“If anything happens, come to me dear,” Edgar’s voice was kind as his body placed some distance between us.

“Thank you father,” I bow down while speaking loudly, making everyone else around us fully understand what had just happened.

‘Hopefully, this will ease things...’ swiftly, I turn around before heading towards the refreshments table. Part of me was already prepared to be approached by a horde of curious nobles but it seems that my fear won’t turn into a reality due to the Duke’s most wanted contribution.

I pick a piece of pumpkin pie and gracefully take it to my lips. Simultaneously, I carefully observed the environment around me. Even though the nobles didn’t have the guts to approach me, fearing they might anger me, the whispers continued to roam the air.

‘Wierd...’ something felt different, almost as if their eyes were judging me harshly due to my actions.

“Lady Ophelia! How have you been?” Devlin Hillgarden appears with Patricia hiding on his side, waking me up from my daydream.

“What a pleasant surprise Earl,” I comment with a warm smile on my lips, “I’ve been faring well, how about yourself?”

“Quite generous,” his remark was enough to make me understand that he was extremely pleased with our transaction, “Patricia is eager to have some tea with you again, would you perhaps have the time to visit us sometime soon?”

‘Greedy...’ I thought as I heard his question. Patricia didn’t like me, she feared me and yet, the Earl needed a justification for my appearance at his house. He wanted a new lead on new investment in a different market segment.

“Of course, I shall send a letter at a later date,” I politely reply before feeling Mace’s presence beside me.

“Lord Hillgarden,” he places his hand on my shoulder, “I didn’t know you had returned from the south.”

“I just came back my lord,” both of them held large yet misleading smiles.

‘Strange...’ observing this growing hatred between them I begin wondering about its cause, ‘What could’ve...?’

“I’m sure you are tired from your journey, we won’t keep you busy any further,” Mace’s hand drops to my waist, before beginning to lead me towards the balcony.

“Lady Ophelia, make sure to send that letter,” he said with a large grin on his lips as he watched us walk away.

‘So greedy...’ human nature was extremely pitiful in my eyes.

“My lord,” after reaching the fresh night air I swiftly remove his hand from my back, “What might be the meaning of this?”

“I should ask you the same thing,” his left-hand fixes his right cuff, pushing it harshly while glaring at me coldly, “What exactly is your relationship with the Hillgarden’s?”

“We’re acquainted,” my feet walk towards the handrail as a pleasant breeze flew between my hair strands, “I’m sure I don’t need to explain myself to you though...”

“You’d do well to avoid them, Ophelia, they are not good people,” his expression softens and his body approaches mine.

“There’s no such thing as good people, my lord,” my hand places my loose hair behind my ear.

I knew that this remark was coming from a place of concern but I couldn’t let him meddle in my businesses. Mace wasn’t going to ruin things for me, whether he liked it or not.

My attention shifts to the ballroom and the several names being echoed due to the continuous arrival of nobles. There was no music but the whispers wandering around were like a deadly melody that one would do well to avoid.

“We do what we must to survive,” I smile painfully making him look at me pitifully, “From all people, I thought you’d at least understand.”

“Ophelia...” as Mace was about to speak the loud sound of trumpets is heard.

‘The queen...!’ my heart felt like it was about to leave my chest from how hard it pumped.

“Let’s go,” suddenly, he places his hand on my shoulder and I regain my senses.

‘Yes... I can’t lose it now,’ without knowing I bite my bottom lip in frustration before heading inside the ballroom once again.

✽✼✽✼✽✼✽

“Announcing the entrance of Her Majesty, Queen Vivian alongside His Royal Highness Prince Blake,” a beautiful and graceful woman enters the room followed by the fire in the desert. Unconsciously, my eyes were being drawn towards her, like a moth to a flame.

Even though I was bowing down, I glanced over at my upcoming rival.

Her long hair appeared to be thin lines of caramel as it shuns against the brightness of the ballroom and her long and sharp blue eyes were like diamonds freshly polished. Vivian’s walk was graceful as a feather and her gestures were precise and beautiful. It was as if she was an angel that had descended from the heavens.

