- 5 -

My father's aide led me right down an empty hallway devoid of any pictures nor furniture. I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland wandering down a rabbit's hole with no clear rendezvous.

Suddenly, the middle-aged man stopped in front of a certain door. I could already sense a dark aura emanating from it. And I huffed to myself.

I waited for the doors to be swung open, but after a few seconds had passed, the entrance hadn't budged once. I looked towards the aide for an answer. My stinging words were already on the tip of my tongue but before I could make a single sound, the aide intercepted.

"Will you be okay, my Lady?" The man's rugged face showed a hint of struggle.

I wrung my eyebrows, a gobsmacked smile hanging on my face. "Well, the Baron is not an executioner, is he? Curb your worrying. I will be fine."

It was ironic how even Feiya's father's closest employee could care so much more for her than her own fucking blood-related parent, and I wasn't even talking about an adopted one. Still, I felt as though the man's concerns were of no importance to me, especially since he worked with my father. I could never trust that a sane gentleman would bear to breathe the same oxygen that my father did, for fear they'd turn out to be a piece of flaming garbage like him.

Whew, at least I could cuss him out inwardly like this. To another happy day of not having your mind read.

The aide, at my sharp response, meekly bowed his head and pulled the door's handle, allowing me to set foot into the room. It was just about what you'd expect. An array of bookshelves filled with dusty books he hadn't once touched. Large window panes and the sunlight pouring in through them silhouetted the chair that my father was currently seated on. There was a small desk situated in front of him; on it were stacks of papers and scattered sheets. An opened ink bottle and a quill dipped into it occasionally.

My father was scratching away on a document and didn't look up to accommodate me even after hearing the door slam shut. I approached one of the beige-colored couches and flopped onto it. The texture was more hard than soft and my butt-cheeks ached.

Normally, you'd see affectionate fathers place framed pictures of their wives and children on their desk where they worked, but you could see none of that on my father's table. It was just a piece of plain, boring wood, only used to support the multitude of papers on it.

I waited for him to speak, but it seemed so that he had no inclination. I fisted my dress with both of my hands. What a petty man.

Having heard enough of the suffocating silence, I went straight to the point. "Compensate the family."

"You didn't even bother to add please," my father snorted. He finally stopped writing and dropped his quill pen onto the desk. He picked a pair of square glasses off his nose-bridge and also set it down, subsequently lacing all of his fingers together and using them to support his chin.

I bit my lower lip. "I admit that it was due to my negligence. But, you should understand I've never asked you for anything until now. Will you compensate Edward's family."

It was not a question. No, no. It was a statement. I stated for Baron Poloro to reimburse the fallen knight's family because I supposed that was the least I could do for him. He probably became a knight to support his family, but now that he was gone, he should know that the Poloro family would still support them.

"Before you barge into my office and telling me to compensate the knight's family, shall I remind you of the damage you costed me?" The Baron's gaze towards me was haughty. "My reputation, my money, my business, and also your livelihood. Who do you think is so gracious enough to continue to feed the ungrateful you? I'm warning you, my sweet daughter, that you made a grave mistake."

"A man's death...!" I shot up from my seat, chest heaving up and down hastily in restrained anger. "A man's death is of lesser importance than your pride, your reputation, and your money?"

"Sit down right now, Feiya Poloro! This is more than I can tolerate!" Baron Poloro slammed both of his hands onto the table.

"I'm not sitting down you goddamn prick."

After viewing my pursed lips and determined expression, Baron Poloro suddenly sighed. He rubbed his hand all over his face, then lowered his voice in case someone outside the door should hear the explosive exchange between a father and a daughter which was perfectly fine, but according to etiquette, nobles weren't humans. Of course, I was joking.

"You would've done the same if you were in my shoes. It's either them or me. Of course, if I were being logical, I'd choose myself. Are you that naive to think I'd give a fuck about who dies or who doesn't that are working under me? Grow up, Feiya Poloro. I don't have time to ponder on such sentiments."

Well, that certainly shut me up. He was right. I wasn't a person who had sufficient advantages or was even in a remotely appropriate position to pity someone. According to myself, I was the most piteous here. But, the most infuriating part was that it came from someone who'd sell his daughter in the near future. I wanted to refute the bastard's words and make him eat them, but when it all boiled down to one thing, I couldn't respond back because I knew it would've been a lie.

