"In my childhood, I have killed many people," I said quietly, my voice trembling. "Those who did wrong… I kill them. After what happened that day, I changed completely. Now whenever I see evil in someone's eyes, I destroy it—without letting anyone know."
Master remained silent for a while, his eyes sharp and thoughtful.
"Now it makes sense," he murmured finally. "That's why you could defeat my clones so easily. But I had kept them weak on purpose."
"What!" I exclaimed in surprise. "So that was your magic?"
Master nodded slightly. "Tell me, what else are you hiding from me?" he asked seriously.
I took a deep breath and began to speak.
"I don't like wearing girls' clothes," I confessed. "Those skirts that barely hide anything—how do they even wear them? And whenever I sleep, I see a woman. She shines in the dark, pitch black yet calm, with a faint, mysterious smile. She touches my hair softly. And… in the forest, I killed some people—cruelly. Then the water pulled me in, but Prince Jack saved me. After that, I met a white lion… big, soft, beautiful—like moonlight wrapped in fur."
The master frowned slightly. "A lion? But white lions aren't found in this region…" he thought to himself.
"When I met that lion, I was dying," I continued, "A snake had bitten me, and there was a deep wound. But when I saw the lion's injured leg, I couldn't let him suffer. I tried using my stone for the first time. It didn't heal his wound—but instead, his pain transferred into me, and he was healed. I thought I would die right there… I even believed I would open my eyes in heaven. But when I woke up the next morning, I was completely fine."
After finishing, I let out a deep sigh.
"There! I finally said it," I smiled faintly, feeling lighter.
"Why didn't you tell anyone that you've killed so many people?" Master asked.
"I thought I'd be sentenced to death for it," I replied innocently, making a childlike face. "So I didn't tell anyone."
The master stood up slowly. "I will make you my student only if you accept two punishments for saying bad things to me, and lying."
I bowed respectfully. "I accept whatever punishment you give me, Master."
He placed his hand gently on my head. "Then listen carefully. First—you'll work as a maid in the dining hall for an entire day, wearing a maid's uniform. And second—you will not be allowed to sleep for two years. You'll train during the day and at night."
I took a deep breath. "I accept, Master."
He smiled slightly and patted my head. "Then let's go to the restaurant."
When his lips softly brushed the top of my head, a strange warmth filled the air. I felt butterflies fluttering all around me.
We walked for a while before finally reaching the restaurant. It was empty, silent—afternoon time. Only students, masters, and staff were here. The master walked up to the shop owner, who was a pregnant woman.
"Miss Amilia, this is the girl," he said.
"Yes, I can see that," she replied warmly.
"I mean—this is Wellness, my student," Master added. "Today, she said she wanted to work in the restaurant. I thought bringing her here might help you—and also Gabi."
I glared at Master in disbelief. How could someone who hates lies… lie so easily?
Miss Amilia smiled knowingly. "Ah, so this is her punishment, isn't it, Master?"
Master looked startled. "How did you know?"
"Just look at her face," she said, smiling. "She's glaring at you for lying."
Her teasing tone made me act innocent—I held my ears and said, "Sorry, Master, my mistake."
"It's alright," he said with a small smile.
Then he turned to Miss Amilia. "Give her the maid dress. She'll look adorable in it."
Miss Amilia went into a room and returned with the outfit—a black and white maid dress. With a flick of his hand, Master used his magic to make the dress appear on me instantly.
"Wow, you look very cute," he said, pulling my cheeks playfully.
I glared at him, utterly irritated. Sometimes he shows affection, and sometimes he acts like this old annoying man!
"wellness, why is there a bandage on your fingers?" she asked kindly.
Before I could speak, Master interrupted. "Ah, she has a bad habit of biting her nails. This time she went too far, so I had to bandage them myself."
I stared at him in disbelief. How can someone lie so smoothly?!
Miss Amilia shook her head gently. "Oh dear, don't bite your nails, sweetheart. You'll fall sick. If you're hungry, just come to me, okay?"
I gave an awkward smile. "I'll keep that in mind."
"Alright, I'll take my leave now," Master said. "Wellness, come at night on time."
Then the old man left, i mean Master.
Miss Amilia sighed softly. "Good that you came today. Gabi isn't feeling well."
"Who's Gabi?" I asked curiously.
