* * *

How much time passed, I didn’t know. I strained my ears to hear the creaking sound of the locks being undone. This wasn’t the usual rattling sound of the doggie door—I mean, food door—opening. The entire door was being opened.

As I sat gazing blankly at him, my cruel uncle stomped his way toward me with a hard look of disapproval on his face. The wooden floor of the storage room, which hadn’t made a sound when I walked on it, groaned pitifully with every step my uncle took.

I glanced at my aunt behind him, whose lips were spasming from holding a fake smile, then at my uncle, whose eyes were glinting coldly. Then, I cunningly squeezed out some tears and gave a radiant smile. “An’, Uncoh!” (Aunt, Uncle!)

The first thing I had to do to escape was to get them to lower their guards. I jumped to my feet and bent at the waist in a polite and respectful bow. “I mitht you.” (I missed you.)

The count’s eyes flashed deviously at my seemingly innocent and helpless attempt to gain their affection. Was he thinking I’d make a good pawn? “Follow me.”

“I’m sowwy?”

“Your dwelling place has been reassigned.”

“T-tank’oo!” (Thank you!)

“Your dwelling place has been reassigned,” what a way to talk to a kid! I thought to myself, but I just nodded earnestly and let tears well up in my eyes. Then, masking the smile that was curling my lips upward, I pretended to sob.

At the very least, I thought I was a better actor than my aunt.

* * *

That was the first time I’d ever had a proper bedroom and clothing. The room was still old and shabby, but it was furnished with a carpet and a bed, so it was a luxury compared to the storage space I’d previously been confined in. My bones didn’t feel like they were freezing from the cold, and my feet didn’t get splintered with every step I took.

When dinnertime came, I should’ve been sitting beside my aunt at the banquet hall—but I was still in my room, because when the maids had come to wash me, I’d refused and thrown a tantrum.

“No! Don’ toush me!” (Don’t touch me!)

After I thrashed around like I was going to bite a maid, my aunt finally told them to leave me be. “Give that beastly thing time to adjust,” the no-good Count Evelan agreed, annoyed.

Thanks to my brilliant acting, I was able to buy myself some time to sit alone in my deserted bedroom. Thank goodness. Still grubby, I fiddled with the pretty yellow dress I had on. So far everything was happening just like I’d seen in my third dream. It was so identical I couldn’t believe it.

Will a maid soon bring in my meal like in the dream? If they do, I have to act out to turn the maids against me, right? My heart was pounding from nerves and anxiety.

I had obediently let them dress me, because I thought I’d have to wear something expensive to gain an audience with the grand duke. I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere near him looking like a commoner, after all.

Well, if things didn’t work out, I could sell the dress at a pawnshop like I had in the third dream. The pawnshop in the alleyway hadn’t wondered about my story, nor had they tried to harm me in any way. In my dream, I’d happened on the place by chance. But now that I thought about it, there had been a large mark of the Doctrine of Devils on the pawnshop wall. Perhaps that was why they’d purchased my dress without question. Maybe they thought my dark black hair meant I was one of them.

I’m not entirely sure... But until I make my escape, everything has to go according to the dream. It has to. I only had one chance at running away from this estate. I couldn’t waste it. And when I did make it out, I had to look as pitiful as I possibly could. Though the grand duke was a terrifying devil powerful enough to destroy the world, surely he wouldn’t kick out a poor child?

Plus, in my dream, Daddy had already known I was his daughter. I didn’t know how long he’d known, or if he knew even now but simply chose not to come and get me. Surely, though, he wouldn’t turn me away after seeing my black hair.

This hair was “proof,” undeniable proof that devil’s blood ran through my veins. Our eyes were also the same color! So I have the right to demand from him the child support expenses he should have provided! I planned to raise myself, so it was only right that I got the money and not my aunt.

“Chide suppoh’.”

“Chiiiide suppoh’.”

Swinging my feet idly, I tried to get the pronunciation for “child support” right.

It was then that the door opened without even a knock.

“Here you go.”

It was the maid from a while ago whose arm I’d nearly bitten. I could feel her barely contained rage from the way she set things down, carelessly setting the table. Her lips jerked with a forced smile.

I was a little surprised, but I didn’t let it show. It’s... It’s really going according to my dream!