It was like I was had been doused by a bucket of cold water. I steadied my labored breathing and simply sat back down on the couch. I whispered through gritted teeth. "Even if I think the same, I wouldn't excuse myself for thinking as such."

I raised my chin and glowered at him. "I know being cruel comes with being realistic. So what if I'm a bad person? I accept it, I know it, and I denounce myself for it, unlike someone whose head is stuck so far up their ass that they refuse to admit that they're bad. Now, I don't intend to be lectured by you, Baron Poloro. I came with a clear favor and I asked of you to compensate Edward's family."

Baron Poloro hid his mouth behind his hand, looking unusually thoughtful. I persevered without breaking my eye contact with him once. After what felt like an eternity, he removed his hand from his face and said, "Fine."

Just one word made relief wash over me like diving into shallow waves, letting the sea pat your hair and weave through. The tension from my muscles evaporated unconsciously. I exhaled a sharp breath, then rose to my feet. Without greeting him a farewell, I intended to leave, but his cold, mocking voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Oh, and don't forget to change your dress. It's quite unseemingly for a daughter to walk around looking like a beggar."

'Fucker, you are the beggar in this scenario,' I smiled and whipped around to face him, only to show the Baron my middle finger which was as straight as a chopstick. The Baron stared on in bewilderment and I exited the room, shutting it with enough force so that the Baron would understand how thorough his advice got to me.

Once I reached outside, I noticed that a feminine figure was waiting right by the door. Ebony locks, tanned skin, and beautiful, bright red lips were currently being bitten on anxiously. I recognized this to be Liliana, whom I was so grateful to God for not making her appear in my sight for half the day.

Devoid of any facial expressions, I turned my back on her and attempted to move away when a hand riveted me to the spot. I whipped back, ready to spew venomous words, but Liliana's next words took me by surprise.

"I..." She began, her voice hoarse. "I thought you were in trouble."

I quirked up an eyebrow and wrenched my arm away from her thorny grasp and patted at myself as though her touch were like cow shit that I needed to rid of at all cost. "Why?" I smiled. "Are you joyful that I found myself butting heads with my father? Afraid that you'd lose the little of the favor that you have? Well, Liliana.."

I leaned in, grabbing her delicate jaw. "My father brought in a new woman today. I have a feeling he's going to forget all about you. It seems to me that he's already enamored with her."

At my constant jabbing, tears gradually filled her charcoal eyes, forming a thin glaze that was barely noticeable but when you did, it was all the more obvious. The rims of her eyes were dyed a bright red which contrasted against her dark skin tone. It was quite a comical sight. Her cheeks were smushed by my fingers that she resembled a pufferfish and had trails of make-up sliding down her cheeks.

She whispered, too choked up to sound coherent. "I.. I don't know what to do anymore. I thought that after seducing him, my life would've been set. But, he doesn't even look at me one bit. Never pays attention to me. Now I heard that he brought another woman back. What am I supposed to do? No matter how hard I try, all my efforts are for naught."

"Liliana," I spoke, my voice as tender as when I had shoved her onto the floor prior to this morning. "Are you seriously asking me this?"

I snaked my hand beneath the underside of her arm, sliding it up and down in a mocking imitation of soothing someone while being ingenuine. "Has an unsatisfactory marriage left you to lose your marbles? I pity you, Liliana."

I cooed, cupping both of her cheeks with my palms. The texture of her caked make-up and her tears created a sticky sensation that made me want to remove my hands immediately. But, when I tried to do so, her hands suddenly overlapped over mine, keeping them locked in place. To outsiders, we would have looked eerily intimate, but since sapphic relationships were a wet dream and not a reality for the people back in the olden times, it seemed that only I was hyperaware of the fact that Liliana was willingly acting so brazen and not to mention, in broad daylight.

Besides, she was so much taller than me and the angle made it difficult for me to shake my hands out of her grasp.

"Let me go, Liliana," I hissed.

She rubbed her face even deeper into my hands as if imagining those were my father's. She was supposed to act like a horrible stepmother. Did the author accidentally change her character settings mid-way through writing? How come she was acting so bizarre? She was acting so outlandishly intimate with me and I knew friends could act as such, but really. Were Liliana and I close enough to act lovey-dovey with each other? I didn't think so.