"She's an orphan," Miss Amilia replied, her eyes softening. "But I adopted her. She's my daughter now."
Her words touched my heart deeply. My chest tightened, and my eyes filled with tears.
"What's wrong, dear? Why are you crying?" she asked gently.
I didn't reply. My stomach growled loudly instead.
"Oh! You're hungry!" she laughed. "Wait here, I'll bring you some food."
She returned with a bowl of food, but as she walked toward me, she tripped slightly. My heart clenched with guilt—a pregnant woman feeding me?
She placed the food before me. "Eat this, and if you want more, tell me."
Her kindness was overwhelming. My heart couldn't handle such warmth. I tried to hide my tears and started eating slowly.
Then suddenly, someone shouted, "Miss Amilia! Bring the breakfast quickly, I'm in a hurry!"
I stood up. "I'll take it," I said. "Just hand me the plate."
"No, no—you eat. I'll serve him," she said.
"I'm not hungry anymore," I replied stubbornly.
"Fine, then go ahead," she sighed.
I took the tray and went to the customer. "Here's your breakfast," I said politely.
He looked at me. "New here, huh?"
"Yes," I replied with a bow. "If you need anything else, please let me know."
I hurried back, embarrassed. This skirt… why do people wear this?!
"Tell me what needs to be done next," I said.
"No, no—you finish your meal. I can't let you do everything," she said.
"You need rest," I insisted, guiding her gently to her room. "Please, sit."
Then I returned to the kitchen. A recipe board hung on the wall, and I began reading each one carefully. But I didn't even know what vinegar oil was! My mind froze.
What do I do now?
I tried using the stone, whispering, "Please, save my dignity today!" But nothing happened.
When I peeked into the hall, the customer had already left. I quickly collected the plates and ran back inside.
Then a familiar voice echoed through the hall.
"Gabi, bring me my breakfast!"
It was Prince Jack.
I froze. My dress—so embarrassing!
But maybe this was my one and only chance to ask for help. I gathered courage and approached him shyly.
"Prince Jack…" I whispered.
He turned around. "Wellness? You're here? And what… what are you wearing?" he said in shock.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside. I kneel down "Prince Jack, I'm in trouble!" I said, almost crying, and told him everything.
He listened silently, then smiled. "That's it? Alright, I'll help you."
He quickly wrote something on a paper and handed it to me. His handwriting was elegant—beautiful.
"How do you even know all this?" I asked curiously.
"Everyone should learn these things. They come in handy someday," he said softly. "But you… you hate this outfit, don't you? Then why are you wearing it?"
"It's my punishment," I murmured shyly. "Not for working—but for wearing this."
My cheeks burned crimson.
Prince Jack held my hand gently. "You don't look good in this at all. You look better in everything else. Anyway, I must go now."
He smiled and kissed my hand softly before leaving.
My heart fluttered like butterflies in the sky.
Throughout the day, I served everyone their meals one by one. When night came, the hall was full again. I had made everything just as Prince Jack instructed—but when I tasted the sample, it was awful. This tastes like trash! I panicked.
Just then, Miss Amilia appeared. "You've helped me a lot today," she said warmly. "Now, I'll cook dinner for everyone. Just bring me what I ask for."
At that moment, she looked like a goddess to me.
We prepared everything together—well, mostly she did. I just fetched the ingredients.
Soon, all the students arrived for dinner. I froze—so many princes and princesses! One mistake, and I was done for. Still, I gathered courage and went around taking orders, serving food with a trembling smile.
Everyone seemed happy—because Master had announced a holiday for tomorrow.
Then, suddenly, a harsh voice echoed through the hall.
"Where is the wine I ordered?"
The tone was cold, commanding.
I hurried toward him and began to pour the wine into his glass.
"I'm sorry, sir. You didn't mention it earlier, and I didn't know," I said nervously.
He looked at me sharply. "You're new here, aren't you?",he said coldly and suddenly grabbed me by the waist.
Before I could step back, he moved closer, his tone dark but calm.
"You deserve punishment for your mistake," he whispered.
The air turned heavy. My heart pounded. I glanced around—no one was stepping in, and Prince Jack wasn't there.
Then, suddenly, a dark, echoing voice rang in my mind—
"Stand your ground, Wellness. Don't be afraid." Kill him!
It was the same inner strength, the same spirit that had once saved me in the forest.