- 6 -

Unfortunately, the day ended with me returning back to my humble abode without any progress. Though, one thing I had come to learn about Caroline was that she couldn't deal well with rejection, perhaps due to the fact that she had been deprived of everything when she was young.

I was in no way justifying her unreasonable behavior, but I could sort of understand where she was coming from.

When I woke up in the morning, Rot was already preparing a basin of water for me. I saw no sign of Karr so I assumed she was still recovering after how much she had refused to ingest the bitter medicine that Rot had ground for her.

The sunlight gently pouring in through my windows and shadowing over all the furniture in my room didn't improve my mood. My mind circled back to the moment Caroline was walking away from me. I felt an incoming headache and curled up into a ball on the bed; toes caving in, and head sinking back into the pillow.

Rot's emotionless voice rang from beside the bed. "My Lady, is your head hurting? Do you feel sick?"

"I am fine. I can't fathom why everyone keeps insisting that I'm sick, especially that girl, Caroline," I groaned, kicking the blankets off my feet. I sat up on the edge of the mattress and Rot's two feet appeared in my peripheral view. When I tilted my head, I met her stone-cold face and a basin that was held within her two hands.

"I wonder why my Lady is so close with Caroline. This is the first time I've ever seen you.. eager, regardless of the numerous rumors surrounding you."

I lowered my face and dipped my cupped hands into the water, splashing my warm face with the chilly coolness. My teeth unconsciously gritted themselves as the lukewarm air hit my cold cheeks. I gestured for a cloth, and Rot expertly deciphered my intention and quickly handed me a white, linen towel. I dabbed at the remaining droplets on my eyelashes. Curiosity sparked in my eyes upon her intricately vague words.

"What rumors?" I quirked up an eyebrow, pushing the towel into Rot's hand. She scooped up both the basin and towel without any complaints.

Rot's usually blank state now formed a hint of reluctance. I stood up from the bed and approached her, my chest merely hitting the edge of the basin as I lifted my hand, singling out a single green-hair strand and sweeping it behind her ear.

I whispered. "What kind of rumors?"

"That..." she paused. "That you like women."

"I like women?" The way she worded it was as though it was the most heinous sin, that it was the worst fate that could befall upon a noble lady. And perhaps, it was, back in this period. But, it was ironic. I suddenly burst out into laughter, cheeks crinkling into whiskers as I retracted my hand.

"I'm sorry, my Lady," Rot bowed her head. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No, I'm not offended," I smiled, grasping her chin in between my fingers. I lifted her face up, which was shadowed by my figure. "Is that why you're afraid of me? That I, the women-loving freak, might jump your bones?"

If that was the reason why Baron Poloro was so eager to wed Feiya off, then I could see why. That man cared more about prestige and reputation than anything else. Hearing that his own daughter liked the same gender, which was considered to be no less bad than murder, he must've worried his head off. That must've also been the reason why he was so intent on asking me to keep my distance from Caroline.

Imagine this—a noble lady who liked women, and a beautiful and angelic-looking maid servant. If I were a nobleman, people would've thought I was aiming for Caroline. This would've been the forbidden romance story of this century.

But, I wondered. Did Feiya Poloro actually like women? How come it was never mentioned in the novel. Well, anyways, Feiya Poloro and I weren't so much different after all.

Rot's facial expression hardened, at last forming an emotion that wasn't indifference. She pursed her lips. "I'm not afraid of the Lady. I don't believe the rumors about you."

"You work for me, don't you?"

"Yes. It's my duty to not trust in rumors as a servant of the—"

"What if they are true?" I leaned in, my hand grabbing the back of her head and bringing her closer. From my perspective, Rot's face was extremely unwilling and unused to this form of closeness between two ladies. I laughed at her perturbed expression seeing as how far she was willing to go to hide her disdain.

"No need to worry," I huffed in laughter. "You're not my type. I like brunettes."

Well, what more could I expect from characters from a straight novel and from centuries ago?

"Don't look too disgusted, Rot. It doesn't suit you at all," I ended with a smile, pulling away whilst patting her pale cheek with my palm. I began stripping, starting with the shawl over my shoulders. I gestured for Rot who looked as though she had been nailed to one place.