Seriously, I was about to hit this woman.

"Don't substitute me for my father. We don't even look alike."

"I know," she whispered. "But, just this once, can you.. hold me?"

"Fucking crazy..! You, let go of me right now!" I tried to pull my hands away, but this woman didn't intend to let me off. Her grip grew even stronger all the more. And since Feiya's body was as weak as a twig, especially during winter, the more I struggled, the more tired and debilitated I became. To the point I felt like I was going to collapse from sheer exhaustion. Damnit. I also noticed how easily tired this body could get during the short trip in which we had run for our lives from a beast.

Liliana could give John Cena a run for his money.

"My Lady!" A newcomer's voice rang out of the blue, causing my violent tussle, though I admitted in shame, was one-sided to pause. Both Liliana and I turned in the direction of the voice and I noticed fluffy, blonde hair running straight for us. It was Caroline, and she seemed to have been holding a pair of familiar glass shoes in her hands. My eyes widened in shock belatedly as I realized whom those heels belonged to. It was mine. Those were the heels that I had lost during the chase.

Caroline lurched forward and purposefully injected herself between Liliana and me, allowing me to swiftly retract my hands which were now gingerly clambering onto Caroline's ragged dress.

I felt Caroline's muscles shudder beneath my fingers, trying so hard to collect air back into her lungs. Oddly, I felt I could do anything when she raised both of her hands in the air, caving in on my figure like a protective guardian angel. And an angel she was, for no matter how I looked and in whatever angle, Caroline was the brightest.

"What the hell are you doing, servant?" Liliana snarled.

No matter how advanced in height Caroline was, Liliana was a full-grown adult and she towered over Caroline and me threateningly. While I stayed behind Caroline's back, she bore the brunt of most of Liliana's glares. I felt a little pathetic having to hide behind a teenager, but I was curious. I was interested in Caroline's next course of action. To see whether she'd make an enemy out of the current Baroness who was also her employer to protect me, or leave me be and pretend all of this was a nasty joke.

Time to test how far you were willing to go for me.

"I saw someone harassing my Lady so I stepped up to stop it," Caroline replied, her voice too calm to determine whether she was intimidated by Liliana.

"Ah, a white knight you are, huh?" Liliana sneered. Her charcoal eyes flickered behind Caroline's back as if searching for my gaze and I didn't try to avoid it. I narrowed my eyes once our gazes clashed. Unable to discern the waver or a flash of emotion within me, Liliana tore her eyes away, returning her focus back onto Caroline whom she looked at was like looking at a limping dog on the streets.

She continued to jeer, lifting a hand up to sweep the luscious black curls behind her back. She lowered her head, her gaze wanting to grind Caroline to pieces of soot. She leaned in furthermore to spite Caroline, causing the blonde to backtrack. She nearly stumbled, but I held her upright, snaking an arm around Caroline's waist, I glowered at the ebony-haired woman.

"Mother, stop it."

This time, my formal address of Liliana made the woman herself stop halfway.

"A mother..." She trailed off, her face contorting at the title. The expression plastered on her charming face was difficult to infer, but I liked to think that she was regretting ever making a move on who was supposed to be her stepdaughter. Not to mention, Feiya was still seventeen.

Of course, the concept of a legal age didn't apply to the people back in aristocratic times. I had read of brides as young as thirteen. It was a wonder Feiya hadn't been married off until now, but I was gracious to the author for maintaining their morals even whilst writing about the most fucked up era humanity had ever seen.

It was kudos to them that the body I had transmigrated into wasn't a young bride, though eighteen was still too early to engage in marriage, it was at least mildly acceptable for me with my own personal morals and ethics.

"She was saying no," Caroline's voice started out diminutive but the more she spoke, the louder she became. "She asked you to let her go two times. But, not once did you oblige. You as a mother. How could you act this way towards the child you're supposed to nurture!? You're acting inappropriately, madam!"

"What, I can't even touch my stepdaughter because the lowly likes of you think that it's inappropriate? Maybe it's you that's painting us in such a sinful light I could even sue you and your pathetic mother for slander. You could go to court. What do you know, blonde bitch? Speak. Speak!"

