Giving up on life-sustaining treatment didn't mean giving up on life. Elise didn't want to die. She wanted to live even one more day.
Her adolescence was filled with two abandonments, overseas adoption, abuse by adoptive parents, and running away from home.
Her access to the extreme was a stroke of luck. However, considering the hardships she endured as an Asian to reach the top, her life afterward wasn't so smooth.
She was incredibly frustrated to hear that it would only last a month, or at most, six months. But on the other hand, she felt relieved, thinking, "Now I can rest."
A belated fatigue set in. It was the exhaustion of a lifetime. For nearly a week, Elise remained secluded, sleeping, eating, and resting.
Instead of the salad she been eating to the point of exhaustion, she gorged on pizza, burgers, and fries. She skipped her daily workout and became one with the sofa.
Regardless of the noise outside, she'd long since turned off her phone, so the space she breathed in was perfectly quiet. It wasn't a bad time. It was a reward for her hard work.
Then one day, 'he' came to visit. The man who had been her lifelong companion and rival was Cain Liberto.
[Elise. I won't let you die alone.]
Elise laughed with a puffy face from rolling around so much.
[Why, what? Should I die with you?]
The corners of his mouth quirked upward at her joke. His face, which had become stern since she'd last seen him, suddenly looked eerie.
[How did you know?]
Pretending to be asleep meant she was truly asleep. Elise shook her head, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. Goosebumps were prickling her skin.
Elise knew better than anyone that there were more crazy people than she'd thought. Even without Lucas's warning, she wouldn't have been complacent. The next time she'd be the one to stab someone in the back of the head, it had to be herself, not someone else.
'Of course, it would be best not to hit or get hit.'
Is the world really that easy? Fortunately, this place is a story. There's a certain justice that exists, and a key to overcoming the crisis exists.
'If it were real, there's no way something like that would exist.'
Elise sat up. She was alone on the bed. She groaned and stood up, her feet on the soft carpet. Her legs were wobbly, but she managed to walk.
Elise walked across the dark room to the window.
'What time is it? I think it's past dinner time.'
As soon as the curtains were drawn back, dazzling sunlight poured in. Elise was momentarily dazed.
“What... Is it really morning?”
It seemed somehow bustling outside. Lucas was leaving in the morning. Her eyes widened in bewilderment. Even with her depleted energy, she never expected to sleep through the evening and night without waking up once until morning.
'It's like I overslept on the day of filming! I'm screwed!'
Elise quickly returned to bed, pulled the rope, and headed straight for the bathroom. Now was not the time to be picky about hot or cold water. She had no strength left, but she had to move quickly.
“Nice to meet you, Ma'am. I am Kate Winsley, the head maid.”
Although the situation was extremely urgent, Elise knew that her first meeting with someone of the rank of chief maid was crucial. Elise straightened her body, the corners of her mouth rising smoothly.
“Nice to meet you, Head Maid. I don’t think I saw you yesterday.”
“I’m sorry. I had to leave due to family business and returned this morning.”
“I see. Did things work out well?”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
Elise quite liked her attitude, which neither made long excuses nor acted stiffly. If she were also competent, it would be even better.
“Head Maid.”
“You can call me Kate.”
“Yes, Kate. I heard my brother, Lord Clanton, was leaving the castle today. Has he already left?”
“No. He has finished preparing, but has not yet left the castle.”
“That’s good. I wanted to see him off.”
“Then I think you should hurry up and get ready.”
“Please.”
“Yes, Ma'am.”
Kate, who had bowed her head, gave some instructions to one of the maids she had brought with her and sent her out. Then she went to the dressing room and selected several simple dresses that could be worn without petticoats.
At that time, the maid who had gone out brought several other maids with her, and each of them took turns helping Elise with her makeup.
Her naturally wavy lavender hair was combed down rather than up, and she wore a simple dress chosen by her. Her makeup consisted of a light pink tint to her lips after cleansing her skin. Given her young age, this was sufficient.
By the time she'd completed her minimal makeup with the help of her maids, about thirty minutes had passed. Elise checked again.
“He hasn’t left yet, right?”
Kate looked out the window and answered her with her head down.
"Yes. Judging by the Clanton family's carriage still in front of the castle, it seems they haven't left yet."
'Thank god.'
With a sigh of relief, Elise left the room. As she walked down the hallway toward the central staircase, she encountered Bernard, the chamberlain. As if he had been waiting for Elise to emerge, Bernard quickly approached her and greeted her.
“Did you sleep well, Ma'am?”
