Chapter 43 – Betrayal

All the dresses given to her by Elizabeth screamed ‘I spent a lot of money on this.’ After she brought chaos to her closet, she was finally able to narrow down to the least decorated pair, but even they didn’t look cheap. Perhaps, they would be best for the festival. As long as it reached their standard, it was acceptable. Now, one dilemma remains: which of the dresses was less noticeable?

Once she explained her intention, Sheila looked puzzled. Then, she spoke in a sentimental tone. “That’s true, but Your Highness, this is the first time you are attending the fairy festival…”

Sheila was a bad choice. Levisia gave up on trying to hear an answer from her and called on Pel who just happened to be walking past the room, “Pel, help me.” Pel nodded his head and came into the room, wondering what was going on. Just as she had done for Sheila, she took turns placing the dress infront of her and asked, “What do you think?”

“You look pretty.”

“…No, not that.” She was surprised that he was praising her in that monotonous tone of his, but it was meaningless as her objective was not to be praised. Pel raised his eyebrow. Levisia swallowed a deep sigh at the ruckus she was going through from the early morning but it didn’t stop her from explaining the situation to Pel.

“So pick one out of the two that is less noticeable.”

“Ah,” Pel exclaimed as he finally realised the situation. Then, letting out a short cough, he pointed towards the dark green dress, “If that’s the case, then this one is better.”

Thankfully, his answer was the same as hers. Quickly, Levisia took the other dress and placed it in the closet so that Sheila could give up on her longings. “Thank you, Pel.”

“Then, Your Highness, I will go on ahead and finish preparing breakfast.”

“Alright. Thank you, Sheila.”

Sheila left the room but Pel stayed behind. Levisia paused as she realised what he was about to do. With his eyes, he pointed to a chair. “Take a seat.”

“…Mm.”

Whenever she had the chance to be invited to some event, Pel would make use of his skills and doll her up. So it was the same for the fairy festival. But unlike Pel who found it obvious, she felt a little reluctant.

“What are you doing?”

Pel, who had naturally taken the towel from her hands, looked at her with large eyes, as though he was asking her why she wasn’t moving. Awkwardly rolling her eyes around the room, she took a seat in the chair he suggested. Through the large oval mirror she was able to observe Pel who approached her from behind. Pel’s hands that dried her hair were extremely skillful. He looked like any other obedient servant as he focused on his task with his gaze down.

‘If I didn’t find out about his identity, I would have continued thinking that way.’

Even now, she had not fully come to terms with the fact that her servant Pel, was Farid Roycal who was the main lead in the story. To her they still felt like two different people. She was more used to Pel than Farid Roycal, so it felt weird to place an equal sign between these two names.

She was staring blankly at the mirror when their eyes met. Pel narrowed his golden eyes and studied her. Levisia muttered, “Actually… you don’t have to force yourself to do this.”

“Why?”

“Hm?”

“Why do you think I’m forcing myself?”

She couldn’t answer the question. Since Pel wasn’t aware of the fact that she knew of his real identity. After unraveling the truth behind his real identity, she constantly felt uncomfortable. No, in fact, it was beyond that. She was afraid that her lifeline would be at risk in the future. ‘…And I couldn’t possibly speak these thoughts out loud.’ The problem was that Pel knew her as much as she knew him. Even before that, he was quick at reading people; he wasn’t wrong to confront her for the change in her behaviour.

“I’m doing what I always do, so what is the problem?”

It was only for a short time that she could listen to his calm voice. The feeling of Pel’s fingertips that combed through her hair and grazed her neck stole her attention away. It felt different from being touched over the towel. Pel casually continued moving his hands as if their skins never came into contact. Her silver hair flowing through his long fingers felt unreal as if they weren’t hers.

“I definitely feel like you know-”

“I, I think it’s dry now.” She interjected Pel before he could finish his sentence. Pel narrowed his eyes before putting down the towel silently. This time, he picked up a brush.

‘What am I supposed to do now?’ She felt concerned for her future and couldn’t bear to continue ordering him about, but then again, she couldn’t act too differently and keep crumbling their relationship.

Her gaze remained on Pel in the mirror. He brushed her hair several times, before braiding it with his skillful hands. She didn’t have any other choice, so she silently watched him as he continued braiding her hair. Pel twisted the braid and lifted it up against her head, then looked around as if he was searching for something. Observing him, she stretched out her hand for the pin laid out on the vanity.

“The pin is here.”

“Stay still.”

A hand abruptly appeared from behind, brushed past her hand and took away the pin. While a large shadow cast over her body, she was unable to move until the silhouette retracted. When she came to her senses, it was only as their eyes met in the mirror again. Even to herself, her wide eyes seemed out of focus. Thankfully, Pel didn’t seem to notice.

‘Was Pel always this big?’

She had a similar impression the day she discovered his real identity. The shadow of Pel that cast over her was large and dark; the hand that grabbed the pin was big compared to her own hand next to his. Although they were in a master and servant relationship, she had believed that because of their similar age, they were growing up together. But now she could see that Pel had outgrown her without even realising it until now.

‘It’s also funny that I suddenly realised it now. Pel was always hunching himself trying to hide his identity, so… I guess that might have been why. Then what was this odd feeling?’ She repeatedly clenched and unclenched her hand. Soon, she reached an answer when Pel announced that he was done.

‘Betrayal.’

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that they had shared everything growing up, so why did he grow so much on his own?