"GODDESS ABOVE, PRINCESS, I CAN NOT ACCEPT THIS, it's way too much money. More than my store is worth it!" Mr. George exclaimed, shocked. "Half of this would be more than necessary to buy everything, invest in the store, and repair this place," damn, he's denying the money? That's a first.
I push the bag back at him when he tried to give it back to me. "Take the money, Mr. George! It will be necessary, believe me. Plus, I have a suggestion as to what you can do with all this," he was open to hearing me but didn't seem that willing to accept the money.
"What do you have in mind, Your Highness?" I don't quite like to be called that way, but I'll bear with it.
"Repair this place and turn the whole building into your house. Build a basement to work on. Then buy the two neighboring houses on the right and left, so you can rent them and win more money. About your store, with this," I pointed to the bag. "You have enough money to buy a new place to work downtown, where you will have more customers. And you will also be able to afford heavier protection for both places!" He bit his bottom lip, considering.
Besides the fact that he seemed to be fighting with himself because of it, he looked at me again and sighed. "Why are you so good at this? I thought you only knew how to fight," that made me laugh.
I stared at him, with a dangerous grin on, "Mr. George, Mr. George," I repeated his name, playing with it on my tongue. "I may be on opposite political factions of my father, but I'm still his daughter! Besides, I am a Duchess, even though most people usually forget that. My dad made sure that all of his children receive a rich and strict education, especially me, because of my condition," I swift my weight from one shoulder to another. "But I still have to take care of the important matters related to the Astryn Duchy. They don't care if I'm thirteen or nine or whatever. I have had duties since I was born and I'm very responsible when it comes to them."
He was frightened. Even Alisha noticed and held his hand. But I only laughed at that.
"There are some words that you shouldn't say to me, Mr. George. I respect you and I want you to be safe, healthy, and alive. But even though I'm very flexible, I know how to draw my lines." I came closer. "So, no, fighting isn't my only ability! You would be surprised to know that I'm more capable than anyone in most things except for magic."
"I… I'm sorry, Princess. I shouldn't have looked down on you," sighing, I let the matter go.
"No problem, it's not like you are doing something nobody does too, anyway. Just don't do it again, or you might see me get angry," he gulped and agreed to that. "So, where were we?" I asked as if nothing had happened.
Alisha looked at me, "You are quite good at scaring people, Princess!" And she's quite bold.
"It seems like I learned something with my family, Alisha. While you are very audacious for your age," she gulped and I laughed again. "Calm down, little kid. I'm not going to do anything against you, I've told you before. That's not the type of person I am," anymore. Then I focused my attention on her father again, "What about you, Mr. George? Will you accept the money once and for all, or will you keep denying it?"
Getting on his feet again, he turned to me and bowed. "I'll accept it, Princess!" Finally. He got the bag again and looked inside, his throat suddenly dry.
"Graceful Mikla," the kid exclaimed, taking a look inside. "I've never seen so much money in my life," her dad smiled at seeing his daughter's fascinated gaze. She turned her excited gaze to me. "You are so rich, Princess, oh my Goddess!"
"And you are," I touched her chubby cheeks, "Adorable!" She smiled at me full of teeth and two windows, making it even cuter. "Look at those two windows," I pointed, and she got shy. "What a cute Lady you are," she seemed to like being called a Lady.
I got on my feet and brushed the dust out of my annoying skirt. They got up right after me. "It was a pleasure to make a deal with you, Mr. George. And to meet you too, Lady Alisha," he handed me the bloody-diamond pen and I kissed the kid's forehead.
"When will you come to get the jewels, Your Highness?"
"Well, when will they be ready?"
"Tomorrow, in the evening, is it okay for you?" I nod. "Then I'll be waiting for your Knight!" Then he bowed and so did his daughter.
After a farewell, I left with Kate and Asher, parting ways with them. Satisfied with my first investment and already occupying my mind with the next one.
Preparing myself for my encounter with that old acquaintance of mine.
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Flashback of seven years in the future - First Timeline
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As the 8th month of the year arrived, and a new Knighthood Oath Ceremony was at bay, I had to fulfill my darling's wishes. Last night I couldn't bear the pain I felt by seeing her cry like that on my tights. She told me that she had a bad argument with the Royal Stylist, Lady Gwen, my disciple brother's widow.
