In the quiet space, the sound of footsteps echoed from the other side of the bedroom door. I found myself quickly scrambling from the ground and hurriedly shoved the note back into its original place. The fancy clock that lies on the wall in front of the room counts every second of each minute. It was a bit past 6 AM when servants and maids came to prepare the children for breakfast.
I have half a mind to just hide somewhere, but it seems rather pointless because I am technically Amelia right now, right? That thought was quickly thrown to the side.
In the novel, it was said that only Amelia's maid and long-standing servants can directly serve her due to an incident from a few years back.
"I truly hope it is not that day."
The calendar in this world is similar to Earth's; each day has twenty-four hours, and each week has seven days. But instead of Monday, Tuesday, and so on, it is named by Amsiel, Kusha, Pyryan, Nielat, Mielach, Haeliel, and Gavrach, representing each day of the week.
The months are Hudum, Adel, Kochbalth, Zielaph, Amael, Hamue, Dielik, Ahah, Sielach, Nielat, Illyrie, Zepha, and Achiel, representing the 13 original deities of Menaali, with each year having 386 days.
On the first Amsiel or Monday of each month, all family members will gather in the Autumn Palace's dining hall and have a meal together. Children will sit with their parents at the table. Heirs and heiresses in the direct line of succession will sit with each other as the ground opens for competition for the head position.
It is safe to say that someone who doesn't even know the fundamentals of everyday greetings is not fit for this world that is built around the rules and foundations of the hierarchy that is vastly different from modern Earth.
But wait, hasn't Amelia just woken up from a fever or something? The blurry figures, the burning heat all through out her body, the heavy scent of medicine, I can remember it clearly...
Does that mean I have an excuse not to participate in any of the family meals right now?
*Knock* *Knock*
...!
- Lady Amelia, have you woken up yet?- A soft voice calls out from the other side.
The call continued for a few seconds as a click rang from the doorknob. I quickly hop back onto the bed but trip over my own foot and fall unceremoniously on the blanket draped half-hazardously on the floor.
Hearing the loud thud, the servant rushes inside the room to check on the noise, only to find that their young lady has seemingly fallen off her bed and landed face-first on the floor.
-My lady!? Miss Amelia, is your head feeling alright? Are you hurt?!- The maid with hazelnut brown hair and light purple eyes immediately rushes next to the fallen child and flips her body up and down to check for any injury sustained from the fall. Other servants burst into panic as they frantically ditched whatever they were holding to the side as they surrounded their lady.
I froze up like a log before the sudden full-body inspection from all sides.
- Everyone stop, I didn't get hurt- patting lightly on the brunette servant's hand.
Their worried face seemed to worsen as they heard her answer. I was slightly confused and overwhelmed as to why the servants were acting this way. I ended up getting scolded for leaving the bed on my own without calling for help from the servants.
Amelia is mentioned in the novel as a healthy child who is very active and loves doing physical activities. Never once did she get sick for more than two days.
- My lady! You know you shouldn't leave the bed without the master's permission!
The maid quickly picks her up princess-style and sits Amelia on the chair at the table next to the big mirror. Everyone hastily remade the bed before putting on a new set of sheets and pillows. Afterward, they move quickly, preparing something with the trolley that was thrown aside earlier.
- ...The master? - She tilted her head in confusion.
- You had just woken up from the poisoning, my lady. After hearing about the incident at Viscount Tresssach's daughter's tea party, the servants and your family were worried sick. Your father even reached out to the Grand Temple for the sake of your well-being.
The tea party incident? Didn't that event occur when Amelia was 12 in the book?
The Laurel clan intended to give her an early debut in the noble social circle to start making connections just like her older siblings. Many forces are in dispute with the family; those rotten nobles can attempt to take advantage of this event using Amelia as a folly to humiliate the clan. Their plan didn't play out well for the instigator, so they secretly used their follower to harass her and accidentally cause the incident where they shoved her down the lake in the restricted garden. To make matters worse, one of them even uses ice magic to freeze the water's surface to toy with her. Fortunately, her father was there to pull her out before anything worse could happen.
I sat still like a brick, not even noticing that the servants were wiping down my body with damp towels. The nightgown was replaced by an elegant blue dress. The train of thought only came to a stop when they placed her down on the table on the balcony. Fluffy pancakes stack on top of each other, topped with whipping cream, syrup, fresh berries, and fruit slices.
The masterpiece in front of my eyes immediately distracts me from my train of thought. Even the best pancake that I have tried in the past would be considered mediocre in the presence of this one. The fork and knife that were somehow already in her hand cut out a big piece before shoving it into her mouth.
The servants chuckle, trying their best not to poke and prod at Amelia's puffed cheeks that resemble a squirrel stuffing its mouth with an acorn. A low chuckle burst out from the balcony next to her, finally swallowing down the soft pancake, she turned to the side to see a boy with tanned skin, light brown hair, and ocean-blue eyes. If a look can give you a heart attack, he would fit into that category. He sent her a large grin before turning back into his room.
Amelia has 11 other brothers and sisters, including cousins, and she is the eleventh child of the clan. She has three older siblings with the same mother, and her father and mother are the current matriarch.
Firstly, Olivia Laurel, the oldest, is known for her exceptional ability to wield both the sword and magic with the mastery level of a Master at the age of 30. She is one of the star candidates competing for the matriarch position.
Secondly, Amber Laurel is an exceptional mage with her prowess in mana usage. There were rumors that her abilities might be comparable to an Arch-mage shortly.
Lastly, Louis Laurel, the seventh born with a high capability to wield holy energy, is following his father's path to becoming a holy knight. When it came to leading the household, Louis held the upper hand over other heirs and heiresses because of his insight into politics and high society.
Only children under the age of 15 stayed at the Spring Palace, so who could he be? Amelia should be the only child who is still staying at this place at this time.
'So many troublesome things have already happened.' She sighed before shoving more pancakes in her mouth, not noticing the weird look the servants gave her.
------End chap 3------