CHAPTER 016: Show Time

"Ah?" Yanarym's lips curled into a grin. She knew she had a dominating air around her, and it was fun teasing the maid; it was cute.

The redness on the maid's face spread to her ears and neck, she was like a red tomato.

"A-al-li. It is Ali, Your H-Highness."

"Ali." Yanarym retrieved her hand from the maid's chin, and the woman immediately looked down as if she were too scared to make another eye contact with the princess.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Is that your full name? Just Ali? Are you a slave? Do slaves work in the kingdom now?" Yanarym stood up and swerved her body. She returned to the window.

She leaned on the frame of the window and pushed her butt to sit on it. She crossed her legs and casually rested her chin on her palm as her elbow was placed on her thigh.

"N-no, Your Highness. Lowly sub-humans could not work directly for the royalties. I was a maid of honor of Queen Eriela and am now assigned to become your maid. My name is Aliah Jersen Hulwaryt, daughter of Hulwaryt Baron and Baroness. It is a great honor for me to dedicate my life to you!"

'Aliah looked too young to get killed, how cruel for the Queen to send an innocent young lady to death?' Yanarym asserted.

Why did Eriela send her a noble lady? Did the household of Hulwaryt hold grudges against Original's parents? Or did that household offend Eriela? If so, then, that would give a motive for this young Aliah to be executed. But with what Eriela planned, Yanarym did not think they would even investigate that much if this poor woman were already caught red-handed.

She was just unfortunate to be picked by the Queen to become a scapegoat for her daughters.

Yanarym applauded Eriela for her foolproof backup plan like this.

It was impressive but…

'Luck has been on Ali's side. I am not dead; she will not become a sacrificial lamb. And Eriela's backup is not really needed. If anything, it will cause Eriela damage.'

The heavy marching footsteps approaching Yanarym's quarters could be heard. The sound of soldiers' armor clashing. From afar the voices calling her were panic-stricken and frantic; she could distinguish some of them belonged to her aunt and cousins...

"Your Highness!"

"Princess Yanarym! Princess Yanarym!"

'It's showtime.' Yanarym grinned. 'This should be fun.'

"Princess!" Queen Eriela's voice quivered in the deserted hallway. Yanarym swayed her feet that were elevated from the ground as wait for the arrival of her co-stars in this incoming play.

"Prin… cess… "

The erratic shouting of the Queen toned down as soon as she blasted the door of the chamber room. Soon enough, everyone halted their movements with the frozen Queen at the entrance of Princess Yanarym's boudoir.

"Y-you're alive?" Due to the temporary silence conquering them, Princess Liezel's question was heard by everyone.

Queen Eriela gazed directly at Princess Yanarym.

'What is happening?' Queen Eriela wondered.

Yanarym keenly scrutinized Queen Eriela's behavior and response. She saw that Eriela was eyeing the poisonous incense that was already burnt out.

'She must be wondering how I am alive right now,' Yanarym thought.

Guide-sama: "Is that so surprising? Did Queen Eriela not consider that her daughters could not see correctly that you died and misreported the situation?"

'Why are you asking me? You're the one who could read minds.'

Guide-sama: "I could read the thoughts of the main characters of the worlds; however, Queen Eriela and the others who were in this room do not belong in the category of being the central character of the story."

'So, you are clueless about what is going on in their minds? You can't read their minds because they side characters?'

Guide-sama: "I am not totally clueless. I just found out that Queen Eriela is thinking that it is absurd for you to be alive and well."

'Okay,' Yanarym replied to Guide-sama.

Guide-sama: "You keep on telling me that she is a smart woman and even her schemes were almost perfect; that she could see the pattern in everything. However, how could she not consider that Princess Jasmine could be mistaken in reporting that you died? Especially since she would always call the second Princess useless, imbecile, and stupid."

'Eriela did not mean those insults because, among anyone else, she knew how clever Jasmine is. She trusts Jasmine's insight. Keeping that in mind, she is well aware that her eldest would not create such an error.'

Guide-sama: "What about the moments she reprimanded Princess Jasmine?"

'That is meant for Liezel.'

Guide-sama: "For Liezel? What is that supposed to mean?"

'I'll explain that matter later but to answer your initial question, Eriela knew Jasmine would not make such a blunder.'

Guide-sama: "I understand. However, Princess Jasmine is just a human too. The situation earlier was chaotic, she was scared when she saw you lifeless. She had no time to double-check your condition. Moreover, it was her first murder. Did Queen Eriela not take those scenarios into account?"

'Hmm, maybe she did, I don't really know. As I said, I don't read minds. My perception regarding this is Jasmine is just simply so amazing.'

Guide-sama: "I don't understand."

'Just watch the show, I can't explain it either.'

"I-I ...I mean, Yanarym we thought you are very sick, and someone was trying to harm you!" Princess Liezel immediately rephrased her statement along with the worried tone, her acting skills were on roll.

Yanarym as an actress herself could give Liezel a big thumbs up, or even a round of applause.

Liezel was a very angelic-looking woman, and her stature was feeble. With her acting skills, it was an impermeable defense to get herself pardoned for most of her crimes.

Yanarym suddenly thought of all the times Liezel behaved like a mad woman in her room, that kind of Liezel, and this kind of Liezel was so different.

Queen Eriela regained her composure, she quickly glimpsed at her daughters and shifted her attention to Princess Yanarym.

"I… heard the terrible news, we thought you were in danger, my child!" Queen Eriela teared up to vouch for Princess Liezel's assertion, "Did anything bad happen to you? Are you hurt?"

Yanarym did not reply.

Eriela was a veteran in acting as well. She was the smarter and older version of Liezel, but Eriela did not look like she was aging at all. They looked like sisters side by side.

'This is entertaining. Very interesting.' Yanarym thought.