《Cinderella and the Seven Dwarves》


 Prologue

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    Dainty footsteps across the ballroom treading lightly as if mimicking the sounds of their heartbeats; his velvety voice laced with confusion and astonishment vividly rang in her ears, halting their performance at the center of the crowd.


    "Who...are you?"


    His pupils trembled like earthquakes. His grip on her hand slightly tightened in hope and anticipation as he waited for the lady''s answer.


    She cast him a faint smile; the flicker of sadness in her eyes was evident. It was an expression he was all too familiar with. She opened her mouth and spoke, "I''ve heard whispers of the imperial palace''s garden, a place of magic and tranquility. It would be my deepest pleasure, my lord, to experience those rumored feelings it has to offer."


    Left speechless, he found himself unconsciously leading the mysterious lady to the garden, as if he was lulled to go there by a spell. But it was not something he cared for at the moment. All he wanted to do was find out if what his intuition was telling him was true.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Certainly a sight to behold," she breathed, her obsidian eyes gleaming as they swept across the lush green vines and bushes, dimly lit by the silver rays of the moon. "The rumors about its grandeur were false, for they couldn''t even do justice to its true magnificence."


    A light breeze blew past them, adding just the right element to enhance the mystical and curious atmosphere around, with a little whiff of romance.


    He didn''t know if it was her eyes reflecting the starry night sky above or if it was their natural glimmer, but regardless of that, he was mesmerized by them as if they were a pair of black holes reeling him in with this strange sense of familiarity that he couldn''t quite explain.


    Gulping in suspense and anticipation, he took a step forward and asked the same question before.


    "Who are you, my lady?... No. Let me rephrase that... Would you be so kind enough to tell me your name?"


    He extended a hand to which she stared hesitantly and replied,


    "I..."


    ¡¤?*????????*?????¡£? . to be continued .¡£? .?*?????????*?????

 Chapter 1

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    ISABEL''s POV


    It was yet another busy day.


    Everyone was going around the hallways doing their own chores; sweeping the floors, dusting picture frames, tending to the gardens; and there I was heading to the laundry area carrying a huge basket full of clothes.


    There, I saw Ella diligently doing the laundry all on her own under the gentle rays of the spring sun.


    "Ella! Sorry it took me too long to get here. Everyone dumped a lot of extra tasks on me along the way."


    A frown was on my face, still annoyed of those tasks I was forced to take on.


    "Let me help you with the laundry."


    I said and immediately began separating the white and colored clothes.


    "Thank you for always helping me, Isa. Even though this is supposed to be my job."


    Ella replied with an apologetic look while scrubbing the heavy and thick fabrics in her small thin hands.


    I looked at her with pity and sadness when I noticed the abrasions on her hands. She had been washing clothes since 5 o''clock in the morning and there were still so many left that needed to be washed.


    She couldn''t finish these all alone. It''s because those lazy maids that were supposed to do the laundry with her left her here to slack off!


    "Don''t be sorry, Ella. I''m just glad I could help. In fact, you should rest for now and I''ll finish the laundry. Just look at your hands! It must hurt a lot yet you keep scrubbing those thick clothes by yourself."


    With a worried look, I urged her to stop washing the clothes.


    "But Isa, I-"


    "It''s alright. If you perhaps feel bad about me taking over the laundry, just rest for a bit and do some other chores - easier ones that don''t require you to wet your hands - like sweeping the ground. If you wet your hands, your abrasions will hurt again and they won''t heal."


    I smiled warmly at her.


    "O-okay. I''m really grateful."


    Still feeling guilty and hesitant, she could not help but simply nod awkwardly.


    "Don''t mention it!"


    After finally listening to me, Ella quietly sat on the wooden barrels at one corner of the laundry area.


    I couldn''t help but notice how much skinnier she had gotten these days. Why was she so much thinner than me, even though we ate the same food every day?


    I glanced at her who was quietly staring at the leaves of the trees that danced with the wind.


    Deep sunken cheeks, dull-looking obsidian eyes that lost its shine, skin so pale and lathered with traces of mistreatment and groundless torture; it was tightly stretched taut to her bones, as if it would tear at any moment. Her pallid lips cracked every time she smiled, so she rarely did so. And her beautiful wavy locks the color of midnight sky were dry and tangled.


    Our poor young Miss Ella.


    I couldn''t help but feel sad when I looked at her.


    My mom and I had been serving the count''s family for more than a decade.


    One day, when I was merely a child, the count brought in a disheveled little girl a bit younger than me whose hair was black as ebony and skin so pale and fair like pure snow.


    Only a few of the trusted servants, including my mom, were informed about the girl''s identity as the count''s illegitimate child.


    She was placed under the head maid''s care and was treated like a servant.


    Rather, she was treated even less than that.


    The head maid and the other servants treated her mercilessly. There were some kindhearted ones who helped her, but they were soon subjected to the same form of mistreatment she received. So, those who were not involved with tormenting her just kept quiet and turned a blind eye, as if they knew nothing; lest they''d incur the hateful servants'' ire too.


    One of those people that stepped up and helped Ella were my mother and I. We tended to her wounds when she was injured from getting beaten, shared her our food, our thick blankets and clothes, our firewood, and medicine. We were always there by her side to comfort her when she couldn''t bear the pain any longer.


    Mother tried everything she could to report to the count about Ella''s mistreatments, but the former always shrugged her off and even used me as a threat to make my mother shut her mouth.


    Afraid that the count might harm me, mom stopped asking him for help about Ella''s situation.


    We were mere servants and we had neither power nor authority. Unfortunately, all we could do was help lessen Ella''s pain, but not put a stop to it altogether.


    Soon, mother and I eventually began facing horrible things too; all because we stood up for a hapless innocent child.


    But my mother did not stop protecting me and Ella from everyone who tormented us. She acted as our shield against all the malicious people that wanted to hurt us because of their black hearts. She was the one who hugged us tenderly as the others scratched and soiled her back.


    Until one day, I just turned 20 and Ella was merely 17, ''our'' mother caught an illness and passed away.


    When mother died, Ella and I no longer had someone to rely on and protect us. We were all by ourselves.


    As we had expected, our situation only became worse as time passed.


    But we were always there for each other. And I loved Ella as much as I loved my mother. She was the last family I had, so I did everything I could to protect her like what my mother did to protect us when she was alive.


    Despite all the difficult things we suffered, we managed to stay alive and fought against life until today.


    I just wish...


    "I hope we can get out of this hell."


    I threw my head to Ella who had been sitting quietly until now. She was staring blankly at the trees, unmoving and slightly shivering from the cold.


    In this chilly spring weather, all we could afford to wear were thin layers of ragged clothes we stitched into pieces from our childhood.


    "We will, Ella. I know we will."


    I assured her.


    After we were done with our chores, we were about to go to the forest to gather some herbs and berries to eat. We hadn''t eaten anything since yesterday afternoon.


    "Oh, perfect timing! You two mongrels go to the capital and fetch us these things."


    As soon as we were about to leave, the other maids ordered us to buy them some new stationeries and handed us a pouch of money. The count''s territory, though located near the capital city, was still about 10 kilometers away from there, and we had to go there on foot without anything in our stomachs.


    "...Okay."


    I answered while biting my lips to hold in my frustration.


    "Hah! Of course! You''re not allowed to say no, anyway."


    They laughed as they walked past us, even bumping Ella''s shoulder, to show how much they loved it when they made our lives miserable.


    I unconsciously clenched my fists because of my inability to fight them back.


    We had lived under these cruel circumstances for more than a decade and we had experienced countless times what would happen if we fought back. Things would just get worse on our end and Ella would receive even harsher treatments from others. So we had no choice...


    Not yet.


    Soon, we would absolutely find a way out of this hellhole.


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    On our way to the capital, we searched the nearby shrubs and trees for fruits or flowers we could hopefully eat during our walk. It wasn''t much but we managed to gather about a handful of berries. Of course, it was sadly not enough for us.


    For every meter we walked, our stomachs growled but we just laughed it off to alleviate our hunger.


    "Don''t worry, Isa. We will definitely sell a lot of gloves and handkerchiefs today, then we will buy a decent meal for dinner."


    Ella declared as positively as she could with a smile, but the weakness from starvation was evident in her voice.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    All I could do was hide my sadness as I smiled back.


    "Yes, we will! You worked really hard to make them so I''m sure many people will be amazed and buy from us."


    Ella had a praiseworthy talent for embroidery. She had made plenty of amazing pieces that showcased the intricate details and artistry of her designs. That''s why ever since mom died, she had been creating various pieces and I helped her sell them for cheap prices whenever we went to the capital. That was how we were able to make a living for ourselves outside the county.


    Soon enough, we reached the tall stone gate that led to the capital. After we presented our identity plaques to the guards, we finally entered and was welcomed by the bustling crowds of people.


    Once we entered, the sweet and fragrant scent of flowers wafted through the air and we were greeted by bouquets of them displayed on every stall across the road.


    "Wow... Look at all those beautiful flowers! Maybe it''s because the Flower Festival is near so there''s more people in the capital today."


    I exclaimed in awe.


    "That''s good, because that means we also have a lot of customers!"


    Ella added joyfully.


    I nodded at her with eager anticipation. Despite the weakness from starvation gradually gnawing at us, we merrily traversed the stony path.


    Without wasting a single second, Ella and I took out the handkerchiefs and gloves she embroidered and began doing our business.


    "Excuse me, would you perhaps be interested in an embroidered handkerchief?"


    "Finely embroidered gloves for 48 copper coins only! We have different designs perfect for the Flower Festival!"


    "We have roses, chrysanthemums, lilies, tulips..."


    "Can I take a look at the gloves?"


    "This handkerchief has fine embroidery."


    "Sorry, I just bought a new handkerchief yesterday..."


    "Oh, that''s pretty..."


    "I don''t need one."


    .


    .


    .


    .


    And so, an entire hour and a half passed.


    "Phew... That was exhausting. There are more people than I thought."


    Both of us slumped our back against the wall as we sat down on one vacant spot at the corner of an alley.


    Ella giggled softly as she looked at the pouch now filled with copper and silver coins.


    "Thanks to that, we earned more than we thought we would too. Hehe."


    With a warm loving smile on her pallid face, she lovingly caressed the pouch with her hands that were as thin as twigs.


    I couldn''t help but stare at her with pity and sadness in my eyes. She was originally a skinny girl when I first saw her when we were children, but she grew even thinner the more time we spent in that hellish manor. Perhaps, it was that sadness I felt that evoked me to take her hand and bring her to a decent-looking open-area restaurant nearby.


    "I-Isa? Do you want to buy something here?"


    She asked innocently, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to spend the money she''d earned from her skills to buy something for someone else.


    "I''m sorry, Ella. I know it''s your money and I have no right to tell you what to buy with it. But you haven''t had anything proper to eat for months and I''m growing more concerned about you. I mean... you''ve gotten even skinnier than before and I''m scared that your health will start deteriorating if you don''t eat something healthy at once."


    With a resolute look in my eyes as I held her hands, I hoped from the bottom of my heart that she''d care more about herself instead of thinking about others first.


    "B-but..."


    "You don''t have to buy me a meal. I''m completely fine! Just eat something healthy and nourish your body today, okay?"


    In the eyes of a stranger, I might look like I was the one begging her to buy me food, but I was practically begging her to treat herself.


    Who cares what others thought? What''s important was for her to eat right now.


    "But how could I eat something delicious by myself and leave you with nothing? You''re starving too!"


