There’s No Divorce For You

“Madam! There’s an invitation from the imperial family!” 

“Lisa, don’t run frivolously.”

Lisa ruffles her sweaty hair behind her ear and hands me a bundle of invitations. Bell pointed out sharply. 

“I’ve told you several times. Don’t look first. Don’t show off who sent it. That’s the basic attitude of a servant.”

“But, I—”

Bell pinched Liza’s forearm for making excuses. I pretended not to know anything and scattered the invitations one by one. Even without reading the letters, I knew at once which was the royal invitation.

Bell pinched Liza’s forearm after she made excuses. I pretended not to know anything and went through the invitations one by one. Even without reading the letters, I knew at once which the royal invitation was.

The paper was of high quality, and the wax was made with gold powder. The clearly engraved seal was so unique that it was unforgettable at first glance, with a book in the center and crossed swords and pens extending from both sides above it. 

It seemed like a royal sentence. I thought that they usually use lions or eagles but soon erased them from my head. Bell quickly put the knife in my hand.

I opened the envelope carefully while Bell stopped Lisa from sticking to me.

The content was extremely simple. Dear Carla, and time. I swallowed dry saliva at the invitation that was nothing more than a notification.

“…Hmm.”

Carla once worked as a maid in honor of a king. The king was one of those who opposed the marriage. I saw in the diary that Carla was forced to allow it because she declared isolation from her family. That’s why I know they don’t get along well—.

Carla never saw the king after marriage. At least as far as I know, from the diary that Carla left behind, the two had never met in Carla’s diary.

My heart was pounding. No one noticed that I wasn’t Carla. So will the king.

“Madam?”

After a long time of touching the invitation and no response, Bell called me cautiously. Then I woke up from my imagination.

“His Majesty is calling me.”

“Oh my! Are you going to the royal palace?”

“Yeah. It’ll be pretty tight to prepare.”

Bell and Lisa couldn’t hide their excitement and stamped their feet.

“Should I get ready to fix it?”

Bell asked naturally. She was good at it. She could tweak the sleeves or hem of the dress a little or add fake jewels to make it look like a brand new outfit.

I believed that Carla would often reward her. Because of Bell, she did wear lace that looked like noble clothes on her handkerchief or sleeve.

Even though I didn’t know how much the delicately woven lace cost, I knew that in this world, the more human work that went into something, the more expensive it was.

Although it is not known exactly how much Carla cared for Bell, it was clear that she had highly appreciated Bell’s skill. 

I shook my head.

“I’d like a new outfit this time.”

Now I have several new dresses. This meant that Bell somehow didn’t have to embroider to fix the ugly dress. 

Lisa insisted on trying on all the new dresses and choosing the prettiest ones. Bell didn’t like Lisa’s chatter, but this time she responded to Lisa’s words.

She said don’t do that, and then she nodded. 

******

Yeah, I’m excited. Even in the country, where nobody cared about decorating, I got excited for no reason when I dressed up and put on my fancy clothes. At the same time, I memorized the etiquette book because I didn’t want to make a mistake in front of the royal family.

The day before, I massaged with honey and dressed up early in the morning. I even hummed, which surprised Bell.

That means I never dreamed that something like this would happen. I asked as if I hadn’t heard the king’s question properly.

“Your Majesty, I don’t know what you’re saying—”

The teacup was cold, and there was no heat at all. Nevertheless, I could keep the teacup from dropping by barely giving strength to the hand holding the handle. 

“I asked, who are you?”

The king’s gaze was cold. Although she doesn’t look much older than Carla, she exudes a high-pressure atmosphere. My fingers trembled. The sound of the teacup being set down was particularly loud. I raised my cheeks and smiled.

“I’m Carla, Your Majesty.”

“How dare you fool around with me?”

She shot back coldly. I glanced at the dark-haired knight standing behind her. There was a sword at his waist. Dozens of bad thoughts went through my head in an instant. 

I made a mistake, and I had to make up for it. I thought desperately. There were no noticeable mistakes. The greeting I practiced for several days was perfect, and the mood wasn’t bad until I kissed the back of her hand and polished the lines of obedience. 

