7 - Pieces of the Broken Glass Slipper
Shattered Glass Slipper Shards, Episode 7
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Feeling a wicked pleasure at Marie's appearance, I tore my hand away from her lips as if biting them.
Marie clutched her swollen lips with her hand, groaning in pain. Her shoulders heaving violently told me she was swallowing her tears.
“Tell me.”
“Y-Yonel. Yonel told me.”
Marie barely managed to answer, gasping for breath.
“Who is that person? What is their department?”
“They serve Lady Roena.”
“Oh, really? I see. A maid serving Roena… You must be quite close to be rushing to tell me such news?”
“Yes. W-we're close.”
“Is that so? Then, it would be good to maintain that friendship.”
After all, I'll likely need their help often. Having finished speaking, I smiled faintly and stroked Marie's cheek.
“Now, shall we talk about Margo and you?”
At that, Marie's lips trembled. Whether it was from fear, she couldn't even meet my gaze. She seemed quite anxious about talking about the head maid who managed the other maids. After all, it was Margo who was currently in charge of the household.
I whispered in a sweet tone, as if to soothe her.
“I’m not trying to pry into anything special. I already know that Margo intends to insult me through you and the other maids.”
“No. It’s really not.”
“Speak honestly. Why did you come to me? What did you intend to do by putting me in your hands? Tell me why you did what you did this morning.”
“It was my fault, Lady. I won’t do it again. I promise I won’t do such things anymore.”
“Does that mean you can help me? That you can do anything for me? Even if I were to treat you like this?”
Having spoken, I traced her facial lines with my finger. Then, I gently wrapped my hands around Marie's neck. Pitifully, Marie, paralyzed with fear, could barely breathe, her eyes wide open.
I tightened my grip on her neck. Little by little, slowly, very slowly. I tried to make Marie feel as much terror as possible.
“Shh, stay still. Yes, you’re a very good girl.”
Already subdued by my presence, she didn't even dare to think of resisting. She could only shed tears and desperately beg for my forgiveness.
“It was my fault, Lady. I won’t do it again. Please spare me. Please.”
But I ignored her words. I needed to imprint myself as a terrifying presence in Marie's mind. That I, who could kill her at any moment, was the master of her life.
So, only when her tongue protruded from her suffocating lips did I finally release my hands from her neck. I watched her squirming body like a bug with a sneer, and then, stroking her convulsing head with the breath she hastily inhaled, I whispered kindly.
“My dear Marie. Go to Margo right now and tell her that the foolish Lady forgave you after you cried and begged for forgiveness. So, ask for another chance, and promise you won’t fail again.”
Marie nodded. In her tear-filled eyes, there was fear towards Cis de Bishbalz, that is, me.
Only then did I feel a sense of satisfaction. So, I pulled the corners of my mouth up in a smile and whispered.
“Yes, that’s how it should be. Then I will help Margo so she cannot punish you.”
And to calm her, who was frozen with fear, I unclasped the bracelet I had put on her.
“This is a small reward for what just happened. You can forget it, right? No, you must forget it. Only then can we get along well in the future.”
Marie nodded blankly, her expression a confused mix of fear, sadness, and a hint of joy. In her eyes, there was 'greed'.
Marie looked at it passionately, as if she had forgotten the unfair treatment she had received. Her gaze, dulled as if mesmerized by the bracelet, was almost comical. With this, I could be sure that Marie would act according to my instructions.
A moment later, a maid came looking for me. The red-haired woman, who introduced herself as Seril and had a slightly haughty demeanor, said she was here on my adoptive father's orders. I burst into laughter at her face, which was so familiar.
Oh, yes. How could I forget you? You were one of the maids loyal to Roena.
Her impudent eyes, which looked straight at me despite being assigned to me, were filled with dissatisfaction. I licked my lips with my tongue and commanded Marie.
“Marie, you will act as we discussed. I have something to discuss with Seril for a moment.”
Perhaps the punishment had been effective, as Marie left the room without a word.
Smiling with satisfaction at her departure, I looked at Seril. And to her, who seemed bewildered by the strangely unfolding situation, I gave the sweetest smile possible and whispered lowly.
“Shall we have a conversation then?”
A very simple one.
Before I returned, I was a girl who couldn't hide her tomboyish nature. Should I call it the eye of the storm? There were always petty squabbles around me, and I often got caught up in them. This was partly due to my own bad temper, which made it hard for me to control my anger.
Especially, I couldn't stand gossip about my mother. No, I couldn't. So, if anyone dared to say a word about my mother, I would immediately rush at them and tear them to shreds. Even if it meant getting hurt myself until the other person was tattered.
My insignificant honor was not greater than the humiliation I faced. So, I bit until blood came out. I didn't care if I was called a madwoman. Instead, I boldly declared, "So what? Got a problem?" Therefore, dealing with girls like Seril was no trouble at all.
