'These are clothes I don't wear, take them and wear them.'
Giovinetta always treated me the same after that. She treats a kid like me who comes from nowhere very well. She often gave me her dresses and ribbons and dressed them up for me herself.
However, at that time I was too skinny and much smaller than her, so those dresses were ill-fitting and baggy as if I was stealing adult clothes, making me walk awkwardly. Giovinetta found the scene very interesting and enjoyable.
On other days, she would stuff my hands with fragrant cakes and candies that I had never tasted in my life. They are much better than silk clothes and jewelry that don't fit or are of no use.
‘Really delicious. I have never eaten this dish before.'
Every time I receive those things, I can't help but be happy. Then, she will smile brightly and ask me:
‘What a fool. Just something as small as that makes you happy?'
Except for Annalisa, no one takes such good care of me. Therefore, I had to admire and listen to the arrogant, beautiful lady who had suddenly invaded my narrow world.
Giovinetta has treated me well. Even though it was just her temporary whim. Even though it was just a short-lived distraction from her boring life, I still found it hard to deny the good feelings she brought.
I even had the illusion that, if this relationship continued, one day we would truly become a close pair of sisters.
However, those good days did not last long. As time passed, I also had a private tutor and gradually integrated into this family.
Then, Giovinetta's attitude suddenly changed clearly. I don't know when, she became cold, the number of times she came to me, gave me candy or clothes also decreased.
I don't know what the cause is, and there's nothing I can do for her. Our relationship had always been one-sided, and that care was something Giovinetta graciously gave me.
I understand for myself that the fact that the most beloved lady in this family treats her illegitimate, estranged younger sister well is just a temporary whim. Just like that, I also accepted her change.
Day by day, our relationship became more and more distant, seemingly about to disappear. Until one day, this incident happened.
The evening dress that Giovinetta gave me proved disastrous. Kể từ khi đến biệt thự, tôi đã tăng cân và lớn hơn, nên tôi muốn mặc thử một chiếc váy đẹp, thay vì bộ váy tạp dề người hầu bình thường mặc hàng ngày.
‘Giovinetta, look at this. This dress already fits you.'
I want to thank her for gifting this dress. When I imitated her and lifted the hem of my skirt, for some reason the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
‘Why are you wearing this dress?’
‘That, that… it was because I gave it to you…’
I was extremely confused. In the end, I still couldn't understand what upset Giovinetta so much. As a result, that dress was torn to pieces by her in anger.
That's right. Giovinetta was a capricious child, her moods changed dozens of times a day. Người ta nói rằng việc thấu hiểu trọn vẹn một người không hề dễ dàng, nhưng đối với tôi, cô ấy là một người vô cùng khó hiểu.
“No matter what, she's still someone I can't understand.”
Even now, I still can't understand her. Why is it that sometimes she treats me well and other times she acts arbitrarily, tormenting me to the point of wanting to kill me? The gap between those two extremes is too large.
Sau cùng, trải qua cả sự việc bị cô ta đẩy ngã xuống cầu thang, tôi đã từ bỏ việc cố gắng thấu hiểu cô ấy. Đó là một hành vi tàn bạo, đau đớn đến thấu xương, và cho đến tận bây giờ, sau nhiều năm trôi qua, tôi vẫn chưa nhận được một lời xin lỗi chân thành nào.
From that day on, our relationship went to the breaking point. Tôi đã phải chịu một vết thương không thể xóa nhòa suốt đời, còn cô ấy thì ngược lại, luôn hung hăng xông vào muốn giết tôi mỗi khi nhìn thấy tôi.
Thinking of Giovinetta, I felt a heavy heart. Truly an extraordinary girl. She has the ability to ruin my mood instantly, anytime and anywhere. Therefore, I often have to avoid thinking about her to protect my mind...
"In the near future, we will often encounter each other, which is really worrying."
The problem at hand is this. If she becomes the Empress's power, she will definitely come into conflict with me. Just look at the way she treats Cesar to understand.