During my past lives, I never had the desire to observe the royal family members from up close and that includes the queen. Most of my memories of her are blurred but now, as I see her stand in front of the luxurious throne, everything is clear.

“My dear subjects, I am indeed thankful...” after telling us to rise, the queen begins her birthday speech with her melodic voice.

“Tsk...” I hear someone click their tongue and my attention shifts to the corner of the room where a small group of women was gathering.

‘Those are...’ curiosity takes the best of me as I keep on observing their harsh behavior.

King Julius II was known for his frugality. There were several things he loved: money, power, and women, thus, after gaining the throne he married Vivian Evans, the most beautiful noblewoman in the kingdom.

Their joint happiness didn’t last long as the king kept on bringing new women from all ranks or countries without a care in the world. At some point, these concubines and their children began dying to unknown diseases and, even though there is speculation that this was the queen’s doing, there is no actual proof.

‘And now there’s only a few with higher ranks...’ the palace was indeed a very dangerous place for a woman.

“Ophelia Criswell!” I get startled when I hear my name being spoken out loud.

‘Already...?’ part of me couldn’t understand how my turn had arrived so quickly, ‘Did I zone out for that long...?’

As I walked towards the queen the gossip began to grow louder and I comprehended every word perfectly.

“Shouldn’t the Evans Duchy be called first...?” one of the men said effortlessly.

‘Ah...’ I bite my lower lip in frustration once again. Vivian was calling me above all the noble families, as if their standings were irrelevant, ‘This shouldn’t happen...!’

Nervously, my eyes wander around and I notice my prey in front of a problem. Layton Verne was here, with his messy ginger hair and flustered cheeks, and, some meters behind him stood Bradley Trace, watching me closely like a hawk. Of course, the rest of the members of their houses were also there, except Julius, the first son of the Marquess.

‘Strange...’ I was already expecting to find the Trace’s but the absence of Julius at such an important event made me wonder about Verne’s affairs, ‘Are they plotting something...?’

Every step I took appeared to be longer than the other, making my journey to the queen’s domain quite fast, even if my mind was occupied with idle thoughts.

“Glory upon the royal family who guides and provides, Ophelia Criswell, greets Her Majesty the Queen,” I bow down once I reach the red carpet, a few meters away from the throne.

‘They weren’t kidding...’ some people described that talking with the royal family members is like facing a lion straight ahead, however, when you are in the presence of the queen is like you are stuck with the beast in a cell, without any way to escape her grasp.

Her presence was overwhelming and I could feel it burning on the top of my head, even while looking down. The weight of my actions was heavier than normal and thus it was becoming harder for my lungs to breathe steadily.

‘Like mother, like son...’ within this troublesome scenario, my mind wandered back to Blake’s presence when he confronted me.

“You may rise,” hearing her soft voice made a weight lift off my chest but I knew I wasn’t in the clear just yet, “Enlighten me, Ophelia Criswell, why are you wearing a cheap dress on my birthday ball? Is this a sign of the Criswell’s rebellion?”

‘Aren’t you afraid that the queen will see this as insubordination?’ Mace’s words were echoing in my head. This had always been a gamble but without any risk, there was no reward. I needed to make this work, no matter what.

“It was all I could afford, your majesty, please forgive me,” I kneel once again as I feel my heart rushing out of my chest.

‘Did I say the right thing?’ or ‘Was I able to say it straight?’ were some of the questions roaming through my mind.

“All you could afford? I’m sure you know that deceiving a member of the royal family is a crime, yes?” her cold smile and her eyes were pressuring me once again, Vivian was displeased with the situation.

‘It’s alright... You were expecting this...!’

Once I received the queen’s invitation I began scribbling up a plan on the several empty canvases within my brain. Of course, I was aware that this invitation was not solely based on curiosity alone, as the majority of the nobles. There was something else, an unknown factor that I needed to take into account.

