Chapter 17: Confession and darkness

Anastasia didn't listen to me once and dragged me all the way to show me her property and places she could visit at any time. She wanted to show me how rich she was…. And I have to say; I was jealous.

First, we visited a theater with staff who would always be ready to perform as Anastasia wished. I was a little envious of them as they could laze around and just had to perform if she wished to have some fun. They even had a high ranking magician just to perform magic tricks for such

However, the drama they performed was all about how a prince saves the grand duke's daughter, and then they get happily married. I palmed my face, understanding where her fantasies about Prince Arthur were coming from.

"Is this for real?" I looked at Kasumi, who was enjoying my despair more than drama. She was sitting on my left side while Anastasia was on my right side.

"They have to perform as Lady Anastasia wishes, or it will be their heads dancing in the air."

Jeez, duke needs to spoil her less. He was doing everything to ruin her personality and the character she would develop.

The next destination was her quarter of the castle. It included her bedroom, a meeting room where she could relax while drinking tea or invite other nobles to chat and a library filled with nothing but fantasy stories about the prince saving 'grand duke's daughter.'

Dragging me around the palace with excitement finally started to wear her out, so she decided to have tea in the garden.

I also noticed that her grip was more potent than an average 12 years old girl's. Wait, I never saw her status, right? I wondered why.

[Lv. 11 Anastasia Silkia de Flareottems

HP: 49/49, MP: 80/80

Alignment: Chaotic/Good]

Holy molly! Her stats were unusually high. I was surprised at how absurd her level was.

[Vivi: She has a skill called 'Ruling Privilege' where she can gain some experience whenever her 'Loyal Subjects' gains experience.]

Ah, I remember this skill. It was an exclusive skill bestowed to every noble.

'But she isn't a ruler yet. How can she have this skill?'

[Vivi: She isn't, but she is the only heir of the grand duke, so most of the subjects who were loyal to the grand duke had also sworn their partisan loyalty to her.]

That's cheating!

I was hunting down monsters, exercising daily, and even trying various methods to increase my mana, and then there was the villainess, getting stronger by just lazing around.

[Ruling Privilege] is a passive skill different from [Imperial Privilege], where the former belongs to possible heirs of nobles and the latter possessed by actual nobles. The skill's rank is based on the territory they rules or would rule.

Now I understand why the villainess comes with sudden power-ups in the game. As a person who doesn't need to worry about experience, she can focus on polishing her skills or scheming behind the scenes.

She was also a prodigy in ice magic, so her high magic power was justified.

'But what about her alignments? Isn't she villainess?'

[Vivi: For Pete's sake, she is just 12 years old child. She isn't a murderer like your soul.]

'You mean she hasn't killed anyone?'

[Vivi: I wouldn't have put her in the Good category if she had killed people before.]

'Can alignments change? I thought they were constant variable.'

[They are, but unless something significant effect the mentality of a person, their primary behavior won't change. Besides, I can only judge them based on their past deed.]

I was kind of relieved hearing this. I guess Anastasia could change for the better. I guess I should do something for her.

"Commoner, what are you thinking?!"

Just as Anastasia yelled, I woke up from my thoughts and saw her flustered face glaring at me.

"It was nothing."

"Humph, you should be grateful that I am personally showing you your future workplace, but you were still lost in thoughts." Anastasia snorted.

"Wah, I am so grateful that I want to cry…." I said with a place face and clapped a few times but seeing her face fuming, I sighed and smiled, "I apologize, Milady. I am just happy that you are showing me around. I will work hard for you in the future."

Slowly her anger died down, replaced with rosy cheeks on her snowy skin, "A-anyway, we are in the garden. Memorize each flower's pattern and its name, especially Green Daylilies. They are Prince Arthur's favorite." She said.

I ignored her order as I was captivated by the garden bathed with colorful flowers. These flowers couldn't bloom in Flareottems' cold environment, so the grand duke had constructed a greenhouse embedded with the magic system to provide the plants with their desired environment.

I must say I was envious of her. She had everything she needed in her palms, but I wondered why she got so obsessed with Prince Arthur and lost everything when she had so much to enjoy with her mere wish.

Come to think of it; she was always very insecure about her relationship with her father in the lore. Duke never paid any attention to her and always gave the cold shoulder to his only child. That increased her anxiety and insecurities to the next level. She started to think Prince Arthur was her only salvation and the rest of her actions built the plot.

But it didn't seem to be the case here.

Duke had provided nearly everything she asked for. Was her lore a lie, or the setting of this world was different? I didn't know for sure.

