POV Shizuru
It was already been few days that this weird maid came to my room. She did not leave when I order her to. She was afraid of nothing… not even me. She was the only presence around me during all years of solitary. I did not understand why she still continued to be here? I tried to push her away but she always came back.
I asked for her name, and it was Natsuki. It was a usual one. I even had some difficulty to pronounce it. I wanted to know more about my maid. She was that she came from a faraway country, that I would never know. And she had some weird expressions. I never listen to them before…
I noticed she was cheerful, I could hear her energetically from her low voice. She described me everything that happened to her daily life. I was curious about her appearance. But I could not bring myself to show my interest. So, I was as if I did not care what she said but I was attentively listening to everything.
The first day, that tornado cleaned all my room. When I woke up, it smelled so good, there were flowers, I never smelled them before, and all day, I had new one in my room. I could feel the warm from outside too. My clothes were washed and soft. It did not scratch my skin from the roughness. I felt it they were new. I blushed to the thought she saw me naked to change me. I probably looked terrible. All that new situation seemed incredible. I could not believe even now.
I heard she finished cleaning and she sighed relieved. I could hear her smile. I did not know what to say or do. I could not trust her or her intentions. I realized few days ago, she let the ring that the previous maid tried to rob me. She tried to lie and made me think I was crazy.
"Aaah, it's better now. The room is perfect. I would give a like to myself. Mistress, I will bring you the breakfast now."
"I am not hungry." I spat annoyed, what does she mean by a like? My tummy growled this time and very loudly. I felt the hotness invaded my face. I wanted to hide myself and I did under the blankets, ashamed. She giggled and said OK, I will come fast and I growled. How dare she behave this way with me?
And she left. I discovered myself with a little smile. I did not realize at first that I was eagerly waiting her coming back.
POV Natsuki
It's several days that I worked inside that castle. I did not tell Miss Maria, the chief of the maid that I was helping little mistress. I knew it, it will be bad for me. And I noticed we could not talk about her, I never heard some discussion about her, it was a taboo subject. I tried to learn more about that new environment, the owner of this place, where I was, and the year.
I just learned that there was not electricity, internet or new technologies from my world. I missed a lot of things I was used to having but my work and healthy body was enough to forget these problems.
I did not dream because I woke up all morning in the same place and bed. Perhaps I was inside an alternative universe, or I died from my sickness and I had been reborn? At first, I did not believe in an afterlife. But it seemed a great possibility that was the reason of everything.
I went to the kitchen and I discreetly search some food for my mistress. Some yummy things. She was so slim and weak; I saw all her bones. And I knew perfectly her position, the pride was strong, the shame too. Being a prisoner from her own room, life, it's been horrible.
And contrary to her, I had someone I can rely on… my mother Saeko. She gave all her life for me. Just thinking how bad I treat her made me guilty. I hurt her with my words and cold shoulder, I apologized for being sick and a bad girl. I made her cry a lot. And now… she was free from me… I just could not say her goodbye. I won't let her anymore alone.
I took some buns, fruits and tea. And I ran to my mistress. I hide when I noticed to other maids. They were gossiping, and I hid behind a curtain, because I could not explain what I was doing. And I did not want to explain myself when I don't know what's going on if I made a mistake? Will I die? Throw away? But where I could go? I was a stranger here and without any resource.
"Did you see Master Viola? My friend said he saw him entering inside a brothel yesterday."
"No? Really? I saw the mistress with a man last time going inside her room."
"It was an arranged marriage; they never love each other. They even despise each other."
"Yes, it worsens when they have their child. Of course, nobody will react that way when they learn that their child is a monster."
"Shh, don't be so loud, someone could hear us." They finally left.
I almost fall with all the breakfast. I leant against the wall, oh shit… now everything was clear. I understood why the place seemed familiar.
I read about it when I was in my world. When I felt alone, at night, to escape from my sad reality. I read a novel named, each chapter, each Friday. The cursed fate. I was so into the story. I loved one of the characters the most, the villain one, Shizuru Viola. A beautiful and alone duchess. She was cold and distant to people. Because of her red eyes, and bad luck, people had a problem, and they said she was a demon. She can only bring misery and death. She did not trust anyone. It was understandable, nobody cared about her well-being, what she felt, they talked back behind her back, except one person…
And when I read the end, I was shocked and furious. Shizuru became crazy due to a betrayal and killed a lot of people to have her revenge. She was sentenced to death and burned alive for using dark magic. And now, I was her maid. She was the character of a fiction that touched my heart. She looked alike me. I took a long breathe, I was inside the story, so I took an important decision, I won't let her alone as she always had. I wanted to help her, to give her hand, a hope and a way to survive. I will help her to find happiness.