"It's not that I find your liking of women weird, my Lady," Rot slowly articulated as though intending to drill the words into my head. She set down the basin on the nearest surface the closed the distance between us. Her hands grasped the white shawl, subsequently placing it onto the bed. It was mildly surprising to see her not retching on the floor or adding distance between us. Those were mainly the reactions I received when they heard of my sexual orientation.

"Then, are you saying that you're fine with it?"

"There's just one thing I know."

Her fingers brushed against my clavicles with a ghost-like caress. Our heights were of the same, causing our breaths and eyes to fall into one straight line.

She finally whispered out. "You're not my Lady."

Her disingenuous, emerald eyes clashed against mine. As soon as I peered into them, I knew that Rot had figured me out, perhaps even from the beginning. Her tone was confident with an unwavering timbre. Seeing as though I'd been found out, there was no need in denying it any further. I raised my hands in the air, letting the nightgown fall at my feet.

My silence was the answer to her hidden prompt. Though, the corners of her eyes merely widened at the revelation. She asked quietly, "Who are you?"

I closed my mouth silently.

|•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•|

After the events of this morning, I could understand Rot's hesitance when it came to escorting me around, but she was understanding enough to lead me towards the place where I had spotted the strange blur from yesterday since I had asked of her too. She was an obedient aide and never questioned more regardless of her curiosity. I knew I had to turn her to my side if I wanted more hands, ears, and eyes during my stay at the Poloro's manor.

My first request for her was to stalk Caroline, see what the latter was up to, and report each and every one of her movements back to me. Call it psychotic if you would, but to ensure that my key for survival should stay in the center of my palm, I was willing to sacrifice my integrity, to be so shameless enough to ask Rot for help.

Putting that aside, I gazed up at the tall willow trees. Its branches swayed leisurely in the open breeze that lifted the hems of my dress, making the white lace gently flutter. Recalling the loss I had suffered yesterday, I gnashed my teeth together until I could even hear the sound of grinding. I could've kissed up to Caroline's ass successfully if only it weren't for that strange blur of black. It was definitely a human presumably donning a dark cloak. I trusted in my eyesight that had gotten me through the worst twenty years of my previous, pathetic life. Someone either intended to sabotage me, or it was an assassin sent by Caroline's uncle.

But, there was no way he could've found her now when he hadn't for the last seven years. So, the latter option was out of the way. However, if there were truly someone trying to sabotage me—who could it have been? Unless another soul had transmigrated in the same way as me, the likelihood of that hypothesis was incredible.

At first, I thought it could've been the Witch of the West. No. I sounded insane. There was no way such an esteemed character in the story could've meddled in the affairs of a humble, side character whose appearance only lasted one paragraph which described her death. I thought I was going crazy from stress.

I stomped my heel onto a pile of fallen leaves, crushing them into the soil using the sole of my shoe. That was until I spotted a flicker of black in the corners of my eyes. I whipped in its direction, finding a piece of black cloth hanging from one of the branches that dipped towards the ground. I stormed towards the drooping branch, snagging the cloth right from one of its protruding twigs and raised it to my face.

The edges of the cloth were trimmed far too neatly for it to have accidentally get caught onto a branch, and thus be discovered by me. And the distance of the branch from the ground was far too low, at the perfect height for someone to drape a cloth over it. Whoever left the spare cloth wanted to be found by me. They wanted me to see it. And they were probably nearby, waiting for it to come to my attention me and to gauge my reaction. I clenched the cloth tightly into my palm and whipped around in a full 360 degrees turn.

"Come out," I snarled. "I know you're here. Show yourself!"

The shuffle of feet behind my back alerted me. I turned on my heels abruptly, to hit the incoming intruder, when my fist was caught within a rough palm. I flinched, jerking up to see the face of the intruder. Instead, a cold and angelic face came into my peripheral sight. Blond hair tickled my cheeks and I blinked away my surprise, reverting back into an expression of nonchalance. My face melted into a warm smile, and I released my previously clenched fist to collect some of her hair and lifted it to my face.

"Caroline. What are you doing here?" I inquired in a tone dripping with honey. Perhaps, did I come off as too excited? Caroline's beautiful face contorted.

"Who was the miss looking for?" Caroline responded to my question with another question. Her abrasive tone from yesterday morning made its faithful return.

