We're inside an Otome?

"Who was the first Emperor to unite the Azean Empire just for it to collapse after his death?"

"I-its… "

"..."

"Tsk tsk tsk! Young lady…"

The tutor held the whip and intimidatingly started tapping her empty palm with it.

"I'm pretty sure I've told you already…"

She started walking closer to Ophelia, who is now scared and trembling, her eyes are visibly shaking as fear is eating her mentally.

"It's! It's!"

She tried to rack her brain but she couldn't anymore. As the tutor was in front of her.

"Stand up on the stool"

With fear running on Ophelia's head she obeyed then went to the stool, standing up and exposing her calves, which were riddled with scars.

—whip!

A hit on her calves made her stiff, but that didn't matter as Ophelia's life would change at this point.

"What are you doing?!"

As the door slammed open Ophelia's eyes widened as her mother, whose Pink hair was like hers.

"Oh my madam, I'm only but educating your child"

"Why does she have all those scars then?"

"It's a necessary process."

The tutor's voice is filled with Hostility, Penelope on the other hand has her brows are raised due to the Tutor's audacity.

"This day forwards, you are no longer supported by the house of Marquis"

With a mocking smile, the tutor retorted.

"Oh but madam, the Marquis is the only one who's allowed to do that"

Penelope then with a half-hearted smile raised her hand with a piece of paper, it was a letter from the Marquis telling that her husband had given her full authority over the house.

The tutor looking at this couldn't retort back, but then it got worse when a knight, who had his armour off came with his breath rugged.

"M-madam! Huff... She… She's the perpetrator!"

He pointed at the Tutor with a whip. Penelope who is displaying full animosity against the tutor looked at the tutor with disdain.

"Take her out, and ban her from entering the Marquisate ever again"

"What!? You can't do this, I'm the greatest tutor you'll ever have! I taught higher nobles how dare you to shame me this way!"

The Knight and other servants took care of the tutor as they dragged her out. Penelope looked at her daughter, Ophelia and ran up to her child hugging her tight.

"My baby, I'm so sorry… "

"Ma...Ma?... "

Her tears started flowing like a broken dam, she started wailing loud, her silence was broken and now was letting out.

But thanks to her experience, she'll never open up again except to her mother.

Even months later Penelope saw the damage the tutor had given to her child.

"This looks bad! Give me a better dress!"

She would complain loudly and when Ophelia sees a bad expression on someone else's face she would look satisfied.

Penelope thought to herself that this is not good, she was handling everything in the House, after all the rising tensions in the borders required her husband to be stationed there.

"Ophelia… "

"Yes, Ma?"

The childish Ophelia would only open up to her mother, in Ophelia's eyes her mother was her only saviour. After all, the servants didn't even try to stop the tutor, but her mother did.

"How do I…"

Then Penelope remembered the Dark-haired child, since Ophelia was young and the dark-haired child looks the same age, she might as well put her bet on that child.

After all, he was her saviour, might as well reward the child and give him a home and a friend.

Then Penelope learned the child has severe trust issues as well, as she brought home the dark-haired child he would avoid the servants he didn't know but would ask things and then act like a stranger again.

Her problem just got doubled if she thought about it. But wounds don't heal in a single day, especially if it's not tangible.

"Sammy… come here"

In the end, to bring the two together, Penelope thought that uniting the two children together with her as a catalyst would be a good idea.

Then on Penelope's birthday, which was near before she even took Samuel, she executed her plan.

***

{I knew it! I knew it! No wonder she's so familiar!}

"..."

{We're inside an Otome game, Sammy! An Otome game!}

I have no idea what an Otome game is, nonetheless, I kept doing what I have kept doing. As Penelope has asked me after bringing me here.

She asked me to be a Butler for her child, Ophelia. When I met the said person, Luna started squirming, Markus became quiet though.

She kept saying that we're inside an Otome game like a broken record and Ophelia was a Villainess, I got annoyed once because how come the oh-so kind Penelope gave birth to a villainess.

Then I saw how she abuses the servants, my opinion of her turned 180°. I don't want to get involved with her.

"Okay, Samuel that's how you display decorum, remember that how a servant acts is how they display one's house"

I nodded, I've been under the apprenticeship of the Head Butler of the marquisate.

I was focused on following his instructions, and properly applying what I've learned later.

"Also, Samuel."

I looked up at the wrinkled old face of the head Butler, his grey hair neatly shoved back and his moustache was nicely trimmed.

Tilting my head I wonder why he called me and he opened his mouth.

"The Madam's birthday is coming soon. So would you like to help?"

I nodded with excitement, Penelope is my benefactor so of course, I will. She saved my life so I'm willing to give her my best, she's also finding my little sister so I have to give my all.

"Okay, but for now. Samuel, you should rest"

As I walked out of the room, which was the salon, I saw Ophelia.

{Ah!! She's so cute! She looks better than the CG back then!!}

I bowed my head and walked off passing by Ophelia. I caught her staring at me though, with her fidgety hands.

{Aww c'mon Sammy! She's just a kid like you! Don't alienate her more!}

"..."

I stopped on my track and looked back at the figure of a child following me.

"Y-you!"

I tilted my head.

"W-what a-are you to ma?"

'her Ma?'

{Penelope}

'ah'

"I'm Samuel to her, why, my lady?"

"J-just don't s-steal my Ma! A-and were good!"

She is constantly trying not to offend nor sound weak, I wonder why? So I nodded at her words.

With crimson dyed cheeks, she then huffed away, running away somewhere. As she ran, her ankle long dress would prop up letting me see the scar marks on her calves.

{Ah! I forgot to tell you, Sammy… Ophelia's backstory… }

"..?"

Luna started telling me all about Ophelia, her backstory in this case. Penelope was never found, and the tutor who was envious of Penelope because she married the Marquis, started torturing Ophelia in the guise of "Education" making Ophelia one of the most twisted characters in the Otome game.

{Also, she thought that her father, who was at the border, didn't love her. Because all this time he was gone from her life. But in truth, the tutor took all the letters away from her. Even burned it.}

{And when the Marquis went home, he found her daughter, so twisted that he was left unable to do anything, especially when his daughter started pestering him about the Prince, who Ophelia liked.}

I nodded, right now I took a seat as Luna was explaining things. I think my opinion of the girl changed.

I guess I just have to try to get closer to her on Penelope's birthday.