บท 18: 18 — I Choose You

The faint footsteps and a knock on the door caused Lucian and Cynthia to sit on their bed, glancing at each other in confusion.

"Who could it be at this hour?.." Cynthia softly whispered, rubbing her eyes to clear her fuzzy vision.

"I will check," Lucian suggested, getting out of the bed.

With careful steps, he approached the door. As the door creaked open, the window shattered and a few men broke inside the room.

Cynthia, startled, let out a scream.

"My sword!" Lucian shouted, barely managing to avoid the blades striking his way.

With a nod, Cynthia threw the sword placed on the left side of the night table.

A quick grip on the handle of his sword and the cries of a few men were heard as Cynthia curled into a ball to avoid getting blood splashed on her body.

She despised the scarlet colour of blood, which reminded her of her own death when she was attacked by the monster in her past life.

A few seconds later, only faint groanings echoed in the dark room. A few guards who had heard the commotion in the bedroom rushed inside and gasped at the sight before their eyes.

"It seems you haven't been doing your job properly," Cynthia gazed up, her violet eyes glimmering in the dark.

The guards glanced at each other in confusion. It was a natural event for them however, the grand duke had never scolded them for their tardiness yet this woman...

They inhaled deeply before bowing.

"We apologize, Your Highness," they gritted between their teeth.

Prince Lucian, although now carrying the title of Grand Duke, was still the king's illegitimate son who no one cared about. Hadn't it been for his achievements on the battlefield, he would be ignored just as he did in the past.

"Clean up," Lucian simply ordered, dropping his sword on the floor which echoed with a clunking noise.

Cynthia glared at her husband in disbelief.

The same as ever. He doesn't even scold rude servants!

Once the hall was tidied by the servants, Lucian returned to his bed.

Cynthia has been staring at him the whole time, making him uneasy.

"Is there something wrong?"

Without answering, the silver-haired young woman burst into laughter.

Puzzled, the dark-haired young man raised an eyebrow.

"What's funny?.."

"Seems like we have caught the bandit's eyes."

If someone hadn't known the meaning, they would surely ask what she meant; however, Lucian understood. Their first attack was just like the present one; someone wanted to cause them harm. Perhaps, Lucian. Perhaps, Cynthia.

One was an illegitimate prince whom many saw as a thorn in their beloved crown prince's path, whereas the other was a notorious woman who had surely harmed people enough for them to wish her death.

***

"Your Highness, you have asked for a personal maid if I remember correctly. His Grace has instructed us to introduce you to the servants so that you could choose an escort knight, as well as a private servant," the head maid, Elene, said as she carefully observed Cynthia as if she were from another planet.

Rustling the book pages she was reading, Cynthia closed it and placed it on the table before her with a thud.

She gazed up at the blonde-haired lady with a bun, dressed in a long dark dress that wrapped her round body.

"Am I the one who should go to meet them? Shouldn't they be the ones to come and meet me?" She demanded, her tone filled with mockery.

The head maid pursed her lips and submitted to the new mistress of the house.

During the month the grand duke had been away, she was the one who held the most power however, now that the grand duke's wife had arrived, the head maid was nothing more than an assistant who was to help the madam of the household if she needed any aid.

Cynthia opened the book she was reading before being interrupted once the middle-aged lady had left the hall.

As soon as the sun rose, she rushed into the library of the mansion. She had to ask the butler, Philip, for directions as she had never been there, even in her last life. She always remained in her room, away from the servants who struck her with piercing gazes she couldn't bear.

As she flipped through a few pages of the romance novel, a scoff escaped her mouth.

[He held me in his embrace throughout the night. I have never felt safer—]

Can you truly feel safe in your husband's arms?

The silver-haired young woman slammed close to the book and gazed up. The door creaked open and the head maid had arrived with the servants, lined up, one after another.

She started to introduce them one by one, but Cynthia's gaze was fixed on one person— Elise.

When Elise's turn arrived to be introduced to Cynthia, the grand duchess rose from her seat, banging her palm on the desk with a smile on her face.

"Oh, my! Your hair sure is pretty. Red… I love red," Cynthia remarked, her lips curling.

"Y-yes?" Elise stammered. She had heard the rumours about the princess of Eldoria, however, she hoped none of them were true.

"I choose you as my personal maid!" Cynthia exclaimed. "Go bring me some tea. And everyone else, it was nice meeting you. I hope we can get along."

The servants hesitantly bowed, paying their respects to the new madam before exiting the hall.

"Your Highness, she is..." the head maid hesitated.

"What is it, Elene?"

Hearing her name coming out of Cynthia's mouth, Elene's eyebrows furrowed.

"How do you know my name?.. I haven't told you so yet."

Cynthia forgot that Elene hadn't introduced herself formally yet.

Ah! But... isn't that quite rude?

A smirk formed on her face before she spoke.

"It appears I am the only one who cares about my people. I mean, those in this mansion whereas no one here cares about me," she pretended to complain.

"I-I apologies. It was indeed rude of me to not introduce myself. I am Elene, the head maid of the mansion, and the one in charge of the mansion's financial affairs and the management of the servants," Elene bowed, pressing her fist against her dress.

"Which household—" Cynthia paused. "Oh my, you are a commoner, am I right?" She sneered.

Watching the head maid's flustered expression, her frowning complexion made Cynthia's heart fill with amusement.

Everything you and your people have done to me in my past life, I will pay it all back! With interests, Elene.