In any family, the parents would love their child, no matter how hard their lives were. Every child was to get their family’s love and care.

“But maybe it was not meant for me…”

It was during the year XX05, on a cold winter night. A woman was in labor for hours. Even after being weak from all the work, she was yet strong. It was her will that was strong. The will to give birth to her child, even at such difficult circumstances but it was all worth it. On the first light of dawn, she gave birth to her child.

The child was born a girl, a very beautiful baby girl who cried in her mother’s arms. Hearing her cry, her mother hummed a lullaby and soon she fell into sleep.

Her mother, looking at the sleeping baby smiled,

“…Welcome to the world, Lila.”

That was when Lila was born. Or more precisely, I was born.

After 5 years

It’s a bright day. By the Baron’s mansion, the maids are working when one of them stops and calls out,

“Lila. Are you done yet?”

She says so while looking back, where a child was carrying one piece of cloth and came running towards the maid. She stopped and stood in one place with a bright smile,

“Yes!! Here’s the cloth Sis Rina!”

That was me, 5-year-old. And the one I called out to is Sister Rina. She’s been taking care of me ever since I could remember.

My mother was not in good health after giving birth to me. After few months of struggling for life, she passed away. Sister Rina, she was the closest person whom my mother trusted in and she had the same faith in her. She took care of me ever since then. She managed both her work and taking care of me. Now that I was grown up, I started to help sister as well. Even if all I did was carry one piece of cloth, she would still smile at me and say thank you. Just that back then made me very proud of myself.

I was living happily back then, it continued for few more years but everything changed one day.

I still remember the day when the Baroness, my employer, told me the truth about my birth. I was just a mere maid at the time, and I had always known that I was different from the other servants in the castle. But I never could have imagined that the real feeling to it was something dark.

The Baroness was always angry with me, and I never knew why. She would scold me for the slightest mistake, and I always felt like I was walking on eggshells around her. But that day, she called me into her chambers and told me the truth. She said that I was the result of a mistake that the Baron had made with one of the kitchen maids.

I was devastated. I felt like my entire world had been turned upside down. I didn’t know who I was anymore, or where I belonged. No was there to support me then. Sister Rina as well was not around anymore. Due to some unknown disease, she passed away two years ago. I kept crying for few days, jumbled in thought about my mother, and why sister Rina didn’t tell me anything about it. But as the days went by, I began to realize that being a bastard didn’t define me. I was still the same person I had always been, and I still had the same dreams and aspirations.

I had thought to myself that I won’t look back at the past, but rather live towards the future. But guess destiny had other plans for it.

Ever since then, Baroness would shout at me even more, sometimes even without any reason. The other maids started to load their works on me. Few other maids came forward to help but they were punished by the Baroness. The head maid tried her best to support me, but soon she was fired from her work. After the head maid was gone, there was no one to help me. I was all alone.

Everything since then was just going downwards in my life. I turned 16-year-old by now, but nothing changed. I was still being dragged around by the maids. Baroness being the same as before. I almost gave up on my life.

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But on one night, when I was out doing late delivery order for Princess Seraphina.

“Thank you for your help, kind sir.”

“Of course, but you should hurry home now. Its already very late.”

“Yes, I will be going now. I will come back day after tomorrow morning to get the dress.”

“Of course! Your dress shall be ready by then.”

“Yes, I have full faith in your skill, sir.”

After the small chat, I started to go walk back towards the mansion. When I was on my way, I came across a group of bandits.

"Hand over your valuables, girl!"

I trembled in fear, "I... I don't have anything valuable."

With an annoyed face, the bandit pulled his dagger and was about to attack me. I closed my eyes, prepared to take the hit.

"Pulse of Singularity!"

Just as I thought I was dead, I opened my eyes to the voice I heard and in front of me, a tall guy with jet-black hair and bright red eyes was standing. He stands tall and face the bandit, crushing them all.

