Arc 1: Chapter 6

His question made Elenor choke on her tea which caused her to cough uncontrollably. He did nothing to help her, watching her cough only.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

Once Elenor recovered from that, she took in a deep breath before replying back to him, "I don't understand what you are saying Alec."

He sighed, "I knew you might say that so I have evidence."

'E..evidence? Has this person been observing me?!'

Covering up her surprised feelings, she stared at him.

Lifting up one finger, he began to speak his evidence, "One. Lady Elenor would never refuse on getting new things. She would be the one asking for them."

"Did you forget what I said? I said I realised how foolish I was being and now I'm trying to become a better person."

Alec lightly chuckled which sounded more like a scoff, "She would never think that way. She is very stubborn and would do anything to get her hands on what she wants."

'Shit he's right about that. I can't retort that.'

Seeing that Elenor wasn't saying anything else, he continued on and lifted up a second finger,

"Two. She would never greet or act polite with the people working here and she would never try horse riding. If she did she would have changed into a more proper attire and not ride a horse in her dress."

She stiffen up, unable to fight back about that evidence as well.

"And lastly," he lifted the third finger, "Lady Elenor does not know how to fight back or even defend herself."

Hearing his last evidence, Elenor knew she got caught by her own butler. Slowly glancing up at him, he had a small smirk on his face as if he already knew he had won.

"...You saw that?"

He nodded, "Of course, I heard a commotion outside so I went to check only to find milady slamming a body to the ground which was twice the size of her body."

Elenor gulped, feeling cold sweat rolling down her back once she realised she was being careless and now she had been caught.

"So tell me, who are you?" he asked coldly.

The whole room felt like it dropped temperature as Elenor suddenly felt a bit chilly. She bit her bottom lip before sighing, knowing she had no other choice than telling the truth.

'No, let's try to dodge this.'

She crossed her legs and sneered, "Those so-called evidence you have listed down doesn't prove anything. I am Elenor, your owner and master. I thought of being nicer to you but it seems you are taking it for granted."

Alec let out a scoff, finding her words amusing, "Then please do explain to this servant of yours."

The gears in her head were turning as she tried to churn out as much as she could to get out of this position,

"First. As I have said before, I have realised how foolish I was and decided to become a better person. I may not be able to change in one night, yes, but at least I'm trying, am I not?" she glared at him before going on to the next point,

"Two. I admit riding the horse without changing attire was inappropriate, that was my mistake. And that thing about greeting people now? If I'm trying to change I should also change my attitude towards the servants. If I don't, how will I be able to show I have changed?"

"Third,"

This was the hardest for Elenor, she didn't know what to say to get rid of the suspicion on her. Unable to come up with a good excuse, she spoke out anything that came to mind.

"I have been learning self defence without anyone finding out. Not you or my family members. I found someone who could teach me in secret, that is why I was able to defend myself."

When she ended her speech, she slowly glanced up at Alec who had an unreadable expression on his face and the moment they made eye contact, she felt shivers down her spine.

'This is how I die huh? Well, it's my fault for being careless the entire time.'

As Elenor was slowly embracing the fact that she will die in the hands of the butler in front of her, she heard a loud thud sound.

"Wh..?"

"Milady, please forgive this insolent servant of yours. I should not have doubted you for a second!" he spoke, his knees on the floor and he kowtow.

Elenor nearly got up and tried to make him stand back up but she held herself back as it was starting to go her way.

Trying her best to stay in character, she cackled, poking her foot at Alec's head.

"That's right, you stupid butler. I thought of being nice to you but I guess not. Someone like you doesn't deserve my kindness."

"Yes milady, you are indeed correct. This stupid servant does not deserve it."

Elenor internally sighed, glad this was about to be over but as soon as she thought that, Alec suddenly took out something and brought it up towards her. Her eyes widened in horror at what he was holding.

'A whip!? Where did he suddenly get that?'

"This servant of yours will receive any punishment!" he yelled out, holding out the whip towards her.

Elenor stared at the whip with heavy eyes. She could act rude, arrogant and in general a bitch but punishing someone? She could never bring herself that low.

She smacked the whip out of his hands and yelled out in spite of anger, "No way am I going to do that!"

The whole room fell silent as Alec stared at her wide eyed while she glared at him, trying to calm herself down from her sudden outburst.

Elenor had enough today. She massaged her temples, waving her hand over at Alec,

"Enough. Leave right this instance." she ordered but heard no movement or response.

Noticing something was odd, she peeked over at Alec. He had a wide smirk on his face.