My relationship with her was alright, and I enjoyed her company. It made me remember Asher, who died three years ago by my hands, although that's a secret. But how could she mistreat my sister like that? Doesn't she know who she's messing with? What are the consequences to those who disrespect Dalilah?
And my darling was still thinking of not saying anything to me about that. She thought that even those the stylist screamed and mistreated her, she didn't do it with any ill intentions and just a punishment like cutting her tongue would do. How can she be so merciless to those who hate her and want to see her disappear? She is indeed the Saintess the priests in the Goddess Temple claimed her to be.
My sister knows how I tend to act when it comes to protecting her, and for not wanting to see me getting hurt by anyone, she tries to hold information and not tell me when someone is mean to her. It pains me because she's the purest girl I've ever met. She isn't able to have any ill intentions toward anyone. And that's why I'm here to do the job for her and clean her way to success, as the future wife of the Imperial Princes Christopher Caspien. Even if I don't quite like him, my sister loves him and that's enough for me.
If she's happy, then so am I!
And so, seeing me unwillingly just cut her tongue off, she gave me the alternative to killing her with poison. I wanted to protest, but she told me that it wasn't just normal. But seeing her insisting on it, I accepted and went with it. Planning exactly what was I going to do.
I had been ingesting all types of poisons for over two years now, to create a tolerance, so I could just poison myself with her. She would die, and I would watch it. And although I would also be affected, it wouldn't cause me my death, and I would be taken as a suspect either. Very clear and not troublesome at all. Pain is something I can handle better than most people.
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MY PLAN WAS MADE AND I HAD TO TAKE ACTION, so I sent a letter to her and asked her to drink some tea with me to reminisce about our time together when Asher was still alive. As I predicted, she agreed to it and we decided to meet in the inner garden of the Nicholai Manor in Theolia, once it was my and Dalilah's new main house. Now that our older brother took over the Nicholai Palace in the north, for himself, as the new Grand Duke and patriarch of House Nicholai. Taking Angel Dawson, the 3rd daughter of Baroness Noelle Dawson, with him as his soon-to-be wife and as the next Grand Duchess. Not to say that she's a year younger than both me and my twin.
Furthermore, I always hated that spoiled girl, who was the total opposite of the beautiful meaning of her name. Although I tolerated her because she was, Goddess-knows-how, friends with my sister, I couldn't bear to live in the same place as that bitch. Moreover, Dalilah requested me to be on her side and I was happy to be of help to my dear sister.
When the day to accomplish my sister's task arrived, I got everything prepared beforehand. Found a way to put the taste and scentless poison on our third dish, so it wouldn't be so fast. And when Sir Armando Hori, the new butler, announced her arrival, I felt my blood getting excited. With a perfect façade, I took her to the garden and we started talking about my deceased brother-disciple.
But then she started an interesting topic, "I'm glad that you called for me, Princess Natasha. At first, I thought you wanted to scold me for screaming with that bitch-" I stared at her as if I could throw a dagger at her throat with my gaze and she gulped. "Sorry, my tongue slipped," yeah, I should have cut off her tongue as Dalilah suggested. "I mean… your sister. But it's comforting that you don't hold a grudge because of such a silly discussion."
I clenched my fists and my jaw, forcing myself to nod and smile. To my luck, four maids brought the 3rd dish and left just as fast as they appeared. Probably afraid of me. But the dark-green-haired girl was too oblivious to notice anything strange in the maids' expressions.
"So, as we were saying," she was. "I'm glad you didn't call me for this. Now, I want to tell you something that Asher asked me to tell you some days before he died," what did that brat say? "Once he said you didn't listen to him anymore, he thought that if we were to get close, maybe you could listen to me," then she took three mouthfuls of the greased steak, and I finally took one. "You need to be careful with that sister of yours, Princess. I know it might be hard to hear this, but that bitch is a snake. A fucking wolf in sheep's clothing," ha, she's lucky that I went with Dalilah's idea of poison, otherwise, I would have sliced her throat open right at this moment.
And when she took another four bites of the steak, I decided to take another two, to not let anyone be suspicious. Then I finally let the vicious smile I was holding in, take over my lips. When the girl saw it, she got scared and turned pale.
