Heroine On Strike

“There’s still a part of Luciella’s soul left inside that body. Just like your body on that side of the world still retains your will and your soul. That’s how you two can return to your bodies in the future.”

That’s what Didi had said. But it was true that Luciella’s control was getting weaker, causing such mistakes to occur. Ella felt it through her entire body. The thing that moved energetically, keeping its eyes on her was now very quiet. It made her feel comfortable, but it also meant that Ella had to be alert from now on. There was a possibility that Luciella wouldn’t help her anymore.

Unlike her body that had gotten used to this world while watching this world through Luciella’s eyes, her mind still had the freshness of a person from modern society like her blunt words and actions from earlier. Discomforted that Luciella’s will, which had restricted her actions, was becoming weaker, Ella became concerned of her personality that could pop out at any time.

‘Can I really do it?’  questioned Ella as her expression darkened.

While Ella became silent and sullen, Joanne began to work on her silently. She undid Ella’s hair, brushed it back down to regain its brightness, and began to tie it up again. Marie, who could now almost copy Joanne’s work, took her spot to help Joanne and Smila, who finally arrived at the room in a full breath, looked around and went to her room.

On top of the hair that was redone, Joanne decorated live flowers that she specially asked to be used on her hair. After finishing everything, Joanne made a satisfied look more than ever before and took a step back from Ella.

“Milady, the preparations are finished. You should depart now.”

Returning to her senses after hearing Joanne’s words, Ella forgot how depressed she was after looking at herself through the mirror. Instead, a genuine smile appeared on her face. Everything aside, Ella’s beauty never disappointed her. She was mesmerizingly beautiful today as well. The newly bloomed flower-like charm that Joanne emphasized multiple times bloomed from her.

Ella lightly nodded to show her satisfaction toward Joanne, who stood proudly and went down to the lobby where her parents would be waiting. There, she found an unexpected person and stopped.

“Vylun?” called Ella.

Instead of answering, he offered his hand and with eyes that seemed to be saying, “I told you I’ll see you soon.” Only after seeing his hand did Ella realize why he was here. He was here to be her partner in place of Evan, who hadn’t returned, and Ethan, who went to the Academy.

“Do you two know each other?”

The Duke looked surprised as he looked at both Vylun and Ella. Vylun didn’t attend Ella’s debutante party, which he had to attend as a Constance knight. It looked weird because Vylun had no connection to Ella at all before today.

Before startled Ella could answer, Head Butler Norland walked up to the Duke and commented, “I heard that the newly-recruited knights met with milady at the garden on the north side today evening, sire. The Knight Lieutenant seemed to have met her there when he went to find his knights.”

It was a small, but not too quiet of a voice that Ella and Vylun couldn’t hear. No matter how stuck-up the head butler was, it seemed he was still a father to his son. After all, all of this started with Philip going over his jurisdiction.

‘Out of all the people to get in the way, those two…’

Ella and Vylun had very special standing within this house. Norland had advised his son to be thoughtful and careful on every occasion, but the son he had at his late age had disappointed him every time.

Now, for the first time in his life, he had to lie to the Duke to protect his son. His old wrinkles became deeper. He intentionally raised his voice a bit so Vylun and Ella could play along on this lie. Surprised, the Duke looked at Norland because his actions weren’t like him and turned back to Ella and Vylun.