    She frowned disappointedly and unwillingly, but I merely shook my head.


    "I''m fine with just one piece of bread. I''m rather confident in my constitution. You''re the sickly one between us. You should take better care of yourself."


    "But Isa-"


    "Excuse me, ladies..."


    Before Ella could retort once again, a huge guy holding a wooden tray approached us. He had unkempt hair the color of newly sprouted grass and his eyes were dark brown like fertile soil. He looked just about the same age as us.


    In surprise, Ella hurriedly stepped back and bumped into a table behind her, causing her to lose her balance.


    I was about to grab her hand but failed. Thankfully, the man managed to catch her before she completely stumbled backwards.


    With the tray still on his one hand and the other on Ella''s back, I was momentarily relieved that nothing bad happened.


    However, Ella''s eyes shook in terror and she immediately escaped from his arms then scooched over behind me.


    "Ah, I''m sorry to surprise you and for touching you without permission."


    He seemed surprised himself.


    "......"


    Ella hid herself behind me as she tugged at my sleeves with trembling hands.


    "Are you okay, Ella? Were you surprised? Are you hurt anywhere?"


    She shook her head as I hugged her to comfort and assure her that she was safe.


    "Sorry, Sir. She''s scared of taller people so she must''ve been shocked."


    "Oh, I...see. I was just going to ask if you''d like to dine in. If you happened to say yes, I was going to give you one free meal for being my very first customers. But because I frightened your friend, let me offer two free meals instead as a token of my apology."


    There was sincerity in his voice and he was gentler than I thought despite his big stature.


    I could understand why Ella was scared. She never had good memories with bigger people so that was always her reaction to those with huge physiques. It became quite a hindrance for her especially when we were selling our merchandise as she had to meet with many different people at a time.


    "Is, Is that so? Will that really be okay?"


    "Of course!"


    If I wasn''t so hungry, I wouldn''t have accepted his offer because I believed it was better to not trust people so easily. But...


    I unconsciously touched my stomach.


    "What do you think, Ella?"


    I looked at her and asked for her opinion to which she eagerly responded by firmly nodding her head. I smiled at her cuteness before throwing my gaze back towards the man.


    "Well, if you insist, then we have no choice but to accept. Thank you!"


    The man smiled as he led us inside the restaurant.


    "Well, then. Please sit down."


    I held Ella''s hand and went to find ourselves a table.


    "Do you like it here? Are you comfortable?"


    "Yes..."


    She shyly answered as we both sat down. Then, the tall man proceeded to take our order.


    "Here''s our menu for today. What would you like to order?"


    As I scanned the menu, I searched for the cheapest meal and saw that it consisted of two roasted chicken breasts that cost 1 silver and 3 copper coins. This should be good enough.


    "I''ll have the roasted chicken breasts, please."


    "Alright," He wrote on his notebook then switched his gaze towards Ella, "Have you decided on your order, miss?" He asked with a gentle tone.


    "Uhm...i-is it really alright for me to get this for free?"


    She hesitantly asked as she sank her head down using the menu to hide her face.


    "Yes! As I said before, you''re my first customers. And I hope you also consider this as my apology for my rudeness earlier."


    He reassured her.


    "Uhm...You were not rude. Sorry, I got scared."


    She said apologetically, still hiding her face with the menu.


    For a moment, the man paused and stared at her.


    "Well, you don''t have to apologize for being scared, miss. It truly is my fault I surprised you."


    He smiled at her, "So please feel free to choose any one of these meals."


    Still hesitantly, Ella slowly scanned the menu until her eyes twinkled when it landed on a certain picture.


    "Do you like that one? This is one of my best dishes, the Roasted Duck with Saut¨¦ed Chanterelles and Creamy Herb Sauce."


    "Duck..."


    Ella looked so fascinated that she almost began drooling. But her eyes widened when she saw the price.


    "T-three silvers?!"


    "Oh, yes. It''s one of the highest quality meals I offer."


    The man smiled like it was really okay for him to give away 3 silver coins like that.


    "I-I''d like the same one that Isa ordered."


    With trembling hands, she put down the menu and looked down again as if trying to avoid the man''s gaze.


    "Hm? You''re welcome to order expensive ones, okay? After all, it''s just two meals so I''m more than willing to serve what would really satisfy you. If you like my cooking, then you''ll tell others and come back for more, right? Let''s just say this is a business strategy."


    He replied with a grin. He quite had the knack for making someone feel at ease. Well, if anything, he was right.


    He seemed really okay with it so I gathered all my courage and spoke as blatantly as I could.


    "W-well, since you''re really adamant about this, then I''ll have the Tuna Piccata instead, please."


    Gosh! I really said it! I was eyeing for that since I saw the menu but I felt really guilty about getting it for free.


    He softly chuckled.


    "Alright, miss."


    And he wrote that down on his note.


    "Then! I''ll... I''ll have the duck, please!"


    "Got it, ma''am! Coming right up!"


    Fueled by my brazenness, Ella also found courage to ask for the more expensive dish she wanted. I could only smile as I looked at her embarrassed face.


    ''I feel happy. I hope we could be like this everyday.''


    ?*????????*?????¡£? . to be continued .¡£? .?*?????????*?????

 Chapter 2

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    ISABEL''s POV


    "Here''s your Roasted Duck with Saut¨¦ed Chanterelles and Creamy Herb Sauce!"


    He placed Ella''s order in front of her.


    "And here''s your Tuna Piccata!"


    He did the same to mine.


    "Please enjoy your meal."


    It did not even take him 30 minutes to prepare our meal and it was already here!


    We were both speechless and drooling just from the smell.


    Before I knew it, Ella had already picked up her cutlery.


    After whispering "Thank you for the food!", she immediately indulged herself with the drool-inducing duck meat in front of her.


    However, smoke was still coming out of it, so she burned her tongue after carelessly gobbling up a bite.


    "H-hey! Be careful! I''ll get some water."


    Surprised by her reckless behavior, the man attentively fetched a whole pitcher of water for us.


    "I understand that you''re hungry, but the food is still clearly smoking!"


    He scolded her with a worried look on his face.


    She could only utter an awkward ''thank you'' after drinking a glass of water to soothe her tongue.


    "Are you okay now, Ella? You should slow down eating."


    I patted Ella''s back while munching on the tangy and savory flavors of the tuna piccata.


    Throughout the meal, I had so many emotions that brewed inside me that I felt overwhelmed by them. I did not even notice that I was already shedding some tears.


    The food was just so delicious I thought my eyes were forming hearts!


    Before we knew it, Ella and I had already finished!


    "Oh! T-there''s no more..."


    I was slightly disappointed as I was still hungry, but everything on my plate disappeared too quickly. I was sure it was the same for Ella who looked just as down as I was.


    "Uhm..."


    "Well, that was a really delicious meal. Did you like it too, Ella?"


    I asked her with a bright smile on my face.


    Though it was extremely lackluster in amount, I felt refreshed as if I could do a whole week''s worth of chores without eating anything else after this.


    "Mm-hm! It was the most delicious food I..."


    Tears began falling from her eyes as she replied between sobs while her hands frantically wiped her cheeks. Because of that, the tears I barely managed to stop a while ago resurfaced once again.


    I was about to comfort her when the man who served us the foods popped up in front of us. We were so focused on eating before that we didn''t even notice when he left. Now, he reappeared again.


    "Hello, are you finished? How was the food?"


    He greeted us with a warm smile.


    To my surprise, Ella stood up and bowed down to him while saying ''thank you'' in an attempt to hide her tear-stricken eyes.


    "U-Uh, there''s no need to bow! I already told you this is just a business strat-"


    He stopped in the middle of his sentence when I did the same thing. I bowed to offer him our most sincere gratitude while holding back my tears.


    "These are the best food we''ve had after all these years. We''re really thankful. We sincerely hope your restaurant flourishes and becomes famous across the capital."


    After that, we gratefully left the restaurant, leaving the man speechless.


    "That is really the best food I''ve ever had. It makes me think that everything we''ve eaten until now are just garbage and scraps."


    "Those are garbage and scraps, Ella. Everything they give us in the count''s manor are."


    "Oh! But, of course, except for mom''s cooking. Her and that restaurant''s foods are top-tier. Their food makes me feel like I am in heaven. Perhaps, this is my last day here in this worl-."


    "Ella!"


    I cut her off.


    We both stopped on our tracks when I exclaimed with an upset expression.


    "I told you never to talk like that. Don''t ever think about today, tomorrow, or any time as your last day, okay? I...You''re the only family I have left. So please don''t say things like that."


    I was on the verge of tears. I really felt terrible and uneasy whenever she said perturbing things as such. It would cause me to worry all the time, because I didn''t want anything bad happening to the only family I had left.


    The only response I got from her was a warm sweet embrace of comfort. I hugged her back until we both calmed down.


    However, on our way to the stationery store to buy what the maids told us, I gave her an earful about how I treasured her so much that it scared me when she said worrisome things. Afterwards, we peacefully made our way back home. If we could even call that place ''home''.


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    THE MAN''s POV


    "Hmm..."


    The truth is I''ve been running my restaurant for months now and they were not my first customers at all. But when I saw them hesitating over buying food, I felt bad for them.


    They only had thin and ragged clothes in this chilly afternoon and they looked famished, as if they hadn''t eaten anything today.


    I was planning on closing the restaurant early to walk around the plaza, so I didn''t accept any more customers since the last couple of hours. But I felt bad asking the two girls to leave, so I decided to let them dine with one free meal. But things happened and I ended up giving away two meals instead.


    Well, it felt rewarding nonetheless. They seemed to have enjoyed the food too, so I was glad.


    Though I had to admit, I was a bit taken aback when they bowed that much for those meals.


    "These are the best food we''ve had after all these years. We''re really thankful. We sincerely hope your restaurant flourishes and becomes famous across the capital."


    A gentle smile found its way to my lips. Seeing them reminded me of my past.


    "I want to open up a restaurant that will be famous across the capital!"


    Maybe that was why I felt obligated to help.


    I sighed and decided that it was time to get back to work.


    "I wonder if there are any good stuff in town today."


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    THIRD PERSON''s POV


    It was already midnight.


    The stars, along with the moon''s silver rays, cast their light upon the count''s manor.


    Everything was as peaceful as it could be to everyone who lived there.


    All except for two people.


    At the backyard of the servants'' quarters, amidst the grassy patch of land, a certain girl with white hair and emerald green eyes was rubbing the back of a raven-haired girl. The latter felt weak on her knees as all the food she ate a while ago left her stomach through her mouth.


    Both Isabel and Ella had vomited all the food they ate from the restaurant. All that delicious free food could not even get absorbed into their body and all went to waste.


    "Does it still hurt? Do you want some water?"


    Isabel wore a worried expression while rubbing Ella''s back. It was her who vomited first before they went to sleep. Now, it was Ella who couldn''t sleep in the middle of the night because her stomach ached; it was unbearable.


    "Euk...ugh... W-water, please..."


    Ella panted as she feebly wiped her mouth with a towel in her hands.


    "Okay, hang in there. I''ll be quick."


    Isabel hurriedly left to fetch water to drink.


    Exhausted, Ella slowly sat herself on the ground and weakly leaned on a nearby rock. She was catching her breath when Isabel came back with a cup of water in her hands.


    "Here, Ella. Drink slowly."


    Once she finally recovered, tears began falling from Ella''s eyes.


    "Eugh..."


