A sigh of frustration escape the maiden's lips, she managed to get out of the ginormous garden but never did she thought that she'll be lost again, finding the library was just as hard as escaping the garden. She tried asking the maids and the butler but they all ignored her as if she was just a wind passing by. It got on her nerves but she remained calm, can't risk herself snapping and dying at the palace. It's only been a day for goodness sake!

As the woman was wandering around the palace with her mind somewhere else, she turned into a corner only to bump a certain guy, a thud was heard as she hit the floor, immediately a frown became visible in her face as she rubs her back, before she can even react to the situation and apologize, she heard a voice directly shouting at her making her frown more.

"How dare you frown? You commoner!"

'How can I not frown when I freaking fell on the ugly a** floor?! This dude must be stupid or something.'

Looking up she saw three men, the man that was on the left holds such distorted face as he was shouting at her with insults, the one on the right seemed shocked but what took her attention was the man in the middle, His brows were sloped downwards just as hers was, his face was perfectly molded by God himself with his prominent jaw curved gracefully to his neck, his slender nose that sits perfectly between his piercing golden eyes that were staring right into her crimson ones, his hair was just as golden as his eyes, thick and lustrous as the rays of the sun glisten against it, his whole body was towering over her: strong arms, bold thighs, and calves, firm chest, and abdomen with his pale skin radiating such authority, at that very moment the woman knew that he wasn't just any man, he was the man that holds power over this kingdom.

But still, the woman couldn't help but stare at the beautiful creature, it was as if everything became a blur and time stands still as the two stares at each other's eyes. The man was an Adonis among the rest of the male even that wicked traitor, Axel that she loved stands no chance around the beauty like him, such a greek God he was nevertheless the woman noticed something while she was adoring his golden eyes, without realizing, she whispered to herself.

"Such lonely eyes"

The man beside the King himself gasps, earning a look from the woman, the woman was confused why he gasped. Was it because of her eyes? Did she say something that offended him? Or was it because they've heard what she said, just now? Then the woman came into her right mind as she remembered the rule to not even dare to look at the king, not only she broke the rule but she exceeded for she stared at him for who knows how long!

'Sh*t! I'm dead.'

She quickly bowed her head, praying that he will let this pass and forget that she even stared at him then she remembered that she did not just stare at him, she bumped into him! How can she be so dense?!

"I am so sorry, your Majesty."

The woman was in chaos, battling for decisions she needed to make. If she begs for her life, will she live? or maybe running will solve the problem but as she imagined her herself running, a sword went against her neck, making her eyes go wide.

'I haven't even decided what I should do!'

The blade was scraping against her flesh, making oozy liquid drip unto her neck and then to her clothing. It did frighten the maiden, the king obviously did not care about her well-being, it was clear that she was just a mere servant that dared to look at him nevertheless the maiden stared at him again, no fear, no hatred, no emotions were playing in the maiden's eyes, she dared not to show any kind of emotion, he was not worthy of every single thing of it.

The king, on the other hand, was surprised by the act, it was common for every normal person to beg on their knees to live, to cry, and to hope that he will spare their lives but the woman in front of him did not mutter even a single plea. All she did was stare at him with her ruby dead eyes, the man knew that the woman in front of him knew what she had done wrong but despite the sword that was on her neck, she continues to stare at him. Was she asking for a death wish? 

"Tell me, what's your name servant?"

The king spoke, his voice was deep and sharp sending shivers to the poor woman's spine.

"My name is Ria Berg, Your Highness."

The woman refused to let the king know her by her name. She planned to live in peace, not to be caught up in a drama with the king, even with his gorgeous face, the woman hated the arrogant personality the king holds, human lives are supposed to be treasured, to behold dear but the king knows nothing of that. He couldn't care less about a servant's life, he holds no remorse, that's the perception the woman sees by the act he has done just now.

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With that, the king took back his bloodied sword, then he walked away as if he's done nothing unnerving. When the king was out of the scene, the woman could finally breathe, she felt her leg wobble and her hands tremble despite the fact that she acted as if nothing scared her earlier. The truth is that the woman felt everything inside her tremble, she was scared, no scratch that, she was terrified!

She was only here for a day but it seems like fate is really trying it's best to remove her from this world. How many times must she face death and life situations? The woman with all her strength lift herself up from the ground, she staggers a bit as she walks, her heart was hammering inside her chest as remembered that cold gaze from the striking golden eyes of the king.