"Anastasia, who is the new gentleman?"

As I was looking around, I saw a woman- no, a goddess!

She had silky silver hair, like a waterfall brimming from the sky. Her pure snowy skin was akin to the purity of any expensive gem. Her eyes were like a pure blue ocean that you want to drown.

Standing at 165 cm tall, her figure was like an hourglass, D-cup ample breasts and slim waist just attracted my poor soul towards her. Her simple silver dress fumed her beauty and little cleavage, urging me to dive in. I just didn't have words to describe her charm anymore.

"Hey, commoner! Ivan? What's up with him?"

"Hoho, this is the neat part."

I ignored Anastasia's and Kasumi's rant and walked toward the goddess. As I walked towards her, a gust of wind fluttered us, waving our hair even though we were in a greenhouse.

I bent on one knee and gently held her hand. I looked in her eyes and spoke, "Ae Khaista pari, staa num tsa deh? (O beautiful angel, what is your name)"

I was speaking in Pashto that I learned in Afghanistan. I didn't know what was happening, but I thought it must be the heavens calling me.

"Eh?! Eeeh…?" The lady turned confused and seemed to be lost in thought.

"Komah khabrah nah dah...{It doesn't matter….)"

Yes, that's right. This feeling… I had to convey…

"Hakah… Taa sara mina laram! (Because… I love you!)"

I confessed!

I couldn't believe I would fall in love with a goddess. But I don't regret it! First time in both of my lives that I was able to fall for someone. Yes, it must be her. My enlightenment. My salvation!

"WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT!!!" Then someone punched my head with all of their force, and I fell to the ground, face first.

"Aittaah…" I raised my head and saw the running figure of a little girl, "Such blasphemy… O, where am I…?"

I was in my world?! Was it all a dream?

But the goddess was still in front of me!

"Ototo-chan, meet Lady Alexandra Volkovia Flareottems, Grand Duke Tsar's wife, Grand Duchess, and the goddess you confessed your love." Kasumi came forward carrying a cunning smile and announced the person's name who had just cut the days of my life span.

"H-hello…"

The goddess, no, duchess, smiled softly and waved her hand.

"Shit…"

---

"So, Sir Ivan, what kind of language was that? I am interested." Duchess asked with a smile.

"P-please d-don't use honorifics…." I said with a quavering tone as I sipped the cup of tea with shaking hands.

I couldn't believe that I had made such a huge mistake. Of all the women in this world, I had to confess my love to her! Why am I such an idiot?! And what took over me?! There must be a God of love hiding somewhere!

"Hmm, hmm~! Please relax. Nothing is going to happen to you." She giggled beautifully and said.

Again, she looked just so cute. Aww, I can see her smile my whole life.

"…If you say so." I don't fear. At least, I would die after falling in love… What am I thinking?!!!

"Oh, I learned that language from… a foreign merchant," I answered her first question. I couldn't say I learned Pashto during my worst time in Afghanistan in my first life, now could I?

"Oh, I am interested. Would it be alright if you could teach me that language?" She crossed her fingers and smiled.

"Well, of course. After all, I am an employee here."

Ah, I could finally take my pride as grand duke's servant.

"Hehe, I am happy- cough! Cough!" She was about to say something when she started coughing.

"Duchess!" I stood and hastily went towards her. "Are you okay?!"

"I... am fine. Thank you for the concern." She said, trying to hide her pain, and then asked, "If it would be all right, could you escort me to my room?"

I was confused about why she asked me when Kasumi, the maid was present. There were also her personal maids on standby. I guessed she just wanted to speak with me.

"Yes."

I gently held her hand as she stood up, and we left the greenhouse. While leaving, I notice the duchess giving a cold glare at Kasumi. She didn't like Kasumi? The dark hair maid was a douche, but I never saw her running her mouth in front of Anastasia or Duke. Maybe I didn't know the internal affairs.

"Do I look like a goddess?"

"Yes, You are the most beautiful woman-" I excitedly answered and was about to open the curtains of eternal praise when I put my hand on my lips. "Please forget it and don't mention it. It might put me in a difficult position."

"Hehe, I understand. I won't." She smiled and nodded.

Now that I think about it, she did appear in the game once, and oh dear, did she destroy the ranking. There were some females besides heroine and villainess in the game, but she appeared on top among them. She was the third favorite female lead in the game besides villainess and heroine.

Her character wasn't explained in detail. She would die because of some unknown disease near the end of the plot. It also sparked the final trigger for the duke and villainess before they turned into final bosses.

