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 couldnât disobey Nora Pelkan.
What was the reason for this seemingly timid child to obey Nora Pelkan even as she trembledâŠ
<Itâs annoying.>
<What are you doing? Donât go in.>
I passed the nagging Wishit, opened the closet door, and pushed myself in.
<Donât go in!>
<Thatâs enough. Letâs 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, âWonât you close the door? If you donât, Lilliaâs going to make a fuss and youâll be scolded by Nora.â
Evelynâs eyes widened at my words.
âLet me know later whatâs going on with you.â
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.
ââŠ?â
Just before that, a rustling piece of paper fell from Evelynâs sleeve, but I couldnât make out what it was in the closet where no light came through.
Evelynâs tiny voice was heard as the lock on the closet rattled.
âIâm sorryâŠâ
***
The imperial palace, the office of Crown Prince Lark.
Lark was satisfied with the âbirthday presentâ 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>.
âGood.â Lark stood up, looking at the glittering jewelry box with delight. There was a meeting at 2 PM.
âYour Highness, itâs Paul Lyman, investigator of Lubon.â
âHmm?â
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 Rubetteâs convenience.
âIsnât he supposed to be in Lubon right now?â
When he opened the door, Paul, with a displeased face, immediately bowed.
âYour Highness, nobles visited Lubon around 11 AM. His Majestyâs direct knights followed. The princessâ birthday banquet is in progress in Lubon, but I came to report it urgently because it doesnât look like Her Highness has ordered it.â
âWhat?â Larkâs mouth fell open. Soon he frowned and murmured as if he was troubled.
âAh, Young Duke Diollus.â
A few days ago, he asked if Lark could permit him to throw Rubetteâs birthday party in Lubon because she wanted to see the twins.
You slow-witted brotherâŠ
Lark had refused tactfully because he knew the twins were bullies.
âHe couldnât give up, and he must have asked Father directly.â
Tsk, Lark, who clicked his tongue, brushed his cheek with a tired expression.
âIâm sure the princess would be in trouble. I must go soonâŠâ
Then, Ren approached from afar and tilted his head.
âItâs late. What are you doing, Your Highness? The meeting will start soon.â
⊠Shit.
Lark couldnât 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 Wishitâs worrisome transmission.
<Why are you overreacting? Is it because Rubette was afraid of being locked in a closet? But Iâm not her.>
<No, itâs not just scary⊠Sigh. Iâm going to go crazy.>
<Donât worry. Well, this isnât a soundproof place, and the investigation team and the knights are hereâŠso I will get locked up for some time before hitting the SOS. When I go out, Iâll 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.
âIâll also find out what kind of leash was put on Evelyn Torso.â
<Iâm 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 itâs Rubetteâs body, whatâs inside isnât Rubette. You keep forgetting that factâŠ>
Speaking of which, it was harder to breathe.
âWhat?â
Rubette had claustrophobia, perhaps because of the trauma of being bullied and often locked up in the closet. I knew that, but it didnât matter to me. I wonât feel suffocated or dizzy just because Iâm locked in the closet. So, I thought of going out after fitting in with the twinsâ mischiefâŠ
âHuft. HuhâŠâ
Suddenly, I couldnât breathe well and sweated like crazy. I couldnât even see ahead, but I felt dizzy, as if my vision was shaking.
âShit!â
It was the same symptoms of claustrophobia that Rubette used to feel whenever she was locked up.
âThe software is different, but the hardware is the same; is that why I suffer the same disease? This is too muchâŠâ
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, I immediately got up and knocked on the closet door.
âIâm dizzy and canât breathe! Open the door!â
Bang, bang!
âIs there anyone there?â
<No, you fool. Since youâve only been imprisoned for a while, youâll have to wait a long time for people to come to know youâre gone. The twins wonât let them find you easily.>
âTh-this is crazyâŠâ
<Thatâs why I told you not to go in. I thought this could happen.>
ThudâŠ
<Rubette!>
The body that had lost its strength staggered, clung to the wall with a thump, and soon fell.
âHuft, huftâŠâ
My vision was dark, so I couldnât tell if my vision had darkened or if my eyes had closed as I was about to lose consciousness.
<Hey! Wake up!>
Wishitâs 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.
âWhereâs the lady?â
Rubette was nowhere to be seen. She could only see the twins still busy laughing and chatting with half the guests left.
âLady Lillia, whereâs my lady?â Rebecca, who approached the table, boldly asked Lillia.
The maid interrogated as if she had hidden Rubette somewhere. Everyone present was amazed.
âHow should I know?â Lillia pretended to be embarrassed and cried.
âCome to think of it, I havenât seen her since before, have I? Where did she go?â
âThatâs right. I havenât seen her since we started playing hide and seek.â
The two aristocratic girls with them tilted their heads with puzzled expressions.
âH-hide and seek?â Rebecca was furious in uneasiness. She had been stuck in the kitchen, so she didnât knowâŠ
âWhat did you do to my lady again!?â
The expression of the angelic twins that were saying âI donât know anythingâ couldnât have been cheekier.
As if the bullying in the duchy wasnât enough, they followed Rubette to Lubon againâŠ
âTell me where my lady is now!â
The eyes of the young aristocrats widened at Rebeccaâs screaming.
With her tiny hand on her chest, the aristocratic girl with pigtails said, âWh-what kind of rudeness is this? There are knights outside, so whatâs all this fuss about? The princess must be in the villa, where else can she be?â
âLady Lillia! Master Ricky! Hurry up and tell me where my lady is!â
âOh dear⊠this maid must be crazyâŠâ
âWh-why are you so bold?â Among the bewildered nobles, Lillia said sullenly.
âAre you all surprised? Sorry. That girl is the maid that Rubette loves⊠No matter what she does, Rubette takes care of it, so itâs no surprise sheâs rude at times.â
âOh, my god. It mustâve been so hard.â
âHey, canât you just say youâre sorry?â
Rebecca, who was trembling, quickly turned around to find the inside of the villa.
âTskâŠâ
But it couldnât be easy. As soon as she turned around, the two maids, Lilliaâs henchmen, stood firm.
âLady Lilia, we will look for Lady Rubette with Rebecca.â
âLetâs go, Rebecca.â
âYes, guys, please.â As Lillia smiled, pretending to be concerned, the two maids held Rebeccaâs arms tightly.
âHey! Let go of me! Youâre not going to let go!?â
Seeing Rebecca struggling, the young aristocratic guests clicked their tongues.
And then.
âI see the Little Sun of the Empire!â
âI see Your Highness the Crown Prince!â
The knightsâ loud greeting came from the villa entranceâs far side.
Lillia and Ricky exchanged glances with each other, wide-eyed in amazement.
Kedrick, Dominic, and Evelyn were equally surprised.
âTh-the crown prince?â
âDid I hear mishear?â
As soon as the aristocratic children tilted their heads, someone strode across the front yard of the villa.
âOh, my God!â
âOhâŠâ
It was really the crown prince, Lark.
Coming across the expansive front yard at once, he smiled as he swept his messy hair.
âHello, everyone. Iâm also invited to the princessâs birthday party today.â
âY-Your Highness!â
âThe Little Sun of the EmpireâŠâ
âThere, there. No need to be so courteous.â Larkâs 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.
âLet me go!â
A familiar face was screaming in a corner. He saw Rebecca, Rubetteâs maid.
Larkâs eyes narrowed when he saw the excited Rebecca.
âButâŠI donât see the main character.â Lark looked at the trembling ones individually and asked in a low voice. âWhere is the princess?â