――― *POOF*

I was. .h.i.tting my pillow .

I was disappointed that I was scared of strangers .

I’ve never been frozen before even when I went to the ball, nor when I met His Highness Ludens or even when Roberto-sama glared at me .

Even if I had to look down, I always did what I had to do .

It was probably because I told d.i.c.k-san how I really felt in Coolden . I’ve become weak .

I had to behave like a n.o.ble here at the Royal Palace .

I didn’t need to be honest to my feelings .

“Well, I’m Lady Ayeshmarie, who was driven out of the Thousand House, so this much is good enough . I behaved appropriately after I went into the dining hall . ”

I abandon my thoughts early when I sunk into the small and hardish bed .

I’m wearing my n.o.ble mask, so next time will be fine . It’ll be fine .   I told myself .

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

I woke up early, got dressed and left my room .

It was a bit early, but I headed for breakfast .

I wore the eggplant coloured secretary uniform .

I thought it was harder for people to know who I was if I wore the eggplant coloured long dress rather than plain clothes . There were a few people here from last night .

I received breakfast and sat at the corner in a vacant seat .

“It’s tasteless…”

It was a dining hall in the Royal Palace, but the food wasn’t satisfying . I thought the same thing last night too . I stopped my hand with the spoon in it . I turned my head and looked around while taking the meal in .

The colours were beautiful, the bread was soft and the soup wasn’t greasy at all . It was warm .

Don’t complain .

I have to be thankful

But, what is it? It’s not good enough .

I thought as I finished the meal . I tied my hair up, so that it was easier to change and headed towards said room .

It took time to disguise myself after all .

I remembered where to go . I wouldn’t recklessly ask for directions just because I forgot .

I entered the room and looked at the mirror .

I divided my golden hair and braided it . I put them onto the other side of my head so that it wouldn’t have much volume . I fastened them with pins . It took a lot of time, but I somehow managed . I wore the black wig .

I lightly tapped powder onto my face, approached the mirror and drew my eyeliner . My hands were trembling, but I think I’m quite good at drawing it now . I put on some reddish plum lipstick and Ann’s face was ready . My look would be complete with the white gloves .

I went through the hidden pa.s.sageway that I was taught .

Because I was told not to write it on paper, I wrote it on the ground and erased it numerous times so I could memorise it . Desperately .  I’m so great for remembering it from just going through twice .  I have a lot of guts right now .

My heart wouldn’t stop throbbing as I walked through the dark pa.s.sageway alone .  I don’t think it’s normal to go through this pa.s.sageway without light . I wonder if there’s something that would trouble them if I could see here . Well, I was fine in the dark since I didn’t use light at night in the Thousand House estate to save money .

“Is it okay for me to know this pa.s.sage?” I asked, and I was told that I didn’t have any connections outside of the Royal Palace so it was fine . It was used as a shortcut and royalty used it to get away from people .

I couldn’t help but sigh when I got out into the bright corridor .

I looked around, mindful of my surroundings and walked towards the ‘Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room’ (I named it myself) .

I looked around, mindful of my surroundings and walked towards the ‘Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room’ (I named it myself) .

I briskly walked without taking a break . I bowed whenever I pa.s.sed people .

Seems like I remember the way correctly .

I arrived safely at the Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room and began working .

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊

I spent my days quietly in the past week .

My work started with wiping the desks in the Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room . Then, I opened the windows and let the fresh air in .

I made a copy of His Highness Luden’s memo and sorted the doc.u.ments . Then, His Highness Ludens and the others came . I made tea, went to my desk and kept working .

They didn’t tell me what to do . It was just like when I worked for father and brother .

“I’m going to lunch . ”

His Highness Ludens and his comrades haven’t come yet . I said that to the knight at the door and headed towards the dining hall .

I remembered the minimal layout of the Royal Palace by walking around with Cafule-san . At the beginning, I had lunch in my room, but I got bored of being in my room day after day . But, since yesterday I started going to the dining hall where the knights and guards were because I finally remembered the layout of the palace . The government residence’s dining hall was a little far and it took time to commute there .

I never had any emotion on my face whenever I walked through the Royal Palace, but my face would loosen whenever I got to the inner garden .

I remembered the minimal layout of the Royal Palace by walking around with Cafule-san . At the beginning, I had lunch in my room, but I got bored of being in my room day after day . But, since yesterday I started going to the dining hall where the knights and guards were because I finally remembered the layout of the palace . The government residence’s dining hall was a little far and it took time to commute there .

I never had any emotion on my face whenever I walked through the Royal Palace, but my face would loosen whenever I got to the inner garden .

I quickly finished eating in the dining hall with the knights and sat down on a handkerchief under an unpopular Zelkova tree .

I took out the small apple from my pocket which I’d put in there at breakfast, rub it on my skirt and bite into it .

“Ann is tired . Am I being helpful?”

I wasn’t talking to anyone, my voice just came out .

I actually wanted to lie down here, but I couldn’t as a n.o.ble lady . I probably shouldn’t be sitting under the shade like this either .

But I want people to overlook this since I was only a simple office lady while I wore this eggplant coloured dress .

