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Interlude 1: Pie Again
🕑 Added 2024-09-01 13:30:02 +0000 UTCIt was three days after I regained my past memories. I was still following the main routine of my new life, namely, Feyt’s farmwork and Carine’s training schedule.
I woke up on the soft canopy bed that I had a close bond with. It was a cold early morning, the sky outside was still dark, and heavy rain poured all over the garden outside.
This was my first time waking up this early as Carine, even Feyt was still asleep even though he was the one usually up first.
What do I do though?
There really wasn’t anything to do when you wake up early as Carine. Warm-ups, physical training, breakfast, all of them were already included in the schedule. I couldn’t even go out of my room before the appropriate time, which meant no library visit.
I entertained the idea of going back to sleep, but the sun was about to rise anyway, so I might oversleep. Not like Leila will allow that to happen though.
I recalled that today’s schedule starts with a dance lesson. I felt my energy being sapped away just thinking about it.
I already learned every dance move instructor Who’s-Her-Name could give me. Now most of the lessons were just spent on redoing previous moves mindlessly. I felt no fun from it, at all. Just pure boredom as I watched my body do the work.
I had about an hour or two before today’s schedule started. Going back to sleep felt like a waste, but I wasn’t permitted to leave my room before the schedule either.
Who knew waking up early could cause such a dilemma?
Then, a thought hit me. I wasn’t allowed to leave my room… But who’s gonna know?
Most of the staff were probably still sleeping, the hallways must have been super empty by now.
And of course, Leila had to be asleep as well! This was the perfect time!
Might as well use these extra hours to read more books!
And so, with only my nightgown on me, I began tip-toeing my way to my door. I silently turned the handle, ensuring only the slightest of creaks escaped from the hinges.
I poked my head out and scanned the surroundings. The lanterns were unlit and barely any light flowed in from the windows, but my eyes could still see clearly.
No one in sight.
I gently closed the door behind me and began another tip-toe toward the stairs.
Slowly descending the carpeted stairs, I managed to reach the ground floor, where the library entrance was located.
So far so smooth, all I needed to do was to walk towards the door and…
It opened.
The library door opened.
And what stood there shook me to my very core.
Leila.
With a white cloth over her mouth and a duster in her hand, she seemed to be cleaning the library.
But why this early?! Don’t she rest?!
Before I could sneak away though, Leila’s eyes met mine.
“Lady Carine?” she asked, lowering her face cloth. “I didn’t realize it was already seven in the morning,” she said nonchalantly.
“L-Leila? What are you doing this early?” I asked her, trying to hide my nervousness.
“I ask the same to you, My Lady. Aren’t you prohibited by Lady Reina from wandering around before the scheduled time?”
“I-I was worried, yes!” I made up a quick, lazy excuse. “I called for you but you didn’t answer, so I thought something happened and uh… I went to look for you…”
Leila placed a finger on her chin, then she tilted her head. “Really now?”
I nodded. “Y-Yes, really… Besides, I really want to know, what are you doing this early? Shouldn’t you be asleep?” I tried steering the conversation away from me.
“No, this is my normal routine, Lady Carine. I wake up at three to clean whatever it is that needs cleaning to lighten the load from the other staff.”
No, you don’t understand. You need to lighten your load!
“Three in the morning? Don’t you have any time to rest?”
“A two-hour sleep is enough for me, My Lady.”
Two hours–?!
My mouth nearly went agape.
As if sensing my shock, Leila continued. “Have I told you that I have [Enhanced Stamina]?”
[Enhanced Stamina]...
I already read about it in the books about Talents in the library. Not that I needed to though, you could already tell what the Talent is about just from the name.
But two hours of sleep only? Does [Enhanced Stamina] really allow that? I didn’t remember reading about it.
Curious, I asked Leila for confirmation. “Are you sure that Talent allows you to sleep for two hours and regain full energy?”
Leila nodded. “Correct, but only if I drink two or four cups of coffee every so often.”
That’s not related to the Talent at all! Are you alright, Leila?!
I began to worry about Leila’s health, no human can function with a sleep schedule like hers. Did Mother and Father know about this? I didn’t know, that’s for sure!
As I was about to suggest to her to take a break, however, she spoke up.
“By the way, Lady Carine, if I may so politely ask, what are you doing up this early?”
Ah, she didn’t buy my earlier story.
No one would, now that I think about it.
Realizing I was all out of options, I unashamedly straightened my posture and bowed at a 90-degree angle. “Forgive me, I shall return to my quarters right away.”
“Shall I accompany you?”
“No need.”
I didn’t need my walk of shame to be watched by another.
—
And so, I sat silently in my bed, waiting for the sun to rise.
I suppressed the urge to scream into my pillow, my bed did nothing wrong, after all. Instead, I laid back and tried to get some shut-eye without fully going to sleep.
This whole thing reminded me of that other time I tried sneaking into the library. I got played by Leila there but got an apple pie as a consolation prize. It was a bit embarrassing, but at least it was something.
But now? I got nothing to do.
Well, at least breakfast was something I could look forward to.
After a while, a knock came on my door. I opened my eyes and looked out the windows.
The sun had risen and the rain had cleared. The clouds were still there though, so the light from the sun wasn’t as strong as I would’ve hoped.
Nonetheless, the vibe the light blue tint gave the room was pleasant.
The knocks came again.
“Lady Carine, are you awake?”
“A-Ah, yes! Come in!”
Leila emerged from the door holding a wooden tray with a single dish on top, covered by a metal cloche. She walked up to me like nothing happened an hour earlier. I was just hoping she didn’t tell Mother about that.
Once Leila was right beside me, she leaned forward and removed the cloche.
Alright! Let’s see what I got—
A single piece of apple pie was resting there.
“Wha–”
An apple pie? For breakfast?
“I cooked it personally for you, My Lady,” Leila answered my internal question.
“...Why?”
“I believe it’s a nice change of pace, is it not?”
It took me a moment to process what was in front of me, but then I got it.
She’s rubbing it in, isn’t she?
