Chapter Thirteen: My Name Is...
Estelle
All of us were startled when Joan, who should be sleeping right now, was running down the stairs as if someone was chasing her. On her left hand, she was holding a brownish paper which she raised in front of Cecil's face.
"Adela... Adela's not going back here anymore," she said which made us freeze while already cleaning the tools that were used to dye my hair. Edith urgently put down the brush that she was holding and snatched the paper right away.
"Oh dear. I know that this would happen one day but I didn't know this soon," Cecil said while looking up. As if she was trying to hold down her tears before it started falling. Meanwhile, I and Sarah are just too stunned to move and say another word.
"The messenger bird put it on my window and I can't be mistaken. That emblem is owned by her family." Joan pointed out a small orange jewel with the letter 'Y' in the center.
"Y? What does it stand for?" I asked. Joan looked in my direction and when her eyes were set on me, her mouth widened so did her eyes. That's why it took seconds for her to respond.
"Yuwen. That's their family's surname."
I nodded my head as a sign that I understood what she said.
"According to her letter, she will be sent to tend to a lady from a much higher house status than her. The money is something she cannot refuse," Cecil said while Sarah and I were still reading the letter Adela sent. "I think it's best for her and the Yuwen house."
"It's also much better rather than marrying an old man from Holy knows where," Sarah said and rolled again the letter once we finished reading it. She handed the letter to Joan to keep. All of us agreed.
"Think she might visit soon?" I asked. It's a shame that I won't see her again. I kind of feel sad. I am close to all of them here but I feel much closer to Adela in a short period.
"Might be but it would be rare. She needs to tend to her all day and her letter states that she would be living there," Joan said in a low voice. The low spirit didn't continue when Edith flipped the sign on the door.
"We're open!" Edith shouted but all of us laughed when her voice cracked.
Embarrassed, she stomped her feet while starting to arrange the chairs.
The other girls started to do their tasks, wiping the tables, pouring beers on the jars, and checking out the slices of bread and soup. I, too, did my chores after I gave Cecil the tools we used to dye my hair.
One by one, the customers already started to come inside our inn so we started to get busy and along with it, the absence of Adela was highlighted since some of Adela's patrons asked where she was.
When we told them that she had already left, leaving the part that she was tending to a lady from someone with a higher status and that she was a lady herself, they would often answer or look at us in dismay.
Though my dyed hair and a sudden change in the color of my eyes would pique their attention.
"This is my natural eye color," I lied as per what I should say according to what Sarah instructed me, "and Cecil there said that golden hair is a trend in the West."
"It suits you," Joan whispered as she passed by me and handed the beers to the customer to whom I handed bread. I smiled at her and mouthed 'thank you' before going back to the counter to check on Cecil.
The night continued like that. The continuous question about the absence of Adela and the endless explanation of my new appearance.
Lying is hard but I didn't know that as time goes by, it's like I'm already saying the truth of how fluent I am becoming as I spew those words.
"He didn't come again," Edith said that made me startled because she just appeared beside me while my stare was fixed on the wooden door, "you missed him?"
My eyebrows met each other and wiped the counter.
Is he still searching for me in that forest? It's been almost a week!
"I don't!" I said while mumbling some rubbish words even I didn't understand.
"We can see our reflection on the counter now, Estelle," Joan said as if she were using it as her mirror.
The counter's a wood!
She just said that to tease me, for sure.
"You're aggressively wiping it," Sarah said and chuckled. Before she could add any more words to tease me, instead of Joan, I put the jar of beers on her tray and gestured her to serve them already.
I did the same to Edith which made the two of them away from me already. Though I already did that, I can see their mocking glances stealing from me.
"I just have a debt to settle," I explained to Joan who was now in front of me while putting bread in my basket that was sitting right between us on the counter.
She just shrugged and smiled as if I was lying to her face right now.
"Really."
"If you say so," she said in a meaningful tone.
Hah! Why are they suddenly ganging up on me?
My shoulders dropped before I went to the table of customers who ordered the bread. I looked at the door every time it opened.
Fine, I am hoping that Azval would come rushing in but it's not because I miss him or something.
