Chapter 11: First Move

“Nngh…”

Ariel frowned as the sting intensified when she rubbed her swollen mounds. It was all because of Leandro’s roughness.

A few days had passed and she was given time to heal, but it still aches whenever she touched her bosom. Ariel sighed and covered her perky bosom with her clothes.

However, whenever the cloth brushed against her twin peaks, it stung and she felt uncomfortable moving around.

She picked up the bucket she put down.

The lower part of her waist was stiff and sore as if not forgetting Leandro’s roughness and libido whenever she bent down.

Her lower area, her mounds… there was not a place that didn’t ache. Still, though, she couldn’t simply lay down and rest.

Though she had made love with the emperor, Leandro, her status was only that of a servant. She was no empress. Yet. She couldn’t sit back and allow other women a chance to usurp the seat of an empress. Until that happens, she’ll have to work twice as hard.

Though, she was at least grateful that she was brought to the palace rather than being sold as a prisoner of war. It sounded deranged and crazed, but it was a good thing that she could live comfortably in exchange for spending the night with Leandro.

When Leandro left her side to take care of otherworldly affairs, Ariel worked.

Aside from Leandro and Carlos, Ariel was seen as a prisoner and a prisoner was the lowest-ranked, even below the lowest-ranking maids.

“What are you doing? Get your head in the game!” a crisp voice pierced Ariel’s eardrum.

Ariel, who was taking a short rest and thinking no one was nearby, was startled and hurriedly looked back.

Temi, the servant who looked after the palace from the moment she first stepped foot inside the palace, stared at Ariel with her hands up at her waist.

Ariel’s beauty had spread far and wide, causing many rumors long before she was brought to the palace. Her red luscious lips so beautiful… silky platinum blonde hair… pink-white skin… and delicate eyes of the oceanic sea… any man who saw her would be captivated with one, short glance.

Maybe Temi was jealous of her beauty, the beauty she’d never have even if she fell to her death at this very moment.

Temi put Ariel through many struggles and wanted to keep her away from the emperor somehow, though just because Ariel was kept away from the emperor didn’t mean Temi had any chance.

“What are you doing?” asked Temi viciously.

“…Working.”

Ariel couldn’t afford to deal with a troublesome servant. She had no energy to deal with Leandro all night long either.

As Ariel muttered a small word and tried to leave, Temi quickly blocked her path of escape.

“You lie pretty well. I saw you standing there complaining. Hmmph! You think because you spread your legs to the emperor that you’re above everyone else? You make me laugh!”

What words was she spouting? It didn’t really hurt Ariel.

Ariel thought that it wasn’t right to keep passively avoiding this woman. Keeping mute and quiet would only give the impression that she was scared and easy to bully.

The author… really screwed the female lead’s life over. She was written as a weak-willed female lead that allowed anyone to push her over. How could the author allow Ariel, that poor character, to be persecuted to the very end?

The original content of the novel was that Ariel, hurt by the maidservant’s harsh words, shed tears, causing her aching heart to spread further.

Ariel wondered if the author got off inciting the female lead’s depression.

But Ariel wouldn’t let things be. She decided to change the course of the story, after all.

She threw down the bucket with a thump.

“What are you talking about? I can’t catch my breath once in a while?”

Stepping closer towards her, Temi was short that she stood just below Ariel’s chin. Her freckled nose and cheeks made her rough face look more grumpy than ever.

Ariel understood to some extent why she was jealous of the female lead.

Temi opened her eyes wide in shock; she didn’t expect Ariel to strike back.

“Wh-what?”

“If you’re going to accuse me of standing around as I take a breather, why are you chasing me around so carelessly? Don’t you have work to do?”

Even if Ariel’s country collapsed and fell to oblivion, she was still of noble spirit. And though her kingdom was small compared to the Baldwin Empire, the status she enjoyed was different from that of a servant.

Ariel de Beluga was praised as a saint for her virtue and heavenly beauty. Even a mere servant would never dare to ignore her.

Temi, embarrassed by Ariel’s cold behavior and counterattack, stood in a daze unable to find a suitable answer.

Ariel drove her to edge with powerful words.

“…Be careful in the future. If you get on my nerves one more time, you might get stabbed in the neck without knowing it.”

“Kuugh…”