My Charlotte Hates Me

Chapter 94: Unease

"Lady Charlotte, you certainly have strange tastes," His Majesty said as we made our exit from the shop.

"You look surprisingly good as a mercenary, Kiren," I said playfully.

"I do not think I have ever worn this much black before..."

During Arundel funeral processions, the deceased wear white robes, the mourning wear all black, and the royal family wears deep navy blue garbs.

On the days of Arielle's funerals, I wore a black without fail...My days following her death mostly consisted of dark and dreary clothes until Eli complained about how I was dressing unbefitting of someone working in the Castle.

"...I think you look better in brighter colors," I said.

"Why is that?" His Majesty asked.

"...It is probably because you give off a good feeling whenever I look at you," I answered honestly.

He suddenly shifted his gaze and covered his mouth with his hand.

Was he being shy?

"Are women your age always this upfront nowadays?" His Majesty asked.

I giggled.

"Maybe Your Majesty is weak to a younger woman's touch," I said teasingly.

His Majesty suddenly closed the distance between us and whispered in my ears.

"...You forgot to call me by my name, Lady Charlotte," His Majesty said.

My heart slightly jumped out of my chest. Maybe it was because I was inside of a female body. I felt as though everything from the weight of my wrists and the comparatively thinner shoulders I had made me much more vulnerable to everything including surprises.

"...I did not forget," I said.

"The next time you call me incorrectly, I will have you call me 'Darling' for the rest of our date," His Majesty said.

That would be too embarrassing for me...

"I will do my best," I said.

As soon as I got back, I took a long bath and headed to bed after washing and drying my hair. Afterward, I opened up a journal and wrote down what I did today with detailed notes, and closed it. Before going to bed, I noticed that the Castle was much quieter than usual, but paid it no mind blew out the candles by my desk, and headed to bed.

A few minutes after closing my eyes, I found myself sitting back at my desk to my surprise even though I could have sworn that I was lying in bed under my sheets earlier.

"Was it a daydream?" I asked myself before walking towards my bed.

Just like before, I slipped underneath my covers and closed my eyes. A few minutes later, I found myself sitting back at my desk with my pen in my hand.

It's strange...It's strange...It is all too strange!

Why do I keep coming back to my desk?

I must be more tired than I thought...

I decided to walk towards my bed but suddenly turned around after having a bad feeling and went towards my couch with a blanket in hand instead. After lying down and closing my eyes for a few minutes, I found a tickling sensation in my throat that made me unable to fall asleep.

"...Am I really getting insomnia at this stage?" I asked myself.

I reached for the glass water canister and poured myself a glass of water. Before I put the cup towards my lips, I suddenly felt like questioning why there was a canister of water and a cup on my coffee table...

Before, I had taken my light reading outside and saw a canister laid on the table by another Maid when Mary was away. When I reached towards it before, Mary took it away and said that she had to replace it because it was no longer cold. Even when I tried to say that I was fine with accepting lukewarm water, she told me that she would have me drinking water that had been sitting out for too long. Later, Mary told me in private that it was Royal Policy to not accept drinks that had not been personally inspected by her or a Royal Inspector appointed to my food and drink care.

Mary could have easily left this for me to drink just in case I got thirsty in the middle of the night, but she would often tell me to call her for anything no matter how insignificant the task was.

I have no reason to suspect it, but it is a fact that Mary always brings me a fresh canister of water without fail...and today of all days, Mary never entered my room once after I left and came back.

There was conveniently a clear vase with fresh pink roses by the water canister.

"Just in case..."

I poured the cup's contents into the vase and watched it with anticipation. After observing it for a few seconds, I thought I was overthinking it until I saw the fresh roses quickly wither right before my eyes.

I was suddenly brought to the realization that I had already died in my sleep twice. If I had drunk from the glass, I would have died for the third time in this room.

What will happen if the mastermind finds that I survived multiple poison attempts at my life? Rather, why did they prepare so many traps?

This person must be itching to kill me seeing as though they left me many presents...They will probably come to check up on my dead body. If I am correct, they should be appearing soon. After all, the assassin would need time to clean up the evidence before other people find him.

I quickly ran to my desk and looked for a weapon. The closest thing I had to a weapon was my letter opener. I stuffed it into my pocket and went by my windowsill to open it just in case the outside needed to hear my screams. To my surprise, the latch and hinges were firmly fixed and there was no way that I could open it without breaking the window and alerting the assassin I was still alive.

Someone knocked on the door while I was struggling to get the window open.

"Lady Charlotte, it's me..."

It was so cliché that I could not even laugh...

I mouthed a mouthful of curse words before preparing a fake dummy in my bed to take my place.

"Lady Charlotte, there have been signs of a security breach...Please let me inspect your room to see if anything is off."

That person wants to make sure I am dead, so they will do whatever it takes to get inside whether or not I respond...

"I am coming in, Lady Charlotte," they said as they easily unlocked the door as if they had the key all along. The culprit slowly walked towards the bed and stopped right before it. "Oh dear...it appears that Lady Charlotte has been stabbed to death."

I could hear the sound of a blade going through the pillows I had rearranged on the bed. I could hear them aggressively gouging through the pillows and mattress.

"She is not here!"

I held my breath as the assassin rummaged around the room and caused chaos because she could not find my body.

"...It is obvious she took a drink from the poisoned water, yet her body is nowhere to be found...Maybe the bathroom?" they said as they walked towards the bathroom and opened the doors.

"I have heard enough...You are arrested for attempted murder," His Majesty said as he entered the room from the secret entrance.

I moved from behind His Majesty and lifted my head without fear. His Royal Guards entered a few moments later from the bedroom entrance.

"You should have known better that there is a secret path that connects to His Majesty's room from the consort's room," I said with a chuckle.

"Damn you!"

"It is over for you, Rosette," I said coldly.

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