Capítulo 13: 19th maid who died

''You are obsessed with me."

"What do you want in exchange for saving my life?''

"You even managed to follow me all the way here...''

'BAM!'

Esme rolled down from the bed before landing straight on the cold floor, "Ah..." She groaned slightly as she sat up, gently stroking her back. Her hair framed her face messily, a thin layer of sweat covered her forehead. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she looked around.

Esme exhaled the breath that she did not know she was holding until. So, it was a nightmare probably... She slumped on the floor only to snap out of her half-awake state a second later.

She pushed herself to her feet and walked towards the door. The place where she used to hang a lantern was empty and her heart picked its pace as she walked towards the bed before slumping on it.

Her gaze shifted towards the window. The sun was shining behind the morning mist as it was the crack of dawn.

The memories of last night played in her mind one after another. She was initially thinking of making peace with the man but he infuriated her to no end by proclaiming that she was here for him, to get something from him.

How could someone be so unabashedly brazen? Since when did she demand anything from him?

And as if it was not enough, that man took her lantern with him when he left...without a pinch of shame.

He could not even afford a lantern for himself and was acting all mighty.

She had bought that lantern from the market the after she was given this room. Alas...

Esme pouted.

Her brother is gone...Her new lantern is gone...Her peace is gone...

"I was being careless yesterday..." Or else with her sharp hearing, how did she not hear the sound of footsteps in the dungeon? And she probably did not lock the door properly which is why he managed to get inside her room to scare her.

She sat up on the bed. Her eyes flashed with determination, "Today, I will lock the door properly and I will stay alert during my working hours," Under no conditions did she want to bump into that man again.

With that decided, she felt relieved.

Esme sucked in a cold breath when one of her legs rubbed against the blanket. She slowly pushed the blankets aside and pulled her nightgown upwards.

The skin around her ankle was almost peeling off and a hint of flesh was visible through it.

"This..." Her brows tugged together slightly as she tried to recall when it happened. And that made her remember that she almost fell inside the lava river yesterday if not because of that man.

But then, he was the one responsible for scaring her off.

Closing her eyes, she ran her palm above her wound and her injuries started healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The scene might have shocked anyone who witnessed it including her Aunt, Marlene.

After a few hours, Esme was back to her duties in the castle. She felt glad that she was not yet assigned to attend a royal lady or higher-ranking noblewoman.

Even though she passed the test process based on her wits, she told the butler that she was clumsy with things and requested him to assign her minor and unimportant works.

And that surprised the Butler as usually, people would ask for important tasks so that they can rank up faster and earn more money. And serving the Royal Ladies meant that one can receive expensive jewelries or gifts whenever they are pleased. But the girl denied all that because she believed she was not deserving of it.

Only if the Butler knew that Esme rejected it not because she thought that she was undeserving of the work.

Working in a castle was not something she wanted either but the situation has forced her into this. But other than that, she can never bring herself to serve someone personally. Massaging their feet, gossipping with them, bootlicking them....she would never be able to do all that.

"Another one...?"

Esme's footsteps came to a halt near the kitchen where a group of maids were standing discussing something with serious expressions on their faces.

"17 maids have died this month. This one was 18th..."

As much as Esme did not want to entangle herself with the Royal Family matters, she could not help it when she was gifted with exceptional hearing.

Now that she heard this much, she was naturally curious.

'I'm a maid now. If I know about it, I can take some precautions to not become the 19th maid that died,' She thought to herself with utmost seriousness.

"Are you the new girl?" One of them glanced at her and the rest followed on cue.

Esme paused for a moment before nodding.

"Come here."

She walked towards them quietly.

"Say, weren't you recommended by Liz?"

"Yes."

They measured her from head to toe with their scrutinizing gazes until a middle-aged woman said, "You look like a pampered princess, not a maid."

Esme stiffened slightly but she schooled her expressions before they found something amiss.

"Don't you think it was a foolish decision on your part to choose those odd works? Gardening?"

"I'm good at it," She smiled slightly.

"We know. We have heard the butler mentioning it. But there are many gardeners here and how much would you even earn from it?" One of them asked her.

Esme pursed her lips.

"Ah, I am sorry. I did not mean in like that," The young girl quickly apologized realizing that she might have offended her.

"That's fine," Esme shook her head. She was not offended. She remained silent because she had no answer to her question. And even if she had one, it could not be said aloud.

"What are you doing here?" The middle-aged woman who remarked on her looks earlier spoke up.

"I was just passing by," Esme answered.

"You came at the right time. We were just discussing your friend's fate at the moment."

"Friend?" Esme glanced at the group of maids surrounding her. She did not remember having a friend all her life.

"She is talking about Liz," The young girl explained, "18 maids have mysteriously died this month and today it is your friend's turn to serve His Highness, Prince Aleister. We could not help but wonder what will happen to her now."

As Esme walked in the enormous hallway, her mind unconsciously drifted back to the group discussion in the kitchen.

A sense of dread was hanging on her head, weighing her shoulders down. She gulped realizing how much trouble she was getting herself in.

She blatantly claimed yesterday that she was working under Prince Aleister and now this Prince turned out like this.

If he came to know that she used his name, her Aunt would not get to collect her full body for the last rites.

Esme rubbed her arms feeling goosebumps popping on them. 'Nothing can go wrong,' She convinced herself, 'That weird man from yesterday is nowhere to be seen now. And I am never going to meet this Prince in question,' In short, her little lie would be buried forever.

She tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Esmeray-"

Her footsteps came to a halt as she turned around to find Aunt Mary's niece, Liz running towards her.

A bad premonition rose in her heart but she forcefully tamped it down.