Like I said, I have a debt to settle and Cecil already paid us. It's just a couple of rias but I think it would be enough to settle before I went back to my world. During the times I accompanied Azval, he would also lessen my debt so I could really pay the full price in less than six months.
The usual nights of the Inn went by until one by one, our customers either went to their rooms that they had rented for the night or they simply lived with the smell of booze on their clothes.
Edith already flipped the sign from 'Open' to 'Closed' once again but before she closed the door and locked it, I stopped her.
"I'm going out," I said. I saw a worried face plastered on her.
"B-But, Sir Mercenary didn't come today. You're going alone?" she asked. I almost smirked when a thought came into my head, it's also night and I was alone when I went into this place. But I found a friendly atmosphere after all.
"Why? Are you afraid that I will run into some trouble again and be in debt?" I joked and the both of us laughed.
"No. it's just that it's your first time going out without Mr. Mercenary by your side."
Now that I think of it, it's actually right. Since I am settling my debt to him, that's why my nights are almost with him.
"I want to explore this area more. A friend of mine from the market told me a place where I can read my book," I said pertaining to the book I am holding right now that was given to me by Master Hagas.
I would often read this in my bedroom but a change of scenery is not bad at all. However, I would say that I am not completely telling the truth. I will be going outside to visit the place where Azval and I last met.
"Use this."
Cecil who just got beside us handed me a bag. Kind of a tote bag with a mini sunflower embroidered in the upper left.
"It's for the book."
"Thank you, Cecil!'
"Be sure to be back before our opening tomorrow," she said and I saluted her. With that, I put the book in my bag and started my walk.
"Be safe!"
"Have a great night!" The girls bid me their goodbye.
After moments of walking, I found myself in the Central Place.
As I was roaming around, I noticed that it was as festive as the last time I went here but it was sure lively. Livelier than around the inn I work at.
Before finding a spot where a torch so I can read my book, I decided to check out the items that are being sold. Some necklaces that I have seen reminded me of the necklace Azval gave me. I am not wearing it and have just been keeping it in a cabinet inside my room or right now, inside my bag. That's because there's an incident that it caught up in a mercenary's weapon when I served them their orders.
It took minutes before Adela successfully untangled it. Azval noticed it but when I told him the reason why I don't wear it anymore, instead of getting angry he just laughed at me.
Now that I remember that scene, my blood started to boil up.
"If I see him once again, I will surely rip him apart," I whispered to myself while being hostile to the necklaces that I am choosing right now.
"A-Are you alright?"
The woman who owns the stall asked me and she looked at me as if she was slowly starting to get scared and worried. I faked a laugh and smiled at her. I then excused myself after saying that the designs of the items that she was selling were nice.
Great, I almost got into trouble again!
"Princess, you shouldn't be here!"
Eh?
A tall man dressed in a mercenary outfit with crimson red hair suddenly grabbed my left hand and continued dragging me somewhere. It was so swift that I just suddenly found myself in front of a carriage that was hidden somewhere dark.
"You should be in your bed chambers right now. If you would want a stroll, it would be better if you were with the royal guards," he started stating as if he's my father.
"I think you've mistaken me for someone else. I am not—"
"Sorry Princess but my Captain has ordered me to deliver a message to someone working around here. He's so hot-headed these past few days and if I would delay to relay his message further and get an answer, he might burn the entire Aysel Palace to the ground," he said in a hurry and went to the man in front of the carriage. They talked about something for a while but eventually, he went back to me.
"This carriage that I have rented will bring you back to your chambers in Adriham Palace. For sure, you won't have a problem entering the gates as you are now being searched. Who would've thought that the Princess would be in a public space," he said and sighed as if he was so tired and done with the world. Even though I am not getting a clear look at his face, I can sense some exhaustion from him.
I let out a chuckle and talked to him in a calm voice.
"Sir, you see. I'm not the person you are searching for—"
"I already know that kind of ruse, Princess. I am not mistaken that it is you so I would really like to excuse myself, right? Have a safe trip and I am deeply sorry that I cannot accompany you. Rest assured that I only told the coachman that you are just a servant of the palace."