When I finished eating the apple, I heard a rustling and saw three ladies .

“Oh my, she’s really here . ”

“Right? I saw her heading towards here . ”

“She has really bad manners, doesn’t she?”

I stood up and bowed a n.o.ble bow .

Have my enemies appeared at last?

――― *POOF*.

I was. .h.i.tting my pillow

I was disappointed that I was scared of strangers

I’ve never been frozen before even when I went to the ball, nor when I met His Highness Ludens or even when Roberto-sama glared at me

Even if I had to look down, I always did what I had to do

It was probably because I told d.i.c.k-san how I really felt in Coolden . I’ve become weak

I had to behave like a n.o.ble here at the Royal Palace

I didn’t need to be honest to my feelings

“Well, I’m Lady Ayeshmarie, who was driven out of the Thousand House, so this much is good enough . I behaved appropriately after I went into the dining hall . ”.

I abandon my thoughts early when I sunk into the small and hardish bed

I’m wearing my n.o.ble mask, so next time will be fine . It’ll be fine .   I told myself

 .

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊.

 .

I woke up early, got dressed and left my room

It was a bit early, but I headed for breakfast

I wore the eggplant coloured secretary uniform

I thought it was harder for people to know who I was if I wore the eggplant coloured long dress rather than plain clothes . There were a few people here from last night

I received breakfast and sat at the corner in a vacant seat

“It’s tasteless…”.

It was a dining hall in the Royal Palace, but the food wasn’t satisfying . I thought the same thing last night too . I stopped my hand with the spoon in it . I turned my head and looked around while taking the meal in

The colours were beautiful, the bread was soft and the soup wasn’t greasy at all . It was warm

Don’t complain

I have to be thankful.

But, what is it? It’s not good enough

 .

 .

I thought as I finished the meal . I tied my hair up, so that it was easier to change and headed towards said room

It took time to disguise myself after all

I remembered where to go . I wouldn’t recklessly ask for directions just because I forgot

I entered the room and looked at the mirror

I divided my golden hair and braided it . I put them onto the other side of my head so that it wouldn’t have much volume . I fastened them with pins . It took a lot of time, but I somehow managed . I wore the black wig

I lightly tapped powder onto my face, approached the mirror and drew my eyeliner . My hands were trembling, but I think I’m quite good at drawing it now . I put on some reddish plum lipstick and Ann’s face was ready . My look would be complete with the white gloves

I went through the hidden pa.s.sageway that I was taught

Because I was told not to write it on paper, I wrote it on the ground and erased it numerous times so I could memorise it . Desperately .  I’m so great for remembering it from just going through twice .  I have a lot of guts right now

My heart wouldn’t stop throbbing as I walked through the dark pa.s.sageway alone .  I don’t think it’s normal to go through this pa.s.sageway without light . I wonder if there’s something that would trouble them if I could see here . Well, I was fine in the dark since I didn’t use light at night in the Thousand House estate to save money

“Is it okay for me to know this pa.s.sage?” I asked, and I was told that I didn’t have any connections outside of the Royal Palace so it was fine . It was used as a shortcut and royalty used it to get away from people

I couldn’t help but sigh when I got out into the bright corridor

I looked around, mindful of my surroundings and walked towards the ‘Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room’ (I named it myself)

I briskly walked without taking a break . I bowed whenever I pa.s.sed people

Seems like I remember the way correctly

I arrived safely at the Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room and began working

 .

◊♦◊♦◊♦◊.

 .

I spent my days quietly in the past week

My work started with wiping the desks in the Royal Capital’s Public Order Consolation Room . Then, I opened the windows and let the fresh air in

I made a copy of His Highness Luden’s memo and sorted the doc.u.ments . Then, His Highness Ludens and the others came . I made tea, went to my desk and kept working

They didn’t tell me what to do . It was just like when I worked for father and brother

“I’m going to lunch . ”.

His Highness Ludens and his comrades haven’t come yet . I said that to the knight at the door and headed towards the dining hall

I remembered the minimal layout of the Royal Palace by walking around with Cafule-san . At the beginning, I had lunch in my room, but I got bored of being in my room day after day . But, since yesterday I started going to the dining hall where the knights and guards were because I finally remembered the layout of the palace . The government residence’s dining hall was a little far and it took time to commute there

I never had any emotion on my face whenever I walked through the Royal Palace, but my face would loosen whenever I got to the inner garden

I quickly finished eating in the dining hall with the knights and sat down on a handkerchief under an unpopular Zelkova tree

I took out the small apple from my pocket which I’d put in there at breakfast, rub it on my skirt and bite into it

“Ann is tired . Am I being helpful?”.

I wasn’t talking to anyone, my voice just came out

I actually wanted to lie down here, but I couldn’t as a n.o.ble lady . I probably shouldn’t be sitting under the shade like this either

But I want people to overlook this since I was only a simple office lady while I wore this eggplant coloured dress

When I finished eating the apple, I heard a rustling and saw three ladies

“Oh my, she’s really here . ”.

“Right? I saw her heading towards here . ”.

“She has really bad manners, doesn’t she?”.

I stood up and bowed a n.o.ble bow

Have my enemies appeared at last?.