    She frantically wiped the falling tears from her cheeks as Isabel gently caressed her hair.


    "Ssh... It''s okay."


    "All...heuk...all those delicious foods...gone..."


    Despite Isabel''s attempts to soothe her from crying, Ella couldn''t help but feel regretful and guilty for all the precious food that went to waste.


    For them, seeing the first decent meal they''d had in years go to waste was as heartbreaking as being starved for weeks.


    Isabel couldn''t help but wonder, "Could it be that those foods were contaminated or had already gone bad? If that''s the case, that would explain why we had stomachaches. Maybe that''s why that guy willingly gave it to us for free."This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "E-Even if we complained afterwards, no one will believe we could have afforded to dine in such a fine place, so people will just think we''re lying."


    Ella added in between her sobs, agreeing to Isabel''s speculation.


    "But why would he do that to us? Was he mad that two shabby little girls went near his restaurant?"


    Though vexed by such a thought, upon further consideration, Isabel thought it was too unreasonable for him to do that just because they went near his place. After all, the food didn''t taste spoiled at all. It was heavenly!


    And since he mentioned that he had just opened his restaurant, he must have properly prepared the ingredients especially for the first day, right?


    "But even if the food was truly contaminated or spoiled, we have been eating scraps and even grass for years. So our stomachs should already be used to digesting bad food."


    Said Ella, whose eyes had already turned red and puffy.


    "Bad food..."


    Isabel paused for a moment and pondered.


    "Perhaps it''s because we''re so used to eating bad food that our stomachs are unfamiliar with actual decent ones."


    It would make sense. It wouldn''t be too much of a stretch to say that they had been eating bad food for half of their lives. Their stomachs were so accustomed to dirty soiled grubs and wild forage that real foods were considered as foreign materials in their digestive system.


    "But why? That''s so unfair! Why does eating delicious food have to be painful as well?"


    Isabel couldn''t reply to Ella''s laments as she herself didn''t know the answer why.


    With despaired hearts, she could only coax Ella into returning to their quarters as the night began to get even colder for the two of them.


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    A few days had passed since they went to the capital.


    After another long morning, Ella and Isabel were tasked to go there again.


    "This time, they want us to get their orders from Madam Clementine''s Boutique."


    Isabel wore a deep frown on her face at the thought of having to see this Madam Clementine again. They did not have the best memories with the haughty owner of one of the famous commoners'' boutiques at the capital.


    "It must be nice to have new clothes."


    Ella, on the other hand, showed a small smile as she twiddled with her fingers while dreaming of wearing a new pair of dress and shoes.


    ''Aww... She''s so cute!''


    Isabel pursed her lips as she dotingly looked at Ella.


    ''How could those heartless people at the manor hurt this lovely creature?!''


    In just a snap of a finger, her look of adoration turned into a hateful frown once again as she crossed her arms in frustration.


    "Hah! No matter how new or beautiful the clothes they wear, they''d still look ugly. There''s no reason to envy such black hearted people, Ella."


    The latter looked at her and giggled, "Yeah, you''re right."


    Once they reached the capital, the two girls began selling handkerchiefs and gloves, hoping that they could earn as much as they did last time. Fortunately, because of the Flower Festival that would be held tomorrow, there were even more people today.


    To avoid losing each other, they both stood side by side near the fountain at the plaza.


    "We sell finely embroidered handkerchiefs for only 44 copper coins!"


    "W-would you like to take a look at our...uhm..."


    Not long after they started doing their business, Isabel noticed that Ella looked pale.


    "Ella, does anything hurt?"


    She hurriedly touched the latter''s forehead and a terrified look crossed her face.


    "You''re cold!"


    "S-sorry, Isa. There''s so many people. C-Can I sit for a moment?"


    She said as her body trembled and her legs weakened. Worried and scared of Ella''s condition, Isabel thought it would be better for her to take a rest.


    "Come here, let''s sit for now."


    They both sat at the fountain and placed their baskets containing their merchandise on the ground.


    "Maybe it''s because you haven''t eaten anything yet. I-I''ll buy you water and bread. Wait for me here, okay?"


    Anxious and not knowing what to do, Isabel hurriedly left to get her something to eat.


    "Isa..."


    Ella called out weakly as she stretched out a hand towards Isabel''s retreating back that was quickly swallowed by the surging crowd.


    Her vision started to blur and she felt like she would soon lose her balance. If she did, she knew she would end up falling towards the water in the fountain. She needed something she could lean on to manage her dizziness.


    Fortunately, before she completely lost consciousness, two young men ran towards her and caught her.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    Evan¨€¨€¨€''s POV


    "The capital is lively as always. This is why sneaking out is fun! Don''t you think, Cal?" I beamed as I immersed myself in the joyful atmosphere of the capital.


    "Is that the reason I shall tell your father when he asks me why you sneaked out again, your- ahem- Evan?"


    I put my arm around his shoulders and hushed him, "Sshh! We''ve been doing this for so long. Are you not used to this yet? Come on! They said there will be a preview of tomorrow''s play at the plaza. Let''s go there and secure a nice spot to watch!"


    Cal could only sigh as I excitedly pulled him across the crowd.


    So many people had come to see the festival tomorrow.


    The Flower Festival would last for three days. During that time, they would host exciting events for the people and showcase the different flowers that bloomed in the capital, including the holy azaleas from the imperial palace that bloomed only once every 5 years.


    That''s why many people wished to witness it, particularly this year.


    When we arrived at the plaza, my mouth formed a solid ''o'' at the sight of every building decorated with colorful flower garlands and the smell of sweet nectar that wafted through the air.


    A thought suddenly crossed my mind.


    "Cal, don''t you want to watch the play and the Spring Flower Competition on the third day?"


    I asked with a wide grin, hoping with all my heart that this stone-faced jerk would say yes.


    "I have no interest in such things, Evan."


    Unfortunately, a stone-faced jerk like him had not a single drop of desire for anything in his body, so there''s nothing I could use to convince him.


    "Oh, right. My most trusted confidant has no fun in his bones. Won''t you enjoy your life a bit more? Someday, you''re gonna wake up and regret not having as much fun as you could when you were younger and-"


    While I was hurtling my complaints about his awfully serious nature, we passed by the huge fountain in the middle of the plaza.


    And there, my eyes caught a girl who looked unwell sitting at the fountain. I hurriedly ran towards her when I noticed that she had gone unconscious. Fortunately, I was able to catch her before she fell.


    "Evan!"


    Cal called out in surprise and concern, but I ignored him.


    "Miss, wake up!"


    I gently shook the girl''s shoulder. To my surprise, she was so thin that I could straight up feel her bones.


    Her body also felt cold to the touch that I feared that she might actually be dead.


    "Evan! I told you so many times not to act recklessly! I helped you sneak out because you agreed to stay close and be careful, but look what you''re doing!"


    Ignoring the earful I got from Cal, I hurriedly removed my commoner jacket and wrapped it around the girl as I explained.


    "I''m sorry about this, Cal. But she''s cold, I''m afraid she might be fighting for her life right now. She''s also shivering. Please help me for now."


    Though still frustrated by my actions, he could do nothing but cooperate and hurriedly led the way to a nearby clinic he knew.


    It was hard to pass through the crowds of busy people. Thankfully, Cal managed to form a path by telling others that there was an emergency as I carefully protected the girl''s body from being bumped and squeezed in the midst of the crowds.


    It was a good decision to change my hair and eye colors with magic before we went out. Otherwise, many would''ve recognized my natural hair color.


    Once we arrived at the clinic, I immediately laid the girl down on the bed and covered her with warm blanket while Cal explained the situation to the doctor.


    Fortunately, despite the influx of people today, there were not many patients.


    "Please excuse me as I check her condition."


    I gave way to the doctor and stood next to Cal. Only then did I get a clearer view of the girl''s appearance.


    My forehead creased as I saw her hollow cheeks and pallid face that made her look almost lifeless. Despite her low temperature when I carried her, beads of sweat ran down her forehead as she shivered. Her lips were pale and dry as the cracks of a land suffering from drought.


    I unconsciously swallowed my saliva in fear of losing the girl, even though she was a stranger to me.


    Strangely enough, I''d been to many battlefields before and had seen piles of bloody corpses that it was nothing new to me to see a person die. But I still found it hard to take in the idea that someone was losing their life in front of me.


    "When was the last time she ate? This poor lass is dying from starvation and dehydration. She also seems to be having a shock. Do you have any idea what could''ve triggered it?"


    The doctor asked but we couldn''t answer.


    "Unfortunately, we do not know her, sir."


    Cal replied.


    "Hm... For now, she needs to be fed some light food her stomach could digest. I need to inject her with a tranquilizer to help calm her down, but injecting it at her current state would be bad for her. Do you perhaps know any relative of hers that could help comfort and *feed her? We need her to relax so she could eat and replenish a bit of strength before I could give her any medication."


    Both me and Cal shook our heads which caused the doctor to heave a deep sigh.


    "Well, if that is the case, it would be hard to get her to eat in her current state."


    "We''ll try to see if we can find someone who knows her."


    Cal said with a determined expression and looked at me with a meaningful gaze.


    "I''ll go as well? But who will look after her?"


    I gave him a disapproving look.


    "We''ll watch over her while you''re gone but be sure to come back as soon as you can with a friend of hers, or better yet, a relative."


    Knowing that Cal would not leave unless I went with him, I had no choice but to accept.


    "Alright. Please watch over her carefully. Thank you!"


    Without wasting a single minute, we both went out of the clinic and asked around.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    ISABEL''s POV


    The bag of bread slipped out of my hands, landing on the ground with a thump.


    "E...lla?"


    It took me a while to buy bread because there were a lot of customers at the bakery.


    But when I came back, Ella wasn''t at the fountain. The baskets that I left with her were nowhere to be found as well.


    "Ella... Ella!"


    My heart began pounding loudly in my chest as I threw my head left and right. Sweat dripped off from my forehead and my hands began to tremble at the thought that someone might have taken her; someone with ill intentions.


    In this vast space filled with strangers, what could a young helpless girl do if someone snatched her up to take her to a secluded place?!


    What''s worse was the fact that she was sick!


    Where....? Where?!


    "Where is she...?"


    I sobbed as tears began falling down my cheeks. Desperate to find her, I asked every passerby if they had seen a raven-haired girl sitting at the fountain a while ago.


    "Oh, I just got here."


    "I''m sorry, I have no money."


    "I remember two young men who carried a girl a while ago. They said it was an emergency so we stepped back to let them through amidst the crowd."


    "M-men? D-Do you happen to know where they went or-"


    My hands were trembling. My voice shook in horror from what I''d heard.


    It was then when someone suddenly stepped in our conversation and called out to me.


    "Excuse me, miss? Are you perhaps looking for the girl who was sitting at the fountain about 30 minutes ago?"


    They were tall young men. The one who spoke had dark auburn hair tied in a high ponytail extending down his back. His eyes were like jars of honey against the afternoon sun that seemed to see through my soul. The other one had short off-black hair and similarly deep black eyes that contrasted his fair skin. Even though they wore commoner clothes, they oozed out a regal aura that made one feel overwhelmed by their presence.


    My knees already felt weak when I couldn''t find Ella, but they felt even shakier when these men approached me, like a building standing up against a tsunami.


    "Miss? Can you hear us?"


    I was brought back to my senses when the auburn-haired guy spoke once again.


    "Uh! Y-Yes! Have you seen her?! She had raven-black hair and she wore a brown dress and-"


    "Yes, we saw her when she fell unconscious."


