Tale Spinster

EP 12: THE THINGS YOU DON'T GET TO SEE IN BOOKS

When I got to the parking lot, the chauffeur was not surprised to see me. He directed me to a white car –which seemed familiar, but I can't for the life of me figure out which brand of car the writer got her inspiration from.

The chauffeur then asked, "To the usual place, Princess?"

"Usual place?" I looked at Margeritha and Van Dich, who somehow decided to come with me. They sat next to me in the back seat.

"Your usual boutique place?" Margeritha said, trying to evoke my memory, "Where you always demand to have a dress made for you with an outrageously intricate design in a short time and you usually threaten the store manager that if she doesn't fulfill your demand, you'll make the store go bankrupt."

My jaw dropped after hearing Margeritha's words. My first instinct was to wait for the middle-aged woman to start laughing and saying, 'Just kidding.' But of course, it did not happen. It took me a few seconds to realize that Margeritha was pretty damn serious. Van Dich and the chauffeur did not laugh too.

Diana is a horrible, spoiled princess!

"Did I... at least pay the store manager double, no, triple the amount?" I felt like for the trouble Diana caused, at least Diana should pay the people–

"No." All three of them said in unison.

I covered my face with my palms and sighed. "But I only threatened that one store manager, right?"

Please say yes... I kept saying in my heart.

"No."

"Or perhaps you're referring to your usual jewelry place?" Van Dich asked.

"Van Dich, why are you coming with us?" I asked him back instead of answering. "Margeritha, I can understand. But you?"

Van Dich blinked furiously at me. Then he looked past me to Margeritha. "Who is this princess?", to which Margeritha just shrugged.

"Princess, you know your father never really approve of you going out of the palace," Van Dich explained, "He never gave you a proper escort. But as your personal tutor and a person of respectable standing in society, I am the only one who you can consider as a proper escort so as to not raise society's scrutinizing eyes. People don't look kindly on a young princess going out alone. So, you..."

"...begged you to come?" I hoped it was the right answer.

"No," Van Dich said firmly, "You said you wouldn't study if I don't accompany you to the city. Basically, you threatened me too."

Oh, thank God. I thought I had done something worse to Van Dich. I sighed to Van Dich's confusion.

"You know, Van Dich," I told him, "In another world, we might be fast friends. You might be my favorite teacher for assuming as a bodyguard for a princess in exchange for the princess studying. Such dedication is so pure."

Then I turned to the chauffeur. "Yes. We're going to the usual places. Every single one of them to compensate them for all the trouble I had caused them."

When my three unseemly musketeers only looked at me with blank faces, I snapped at them, "What?"

"What are you going to pay them with?" Margeritha asked, "You have maxed out your monthly allowance from the king."

I groaned while slapping my cheeks with my palms. This Diana girl is really something else. Then I reached for the pockets I made on my skirt, which horrified Margeritha, but I gave no chance for her to protest. I took out all the pieces of jewelry I stuffed. "With these," I said, "I'll compensate them with these."