Nora Pelkan sent Evelyn to this party and instructed her to follow Lillia like a dog. And it seemed like Evelyn had some circumstances as to why she couldn’t disobey Nora Pelkan.
What was the reason for this seemingly timid child to obey Nora Pelkan even as she trembled…
<It’s annoying.>
<What are you doing? Don’t go in.>
I passed the nagging Wishit, opened the closet door, and pushed myself in.
<Don’t go in!>
<That’s enough. Let’s take this opportunity to spread the viciousness of the twins and their gang,>
<Hey, you!>
I stepped into the closet with my own feet and spoke to Evelyn, who looked surprised, “Won’t you close the door? If you don’t, Lillia’s going to make a fuss and you’ll be scolded by Nora.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened at my words.“Let me know later what’s going on with you.”
Evelyn, who hesitated and held back tears for a long time, came closer as if she had made up her mind.
I stared at Evelyn, who held on to the closet door, with a nonchalant expression. Hesitantly, with her trembling hands, she closed her eyes and shut the closet door with a bang.
‘…?’
Just before that, a rustling piece of paper fell from Evelyn’s sleeve, but I couldn’t make out what it was in the closet where no light came through.
Evelyn’s tiny voice was heard as the lock on the closet rattled.
“I’m sorry…”
***
The imperial palace, the office of Crown Prince Lark.
Lark was satisfied with the ‘birthday present’ completed in the afternoon.
He was the anonymous customer who ordered a complete set of A-grade diamond accessories from the accessories shop of <Blanc de Ruby>.
“Good.” Lark stood up, looking at the glittering jewelry box with delight. There was a meeting at 2 PM.
“Your Highness, it’s Paul Lyman, investigator of Lubon.”
“Hmm?”
Lark was surprised by the voice he heard before opening the door.
Paul was a member of the investigation team planted by Lark to take care of Rubette’s convenience.
‘Isn’t he supposed to be in Lubon right now?’
When he opened the door, Paul, with a displeased face, immediately bowed.
“Your Highness, nobles visited Lubon around 11 AM. His Majesty’s direct knights followed. The princess’ birthday banquet is in progress in Lubon, but I came to report it urgently because it doesn’t look like Her Highness has ordered it.”
“What?” Lark’s mouth fell open. Soon he frowned and murmured as if he was troubled.
“Ah, Young Duke Diollus.”
A few days ago, he asked if Lark could permit him to throw Rubette’s birthday party in Lubon because she wanted to see the twins.
You slow-witted brother…
Lark had refused tactfully because he knew the twins were bullies.
‘He couldn’t give up, and he must have asked Father directly.’
Tsk, Lark, who clicked his tongue, brushed his cheek with a tired expression.
“I’m sure the princess would be in trouble. I must go soon…”
Then, Ren approached from afar and tilted his head.
“It’s late. What are you doing, Your Highness? The meeting will start soon.”
… Shit.
Lark couldn’t help but bite his lips.
***
<Hey, are you okay? Can you breathe?>
In a narrow closet where one person can barely squat without a single light, I could only hear Wishit’s worrisome transmission.
<Why are you overreacting? Is it because Rubette was afraid of being locked in a closet? But I’m not her.>
<No, it’s not just scary… Sigh. I’m going to go crazy.>
<Don’t worry. Well, this isn’t a soundproof place, and the investigation team and the knights are here…so I will get locked up for some time before hitting the SOS. When I go out, I’ll act out tears and pour the dirty water on the twins.>
Rustle. A folded piece of paper hung on my fingertips. I picked up the item that Evelyn had accidentally dropped off earlier.
‘I’ll also find out what kind of leash was put on Evelyn Torso.’
<I’m not talking about that kind of problem. Are you feeling well?>
For some reason, Wishit kept getting nervous despite my words that it was okay.
<I mean, what do you mean by well? Even though it’s Rubette’s body, what’s inside isn’t Rubette. You keep forgetting that fact…>
Speaking of which, it was harder to breathe.
“What?”
Rubette had claustrophobia, perhaps because of the trauma of being bullied and often locked up in the closet. I knew that, but it didn’t matter to me. I won’t feel suffocated or dizzy just because I’m locked in the closet. So, I thought of going out after fitting in with the twins’ mischief…
“Huft. Huh…”
Suddenly, I couldn’t breathe well and sweated like crazy. I couldn’t even see ahead, but I felt dizzy, as if my vision was shaking.
“Shit!”
It was the same symptoms of claustrophobia that Rubette used to feel whenever she was locked up.