This specific maid had bullied me in every one of my dreams, doing things like giving me meals that looked fancy but had gone ice cold, or pouring water into the bowl to make everything taste bland. She was assigned to keep an eye on me, and she used that opportunity to abuse me.

Why am I not surprised? I glared at the steaming lump of questionable meat. The smell was so foul I thought I might throw up. Mold stuck to it, and maggots were crawling on the bottom. The blood-red soup next to it was clear without a single solid ingredient in it and looked boiling hot. My nose already stung from the spicy scent. It was as if they’d just boiled water and spice to make this dish. They were both unfit meals for a five-year-old child. They were also missing the most basic things. The maid hadn’t brought me a spoon, fork, or knife. It was like she was saying an uneducated beast like me should just use my hands.

I’ll suffer for days if I eat this. And I won’t be able to run away. How mean. She was so mean.

A child usually only had two options under such pressure and harassment by an adult: to eat on their own or to be force-fed. But I hadn’t eaten this in my third dream. On the contrary, I stood my ground and even won this battle.

I put on an innocent face and said, “Iss hot. Can you bwo on i’ and fee’ me?” (It’s hot. Can you blow on it and feed me?)

“Huh? My lady, you have to eat your meals by yourself.”

“No. If you don’ fee’ me, I gonna tehw His Ecklensy.” (If you don’t feed me, I’m going to tell His Excellency.)

That no-good count held all the authority in this house, and he wanted to use me as his pawn, so he wouldn’t want to do anything that might upset me right now.

The maid heaved a deep sigh and turned to leave. “Just a moment then, please. I need to go get a fork and knife. Though I’m not sure if you even know what those are.”

“No. Use yuh han’s.” (Use your hands.)

Did I have a bad personality? I thought that was a possibility. I didn’t feel afraid saying the things I had in my third dream. On the contrary, I felt more confident with each sentence I spoke.

“My lady, if I do that, I’ll burn my hands,” the maid replied with irritation, probably thinking I was about to throw another tantrum.

“Yeah? Den why shood I ea’ wif my han’s?” (Then why should I eat with my hands?)

“Th-that’s because I forgot to bring—”

“So you didden do yuh job wigh’?” (So you didn’t do your job right?)

I looked directly at the hesitating maid. When she met my scarlet eyes, she flinched back and shuddered, mumbling something along the lines of “Curse you.”

I enunciated each word, as I said, “Get. Out. Knock, and bwing back a new pwate.” (Knock, and bring back a new plate.)

“What? My lady, do you know how much time that will take...!”

“I’m gonna tehw.” (I’m going to tell.)

Hmph! I was so ready to tell on her. Plus, Count Evelan was set to come and see the situation any time now. It was an opportunity I had to take advantage of.

“You, you... You demon spawn!”

“Awight, Yooooowuh— Mmph!” (All right, Yooooour—)

The maid clamped a hand over my mouth, preventing me from shouting. It was clear evidence that she’d abused me not on the count’s or my aunt’s orders, but of her own accord.

I turned to the huffing maid and gave a guileless smile. Then pointing at the lump of meat, ordered, “If you don’ wan’ me to caw ’im, use yuh han’s.” (If you don’t want me to call him, use your hands.)

Who says a kid can’t get back at a mean maid? However, the maid didn’t obey my order. Standing still as a statue, she glared daggers at me.

I understand. I’m sure you didn’t sign up for a life of being ordered around by some baby. I nodded, absolutely understanding where she was coming from. I knew she was only in for more suffering from here on out, so it was only right that I set her free now.

As the daughter of a saint and a devil grand duke, it was my duty to save her. I dealt the final blow in the brightest tone I could muster. “You, awe going to be fi’owed.” (You are going to be fired.)

Ah. I’d really wanted to say that out loud, and it showed in my great pronunciation.

The maid’s expression collapsed into a rotten frown. “My lady! No, you devil’s spawn! You must think you’re important because I call you ‘my lady,’” the maid whispered threateningly into my ear, “but do you really think the likes of you will be treated like a lady forever?”

Of course not. I never once thought I had been treated like a lady, nor had I ever expected anything of the sort in my future, so the maid’s threat had zero effect on me. Pbttt.

Just then, the maid who’d been standing guard by the door burst into the room. “Look out, His Excellency is on his way!”

“What?”

I looked around to get my timing right, sucked in a deep breath, and wailed like there was no tomorrow.