Chapter 52: Chapter 2. Coming to terms with the future

The further I walked, the darker this castle seemed to me. And this is despite its splendor. The interior of the estate, or rather, the palace, resembled the exterior like two drops of water — rich and intimidating.

The main hall on the first floor was so large and its ceiling was so high that all the nobles of the capital could fit inside and have a banquet. As soon as I saw it with my own eyes, I involuntarily choked on air. Our fruitless conversations from a time when I was still unaware of the true origin of the "commoner" involuntarily surfaced in my head.

"What an idiot I am..."

I couldn't believe that I was really trying to slip her that pathetic necklace without even realizing the real extent of her condition. I was really naive and clueless. I don't even know what she thought of me at that moment...

Sighing heavily, it was already too late to blame myself for the mistakes of the past.

I followed the villainess through the luxurious mansion and shivered. From fear and cold, among other things. Despite the size and splendor of this place, the atmosphere here left much to be desired. However, considering that I was in the lair of the main villain, it was not surprising. The residence was cold and gloomy. The servants did not take their eyes off the floor and did not even open their mouths without permission.

Compared to the place where I lived before, the difference was more than noticeable.

I bowed my head and followed her like a ghost. We went up the stairs, and after a while the princess stopped in front of an exquisite, wide door made of some expensive wood.

— I hope you like this room, — she said softly.

The woman pushed the door array slightly, and a sight appeared before my eyes. To be honest, I barely managed to keep my jaw in place.

"It's huge."

The room was too luxurious and big for a bedroom. The ceiling was decorated with precious stones. And the patterns on the wallpaper were made of lace. There was even a white porcelain bathtub. All the furniture was incredibly expensive.

After all, there was even a terrace.

— Do you like it? — The villainess asked with a worried expression on her face.

I just stared at her, unable to believe that I was actually given such a room.

When I didn't answer for a long time, stunned by what was happening, the villainess hesitated and suggested:

— If you don't like it, I can redo this place the way you want. I have enough money, and you can buy whatever you want. I'll pay all the expenses... whatever you like.

— .....

I was amazed at this bold suggestion. I didn't know what to expect or if it was really sincere. After all, I couldn't just relax like that, and I was expecting some kind of trick every second. But her expression did look worried. As if... She really wanted to please me.

I felt a cold sweat rolling down my back. The next moment, I hurried to refute her words:

— what? Oh, no... The R-room is beautiful. It's very c-beautiful here... and I like everything.

After my words, relief appeared on the villainess' face.

— Really? — she asked.

—Y-yes... — Nervously, I nodded my head.

— Very well, then.

Once her worries were dispelled, the princess sighed and smiled at me.

The piercing gaze of her golden eyes made me feel like I was in a minefield. Even as I walked behind her as we climbed the stairs, I had the feeling that she was still watching me. It was as if this man had eyes everywhere.

My blood pressure jumped from this tension. It was the third day I was in the company of the main villain.

I decided to tell her that anyway.

— me... I'm very tired. If possible, I would like to rest.

I couldn't predict what her reaction to my request would be, but I felt that if I didn't say it now, she would continue to stay here. And I couldn't stand it anymore.

Although I expected anything, the next moment, the villainess suddenly pulled me to her, and her cold lips touched my forehead. I was a little taken aback. Tucking a few disheveled wheat strands behind my ear, she said gently:

— good. Please wait a bit. The servants will now bring water for the bath and food.

My knees almost buckled in surprise. I shook my head weakly.

Fortunately, after that, the Crown Princess actually left me in the room and went out. As soon as the door closed, I let out a heavy sigh, which I had been holding back all this time. Touching my forehead, on which the kiss was so clearly imprinted, I shuddered. And what was that?

What was happening to me was becoming more and more like some kind of madness.

Finally, feeling weak and ready to collapse, I slowly walked over to the bed and sat down. I inadvertently noticed that the bed frame is made of expensive cherry wood. Compared to these rooms, the room I used to live in at the Duke's estate looked more like a cubbyhole.

However, what does it matter?

An empty sigh escaped my lips.

I could have died at any moment in this place. This thought kept bothering me.

A few moments later, there was a knock on the door. I tensed up a bit, but I was relieved when the maid entered the room. Like all the servants here, she had a pale and slightly scared face.

— My lady, I'll help you take a bath, — the maid politely bowed her head.

For some reason, when I saw this girl in a uniform, I thought of Elisha. At that moment, my body went cold. When that terrible sight appeared before my eyes again, the feeling of loss weighed heavily on my chest. Remorse and fear bubbled in my stomach.

I nodded weakly to the staff, agreeing to follow this suggestion.

On the first day of my stay here, I swam in warm water for quite a long time, with rose petals floating in it. Along with this maid, there was another one who was only needed to keep the water warm. It was definitely a luxury.

This kind of treatment was akin to treating a real princess. However, I didn't feel comfortable with all of this.

After taking a bath, the maids helped me dry my hair, and for a long time they scattered in their desire to please me.

— If you need anything else, please feel free to say anything. I was ordered to take good care of my lady.

— And not just today. If you ever need anything in the future, please tell us.

However, I refused all these offers. Instead, I just wanted to be left alone. Upon hearing my request, the maids immediately bowed and left the room. Finally, when I was alone, I felt as if thorn vines had dug into me. My anxiety was renewed with renewed vigor.

I stared at my new luxurious bedroom with a blank expression on my face.

Scary...

I was scared.

I lay down on my bed and curled up on it. The emotions that I had been suppressing for the past two days burst through like a collapsed dam. I even cried a little.

I was only worried about one thing: what would happen to me now? No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't read the main villain's mind. Even if everything had been going surprisingly smoothly so far, I couldn't know how long it would last. The unpredictable behavior of the princess could come down on me at any moment.

I couldn't sleep for a long time and just rolled around on the huge bed.

By the time the various disturbing thoughts stopped swarming in my head, it was already the middle of the night. Moonlight streamed through the closed curtains. My room, like the rest of the estate, was very quiet.

I bit my lower lip and then opened my eyes completely. Gasp.

Well, even if I was terrified right now, the unchanging future was a solid fact that I had to accept. Is there really nothing left for me to do but wait for my death?

"It doesn't matter if I try to win her favor or try to escape, in any case, death awaits me in the end..."

Resentment at my miserable life continued to consume me with renewed vigor.

And I only dreamed of a carefree life in luxury! Is this really such an unattainable goal?

At this time, while I was trying to overcome the growing excitement in my chest, one thought suddenly crept into my head. It was like being doused with ice water. I sat up abruptly, breathing deeply.

Really... How could I forget about it?

My friend's wedding ceremony was approaching.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read