CH 9

[Siana’s POV]

The sun went down and the dark night came.

Siana made Aris eat dinner and even brush her teeth with the strategy of ‘If you don’t eat, I’ll eat it.’

“If you don’t brush your teeth properly, bugs will form on your teeth this time?”

“… …”

“Small, nasty worms crunch teeth where food sticks to them… …”

“Ah!”

Aris opened her mouth wide.

Siana, who brushed her teeth in every nook and cranny, secretly coaxed Aris.

“Now that we have eaten and washed up, shall we go to bed?

Aris frowned when she realized Siana’s intentions.

“Are you going to stick your nose from the morning and interfere even with sleeping? I’m going to sleep when I want to, so get out!”

Then it’s trouble.

If left alone, Aris would go to sleep late at night while doing this and that.

Children should go to bed early. That way, you can grow taller, get up early in the morning, and maintain a good cycle.

Instead of persuading her, Siana lowered her eyebrows and said.

“That’s too bad. I was going to tell the princess an interesting story to help you sleep when you lie down on the bed….”

“…Interesting story?”

Aris’ ears pricked up.

Aris, like a normal kid, was crazy about stories.

However, Siana heartlessly ignored the twinkling eyes of the child and lowered her head.

“Since the princess doesn’t want it, I’ll go out now….”

Aris grabbed the hem of Siana’s skirt.

“Okay. Let’s put me to sleep.”

“All right.”

Until then, Aris was plotting vicious plans in her head.

‘Hmph, I know how to be patient. I’ll keep asking you to tell me a story without falling asleep. Let’s see who wins.’

For Aris, this was the best ploy to listen to the story, not sleep, and to harass the maid.

However, as soon as she lay down on the bed, Aris faced a crisis.

It was because the blanket, which was always damp, smelled good dried in the sun. Moreover, it was as fluffy as a cloud.

It was a quilt that Siana had made soft with vigorous soaping and batting.

“… …”

In addition, she woke up earlier than usual, ate enough food to make her stomach full, and even took a warm bath.

Sleep swept through her.

Aris, who involuntarily closed her eyes, opened them.

‘You can’t sleep! Then I’ll lose to that cheeky maid!’

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Siana’s voice reached Aris’ ears.

“Once upon a time, there was a Diamond Princess. Diamond Princess, like her name, loved diamonds. The princess collected diamonds from all over the place and adorned them from head to toe. The princess shone brightly.”

Although living in a shabby corner of the imperial palace, Aris liked fancy things.

The combination of diamonds and princesses was interesting to Aris.

“Then one day. The princess heard rumors that the evil dragon living in the west had the hardest and most beautiful diamond in the world. The princess really wanted the diamond. So the princess went to find the evil dragon.”

Siana glanced at Aris. Aris’ eyes were slightly closed.

She was unaware of it though.

Siana continued with a soft voice as if singing a lullaby.

“The dragon who saw the princess said. You are so beautiful. If you marry me, I’ll give you the diamond.”

Aris raised her eyebrows with half-closed eyes.

“Lizard or something… Not knowing the subject.”*

TL/N: Dragon X Princess is nono to Aris LOL

At those words, Siana burst into laughter.

I didn’t hear that the maid dared to laugh at the princess’s words.

Because Aris had just fallen asleep.

Shee sheee.

The sound of a child’s breathing was heard.

Siana looked at the clock. The hands of the clock pointed to nine o’clock.

A proud smile appeared on Siana’s face, who had achieved her goal.

Siana put the blanket over Aris’s chest. Then she greeted the young princess who had gone to dreamland.

“Sweet dreams, princess.”

***

[Aris’s POV]

Aris was hanging from a large tree in the garden.

Aris’ appearance had changed dramatically in just a few days.

Her pale and emaciated face began to gain weight little by little, her tangled hair became shiny and tidy, and her dirty clothes were clean and even smelled like soap.

It wasn’t just Aris who had changed. The appearance of the Ruby Palace has also changed.

The Ruby Palace, which had been full of cobwebs and dust and had a pleasant smell, shone with a twinkle.

The garden, which was overgrown with weeds, was also tidied up.

It was all thanks to Siana.

Looking down at the changed Ruby Palace, Aris remembered what happened yesterday.

Under the scorching sun, Siana was hunched over in the garden, sweating profusely.

Aris approached Siana with eyes that had found her prey.

It was to torment Siana.

I have to scream behind your back. If there are any weeds you’ve collected, I’ll dig them up and you’ll get angry at me, telling me not to do useless things.

