I'll Definitely Change This Time

Chapter 9: Let's Win Them Over!

For the past four weeks, I cleaned my room on my own; Wiping the windows, fixing the bed sheets, and organizing the placements of the items. The servants were reluctant to let me do them, but I was insistent.

"Little miss, please let us do that..." Leah was being anxious with the work I was doing. Regardless of how hard the place was to reach, or how tiring it was, I still kept on instilling to clean it on my own.

I couldn't complain or give leeway to the work I said I'll take on. This was one of the conditions I stetted for the duke to take me away. "Don't worry. I pwamised the dwuke thwis." (Don't worry. I promised the duke this.) There was still more I promised him. But he wasn't here for me to keep it.

"...M-miss..."

This place feeds me envious and luxurious foods. I don't want to leave the meals I get here, but I'm afraid I won't be able to bear it if I get caught up with my life in the dukedom. Being comfortable and used to this place was slowly binning to me, so I have to be strong and composed as to not falter.

'Ah...' The windows I cleaned didn't even really need to be wiped. They were already clean as it is. And the placements of the objects were, thus far well-organized. All there left for me to really do was, fix my bed sheets.

This place is much better than the marquessate. All I have to do here is fix after myself. Initially since this was the dukedom, I thought I'll have to do more work instead, everything was already more than fixed.

And what's more, the duke doesn't seem to care if I'm here or not. From the day I woke up, to the time I finished working on my room, I haven't even seen a strand of his hair.

'Though, I'm glad I didn't.' But, if I continue at this pace, I might not be allowed to stay here anymore. I need a way to persuade the duke to let me stay. 'But...' I don't even have any idea on where he could be.

Not to mention, I'm not sure if I might end up annoying him. Should I just stay quiet and pretend to be dead? That way I won't do anything that could make that heartless jerk upset.

But I shouldn't lose hope because of your ruthless indifference, I should think positive. Especially since I finally escaped that place. And you, not acknowledging me is a good thing. Let's just stay in a relationship wherein, we'll only know whether the other is alive or dead. We've been doing that until now, so there's no reason to change that.

The only thing that I made an exception to, was when you came to pick me up from that place. I said I won't blame you for leaving me. Because there was a greater chance, I wasn't your real child. I was swayed at the moment because of a child's dire wish for love. Since, things like emotions aren't welcome here, I can't have you feel any kinship with me.

And I already have my own fair share of struggles. Because living in a child's body meant I had to endure their longing wishes and childish instincts. Ha... this is why I have to get people to tend, and pamper me.

"Sophie!"

"Cwandy pwease!" (Candy please!) Right now, the reason they're still acknowledging my existence, was because it hasn't been that long since I was brought here. "Yay~! Sopwie's thwe bwest." (Yay~! Sophie's the best.) So, they're only continuing to be nice for a moment. Once the duke continues to ignore my existence, they'll soon realize I'm useless to them.

"Miss, why is it that you always give me candy?" At first it was sympathy, they'll help you out of pity for your misfortune. "Shh- Ashwey's my fwavworite!" (Shh- Ashley's my favorite!) Then sympathy turns to repulsion. "Oh, Miss~!" And repulsion becomes malice.

From the start it wasn't them being nice. It's simply a duty they feel as an adult, and try to satisfy themselves, while some were driven with the thought that this may be a chance for recognition from the duke, but once they notice they wouldn't gain anything, they would feel rage and improper clearance towards me.