"Why are you staring at me like that, Princess? You are scaring me. You are looking like a psychopath," she mumbled and coughed blood, and she got even more scared when she saw the amusement on my face. "What the fuck did you do?"
"Gwen, Gwen…" I tasted her name on my lips. "You should have been careful. And most of all, you should never have bad-mouthed my sister. She's an angel on earth, who do you think you are to say shit about her?" She coughed again, and this time I saw lines of blood rolling down from her eyes and nose, and then I felt sick and coughed and vomited blood all over my food. "Damn," I exclaimed with a grin on. "She was right when she said this shit wasn't like the normal poisons out there."
She stared at me, desperately, "Why are you doing this to me? What have I done to you?" Hmm, so she still can speak. As a response to my thoughts, she started gulping blood all over herself and at the table.
"Well, this is quite disgusting!" I said, my voice getting weaker. Then I felt tears coming down my eyes, and I knew they were all made of my blood. Just like the lines coming down from my ears and nose. "But, satisfying! And you should have thought about that before humiliating my little sister, you bitch. If it weren't for her being merciful, I would have mercilessly murdered you, and not resorted to something like poison. If it were for me, you would have been tongue-less and with a sliced throat by now," I saw disappointment and sadness in her eyes.
Now that, wasn't so satisfying. And I don't know why, but I suddenly felt shallow. As if an important part of me was missing, but I was fast to ignore that and put on a wicked smirk.
"We should have protected you from her…" she whispered when her blood started coming out from all the pores in her body. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry that I didn't realize what she did to you sooner," as if I would fall for her words. "She brainwashed-" her words were silenced when she fell unconscious.
Fuck, I should have asked my darling how potent this shit was. But I acted recklessly and decided to drink this too. Ugh, I feel like I'm dying.
But there's one more bitch down and she won't ever make my little sister cry again. Well, she won't ever be able to do anything again. Because she's dead.
A sick smile took over my lips, but it disappeared just as fast as I fainted.
I only hope that my sister is feeling better now. And I want this to serve as a warning for anyone who dares to defy the Saintess of the Caspien Empire. It doesn't matter who is it.
If anyone dares to say shit about her, I'll be glad to end their lives with my own two hands. My sister deserves the world. And if the world is not willing to accept her, I'll make them even if I have to kill everyone to accomplish that!
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Present - Second Timeline
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"…sha?" I heard Asher's voice and I felt it when his hands shook my shoulders to get me out of my thoughts zone… or should I say out of my nightmare's zone? "Natasha?" He called for me again, worried.
Blinking more than a dozen times before I uttered a word, I turned my attention to him and blinked again. "Hm?"
"Why are you crying?" Kate asked, exasperated, and I focused my confused gaze on her. "Are you okay? You seemed to be lost somewhere far away," and I was. "Talk to us, Princess!"
Taking a deep breath, I put on a smile and nodded. "Sorry, I was lost in thoughts. So, what were you saying?" I asked, but they kept staring at my face, worried. "Come on, I know I'm gorgeous, but you see me every day, there's no need to stare at am as if I was a rare piece of art that could disappear at any given moment from its museum.
"Sorry, we are just worried." He said and I held his hand to show that I was okay. "Anyways, I was asking how did the negotiation go!"
Oh, yeah, I didn't tell them.
After spilling the tea about what happened, how they discovered who I was, and about our contract, they were excited about Mr. George and his daughter. "Who would have thought that such a young talent would be hidden in the outskirts of Theolia," Kate exclaimed and I rolled my eyes, ignoring her disdain.
"Yeah. The kid is adorable!" Asher smiled.
"I didn't know you like kids so much."
"Oh, Ash, I do. If they don't bother with my magic-less condition, then I would gladly spend some time with them. And Alisha didn't, so it was very pleasant!" With a nod from them, we let the topic settle. "So, why aren't we heading to the boutique yet?"
He gasped and got up, going to his sit in the front of the carriage. "You didn't say where we should go!" Well, he has a point.
"White Rose Boutique. In two blocks from Pierré's Bistro, on the left side of a bookstore called Divine Pigeon."
That was enough for him, so he drove us there.
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