I'm Just a Nameless Side Character in a Vampire Romance Novel

Chapter 16 - The Palace

Maybella gave me the most shocked look. I'm sure she was dumbfounded by the exuberance her sister had just shown. I just burst out laughing. "Well, I guess we'll leave that to her. Shall we go for a walk?" Maybella nodded stiffly.

First, we entered the walk-in closet where three dresses were waiting for me. I could never really afford to fuss too much about my attire back home so this was a completely new experience. The dress I picked was pink and frilled. It wasn't too my taste at all, but it wasn't as flashy as the other two. The dresses here could not be put on by one person. Maybella helped me dress in silence before leading me to the vanity to fuss with my hair. I had to admit, with a little bit of makeup and my hair nicely curled and styled in a half ponytail she was beautiful. Me, I mean I was beautiful. This is me.

"Then, show me the palace." Unlike her sister Maybella was very calm and poised. She toured me through the palace expertly, giving insightful comments on each area. Where I could read Misa's thoughts through her expressions, Maybella was very guarded.

My room was on the third floor of the palace where Eclis' room was, as well as a couple other rooms built for other sacrifices. All but mine and his were empty. On the second floor were dining rooms, entertaining rooms, ball rooms and the second library. The first floor was where another ball room, pantries, kitchens, laundries, and first library were. Eclis' estate wasn't made up of just one palace either, there was a second and third palace set aside for guests each boasting their own separate libraries. We didn't visit them as it required a carriage to reach. While she showed me each floor, we would occasionally pass another maid or servant. It seemed Eclis had made it known they weren't to use glamour near me. They would steal glances at me and Maybella walking together but the moment I made eye contact with them they acted as if they were late, rushing off to their destination.

"Do Ba'alings fear humans?" Had I known my request would be such a burden on them I wouldn't have told Eclis to ask them not to hide their true selves.

Maybella took her time choosing the right words. "No, your highness. Its more... They worry you will feel fear or regret when you see their appearances." She looked uncomfortable with the subject.

"I see." This was going to be a long stay. "Well, I hope as time passes it becomes less of a shock for everyone." Maybella continued to study me as we toured the palace.

On the opposite side of the lake was the knights' barracks and training grounds. Maybella hesitated for a moment when I asked to see it and I cocked my head to the side prompting her to speak her mind.

"Your grace, we've traveled quite a lot through the palace today. Perhaps its better to retire." Noble ladies did not exercise in this world for fear of gaining too much muscle and losing their 'appeal.'

"No. I feel fine. Take me there." She didn't protest a second time.

You needed to travel through or around the knights' barracks to reach the training grounds. There were two fields, one was solely for training magic and archery, the other field was divided into multiple arenas the knights sparred in. There weren't many knights on the fields yet.

There were pews surrounding the training grounds for hosting events on the property. We sat and watched the knight's practice. In the other field was a group of twenty mages lobbing balls of light towards a target in the distance. In the sparring field a commander walked between matches, yelling at them to fix their footing or posture. Once one of them had noticed us, they all began to sneak glances our way. Their sparring became faster and more violent.

Though that wasn't why I was here. I wanted to see everything. For every place I visited scenes from the book replayed in my mind. Here was where Julia had first spotted Eclis training. He was using a huge thin longsword against all the knights on the field. His movements were graceful and controlled, unlike how he acted around her. It was the first time her heart had raced for him. As I reimagined it though I noticed something. Had it always been Eclis' face I was imagining. Try as I might, I couldn't remember any other face.

Disturbed, I decided to retire for the day. Waiting outside my parlor with Misa was a man I didn't recognize. On second inspection, he was dressed like a butler. "Alphonse?"

"Your grace." Alphonse gave me a worried smile. It seems since I'd seen him last, he had cast away his glamour. His skin was a smokey grey speckled with black spots. His eyes were a pure cloudy white that looked grey in comparison to his snow-white hair. Two massive black horns curled on either side of his head, reminding me of a ram.

Misa opened the door, and I went to rest on the couch. They hurriedly prepared tea while the butler took his place standing beside the couch opposite of me to speak. Etiquette dictated he could not sit with me. I noticed his tail was thicker than the girls, with four spikes at the end. Once my tea was set the two girls left the room. "I would like to beg your forgiveness Madam."

"Pardon?" He then prostrated himself and I stood, surprised.

"It is due to my inattentiveness that your grace suffered and collapsed. In my excitement I've let harm befall you. Please-"

"Stop! Seriously. It was my choice to suffer alone."

"No, I must receive punishment for such a grave sin." Punishment? I'm the one being punished here, first with Eclis and now with you.

"Hahh... Stand." I sat back down and sipped my tea. He waited patiently for my decision. This was a bad position to be in. I didn't want to have to 'punish' someone for a crime they didn't commit on my first day in my new home. Couldn't I just enjoy the tea?

"Has Eclis told you about my situation?"

"Yes, though only me and the wizard know. His grace instructed that we keep it this way as there are already those who have taken an interest in you." Already?

"Who?" He looked uncomfortable.

"His grace should be the one to explain." Eclis' return stirred up a lot of political unrest, though it was amazing to hear things were already moving. I didn't know how to warn him about Richard being a spy. Would he believe me?

"Alright..." I eyed Alphonse. "Alphonse, in my world when you're weak, you don't tell people you just met. Going forward, I'll be more trusting in you. Especially since Eclis seems too, so please stand." He got to his feet, but he still looked grave.

"It is the job of a butler to notice the condition of his master, regardless of whether the master wishes him to or not. I failed in that duty." His tenacity was commendable.

"This body may be a-"

"Your body."

"Huh?"

"I've been instructed to correct you any time you say this isn't your body or this isn't your home." He cleared his throat, "Even if it interrupts your highness." Was that Michaels command? Either way it was a bother.

"Then my body may be that of a noble, but I'm from a world where the rules of nobility don't exist. Not like this at least. Nothing like this. I won't punish you for something I feel isn't your crime."

"But Madam-"

"Do you mean to correct my decision?" I'd taken theatre every year in high school and felt proud of how believable the anger in my voice was. It worked. He bit his tongue. "I need teachers if I'm going to stay here for a time. I also need someone that can teach me about this world and how things work in Ganimede, can I trust you with that?" He perked up.

"Yes, absolutely Madam. Leave your schedule too me and I'll ensure your education prepares you well for life here."

"Thank you. You are dismissed." The moment he left I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. "Damn, this is going to be a pain." Not only would I need to earn the trust of the people working here, but my schedule was going to quickly fill up from now on... And I'd need to somehow manage my condition as well.