Chapter Twenty Three

"I told you to not touch me."

Lena looked at me like she had just seen a ghost. "You are… a light mage."

I didn't say anything, I just kept staring at her.

Lena was on her knees facing the floor when she begged me. "...Please, don't kill me."

"Kill you? I'm not here to kill you." I said, surprised, trying to calm her.

Looking at Lena begging on her knees like this makes me feel like I am some kind of villain harassing an innocent woman.

'Though, for her to say things like that makes me realize that she knows that I have plenty of reasons to avenge myself.'

"...What do you want then?" Lena asked that so low that I barely heard her asking me this.

"I want to make a deal with you. That is all I want." I explained.

Lena raised her head looking at me surprised. "Make a deal with me?"

"Yes. But first, I know that you reported my disappearance to a man from the royal family last night. Who is this man?" I asked her.

Lena looked at me astonished. "…How do you know that?"

"It doesn't matter how did I know that. For now, just answer me. Who is this man?" I asked, staring into her eyes, serious.

Lena hesitated to answer me before saying. "He is Klaus De Angeles, a Duke and a member of the royal family."

I had to breathe deeply before having the courage to ask her. "Is that man my father?"

Lena looked at me surprised. "No, he is not your father."

I sighed, relieved. I really didn't want that man to be my father.

"Then, who is my father?"

"...It is the King, Alexander. Your father is the King." Lena answered like she didn't want to. She was visibly mad.

'Just as I thought, the King is indeed my father.'

But, there was something that I still had no idea about.

"Who is my mother? And where is she?" I asked, curious.

All this time I have never known anything about my mother. I never really tried to know more about her, whenever I asked the maids about my mother when I was young, they just ignored me or told me to shut up.

And also, for me, my "mother" and "father" were the ones I had in my past life. So, I had never really had the interest to know more about my biological parents from this world.

But I do now.

Lena had a disgusted expression on her face when I asked about my mother. "That woman… Your mother was just a commoner, a simple maid."

I ignored Lena's malicious words and asked. "What is my mother's name?"

"Her name was Charlotte Taylor." Lena said my mother's name like it was an awful thing.

"Where is she now?" I asked again, though I kinda already knew what Lena would say.

"She is dead." Lena said with no empathy in her voice, just repulse.

By how Lena used 'was' to referer to my mother, I realized that she would probably have died. But I would never think that it would hurt this much to know that it is true, that she is indeed dead.

I have never known her, but yet I kinda had hopes that she was somewhere out there in this world, living a good life, and that sometimes she missed me.

"...How did she die?" I asked.

"She died giving birth to your brother." Lena answered.

"I-I have a little brother?" I asked, surprised.

"No, he died soon after being born." Lena answered emotionless.

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to absorb everything.

"...I see."

Lena stood up from the floor and asked staring at me, mad. "You said you had a deal to make with me… What is the deal?"

I composed myself, deeply breathing in and out, and then I said. "I can help you with that man Klaus. If he sees me here, then he will have no reason to kill you. "

Lena seemed relieved for a moment, but then she looked at me, suspicious. "And what will you gain with it?"

I was surprised, I didn't think at all about what I would gain with it. My biggest reason was that if I help her, the King will still think that I am living here in the northwest area, then he will not look for me.

'But what Lena can give me in return if I help her?' I asked myself.

After thinking for a moment I decided to say.

"There are a lot of things that I want to know, and unfortunately you are the only one that can give me the answers. For me to help you, you will have to tell me first everything I want to know."

Lena was surprised. "Is that all you want?"

"No, there is also something else... I want half of the money you and the other maids made from stealing the palace things." I said.

I know that the thing I most need to fulfill my dream is money. They stole everything I had, and also even tried to lock me like a prisoner.

Half of the money that they made from stealing all of the valuable things here is the last I deserve after all I passed because of them.

"H-Half?! That is too much!" Lena shouted, mad.

I looked around, afraid of someone coming here after hearing her. But fortunately, no one came.

"It is half or nothing. If you want to stay alive then do what I say." I said looking at her, serious.

Lena clenched her fist tightly, she was obviously mad. But she said nothing.

"Tomorrow night I will come here again, if you want my help, then meet me in my older room. And don't forget the money." I said.

Without waiting for her answer I turned my back to her and without looking back I left.

When I left the northwest area I felt lighter, as if all tension I was feeling just left my body.

It is reassuring to know that I am not a prisoner anymore, that I am not a puppet in their hands, helplessly doing whatever they want me to.

'I am free from them now.' I realized, relieved.

On my way back to my new bedroom I thought a lot. There are so many things that I want to know from Lena.

'But can I really trust her?'

I don't know how many of her words I can really believe, but Lena is the only one I have to tell me everything I want to know.

I was in the main area again. I went to my room, locked the door, and I threw myself, exhausted, on the bed, finally resting.

I had the book Nicholas gave me on one arm, and the Mr. Snowball on the other.

"I can finally sleep without worries now." I whispered to myself smiling.

Soon after, I fell asleep.

"Hmm...What is this noise?"

A loud noise woke me up. Someone was knocking on the door nonstop.

I sat on the bed, still sleepy. For a second I forgot where I was. Just then I remembered that I was in my new bedroom.

"Alex, wake up." I heard someone calling me from the other side of the door.

I quickly got up from the bed and used my magic to change my appearance.

I opened the door and to my surprise, it was some maids that I had never seen before.

Without waiting for me to say anything they already entered the room, and one of them said. "Good morning, Alex. We are here to take your measures."

"A-Alright." I said, surprised.

I had forgotten that the maid told me last night that some maids would come here this morning to take my measures.

As they said, they started to take my measures, and soon they finished it.

"Now that we have your measures we will give it to the royal tailor to make your clothes, it will be done probably in a few weeks." One of the maids said.

"Alright, thank you." I said, grateful.

"You are welcome." Said one of the maids, smiling.

Another maid opened the door and announced. "We will leave now, then."

I nodded. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye." They said smiling, and then, they left.

I yawned, tired. 'I didn't sleep at all tonight.'

I sighed hopelessly. "And soon I will have to be working for Prince Noah again."

The thoughts about having to be standing all day today again made me feel even worse.

'I think I still have some time left. I will take a bath to wake me up.' I thought going into the bathroom.

I turned on the bathtub faucet and soon it was filled.

I entered in and sighed, relieved. 'I still can't believe Prince Noah let me stay here.'

"Next time I see Prince Noah I have to thank him, he gave me so many things." I said to myself.

But then, the bathroom door was suddenly opened.

"You are still getting ready? You are late!" The person said entering the bathroom, surprising me.

"P-Prince Noah?!"