I was fine until the king started talking to the maid who was serving the tea. It was pleasant. We didn’t talk much either.

It was just a story of pretty clothes and good weather. The king even praised me for being beautiful.

“You have become more beautiful. You will be more beautiful than anyone else in the palace.”

Although it was a polite compliment, it was the first time since I entered this body that I received a compliment for my appearance rather than a compliment for clothes or accessories. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t happy. So I pretended to be humble.

“It’s the credit of Your Majesty.”

Yes, it was only after I answered that the king’s expression changed. The king tapped the table with her fingertips.

The constant speed of the sounds made me nervous. I wanted to escape from the uncomfortable silence. It felt like my throat was being squeezed.

I couldn’t even make eye contact with the king, so I swallowed only dry saliva.

“It’s really hard. Where did you get it?”

The king glared at me as if to tear me apart. Then she gritted her teeth and said fiercely.

“Go and tell the Count. I want him to know that it is thanks to my beloved Carla that you are able to set foot in the capital and live. Even awaiting punishment for the arrogance that you dare to deceive my eyes! “

There was anger in her voice. I looked at her with less trembling. The king’s expression turned cold. Only her eyes blazed like blue flames.

She knew right away that I wasn’t Carla, but she didn’t seem to know who I was.

No, it was impossible to suspect someone possessed her body because I couldn’t even imagine it myself.

Fortunately, the king didn’t seem to want to kill me right away. She even went so far as to say she liked Carla. 

My head was spinning. The king was an ally. No, she was most likely to be an ally because she hated the Count.

I squeezed the lace on my skirt with my fingertips and let it go. I forced the corners of my mouth up by moving my trembling facial muscles.

“Carla can’t come back, Your Majesty.”

I threw the dice. It was nothing short of gambling. The king struck the table with her fist.

“Theo!”

She shouted like a scream. He pointed the sword at my neck without a blink of an eye. It was a black-haired man standing behind the king. I looked at him.

‘I’ve seen this face somewhere, and there’s no way I can’t remember a handsome face like that.’

Maybe it was because it wasn’t realistic, but I wasn’t afraid of the shiny sword. The man had an expressionless face. The blue eyes were burdensome. 

“Do you want to die?”

“No.”

I raised my chin. If I put my life at risk, I shouldn’t show that I’m scared. The tip of the sword that touched my neck was cold, and it seemed like if that man gave it strength, he could immediately pierce my neck.

“I’m Carla, Your Majesty.”

“I wonder if your tongue will keep moving even if the neck is cut off.”

“Oh my. That’s scary.”

I added with a smile. The tips of my fingers kept shaking. If I let my guard down a little, I thought the corners of my mouth would fall, so I forced my cheeks to smile. 

“Sir, please put down your sword. Aren’t you curious what this tongue will say?”

I thought the king wouldn’t kill the woman she invited or the maid who helped her before her enthronement. She thought it was the Count’s sender, but because she looked alike, she hurriedly tried to send her back.

She thought I wasn’t Carla, but she didn’t kill me at once. However, the king won’t act nicely.

“Theodor.”

When the king called his name, the man took his sword and returned to his place. At that moment, a cold sweat broke out on my back. 

“Please allow me to discuss it privately, Your Majesty.”

I glanced behind her to ask her to send the man somewhere else, but instead of doing that, the king said. 

“Theodor, Oath of Silence.”

“I swear to God, I will never tell anyone what I have heard and seen here.”

I didn’t know what the oath of silence was, but it seemed to mean that he would keep his mouth shut. But I don’t know how far he will keep it a secret, so I have to choose my words as much as possible.

“Where is Carla?”

 “She’s in front of Your Majesty.”

The king’s eyes shone brightly.

“I hate to repeat my question.”

There was strength at the end of her finger as if she were going to throw a cup away at any moment. She was driven by how she felt.

Intuitively, I felt that I had an upper hand over the king. But, of course, it was just a matter of emotions, and in reality, if I made a mistake, I could die instantly. The two short distances talked, trying not to feel their hearts beating.