In my previous life, based on my memories. We had plays, where we acted the image of the character to tell a story to the audience.
They always pick me as the heroine or the kind mother of the play. I don't understand their thoughts, but I remember it was because I 'fit' the image and the personality in a swift.
Truthfully, I hate it. I loathe it so much, it felt like I was portraying myself on the stage. I am not like the 'heroine' in other books, they just like me because I am kind, loving, and considerate to 'others'. Can't you see I am the one needing it the most?!
Now that I have been given another chance in life. In a world which is from a novel. Especially, since I am in this body. The daughter of a duke, the one the crown prince soon to marry. I cannot take this for granted, I will take everything that I want, to be able to live a lifetime.
"My lady? Did you pay attention to your etiquette lessons?"
"Why? Do I look like I'm not?" Franceska questioned Shelly.
"Well, it seems you are behaving like a wild animal right now."
Sitting on her chair with one leg on top of the chair, with sauce stains on her face. From the perspective of her maid, she looks like a monkey in one of those picture books that she sometimes would read to her lady.
"Well... no one seems around, it's just you and me in this room!" Francheska replied cheerfully.
"Anyone could come, especially the duchess!"
Her maid is right, if the duchess would see her right now, she would be given a harsh punishment.
But the 'now' Francheska who seemed to have traveled way too far in the past, was now thankful for the food in front of her. When she transferred to 'this' world, she was arrested and treated poorly. The food they gave her was just a flavorless soup and a rotting bread. Now that she is eating such fine gourmet, she can't help but become a starving animal that hasn't eaten for a decade.
Putting her feet on the floor, was like a switch that made Francheska into a proper lady. Removing the stains on her face, and decided to eat her meal with elegance. Although from her previous life, she has starred in a few historical movies and hired a professional who can teach her some of the etiquette.
Thinking, Francheska thought of what the Duke and Duchess were like. From the novel, it was just from the perspective of the female lead, Josephine. Trying to remember anything from what her best friend had told her, she wasn't sure whose family was strict. She should probably write anything that she could remember, her mind was always busy with her roles and lines.
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"Don't worry my lady, I think the Duchess will arrive soon." Shelly tried to comfort her.
Francheska did not respond. From what she could try to understand, as the Duke and Duchess of the empire, they were just too busy with economic affairs and overlooked the well-being of their children. She also has been in the same shoes, but she was different.
Finishing her meal, Francheska once again wiped the corners of her mouth and placed the fork and spoon on top of the plate.
"Should I call for dessert my lady?"
"No, I don't have time for dessert today."
"Are you sure my lady? We could--"
"The Duchess is coming in!"
What? The duchess?!
Walking inside, the duchess glanced at Francheska's table.
"Andrew what's for this evening?"
Francheska froze in her seat, as the butler on the duchess side answered with honesty.
With the noise of the chair being dragged, for the duchess to sit. Francheska wasn't able to spare a glance at her so-called mother and was staring at the table decorations.
"Shelly, please serve the desserts."
In the end, Francheska stayed. It would seem too rude if she just left, right after the duchess came in for a meal.
Another maid from the kitchen came in and gave the duchess her meal, and dessert for the lady. Francheska seemed hesitant about the pace of her eating, if she was going to eat fast it would be noticeable for the duchess to know that she wanted to be in her room. The atmosphere have been really bad, she hoped it wouldn't get worse.
"It seems you have finally adjusted to your teacher this time."
Francheska didn't respond
"I'm not lecturing you right now, I'm praising your behavior, be at ease."
"I'm comfortable, your grace."
With the silence in the room, a sudden realization hit the lady. Where is the Duke? And the sister who visited her before the execution?
"I sense that you have questions in your mind..."
The lady's head perked slightly from what she just heard. It was like her 'mother' could read her thoughts.
"I- I don't have one."
Another silence came to the room. Finishing the dessert on her plate, she then leaves the table with etiquette and grace. With a final bow to the duchess, Fancheska leaves the room.
Traveling to her room sure takes a lot of time, her feet hurt from whatever the original Francheska had been doing before she fell from the tree.
Dammit! At the moment where a thought from the novel appears 'she' just really made an entrance!
The reason Francheska didn't want dessert was because of an interesting memory related to the said 'novel' from her friend.
Now that it seems like her mind is heading in a different direction, what she should be doing right now is to know the whereabouts of the duke and her sister.
"Shelly, could you please give me a paper and pen?"
Her maid just gave her a slight nod and a bow to leave the room.
Walking towards the mirror, she touched her cheeks. Squeezing them as if trying to mold herself into a different person, and widened her eyes more with her fingers, to observe the shade.
The shape of her eyes was the same as the duchess, but the eye color was different, maybe it was from the duke.
Satisfied, she stopped harassing her face and made lots of expressions. Doing many silly and absurd impersonations, with a normal face looking at the mirror. The lady sure has the beauty of a seductress, different from the duchess. The duchess has elegance, but for Francheska even though she is just young, everyone could tell if she grows into an adult she will become a threat to every lady and wife of the empire. That's probably the reason why the crown said that tempting people is the only thing 'she' knows...
"Just who are you lady Francheska..."