2: The New Hell
So, according to Lily, this place is an empire called Astre.
The Crown Princess of this empire is reportedly on the verge of being dethroned because of the Crown Prince’s lover. Lately, rumors have been spreading among the nobles that the Crown Princess has changed. There are suspicions that a Mage, with whom she has been frequently associating, cast a spell on her.
This is where I realized who this Celia was.
Lily looked at me with a questioning expression.
“My Lady, just in case, do you remember who His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and Her Imperial Highness the Crown Princess are?”
“Yes, I remember. Thankfully, it seems I didn’t lose that memory.”
“Oh, thank goodness. Those names are a bit difficult to teach…”
Right, what audacious servant would dare speak the names of the Empire’s Crown Prince and Crown Princess?
“Haa…”
The story about the Crown Princess changing after joining hands with a Mage—I know that story.
It’s the web novel, ‘My One-Sided Love Ends in Revenge!’
This was the book I mentioned reading earlier, which a friend recommended a long time ago.
Other people might have cheered and celebrated this transmigration. Many comments online said they wished they could be sucked into the book.
But I found it hard to cheer. I have no knowledge of this place, and this character, Celia, is just an extra, so I don’t know her original personality or situation.
I can pretend to have amnesia for now, but if my personality isn’t the same as the original Celia’s later, my family will surely suspect me and kick me out. Then, with nowhere to go, I’ll starve to death, won’t I?
Oh, that’s terrible. I escaped the hellish makeup shop to start a new life, so why is a new hell opening up before me? What exactly happened when I was drunk?!
Well, I at least know where I’ve landed, so shouldn’t I survive until I can figure out how to go back?
The only slightly bothersome thing is that I’m not a web novel enthusiast, so I’ve only read the story once. Well, even if I remembered the plot, Celia isn’t an important extra, so the original story probably wouldn’t matter much.
To describe my current condition, the details of the original story come back in fragments, with scenes mixed up. Still, thankfully, I remember the Crown Prince clearly.
In a single word:
“He’s utterly garbage.”
“Garba… pardon?”
Lily looked at me with a bewildered face. I gave Lily a business smile and tightly clenched my fist.
“It seems I remember. That cheating Crown Prince. He made a spectacle of me—of Celia—in front of everyone, with two other women hanging on his arms.”
“What?! He did?! Does he think he can do anything just because he’s the Crown Prince, sir? What an insult! Forget a man like that immediately, quickly!”
“I agree. I don’t know why I ever liked a scumbag like him. I wouldn’t take him now even if he were offered to me.”
At my firm resolve, Lily clapped her hands together and nodded repeatedly, her eyes sparkling.
“Finally! Do you know how much I worried? Every time My Lady cried over the Crown Prince, that bird—I mean, sir—I wanted to go and punch him for you!”
Lily was chattering excitedly like a joyous bird, but then she fell silent because of a sound.
Grumble.
Ah, please! Why did that sound have to happen right now?
My face turned bright red, and I covered it with the back of one hand. Lily stared at me with a momentarily dumbfounded expression, then her eyes widened.
“Oh, that’s right! I apologize! You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I’ll go and get your meal right away!”
I urgently grabbed the hem of Lily’s skirt before she could rush out.
“Wait, Lily.”
“Yes?”
“These clothes are a bit uncomfortable. Could you show me where my other clothes are?”
Lily blinked at me.
Well, she can stare, but I can’t help it! This dress feels too stuffy; how am I supposed to endure it? Even if Lily made fun of me, I needed to change. There had to be comfortable clothes even in a place like this.
At my words, Lily quickly dashed to the other wall. She pulled open a white door on that wall.
“You should have told me if you were uncomfortable! I apologize for not noticing sooner. I will help you right away.”
“There’s no need to apologize. I’m sorry for not saying anything sooner.”
“No! My Lady has nothing to apologize for! The problem is my lack of observation! I will try to be more attentive and help you first from now on.”
Lily answered me and then hurried into what seemed to be a dressing room to fetch Celia’s clothes. She soon returned with a sky-blue dress that looked definitely more comfortable than what I was currently wearing. I hesitated, then spoke.
“This is a random question, Lily, but can’t I just go to the dining room to eat?”