Fans were salty for making a top-tier waifu character and not exploring her. I was happy that she was a good person in real life.

"Ivan… what do you think about Anastasia?" Duchess ceased her movements and asked. "Please answer honestly."

I was taken back, but I kind of saw that coming. However, I didn't know if I should utter bad words behind Anastasia's back.

"…She is… she is spoiled. Very spoiled. She is obsessed with Prince Arthur and has weird fantasies about him. Duke was also doing everything to ruin her character, and no one was correcting her. Servants were looking at her like she is some kind of calamity… sigh, she is just a child who needs someone to guide."

I talk about my thoughts. Anastasia didn't treat me any better, but I emphasized with her since, in my eyes, she was just a child who might need someone to show her the correct path.

"Hehe, even though you are also 12 years old boy yourself, you talk so maturely."

"Why, thank you, duchess."

"Hehe, just call me Lady Alexi. It is my nickname. I would be delighted."

"If you say so…."

I didn't know if I should get close to her like that.

She then asked, "Ivan, can I… can I request something?"

"Yes."

"Can you stay by Anastasia's side?"

"Well, I am assigned to…."

"Not like that but as a true friend."

"Duchess- I mean Lady Alexi, it would be difficult. If you understand your daughter, you should know how obsessed she is with Prince Arthur. On the first day of waking up, she warned me not to get close to her."

Even if I wanted to, her words would be enough before I get executed for sticking my leg between Anastasia and Prince Arthur.

"I understand." She said as her expression turned sour. "I wasn't a kind mother to her. I always give her the excuse of my health to ignore the child, but I didn't, no, I couldn't. Everything was forced…. Sigh, I apologize for mumbling useless…."

"…" I didn't know how to answer, but I saw a person in desperation at that moment. A pure wish of a mother to see her child smile. I didn't know what to do, but I didn't want to see her downhearted. I smiled, "I will help Lady Anastasia to the best of my capabilities. I promise I will treat her better."

A smile curved on her beautiful lips, and she nodded. She bent down a little and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. I widened my eyes, surprised by her sudden kiss as I caressed my forehead as if I was dreaming.

"Thank you, Ivan." She said and then went into her room.

"Heh."

A kiss from mil- I mean, a beautiful lady wasn't that bad to end my day.

---

"Stupid! Idiot! Moron! Low life! That damn filthy commoner!!" Anastasia was in her room, on her bed, cursing her new butler named Ivan.

Today, she wanted to show Ivan how much wealth she possesses. She was happy that there was finally someone she could describe her almighty (Read: Talk to) to, the only person she was comfortable talking with, but he also turned out to be a commoner douche.

Ivan never praised her wholeheartedly or shared his own opinion. He didn't give her the respect she deserved. He was like the rest of them.

"Humph, Prince Arthur is the only one for me. I don't need anyone."

Duke, her biological father, never paid any attention to her. She wanted to greet him like a daughter, she wanted to eat dinner with him, and she wanted him to tell her stories about the prince saving duchess, but he never did.

She started to place awful demands to gain his attention. However, instead of talking with her, he just fulfilled her absurd demands. Her morality of what was right and what was wrong started to crumble.

Whatever she would do, it should always be right.

However, she didn't need anyone but Prince Arthur. She loved her.

When she was eight years old, she got lost in the capital. She was scared, and at that time, Prince Arthur came to her rescue. At that time, she fell in love just like the princesses in the stories.

The leaves of the tree under the night quitted fluttering. The air seemed to leave her side too. As she was thinking, her room fell into pin-drop silence.

Then someone or something grasped her throat.

"Ack! Aaa!" Anastasia panicked and quickly tried to escape from the thing trying to kill her, but there was no one. It was happing again. An abyss slowly devoured her room and was coming towards her, but she couldn't move.

Tears started to fall from her eyes. No matter how much she struggled, she couldn't escape from getting eaten by darkness.

"Prince Arthur… help!"

Yes, that's correct. Prince Arthur is everything to her.

Prince Arthur will save her!

Prince Arthur will save her!

Prince Arthur will save her!

Prince Arthur will save her!

Prince Arthur will save her…. But he never came.

Slowly the abyss reached her feed before slowly eating her existence, but it was all over.

"S-someone…. Please… Please help…"

---

Slap!

I couldn't believe in my eyes. Anastasia, the person I swear to serve, the person I wanted to be friends with, and the person I wanted to save, would humiliate me in front of many eyes.

It was fine when she threw a tantrum, but she raised her hand on me.

I finally snapped.