“Yes. Were you waiting for me?”
"Yes. In fact, the Master skipped the meal, saying he wanted to have breakfast with the Vice-Presidency. He hasn't had lunch yet..."
“Until this hour? Where is His Highness?”
“He is at the training ground. He is observing the duel between Lord Clanton and the knights of the castle.”
Bernard explained that Lucas was acting as a sparring partner for the knights within the castle at their request. Whether out of admiration for him, the vice-captain of the Knights of Nephrus, or out of a sense of pride, the original setting had it that skilled knights would occasionally ask Lucas for a sparring match. It seemed the Frozen knights were no exception.
“I see. I understand.”
As Elise, who had answered thus, began to walk again, Kate, the head maid, followed her and asked in a cautious voice.
“Excuse me, Your Ma'am, may I ask where you are headed?”
“I heard His Highness is at the training grounds. I’m planning to go there.”
“Oh, then...”
Kate ordered the maid next to her to bring Elise's coat.
“It’s a little chilly outside, so put on a coat.”
The thin white dress she wore seemed inappropriate for public appearances. Elise nodded without changing her expression and put on the dark brown coat her maid had brought her.
Only after leaving the castle did Elise realize that this place was a story.
The tall, sturdy walls that bear the marks of time, the foreign smells in the air, the expressions and eyes of people who stop what they are doing and bow their heads.
She had previously starred in a 50-episode drama set in medieval Europe, but no matter how elaborate the set was, it couldn't compare to this one.
The Knights of Frozen's quarters and training grounds were located behind the main castle. Even though she was still a long way away, the clash of weapons could be heard loudly.
The area surrounding the knights' training grounds was guarded by soldiers, preventing anyone from entering. A maid spoke to a soldier, startling him and causing him to rush inside.
“Please wait here. It’s a dangerous place.”
“Yes.”
Elise nodded at Kate's concerned words.
Inside the training hall, Lucas's bright blond hair caught a glimpse. It was fortunate she wasn't late. It must have been exhausting, though, to have been engaged in a duel that should have been over in one or two rounds.
'Well, they said he was a capable agent.'
Elise stood there quietly, waiting for Lucas and Blake to come out, thinking, "I wonder if they'll be any good at fighting."
"Ma'am."
Blake came out first.
Today, too, he was dressed perfectly in a suit. The shirt, taut against his chest muscles, pleased her. Elise greeted her husband, who matched her style from head to toe, with a gentle smile.
"Your Highness."
He approached her quickly, stopped a step in front of her, and looked at her as if examining her.
“You look tired. Don’t you want to rest a little longer?”
“No. I must have dozed off last night.”
“I promised I wouldn’t push myself too hard. I’m sorry.”
Elise raised her head and looked at his face. As expected, his face was tinged with guilt. When their eyes met, he averted his gaze, but kept glancing at Elise's face and the nape of her neck.
'Wow, look at those eyes.'
How delightful it would be to be held in his arms, making him even more anxious. Remembering Blake's actions yesterday, Elise felt the urge to poke him.
Elise spoke to him, forcibly holding back the corners of her lips that were about to rise.
“You even skipped breakfast because of me.”
“I didn’t eat because I didn’t know when Madam would wake up.”
“You should eat first next time. What if you don’t eat by this time?”
"It's okay. Waiting for you is a very pleasant experience. It's not the least bit tiring, so don't worry."
He paused for a moment and then added a word.
“Aren’t we family?”
"Family..."
“My wife is my only family.”
When he said that, she thought she should wake up early and have breakfast with him starting tomorrow.
It was a strange feeling. For someone who had never been within the confines of a proper family, it seemed natural to have someone to share every meal with.
Of course, it was all fiction, but it still felt good.
“I must tell the maid to wake me up.”
“If it’s okay, I’ll wake you up every day.”
“Yes? Your Highness?”
“Do you hate it?”
“Oh, no. It’s not that I don’t like it, but...”
“Then, let’s do that.”
Blake, having received a positive answer, smiled brightly. It was a smile so joyful that it seemed to brighten the surroundings.
“...”
Even Kate, who was good at controlling her expressions, looked somewhat surprised, so it was clear that this was an unusual event.
'Why is this guy so cute?'
Elise felt so intrigued by him that she wanted to continue talking and observe him more closely. Unfortunately, now was not the time.
Footsteps are heard from behind Blake.
Elise's ring vibrated. It was the beginning of a new scene.
Her adolescence was filled with two abandonments, overseas adoption, abuse by adoptive parents, and running away from home.