    "Un..Unconscious?!"


    "Please, calm down. We brought her to the clinic, but the doctor said we should find someone she knows to help calm her down. She seemed to be in a state of shock and severely weakened, so the doctor couldn''t give her any medicine."


    He calmly explained.


    "P-Please, tell me where the clinic is!"


    I begged with trembling hands grasping my skirt in trepidation and anxiety.


    "Then, please follow us."


    The men brought me to a two-storey building that had a sign indicating its name.


    ''Dr. Hales Clinic''


    Inside, a nurse clad in black dress approached and assisted us towards the second floor where the patients'' wards were located.


    But Ella was nowhere to be seen.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? . to be continued .¡£? .?*?????????*?????

 Chapter 3

    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    ELLA''s POV


    My head felt heavy, my breathing unsteady, and I couldn¡¯t find strength in my body to move.


    I had no recollection of what happened. All I remembered was that I was at the fountain and waiting for Isa to come back.


    With great difficulty, I opened my eyes. However, everything was spinning and my head was ringing painfully. Once my view gradually cleared and steadied, I was greeted by an unfamiliar ceiling; one that looked significantly cleaner and higher than the one at our room in the count¡¯s manor.


    I soon realized I was in a different place.


    ¡°Where am I? What happened to me?!¡±


    I asked myself and started panicking.


    A surge of adrenaline came rushing through my veins. Despite feeling weak and dizzy, I cautiously got up from the bed and anxiously examined my surroundings.


    There were a lot of beds; some were occupied, some had their sheets cleanly folded into place; and women who wore black clothes were roaming around carrying trays with suspicious tools on their hands.


    "What are they going to do?"


    I trembled at the thought of them using those tools on me.


    Were they servants of the countess? Did they come to torture me again?!


    My heart began pounding uncontrollably in my chest and it became harder to breathe.


    Desperate, I spun my head across the room to look for an exit. There were only two doors - each located at the end of the hallways opposite to each other.


    While the servants were preoccupied, I hurriedly dashed towards the door closer to me and tried to get out. But before I could reach it, the servants caught me and prevented me from leaving.


    ¡°Miss! You''re not allowed to go there!¡±


    They took hold of my arms as they tried to placate me, but their words sounded muffled in my ears. All my mind could process was the fact that I was going to be whipped again as I cried out pitifully while kneeling on the floor.


    ¡°P-Please! It¡¯s painful! Please stop!¡±


    Amidst the chaos, one of them accidentally dropped their tray and the shady-looking tools got scattered on the ground. The sound of metal clashed against the concrete floor and echoed across the chamber.


    There, my eyes landed on a piece of fabric smeared with fresh blood.


    Seeing that, I was struck with horror and swallowed my breath - as if not wanting to make any more sounds that could earn their ire.


    ¡°Hic..!¡±


    Fear engulfed my whole body as I crawled backwards, away from the scattered shady instruments with tears running rampantly on my cheeks.


    ¡°Please, calm down. You¡¯re currently in our clinic because you lost consciousness and you were brought here to take a rest.¡±


    Their words couldn¡¯t get through to my head. Their voices sounded muffled as if I was submerged in a deep black sea with a suffocating silence that seemed to tighten around my neck.


    Once again, my head started spinning and ringing painfully, and I could hear my heart deafeningly pounding inside my chest.


    Because of that, I couldn¡¯t move again as the creeping hunger and fear clawed at my feet, siphoning out what little strength I had left.


    ¡°Sshh¡­ It''s okay. Have you calmed down?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s bring her back to bed.¡±


    They tried to force me to move again but I couldn''t find strength in my knees to stand up.


    I remained rooted in that spot for a minute until my dizziness subsided for a bit. They, too, stayed unmoving, as if realizing I couldn¡¯t move myself, and continued to soothe me - which I knew was just their way of getting me to lower my guard.


    ¡°She''s still cold. Just bring a warm blanket over here for now.¡±


    When I finally recovered a little, my mind raced and searched for a way to slip away from them.


    ¡°I have to escape here. I don''t want to get burned and healed repeatedly again!¡±


    At that moment, Isa''s face flashed in my mind.


    ¡°Again, they separated us again!¡­ Please¡­ Please don''t let anything bad happen to her anymore¡­¡±


    Desperation clawed at my throat as I silently cried out to any god who might be listening.


    Isa had already suffered so much because of me. What did we ever do wrong?!


    ¡°Here''s the blanket.¡±


    When they thought I had calmed down, the servants loosened their hold on my arms so I took advantage of that.


    I ran with my life on the line towards the door and successfully reached it!


    But, alas! It was locked!


    ¡°That''s the way to the storage area, miss! Patients are not allowed to go there.¡±


    A shiver ran down my spine, chilling me to the bone as I realized my only escape was through the other door, meters away.


    With horror surging through every inch of my body, I desperately searched for any place nearby where I could hide myself - a place that could be my sanctuary amidst the gushing fires of this hell - but there was none.


    My eyes landed on the curtains near the window, and in that moment, they became my only shield against the terror that engulfed me. With shivering hands, I tightly held on to the thick fabric, shielding my body with it against the servants who were trying to come to me.


    Eyes clamped shut, my face smeared with tears, my lips bled from being bitten hard, and my head bowed in fear of my fate. I knew they could see me. I knew it was all futile no matter how hard I tried to escape this wretched fate of mine.


    But with the warmth of the curtains that were exposed to the sun, I deluded myself into thinking that everything would be alright and I wouldn''t have to get hurt anymore once I opened my eyes.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    ISABEL''s POV


    "Excuse me, where''s the patient on this bed?"


    Right when the black-haired guy asked one of the nurses, an alarmed voice echoed from the other end of the hallway.


    "Please calm down!"


    We all threw our heads to the direction of the voice.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on there?¡±


    Confused, the guy with long auburn hair asked.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness you came back!¡±


    Suddenly, a middle-aged nurse approached and hurriedly explained the situation to us in a distressed voice.


    ¡°We have been trying to calm her down, but she seems to be scared out of her wits.¡±


    Not needing to hear the rest of the story, I anxiously went to the end of the hallway and saw Ella hiding herself behind the curtains with terror written all over her face.


    Two nurses were trying to coax her into calming down, but it was no use.


    ¡°Ella?! Ella!¡±


    I called out to her and hurriedly went by her side.


    ¡°Ella! Are you okay? I''m here. Look at me! I''m here, I''m Isa.¡±


    ¡°No! Please! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    I gently tucked the strands of hair covering her face behind her ear and wiped away the tears on her cheeks.


    It took a while for her to recognize me. When she did so, she sobbed as she held out to me pitifully.


    ¡°Isa¡­¡±


    ¡°Sshh¡­ It''s alright now. You''re safe. They¡¯re not going to hurt you.¡±


    Tears were forming in the corner of my eyes, unable to comprehend how scared she must have been to suddenly wake up in an unfamiliar place filled with strangers, but I maintained a calm soft voice to not scare her any further.


    The middle-aged nurse who explained the situation to us instructed the other nurses, as well as the two men, to leave us alone for now.


    ¡°I''ll get her a glass of water. For now, help her calm down so she can drink.¡±


    I thanked the nurse who simply nodded before she left.


    It took more than a few minutes for Ella to fully compose herself. When her breathing finally stabilized, I felt relieved as she held on tightly to my waist like a child afraid to be separated from her mom.


    Soon, the nurse came back. We both guided Ella back to her bed and explained the situation to her, ensuring that she was in a safe place.


    ¡°Those women are called nurses and they help tend to the patients. They¡¯re here to help you recover, not hurt you, okay?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t use those tools to hurt me? I¡¯m scared, Isa.¡±


    ¡°No, they use those things to heal the other patients¡¯ wounds, not hurt them. Just like how mom and I use bandages and disinfectant to treat your wounds, Ella.¡±


    With the senior nurse''s help, we explained the purpose of the medical tools to Ella. Despite her fear, she tried to understand that they had no ill intentions towards us. However, for her peace of mind, everyone agreed it would be best to prevent her from seeing the medical tools again. They surrounded Ella''s bed with foldable room dividers, creating a gentle barrier that shielded her from the sight of nurses carrying medical instruments. Fortunately, her condition did not require the use of those tools.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Finally, after placing all necessary precautions, I encouraged her to eat so she could regain some strength before receiving medication.


    ¡°Do you think you can eat now, Ella? Or do you need more time?¡±


    ¡°.....What about you, Isa? You¡¯re not going to eat?¡±


    She looked at me with those glistening doe eyes that held unyielding innocence. After all we¡¯d been through, how could she still be so innocent and worry about other people first instead of herself?


    Sometimes, I¡¯d admire her for that. Sometimes, I¡¯d be worried and scared.


    In this cruel world, I¡¯d rather her be more selfish than her getting taken advantage of easily.


    ¡°I told you, you need to think about yourself first in situations like these. You eat first, okay?¡±


    I carefully gave her a bowl of warm chicken broth before she could argue any further. Though still hesitant, she took a spoonful of sip from it and her eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious..! How could water be this delicious?¡±


    Her eyes twinkled like the stars, a bright energy radiating from her as she exclaimed, unable to contain her delight.


    ¡°Take a sip too, Isa! Here.¡±


    She held out a spoonful of chicken broth to which I refused; for she, who was sick, was supposed to be the one eating it. But after her continuous persuasion, I decided to give in.


    And just like her, I was very pleased with the taste. It was almost like I could taste the chicken even though it was only the broth.


    ¡°You two seem to be really close.¡±


    The middle-aged nurse from before commented beside me as she put down a tray of food on the table similar to what they gave to Ella.


    Confused, I looked at the senior maid with a puzzled expression and before I could ask, she immediately explained.


    ¡°The two men from before told us to give you both food until your friend here recovers.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have enough money. How could we ever pay you for all these?¡±


    I gulped in nervosity as I caught Ella in my peripheral vision looking tense and regretful.


    Seeing our reaction, the nurse warmly smiled at us - strongly reminding me of my late mother.


    ¡°Rest assured, my dears. Those men shouldered all the costs and even paid extra so that we¡¯d provide you everything you need while you¡¯re here. They didn¡¯t look like it, but they sure do have a lot of money.¡±


    She explained.


    ¡°B-But¡­ We couldn''t even say thank you. Did they already leave?¡±


    Ella asked with regret all over her face.


    ¡°Oh, yes. They said they still had somewhere to go. But they did leave a message wishing for you to have a quick recovery and for you both to stay healthy. They¡¯re such real gentlemen.¡±


    Ella and I looked at each other, astounded yet immensely grateful from the bottom of our hearts.


    With that, we became indebted to those men whose names we were unable to ask.


    We spent the rest of the day in the clinic and stayed there for three more days, resting, talking, and eating whatever they provided us. Compared to the restaurant from before, the foods from the clinic were more simple and consisted mainly of whole grains, broths, soups, fruits, and vegetables. But with every bite, we expressed our heartfelt thanks for receiving what we considered as delicacies we couldn¡¯t have at the count¡¯s manor.


    On the first day, Ella regained a bit of strength so, due to our body clock being set to wake up at 4:00 am, we both woke up very early and decided to clean the entire second floor. At first, I urged her to go take a rest but she just wouldn¡¯t budge. So, I just gave in to her stubbornness and helped her clean.


    When the senior nurse caught us, she scolded us and put us back to bed and did not allow us to do any more laborious work for the rest of the day.