I didn’t want to become that woman’s pawn and neither her enemy. I needed a neutral ground that would allow me to continue to live as I have until now and until I die.

When I saw the cheap dress I knew the ideal way to approach Vivian: becoming the perfect dumb yet humble girl, without a filter and see-through like crystal clear water.

Of course, being the forgotten child of the Criswell’s, who knows nothing about the rules of the world due to not being educated throughtly, is the ultimate part to deal with this den of wolfs.

“I-I wouldn’t dare my queen!” after a couple of seconds of silence while pretending to struggle with my own thoughts, I let my crocodile tears flow, “You see, my father has left to recover, I heard he is really sick and he hasn’t been able to send me my allowance... I’m sure he forgot due to his illness... I promise next time I will bring something to your liking, your highness!”

“I see... So you being the cursed child of the Criswell’s is true after all... Tell me, Ophelia, how does it feel to be neglected?” her pressure was now gone and her words were of amusement. Just like when a hunter traps their prey and delivers them a non-deadly blow, Vivian was loving to see me squirm in front of her, tearing down my pride while spilling my father’s secrets.

“I couldn’t possibly consider myself neglected your highness, father gave me a roof above my head, provided me with tasty leftover food and he also gifted me the dresses that my beloved sister didn’t want... I think I was very lucky... Truly!” I avert my eyes while portraying a frail and naive little girl who couldn’t see the harm in anything in this world.

‘Screw this...’ even if this girl wasn’t me anymore, I could still feel a sharp pain in my heart.

Before I died, I genuinely thought all these things. I was grateful to the Duke and my sister since I knew there were people out there who had it worse than me. That’s why I never ran away, or even tried to change this lifestyle that had been provided. Back then, I was thankful for those small tokens of love that my family gave me. Only later did I found out that I was nothing but a single flower, withering away in the middle of a desert.

But I’m different now.

I finally learned that those were never tokens of love... They were just tools to keep me trapped inside a cage, without making a sound, without trying to escape. And now, that I have all the keys to all the cages, I won’t give them the satisfaction to trample on me again.

“Oh my... I didn’t know that the Criswell’s could step that low, mistreating a child like that...” Vivian wasn’t the least bit surprised but that was to be expected, “We can’t have that...! Neveah, take this young lady with you and provide her with a beautiful dress from my closet!”

‘Ah! This woman truly...!’ I didn’t understand her reasoning but I knew that she was placing me trapped between a sharp sword and the wall. She knew I couldn’t refuse her request because that would be seen as a personal offense, however, I couldn’t accept it either as I would become indebted to her indefinitely.

“Your majesty! I couldn’t dare... How could I...” my body began to shiver as tears dripped down my eyes, “How could I ever dare to wear something so precious to you, your majesty!?”

‘How will you reply to this?’ I thought as I wiped my tears away gently.

If Vivian couldn’t see my worth then I would be able to swiftly slip away from her grasp. That’s why I need to degrade my image like this, stain my pride but stamp my freedom from the claws of this beast.

“I understand... Then tell me if there is anything you wish and I shall grant it to you,” her smile was like a snake, hiding lies and deceits for days.

“There’s only one thing I want, may I approach you, my queen?” I needed to keep the act of being nothing more than a humble girl with a weak and frail heart.

“Yes, you’re allowed,” she immediately responds as her hand reaches her chin, intrigued.

“I would be truly honored if you’d accept my gift,” I remove a small piece of fabric with the royal family’s crest from a small pouch I was carrying, “It took me weeks to make as I was not taught but I hope my humble gift is to your majesty’s liking...”

“This embroidery... You made this all by yourself?” her blue eyes were sparkling as if she had just seen something extremely captivating.

“Yes, your majesty,” simultaneously, I avert my eyes, pretending to be flustered at her remark.

“Thank you, Ophelia, it’s actually beautiful,” she smiles warmly before giving the gift to her attendant, Neveah that carefully stored it inside a small chest.

“Your majesty...” once again, I bow and slowly remove myself from her sight.