The Cursed Imperial Heart

Tears fell from the young lady Carolinas eyes. The eight year old screamed from the pain caused by her throbbing head. Of course, that alone caused a huge commotion among the maids and other workers currently at the mansion, since the viscount would go as far as firing all of them if anything were to happen to his darling daughter.

”Lady Carolina!! ” one of the maids who witnessed the fall of the young lady shouted.

The other two who were there sprinted towards her immediately, even dropping the laundry basket they carried as they did. ”Our lady is hurt!! ” the two of them shouted.

Whilst helping the young lady get back up, one of the maids asked ”My lady are you–!! ”

But before she could even finish her sentence, the young lady slapped the maids hand away from her in a fit of anger. The poor womans hand immediately turned red, but dare not complain even though it clearly hurt.

”You dare ask me if Im ok?! ” Carolina shouted angrily a them. ”Do I look like I am??!! ”

Still, they helped her back up even as she scolded them for taking too long to come and help her.

”If you pesky maids had been here sooner, you wouldve caught me before I even hit the ground!! ” she said, rolling her eyes at them.

However, from my point of view, it seemed she enjoyed messing with them. She even threatened them by saying ”Father will hear about your incompetence. ” with a fairly noticeable grin on her face as she did.

At this point I realized, it seems Carolina forgot the reason she fell in the first place. She hasn even noticed me yet. Understandably, my face turned pale from all that was happening. One of the things that shocked me was how early they came back from their outing, usually theyd be home later in the day. Surely this incident wouldn have happened if I knew that they were already here to begin with.

I kid you not when I say that I contemplated whether or not I should just run away, perhaps even hiding inside the nearest bush I could find. After all, I could still escape since they still haven noticed me yet. But as I was slowly making my way to a huge nearby shrub to escape, one of the maids who was being scolded by the young lady saw me and instantly grabbed me by my collar.

”My Lady! ” she shouted, dragging me away from the bushes. ”It was her!! Shes the culprit! ”

Really? Culprit? Shes making it sound like I stole something.

The maid held me high like a trophy, showing me to everyone else like a prized deer.

”Jeez, look at those eyes! ”

”Hmp, how dare that girl. ”

”I knew she was bad news. ”

They whispered all around as if I couldn hear what they were saying.

Or perhaps, they wanted me to hear.

All eyes are now on me. Of course, they all looked at me with complete and utter disgust. I can tell that they
e even praising the maid whos holding me for–Well, holding me. Like somehow, being a malem is a contagious and deadly disease, even though the maid is only holding me by my collar.

”Well, well… ” Carolina crossed her arms as she glared ever so deadly at me. ”I knew it was you. ”

I remained silent, but deep down I scoffed at her nonsense words.

Psh, you knew nothing. You didn even know it was me until one of the maids pointed it out.

If only I had the strength to say that.

”Put her down. ” the young lady ordered in a menacing tone.

The maid followed her instantly, letting me go as she pushed my small body in front of the young lady she served. I fell to the ground with a soft thump, lucky for me we were outside at the grassy garden and not inside where the floor is solid concrete. As I looked back at blue haired girl in front of me, as if my body moved on its own, I bowed at her.

”I-I-Im sorry my lady I–kugh!! ”

My chest ached from the hard kick the young lady Carolina just did to me.

”I don want your sorry!! ” she shouted. ”I don need it. ”

I remained curled up in a ball like position from the pain and they seemed to really enjoy that.

”Admit it, ” her voice firm as can be. ”You did that on purpose didn you?! ”

”N-NO! ” I immediately protested as its not the truth. ”My lady I wouldn dare–!! ”

Upon seeing Carolinas hand raise up in a slapping position, I could not do anything else but close my eyes while I waited for the pain that would come any second. But as she was about to hit my face, I heard a womans familiar voice.

”Whats going on here? ” the voice asked in a serious tone.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Carolinas shocked expression as she looked up in confusion. I too looked up, and my eyes glistened upon seeing the head maid of the Brotillon household. Addie, stared blankly at the young lady with her hand grasping tightly at Carolinas small arm. Her shiny golden hair was tied up in a bun like always. But at that moment, she looked more mature and sophisticated.

All I could think of at that moment was how different she looked all of the sudden.

”What is going on here? ” she asked in a serious tone, still staring at the young lady.

Thats when Carolina got back to her senses, snatching her arm away from the maid.

”How dare you! ” she pointed at Addie. ”Who gave you permission to stop me? No one! ”

Usually when maids get shouted like that by Carolina, they would sweat and their posture would turn into a very noticeable slump, but not Addie. She looked completely unbothered by the situation, which surprised me since shes always a bit careful and giddy when it comes to Carolina at times. She would always stay out of her way like everyone else. So to see her oppose the young lady like that, I was afraid for both of our lives now.

”Such rudeness from a mere maid, ” Carolina clicked her tongue, massaging her arm from Addies tight grasp. ”I will tell my father about this! ” she continued to shout at her, smirking.

But to the young blue haired girls shock, Addie did not answer her.

Instead, she looked at the maids who were gossiping just inches away from us and pointed at them. ”You gals over there. ” she called to them, which startled the maids for a moment. ”Come here. ” Addie ordered.

Carolina felt enraged at how the head maid disregarded her just like that, even the other maids who surrounded us were shocked. I guess thats a given. After all, shes never been ignored ever in her life.

”Addie?! ” she called to the maid like a spoiled brat. ”If you keep doing this, Father will surely– ”

”Take the young lady Carolina back to her room. ” she told the two maids she called on earlier.