“The software is different, but the hardware is the same; is that why I suffer the same disease? This is too much…’
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, I immediately got up and knocked on the closet door.
“I’m dizzy and can’t breathe! Open the door!”
Bang, bang!
“Is there anyone there?”
<No, you fool. Since you’ve only been imprisoned for a while, you’ll have to wait a long time for people to come to know you’re gone. The twins won’t let them find you easily.>
“Th-this is crazy…”
<That’s why I told you not to go in. I thought this could happen.>
Thud…
<Rubette!>
The body that had lost its strength staggered, clung to the wall with a thump, and soon fell.
“Huft, huft…”
My vision was dark, so I couldn’t tell if my vision had darkened or if my eyes had closed as I was about to lose consciousness.
<Hey! Wake up!>
Wishit’s voice dissipated as if the volume was turned down, and the fuse in my head snapped.
***
6 PM when the sun set.
She thought it was strange that the attendants brought by the Diollus twins pretended to be close to her for some reason.
Rebecca, who had been stuck in the kitchen almost all day because of them, managed to come to the front yard and look around only now.
‘Where’s the lady?’
Rubette was nowhere to be seen. She could only see the twins still busy laughing and chatting with half the guests left.
“Lady Lillia, where’s my lady?” Rebecca, who approached the table, boldly asked Lillia.
The maid interrogated as if she had hidden Rubette somewhere. Everyone present was amazed.
“How should I know?” Lillia pretended to be embarrassed and cried.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her since before, have I? Where did she go?”
“That’s right. I haven’t seen her since we started playing hide and seek.”
The two aristocratic girls with them tilted their heads with puzzled expressions.
“H-hide and seek?” Rebecca was furious in uneasiness. She had been stuck in the kitchen, so she didn’t know…
‘What did you do to my lady again!?’
The expression of the angelic twins that were saying “I don’t know anything” couldn’t have been cheekier.
As if the bullying in the duchy wasn’t enough, they followed Rubette to Lubon again…
“Tell me where my lady is now!”
The eyes of the young aristocrats widened at Rebecca’s screaming.
With her tiny hand on her chest, the aristocratic girl with pigtails said, “Wh-what kind of rudeness is this? There are knights outside, so what’s all this fuss about? The princess must be in the villa, where else can she be?”
“Lady Lillia! Master Ricky! Hurry up and tell me where my lady is!”
“Oh dear… this maid must be crazy…”
“Wh-why are you so bold?” Among the bewildered nobles, Lillia said sullenly.
“Are you all surprised? Sorry. That girl is the maid that Rubette loves… No matter what she does, Rubette takes care of it, so it’s no surprise she’s rude at times.”
“Oh, my god. It must’ve been so hard.”
“Hey, can’t you just say you’re sorry?”
Rebecca, who was trembling, quickly turned around to find the inside of the villa.
“Tsk…”
But it couldn’t be easy. As soon as she turned around, the two maids, Lillia’s henchmen, stood firm.
“Lady Lilia, we will look for Lady Rubette with Rebecca.”
“Let’s go, Rebecca.”
“Yes, guys, please.” As Lillia smiled, pretending to be concerned, the two maids held Rebecca’s arms tightly.
“Hey! Let go of me! You’re not going to let go!?”
Seeing Rebecca struggling, the young aristocratic guests clicked their tongues.
And then.
“I see the Little Sun of the Empire!”
“I see Your Highness the Crown Prince!”
The knights’ loud greeting came from the villa entrance’s far side.
Lillia and Ricky exchanged glances with each other, wide-eyed in amazement.
Kedrick, Dominic, and Evelyn were equally surprised.
“Th-the crown prince?”
“Did I hear mishear?”
As soon as the aristocratic children tilted their heads, someone strode across the front yard of the villa.
“Oh, my God!”
“Oh…”
It was really the crown prince, Lark.
Coming across the expansive front yard at once, he smiled as he swept his messy hair.
“Hello, everyone. I’m also invited to the princess’s birthday party today.”
“Y-Your Highness!”
“The Little Sun of the Empire…”
“There, there. No need to be so courteous.” Lark’s eyes quickly scanned the table as he shook his hands and refused the greeting of the nobles.
The twins looked uncomfortable for some reason, and Kedrick avoided his gaze.
“Let me go!”
A familiar face was screaming in a corner. He saw Rebecca, Rubette’s maid.
Lark’s eyes narrowed when he saw the excited Rebecca.
“But…I don’t see the main character.” Lark looked at the trembling ones individually and asked in a low voice. “Where is the princess?”
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