Week 1 Day 4

Sici was walking down the hall. This morning she had gotten an unexpected invitation for breakfast with the family. A possibility that even Milena didn't think of.

[ We stopped having meals together ages ago ]

[ I do not understand what's with this sudden invitation! ]

"If you don't then how do you plan for me to understand and play along without being suspicious?"

Her hair was tied in a bun today, making her readjust it in paranoia that it's coming loose, "I wanted a braid, they could have just let me braid it if they weren't going to."

[ They did their job. Why are you so ungrateful ]

"No one told them to tie the half braids into a bun!" She softly shouts in frustration, "I don't like any of this."

[ U N G R A T E F U L ]

"You're spelling it out to annoy me more?"

[ Yes ]

[ I have never met someone so ungrateful as you ]

"Look in the mirror please. The pot's calling the kettle black. What a joke," She sighs out loud.

"My soul's going to run away at the rate I'm sighing these days," she thought.

On her way, she ends up running into Leisha. Instantly her mood improves as she looks at him, "Leisha~"

He notices her, his lips forming a gentle smile which gives off a mature vibe. Sici holds onto her giggles as Melina would nag her if she chose to behave in such a way. Hiding her grin with her hand, she asks, "Why are you standing here, Leisha?"

He hesitates, "Uh.. I thought I might run into you so..."

Sici feels as though an arrow was shot through her heart because of how cute he was in every gestures he made, "Isn't it illegal to be this adorable and cute? My heart won't make it at this rate!"

She quickly composed herself, "Did you want to talk about something?"

"Actually... I was wondering if we could go to the bookstore again.. Like how we used to," Leisha nervously speaks out, "I don't mean to be rude. I know I shouldn't ask something like this when you're still.."

He doesn't finish his sentence but Sici was still able to make out what he wanted to say. She still hadn't recovered all of the memories. She managed to recover only a few memories related to Leisha which didn't contain anything about such moments, "How helpful would it be if I could communicate with her through my mind."

She pats his head, "You don't have to worry about that Leisha. I wanted to go out anyway." Since no system screen pops out, it gives her a sense of relief that she didn't misspoke.

Leisha finally forms out a big smile, expected from a child, "Thank you, sister!"

Sici couldn't help but think, "Oh if only Luke was even one percent of how you are Leisha."

"I hope the memory about the book store is recovered soon."

....

Everyone is silent. Even the sounds of spoons being used and being put down wasn't audible. The maids mentained their distance, enough to not hear a conversation between the members of the household.

The marchioness was absent today. Leisha sat on the seat beside Sici and Luke was seated opposite to them while Kayser was to their left side, as the head of the household.

The silence was intolerable to her, "Did nobles really have such a manner or is it just this world? Whatever it is, I feel suffocated."

Sici was having a hard time digesting the food due to the air in the room. "I might vomit. I can't even enjoy this luxurious food." Regardless, wasting food was against her rules so she kept on putting it in her mouth, gulping it with water.

Melina's father, Kayser coughs a little before choosing to speak, breaking the silence, "Melina..."

She gets startled. Without wasting a second, the screen pops up to help her. She chooses to repeat the words, since the chances of messing up is high. In a nonchalant tone she says, "Yes, father?"

In her head, "I think I will die. How am I even acting as if nothing can faze me!?"

She looks at him as it is polite while holding a conversation. However, Kayser doesn't, avoiding the gaze of hers he continues to speak, "How is your body holding up?"

[ Not that you care. No need to know such a inutile thing. ]

"Melina!? Fuck you, fuck you and fuck you! I am not saying that! Is she trying to make me die of guilt? I get it I don't have much information about the situation but that is not appropriate to say to someone who seems concerned!" She argues inside her head.

She decides to change her answer, shifting her gaze to the meal, "It is bearable."

Everyone is astonished by her choice of words. Feeling awkward she starts to regret, "Maybe I should have followed her guidance.."

[ If you choose to behave however you want, don't expect me to help you. So ungrateful ]

[ I might not be able to help you if you end up in an awkward position ]

[ It's going to be all you ]

"This bitch... Shut up already! I'm already regretting my choice!"

Kayser loses his words as this wasn't what he was expecting. Luke decides to talk instead, "See? I told you something's wrong with her."

His calm manner gives Sici goosebumps, "If I didn't know any better then I would think he genuinely cared. Look at how he looks while he says that!"

Her anger taking control of her, forcing a smile, "And what exactly do you find so wrong, Luke?"

He grins, "Just concerning points, sister. I didn't mean to word it to sound rude."

"Yea, you didn't make it sound rude but the words sure conveyed a different thing," she thought.

She chooses to be silent, taking a sip of water to calm her down, "I'm supposed to hold a reputation of a villainess, didn't she said so last time?" She ends up grinning as her mind automatically thinks of something mischievous, "Now how to make it work~"

"Why are you grinning like an idiot?"

She ignores his question, turning her attention to Kayser, "Do you have anything else you want to say, father? If not, I will be taking my leave first then." She gets up without waiting for a answer.

Before leaving the room, Kayser stops her, "I'm thinking of having meals together with the family like this again. Be sure to be not late."

"If It's not a burden then there's a ball tomorrow that I was hoping you would attend."

Without much to think about, she decides to follow Melina as the screen pops out, "You're saying that even after what happened last time?"

He doesn't answer which Melina expected.

"It's alright. It was expected of you. I will attend even if it kills me again," she leaves, not wasting a second more.

The frustration builds up within her, which didn't feel like her own. She slides her fingers through her bun, making it come loose as the locks of hair fall down with a soft bounce. Ruffling it to make the half braids come undone. "Kind of better now," she lets out a soft whisper.

On her way back, she stops by the windows of the hallway. Looking out, "We needed to go out anyway. I hope I don't end up collapsing."

[ You won't ]

"Not reassuring at all, hearing from you."

[ I will make sure of it ]

"By granting another so called buff or something?"

No response.

Sici was starting to get used to how Melina behaved, "What did you mean by, even if it kills me again?"

[ Oh, right. You haven't recovered that part ]

Unfazed, she says, "Enlighten me, m'lady."

Since complaining wasn't going help nor turn time back, she decides to have fun with her random wording from now on.

[ My drink had poison in it ]

[ I was poisoned in a so called ball ]

"And I believe you won't tell me who you suspected and what strange things happened there, right?"

[ Yes ^^ ]

"Yea, have your fill of fun too, I suppose," she starts walking towards her room.

"That reminds me, is the marchioness sick or something? Then again, the marquess said we were going to have meals more often. Guess I will see her eventually," she started talking to herself.

[ Best to follow my words when you meet her ]

This time, Sici ignores her since even she can't guarantee what she might end up doing in front of the marchioness. Everything would depend on how the marchioness would make her feel with her behaviour towards Melina. As if it was for herself, she softly said, "I hope so.."

"How much time do I have?"

[ Time Remaining : 3 days, 14 hours, 31 minutes, 55 seconds ]

"Great! It's the 4th day and I've made no progress at all!"

[ Never thought you would be dumb enough to not to ]

She glares at the screen, "If someone helped like they were supposed to then the case would be solved by now!"

[ Whatever helps you think you're not ungrateful ]