In the end, it seemed the man won, but the Pointy did not retreat easily. She continued to ramble on with explanations.
“First, wash her hair with this, then use this oil to treat the ends of her hair. Next, wash her body with this, dry her off, and then apply this…”
Lie. She usually just used one bar of soap for everything.
Well, considering that at the palace they washed her with lye like doing laundry, using soap here was indeed an upgrade.
The man nodded earnestly, trying to remember everything. “I understand. You may go rest now.”
The Pointy left. The man, making sure she was completely gone, finally turned to Lisa. Despite his assertiveness with the royal maid, he now looked awkward and unsure.
“Um… can you do it by yourself?”
Lisa scoffed. How could a madwoman be expected to do something as meek as take a bath?
Well, had she ever done anything wrong to deserve the beatings she received? Quickly resigning herself, Lisa closed her eyes tightly.
If it was going to happen anyway, it was better to endure a few hits and cry it out while crawling on the floor like a bug. Some would laugh at her, others would run away, but they all left her alone in the end. That was the result she wanted.
his throat at her answer, and he shook his head in disbelief before turning away.
“Lean back here and lie down slowly. But why is your lower back so red?”
That was from earlier when you came in, and the Pointy one dumped hot water on me to cover up the cold bath…
But explaining was too much effort. Lisa silently complied with his instructions. The man gently lifted her hair, guiding her head to the edge of the tub.
“I’m going to try this, so let me know if it’s uncomfortable. It’s my first time doing this.”
You could just wash me like a dog. Then again, they are nobles; they probably don’t wash anyone themselves.
Lisa closed her eyes, letting her thoughts drift as the man carefully lathered the soap. Surprisingly, he was more gentle than the royal maids.
In Lisa’s mind, the man constantly shifted roles. Sometimes, he was a respectful, almost commendable noble. Other times, his lack of reaction to her antics made him boring. Occasionally, when she acted particularly outrageous, he couldn’t hide his disgust, but overall, he was one of the better ones.
Yesterday, he had been an ungrateful nuisance, despite her saving him. Today, he was sympathetic, examining her scars.
To Lisa ,the black-haired man was akin to a newly hired nanny. He fed her, occasionally held and comforted her, but his size made him a bit intimidating.
“How am I supposed to treat the ends of your hair with this?” he muttered.
Lisa shook her head, indicating she didn’t know. He adapted quickly, skipping that step. Not bad, she thought, with a satisfied expression.
A madwoman shouldn’t care who scrubbed between her legs. His embarrassment spread to her like a contagious disease.
As she made her displeasure clear, his face hardened.
“Now, just rinse off,” he said.
He dried her off and started applying the oil. Thanks to her frown, he didn’t seem embarrassed anymore.
Wearing her nightclothes, Lisa stepped out of the bathroom, followed by the man holding a towel.
“You need to dry your hair completely,” he said.
She tensed up, expecting it to hurt, but his touch was gentle. Unlike the maids who seemed to enjoy yanking her hair, his careful strokes were soothing. She could get used to this, maybe even enjoy washing her hair every day.
“Now, get some rest,” he said.
He looked like he needed it more than she did. With a thud, he collapsed onto one side of the bed and soon, his breathing changed, indicating he had fallen asleep.
Will he sleep deeply tonight? Lisa rolled her eyes, waiting.
Enough time had passed that the man must be sound asleep. She silently slipped out of bed, noting with relief that he didn’t stir. Here, attempts to move would usually end with him pinning her down with his log-like arms.
She tiptoed to the door, ensuring it was securely locked, then headed to the bathroom. How long had it been since she had a moment like this? Standing before the mirror, she cleared her throat and felt a sense of satisfaction.
“‘There’s an outbreak of food poisoning in the northern part of the capital. The price of medicine for 5 Der has risen to 7 Jeres and 2 Parses. A patient needs to take 30 doses to recover…’“
Who said that? She couldn’t recall the face.
Now she could understand just how severe the price hike was. A laborer would have to work for seven days to afford one bottle.
Sometimes, the true meaning of things only became clear with time. That’s why Lisa memorized people’s words, storing them in her mind to use later. For instance,
“‘How much sedative did you use on her?’“
That was the black-haired man. His tone became stiff, and his voice dropped.
“‘About two bottles of 1 Döner each.’“
That was the Pointy one. She wasn’t sure how much sedatives cost, though.
What else…? Lisa’s thoughts drifted back to Ji won.
“‘As you know, the princess has now become a cherished member of our family.’“
Lisa stared blankly at the mirror.
She liked Ji won. Unlike the black-haired man, Ji won didn’t force emotions out of her, which made her even more likable.
Then she felt a gaze from afar. Turning her head, she saw the black-haired man standing at the doorway, his expression rigid.
Did he see everything?
Their eyes met through the mirror, but Lisa didn’t panic. After all, they both held secrets over each other; one more wouldn’t matter.
“‘Dear, Lisa is practicing. Please don’t make a sound.’“
The man stood silently, watching her with a mixture of emotions.
Enjoy reading ❤️
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The surviving princess {Liskook}
Romance"Fine, I shall give you my sister, dearer to me than anything." A bolt from the blue strikes the Jeon family, the heroes of the victory. Jeon Jungkook, the promising heir of a renowned military family, is suddenly ordered to marry the princess. Now...
