—
The servants’ quarters were still.
Riv secretly returned to her room in time for the guards’ shift, and Princess Marianne’s maids, who were using the next room, were quiet as if they had not returned yet. She didn’t get caught by anyone as she entered her room, and finally heaved a sigh of relief.
“Whoo.”
Riv, who was trying to light the candle, turned her head back, sensing someone’s presence.
“W-Who’s there?”
“Riv, uhn,” returned a tired voice from the bed. It was Anna.
Riv swept patted her chest, calming down.
“Anna, why are you here?”
The figure on the bed wriggled.
“I, I’ve been waiting for a while and fell asleep.”
Riv managed to light the candle.
Anna rubbed her half-asleep eyes and raised her eyebrow when she saw Riv. Her sleepiness left her.
“A-Are you Riv?”
“That’s right.”
“What in the world is this?”
Anna jumped out of bed and looked at Riv’s face, waist, hair and body, admiring.
“It’s really you, Riv!”
Anna was pleased that the dress she had bought fit Riv well. She was satisfied that the design and color did not look bad on her.
“You look good.”
“Thank you, Anna.”
“You’re a little tall and slightly thin, but it doesn’t show much. Why is your waist so slim? You wouldn’t even need a corset.”
Anna measured Riv’s waist. Riv felt shy by her touch.
“Hey, hey, Anna.”
“What?”
Riv was worried that Anna’s voice would be heard in the next room.
“Quiet.”
“Oh.”
Riv pointed to the next room.
She didn’t know when the maids in the next room would come back. The walls here were so thin that you could even hear the slightest bit of coughing.
“I’ll explain the details tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
Anna lowered her voice and watched Riv with a slight smile. Even in Anna’s eyes, Riv’s changes were dramatic. She was tall and thin for a woman, so it was hard to get ready-made clothes. Anna was lucky enough to have gotten those clothes.
‘Wow.’
She was busy admiring Riv.
Usually, Riv Katana donned a large black dress. Compared to her huge body, her face and hands were buried in piles of clothes and looked funny. Everyone in the palace called Riv a widow, the walking corpse– Madame Katana, and whatnot. But now, she felt like a different person because she was wearing a fitted dress instead of Madame Katana’s dreary clothes.
Plain pale face, long black hair, long limbs.
Because of the modest dress, she looked elegant and sad like the noble daughter of the fallen family.
Anna imagined Riv dressed up in a fancy dress.
“You would be beautiful if you wore the right clothes,” Anna said with a bitter smile.
Riv thought of what to do.
“Anna, wait.” Riv pulled something out her inner pocket to pay Anna. Along with the dress payment, she handed over the brooch she had been using.
“Take this, too.”
This was the only accessory Anna had ever seen on Riv.
“Why this?”
“It’s still usable.”
The brooch was no more important than Riv’s life.
Anna tried to say something but Riv put a finger to her lips.
“Shh.”
Someone was walking through the hallway here. Anna quickly hid what she had received in her arms. Maybe because it was time for Marianne’s maids to return, but the hallway was noisy.
They went back to their room and the hallway became quiet after a long time.
“I’ll be there.”
“Thank you.”
Anna checked that there was no one outside and left the room.
Riv locked the door again and changed her clothes after Anna left. The room was dark because the window was closed. A huge pile of clothes, the symbol of Madame Katana, piled under the bed.
“Haa.”
Riv folded the mountains of clothes quickly. She didn’t forget to be fully prepared so that she could leave whenever someone called.
Lying on her bed, Riv suddenly recalled Duke Sentoren. A man she could never have, nor should she crave.
‘But I liked that moment.’
It was her first kiss, the moment Lionel and her lips grazed each other.
‘It was just a dream.’
The music from the banquet had long disappeared. Riv wondered if he had returned to his mansion or was staying somewhere in the palace.
‘Forget about him.’
Riv fiddled with his mother’s portrait pendant hanging around her neck. She could hardly sleep.
Lionel’s lips were hot in memory.
‘Don’t forget, you’re a witch who’s travelled back in time. Don’t forget.’
***
A dream.
