"Be mine!" Ch 2

Previously: Ok so, right now I'm in my favourite novel and also the villainess. But aside from that I need to figure out the plotline.

I sit on the sofa situated in the middle of the room as the story flashes through my brain.

(The villainess was the daughter of the emperor who was forced to marry the male lead, though she never showed affection towards him. Not that the duke was loveable.... ) I sigh.

(But after duke's mother died in front of Scarlet, the duke blamed her and the misunderstanding remained until the end. Even if the emperor was not so powerful but still killing her daughter openly would bring huge risk, so the duke tried his best to assasinate her quietly.)

I shift my head back and look at the ceilling .

(But due to the mana she holds all assasina -tion attempt failed but the duke had to go all his way to divorce her. The kingdom was lost in a war and the duke became the emperor along with the female lead as the empress. Scarlet was locked up in a cell and due to immense pressure she suicides.)

I keep staring blankly as a rage goes through my head.

(That ducking male lead of a duke, just wait until I turn the tables this time!)

Just as I finish these words a knock on the door is heard followed by a husky voice. "Duchess, may I come in?" I stop for a moment.

(Right, they don't know the duchess is being assasinated.)

Another knock comes through while I clear up my throat and speak in a sweetly manner.

"Come in.."

"...."

(Did that sounded right?)

A few seconds later the door opens followed by a dramatic background song.

[Soon I'll be 60 years old bruh think the-]

"Stop!"

I sigh and fix my posture as an old man comes through wearing a butler uniform.

(I'm now sure that this is the plot where they shot me with drugs and the butler finds me unconscious.)

I tap my fingers on the table.

(Not much time has passed after duke's mother died and this was supposed to be the first killing attempt.)

The butler bows and then starts speaking,

" The duke has told me to inform the duchess that he would be going away and will be back within 15 days"

The butler bows again and closes the door as he leaves the room.

(So the duke purposely send him to find me dead and anounce my death while he is away.) I grit my teeth as my gaze deepens.

(What a nice husband I have.)

Soon I come back to my usual mood and start stretching.

"It's been a few minutes!" I look towards the door and start walking.

(I should go explore.)

a nervous look shows up on my face. There were foot thumping noises coming from the outside.

(It seems like this person is running towards my room.)

[It's not yours.]

"Should I open the door?"

I grab the door handle and swallow something that doesn't exist in my mouth. The sound was getting closer and closer.

"Here I go!"

"Ouch!"

There was a little girl who bumped into me and she was so frail that she dropped all the utensils in her hands while I didn't move a bit.

She quickly picked the utensils up and bowed her head to me.

"I'm sorry mistress!"

That's when I realised,

(Ah, she is scared)

I try to give her a warm smile which I'm pretty confident is warm.

(...)

Sorry I was trying to be funny. The girl looked up to me and eased a little.

(That's nice)

I went ahead and pat her back, "What's your name child?"

(Ah-my voice is heavenly... ahem)

The girl replies hestitatingly,

"C-clara"

"That's a nice name."

I take her inside the room and make her sit in the sofa, though she refuses at first but I ain't letting her go.

(mwahaha..)

[stop!]

(ok..)

I then begin to speak in my heavenly voice

"Why are you working at these age?" I try to keep my nonchalant smile.

"A-ah because the other maids are scared to touch the mistress, so they bought me."

"hmm.."

(So the workers are still scared of the duchess, though I already knew that.)

The child was slowly easing up little by little.

(I can gain some information from her!.)

"So Clara have you ever seen the duke?" Clara nods her head in agreement.

(Bingo!)

"Tell me, what do you think about him?"

The child looks around as if to clarify if someone is around.

"The duke is very handsome but scary."

(That is what I already know.)

The child looks scared talking about him.

(Well it's normal)

"Anything else?" The child looks around again and then she talks.

"I heard he is into men"

"Ah is that so-"

I blink and my smile is gone in a moment.

[ I would never fall in love again until I found 'him'.]

The child is confused by the background song as my whole world crushes down.

"What!?"

"Where did you hear it from?" I asks still going through the shock.

"From the maids.."

I sigh in relief.

(Must be rumours, because in the end the duke probably also had a kid so ain't no way that's true.)

I stare at the child, my eyes filled with relief as she tenses up because of me watching her creepily...

"So what are you gonna do with those things?"

I point at the utensils in her hands and to also remove the awkwardness in the air. The child suddenly blushes which gets my mind into questioning.

"To shower the mistress." The child finally

speaks still blushing like a rose. I tilt my head.

"How can a 13-14 year old kid shower me? no that's not even the point, why would you need to shower me?!"

The child fiddles with her fingers.

"Mistress may not think so but I'm actually 17."

"Oh... but still! you don't need to do that! Just show me the shower room."

The child nods as she points her hand towards the door guiding me outside the room.

The hallways were attached with aesthetic pictures and giant windows. I probably took a hundred of turns watching the pictures until I reached a silvery gate.

Clara opens the door and soon the air becomes warm. It looks like a hot spring. I go inside just to find a big pool with hot water, and I can't help, but keep staring at the mervelous pool of hot water.

(I forgot when I last took a shower.)

Suddenly Clara speaks up

"It's sad" I look at her dull eyes.

"What is?" I ask shifting my attention to her.

"Every royal couple comes here after their first night but the duke never set his feet in the boundary."

(Ah so that's it.) I smile and pat her head.

"Don't worry-"

"But I'm also happy."

I freeze at the sudden spoken words as my smile vanishes.

(She is happy? Is she in love with the male lead or some.)

"Aren't you gonna ask why mistress?" Clara's face lits up again and part of me doesn't want to ask her this.

(This never happened in the novel where a third interest appeared but it is also possible since the duke is only 6 years older than her.)

Clara stares at me with hope in her eyes. I inhale a deep breath.

(Here we go!)

"Why?"

As soon as these words leave my mouth Clara's eyes shimmers like an anime girl.

"Because then mistress would be mine!"

[Uhh..]

TBC