    On the second day, due to the Flower Festival at its peak, more patients came in and all eight beds were fully occupied. Thankfully, the patients only had minor injuries. On the other hand, we watched the people at the plaza through the window - enjoying the festival, watching performances, and partaking in different kinds of entertainment as they all beamed in joy with flowers being scattered everywhere.


    At night, they launched colorful fireworks that Ella saw for the first time in her life. The glow in her eyes back then was something I thought I¡¯d never see before. She looked like a child blissfully witnessing one of her most magical days with nothing else to worry about. At that time, I wished to see her like that everyday, living a life that every 18-year-old girl was supposed to have.


    Soon enough, the last day of the Flower Festival came; it was also our last day in the clinic. During breaktime, the nurses talked about the winner of the Spring Flower Competition which took place early in the morning.


    It was an annual event that was held every spring in the Kallistar Empire. Anyone, commoner or noble lady, was welcomed to participate in it and the winner would be hailed as the Lady of Spring. Each year, whoever won as the Lady of Spring received an incredible prize from the imperial family such as a box of gold or a famous gemstone. But the most coveted prize given away by the palace was the holy azaleas - miraculous flowers that could heal almost every illness that bloomed only once every five years in the imperial palace grounds.


    This year, I heard that the holy azaleas had bloomed again. That¡¯s why there were more people who came to witness it at this year¡¯s festival.


    ¡°I knew Princess Jeanneva would become the Lady of Spring this year! She just exudes confidence and grace - a true vision of springtime beauty.¡±


    ¡°Truthfully, I was supposed to be rooting for my friend. She was one of the contestants, you see. But I had to agree that Princess Jeanneva is such a strong force to be reckoned with that I ended up supporting her instead.¡±


    ¡°I also think she deserves the title.¡±


    The nurses conversed enthusiastically, their voices a cheerful buzz of excitement.


    ¡°By the way, have you heard of the rumors that she will soon be announced as the crown princess?¡±


    ¡°Of the Pelenin Queendom? I thought she¡¯s just second-in-line to the throne?¡±


    ¡°No, silly! The crown princess for our prince! Our empire!¡±


    ¡°Really? No way! I thought Duke Nightingale¡¯s daughter would be our crown princess?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a rumor though. Nothing¡¯s confirmed yet.¡±


    Based on the nurses¡¯ chatter, the winner was the second princess of the Pelenin Queendom - Princess Jeanneva - one of the strongest candidates for the position of the empire¡¯s crown princess.


    I¡¯ve heard of her from the maids at the manor and they would often criticize her for her bad reputation as a seductress who slept with both men and women. They strongly believed that the empire wouldn¡¯t accept such an infamous person to be the crown princess, and called her whatever insulting names they could think of.


    My face twisted in disgust when I remembered one of the maids back there saying she herself should be the crown princess instead.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Isa, is something wrong?¡±


    Ella, who was merrily eating her lunch on the bed, noticed the quick change of my mood and asked if I was okay.


    ¡°Oh, nothing! Ahaha¡­!¡±


    I laughed awkwardly as she gave me a confused look.


    Before we knew it, it was already midnight once more.


    We hadn¡¯t been back to the count¡¯s manor for nearly four days.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep - the thought of what they would do to us once we came back haunted me throughout the night.


    Careful not to wake the slumbering Ella, I sat up in bed and was about to stand up when she called out to me.


    ¡°Isa?¡±


    ¡°Ella? Did I wake you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­ I couldn¡¯t sleep. I want to consciously spend our last days here in heaven wide awake. It¡¯s scary to think that when I open my eyes tomorrow, we¡¯ll be beaten again. At least in our last hours here, I¡¯d be able to prepare myself for what¡¯s coming.¡±


    Her words were laced with helplessness and sorrow, but she had a forlorn smile on her face, as if she was fully resigned to her fate. Seeing how she was trembling while pretending to bear that smile, the tears I had been trying to hold back began to fall.


    Thanks to the extra payment the gentlemen provided to the clinic, we were allowed to stay here for days and they even used a heating stone to provide warmth for us during the night, even though we were the only people left here. But despite that, my body shivered down to the bone. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was due to the coldness of the night or my being terrified of what was awaiting us at the count¡¯s manor tomorrow.


    In the midst of despair, there was nothing else we could do but prepare for the worst as we hugged and talked about our happy memories together until sunrise.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    Evander''s POV


    ¡°Haahh¡­¡±


    I yawned as I stretched out my hands up into the air and comfortably sat on the fluffy couch.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ How nice would it be if I could just lay on my couch every day.¡±


    I let my head rest on the cushion as I closed my eyes, letting my body melt into the couch¡¯s velvety softness.


    ¡°Sorry to inform you, your highness, but with status as high as yours, you¡¯re doomed to be stuck with work for the rest of your life.¡±


    A frown crossed my face. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling intricately painted with cherubs and flowers.


    ¡°Aww, come on! Would it hurt your butt if you comfort me for once?¡±


    ¡°With all due respect, your highness, but I can¡¯t find the relevance of my butt hurting in this conversation.¡±


    My frown just deepened even more and I faced my right side since my eyes started to hurt from the glare of the diamond chandelier above.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I really hope you find someone who can stand that uprightness of yours, Cal. I sincerely wish that your future children will inherit their personality from their mother, not you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible, your highness, for I have no plans to marry anyone.¡±


    With question marks all over my face, I looked at him with an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°On another note, your highness, I must commend you for not sneaking out of the palace lately. Did you eat something weird? Did you perhaps drink poison?¡±


    He asked with his forehead creased in worry, but there was just something irksome about his expression that caused me to frown even deeper as I faced him with arms crossed. The golden topaz earring that dangled from his right ear and glinted under the light further fueled my annoyance at him.


    This bastard was so unnecessarily good at changing topics!


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not sneaking out. It¡¯s because I can¡¯t sneak out after what happened last time.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean when you carelessly pulled out a pouch full of gold coins and used it as payment to the clinic despite us disguising ourselves as commoners?¡±


    With a resigned frown on my face, I answered.


    ¡°Yeah, you got it right. Ahh, that was so stupid of me. I just wanted to help - you know that, right?¡±


    ¡°But you forgot we were acting as commoners. No normal commoner in this empire would carry a bag full of only gold coins like that.¡±


    I sighed in defeat as I admitted to my mistake.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I should really be more careful next time.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re still planning on continuing your clandestine excursions out of the palace?¡±


    ¡°Heh, why not?¡±


    This time, he was the one who sighed in defeat which painted a victorious smile on my face.


    At the same time, I remembered the two girls we encountered back then - the one who fell unconscious by the fountain and her friend who helped us calm her down. They looked like a pair of hapless sisters striving hard to survive by themselves.


    ¡°I wonder where their parents are.¡±


    I unconsciously talked to myself, leaving Cal confused.


    ¡°Who?¡±


    He asked with an eyebrow raised.


    ¡°Those girls at the clinic - I wonder what happened to them.¡±


    For a moment, he paused before answering.


    ¡°They''re in good hands since I know the doctor at that clinic. He''s not only been a good person to me when I was a kid, he''s a talented doctor too. Though he doesn''t seem to recognize me after all these years.¡±


    ¡°That''s a relief.¡±


    After being assured that they were going to be fine, I closed my eyes and silence took over us for a while. I looked up at the ceiling once again. As I did so, I wondered and asked.


    ¡°Are the slums filled with people like them? They looked so malnourished and barely hanging on to their lives. I wonder how they have been surviving in this dangerous world with such weakened bodies all this time.¡±


    With a serious expression on his face, Cal looked at me and replied.


    ¡°I know everyone in the slums but I''ve never seen them before. Besides, no one in the slums sells embroidered fashion accessories.¡±


    After he mentioned it, I recalled the baskets that were with the girl when we found her, filled with handkerchiefs and gloves, each adorned with intricate embroidery. Buried deep in one of those baskets, there was a pouch of copper and silver coins; helping us arrive to the conclusion that they were selling those embroidered goods.


    ¡°Well, no matter where they came from, there will always be misfortunate people like them in all corners of the world.¡±


    He tried to hide it with an apathetic tone and a composed attitude while looking out the palace window, but there was a hint of misery and pain in his eyes as he stared down the imperial city in all its grandeur outside.


    Hit with a reality check, I twiddled with my fingers and stared at the marble floor below me, deep in thought.


    With this conversation, I was reminded of my duties as the next emperor of this empire.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? . to be continued .¡£? .?*?????????*?????

 Chapter 4

    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    THIRD PERSON''s POV


    Nearly two months had passed since Kaden had met the two girls he''d given free food to during the Flower Festival. Just as they''d wished for him, his restaurant had been flourishing ever since. Perhaps it was the festival itself, drawing a large crowd to the capital, or maybe it was the whispers of his restaurant''s delicious cuisine that had spread to neighboring territories.


    Or maybe it was something else entirely. Maybe it was his two new customers, with their breathtaking physical features, who were drawing in the crowds.


    Whatever the case, he was very grateful and was more than enthusiastic in serving delectable dishes to his customers.


    ¡°Here''s your order, sirs!¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Mannn! This is just so delicious no matter how many times I''ve tasted it!¡±


    ¡°Hey, at least watch your manners while eating.¡±


    The auburn-haired man nagged the black-haired one with a scowl on his face, as if ashamed by his friend''s actions.


    A small smile crossed Kaden''s lips as he watched the two men bicker like a pair of siblings while he was placing the rest of their food on the table.


    This had been their routine since they discovered his restaurant a few weeks ago. About once or twice a week, they''d eat and hang out here while being admired by all the passing customers and people outside, as if they were celebrities. And as if they were used to being gawked at, all the people''s stares didn''t bother them at all. In fact, as quite the introverted person himself, Kaden was the one who felt uncomfortable for them due to the amount of attention they''d been getting.


    Well, Kaden didn''t really mind as they did help in further increasing his customers.


    They were his last customers for this day. He closed the restaurant early because he wanted to have a good long sleep after several days¡¯ worth of hard work.


    ¡°Please enjoy your meal.¡±


    After giving all their orders, he was about to head back towards his kitchen to clean up. But he was stopped on his tracks when he saw someone, well, two people outside at the doorstep.


    Quite delighted, he opened the door.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Sorry to barge in even though you''re already closed but, c-can you give us some water, please? We¡¯ll pay you for it.¡±


    He was surprised to see them again. He did want to see them again after that brief encounter in spring, but he didn''t expect it would be today.


    ¡°M-My friend is really thirsty and she isn''t feeling well¡­¡±


    Out there, standing in thin ragged clothes, were the girls he met before - the ones he gave food for free.


    ¡°Oh, of course! Please come in and sit. I''ll get you some water.¡±


    Hurriedly, he fetched an entire pitcher and two glasses then brought it to the exhausted-looking girls who seemed to be walking the town all day.


    ¡°Here, drink slowly.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡±


    Along with her trembling hands, the water inside the glass shook as Ella handed it to the dehydrated Isa who looked very pale from hunger. They both looked severely starved, and that didn''t go unnoticed by Kaden whose eyebrows slightly furrowed in concern.


    He noticed that the two girls, who were so skinny when they first met, had become even skinnier than before. Their thin bodies visibly shaking was a clear indication that they hadn''t eaten anything for who knows how long?!


    ¡°Thanks for the water.¡±


    Isa, who had just finished drinking, replied feebly.


    Seeing them reminded him of that little girl who always held the hem of his clothes and followed him around in the past.