She shuddered, trying to remove the image from her mind, she reached her hand to her neck, only to wince at the pain she felt. All the more reason to avoid the king. When she finally calmed herself down, she carries on finding the library once more but thinking about how long she'll be taking her time she gave up the thought and asked one of the maids once more, hoping that they will not ignore her.

While she was walking she saw a woman of her age, she came to her, her head was facing downwards just in case if the lady was scared of her appearance for it seems that they were ignoring her due to her eyes. Good thing her hair was hiding in the hair cap cause if not maybe worse will happen, maybe they will not just ignore her. The lady did guide her to the library, she did not ask any questions like: why are you facing downwards or why do you have blood on your clothing? None of them even tried to start a conversation but the air wasn't thick nor it was awkward.

When they've arrived at the library she thanked the woman for her goodness and proceeded on cleaning then a thought went to her mind. The guy she met in the garden, now that she thinks about it, that man wasn't scared of her nor he was disgusted by her. She did stare at him for so long so she was sure that he had seen her eyes very well. A smile crawled into her lips, someone treated her like a normal person, not a curse or a monster but as her. It was refreshing.

As she was smiling from ear to ear, she accidentally knocks the bookshelf which caused the books to fall all over the floor. She groaned in frustration and crouched down to pick the books up but her attention was taken by the book that was wide open. There were only two written words in the book that got her attention. Colors drained out of her face as she sees it, it was as if she was struck by a bolt of lightning, stunning her in her crouching position.

She blinked many times, scrubbing her eyes with both of her hands for she refused to believe what she saw, maybe her eyes were just playing with her but it wasn't for those two words were still sitting in the very first page of the book, her trembling hands slowly went to the book, she picked it up and saw it much clearer than earlier

'Aria died...'

It was as if the room became colder, the air around her became thicker. It sent chills all over her body, it made every nerve of her body quiver, she immediately flipped the pages, searching for the reason why but the more she flipped it, the more she felt weak. Just those two words were enough to make her quiver but what she finds beyond was something much more blood-curdling, the book consists only those two words and everything else was empty.

There was no reason why she had to die, no solution to avoid the situation. It was as if it's mocking her that there's not always a solution to every problem, her fate was to die, the woman's breathing became ragged, many images played into her mind, ways of her death in the most gruesome way.

Her eyes were beginning to water but she did not let them drip unto her face, crying means she's giving up, she isn't. She looked up, trying to make the salty water in her eyes disappear. She will figure out something, she will live, she'll survive no matter what. She took the crimson book, holding it by its black spine, there was no title, no author, no illustration in the front. It was just plain vivid red.

When she was done with the library, she hid the book inside her clothing and went as quick as she can to their designated room, entering the room, she found no ladies inside, so ever so quickly she sat on the edge of her bed and took the book from her clothing. She observed it again before opening it to the first page, she saw the bold italic words for the second time but it still managed to make her blood ran cold. Sighing, she went over it again, hoping to find some answers to her questions but it was still the same as before, blank.

When she heard footsteps coming into her direction, she rapidly closed the book and hid it under the mattress of her bed and dusted herself, before pretending that she was looking for something, the knob of the door rattle and it was pushed open by the woman who screamed at her earlier this morning. Without exchanging any words, Aria went out of the room, she rather not spend her day with the woman, it was obvious that she hates her.

The sun was already setting so the woman thought that it would be best for her to stay in the garden since not many go there for some reason she can spend some time alone and think of some plans without distraction. When the woman arrived at the inner garden that she cleaned earlier, the breeze greeted her lungs, welcoming her in. Sitting by the fountain, she reached her hands into the fountain's water, enjoying how the cold water immersed her hand, she hummed as she played with the water like a little kid. Peacefulness washed over her, making her forget her real intention why she was there in the first place.

Completely unaware of her surrounding, the woman did not felt the pair of golden eyes staring at her sitting figure through the window palace, the man knew not why he had not killed her earlier, it was supposed to be a bloody mess but there was something different about the woman, not just her captivating vermilion eyes, not just her lack of emotions, but there was something different about her that lit the flame inside of him. 

He was curious, for the first time in his life he became fascinated, and what's odd was that he became fascinated to a mere servant like her. He stared at her like a predator through his window, the woman was calm, a smile was visible to her lips but her eyes were still as empty as a pit. Why was it that empty? What had trigger her to become a living corpse?

It was unusual for the king to have someone occupying his mind but he didn't hate nor he did like it but either way, he's found his new sense of entertainment.