Her access to the extreme was a stroke of luck. However, considering the hardships she endured as an Asian to reach the top, her life afterward wasn't so smooth.
She was incredibly frustrated to hear that it would only last a month, or at most, six months. But on the other hand, she felt relieved, thinking, "Now I can rest."
A belated fatigue set in. It was the exhaustion of a lifetime. For nearly a week, Elise remained secluded, sleeping, eating, and resting.
Instead of the salad she been eating to the point of exhaustion, she gorged on pizza, burgers, and fries. She skipped her daily workout and became one with the sofa.
Regardless of the noise outside, she'd long since turned off her phone, so the space she breathed in was perfectly quiet. It wasn't a bad time. It was a reward for her hard work.
Then one day, 'he' came to visit. The man who had been her lifelong companion and rival was Cain Liberto.
[Elise. I won't let you die alone.]
Elise laughed with a puffy face from rolling around so much.
[Why, what? Should I die with you?]
The corners of his mouth quirked upward at her joke. His face, which had become stern since she'd last seen him, suddenly looked eerie.
[How did you know?]
***
Pretending to be asleep meant she was truly asleep. Elise shook her head, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. Goosebumps were prickling her skin.
Elise knew better than anyone that there were more crazy people than she'd thought. Even without Lucas's warning, she wouldn't have been complacent. The next time she'd be the one to stab someone in the back of the head, it had to be herself, not someone else.
'Of course, it would be best not to hit or get hit.'
Is the world really that easy? Fortunately, this place is a story. There's a certain justice that exists, and a key to overcoming the crisis exists.
'If it were real, there's no way something like that would exist.'
Elise sat up. She was alone on the bed. She groaned and stood up, her feet on the soft carpet. Her legs were wobbly, but she managed to walk.
Elise walked across the dark room to the window.
'What time is it? I think it's past dinner time.'
As soon as the curtains were drawn back, dazzling sunlight poured in. Elise was momentarily dazed.
“What... Is it really morning?”
It seemed somehow bustling outside. Lucas was leaving in the morning. Her eyes widened in bewilderment. Even with her depleted energy, she never expected to sleep through the evening and night without waking up once until morning.
'It's like I overslept on the day of filming! I'm screwed!'
Elise quickly returned to bed, pulled the rope, and headed straight for the bathroom. Now was not the time to be picky about hot or cold water. She had no strength left, but she had to move quickly.
Hurriedly washing up and stepping out of the bathroom, she saw a face she hadn't noticed yesterday. Elise must have looked ridiculous, yet her expression showed no sign of embarrassment. Dressed in a neat maidservant's uniform, she bowed respectfully to Elise.
Although the situation was extremely urgent, Elise knew that her first meeting with someone of the rank of chief maid was crucial. Elise straightened her body, the corners of her mouth rising smoothly.
“Nice to meet you, Head Maid. I don’t think I saw you yesterday.”
“I’m sorry. I had to leave due to family business and returned this morning.”
“I see. Did things work out well?”
“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
Elise quite liked her attitude, which neither made long excuses nor acted stiffly. If she were also competent, it would be even better.
“Head Maid.”
“You can call me Kate.”
“Yes, Kate. I heard my brother, Lord Clanton, was leaving the castle today. Has he already left?”
“No. He has finished preparing, but has not yet left the castle.”
“That’s good. I wanted to see him off.”
“Then I think you should hurry up and get ready.”
“Please.”
“Yes, Ma'am.”
Kate, who had bowed her head, gave some instructions to one of the maids she had brought with her and sent her out. Then she went to the dressing room and selected several simple dresses that could be worn without petticoats.
At that time, the maid who had gone out brought several other maids with her, and each of them took turns helping Elise with her makeup.
Her naturally wavy lavender hair was combed down rather than up, and she wore a simple dress chosen by her. Her makeup consisted of a light pink tint to her lips after cleansing her skin. Given her young age, this was sufficient.
By the time she'd completed her minimal makeup with the help of her maids, about thirty minutes had passed. Elise checked again.
“He hasn’t left yet, right?”
Kate looked out the window and answered her with her head down.
"Yes. Judging by the Clanton family's carriage still in front of the castle, it seems they haven't left yet."
'Thank god.'
With a sigh of relief, Elise left the room. As she walked down the hallway toward the central staircase, she encountered Bernard, the chamberlain. As if he had been waiting for Elise to emerge, Bernard quickly approached her and greeted her.
