Chapter 6 (1/2)

Enjoy~

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Within the darkness, where not a speck of light existed, I laid barricaded.

This was something I could do forever.

Little by little my awareness dissolved, melding into the darkness of the room. Aah, finally I achieved equality with the world and achieved enlightenment but in this moment light from above shone on me.

“I found you, Ojou-sama”

“…… It’s Mariywa”

To my eyes that grew accustomed to the dark, even the faintest of light was blinding.

Hugging my knees in an empty box of in the pantry, I squinted my eyes looking up at Mariywa.

“The residence has become quite noisy you know? I’ve heard that Christina Ojou-sama suddenly vanished”

“……They should be. It’s because I’ve been hidden here all along. How did Mariywa know I would be here?”

I was in the pantry that was deep inside the estate; on top of that, I was inside an empty box. After my demand for Mishuly was rejected by father, I’ve been hidden since then. To be able to find me in such a place, that’s a miracle.

However, Mariywa found me seemingly effortlessly.

“It’s not difficult to fathom a depressed child’s hiding place, Ojou-sama”

“……Hmph”

Comparing the genius I to those wanton little children, there’s a limit to how arrogant of a comment you can make. I moved not with feeling and instinct, but because I knew that hiding in a box in the pantry was the best place to hide.

“And? Have you come to drag me out?”

I was supposed to have etiquette lessons right now. The ball at the royal palace is due in 3 days. The plan was to wrap-up all the etiquettes learned since now.

However, I right now wasn’t afraid of the punishment.

“Be it the whip or anything else just do it, Mariywa. No matter how much my body is bloodied or battered, I won’t give in. I won’t have anything to do with etiquette lessons.”

The reason for hiding myself in the food warehouse was due to the turmoil that happened the other day when I revealed my dress.

Because the dresses were made together, I misunderstood that Mishuly would also be going to the ball. Father didn’t have any ill will; since I was having a dress made, he with his “overflowing” parental love decided to have one made for Mishuly as well.

However, that love backfired.

The problem lied in the “small” detail I revealed in front of the newly dressed Mishuly that day.

From that blunder, the reason why I started playing hide-and-seek was simple.

Rather than participating without Mishuly, I’d rather not participate at all.

“Why must I attend a ball that Mishuly will not? It’s unpleasant. Absolutely unpleasant. I absolutely won’t go to such a ball. Neither will I continue with etiquette lessons whose purpose was for the ball.”

If the reason Mishuly couldn’t participate was due to her young age then it would be acceptable. If it was because Mishuly hasn’t acquired the proper manners, I would barely consent.

Mishuly would not be allowed to attend any balls in the future.

From Mariywa’s perspective, I probably look like a child throwing a tantrum. Even so, I didn’t care. I put strength into the arm that is holding my knees and curled myself up. I was small but I put all my strength into shouting.

“How is it fair that I will be able to attend these balls but Mishuly will always be excluded?”

Mishuly cannot appear on the glittering stage of high society. If it was a small, family party, then she had the opportunity to attend. However, anything beyond that was completely stripped from her choices.

This was something I couldn’t accept.

“If you want me to participate in the ball, it must be with Mishuly. If not, I won’t move from this spot. I absolutely won’t!”

After saying what I held in my heart, I buried my face behind my knees and fell silent. Here is the pantry. Surviving three days until the ball is over is an easy battle to win. To be honest, while persevering through the boredom, I was gnawing at the food around here.

“…………”

Mariywa is unlikely to accept my selfishness. That is only natural. As she was employed to be my private tutor, it was her job to force me to be a lady. Soon, I will be dragged out from the box through brute force and have character severely beaten into me.

To I, who was stubbornly holed up in the box, Mariywa acted unexpectedly.

“…… Haa”

She only sighed once. Without pause, she sat down next to me.

“…… What’s the matter, Mariywa?”

“Eh?”

I looked up at those unexpected words. On hold, in other words, cancelled. It was unlike Mariywa who would, up until now, no matter how much I ran away, soon appear and drag me away

Although I wondered what was wrong, to my regret, I could not see Mariywa’s face who was sitting behind my box.

“Christina Ojou-sama. You are a wise child.”

I am obviously a genius, but to say I am “wise” rather than “smart” or “intelligent” gave it a slightly malicious feel. [ED: Like being called old, well you are inside Christina!]

“You would often run away from class or engage it much tomfooleries, but as the instructor, I also understood that your memory is very good. You remember everything I taught before, no? While you always used a vulgar, unladylike language, you were able to perfectly demonstrate the etiquettes I taught with no room for criticism”

“That’s true. Therefore, even if one lesson was to disappear, it would not make a visible difference. And also…”

Letting out a deep sigh, Mariywa continued in a somewhat exhausted tone.

“A depressed child is very bothersome, Chris-Ojou-sama”

Rather than her usual strict voice, it was very passive.

It was unmistakably her real feelings. I understood I was simply being selfish here, but I still turned my head away and bluffed.

“……fuu. Say whatever you want”

Mariywa speaking ill of me so frankly and treating me like a child, it didn’t prick at my pride as a genius, no really.

“Nee, Christina Ojou-sama”

“You’re a wise child”

With the same exact face and tone as before, Mariywa brought the previous topic back with the same line.