Umatras din siya. "Anong ginagawa mo?"

"Ah?" napuno ng pagtataka ang mukha nito. "Kailangan mo na pong magpalit ng damit, Miss."

She innocently blinked at her and shook her head. "I—I can do it myself—"

"No can do, Miss, if Queen Minerva will find out I didn't serve you well, they will struck me dead," takot na wika nito.

At the end, she let her help her wear her clothes. Her body's stiff and didn't move a single bit except when Valerie said she have to raise her hand to put it on. Never in her life did someone saw her naked like this and helped her to put her clothes on as well.

It took them for half an hour to fixed her hair and clothes. She sat at the soft couch languidly. She didn't know that even wearing this kind of clothes makes her exhausted. She silently moaned and complained in her heart that she must have to get used in a simple thing like this. Ngunit parang lumipad lahat sa mars ang pagod niya nang maingat na kunin ni Valerie ang bowl ng nutrient pack at lumapit sa kanya.

Naramdaman muli niya ang pagkulo ng sikmura niya at kagustuhang tanggihan iyon.

"Drink your soup, Miss," she said.

She reluctantly held the bowl in her hand, put it in her mouth and held her breath before downing it. Pinilit niya ang sariling ubusin iyon bago nakangiwing ibinalik kay Valerie and mangkok.

Ang lawak ng ngiti nito na halatang masaya sa pag-ubos niya ng soup. Nang tumalikod ito upang ipatong ang mangkok sa troley ay napatutop siya sa bibig dahil animo masusuka siya. Mariing kinagat niya ang dila upang ma-divert doon ang pakiramdam niya at nagtagumpay naman siya.

"Maraming matataas na angkan ang imbitado mamayang pagdiriwang at maraming makikisig na kabinatahan ang darating. Miss, maybe you can find your soulmate tonight," excited na saad nito.

Upon hearing her mentioned the word soulmate, her mind instantly wandered to the stoic and ice-like Ares Bellingham. A smile appeared on her lips subconsciously, eyes sparkling.

Valerie turned around and happened to see the expression on her face, she teased her, "are you expecting someone, Miss? Maybe the son of Barcelona family, Xander Barcelona?"

She smiled at her meekly and didn't respond. Hindi niya kilala ang taong binanggit nito kaya gano'n ang reaksyon niya. "I'm not thinking of him."

She giggled and then said, "iiwan muna kita rito, Miss, babalik ako mamayang hapon kasama ang mag-aayos sa'yo para sa pagdiriwang. Just take a rest and be beautiful later."

Nakaramdam siya ng lungkot nang tuluyang mawala ito at mag-isa na lamang uli siya. Even though, she only knew her in such a short time, she can already see through her. A very humble and kind lady. Tanga lang talaga ang lalaking tinutukoy nitong nang-iwan dito.

Tumayo siya at maingat na naglakad. Lumabas siya sa maliit na balcony and there she saw the magnificent beauty of this world. The royal palace is located at the top. Nakikita niya mula roon sa kinatatayuan ang mga naggagandahang gusali at skyways. Isang mundong advance lahat ang mga nakikita niya.

Her mouth dropped open and admiringly gazed everything. "So, I will be living in this place!" she murmured to herself.

Thinking of the places Valerie and Alex154 mentioned. She can't help but to be anticipated visiting this place, maybe they are more extravagant than seeing them from afar. Kung ang pupuntahan ang lugar na 'to ang magiging daan upang makilala niya ang totoong Lakshmi ay gagawin niya. Ngunit pagkaalala na kailangan niyang palaging kasama ang personal bodyguard at maid niya ay nalaglag ang balikat niya. Hindi siya sanay na kapag may pinupuntahan siya ay may mga nakasunod sa kanya at matang nakatutok sa bawat kilos niya.

Tapos ang terminal pa niya na may warning bell. Kung kaya hindi niya bubuksan ito ay hindi nila malalaman? Mabilis na ikiniling niya ang ulo at iwinaksi iyon, kahapon nga ay hindi man lang niya naramdaman na sumusunod pala si Gabriel sa kanila. Baka pagtapak pa lamang ng paa niya sa labas ay nasa harapan na niya ito para pigilan siya.

Isinantabi muna niya ang kaisipan na 'to at pinanood ang mga tumatakbong sasakyan sa skyways. Nangalumbaba siya sa barandilyas ng balkonahe. She even tried to count how many floors the other building is but everytime she reach 15, her eyes get blurd and her mind turned hazy. Hindi niya maalala kung saan ba huminto ang mata niya. Sumuko na lamang siya sa huli at bumalik sa loob.

Wala siyang makitang pagkakaabalahan kaya tinungo niya ang pinto. Nagdadalawang-isip siya kung pipihitin nga ba niya ang seradura o babalik sa kama at mahihiga. At sa huli ay pinili niyang mahiga at tumingin sa mataas na kesami ng kuwarto niya.

Her mind travelled to the upcoming celebration. Her heart automatically accelerated and got nervous. Tonight, she'll meet everyone. Subalit paano niya magagawang humarap sa kanila na hindi nauutal kapag kinausap siya. Alangan naman na ngingiti lang siya at tatango na parang tanga.

In her world, she didn't even once attend a party. She has no idea about this kind of gatherings. Kung mamayang gabi ay tutunganga lamang siya, will they find it strange? They will assumed that she's been possessed by a ghost.

"No! It will end in a terrible situation if that will happen—" Napaungol siya sa iritasyon at ibinaon ang mukha sa unan. Whatever happens will lead her to her doom.

But then, a smile slowly appeared on her lips. Makikita na naman niya muli si Ares, at iyon ang pinakaaasam niya sa celebration.