Giovinetta's nature is extremely cruel. She especially likes to bully weak and soft people. What if she tries to make things difficult for Cesar?
“Absolutely cannot let that happen.”
I lay down on the bed with that determination, looking up at the ceiling. I closed my eyes, wondering what Cesar was doing, and what kind of person the royal physician had just arrived. No, I try to close my eyes.
At that moment, something vaguely appeared before my eyes. A black spot, like a blur, spread and gradually covered my entire vision.
"EH?"
I blinked a few times but the scene remained the same. Hastily rubbing my eyes, the result is still the same. I suddenly felt panic. Is there a problem with my eyesight?
I can't understand what's going on. A scene appeared before my eyes, as if an illusion was evaporating. An extremely familiar scene.
“This, could it be…”
I realized that the scene unfolding before my eyes was part of the nightmare that tormented me every night. Because I've seen it so many times, I just need to see a small part to know what will happen next.
But why did the dream scene appear when I wasn't even asleep? Could it be that what I thought were nightmares were actually daytime sleepwalking, happening when I was awake?
I continued to blink. What I saw was the scenery by the pond. But after appearing dimly before my eyes for a while, the scene disappeared and repeated.
“What exactly is this?”
I'm scared. I have a feeling something is seriously wrong. I think I have to move my body to get out of this uncomfortable sleepwalking spell.
I tried my best to stand up. But my body didn't move, it was like I was in sleep paralysis.
Meanwhile, my vision blurred again. The scene in the bedroom faded, and something dimly appeared.
Cold sweat broke out. The scenes passed by as if time had stopped, and I was helpless to witness what appeared before my eyes.
Information flowed through my head like flowing water. This time, I saw the location of that place. My vision seemed to be lifted, it felt like I was soaring high into the sky. I wanted to close my eyes because I was so dizzy, but even that was impossible.
I silently exclaimed in surprise. It felt like I had turned into a bird and was flying. Panorama of the Royal Palace spread out under the clear sky. That lake is located not far from the Emerald Palace.
I vaguely understood which path I had to take, how to avoid the guards' eyes and ears and move secretly.
I don't know exactly what this is, but the information keeps pouring in, filling my mind. The amount of information was so great that my head felt like it was about to explode.
“…Uh…”
My brain was chaotic because of the unexpected information. On the far side of that lake, there was a girl who drowned.
Thinking back, I only asked the servants and never went to the scene myself. That's because Delfina stopped me. She told me it was dangerous, maybe she thought I was planning something so she didn't want to tell me where that lake was.
However, this sleepwalking, this illusion, kept showing me the location of that place, as if to say that this was something important.
And it took a long time for my vision to return to normal. I blinked a few times and moved my fingertips. Luckily, my body can now move.
I jumped up immediately, letting out the breath I had been holding for so long. I couldn't breathe normally, I had to cough.
It feels like I've exhausted all my energy. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and slowly regained my breath. This dream has always shown me the truth.
Therefore, this time, what the dream signals is also very clear.
“I have to go there and see.”
Just in time Delfina was absent because she had gone to Cesar on my orders. Then even better.
I thought that maybe if I went to that lake, I would learn something new.
“Chiep, chirp!”
At that time, Ave cried out loudly.
“What's wrong with you?”
The little chick quickly pecked with its beak and clung tightly to my sleeve.
“Are you afraid I'll leave you alone?”
"Cheep! Chirp, chirp!"
“I'll be back soon.”
“Chip!”
It looks dissatisfied, but what does a chick have on its face? Maybe I was thinking too much.
It's awkward to leave an animal that's jumping around making its presence felt alone. If I leave it crying miserably in the room, the other servants might see it and chase it away.
“Then you have to obediently get in here, okay?”
“Chip.”
I had to open the pocket inside my shirt. It timidly opened its wings, jumped into the bag uncomfortably and cried
chirp
solemnly.