Freedom's Heart

Chapter 4

A year has passed, and I have become good friends with prince Marshall, but most people have started calling us partners in crime. Adults are the worst. They cannot take a joke and keep getting mad at us for walking mud through the halls whenever we explore the garden. Maids, butlers, parents, and nobles alkie yelled at us at some point. Even the ordinarily quiet guards gave us one hell of a lecture when they fault the prince was hurt one time when he played dead. The king is the only one on our side. If it were not for him ending our punishments, we would have spent all our time together locked in a small room surrounded by servants. Still, even his help is starting to become less frequent.

"I think I found the spot where the treasure is buried," The prince says, pointing to a spot in the garden that we have not dug up. "I check it out, so make sure One-eyed Jack is nowhere in sight."

I nod my head and smile. For your information, One-eyed Jack is the name we gave to the head gardener. In recent weeks he has become our arch nemesis. Also, if you are wondering why we are digging up the garden, Marshall overheard some of the maids gossiping about a treasure buried in the castle's garden. It is probably nothing more than an urban legend, but I could not say so when Marshall said we should look for the tressure with eyes filled with hope and excitement. Still, if there really is a treasure, I will not be unhappy with the fifty-fifty shares we arranged with each other. If only One-eyed Jack would understand what we are doing and stop chasing us off all the time, things would have been so much better.

Marshall uses a small trowel to dig a hole in the flower bed while I keep an eye out for the fearsome head gardener. And I mean fearsome. Unlike most people when they get mad at us, One-eyed Jack yells at the top of his lungs and throws whatever tool he is holding at our feet, even breaking them on occasion. If he were to catch us digging up his prized flower bed, I know for sure One-eyed Jack will smash every tool in his shade in a fit of rage and might even break us too. Luckily, Marshall finishes digging and refilling the hole before One-eyed Jack appears. We manage to make a successful escape.

"I was so sure it was there," Marshall pouts.

"We will find it next time," I smile and pat his head.

"Yes, we will!" Marshall is as quick as always to recover. "When you next visit, I will be sure to know where to dig."

"I look forward to finding that tressure,"

I still have not found out who will turn this sweet, lively kid into a monster, but I will not give up until I learn their identity. They must be a tutor or someone I have yet to meet. In the end, it does not matter who they are as long as I make sure they stay away from Marshall.

"My garden!" We both jump, hearing the angry yell of One-eyed Jack followed by the sound of something smashing. "Where are those kids?!"

"We should run," I suggest looking to Marshall.

<O>

Back at home, my life has become close to unbearable. My parents insist I take etiquette lessons which I am terrible at, but I do not think they need to yell at me for forgetting which of the seventeen spoons is for soup. I bet they did not know that when they were six. Then there is how to walk, sit and even talk. I managed to pass the walking and sitting, but I kept getting in trouble with the talking. My parents are just expecting too much from a six-year-old.

By the time I collapse into my bed, I am so exhausted that I cannot even keep my eyes open for a second. I look forward to my time spent with prince Marshall because it is an escape from my etiquette lessons. They are only like this because my grandfather is coming to visit next month, and everything must be perfect for him. He is the head of our family and one of the worse villains in the history of our kingdom.

Before the game started, part of the villainess background is that she helped her grandfather's loan company collect debts. Under his orders, she would burn a village down bur I will not let that happen. I have been taking magical lessons alongside those for etiquette. Only I have been failing my magical lessons purposely while studying in secret every night when I am not too tired from my etiquette lessons. I do not know whether I have a natural talent for magic, or it is because God gave my powers a boost, but I find myself picking up magical spells quickly. I just need to remember to hold back when my parents make me show my magical powers off for grandpa.

<O>

"Angelina dear, you must try harder." I try not to let my displeasure show when I put down my fork and pick up another one, but that is still the wrong fork for this course. "I have told you this countless times now when you eat lasagne, you use this fork."

"Yes, mother," I quickly pick up the correct fork. I still do not see the difference when they all look the same.

"That is better, dear," Mother nods her head.

"You need to get this right by the time my father arrives, or he will punish you himself," Father warns me, and I believe him. From what I know from the game, my grandfather is a perfectionist who cracks down harshly on anyone who is not perfect. I have seen the scars on my fathers back from all the times he was whipped as a child. "You cannot help your inability to use magic, but you must improve your table manners."

"I will try and do better," I promise, fearing what will happen if I get things wrong in front of him.

"My father also said he is bringing someone with him, but he will not tell me the details, so be on your best behaviour,"

"Yes, father,"

I already know who is coming with grandpa. Noah Lamonia, the second son of my uncle and my cousin and soon, he will become a member of this household. After I was born, my parents never even attempted to have another child despite needing an heir, so with no son of their own, my grandpa will name Noah, our family heir. Noah is also one of the love interests in the game, but I am not worried about him. I the game, Angelina and Noah got along well until Noah fell for the Heroine and prince Marshal had Angelina conduct his dirty work. Out of all the love interests, Noah is the only one I do not need to do anything special in order to avoid my own death flag.