"What? Are you kidding me?" Emily looked so shocked even though she had heard this from me before. Maybe when I told her about my sexual orientation, she still didn't believe it. Of course it's not because I'm a lesbian, I'm just a man trapped in a woman's body and it makes me still want a woman too, instead of a man.
I sighed, honestly I hated having to say something unnecessary like this. I don't believe it, why do I have to be reborn and trapped in this woman's body? What actually happened to me?
"Emily, listen! Maybe this seems strange and unnatural to you. But this is how I am. I'm not interested in the King and Duke Aiden, I'm not interested in either of them. Therefore, I won't compete with you or the other girls."
Emily chuckled, I don't know what she thinks of me now. Right now I just need someone who can understand my situation.
"Okay Ella, I understand. You don't need to try hard to convince me like that. If you really aren't interested in men, I will try to understand it. But you know that it's absolutely impossible for you to tell everyone about that? Especially father and mother, you can't tell them because it will only make them very angry. That's why it's best for you to keep it in for now."
"You're right, it seems like people nowadays are still too rigid, right?"
"In this day and age?"
"No, I mean people still find it difficult to accept change.
"I think so! Alright, I'll go back to my room. See you later?" Emily said as she left.
"See you later, Emily?" I waved at her like a strange man. I really still can't adapt to all this.
"Damn it, am I going to be trapped in this body forever?"
***
Damn it, I have to go to trial like this again. It seems like this is the third time the witch has asked me to meet her in this room and I hate it every time she looks at me with her cruel eyes.
She even looks much scarier than my mother, even though in this world I have to accept the fact that she is my mother.
I sat quietly, looking down in resignation, while my mother was still sitting in her favorite chair, taking many deep breaths. I don't know what this woman was really thinking, but when I thought back to what happened yesterday, I seemed to be able to guess that that incident was the reason why I was in court today.
"Is it true that you stole clothes from the Von Savelion Family's house?" Mom asked. She got straight to the point and it was impossible for me to divert the conversation. Not only clothes, but I also stole a bicycle, does she know that?
"I didn't steal, I just borrowed the clothes for a while!"
"Borrowing? By directly taking the clothes from someone else's clothesline? Is that how you borrow other people's things?"
"No, Madam! I mean, Mother. I tried calling someone but no one answered, so I-"
"So you decided to take the clothes whether you were allowed to or not?"
"I just-"
"And that bike, you also stole someone else's bike, right? What were you really thinking, Ella? You really didn't-"
"Listen to me! It's not what you think, I can explain everything-"
"Explaining what? You're trying to avoid it even though you know you're guilty? Oh my God, you make me feel so embarrassed, Ella! What you've done has tarnished our family's good name!"
"I'm sorry about that, but I-"
"What was your real reason? What was your real purpose for you to do something so shameful like that?" She asked.
I was really annoyed, she didn't even give me a chance to defend myself. I know this is my fault, I stole clothes and a bicycle, but I have a reason and that reason I can't possibly tell her.
"I-I just wanted to-"
"What do you want?"
"I only-"
"She just wants to meet Duke Aiden De Velgmegeur, isn't that right Ella?" That damn woman Jannet who came out of nowhere immediately said something that cornered me.
She came after opening the door to this room which I didn't even notice, then stepped in with her hands on het hips, just like an antagonist in a drama.
She smiled brightly and it was clear that her face was very scary. Damn, as a former man, a woman like her is the most impossible for me to date. Cunning, annoying and spiteful, no matter what, Emily is the best.
"Jannet, who let you in?" Asked the witch. This time, I supported her because it seemed like she didn't really like it if anyone tried to intervene in what she was talking about.
"I'm sorry I was so impudent, Mother! But I just couldn't stand it if Ella affected you again like before."
"What do you mean?"
"Mother, I'm sure you haven't forgotten how Ella once managed to influence you to forgive her after she left the house at night to go partying without your know. At that time you forgave her, even though her mistake was very fatal." Jannet said. This woman is really damn, I have absolutely no idea what incident she said because I obviously don't remember and don't know anything.
"Hey wait a minute! What are you saying?" I said irritably. She reacted even more annoyingly after she found out I was starting to feel pressured.
Come on, Ella! I know you secretly went to see Duke Aiden. Oh my God, I can't imagine that the daughter of a respectable noble family is no longer a virgin."
"Don't talk strange things! What do you mean?"
"Why are you upset? Don't you usually care? You once told me that taking turns sleeping with men is a pleasure for you. So, Duke Aiden is definitely one of the many men you have slept with, right?"
"Jannet, stop your nonsense! You're talking without clear evidence!" Said the witch who didn't seem to believe Jannet's nonsense.
"Mother, who says I don't have proof? I have it, but why show it now? No matter how clever you are at storing the carcass, you'll definitely smell the rotten smell, right? Ahahaha..." She said while laughing out loud. This damn woman really reminds me of the antagonist in the drama my mother used to watch when I was little. If she wasn't a woman I would have broken her neck.
Jannet walked away after successfully making the witch's face turn bright red. Damn it, I couldn't even interrupt what she was saying because I also didn't know what kind of life I was actually living?
Duke Aiden De Velgmegeur, the man I met in the forest yesterday. His face was very similar to the bully bastard who almost killed me in high school. That disgusting face of his, why does it have to be him?
"Ella...!" This old woman called me in a much more terrifying tone of voice than before. I shuddered, to be honest I felt a little afraid of her.
"What?"
"I don't know whether Jannet's accusations against you are true or not. But I still hope that my five daughters are virgin girls who are not touched by just any man. You are my fourth daughter and since childhood everyone has praised that you are the prettiest compared to your sisters, so that without realizing it I treated you more special than your four sisters. I now feel that you have become arrogant because you think that I will always be on your side. Listen to me, Ella! If it's true that you're in relationships with men so that people will think of you as a lowly woman, I won't forgive you!"
Her words were like a stern warning that I couldn't help but listen to. For some reason I couldn't answer it as usual, as if there was something stuck in my heart about who Ella Marquitas really was? What exactly dids she do before I was reborn as her?
"Can I leave this room yet?" I asked. I think she's said everything she wanted to say to me today. I hope there aren't any more.
"I want you to visit the Von Savelion Family's house this afternoon to officially apologize for what you did yesterday."
"What? Apologize?"
"Why? Do you mind? You were guilty of stealing their clothes and Mr. Giliane's bicycle, so you should be the one apologizing to them."
"But what if they don't accept my apology and beat me?"
"Beat you? Why should they beat you?"
"Of course because I stole their things? They must be very angry and won't forgive me?"
"They wouldn't do such barbaric things! You just need to come and apologize to them. Sebastian will accompany you."
"What's the compensation? They didn't ask for compensation?"
"I already paid all the compensation yesterday and now you just need to come to apologize, that's all!"
"Agh...damn, okay, okay, I'll apologize later!"
***