I kept on smiling. "I was looking for you." I let go of her hair and inserted some distance between us.

Caroline's arms hung in the air awkwardly. I beamed at her. If she acted ungrateful for my courting, then I should try another tactic. I had to show her that even without her presence, I'd be able to live well. Perhaps, it had got to her head that she could treat me as such only because I tolerated her behavior. Even in my past life, I disliked it when people treated me as though they were merely tolerating my presence. I was tired of being reminded that I was just another asset that was easily replaceable.

Besides, didn't people love the push-and-pull effect? I had no intentions of dating Caroline, but if I could apply the same theory to friendship, wouldn't Caroline become mine in no time?

I tilted my head down and coincidentally perceived tiny scars on her stark white hand. The originally pale skin looked as though it had been tainted by dirt. Seeing it so scratched up caused a dull ache in my heart. I let go of all my reservations and immediately latched onto her hands, raising them up.

"Your pretty hands," I cooed, looking up to see an expression of struggle flash on Caroline's face. I softened my voice furthermore to sound concerned, and reliable. "Oh, dear. What happened to your pretty hands?"

"My Lady—!" Her voice rose in pitch. If I wasn't clutching onto her hands so tightly, I was certain she would've yanked them back. She attempted to retract her hands but it was to no avail, so she could only bite her bottom lip in silent defiance.

She stuttered out. "No.. nothing happened. No, I just accidentally dug my hands into thorny bushes."

It was an obviously clumsy attempt to lie. The garden here was trimmed to be neat and presentable by gardeners every day in case the Baron needed to invite any of his guests on a whim.

I lifted my hand and cupped her cheek. The tips of my eyebrows were uplifted to highlight my solemness. My thumb ghosted over the unblemished skin.

"I don't like being lied straight to my face," I whispered, determined. "Tell me. Who is it that's bothering you? I shall reprimand them at once."

Caroline's teeth dig deeper into her lower lip, harsh enough to draw blood, but before that could occur, I pressed my thumb onto her lips as of reminding her. Her teeth released her lip. Her light eyebrows were drawn together as if contemplating whether she should tell me or not. I waited patiently with such a kind expression that it could rival Buddha's.

"My Lady, it's really nothing..."

"If you don't tell me, I'll round up all the servants to find out the instigator," I pressed on. "Caroline, I know that I don't have that much power or say in this house, but I want to help you. You are my person after all. If there's anything or anyone that's been targeting you, please tell me."

Since she was taking too long, I decided to speed up the process—by bringing up my sob story that could both garner pity, and highlight the sincerity of a piteous yet fragile lady that would go to great lengths for a friend. I wasn't usually this shameless, but after the events that had transpired in the morning, I seemed to have lost face entirely.

"My Lady.." Her fair hand overlapped my own bony ones. A touch so tender and flitting it felt more like a hallucination. Her fingers laced within mine like an overly simplistic knot. Her golden eyes peered straight into mine as if stripping away all the pretenses I was putting up. She continued slowly. "I'd rather not tell you anything if it'll put the both of us in an awkward position. Please understand me, my Lady. I don't wish to hide behind you like a spoilt child."

There was an unwavering timbre in her tone that convinced me that Caroline would never reveal the name of the instigator. I found understand from her perspective, though. Listing help from someone meant an immense amount of trust, to put yourself in a place of vulnerability. It was certain that Caroline and I were still very much distant, no matter how close we acted. It was like playing poker, constantly on edge for the next card the opponent would pull. If anything, I was deluding myself, thinking that Caroline and I had grown much closer.

Her dismissive attitude slapped my arrogance down to the ground. A crooked smile crept onto my face. Just because I was mentally older, I had underestimated the mentality and intelligence of a 17-year-old protagonist.

"I see," I no longer maintained that cheek-aching smile. I loosened my hand from her cheek when her hand latched onto my wrist with a vice-like grip that I imagined she'd dislocate it right from my arm. I whispered in a half-heartedly angry state. "I don't understand why you're grabbing me as you please, Caroline."

"I'll..." Caroline started, swallowing down a lump of spit. "I'll endure it for the sake of my Lady. Please don't do anything rash. I don't want my Lady to suffer in my stead."