    For this very reason, he couldn''t help but have a soft heart towards them and let the words automatically slip out of his mouth.


    ¡°Have you eaten yet? There happens to be extra food in the kitchen. I''ll go get it.¡±


    Driven by his desire to help, he offered them food, like before. But Ella reluctantly stopped him and said,


    ¡°N-No! It''s just¡­ We can''t pay¡­ We only have money for water¡­. I''m sorry.¡±


    ¡®Besides, we won''t be able to digest good food and we''d just get stomach aches again.¡¯


    Was what she would''ve added, but did not, for she didn''t want to offend him.


    Her shaky voice resonated with him, rendering him speechless. He would''ve offered to give it for free again, but he felt like that would just make them feel bad. Before he could open his mouth to reply, his two remaining customers called out to him.


    ¡°Mr. Owner! Can we please have one more serving of-¡±


    Once the black-haired guy saw the two girls'' sitting not too far behind him, he immediately recognized them.


    ¡°Oh, I remember you both.¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ Sorry but, who are you?¡±


    Ella, who wasn''t able to properly communicate or even face them at the clinic two months ago, didn¡¯t recognize them at all, and was cautious. On the other hand, Isabel, who had just finished drinking her second glass of water, took a few seconds to recognize them.


    ¡°We''re the ones who brought you to the clinic last time. Though a few months did pass after that, so you must have forgotten.¡±


    He explained with a friendly smile on his charming face; the strands of his straight black hair gently cascading his forehead.


    He''s such a stunningly handsome man, indeed. Unfortunately, a handsome face and a charming smile were nowhere near enough to earn Ella''s trust.


    ¡°Oh, it''s alright, Ella. They''re good people.¡±


    Finally recognizing them, Isa managed to put on a weak smile and assured Ella, still recovering her strength.


    ¡°It''s nice to see you two again! I''m Evan. This, here, is my friend, Cal.¡±


    ¡°Hi there.¡±


    Evander, who, unbeknownst to them, was actually the crown prince of the empire, gladly introduced themselves.


    ¡°We''re glad to meet you again, too. I''m Isabel and this is Ella. We''re really beyond grateful for your generosity back then.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry I didn''t recognize you! We¡¯re really grateful. How could we ever repay you?¡±


    Catching on that these men were her saviors from that day, Ella felt ashamed for not recognizing them and apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. We''re just glad we could help.¡±


    Assured Evan.


    The clueless restaurant owner, on the other hand, was curious about what happened between the four of them. But he thought it would be rude to ask about it, so he just stood there listening to their conversation, a little awkwardly.


    Seeing as all of them had already introduced themselves, except for the kind restaurant owner, Isa tactfully inquired for his name.


    ¡°May we also ask your name, sir?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I''m Kaden. Nice to meet you all. I''m surprised that you all know each other.¡±


    ¡°They helped us during the Flower Festival. We owe them a great deal.¡±


    Isa filled him up on the details.


    ¡°So you''re Mr. Kaden. I really like your seared scallops! I usually hate seafood but your cooking is top-tier. It''s definitely far better than the ones at the pal¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡±


    ¡°-Place where we live. Haha!¡±


    Cal sighed in hopelessness because of the careless prince-in-disguise¡¯s close slip of the tongue.


    ¡°Well, thank you. You can just call me by my name. Formalities like ¡®Mister¡¯ feel a bit awkward to me.¡±


    Kaden embarrassedly scratched his cheek with his index finger.


    ¡°In that case, let''s call each other by our names, then! If that''s alright with everyone.¡±


    The carefree Evan suggested cheerfully. Sparkles could be seen around him that Cal felt drained by the bright energy his friend was radiating.


    ¡®They are like polar opposites.¡¯


    Ella thought as she stared at them with wonder and awe evident on her face.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d prefer that.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Isa, Kaden, and Ella replied simultaneously.


    ¡°That''s great!¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Chirped Evan.


    ¡°Well, have you two eaten yet? We''ve got a lot of food here. Let''s all eat together.¡±


    Cal¡¯s velvety deep voice rang in their ears as he invited them to eat.


    ¡°Yeah! Eat with us! You too, Kaden.¡±


    Evan seconded.


    ¡°How could we? We haven''t even paid for your help last time.¡±


    Isa firmly refused with Ella following suit.


    ¡°Yes, thank you for your kindness but we''re alright. I-In fact, we have just eaten a while ago. So we will just be paying Sir Kaden for the water and leave afterwards.¡±


    ¡°It was really nice to meet you all again.¡±


    Both of them were about to stand up, but Kaden couldn''t bear to let them go while shaking in hunger. He quickly thought of something and stopped them with a good offer in mind.


    ¡°I don''t mean to offend you in any way, but it doesn''t look like you have eaten anything to me. If being offered free food makes you feel bad, then how would you like to work in exchange for it?¡±


    They were quite surprised. Ella gulped as she looked at the pale Isa whose stomach hadn''t been fed for two whole days, the same as hers.


    With eagerness to feed her starving friend, she asked.


    ¡°W-What kind of work do we have to do?¡±


    Kaden felt a bit relieved seeing that they were willing to accept, and replied,


    ¡°Well, I''d need someone to wash the dishes and help me clean the restaurant. In return, you can eat whatever you want from the menu. Would that be a deal?¡±


    Ella eagerly looked at Isa as if asking for her permission, to which the latter simply nodded in response. With a warm smile on her face, the former accepted the green-haired chef¡¯s offer.


    ¡°We''ll do it.¡±


    Kaden smiled in return.


    ¡°That''s great.¡±


    ¡°I''ll start cleaning. It''ll be done in a few minutes.¡±


    Delighted, Ella was about to stand up and finish her job immediately to earn their reward.


    However, Kaden stopped her once again.


    ¡°Hang on a minute. I think you should eat first and get some energy before you move.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. Your friend looks unwell too. I think we should let her recover her energy first.¡±


    Cal added.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s right. Sorry, Isa.¡±


    ¡®I wasn''t being thoughtful enough.¡¯


    Ella felt apologetic for not thinking of Isa¡¯s well-being first. She just really wanted to get food for the both of them as soon as possible but it came off as her being inconsiderate. But Isa knew she didn''t mean that way.


    ¡°It''s alright, Ella.¡±


    ¡°Now then, sit back and relax and tell me what you want to eat.¡±


    Kaden playfully said as he reverted back to his waiter stance while holding a notebook and a pen with one hand on his chest and the other behind him.


    ¡°Will it really be okay?¡±


    Isa reluctantly asked with her eyebrows furrowed in hesitation.


    ¡°Well, if you were to wash the dishes first before you eat, then who''d wash the dishes you¡¯d use? And who will clean the restaurant again after you eat?¡±


    He pointed out in response; though it was just to convince them to do their job later.


    ¡°Now, now, ladies. As the famous saying goes, ¡®When it comes to food, chefs are always right.¡¯ So just sit back and relax as our chef here takes care of the rest.¡±


    Further persuading them, Evan interjected with his hands welcomingly spread in front of him, inviting them to join.


    ¡°That''s right.¡±


    Agreed Kaden.


    ¡°Where did that saying come from?¡±


    Cal, who was arching a brow on Evan, asked doubtfully.


    ¡°From me, of course.¡±


    Evan proudly answered, his hands pointing pridefully to himself, causing Cal to roll his honey-hued eyes. With their interaction, Ella smiled and finally felt comfortable with them a bit more.


    ¡°Well, if you insist.¡±


    Isa smiled. Finally getting the two girls to agree, Evan stood up and held out the chair next to him. Cal did the same as they waited for them to sit.


    ¡°Careful.¡±


    Seeing that Isabel wasn''t feeling well, Evan assisted her and held out his hand for her to hold while she was sitting down. For a moment, Isabel felt like a princess as this was the first time someone had treated her this carefully; except for Ella and her mom, of course.


    On the other hand, Ella would''ve preferred to stick to Isa¡¯s side. But she felt like it would be disrespectful to Cal, who went to the trouble of standing up from his seat and holding out a chair for her, if she were to refuse sitting next to him.


    So she went on ahead and sat on the chair next to his.


    ¡°T-Thank you¡­¡±


    Isa was sitting in front of her next to Evan, who was sitting in front of Cal.


    For some reason, Ella''s heart began beating loudly and her hands were sweating despite being cold. No, it''s not that she was in love.


    It''s just because the man beside her had a huge build and even though they were sitting, she felt like he was towering over her a few inches above.


    She tried to regain her composure but it was hard to do so with a trembling body.


    ¡°So, what''s your order?¡±


    Kaden gave the girls the menu, and with a pen and notebook in his hands, he asked.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ I just want chicken broth and a few slices of bread.¡±


    ¡°Me as well.¡±


    The girls replied.


    ¡°Alright. What else?¡±


    ¡°That''s all.¡±


    ¡°That''s all? But would that fill you up? I promised you any food from the menu so you don''t have to feel shy to pick what you want.¡±


    Kaden assured them. However, the two girls still refused and explained themselves,


    ¡°B-Because we can''t eat any heavy or too high quality foods. Our stomachs can''t digest it and we will just end up vomiting.¡±


    In a dejected voice, Ella stated the reason for their refusal which caused them all to fall silent.


    The three men were curious about why they couldn''t digest food as they said. However, they all knew it wouldn''t be good to dig too much into the ladies¡¯ lives, especially since they hadn''t known each other for long. Besides, they wouldn''t want to make them feel uncomfortable by asking them even further.


    ¡°Well, if chicken broth and bread are what will satisfy your stomachs, then I''ll make the broth extra savory and serve you the softest bread I have in the kitchen.¡±


    The kind restaurant owner smiled warmly as he took note of their orders.


    Evan also asked for more seared scallops and Cal ordered two more plates of beef steak. Once Kaden left, the outgoing Evan began chatting with the two girls.


    ¡°So, how have you been?¡±


    The two men weren''t blind. Like Kaden, they also noticed that both girls had gotten even more malnourished compared to before. They were worried, but decided to not bring it up. Many assumptions had been forming in their minds about their story but they felt it was too soon to pry into their lives. All they could manage to ask was the usual question of ¡®how have they been¡¯.


    ¡°W-Well, Ella had gotten a lot better thanks to you for bringing her to the clinic that time. The nurses took great care of her so she was able to recover quickly.¡±


    ¡°That''s good to know, then.¡±


    Perhaps he noticed the sudden change in Ella''s complexion after bringing up that topic, as well as Isabel''s hesitation while answering him, Evan knew that it would be better to change the direction of where their conversation was going.


    Maybe something bad happened after that time?


    Again, they were worried and curious. But they couldn''t ask.


    ¡°By the way, do you often go around the town? Cal and I are mercenaries and we usually spend our time in town when we have days off, you see. Who knows, maybe we''ve crossed paths several times before in the streets but we just didn''t know each other yet.¡±


    Changing the topic to lighten up the mood, Evan laid his chin on his hand that was on the table as he curiously waited for their answers.


    ¡°You''re both mercenaries?¡±


    Isa asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes. Does that make you feel uncomfortable?¡±


    Evan sheepishly questioned in return.


    ¡°N-No! W-We just didn¡¯t expect it.¡±


    Evan smiled and jokingly asked,


    ¡°Why? Don''t we look like one?¡±


    ¡°It''s not like that. Please don''t be offended.¡±


    The cheeky ?p?r?i?n?c?e? mercenary chuckled and told her it was just a joke, earning him an annoyed pout from the white-haired girl.