"Shut up, Liliana. You don't want to let father hear such disgraceful words come out of the Baroness's mouth, do you? It'll certainly affect the reputation that he cares for so much more than your well-being," I reminded lowly and latched onto Caroline's arm with the intent of pulling her away before they lunged to tear each other's faces and Caroline, instead of avenging her family, would rot away in prison due to scratching a Baroness's face. A crime, not even the lowest criminals wanted to be jailed for.

"Feiya.. you!" Her face flushed a deep, dark, and murky red.

I didn't have anything more to say to her, so I tugged at Caroline's arm and dragged her in the opposite direction. She stumbled over the first few steps but regained her footing. Just as our footsteps echoed amongst the plain passage, I heard Liliana's disoriented voice chase our shadows.

"Feiya Poloro, don't you dare walk away from me!"

It was similar to a banshee screaming in the middle of the night. Caroline's body flinched visibly behind me upon the piercing pandemonium. I smiled dotingly and lifted my fingers to caress the outer shell of her ear. The flinch turned into a shiver. Her golden eyes searched for mine, and upon meeting, she immediately averted her face towards the front. I supposed it was fine for Caroline to act 'weak' now. But, she'd have to become stronger, physically and mentally, if she were to become the key to my survival. I could only protect her from the shadows for now.

When I felt as though we were far away from prying eyes, I pulled Caroline into a corner, deeply pleased with her display of loyalty. And to think that all it took to gain her trust was to survive a near-death experience with her. I supposed death could really bring two people closer than ever.

Caroline lowered her head. "I'm sorry, my Lady."

This angle made it unable for me to view her expression fully. Frowning, I grasped her chin between my thumb and index finger and tipped it up. Blazing golden eyes peered past blonde bangs, resembling a fire that engulfed kingdoms whole, met mine, which I presumed weren't as intimidating as hers. Her front hair cast a shadow over her eyebrows.

I drank in the exotic features of her face which were too sharp to be my ideal type, then spoke gently. "What exactly are you sorry for? For pissing Liliana off, or for returning back to the forest to fetch my shoes?"

Her white face flushed. "If.. If you're angry about either, then I'm sorry."

"Goodness, I'm not mad at you for either of them. You found my favorite pair. Thank you, Caroline," the corners of my lips gradually upturned into an imperceptible arc that could be barely called a smile. I gazed down at my bare feet, then at the glass shoes, which I should mention, were a close call to Cinderella's.

"Shall I help you put them on?" Caroline prompted, following my gaze. She elongated her eyes, inclined to retrieve the shoes from my hands, but I shifted to the other side, avoiding her. Caroline's hands stuttered mid-air awkwardly. I coughed, mustering a smile to shrug off the sudden silence.

"I'm fine," I emphasized. I didn't know why I did that. But, as a modern woman, I was unfamiliar with the custom of everyone helping you with every single thing starting from brushing your hair, to washing you, to dress you up, and now this. It seemed as though Caroline saw my gesture as a rejection. So, she stepped down, humbly bowing her head.

I opened my mouth to clear the misunderstanding, reaching out for Caroline's arm. "Caroline, it's not--"

That was when I saw a mysterious figure flit by the windows. I blinked my eyes profusely, trying to decipher whether it was a trick of the light. But, there was no black-figure anymore. Like it was a mere fragment of my imagination. I didn't like to be played for a fool. Then, I remembered that I was still holding onto Caroline's blouse. I met her eyes again, but this time, she was the one to break it off again.

"I understand, my Lady," her voice gained a brittle edge, reverting back to the tone she had used when we first met each other. Where there used to be an expression as though she wanted to lay everything bare for me was now replaced with a neutral mien. Seeing her put such brick walls up again made me realize how a single misstep could lead to the downfall of what my past efforts had accumulated to. I felt indignant. I felt regretful.

Different types of emotions rushed to seize my throat and I was unable to make a single sound as Caroline's fingers overlapped over mine, then broke them away from her sleeve.

She turned her back on me and started to walk away. Each step was as slow as the beat of my heart ringing in my ears. When her back became no more than a dot in my sight, I sighed and pressed my back against the beige wall. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. I peered down at the heels in my head and was inclined to throw them at Caroline's head. If I had known she'd be so sensitive, I would've let her touch my feet and help me put on all the shoes in Feiya's collection.

Fuck.

What a fucking sunfish.

And just what the hell did I see behind Caroline through the windows?