I pursed my lips, narrowing down at her fingers which tightened around my wrist furthermore. I suddenly sighed. "I heed your concerns, Caroline, but this isn't just about you anymore. It's internal warfare now."

I lied straight through my teeth. I knew that my opinion held no value in this household, that I was barely surviving by flaunting off my non-existent status, hoping that it'd intimidate them--just like how I did with Liliana, but now, I was confident that Liliana had either seen through my ploys or was that naturally air-headed. I could only hope Caroline would be fooled for now, because I intended to convert everything into a problem regarding her.

"You've only known me for two days. You don't know how vicious I can be," I chuckled. However, Caroline's grave expression remained consistent. "Don't worry about me. Worry about yourself first. You're in a much more precarious position than I am. If all things go south, I can cling onto my identity as Baron Poloro's only daughter... but, what how about you? What do you have?"

"I'm not dumb, my Lady," Caroline muttered. "You're going to confront the Baroness."

Her hands held my shoulders tightly. "Baroness Liliana... I can't help but feel uncomfortable around her. There's something in her gaze that doesn't sit right with me. I wish my Lady protects herself.. from unexpected dangers."

Caroline's words made it sound as though Liliana could've been a predator, though the latter wasn't confirmed, what I could definitely insist on was that Liliana would never set her claws on me. Why? Because I believed in her sexuality. If she was a straight woman as the novel described her to be, I had no worries. It'd be more believable if I were a man. I ruled it off as Caroline being overly paranoid.

"If I confront the Baroness, will you hate me for it?"

The suddenness of my question made Caroline falter, but she quickly regained back her senses and obediently shook her head from side to side to the point her blonde hair became a blur.

"I don't think the lowly me can ever hate you, my Lady. I'm sorry for being greedy. But, I advise you to reconsider."

That was the answer I needed; the sort of affirmation that Caroline wouldn't grow to dislike me. It didn't matter whether she was lying to my face.

I smiled. "I won't be punished, and Liliana can't harm me. I know that woman. She's a coward."

|•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•|

I stormed through the halls in search of Liliana's presence. The clicking of my high-heels aggressively resonated throughout the proximity, trailing behind me. With the help of a few servants here and there, I managed to finally arrive at my rendezvous—Liliana's shared bedroom with my father, though he had yet to appear here in a while. I rapped my knuckles against her door furiously, intentionally alerting her that it wasn't a maid, nor my father.

It would've been outlandish of me to appear at her doorstep when Feiya Poloro, the original one, was far too scared shitless to approach this very room. But, here I was, like a raging bull that had seen the color red.

A soft voice flowed out from behind the door. "Anna.. is that you?"

"Anna?" A snarl appeared on the edge of my voice. "Do you think I'm Anna? Open the door, mother. This filial daughter wishes to have a civil conversation with you."

"Feiya!" A gasp of acknowledgement, whether good or bad, I couldn't tell.

After a few seconds, the door was unlocked with an obnoxious 'ker-gunk' and pulled open, revealing Liliana's curvaceous and eye-catching figure standing in the hallway. Her ebony hair fell over the left side of her face, but I could catch the look of surprise on her face. There was yet to be hostility. I could only sense good, ol' shock. True. She wouldn't have expected her daughter-in-law to show up without any notice which was common courtesy in nobility, but she herself didn't care too much about etiquette.

"What are you doing here?" She spoke haughtily, but squirmed under my scrutinizing gaze. It was almost comical how wary of me she had became after my boldness from yesterday. Like a dog that had been drenched in rainwater, she pursed her lips, trying her utmost best to come off as intimidating. Her height could factor in on it, but it was no use when I knew she was only putting up a pretense. She herself knew it as well.

"It was you," I stated. "I thought you'd be less obvious with your tricks now that I've woken up, but it turns out that you're the same old woman from yesterday morning. What?" I stepped in closer, slipping my hand in between her doors so that she had no way of closing it in my face. I grappled onto its wooden side and forced it open. Liliana gasped, flinching back. "Are you scared of me because I've changed? Is that why you're targeting Caroline now? You childish woman."