Just like the wind blows, he ran so fast and disappeared in just seconds from my sight. With that, the carriage already started moving.
No, you are clearly mistaken! I am not THE princess!
I have a lot of thoughts in my mind.
How do I stop this thing? Should I just jump? Y Since Adela already left and I left suddenly too, will they hire someone and that someone would replace me?
"Your Highness, the head maid has been looking for you. Oh, what's with your outfit, princess? Let's hurry before the Crown Prince sees us."
A girl in a servant's uniform accompanied me somewhere the moment I stepped out of the carriage and she ran towards me. My mind is so occupied right now that even though someone with a worried face around in her mid-50s asked me where I had been, I didn't answer them and just continued the thoughts in my mind.
What about my belongings there? The necklace Azval gave me? Will Cecil throw it or worse, will she burn it?!
"Ah! You scared us, Princess!" One of the maids said as she held her left chest when I suddenly gasped so loud and put both of my hands in my mouth.
What if Cecil will really burn my belongings?!
"I should go. This is a mistake," I said and turned my back on them but the woman in her mid-50s with a different uniform, which I think the others also called 'Head Maid', turned me in a certain direction.
"That's right my lady, you should go back now to your bed chambers and this is all nothing but a mistake."
I don't know why but she had that kind of strength that made her be able to push me into a room.
When I was already inside, she instructed me to breathe a little first to calm my mind while the maids prepared the things I needed for a bath. The big door that is carefully designed, by the looks of it, closed in front of me.
I was now alone in a room that didn't even belong to me.
I paced back and forth while processing what just happened and came to one conclusion.
Did I just get kidnapped?
"Okay, let's get out of here Estelle."
I breathed in and out. Suddenly a cool breeze touched my skin which in any other case, would made me shiver but this time, it gave me hope.
A balcony!
I rushed to the balcony and saw if I could jump from it. Luckily, this room is not that high. I think this room is located on the second floor.
I let out a smirk as I remembered how this situation was no different from when I was escaping to my room to see Sophie and have a late-night trip with her in a convenience store. To be honest, this room is much lower compared to my room back then.
This is easy!
I took a deep breath to compose myself and gather courage. I also moved my shoulders up and down as if I were filming an action movie right now. I didn't know this would be intense.
"Princess, your bath is—"
A familiar voice spoke that made me turn my head back around while one of my left legs was already on top of the railings.
"Oh my! Princess, what are you doing!"
"Adela?!" I answered in shock.
Adela urgently put down a basket full of bathing materials, I guessed and hurriedly helped me to get away from the balcony. When we were already beside the bed that's when she spoke again.
"Yes, Your Highness. It is I!" she said with a worrisome face. "Let's get you to bath. I was so worried when they said that you came back. You said to me that you would like to stroll around without being accompanied and getting caught. Did your mind change? Your clothes are also different."
"Adela, I am not the Princess. I'm Estelle," I said in excitement, and with that, she wasn't able to pick up the basket and turned her head on me. She was quite in shock but then afterwards, she chuckled and proceeded to do her task.
"Your Highness, the sun is already down and it is no time for such games. Do you know how worried and surprised I was when they suddenly said that you came back?"
Adela is now facing me with a teasing face, just like what she would wear during our times in the Inn.
"I am really Estelle. I can prove—"
"Even I was so surprised about the news traveled to the palace that I already came back when I haven't been able to stop my chambers."
Both of us turned to the balcony where a woman dressed in a simple dark brown dress with a hood suddenly appeared. When she stepped into the light and took off her hood, I felt like all my blood suddenly left my body.
"Scary, isn't it?"
"P-Princess? Wait, how... who?" Adela stammered as I, on the other hand, froze as the woman in front of us was walking towards our direction.
She only stopped when she was already in front of me and her eyes looked at me from head to toe as if she was examining me. Once her gaze went back to me, she sharpened it.
Cecil was not lying when she said that I looked like this woman.
Our resemblance is so uncanny!
"Now... who are you and why do you look so much like me?" she asked as we stared at each other. I gulped down my saliva before I answered.
"E-Estelle," I stuttered, "My name is Estelle."
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