Then this time, you’re going to lose your temper, right?

But… Siana, whose ears perked up at the rustling footsteps, raised her head and shouted.

“Don’t step on it, Princess!”

“… … !”

Aris stopped in her walking posture with her eyes wide open.

Siana came up to Aris and explained.

“I just planted flowers. The seeds hurt when they touched.”

“… …”

It was only then that Aris saw the shovel and seed bag in Siana’s hand.

It was the first time Aris had seen seeds planted in the Ruby Palace. So it was kind of novel.

“…What flowers did you plant?”

“I planted roses, sunflowers, hydrangeas, and various other flowers. The sun is shining well and the soil is fine, so if you give it water, it will grow well.”

Siana smiled faintly and said to Aris.

“When the flowers bloom, I’ll make you a pretty flower crown.”

“… … ”

Siana’s cheeks were flushed red from the sun, and she looked happy.

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Why is my heart tickling so much at that sight.

In the end, Aris didn’t do any of the evil things she had planned.

Aris murmured, frowning.

“What on earth, that maid?”

Aris was confused.

Does Siana really intend to properly serve herself as a princess?

Is that why, with such a small body, it moves nonstop from morning to night without rest.

Soon after, Aris shook her head.

“That can’t be true.”

Until now, most of the maids who had passed through the Ruby Palace had ignored Aris, but there were occasionally those who were kind to Aris, like Siana.

But it was all a lie.

Even so, she was of the emperor’s lineage, and she was a princess, but they were only thinking that if they treated her well, something would come out of it.

Not getting what they wanted, they would change their attitude in an instant.

Aris doesn’t trust people.

Especially maids.

“I’m sure that maid has something on her mind.”

So Aris was tormenting Siana from time to time.

She sneaked up on her and screamed behind her back, interrupted the cleaning, and yelled at her to get out immediately.

Because if you scratch like that, everyone will reveal their true self.

However, Siana had never been angry with Aris.

She only smiled as if it were not as big a deal as if a small ant passed by.

Aris was so annoyed by that.

“What should I do to show her true self?”

As Aris worried and was hanging from a tree branch, her eyes widened.

Because she found something shiny on the floor.

Aris came down from the tree with light movements and held the shiny thing in her hand.

“This…”

It was a pin with emerald beads.

The cheeky maid wore it on top of her head every day.

Aris’ purple eyes shone wickedly like a little devil.

***

[Siana’s POV]

Siana hummed as she entered the Ruby Palace.

Siana’s basket was full of food for Aris today.

The amount of food normally given to Aris was extremely small. But it was especially generous today.

It was thanks to Siana’s flattery to the kitchen maid who rationed the food.

[Eaughh, it’s so bright. I almost became blinded by the maid’s beauty.]

The kitchen maid grinned and added a few more pieces of meat and bread.

Siana said with a proud face.

“Four pieces of grilled chicken legs in a brazier!”

I was happy to serve the princess a generous portion of meat.

The leftovers were Siana’s, so she was even happier.

“You come laughing in a good mood while talking unpleasantly like that. Did you secretly steal some snacks to eat?”

Aris appeared with arms crossed in front of Siana.

Siana, who was about to greet her, opened her eyes wide.

It was because of the emerald pin that was stuck in Aris’s red hair.

‘That’s…’

It was definitely Siana’s pin.

Siana patted her hair with a panicked look on her face. The pin that was always inserted was not there.

Siana’s face turned red.

‘No matter how busy you are working, you didn’t even know your hairpin was missing.’

Siana said cautiously.

“Princess, I’m sorry, but the pin you’re wearing on your head is mine. I must have accidentally dropped it while cleaning.”

Siana thought simply.

Aris picked up a pin that was rolling on the floor without thinking and plugged it in.

So, to be honest, I thought she would be embarrassed and would return it, saying, I didn’t know it was yours and that I wasn’t a beggar.

But Aris’ reaction was different from what Siana expected.

“But?”

“… …”

Aris raised her chin and said with a grumpy face.

“I picked it up at my palace, so it’s mine.”

“… …”

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Siana realized.

That this situation is one of Aris’ many harassments.

At other times, I would have said ‘Yes, I understand’ to Aris and passed on. But this time I couldn’t get over it.

It was a precious pin given to me by Chuchu.

So Siana looked Aris in the eye and said seriously.

“It’s a precious thing to me. Give it back.”

“… …”

[Aris’s POV]

Under the mysterious pressure leaking from Siana, Aris’ shoulders involuntarily flinched

However, I soon gave strength to my eyes.