“Uh, uhm, well…”
Food tastes so much better right when it’s served. Plus, I don’t want to waste time waiting for it to arrive.
But at my question, Lily stammered and looked nervous. After struggling with her words, Lily squeezed her eyes shut and bowed her head as if she were the culprit.
“If you go out, My Lady might be… again…”
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t go out?”
“There isn’t a reason you can’t go out. No one can restrict My Lady. It’s just that I worry you will be hurt again if you leave the room.”
“…Hurt?”
“The others harass My Lady. You may not remember, but you were often unjustly framed and scolded by the Count. That’s why My Lady usually preferred to eat in her room.”
Huh.
Not “the other person,” but “the others“?
I wiggled my eyebrows and looked toward the door.
“I want to eat in the dining room today. Will you help me?”
Having changed into a much more comfortable dress, I opened the door and stepped out of the room. I immediately felt many eyes boring into me.
What is this? They’re staring so obviously.
With these kinds of stares, anyone would prefer to eat only in their room. Why would anyone want to come out if they got looks like this just for leaving the room? Even I, who has been a working adult for seven years, felt a cold sweat break out for a moment. How much harder must it have been for the much younger Celia?
Nevertheless, I didn’t lower my head and walked straight ahead, looking forward. These stares? I’d been receiving them for years. I don’t know about Celia, but I wouldn’t be intimidated by these looks. I’m used to it.
Descending the stairs and reaching the end of the hallway, I entered the door Lily held open for me.
Inside, a young man with sea-blue hair, unlike Celia’s, was already seated at a luxurious-looking chair and eating. When he met my eyes, the corners of his mouth lifted into a sneer.
“Wow, it’s Celia, the one who was dumped by the Crown Prince. What a surprise. You actually graced us with your presence for a meal.”
The handsome man, good-looking enough to make one swoon if he didn’t speak, tossed out words only a child would think of.
I looked at him expressionlessly, then avoided his pink eyes. I know this type well. If you talk back, they just tease you more.
As if confirming my thoughts, the man’s expression twisted into a frown for a moment. But he quickly regained his smile and called a servant nearby. He then raised his index finger, flicked it in the air, and let out a small laugh.
“You came to eat, didn’t you? Hurry up and sit. You must be starving after the heartbreak yesterday.”
Why is he suddenly acting friendly? He was completely rude just a second ago.
Still suspicious, but hungry, I walked along the long dining table.
Stop.
I stopped in front of the chair directly opposite the rude man. Putting on my most shameless face, I confidently sat in the chair.
As our eyes met at the same height, the man raised an eyebrow but kept his cool smile.
The food came out shortly after I sat down. But the condition was strange. Not only were there just soup and bread, but everything was cold, making me wonder if Celia really was the daughter of a noble family.
Just then, the man opposite me rested his chin on his hand and speared a piece of meat with his fork. Then, instead of offering it to me, he brazenly shoved it into his own mouth.
“You don’t need to eat this, right? You’re planning on losing weight anyway. If your face isn’t working, you have to work on your body to even try to confess again. What do you think of your brother’s consideration?”
“Ha.”
I let out an involuntary scoff.
He’s discriminating against me with food? Is he out of his mind? I can tolerate anything else, but was the food always like this? Doesn’t he know that a person runs on food-power? And what is this nonsense about my face not working? Where is he getting this from?
Celia, I’m sorry, but your older sister finds this hard to tolerate. Heat boiled up inside me.
But I’m an adult, so I can’t shout. If I get dragged into his games, only I will lose.
I looked at the food, then stood up and looked down at the man, who was supposedly my brother.
“I have no such intention.”
Despite my firm words, the man just kept smiling slyly with his chin still resting on his hand.
“You don’t have to pretend to be strong, Celia. If you cry alone at night, this brother won’t be able to come and help you.”
At this one sentence, I felt my lid blow off.
I’m an adult, so I can’t shout…
If I get dragged into his games, only I will…
Adult? What adult? I’m still a hot-headed kid!
I suppressed my emotions and threw out a short phrase.
“Some ‘brother.’”
A little, just a little, bit of emotion might have slipped out, but so what?
The man’s lips parted in astonishment as he lifted his chin from his hand. After a long pause, his voice cracked as it briefly filled the dining room.
“…What?”