Soon he knocked all the bandits and took a glance towards me. I called out,

"Wait! I..."

But he had already disappeared. It felt like a scene of fairy tales that sister Rina used to tell me, when I was just a child. He came out of nowhere, rescued me, disappeared without telling his name. Just like any hero would do. I wanted to know who he was, but he had already disappeared.

Soon after, I went back to the mansion. But when I reached back, I noticed that the pendant that I had with me was gone.

“My pendant?? Where is it….?”

I searched the whole room, but it was nowhere. I collapsed on the floor.

“My pendant…”, saying so I silently cried to myself.

Since then, my days were no good. I couldn’t focus on my work and made few mistakes. The Baroness got mad at me for that and punished me with a whip. Later I was tasked to do all the cleaning of clothes by myself. I was not given any food to eat as well, but two maids came secretly to me and gave me some food of their own. They were very kind to do that. After eating the food, I went back to my room to drink some water. When I returned, I was stunned looking in front of me.

“What…?”

What I saw Infront was that the whole pile of clothes was washed and hanged properly.

“Who did all this? I don’t think I-”

I paused as I saw few breads were in a basket by the place where I was just washing the clothes. I went up and looked through it and was confused.

“Who put them here?”

I started looking around here. But I couldn’t find anyone by the sight. I tired on some bread. To my surprise, they were very tasty and had cream inside it. It was very tasty. But this thing didn’t end there. Next time, I got some more food. It was some bread but with some candy as well.

I was confused about all the stuffs but was also happy and smiling the whole time when I ate them. Soon enough, I started looking forward for those secret snacks. Those made me smile a lot.

Also, some unusual events happened during those days. During that time, few maids by Lady Elara’s side tried to misbehave with me, some made me do all their work.

“You should know your place!”

The maid walks towards me as she was about to hit me.

“I am sorry! Please forgive me!”

I said so as I lowered my head, while my whole body was shaking. As she came closer and raised her hand towards me.

The maid came forward but unable to move her right leg, fell straight down, hitting her face on the ground. Everyone laughed at her, seeing her broken bleeding nose.

This was very strange to happen. Soon, another such event happened.

“Can’t you see where you are going!!??”

One of Lady Elara’s friend came one day and I bumped into her when she was taking a stroll outside.

“I am so sorry! Please forgive me!!”

“Because of you, now my dress is strained! Do you know how much does it costs!!”

After that she continued to scold me just because her dress was touched by my hands.

The lady was still bragging, but suddenly, her dress came off.

“You stupid peas-”

.

.

.

“AAAAAHHHHHHH!!”

The mansion got on an uproar that day. It was actually funny to watch. But all this were very strange.

After a few days went by, I was out to market to buy some ingredients for the kitchen. It was fun outing after some time, looking at the market, new clothes on the store and the beautiful flowers. But soon, I was cornered again by some thugs.

“Where is that guy?”

“What…?”

I didn’t understand at first.

“The one who killed my minions!! Tell me where he is!!”

“I don’t know…. who he was….”

Soon, I realized they were with the bandit from back then and were looking for the guy who saved me. I also wanted to know he was.

“Say it or els-”

Suddenly, all the bandits were fallen to ground, being crushed.

“That would be me.”

I looked forward, from where the voice came. I looked at him and it was the same guy from before.

“Wait!!”

But he turned around and started walking when I called out, he didn’t turn around or stop but the next thing I did was pull on his cloak.

“Huh?? Hey! Stop pulling on my cloak!”

He said so but I didn’t let it go. He tried to pull back but I didn’t let it go. After few minutes of struggle, he gave up and sat down on the ground. I too, was taking my time to breath.

“I know you are scared of me! So, why didn’t you just-”

Before he could even finish, I spoke in between, cut him off.

“Thank you…”

I bowed my head towards him while I thanked him. I didn’t know how to react next. I kept by head bowed. There were many things going on in my mind. All I could do was keep my head bowed towards him.