‘What’s there to be scared of a maid? I am a princess!’

Aris sneered and laughed with a face that looked as mean as possible.

“If you want it back that much, take it away.”

Aris stuck out her tongue and started running away.

Aris was quick on her feet.

That’s why, until now, he has always been victorious in countless chases and chases with the maids.

However, after a while, Aris’ face started to burn red.

‘That maid, why is she so fast?’

Dudadadada.

Siana was chasing after Aris at breakneck speed.

Perhaps because she was concentrating on running, her unusually raised eyes were fierce.

It was like an angry cat chasing after its prey.

‘I, I’m scared.’

Aris clenched her teeth.

It was the instinct of the pursued. I never wanted to get caught.

However, Aris did not escape for long. It is because of the artificial pond blocking her way.

The artificial pond built in the corner of Ruby Palace was small, but deep, so it was not a place that a child could cross with two legs.

‘Ishhhhh!’*

TL/N: Annoyed sound

Aris stopped with her back to the pond. Siana, who soon approached, stood in front of Aris as if blocking her retreat.

Siana raised her eyebrows and said.

“It is wrong for even a princess to play pranks like this with belongings that clearly belong to someone else. Give me back my pin.”

The stern voice made Aris angry.

Look at this. You’ve been talking about doing your best to serve me as your master, but in the end, it’s all talk.

‘What is this pin.’

Aris yelled out loud.

“I don’t want to!”

Aris pulled out the pin that was on top of her head and tossed it with all her might.

Pong-.

The hairpin fell into the pond with a clear sound.

“… …”

“… …”

Silence lingered over what happened in an instant.

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‘What have I done?’

A beat later, Aris realized what she had done.

Aris looked at Siana with a stiff face.

Siana’s eyes, which had been looking at the pond with enlarged eyes, suddenly turned ferocious.

It was outright anger.

Aris knew those eyes very well.

When Aris crossed a certain line, the maids used to look like that.

Then came the violence.

‘That’s right.’

Aris closed her eyes tightly.

But no pain was felt.

Aris slowly opened her eyes.

I could see Siana’s back as she turned her back and walked back the way she came from.

Aris opened her mouth with a puzzled face.

“Why are you just leaving?”

Why did you just leave without hitting me?

However, Siana explained and replied differently.

“I can’t swim. Even if I enter the pond, it will be difficult to find because it is such a small pin.”

“… …”

“Above all, I can’t do such personal things during office hours.”

Siana’s voice was calm. But Aris could feel it.

Siana’s terrible sense of loss.

“Excuse me… …”

Aris hesitantly opened her mouth.

However, Siana moved as if she couldn’t hear the voice.

Before I knew it, Siana disappeared, leaving Aris alone in front of the pond.

***

That day, Siana prepared Aris’ dinner, washed her, and made her bed.

However, it was difficult for Aris to even breathe comfortably.

Because Siana never smiled.

There were no jokes and no hair pats.

There were no stories to tell before going to bed.

Siana only treated Aris with an infinitely polite face.

“Good night, then.”

Thud.

The door closed and only Aris was left in the room.

Aris bit her lip and pulled the blanket over herself.

“Oh no. She must be really angry.”

Perhaps this was the situation Aris had longed for.

To take off Siana’s mask and reveal her true self. That was far better than putting on a smiley mask and pretending to be hypocritical.

“… …”

Nevertheless, Aris’ face was distorted.

It looked like she was about to cry.

Aris ended up having trouble sleeping that night.

Aris, who fell asleep at sunrise, had a dream.

With brown hair and a round face, she was a maid who served Aris’ mother for a long time.

She took care of Aris for a long time without leaving the Ruby Palace even after her mother died.

Aris slowly fell asleep in her cozy arms.

‘Just like my mother.’

Aris loved her.

To Aris, she was like everything in the world.

Then one day, soldiers came to Ruby Palace. The soldiers arrested her.

“There was a report that you stole and sold things from Ruby Palace.”

She screamed at Aris.

“Princess, princess, save me!”

Aris was only four years old.

The sudden situation was just frightening to a child.

Her face went white, and her whole body trembled. Tears were pouring from her big eyes.

Even so, Aris moved and grabbed the hem of her skirt.

Aris trembled and spat out a single word.

“Stop. It’s an order.”

The words of the imperial family had power in themselves. If the imperial family gave an order, mere soldiers had to stop immediately.

But the abandoned princess had no such power.