Chapter 7

“Ou, I was so frustrated about getting scolded.” Then, without hesitation, she took off her veil and flung it on the bed. Surprised, Evely’s eyes became round. The bride was officially prohibited from speaking or taking off the veil herself, and the princess had violated both in a heartbeat.

The princess’ face, which had been covered by the blurry veil, was now clearly visible. Evely, who was watching the scene in front of her blankly, gulped as her parched throat grew tighter. The princess’s hair was a blazing red, just like the sun.

“The nobles are the sun, and humble beings like us are merely a handful of stars, scattered all over the dark night sky.”

At that moment, Evely remembered her dead mother’s words. Her hair was such a fiery, intense red. As she took off his tiara, her messy locks of hair fluttered gently along with the light wind gushing through the gap in the open window.

The willowy figure standing near the sill was so beautiful. The Princess was on a different level, body and hair, compared to Evely’s thin frame and murky red hair that had become dull with continuous washing. If she had to describe it, the Princess’ hair was full of life and want.

The princess looked at Evely with a calm face as if she didn’t know what she had just done.

“What did you say your name was?”

“M-my name is Evely, and I will be serving the Mistress.”

“Evely, huh? That’s a pretty name. I’m Rose Dior. Please take good care of me.”

Evely thought she should treat her like a precious jewel, but the princess’ voice broke her out of her thoughts. Contrary to expectations, her voice was rather firm, yet soft and clear.

The princess faced Evely, opening her mouth again while running her fingers through her hair as if she was fixing it.

“And I’d like to ask you one more favor…”

* * *

The new room was colorful and cozy. In particular, the bed in the center of the room was huge and an antique piece. Luxurious lace sheets were placed gracefully in the form of a dome, without wrinkles on the clean bed that looked new.

The lights felt softer than usual, and a sweet scent was subtly detected in the room. The bedroom had been carefully prepared for several days by the maids, to check whether the habitants would feel sore or uncomfortable.

In front of the bedroom, Evely was waiting for the new groom and her master, Alec.

Sooner than expected, the strong sound of footsteps was heard.

Evely, who stood still as if she was guarding the new room, bowed her head to the sound of footsteps. Because of that, she could not see his face directly. But she knew it was him once her eyes fell on his long legs, and his hard, muscled body.

“Master, you’re back?” she opened her mouth to ask in a polite tone.

‘He’s probably gotten a lot cooler.’

Suddenly, she remembered Brianna’s words, and Evely raised her head slightly without realizing it. When she peeked at his side, she could tell that he’d lost a little weight and looked slimmer than before. However, his side profile was still manly. His indifferent and cold expression remained.

It must have been a long war, but he didn’t seem to be even a little disorganized. He still had that perfect face, just like he had at the slave market three years ago.

“Move away.”

At his command, Evely froze on the spot, her breathing ceased.

“Move away.”

Even at his second time saying those words, Evely just stood there without moving. He slowly shifted his gaze and looked down at her. His voice became rather sarcastic, ice cold.

“Are you deaf?”

As soon as his hand was about to reach the handle, Evely replied as if she was blocking him.

“The mistress must be tired, she fell asleep early.”

“Shut up and move.”

“She fell into a very deep sleep and seemed to have a little fever for some reason, so I don’t think you should overdo it today. W-why don’t you come tomorrow…?”

The previously unwrinkled forehead formed a frown as he snapped at Evely, “I hope you don’t forget that I am your master, and the final decision is mine, not yours.”

Even though he had pointed out their relationship in a dry voice, there was a strong sense of pressure that could not be ignored. Evely bit her lower lip hard, her heart beating loudly.

Soon, Alec passed by Evely and opened the door with his own hands.

With a dull sound, the sturdy door opened, and he strode into the room. Evely stared vaguely at his towering back and followed her Master in.

And as soon as Alec’s huge palm slammed into the canopy of the bed, she closed her eyes.

“…what happened?”

When she slowly opened her eyes to the voice that was questioning, an angry look pierced into her very being.

His eyes held Evely captive, urging her to answer. Even though he was just looking at her, she felt her toes curl for no reason. She didn’t know if it was because of his deep blue eyes or because of his arrogant way of speaking. He hadn’t even screamed the words or shouted at her, but his heavy aura weighed down her body.

Taking a deep breath, Evely carefully opened her lips, “…outside.”

There was no one in the room, it was completely empty. There was no bride, but only an empty bed. As if there was no one from the beginning. “She went outside… from the window.”

It was a long time ago that the Princess, who had asked her for a favor, told her to weave the clean bedclothes and blankets. Despite not knowing what was happening, because the princess had asked for it, Evely obeyed. She couldn’t resist and tied the blankets tightly, after which the Princess asked her to throw them out of the window this time.

Only then, Evely, who figured out the meaning, panicked and said, “No,” but the princess was unwavering.

“You’ll do me a favor this one time, won’t you?” She just smiled and leaped out.

The Princess had initially promised to come back before Alec came to the room, but Evely could not even see her nose. She suddenly disappeared like a mirage.

“Do you think this makes sense?”

There was no answer. What should she even say? She knew it didn’t make sense, so she had nothing more to say.

“What did you do? I’m not sure if you’ve been doing your work.” 

He ran out of words to reproach her with. He couldn’t help it either, but he also knew that holding her accountable was inevitable. She didn’t know what to answer, so she chose to be silent. She didn’t know where to start and how to explain the situation or anything else. This incident was just hopeless and difficult to explain, and Evely could only roll up and squeeze her maid’s uniform hard. She eventually began to spit out whatever came to her mind.

“It’s… it’s my fault. Please scold me for the mistake I made. I have nothing to say even if you lock me up in the basement, hang me in the backyard, and punish me. It’s all my fault…”