The Mask Of The Monster - Chapter 106

(From Ella’s Perspective)

“So, you’re living with your Dad now?” Jed asked as we were cleaning a room.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“Do you get along with him?”

“Well, kinda I guess. We don’t have any problem. And besides, he doesn’t really give any trouble. It’s rather peaceful if I have to say.”

“You’re quitting today, huh? I am gonna miss you.”

“Well, it’s not like we can’t meet up. Besides, perhaps I am gonna hang out at your place or you can come to my place,” I said. “Dad won’t mind. And he knows your name. I told him that you’re a good friend of mine.”

“What about Lee? I am calling him Lee, okay? So, he doesn’t mind and it’s safe this way as well,” he said. “Is he okay with this?”

“As I said, it didn’t take much time to convince him. He would have sent me to your place or Dad’s place anyway since he has to go away for work.”

“What work?”

“I don’t know. He won’t take me there,” I sighed. “He said that there are too many men.”

“He really is very protective, huh?”

“You can say…”

“Who was that guy anyway?”

“The one I came here with? He is Jasper. He works with Dad. Since Dad has no sense of cooking and can accidentally make lava while cooking pasta, he brought Jasper so he can cook for us,” I said. “Dad is beyond salvation, isn’t he? I can totally relate, so I can’t even make fun of him.”

“What kind of person is this Jasper?”

“He laughs at silly jokes. I mean, it wasn’t even funny.”

“He looks shady as fuck. I don’t know if I am wrong though…”

“He looks shady? Right? I thought so too,” I said, slapping him on the back. “It feels like it’s not his real personality. But he works with Dad. Why the hell would he be like that with me? I mean, I am his coworker’s daughter…”

“But… I miss him…,” I mumbled. Whenever I thought of Leandro, I could not help but get sad. I missed him so much that I felt the immediate urge to see him. And I felt more stupid than ever. How could I doubt him?

“Yeah, it seems like it,” Jed said sympathetically.

“Hey, what if a person takes care of you like you’re too fragile?”

“What do you mean?”

“Like tells you to drink water more, not to take a shower for too long,” I said. “These kinds of things. Then also combs your hair, cooks for you, tidies your clothes up…”

“Sounds like a mom,” he said bluntly.

“Don’t say it like that,” I said.

“He does all this?” he asked and I gave a nod. “You got a lucky man, my child. Hold onto him and don’t let him go. He is not a man, he is a gem.”

“You sound like an old sage…,” I laughed. “And what if you found someone drawing you? Like the pictures of you doing nothing but common things? Like eating, sleeping…”

“If it’s someone I don’t know or am not so close with, then it’s a freaking creep. But if it’s someone reliable and very familiar, then they love you. He drew you, right?”

“I found lots of drawings of me in a file,” I said. “I… I was really moved. And I am planning on confessing to him properly. I am gonna tell him that I love him.”

“About time… When?”

“I have sent him a letter. I told him that I wanna meet him. Let’s see what he says,” I said.

“I am sure he will not care about anything else and come to meet you as soon as possible,” Jed said.

“Who knows? He might be busy…”

“Yeah, yeah… Very busy…”

“By the way, I’m going somewhere tonight. Wanna come with me?”

“Where?”

“To Aurora,” I said.

“Aurora? Isn’t it the famous brothel?”

“Yeah, that’s the one,” I nodded.

“Why?”

“I have some work to do there,” I said. “Wanna join?”

“I can’t let you go somewhere like that alone, of course. But buy me chicken.”

“Alright, no problem. Dad said he has a lot of money,” I said giving him thumbs up. “By the way, I saw the king today.”

“Really? What did he do?”

“Nothing. But he smiled at me,” I said. “Do you think he still remembers me? I mean, it has been a long time since I talked to him.”

“Who knows? Perhaps… But it’s kinda weird that he smiled at you,” he said.

“Should I be careful?”

“Being careful won’t hurt, right? Better be as careful as possible,” he said.

“Alright,” I nodded. “And I told Dad that I will stay at your place and then come back late.”

After lunch that day, I went to meet the king. I had to ask for an immediate audience. I thought I would not be able to talk to him today, but for some reason, he accepted it very quickly and summoned me after lunch.

“I greet His Majesty, the King,” I bowed. After staying here this long, I had learned how to address someone. It was not much of a problem anymore.

“Leora, isn’t it?”

My heart almost dropped in panic and anxiety. How did he remember my name? Ah, now I remembered. Because my name was mentioned when I asked for an audience with the king, he knew my name. I almost panicked.

“Yes, Your Highness,” I nodded, looking down.

“Leora.”

“Yes?”

“Leora.”

“Yes?” ‘What the hell is his problem?’

“Look at me when I talk to you,” he said. “Don’t look down.”

“But how can I, a mere servant, look at the king in the eyes?”

‘Really? I just wanna get outta here. Stop the nonsense and listen to what I have to say.’

It would be better if I could talk to the head maid about my resignation. But she said the king would manage it. It was very surprising. Things of this little importance should be dealt with by the head maid. Why the king?

“So, it means you will disobey the king?”

“No, that was not my intention, Your Highness. I was merely asking why I should do it. It doesn’t mean I won’t listen to Your Highness,” I said.

He laughed. “Your spirit is quite admirable, Leora. To think you will talk like that to the king.”

“My apologies if I disrespected Your Highness in any way,” I said.

“It’s alright,” he said. “I would prefer if you talk to me normally.”

I almost exclaimed, “Really?” But I stopped myself very quickly. The king was shady as well. There was no way I should get close to someone like him. Besides, he was my Leandro’s enemy. How could I even get close to him?

“I see… I will keep that in mind, Your Highness.”

“Now tell me why you wanted to meet me.”

“Actually, I am thinking about resigning,” I said.

“Resign? Why?”

“Because the work has been putting stress on me. And I have a family. My husband’s earning is enough for us right now,” I said. “That’s why…”

“But there are only three days left of this month. What about working these three days?”

“My apologies, but I really cannot, Your Highness,” I said. ‘I just wanna leave. Don’t ask me too much!’

“I see… Then you can do as you wish,” he smiled again.

‘That’s it? Thank god!’

He suddenly got up and stood in front of me. He was too close. I stepped back a bit. The closeness was uncomfortable.

He was staring at my shoulder intently. I had no idea what he was doing. “Your Highness?”

“You’re married?”

“Yes, Your Highness.” I told him this before. Why was he asking me this again? It was not like I told him this a month ago. I even mentioned it a while ago.

“But why are you half marked?”

“Eh?”

How did he know I was half marked? Was there a way to know? Leandro said it was pretty hard to understand this.

“I asked why a married woman is half marked,” he smirked. “Are you saying you and your husband never got intimate after you got married?”

“Actually, our marriage was arranged, so we are just living together. Since it’s convenient for the both of us, we did the marriage,” I said.

“So, you mean, you don’t love your husband?”

“It’s not like I don’t care for him,” I said. “But our relationship is different than typical married couples.”

“I see,” he said. “Then you can go now.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” I bowed and left quickly. I could feel his gaze on my back, but I did not turn. I almost got caught. If I had known that he would be able to know that I was half marked just by looking at the bite mark, I would have done something about it.

But perhaps he just asked about it and would not do anything else.. After all, it was none of his business.