“Did you sleep well, Ma'am?”
“Yes. Were you waiting for me?”
"Yes. In fact, the Master skipped the meal, saying he wanted to have breakfast with the Vice-Presidency. He hasn't had lunch yet..."
“Until this hour? Where is His Highness?”
“He is at the training ground. He is observing the duel between Lord Clanton and the knights of the castle.”
Bernard explained that Lucas was acting as a sparring partner for the knights within the castle at their request. Whether out of admiration for him, the vice-captain of the Knights of Nephrus, or out of a sense of pride, the original setting had it that skilled knights would occasionally ask Lucas for a sparring match. It seemed the Frozen knights were no exception.
“I see. I understand.”
As Elise, who had answered thus, began to walk again, Kate, the head maid, followed her and asked in a cautious voice.
“Excuse me, Your Ma'am, may I ask where you are headed?”
“I heard His Highness is at the training grounds. I’m planning to go there.”
“Oh, then...”
Kate ordered the maid next to her to bring Elise's coat.
“It’s a little chilly outside, so put on a coat.”
The thin white dress she wore seemed inappropriate for public appearances. Elise nodded without changing her expression and put on the dark brown coat her maid had brought her.
Only after leaving the castle did Elise realize that this place was a story.
The tall, sturdy walls that bear the marks of time, the foreign smells in the air, the expressions and eyes of people who stop what they are doing and bow their heads.
She had previously starred in a 50-episode drama set in medieval Europe, but no matter how elaborate the set was, it couldn't compare to this one.
The Knights of Frozen's quarters and training grounds were located behind the main castle. Even though she was still a long way away, the clash of weapons could be heard loudly.
The area surrounding the knights' training grounds was guarded by soldiers, preventing anyone from entering. A maid spoke to a soldier, startling him and causing him to rush inside.
“Please wait here. It’s a dangerous place.”
“Yes.”
Elise nodded at Kate's concerned words.
Inside the training hall, Lucas's bright blond hair caught a glimpse. It was fortunate she wasn't late. It must have been exhausting, though, to have been engaged in a duel that should have been over in one or two rounds.
'Well, they said he was a capable agent.'
Elise stood there quietly, waiting for Lucas and Blake to come out, thinking, "I wonder if they'll be any good at fighting."
"Ma'am."
Blake came out first.
Today, too, he was dressed perfectly in a suit. The shirt, taut against his chest muscles, pleased her. Elise greeted her husband, who matched her style from head to toe, with a gentle smile.
"Your Highness."
He approached her quickly, stopped a step in front of her, and looked at her as if examining her.
“You look tired. Don’t you want to rest a little longer?”
“No. I must have dozed off last night.”
As if recalling yesterday's events, Elise's cheeks flushed crimson. Blake reached out to her and fastened her coat more carefully.
Elise raised her head and looked at his face. As expected, his face was tinged with guilt. When their eyes met, he averted his gaze, but kept glancing at Elise's face and the nape of her neck.
'Wow, look at those eyes.'
How delightful it would be to be held in his arms, making him even more anxious. Remembering Blake's actions yesterday, Elise felt the urge to poke him.
Elise spoke to him, forcibly holding back the corners of her lips that were about to rise.
“You even skipped breakfast because of me.”
“I didn’t eat because I didn’t know when Madam would wake up.”
“You should eat first next time. What if you don’t eat by this time?”
"It's okay. Waiting for you is a very pleasant experience. It's not the least bit tiring, so don't worry."
He paused for a moment and then added a word.
“Aren’t we family?”
"Family..."
“My wife is my only family.”
When he said that, she thought she should wake up early and have breakfast with him starting tomorrow.
It was a strange feeling. For someone who had never been within the confines of a proper family, it seemed natural to have someone to share every meal with.
Of course, it was all fiction, but it still felt good.
“I must tell the maid to wake me up.”
“If it’s okay, I’ll wake you up every day.”
“Yes? Your Highness?”
“Do you hate it?”
“Oh, no. It’s not that I don’t like it, but...”
“Then, let’s do that.”
Blake, having received a positive answer, smiled brightly. It was a smile so joyful that it seemed to brighten the surroundings.
“...”
Even Kate, who was good at controlling her expressions, looked somewhat surprised, so it was clear that this was an unusual event.
'Why is this guy so cute?'
Elise felt so intrigued by him that she wanted to continue talking and observe him more closely. Unfortunately, now was not the time.
Footsteps are heard from behind Blake.
Elise's ring vibrated. It was the beginning of a new scene.
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