"Let's talk inside," Liliana narrowed her eyes, scanning around the vicinity to find whether anyone had been listening in on our 'civil' exchange. Her reminder caused me to revoke my anger momentarily. She was right. If I were to cause a scene, only she'd benefit from it. A little ashamed, I nodded my head vigorously and set foot into her room, purposefully pushing against her shoulder as I entered. Rather than hurting her, I felt more in pain. It seemed as though Feiya's body was even more fragile than I originally thought. How could such a woman survive under the hands of a bald-headed, old freak?

I swiftly took the seat opposite her on the red couch. "So, tell me. Why are you bullying Caroline? Why did you switch your targets from me to her? As far as I'm concerned, you loathe my existence."

This hadn't happened in the novel yet. Caroline wasn't supposed to be picked on by the other maids until a while later. I couldn't understand why the hostility was already directed towards her when the only thing she had ever done was to interact with me. I was curious, and perhaps, angry that Liliana was destroying my original plan of growing close to her. Our friendship was bound to happen as it did in the novel, but I'd have to be bolder if I want to decide my own ending.

"I may look.." Liliana bit her lower lip. Her fingers fisted her gown. She exhaled a steady breath, then only continued. "I may look dumb to you because of my background, but I am not foolish enough to pick fights with you. You've changed. A lot. You almost remind me of that hateful woman." She drew her eyebrows together. "Which is why I don't understand. You've changed so much, yet why are you caring for that measly girl?"

"Your job is to torment me, Liliana," I rose to my feet, then slammed one hand onto the table, leaning forward to latch onto her wrist. Liliana squirmed again, trying to shy away. I gripped onto her wrist even tighter with all the strength that this body had. I spat out venomously. "You shouldn't touch the people I hold dear for. I don't care what you do to me. You can make me hit my head and lose all my memories again, but it doesn't bother me. In my eyes, you are a foolish woman. But, you dare.. you with your nasty claws, set your hands on what's mine. I'm obviously not happy."

"She's yours? So are the rumors of you liking women true? You're possessed," Liliana snarled in my face. "You're a demon, Feiya Poloro! Only the lord and savior can save you now. So, you better pray—pray that you don't rot in hell when you go there—"

"For your information, I am a Buddhist," I released her wrist then suddenly tugged at the back of her head, burying my fingers deep within her scalp and entangling within the long strands. Liliana opened her mouth, crying out as I yanked it back, making her chin face me. I hovered above her, casting a shadow open her poisonous beauty. Her widened eyes scanned my face.

I cracked a pure smile while the tips of my eyebrows curved up sardonically as if mocking her pain. "God didn't teach me to use violence as a solution, but I grew up using both of my fists to power through everything. You know why? It's because of people like you. Stupid, poisonous dumb little things. You think just because I'm letting you walk all over me that I accept your ridiculous behavior? Liliana. This is a warning. Do not touch my possessions with your dirty claws, or else I'll personally rid of them myself."

Her tar-like, bleak eyes reflected genuine fear, but she mustered up with a cracked and hoarse voice, so desperate to put on a facade of courageousness as though that'd save her from going bald. "Don.. Don't make me laugh! You can.. barely win against your father! No one in this.. household's on your s.. side!"

She was right. I was still in the body of Feiya Poloro. I had to be careful, but I especially didn't appreciate her pointing that out.

"I'm only tolerating you noisy things because I have to. I'll continue to be a noble, weak and the perfect daughter, while you.." I patted her cheek using my unoccupied hand. "You play your role well as a perfect mother. We'll play this house of cards until it crumbles. Let this be a warning. If you dare tell father back, you'd have to face the consequences."

I retracted back my hand to my side, hopping back to add distance to ourselves. I lifted my skirt and curtsied towards her as a filial daughter would. When I lifted my head, I saw Liliana's shoulders tremble as she met my gaze. She held onto her cheek—the place where I touched—as though it'd save her. She was so pitiful. So pitiful and pretty, but her insides as heinous as a wormy apple. I had no sympathy for a woman like her. As I turned my back on her and headed for the doors, her voice screamed behind me.

"There's nothing you can do here, Feiya. You're a canary trapped in a cage until your father decides to marry you off to someone else! You'll never become the heir."

"Who said I wanted to become a heir and stay under the same roof as the likes of you? Just another second of being in the same room as you makes me want to vomit. A heir is no good," I murmured, opening the door and slamming it shut behind me as I walked away, hearing Liliana's screams and thuds and crashes become no more than a distant scene.