Riv’s eyes saw the northern palace where Marianne had stayed after her marriage.
The place was covered with white snow. Was this before Riv died?
Marianne was screaming at Riv.
– Riv, you’re so big! Why are you so big? If I called you, you have to be quick!
Marianne pointed her finger at Riv, shouting angrily.
She couldn’t hold herself back, and kicked Riv while cursing.
– My life is so unfortunate! I’m upset because Riv is staying with me!
Marianne was about to cry.
– You’re the reason I married Lionel!
The Princess calmed down. Marianne, who was hyper, was stopped by the maid but it didn’t seem to work. Riv’s hand accidentally touched Marianne’s.
– Oh, how disgusting! Marianne spat and threw her lace gloves down.
That was where Riv’s hand came into contact.
– I’ve got dirtied! I need to wash up quickly. Burn all these clothes!
Marianne walked out to her room. Riv remained in the garden.
Half an hour later, a scream came from Marianne’s bedroom. When Riv wandered and snooped around the bedroom, the maids pushed Riv into the bathroom.
– The princess is very angry. Riv, do something.
The spacious bathroom was full of white steam. Marianne, leaning on a large bronze bathtub in the middle of the bathroom, raised her head.
– These slow ones, why’d they disappear without serving me?
Marianne rose above the water and made eye contact with Riv.
– Agh!
Marianne hurriedly hid herself in the bathtub.
– Why is this girl here, get out immediately!
Marianne didn’t come out of the water until Riv disappeared out of the bathroom. But Riv had already seen it. Marianne’s curved body and swollen chest.
Her belly was as round as her chest.
‘Marianne is pregnant.’
Riv’s face grew pale.
She knew the content after this. She’ll be trapped underground and burned to death for knowing Marianne’s secret. She will come back to the past, just eight months before.
“Haa.“
Riv opened her eyes at dawn.
“Ah, it’s real. I’m back in reality.”
The sky was dark at dawn. Riv imagined flying through the sky as a bird. She may have dreamed but reality hadn’t changed at all.
‘However, why does his face come to my mind?’
The next day, early in the morning, Riv went for a walk in the image of Madame Katana. She wandered around looking for the palace’s border. She also searched places where guards mostly stood, places that were neglected and places where the guarding seemed sloppy.
“What is Madame Katana doing?”
“What are you looking for?” questioned the maids and servants as they came out to watch Riv. Riv realized that she couldn’t escape their gaze. Madame Katana’s appearance was more noticeable than she had thought.
Riv sighed.
‘It’s hard to escape with this look.’
It was not easy to find a gap in this palace. Even if there was a gap, Madame Katana could not move.
“Haaaa.”
Riv, who gave another long sigh, recalled the women who were killed while leaving the palace undercover.
‘Will I end up like them?’
Queen Selina, when the women under her command betrayed her, used to kill them.
She would order her servants to make a mess out of their bodies. Even if they ate poison and faked their death, they couldn’t possibly survive if their body was dismembered.
‘If it’s too hard to disguise my death, should I run away from the palace in the gray dress? Is it possible?’
When would be a good time to do it?
‘I’m sure my actions are too revealing now.’
Riv returned to her quarters casually and had breakfast. Princess Marianne’s routine began late in the morning, similar to the other day. Riv did Marianne’s homework. Marianne overslept and didn’t even come out of her bedroom.
It was also said that the gift from Duke Sentoren to Marianne was lodged somewhere in the princess’ bedroom.
Riv pretended to copy Marianne’s poor handwriting.
The amount of homework Marianne put off for three days was enormous. While Riv was frantically moving her hands, the head maid approached.
She handed over a piece of paper with Marianne’s scrawl visible.
“Princess Marianne gave it to Riv. She is in a bad mood, so finish it early in the morning.”
‘This is too much,’ Riv felt suffocated looking at the list handed over by Marianne.
“It’s going to take more than a full day, madam.”
“That’s why I’ve given it to you. Or I can’t do anything else.”
When Riv stared at the head maid, she clicked her head.
“This morning, your behaviour was suspicious. Do you plan on leaving the palace, Riv Katana?”