Chapter 12 Making Matters Worse Is A Fun Activity
“I looked forward for the day we would meet again but I didn’t think it would be quite soon,”
Me neither, Maeve thought, fighting the urge to scoff. Her eyes didn’t leave the scene of the women who were standing some feet away from her, all of them huddled up in fear while she bit into her sandwich— yes, she had taught the workers of this household, Banister, how to make it.
Cassian who was standing in front of her tilted his head lower, smiling so brightly it only worsened her rage. “You have refused to speak to me since I arrived here,”
“Lucien,” Maeve called out.
“Yes, My Lady?”
“Please, shield my eyes from this bright sun. I need to analyze the situation in front of me much clearly,”
“Gladly, my Lady,”
Maeve picked up the selfish joy in his response but she didn’t care to think about it too much, her gaze still back on those women.
One of them, a certain high class lady had just been wheeled to the hospital apparently for fainting from too much shock— an act that Maeve had at first seen happen and believed it was hunger.
So naturally, in that moment, she thought like this: she was hungry but ate couldn’t yell at anyone but if someone else was going to faint, wouldn’t it be nice if she made a big deal about it because she cared and somehow landed herself in the kitchen, crying her eyes out and maybe emotionally manipulating every cook in there as she wrote them a very detailed recipe for a sandwich?
How was she to know the woman passed out in fear from her?
“It’s fascinating how easily you have me wrapped around your finger. Almost insulting as well,”
See, that voice came out with such dark intent that the glowing light from Cassian seemed to disappear altogether.
It was so odd that it finally pulled Maeve’s full attention to him— Prince Cassian, that is. He looked odd without his halo, but seeing his features so clearly only highlighted the fact that he looked like an angel and should be in heaven even more.
Still, he looked upset, hurt.
Maeve placed a hand on his shoulder. “You didn’t eat before you were sent here too?” Then she moved the sandwich closer to him. “Here. Why don’t you take a bite, hmm? Everything will be okay,”
Lucien stared at his lady, closing his eyes briefly so he wouldn’t let out a sigh.
Cassian, on the other hand, looked at the small woman in front of him, then at the… weird looking thing in her hand. He wished to say no but there was an earnest look in her eyes that showed kindness… which was honestly the only emotion she had shown him that wasn’t irritation or disgust.
So he took it from her and had a bite.
The instant the thing touched his tongue, the world stopped for a second. A violin played in the background as the world suddenly had colour— colour that he could see, and taste. And smell.
Life returned to his eyes as he said, "What is this delicious thing?!”
Maeve nodded smugly. “Tastes good, huh? Feel calmer? Good. Food is a lovely thing that— wait,” She paused, her eyes narrowing. “Why are you here exactly— gah!”
She suddenly jolted back, falling into Lucien’s waiting arms as that treacherous, lecherous blue screen reappeared right in front of her, bearing letters, \[I WAS GONE FOR ONLY A FEW HOURS AND SEE THE DAMAGE YOU HAVE CAUSED\]
Cassian who couldn’t see it was certain that whatever moment of kindness she had decided to show him was done and she was back to hating him again couldn’t help himself, “Do you really abhor me that much?”
\[YOUR APPROVAL RATINGS ARE DROPPING SIGNIFICANTLY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT FALLS PAST A SPECIFIC RANGE?\]
“Ella, are you alright—?”
“OKAY. EVERYONE PAUSE!”
And they did. Every single person around a five mile radius who heard her voice froze for an instant. Maeve stared, realizing that they were all truly frozen in place before she turned her focus to NACE, “How is this happening?”
\[SINCE YOU SEEM TO BELIEVE YOU KNOW EVERY LITTLE THING, WHY DO YOU NOT ANSWER IT YOURSELF?\]
Maeve frowned. “Ah, I did not miss this pettiness,”
She walked to where the girls were standing. “So? How did the conversation go with the people who made you?”
\[THEY AGREE WITH EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE DETAILED INFORMATION PART. I AM NOT PRIVY TO FUTURE INCIDENCES NOR AM I TO MAKE ANY OF THIS EASIER FOR YOU. PROTAGONISTS SUFFER. THAT IS THE WAY THE WORLD WORKS\]
She scoffed. “That’s such an outdated system. Booooooo,”
Even though it looked like she was just scanning her surroundings and not really being serious, Maeve was using at the very least, 60% of her brain capacity. She took notes on the fact that these women’s dresses looked… different from hers. Less embroiled, more soft. Casual.
“Everything but the too detailed one, yes? I’d love to have a more enthusiastic reunion about your return but could you tell me anything about the High Class nobles and Low Class nobles? Their differences, I mean,”
NACE appeared in front of her, \[HIGH CLASS NOBLES BEAR ROYAL BLOOD AND POSSESS RARER AFFINITY TOWARDS MANA. LOW CLASS NOBLES BEAR LESSER OR DILUTED AFFINITIES. STATUS IS DIRECTLY TIED TO MANA POTENTIAL AND BLOODLINE PURITY\]
“And Isabella?”
\[THE ONLY DAUGHTER BORN OF THE HIGH CLASS NOBLES IN MORE THAN A DECADE. HER BIRTH WAS CONSIDERED A MIRACLE, HENCE THE EXTRAVAGANT SPENDING TO PRESERVE AND ELEVATE HER. HER WEAK HEART WAS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE MANA CONCENTRATION IN HER BLOODLINE\]
That sounded like too much pressure. It seemed mana ranks could only be speculated about until the Presentation Day. And the High Class nobles. Who were they really? She hadn’t seemed to meet them yet, nor had they sent in any sort of messages to show they existed.
It was clear to her now that the low noble classes hated Isabella— jealousy maybe, envy. She couldn’t tell the difference nor did she care.
Especially now when she could feel rage burning in her stomach.
She hadn’t cared before, and why would she? Isabella wasn’t real to her, none of this was, but it didn’t mean that she didn’t hate bullies, especially when it was clear from their behavior that they were intentionally harming someone else who had done nothing to warrant it.
And maybe— just maybe, it was the big sister spirit in her, or the version of her that was tired of being looked down on, especially now when she was finally in a position of enjoyment and there was the slightest possibility that this people with their unfounded jealousy could ruin it for her, she wasn’t sure.
“Unfreeze it,”
\[YOUR HEART RATE IS HIGHER THAN USUAL. IT ONLY GOES THIS HIGH WHEN YOU SEE A BED OR FOOD BUT THERE IS NONE AROUND WHICH MAKES ME WORRY\]
A system worrying? Ha. That means what she was about to do was well deserved.
Maeve flexed her non-existent muscles. “Do it.”
NACE did.
The moment the world resumed, Maeve watched the other girl's eyes widen in terror at the fact that she had suddenly appeared right in front of them, but she didn’t give them enough time to let out a scream as her hand formed a fist and connected with one of their faces.