Elenor felt her heart drop into her stomach.

Unconsciously, she took a step back but her arm was forcefully pulled by Alec, bringing her just inches away from him.

"I knew it. You aren't her." he lightly laughed but she knew it wasn't because he found it funny.

She tried to get out of his grip but it was quite strong, leaving her unable to escape from it.

"Elenor would never let the opportunity to punish someone, especially me, slip away." he said, bringing his fingers up to her chin, forcefully making her look him in the eye.

She could feel her flight or fight senses tingling as she stared deep into his eyes. It held nothing yet it brought more fear in her than relief.

She had fallen for his trap.

"So, stranger. Who are you?" he calmly asked.

Elenor knew he wasn't asking but demanding her.

"I-"

"If you try to make any more excuses, I won't be patient and nice like I am right now." he cut her off, his cold voice piercing through her.

She gulped before speaking, this time telling him the truth because if she didn't, she could somewhat tell she might not be alive the next moment.

"Fine but you have to believe me okay?"

Alec frowned, "We will see."

"..Figures." Elenor muttered in reply.

She let out a big sigh before spilling everything to him. From how she died to suddenly arriving in this world she created and becoming a character she made.

By the time she finished speaking her heart out, she carefully eyed Alec who only changed his expression from confusion to annoyance then back to nothing.

Alec stared at her once more. He pinched his nose bridge, holding his hand up to her face as he needed a time out to fully process her words.

Noticing how troubled he looked, Elenor made him take a seat on the couch, patiently waiting for him to speak.

"...So let me get this right. You," he pointed at her.

"Aren't from this world."

"That's right." Elenor nodded.

"And you said you created this world and that this is actually a romance novel?"

Elenor nodded again.

He massaged his temples, "So we are all just characters?"

"I mean you used to be? If you were only characters, there's no way I would be here now so what I'm saying is, you and every single person on this planet are real."

Alec scoffed, shaking his head, his professional butler appearance gone, "I don't believe you."

"Then what will make you believe me?" Elenor asked, not giving up.

"Tell me something that only I know that nobody else knows about me."

"Something nobody else knows?"

"That's right. If you truly are the person who created this world and everyone then you should know, right?"

She kept quiet, looking through her memories for anything that only she would know.

Seeing how Elenor was unable to answer Alec's question, he got up.

"I shall be going back for the day, have a good rest." he turned to walk out of her room until Elenor remembered something.

"You were planning on killing Elenor on her fifteen birthday."

He pretended to ignore what she said. Elenor frowned. She didn't want to say this but it was the only choice she had now if she wanted him to believe her.

"You were from a baron's family that fell to ruins after you were born."

Her words caused him to halt his footsteps. He sharply turned back at her which nearly caused Elenor to yelp in surprise. She had forgotten how scary he could be. He walked back to her and spoke in a low voice,

"How do you know that?"

"I told you. I'm from another world who wrote this world that you and now myself live in."

He stared at her with eyes that were ready to kill someone. She didn't want to seem afraid of him so she kept her chest up and back straight, looking back at him in the eye.

"Fine. Let's say you really are from another world. So you created this world and know how everything will go."

"Yes until the part where the main characters get their happy ending which is around in two years' time."

"Then tell me," without being able to defend herself, she was pinned down by Alec who had anger in his eyes.

"Why did you make my life this way!?" he shouted.

"..Sorry…?"

"Why..why did you have to make me go through all of this? Why did you have to make my family fall into ruins and die from diseases because we didn't have money to pay for medicine? If you truly were the creator of this world, the god or whatever the hell you are, why make me suffer? What did I ever do?! Do you know how much shit I had to go through!?"

He was now panting in anger and Elenor couldn't reply to him. She was terrified. From how he pinned her down, unable to escape to how he could kill her anytime in one swift move.

"Answer me."

"I….I never thought what I write would become reality." she said, unable to control her own words.

"This was all for entertainment. To have something read. I really never thought...it would become a reality where even I would be in."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she sincerely looked at Alec in the eye. "I'm sorry...I really am….if I knew what I write will become a reality I would have never done this to you..or anyone…"

Alec stared at her with wide eyes, not knowing what to do.

"If I could I would turn back time and write a better life for you." she mumbled.

"..."

Elenor wasn't lying when she said that. If she really could she would have. When she wrote about Alec, she liked how she created him although she gave him such a terrible backstory. She truly felt guilty for making his life a living hell.

'I promise I will give you a better life. I won't let you go through hell ever again now that I am Elenor.'