CH 1

“Esmeralda.”

Esmeralda stared silently at the middle-aged woman calling her name. The woman, sitting on a gray sofa and glancing at her with a dull expression, was Esmeralda’s mother, Marchioness Parmela Hestina.

“Yes, mother.”

At Esmeralda’s answer, Parmela’s cold gaze shifted away. Flipping through the newspaper, she spoke,

“I’ll be coming back with Violet and His Highness the Crown Prince around lunchtime, so make sure to prepare the mansion thoroughly by then.”

Esmeralda remembered the documents on her desk before leaving her room. Traces of her hard work over the past few days to welcome the one who would be coming today were there.

“The preparations will be finished without delay.”

“Yes. And… you know the arrangements shouldn’t be done poorly, right?”

Parmela got up from the sofa and walked away with her back turned to Esmeralda. That was the sight she had seen the most in the past.

Esmeralda looked numbly at the thin trembling of her hands.

‘Am I really back?’ It was only after facing her adoptive mother, who supposedly had passed away already, that Esmeralda realized it. She truly had gone back in time. That fact caused a great ripple in her mind, which used to be like a calm lake.

No matter what–even for her– it was astonishing that she had gone back in time. 

She was really back. Her pale blue eyes sank deeply. She vividly remembered the moment her head was cut off. That eerie sensation. 

And even her last wish.

‘Levon Calvester.’

He, too, would be alive. Recalling the head rolling in front of her, Esmeralda shut her eyes tight. 

‘If that’s the case, then what should I do now?’ She already knew the answer. Become his vassal, his person, and place him on the throne. To do that, she had to actively take advantage of the future that only she knew. Lost in thought, she suddenly heard a noise.

Knock, knock-

An urgent knock stole her thoughts. The knock on the door wasn’t polite or careful compared to the way they knocked on the door of the Marquis’ second Lady’s room.

“Milady.”

After Parmela and Violet left, the Hestina mansion was busy. A red carpet was laid in the lobby and pine tea residues were sprinkled on a brush to spread its scent. The servants, focused on their own tasks, walked back and forth at a brisk pace. Among them was Esmeralda’s maid, Lindsey.

“Milady? Are you still sleeping?” 

It was a voice younger than her memory reminded her, but it was a voice she had heard often in the Imperial Palace. Esmeralda heard Lindsey’s urgent voice and recalled her talk with Parmela in the morning. It seemed that today was Violet and Kamil’s anniversary.

In the past, Parmela would often push the work that she, the mistress of the mansion, had to do onto the young Esmeralda. She recalled her past as she looked at the carefully written documents on the desk.

‘Such a young self, thirsty for love and recognition…’

Putting aside the memories of her pitiful youth, Esmeralda ordered Lindsey,

“Come in.”

The maid entered, sweeping the drops of sweat with the hem of her sleeve. Esmeralda’s memories of the old maid, whom she had not seen in a long time, were replaced as she lifted one eyebrow.

“You woke up early, Milady.”

It was already midday, but it seemed that Lindsey wanted to pass the matter of her late arrival onto Esmeralda. She walked past her master and opened the window wide.

‘It’s spring.’

Glancing outside the window, feeling the light breeze carrying the sweet scent of cherry blossoms that pricked her nose, Esmeralda said to Lindsey, who was busily moving, 

“Where’s mother and… sister Violet?”

“The two already left to welcome the Crown Prince.”

‘They left already.’

Esmeralda took a quick shower after Lindsey warmed up some water and then headed out to the dressing room.

“I’m going out, so prepare my outdoor clothes.”

Even if she said that, she knew there would only be a few useful clothes for outings. Lindsey asked, surprised.

“Will you be going out?”

“Yes.”

“Ah, are you going to welcome the Crown Prince with the Marchioness, too? That’s a great idea, Milady! I’m sure the madam will be thrilled.”

Understanding that Esmeralda would be welcoming the crown prince, Lindsey hesitated over which dress to choose, even though it wasn’t that much.

Esmeralda stood in front of the mirror wearing a light pink dress that seemed to be the best among the dresses Lindsey had pulled out. A girl with red hair and blue eyes was staring right back at her. Except for the fact that her expressionless face looked somewhat blunt, she had pretty features.

“How should I do your makeup today?” Lindsey sat her on the chair in front of the dressing table and asked out of habit. 

Around this time, to avoid being hated by Violet even more, Esmeralda used to wear makeup to make herself look uglier. In the future, her face would become even more outstanding and elegant. Due to her striking appearance, she sometimes had to cover her face under Violet’s command. 

Because Esmeralda wasn’t a human being. She was nothing more than Violet’s dog.

“Today– apply some rouge and keep it simple.”

“What? Yes, Milady.” 

Lindsey nodded and then spread a thin layer of rouge on Esmeralda’s lips. The maid fixed and evened the skin tone slightly, and her face looked as if she wasn’t wearing any makeup at all. Originally, Esmeralda had fine skin and clear features, thus, her face was eye-catching nonetheless.

‘You’re a little weird today. You usually like something more flashy and thick.’ 

So flashy that it was tacky. Lindsey used to take pleasure in making that pretty face look ugly.

‘I mean, yesterday, you looked so unsettled that you were dazed for a while holding the teacup.’

However, Lindsey could tell that her master was completely different today. She had a calmness she hadn’t seen before.

Lindsey slightly braided Esmeralda’s red hair and rolled it up from behind.

‘Ah, I don’t have time to care about it.’

Although Lindsey was the maid serving Esmeralda, it couldn’t be said that she was her maid. Although it was true that she was comfortable serving her since she didn’t give her too much trouble; Lindsey felt uneasy as her master had a low position inside the marquisate. Therefore, she always had to work more than the other maids in the mansion, trying to win Violet and the Marchioness’ attention.

Lindsey finally took her hands off Esmeralda’s hair.

“I’m done, Milady! You look even prettier today.”

In case of any unforeseen circumstances, Esmeralda left the mansion with a parasol to cover her face.

“Lindsey, you stay here.”

“But, Milady…” Although it was just for a moment, Lindsey hesitated.

Esmeralda turned around and got into a small wagon. The outside wind blew in because the window had no foot, but she let it pass. It was because she wanted to feel the sensation of being alive.

“I have to go to this place.”