    While the two of them were conversing, Cal noticed that Ella had been silent for a while. Her hands that were hidden under the table trembled and twiddled nervously. Sweats were also forming on her forehead.


    Worried, he leaned a bit closer to ask her what was wrong.


    ¡°Are you-¡±


    However, Ella flinched in fear at his sudden movement and shrunk her head down her shoulders like a meek little kitten.


    Seeing this, Cal was quick to understand that she was scared; of what - he did not have any idea. But not wanting to scare her any further, he decided to be more mindful of how he moved and acted.


    Ella felt the chair beside her move a bit farther. And soon, a large callused hand holding a handkerchief carefully invaded her view, as if not wanting to surprise her.


    She hesitantly looked up and saw the man with long auburn locks tied in a ponytail looking straight in front of him while holding out the handkerchief. His topaz orbs, that glinted warmly when struck by the light, wasn''t looking at her as if to look as cool and casual as possible while handing the handkerchief.


    ¡°Will you accept?¡±


    He asked, still not looking at her.


    Somehow, his strange gestures made Ella feel a bit better than before. Perhaps she felt more at ease seeing him relaxed and casual like that, as if he felt more approachable.


    Still a bit hesitant, she carefully took the handkerchief from him with her trembling hands and whispered a soft ¡®thank you¡¯.


    Although she did take the handkerchief, she didn''t really know what to do with it; and she just realized that when she already had it in her hands.


    Confused, she threw another glance at the man beside her.


    ¡°Wipe your forehead.¡±


    Cal told her, still not looking her way.


    ¡°B-But it will get dirty.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t.¡±


    Not knowing what to say anymore, she hesitantly stared at the piece of fabric in her hands. Once again, she glanced up as if seeking his permission one last time to use it, then whispered thank you once more before finally wiping her forehead. She was being careful so as to not dirty the handkerchief in any way.


    A few more minutes and their orders finally arrived.


    Cal stood up to help Kaden place the foods one by one on the table.


    ¡°Eat with us. This is for you.¡±


    The former stated as he held out a plate of beef steak towards Kaden, who was surprised.


    ¡°I noticed you eating it before. In your kitchen.¡±


    Touched by Cal¡¯s considerate action, Kaden warmly smiled and could no longer think of an excuse to not eat with them. Not that he didn''t want to do so, but he was the chef and they were his customers. He thought it would be awkward. But seeing as the other three people were highly expecting him to join them as well, he realized there was nothing wrong with dining with his customers at all. Well, at this point, they were his friends.


    Little did they know that this coincidental meal together would spark an unbreakable friendship among them that would last them a lifetime.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? . to be continued .¡£? .?*?????????*?????

 Chapter 5

    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    THIRD PERSON''s POV


    ¡°These scallops are so savory! I think I might have to get a take-out.¡±


    ¡°Hey, too much could be bad for your health.¡±


    Scolded Cal; his eyebrows furrowed in worry for his scallop-loving friend.


    ¡°While it is indeed nutritious, too much always leads to no good.¡±


    Explained Kaden while slicing the beef on his plate; a subtle smile could be seen evidently on his handsome face. Clearly, he liked the warm pleasant atmosphere around him.


    For the first time in a long while, he felt happy during a meal.


    On the other hand, Isabel and Ella were relishing the warm savory broth of the chicken that immediately settled down the emptiness of their stomachs, as if healing the hunger that had been clawing at their stomach walls for many days.


    Of course, mere chicken broth wouldn''t be enough to get rid of days of starvation. But accompanied with a bite of the soft warm bread, they felt full and satisfied for the first time in two months.


    Unbeknownst to her, a lone tear gently slid down Ella''s cheek while gulping down a sip of the chicken broth.


    Fortunately for her, the men around didn''t notice it, for that would be embarrassing.


    She quickly wiped it away once she took note of it.


    ¡°How''s the food? Do you like it?¡±


    Asked Kaden who was sitting beside her.


    ¡°It''s very delicious.¡±


    ¡°I feel so warm, it¡¯s heavenly.¡±


    The girls replied delightfully, further widening the smile on Kaden''s visage.


    ¡°I''m glad it suits your tastes.¡±


    ¡°Do you want some scallops? You should try them, they''re really good.¡±


    Evan handed over the plate of seared scallops towards them. The savory seafood smell wafted to their nose and made them drool. Unfortunately, they had to refuse as their stomachs could possibly hurt again.


    ¡°Aww, that''s unfortunate.¡±


    Said Evan in a dejected voice. He was really eager to find someone that would agree with him about how great the scallops tasted.


    ¡°Let''s not force them, Evan. They already said they couldn''t just eat everything. Besides, they could also be allergic to it.¡±


    Cal, the matured one, explained, rendering the former to give up on persuading them to try the scallops.


    On the other hand, Ella and Isabel were grateful that they did not have to explain themselves any further about why they couldn''t accept all the food they offered.


    During the entire meal, they chatted and got to know each other. The most chatty one was Evan, who told them of their adventures as mercenaries. Apparently, they''d been mercenaries for years and had been through a lot of battlefields. He was also the one who asked the most questions to everyone like how many months had Kaden been running his restaurant and what was his age.


    ¡°I just opened my restaurant last November. And I''m 22 this year.¡±


    ¡°B-But you said we were your first customers before.¡±


    With that, Ella and Isabel found out that Kaden lied to them when they first met. He explained that he did it because he felt bad for them and just wanted to help.


    ¡°But you could''ve just told us the truth.¡±


    Isabel reproached him, a hint of disappointment and distrust in her voice.


    ¡°Well, that''s the only excuse I could think of to offer free food without making you feel uncomfortable. I''m sorry if I offended you.¡±


    Like a child scolded by an adult, Kaden was dejected and Ella could almost see downcasted puppy ears on his head that she thought she was hallucinating.


    The two girls knew that he didn''t mean anything bad by lying to them, so they understood and accepted his apology.


    After chatting for a bit more, they finally finished all the food on the table. Ella and Isabel were so satisfied with everything they consumed and could not be any more grateful than today.


    ¡°Thank you so much for all this food. We''re really grateful.¡±


    The two girls bowed their heads in gratitude.


    ¡°We''ll really do well in washing the dishes and cleaning the restaurant. Please leave everything else up to us!¡±


    Ella, now with enough energy to move around, hurriedly stood up from her seat and was ready to start her job.


    With their expertise in cleaning, the two girls moved around swiftly in the kitchen and the dining hall. Ella convinced Isa to do the dishes so she didn''t have to move around too much as she had just recovered her strength. The former, on the other hand, wiped the tables and swept the floor and windows.


    Fascinated by the two of them moving very fast and expertly, the men were dazed for a moment, but soon realized that they should also help instead of just watching.


    With that, Kaden went to the kitchen and helped Isabel with the mountain of dishes. And the other two men helped Ella in moving the chairs and tables while she was sweeping the floor.


    Before they knew it, they were already done.


    Kaden thanked them for helping him clean and expressed his most heartfelt desire to see them all again soon.


    As the azure sky began to fade into a fiery mixture of orange and red, Ella, Isabel, Evan, and Cal bid their goodbye to the restaurant owner and their newly-found friend.


    After exiting the restaurant, the two girls were about to bid the two remaining men adieu as well, but they were stopped halfway from doing so.


    ¡°Well, you see, it''s kinda getting dark. If you don''t find it uncomfortable, we can walk you home.¡±


    Evan offered, staying tactful around the girls so as to not make them feel uneasy.


    With their shadows slowly blending with the darkness creeping up from the alleys, Isabel understood the men''s concern about their safety.


    However, she couldn''t just let them walk into the count''s territory or anywhere near his influence. No, that would throw them all into a terrible mess with the count and Ella would suffer horribly again. Besides, they had already done too much for them and she felt like they couldn''t trouble the two gentlemen anymore.


    ¡°We understand your concern, but we can walk ourselves home. We live just¡­n-nearby. But we really appreciate your offer.¡±


    She politely refused as she swallowed her lies contritely.


    ¡°Yes. But, but it¡¯s not that we don''t trust you.¡±


    Ella reassured them, eager to avoid making them feel untrustworthy.


    ¡°Oh, okay then. Be careful on your way, alright? Walk fast so you can get home quickly before it gets too dark.¡±


    With that, they all said their goodbyes to each other with smiles on their faces.


    ¡°You sounded like a mom there.¡±


    Cal remarked with a smirk before turning around and started walking with hands in his pockets - a perfectly cocky appearance that annoyed Evan behind him.


    ¡°Shut up, man. You often act like my mother too.¡±


    ¡°Well, your mother entrusted you to me so that means I''m doing a great job following her orders.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, this is why I hate you¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, the feeling is mutual.¡±


    Hearing the two banter behind her as they walked the opposite direction, Ella softly chuckled.


    A soft breeze gently grazed her cheeks as the warm glow of the setting sun kissed her face.


    She closed her eyes, relishing in the warmth of this moment.


    The day started roughly for both her and Isa, as usual. They had to throw themselves into finishing extreme tasks the other servants passed on to them, and then go to the capital early to earn as much money as possible. But the day might just end with this blissful feeling of newfound friendship.


    That was what she hoped for, at least.


    But all that hope came crashing down when they arrived at the count''s manor.


    The sky had already turned into a void space of nothingness when they got back ¡®home¡¯; not a single star was visible, as if signalling them of the impending trouble ahead.


    ???¡¤ ????? ?.*


    ¡°How is that wench doing these days?¡±


    Contrary to her unbefitting choice of words, grace and elegance could be traced in her voice and in every move she made.


    She lifted the teacup and took a gentle sip of the golden liquid inside. Her dark red lipstick made from the finest ingredients did not leave a single smudge on it.


    Despite her calm demeanor, her eyes, azure as the ocean, held this fathomless hatred in its depth.


    Bowing in 90 degrees, the old head maid, Amabel, gulped in nervously as she looked up and scanned the countess from head to toe, determining her mistress¡¯ current mood. Submissively, she replied,


    ¡°After she didn¡¯t come back for four days two months ago, we disciplined her enough so she wouldn¡¯t do the same thing again.¡±


    ¡°And how much do you mean by ¡®enough¡¯?¡±


    A subtle smirk crept its way to the head maid¡¯s face.


    ¡°Well, enough that she wasn''t able to walk or even speak for a month.¡±


    Consequently, the corners of the countess¡¯ mouth went up in satisfaction.


    ¡°Keep doing a wonderful job at taking care of her. Inform me if anything else happens.¡±


    She said as she lifted the teacup near her lips once more, her face painted with immense pleasure; not a single hint of remorse.


    ???¡¤ ????? ?.*


    TW: This is to inform readers that the following scenes will contain graphic depictions of sexual assault, physical abuse, violence, and blood that are not for the fainthearted. Please proceed with extreme caution and take care of yourselves.


    At an old storage room in the servant¡¯s quarters, Isabel''s hands were tied up. She was still with Ella a while ago, but they were separated by the angered maids for the reason that they weren¡¯t satisfied with the money they brought today.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Two months ago, when they got back from the clinic, they were tortured for being gone for days. The maids who ordered them to get their dresses from the boutique were furious. It was because they wanted to wear those dresses at the Flower Festival, yet they weren¡¯t able to because Ella and Isa failed to come back with them. Furthermore, Isa lost the pouch of money given by the maids to pay for the dresses when she was trying to find Ella at the plaza.


    As a result, the maids took all the money they had saved up. They also learned about the fact that they had been earning money by selling handkerchiefs and gloves, so they made them go to the capital more often. Then, they would take all Ella and Isabel¡¯s earnings, saying it was to pay for the money for the dresses.


