Villainess Reborn: SEASON ONE

62

Tatiana lost all her strength by the time she entered her room.

The memories of her past life came to haunt her. All this time she thought that she was alright, that everything is in the past now and that she forgave herself. But seeing someone with the same face and name as he brought back memories that she was trying to get over.

She stumbled towards her bed and slid herself into the corner tucking her legs to her chest. A shaky breath escaped her lips and tears streamed down her face.

"Escape now, before it's too late!"

"No! We have to get out together!"

"The other kids still don't know! You need to save them, you have to!"

"Simon, please! I can't leave you here!"

"Just go, Airin, I'll be fine!"

"Princess?" Emma knocked on the door. She followed the princess to her room after making the guest feel comfortable in the study. Nobody answered so she opened the door and found the princess hugging herself at the corner of the bed whilst crying.

Emma immediately ran towards the princess and hugged her. The princess was sobbing silently and was mildly shaking under Emma's touch. She doesn't know what was happening or why the princess was acting like this but the headache and nausea she felt from the hangover disappeared like magic.

"Everything will be fine, princess." Emma gently cradled Tatiana in her arms. She does not know the reason but she won't ask any questions. Even if the princess is making huge progress and carries burdens that are bigger than herself, at the end of the day, she is still a kid who should be loved and nurtured like the others.

When Tatiana finally calmed herself down, she started to think more clearly. This is a fictional world that a mere human created and everyone around her is not real in a sense even though it feels like it's real. The real Simon is gone and the Simon here is just someone that exists through coincidence. He has nothing to do with the Simon she grew up with.

"Thank you, for not asking questions." Tatiana sullenly said.

"No worries, your highness, I will always be here for you whenever you need me."

Tatiana stood up and composed herself. She figured that she shouldn't be glooming over the things she can't control. This is just one of the many obstacles that she will face in the story. She can't live peacefully like the way she wanted if she will grow weak when faced with things that she is scared of.

"Let us go, Emma," Tatiana fixed her dress and faced the door, "let's see what that scholar can offer us."

"Are you alright, your highness?" Faye whispered when she greeted the princess in the hallway. "the knights have been watching sir Simon all this time while we prepared the children's lunch."

"What has he been doing?" Tatiana asked, curving into a corner.

"Well," Faye was unsure about what to say, "he's been playing with the children since you left."

"He what?"

By the time they arrived at the study room, the children were seated on the floor, all facing the same direction. Tatiana's forehead creased when she saw how focused the children were.

"This is a dog, it has four legs, two ears, and a tail. Do you remember what the dog sounds like?"

"Arf! Arf!"

"That's great! And the cat?"

"Meow! Meow!"

Seated at a chair was Simon with a picture book in his hands facing the children. Each page turned was a different animal and Simon described what characteristics each animal has to the children. He was so engaging that the children looked like they were being hypnotized by him. They responded well to every question that he asked and even raised their hands to ask questions.

Tatiana and the others stood at the side for some time, mesmerized by how easy he taught them. She saw their similarities once again because Simon from her childhood also read books to the other kids at the orphanage back then. Her heart swelled with an unknown feeling but it was not because of hurt and sadness anymore. Even if this was just a book and he was just a character, she felt like she saw the person Simon would have grown up to be.

Simon noticed Tatiana and immediately stopped and stood up.

"I-I'm sorry, I did not notice you there," he bashfully said. Tatiana inhaled a deep breath before stepping forward, Bjorn and Morgan standing in the process.

"How did you do that?" she asked, with awe in her voice, "how do you handle children so well?"

Simon rubbed the back of his neck and his cheeks flushed red, "Actually, a child came up to me and asked what I was carrying in my bag so I showed him a book and then the children started to gather, and here we are now."

Tatiana smiled faintly and nodded, "you must be a natural."

Simon smiled once again and turned to the children, "they just give me happiness and a sense of fulfillment, something I never had as a child."

The princess could see the sincerity in his facial expression when he looked at the children because that's also how she looks at children. If there is who is better suited for the job, it's him. Also, she does not have enough time to look for another person who's willing to become a stay-in teacher but if he turned out not good enough for the children, she would not hire him for the job.

Her father only gave her a week to stay outside the palace for starting the orphanage, more than that, she has to stay at the palace and could only go out for some time. This was a golden opportunity for her since she was going to go back the day after tomorrow.

Tatiana looked around the room, Nadia and the others looked like they approve and the children seem to like him. Bjorn and Morgan have the same annoyed expression but she thinks that's what they look like all the time.

"Well then," Tatiana announced and faced Simon, "I guess you got the job."

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END