It's undeniable that a little punishment can be beneficial for a dog that doesn't understand. I had learned this truth early through my past experiences.
I glanced at Seril, who was sprawled on the floor, and opened the door. Marie, who had returned at some point, let out a stifled scream the moment she made eye contact with me. Her restlessly rolling eyes held extreme fear.
“You’re back sooner than I thought. Did Margo listen to you?”
As I asked with a smile, Marie nodded furiously with a pale face instead of answering.
I deliberately pretended not to understand Marie's emotions. Instead, I shifted slightly to the side, allowing a clear view of Seril lying in the center of the room.
“She doesn’t seem well. She collapsed like that during our conversation. So, you need to check on her condition.”
“M-me?”
Marie swallowed hard and asked again. It was understandable that she was confused, as it was a situation where the giver of the wound also offered the cure. Other noble ladies didn't treat their maids, only punished them.
When I nodded firmly and said, "Yes, you must," a strange light appeared on her face. Marie cautiously approached Seril, but kept looking back at me several times, gauging my reaction.
“Examine her thoroughly. So that she can get up by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?”
Marie looked at me as if I were saying something absurd. She looked so pathetic that I almost felt pity. I shrugged with an infuriatingly bright smile. And I replied in a casual tone.
“Yes, tomorrow.”
In truth, Seril's condition was not good. Even I couldn't guarantee she would be able to get up tomorrow. But I wasn't the one treating her. So, why should I care about her circumstances?
“Is it difficult?”
Marie replied in a quiet voice. Her words, filled with resignation, carried a faint sob. Pitifully, Marie seemed to be crying all the tears she would cry in her lifetime today because of me.
“No. No, Lady. I can do it.”
“Yes, you must.”
I had no intention of letting Seril leave my room until she was completely obedient to me. It was easier to instill deep-seated obedience towards me beforehand than to deal with issues as they arose.
Well, her absence might cause some problems, but that would be a minor incident, not something significant enough to question me about trivial matters. Who could say anything if I kept my maid for a few days due to my needs?
Most importantly, Margo, the head maid, would be bowing her head and watching my adoptive father for several days, so no one could interfere with me. Therefore, I could leave the room with peace of mind—leaving Seril to Marie.
After turning a few corners in the hallway, I spotted a familiar room, engraved with the Baekjak family crest.
My mother's room. As in the past, Mother resided in the Countess's chambers. I lightly knocked on the door to announce my visit.
Mother was sitting at a table by the window, drinking tea, as if enjoying tea time. And with Roena.
I narrowed my eyes at her presence, sitting opposite my mother. I couldn't understand why she was with my mother.
“Mother.”
I ran to my mother and kissed both her cheeks. Then I hugged her tightly. It was a petty display of affection.
My mother smiled faintly, as if not disliking my childishness, and stroked my hair. Normally, she would have chided me for acting like a child despite being grown, but considering what had just happened, she let it be.
“Are you alright?”
I asked in a whisper, and my mother nodded and replied energetically.
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Compared to before, that is.
In the past, I was always suffering from overwork and lack of sleep. My under-eyes, deeply shadowed from fatigue, were always dark.
At most 4 hours of sleep, at least 2 hours.
It was a time when I had to divide my time and work desperately just to keep up with Roena, so it was unavoidable.
Even if my molars broke from holding marbles in my mouth all day to practice elegant pronunciation, or the calluses on my heels from dance practice had to be cut off multiple times. As a result, my body was breaking down, but I endured it fiercely out of obsession with her.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't surpass Roena. Instead, it only left me with physical aftereffects. I coughed up blood multiple times due to my unbalanced lifestyle, and eventually reached a state where I couldn't even spoon a single bowl of soup because food wouldn't stay down.
My body, which had been moderately full and well-balanced, became as thin as a skeleton. My face was ruined by fatigue, but there was nothing I could do about it.
I could only settle for mixing pearl powder with water and flour to apply to my skin, as makeup wouldn't adhere. My body was so broken that someone pointed at me and called me a walking ghost.
Yet, I did not give up. Until I realized the reality given to me, until I was toyed with by that damned thing called fate and finally bowed at his feet in surrender, I never let go of my desire to surpass Roena.
The words "I want to stop" rose to the tip of my throat, but I always held them back. I endured and endured. I whipped myself, imagining that a sweet future would come someday. Believing that there would be a day when I could escape Roena's shadow and be seen for myself.
So, compared to then, this is nothing. I haven't even started yet, so why would I struggle?
My mother let out a sigh of relief at my words. She kissed my eyes and said in a soft voice.
“Yes, that’s a relief. Child, would you like some tea?”
“Yes.”
I smiled brightly and went to sit next to Roena. A maid quickly brought a teacup for me.