    Isabel sobbed as her heart pounded inside her chest, thinking about what horrendous things they were doing to Ella while they were separated.


    At the same time, muffled screams of mercy could be heard in a room not too far from Isabel as a raven-haired girl shielded herself from the storm of violence hurtling towards her.


    ¡°A whole day! For a whole day, you were both gone and you only managed to earn this much?!¡±


    A maid roared in disbelief with crimson wrath all over her face. In her hand was the half-full pouch of copper and silver coins Ella and Isa earned from selling embroidered goods this afternoon.


    ¡°This can''t even pay half of what you owe us, you b-tches!¡±


    ¡°Hick!¡­ p-please stop! Euk!... Plea..se¡­¡±


    Pleaded Ella with tears streaming down her cheeks; her face contorted into that of screeching agony and her shoulders trembled in fear.


    ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake, shut up! You''re so noisy.¡±


    The wrathful maid hurled the bag of coins at her, hitting her left eye. The handful of metal coins inside proved to be heavy enough to cause a macabre bruise.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Ella screeched in pain. With one shaky hand, she carefully touched her stinging eye that got hit; as if that could help relieve the pain.


    ¡°You''re so annoying!¡±


    ¡°Ugh!!! Madam Clementine has been asking us for the payment of those dresses.¡±


    ¡°Why can''t you just give us all your money?!¡±


    The other maids, equally raged and seething in fury, kicked her stomach ceaselessly until she vomited blood. The others pulled her hair and arms then dragged her towards the center of the room.


    There, a maid whose hair the color of chocolate named Margaret grabbed Ella''s hollow cheeks. The former''s long nails sank so deep into the latter''s pallid skin that it left a temporary mark.


    Margaret''s grey eyes resembled the eye of a storm; brewing intense catastrophe behind a calm facade. She tightly held Ella''s face close to her. With gritted teeth in an attempt to hold back her anger, she asked,


    ¡°Is this really all the money you have? You''ve got to be kidding me. If I have to strip you naked for you to spew out every penny you''re hiding, I''ll do just that.¡±


    With every bit of her patience running out, she aggressively tore down the thin rags enveloping the poor lass'' body.


    ¡°No! Help! P-Please, stop¡­ Heuk! Help me¡­ Isa¡­¡±


    There were five maids around her and she''s got only herself to fight back; not like she even had the strength to do so.


    ¡°Tear off everything she has! She may be hiding a few coins with her.¡±


    The rags she painstakingly stitched together, so she could have something to cover herself with, were torn into pieces simultaneously by the hands of the maids. Their long beautiful nails scratched her pale skin as they pulled off her clothes.


    Then, there was a clink.


    One of the maids, who threw away a piece of fabric from Ella''s upper body, stopped when she heard the sound of metal that clashed against the rigid floor.


    When she looked back to the direction where she threw the fabric, she saw a piece of silver coin that shone reflectively under the light.


    The maid took it and scoffed maliciously at the raven-haired girl.


    Stricken with fear, the wretched lass dreadfully hugged herself in humiliation and misery. There was nothing that covered her trembling body but her wavy tresses that stretched down to her waist.


    Her ebony black hair and the red blood on her lips contrasted perfectly on her pale snow-white skin.


    ¡°Hah! She''s really hiding a silver coin from us.¡±


    Angered by the fact that Ella was indeed going to save herself a silver coin from her own earnings; and deep inside, jealous of her white skin; Margaret gnashed her teeth and grabbed Ella''s hair, pulling her to stand up.


    The latter¡¯s thin hands and arms tried to pull her hair back to lessen the pain as she trembled from the cold, shame, and agony. Her bony feet shook and shifted on the floor, finding strength and balance to stand.


    ¡°Hick!¡­ I''m sor¡­ I''m sor..ry¡­¡±


    Without a single hint of remorse, Margaret harshly pushed her against the wall. Using her free hand, she sharply landed a slap on Ella''s cheek, causing the latter¡¯s lips to bleed even more.


    But the grey-eyed maid was not yet satisfied. She hurled another slap,


    ¡°Ella, you¡¯re such a greedy little bitch.¡±


    and then another,


    ¡°How could you be so selfish, you stupid little good-for-nothing!?¡±


    and another.


    ¡°You should be grateful we''re not allowed to kill you, or else you wouldn''t have lived until today.¡±


    Ella felt her breath slowly fading away as her vision got dimmer and blurrier.


    The maids stopped beating her only after she passed out.


    One maid, who collected the scattered coins around Ella''s unconscious and naked body, wasn''t content enough and kicked her stomach once more before they all left.


    It was only after Margaret and the others were done with Ella that Isa was freed by them.


    Once freed, she frantically searched every room to find Ella; terror painted all over her face.


    Once she found her, she saw the girl, whom she treated as her last remaining family, breathing faintly with bruises and wounds all over her body.


    ¡°E-Ell¡­a¡­¡±


    Her voice cracked; her expression shifted into that of pity, anger, and agony all within a matter of a second.


    Isabel swallowed the sharp stinging lump of pain in her throat as she knelt down and hugged the thin and frail body of her friend.


    ¡°I''m sorry, Ella¡­heuk¡­ Sorry I couldn''t protect you.¡±


    She wiped the blood on Ella''s lips with trembling hands as tears raced down her cheeks.


    Having nothing else to cover Ella''s body, Isabel hurriedly searched for any fabric she could find in the room, shook it off to get rid of any dust, and then wrapped it around her friend. Her face a mess of her own tears as she trembled in anxiety for her friend''s condition.


    Despite being in a weakened state herself, she carried Ella on her back and walked up the stairs, until she reached their room that was on the highest part of the building - the attic.


    Even though it was almost summer, the warmest season of the year, the attic was still enveloped in a breezy cold air. There was a fireplace, but they had no firewood. So, all they could do to keep themselves warm was to wrap their bodies with whatever cloth and blanket they have.


    That night, Ella and Isabel''s lives hung precariously on a thread once more.


    It was nothing short of a miracle they had survived this long. With their trembling, weakened bodies, Isa could only hope for an escape from this living nightmare.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? .?¡£? .?*?????????*?????


    CAL''s POV


    ¡°Your highness, it''s already late. Please rest.¡±


    His lavender eyes, the symbol of royalty, blinked as he yawned and stretched his arms up in the air. In front of him were piles of papers he needed to review as the crown prince.


    ¡°I still have so many things I need to do.¡±


    He reasoned with an exhausted look.


    ¡°Well, I thought you expected this to happen since you have been sneaking out too often lately.¡±


    ¡°I always finish my work before sneaking out. But then, when I come back, there¡¯ll be piles of documents on my table again. Haahh¡­ they¡¯re just endless.¡±


    With a look as if he was resigned to his fate, he heaved a deep sigh of frustration.


    ¡°Hey, man. Don¡¯t you want to be the prince instead?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already satisfied with who I am, my lord.¡±


    He frowned upon hearing my response, then propped his arms on the table.


    ¡°Well, good for you. Oh, to be a normal citizen of this empire and have all the freedom you want! Oh, if I could just run away and be an ordinary man!¡±


    I rolled my eyes at him before taking the effort of asking what his problem was that he was being this overdramatic again.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. So what¡¯s making you act like this again?¡±


    Arms crossed, I raised an eyebrow at him and waited for his answer.


    Once again, a deep sigh escaped his mouth and he explained.


    ¡°Well, aside from all the usual political and economic stuff, father told me to choose my fiance before this year comes to an end. He sent me all these young ladies¡¯ profiles and told me to pick who I like the most.¡±


    He annoyingly pointed at the piles of paper with a distressed look.


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t even met these ladies!¡±


    He exclaimed; his forehead creasing in irritation.


    I curiously scanned the papers and saw a familiar face.


    ¡°But you have met Lady Millicent before. Even too many times, I dare say. I even thought you two were already engaged years ago.¡±


    ¡°Nah, we¡¯re not that close. I want to marry someone I actually get along with. Besides, she¡¯s a bit, well, unapproachable?¡±


    Reluctantly, he explained, as if scared that he was being too mean with the way he was describing her.


    Well, I get where he¡¯s coming from.


    ¡°You see, whenever we see each other, she¡¯s got this straight uninterested look on her face as if she was forced to be there in front of me. I don¡¯t even think she likes me either.¡±


    Sharing the same sentiment as him with how uninterested Lady Millicent always looked, I scanned the papers once again and saw another familiar face.


    ¡°Oh, Princess Jeanneva¡¯s here too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t really think we¡¯ll get along.¡±


    There was a look of dejection on his face. He explained,


    ¡°In the few times we met, I couldn¡¯t handle her personality at all. I feel like she is a tiger and I am just a bunny she could prey on.¡±


    He dramatically hugged himself, causing a disgusted look to appear on my face.


    I scoffed,


    ¡°It¡¯s funny that the prince known as the Iron Statue of the empire is referring to himself as a bunny. If others heard you, you¡¯d be the empire¡¯s laughingstock for about a week.¡±


    A sharp glare was thrown at me, glinting with a chilly purple hue.


    I awkwardly looked at the side, avoiding his menacing gaze with my lips pursed, attempting to hold back my laugh.


    ¡°.......¡±


    Still sensing his threatening glare, I chuckled and promised to stop teasing him again before relaying my serious opinion.


    ¡°Well, I feel like the Princess just has this naturally playful personality. She probably likes it when you feel on edge with her and would feel like teasing you even more.¡±


    I recalled that one time when Princess Jeanneva and Evan had teatime at the Emerald Garden.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°Good afternoon, Princess Jeanneva. Please take a seat.¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon as well, Prince Evander.¡±


    The two people of royal blood sat down after exchanging greetings. As his personal knight, I stood a few feet behind Evan as I listened to their conversation.


    ¡°So, my dear prince, I have heard you have fallen for me.¡±


    With her dreamy eyes, she stared seductively at the lavender-haired prince, who froze on his seat from what she said.


    ¡°Pardon me, your highness, but whom did you hear this from?¡±


    He politely replied, still taken aback from her unexpected statement, though he tried to hide it with a straight face.


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s not true? That is quite sad.¡±


    ¡°Please do not be disappointed.¡±


    ¡°But, of course.¡±


    She smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird though, I thought you always looked at me at balls. If perhaps you¡¯re feeling shy to admit it, oh, you need not to.¡±


    She fluttered her long thick lashes framing her pink almond eyes, waiting patiently for Evan¡¯s answer.


    ¡°That is not the case, your highness.¡±


    The princess chuckled, her seductive voice echoed across the lush green bushes, and then alluringly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s merely a jest, your imperial highness.¡±


    Even though I was behind him, I could imagine his face looking like he needed to take a huge dump. The awkwardness and tension from them was so strong that I almost laughed at him.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°Hey! What are you laughing at?¡±


    I came back to my senses when I heard Evan¡¯s irritated voice, his glare piercing through my soul.


    ¡°I just remembered a good memory, your imperial highness.¡±


    I bowed at him in an attempt to hide the huge grin on my face.


    ¡°Hah, no matter what. I¡¯m gonna delay choosing a fiance until the last month of this year. I¡¯ll get this out of my head first.¡±


    ¡°Of course, your highness.¡±


    Still trying to hold back my laughter, I simply nodded at him as he looked at me with suspicion before he went to bed.


    ?*????????*?????¡£? . to be continued .¡£? .?*?????????*?????