Empress of Another World

Three

Through the carriage window, I saw the giant white castle getting close. That castle would be my grave. I would die there.

I chewed on my fingernail. I felt incredibly anxious. I glanced at Orlean. I was told she was my maid, but in fact, she was my jailer. Orlean was loyal to Lady Lisbeth, and so she took this job very seriously. She actually volunteered to accompany me on this trip.

She saw my look and sneered, “What you tried to do last night was beneath your status as an adopted daughter of the great Bonafit family.”

She smiled at me triumphantly. It was true. She did win last night. She managed to drag me to this place.

“…”

I glared at her. She continued to mock me.

“… I guess you can’t help yourself since you are a lowborn girl, but can’t you at least try to hide it? That would be the best way to repay Duke Aeal for his kindness. If you continue to act this way, you will dishonor his family name. I just don’t understand. The other tutors told me you learned very fast, yet here you are. I guess you can’t help it.” Orlean laughed.

Duke Aeal was the head of the Bonafit family. The family was made of Duke Aeal, his wife, and their beloved daughter Lisbeth.

Until recently, they were my saviors, but now, I hated them with all my heart.

I clenched my blue silk dress and trembled.

Orlean looked at my hands disapprovingly. She was probably worried about my dress. As soon as I realized it, I used my nails to scratch the fragile fabric.

“You!”

I continued to destroy the dress. I ripped the white lace trimming into threads.

“Oh my…!” Orlean screamed. She picked up a piece of white lace that fell on the floor. “Do you not realize how expensive this dress is? The Duke was being so generous, yet here you are being ungrateful…!”

She didn’t get to finish her statement though.

“SLAP!”

It was just the two of us in the carriage.

And I slapped her as hard as I could.

“…”

“…”

I slapped so hard I fell backward. The seat was heavily cushioned, so I didn’t get hurt. Orlean looked at me in shock. She didn’t seem to realize what had happened. I shook my left hand (I’m left-handed) and said to her.

“You are shameless.”

“W…W, what?”

“You are helping them to sell me off instead of your precious Lisbeth. You want me to be thankful to them? Are you kidding me?”

I was so furious. I had never been this angry in my life.

I had all the right to be. My 20-old-year life would be over!

“You have all tricked me into becoming a 70-year-old sadist’s concubine instead of your precious lady! How can you do that? Then here you are being worried that I might ruin this ridiculous dress?!”

“…?”

Orlean still looked shocked. Then suddenly, she found her voice.

She stood up and screamed at me, “What an ungrateful girl! They treated you so kindly! They are giving you the honor of becoming the concubine of the great Emperor of Cransia! Do you not realize what an honor it is?!”