The young ladys ocean blue eyes widened, her words for the first time ever became useless.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Addie instantly cut her off by saying ”It seems the young lady is in need of a nap to cool her head off. ” while smiling coldly at her.

Hmm, was it just me or did Addies eyes glow just now?

Perhaps I just imagined it since I was just beaten and kicked by the young lady. Although, that was indeed the first time I witnessed Addie do such a thing. Could it be that she just used her powers on the young lady? I doubt she would to that though. Addie is loyal to the Brotillon, and even more loyal to the viscount.

So then, why did it feel like she just scolded Lady Carolina?

After that, just like what Addie ordered the maids, the bratty daughter of the viscount was taken back inside the mansion and to her room.

Finally, after a couple of tense minutes which seemed like hours, I was finally able to let out a sigh of relief. As I breathed in and out, lowering my head to the ground as I did so, my view became dark. In my mind, I thought it was going to rain. But as I lifted up my head up once more, I was greeted by Addies furrowed brows and frustrated face. It was Addies shadow that engulfed my vision.

”Hehe, ” I smiled innocently at her as if nothing happened. ”Uhmm…funny story Addie– ”

”I told you not to run didn I? ” she interrupted with a strict tone, hands on her waist.

I was all but silent as Addie continued to scold me.

”You know how badly they treat you around here, ” she continued to say as she gently helped me up. ”thats why you mustn run like that as you please. ”

Only when she helped me scrape the dirt of my knees that I was able to say, ”Im sorry. ” to her.

As I stood up from the ground, my deep brown eyes stared at her with extreme weary. All I could think about at that moment was how amazing Addie really is to be able to stand up to Carolina like that. Its times like this I wonder wether or not she really does care for me, or does she just feel guilty? Sometimes her actions toward me are clearly from the guilt she has deep down, the guilt of bringing me into such a hell hole.

But today, she obviously knew she would get into such huge trouble if she went as far as oppose the bratty girl, and yet she did it. Of course, wether or not it was really for my sake, I do not know. Since, from an early age, I learned that I only deserve the worst and could not have anything to do with the bests in this world. So emotions like this, something called attachment, its one of the things I try to avoid when it comes to her.

Addie, do you really care for me?

However, all those questions and worried thoughts disappeared the moment she stared back at me with her luscious grey eyes and smiled ever so calmly. Indeed, anyone would melt as soon as they see such a calm and lovely face, it was such a beautiful sight to see. But still, even then, I felt afraid. The Lord of this house, the viscount Brotillon, will surely have our heads first thing tomorrow morning.

”Hey… ” Addie uttered softly, lifting my chin up. ”Its going to be ok my dear. ”

Only then did I realized that my face was in a frown from all the thoughts that lingered inside my head. From the look of warmth from Addies face, I could tell shes trying to comfort me. Shes always been good at reading my emotions after all, telling me once that my face like an open book thats very easy to understand.

”Addie? ” I called to her silently.

She raised her eyebrows in delight. ”Yes? ” she answered, almost in a squeak.

I could tell she was expecting a smile or even a slight chuckle from me as a response, but how could I possibly give her that knowing the harsh reality of what is soon to happen? She wants me to say something sweet and innocent that a mere five year old child like me should be saying when comforted by a grown up.

But the thing is,

Im not a normal child, nor I ever was or will be.

Knowing there was no way I could match the energy she expected to come from me, I bit the bottom of my lip as I looked down, away from her. ”We
e… ” I uttered nervously.

And with all my might I continued, ”Going to die aren we? ” I asked.

Without even looking at her, I felt her face turn into a mortified shock as a sense of coldness took over her entire body. It was only the two of us at the garden now. Thus, silence quickly seized over our short conversation, even though it barely seems like had one. Only the soft breeze of the wind and the shuffling of the trees could be heard.

I continued to look to the ground. After a while, tears began to stream down on my face. I sniffled as little droplets of tears watered the small area of grass where I stood. Seeing that, I tried wiping the tears with my arm, but it only made it worse as my eyes continued to weep more and more. And after merely about 30 seconds, I looked like a complete mess.

In all honesty, even I don know why I was crying so much. Im not much of a crier, only when Im hit hard enough do the water works come into play. Yes I felt afraid, but Ive felt afraid before and that alone doesn make me weep like this. It seems that today, I felt a different kind of fear, an unfamiliar kind.

As I clenched my fists in anger I shouted at Addie in tears.

”I won ever forgive myself if he kills you because of me!! ”

I fell to my knees right after that.

”So please… ” I begged her, shaking. ”Leave me and run away from here…you deserve that. ”

You can tell from my voice the fear I worked so hard to avoid,

The fear of losing someone dear to me.

The moment I said those words, Addie lunged towards me, squeezing me tight. As she held me close to her, I felt the tears falling from her eyes as she whispered,

”Never. ” she said. ”Ill never leave you alone…my sweet little girl. ”

When she said those words, my heart fluttered as thousands of butterflies filled my stomach. I realized at that moment how naive I was being. As I did, the beautiful view of Zospela from the huge window at the main hall quickly popped into my head.

I, Nahite, a malem working as a maid for the Brotillon, felt the same warmth when I saw the beautiful view in Addies embrace.

Perhaps even someone like me, deserves even just a little bit of good in this world.

But the question is,

Later that afternoon,

Will I still be able to think of such thought?

Or will my little bit of good, along with my life, be castrated once and for all?

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To Be Continued.