"Ouch," I yelped as the needle pricked my finger.

"Be careful, dear," Roselle's mother said, gently taking my hand and wiping away the tiny drop of blood with her handkerchief.

"Embroidery can be tricky at first, but you'll get better with practice," she reassured me with a smile.

"Let me show you again."

Sitting together at the table, she picked up the fabric we were working on. Her fingers moved gracefully, demonstrating the stitches while explaining each step in simple terms. I followed along, eager to learn from her.

As we worked, the sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over us. The rhythmic sound of our needles filled the room, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Peaceful my ass!

My mind has been constantly swirling with thoughts!

During the day, I engage in lessons on how to embody the ideal woman for society, while Sir Gareth dedicates himself to honing his swordsmanship skills. In the evenings, we rendezvous with Alex at the D.S Guild to attend to various work-related matters.

This novel is certainly progressing slowly! The last time I had a clear vision of its progression was when I encountered Sir Gareth’s mother, which prompted me to delve into resolving the issue of slave trade in the south.

Where is the time skip when I need one?

Can I just go straight into meeting my prince charming and start seducing the hell out of him?

“Ow sh*t” I muttered quietly, stopping myself from cursing out loud. Roselle's mother was elegant and refined, and I didn't want to offend her.

“This isn’t an adult novel right?” I worriedly asked myself, feeling a surge of panic.

The moment I heard what that kid said, I knew deep down that I had stepped into a world straight out of a novel.

“Hmmm. I’m sure this novel is not like those since I don’t read that kind of stuff.” I battled with my own thoughts. (Clearly a lie. A feeble attempt to say that I am not a bit pervy.)

"Oh, nothing. I'm just appreciating how tranquil (boring) these days are," I responded with a bright smile.

She chuckled with an air of elegance, as if the word 'elegant' were tailor-made for her.

Resuming my work on the handkerchief I was embroidering, I listened as she spoke.

"I actually thought that even though you are still unable to remember things from the past, I was hoping that your body still retained your skills since you spent a lot of time perfecting them," she mused.

"Ah, muscle memory."

"If you only knew, this is actually the best muscle memory this body has, because the 'me' never held any needles," I mused silently.

Glancing at her, I noticed a look on her face that seemed to indicate she was reminiscing about the old times, or perhaps missing her real daughter.

A pang of sorrow gripped my chest, as if the true Roselle also longed for her mother.

"What was I like before I was taken captive?", Roselle’s mother? I inquired, leaving out the last two words of my sentence. I hesitated to address Roselle's parents as mother or father, as it felt like I was appropriating someone else's family.

Her expression shifted to one of surprise and slight bewilderment.

"This is the first time you've asked about your past," she said, a smile of relief spreading across her face, as if her daughter had just taken her first step.

Reflecting on my time in this world, I realized that I hadn't been particularly interested in learning about Roselle and the people in her life, including her family. Instead, my focus had been on earning money and climbing the social ladder to meet the crown prince sooner.

"Maybe it's time I share something with you. It might not be a happy memory, but I think it's important for you to know, even if it's hard for me to talk about. It could also help you find yourself again if you've been feeling lost," she began, her voice carrying a hint of pain.

As she spoke, a chill seemed to settle in the room. The soft light from the lamp cast moving shadows on the walls, creating an eerie feeling as we sat quietly, waiting for her to continue.

"Back then, before the last winter, you were just like your usual self. You enjoyed studying, having tea, and spending time with friends, like any other young lady. Nothing particularly special was happening, as far as I knew."

But then, her voice changed, and a heavy feeling filled the air. "Then, something happened," she said with a weight in her tone, as if the memory carried sadness and regret. I could feel the pain in her words, as if she was carrying a heavy burden from the past.

I held my breath, the room feeling tense as I waited for her to go on. It seemed like time had slowed down, each moment filled with a sense of anticipation, as if something significant was about to unfold.

"What happened?" I asked in a hushed tone, preparing myself for whatever she was about to reveal. Her words hung in the air, and the room felt heavy with the weight of the past.

***

"My lord, my lord!" Emma, the head maid, came rushing towards us while my husband and I were enjoying breakfast.

Startled by the urgency in her voice, we immediately turned our attention to her.

"What's the matter?" my husband inquired calmly, his brow furrowing with concern.

"The young la—" Her sentence was abruptly cut short when Roselle burst into the room. Her expression was a mix of distress and anguish, her eyes wide with fear.

"Mother! Father!" she cried out, her voice trembling with emotion as she rushed towards us.

Without a moment's hesitation, she wrapped us in a tight embrace, her body shaking with sobs.

"I'm sorry. I-I'm so sorry," she stammered, tears streaming down her face, her words choked with emotion.

"It's my fault!" Roselle blurted out, her voice hoarse with anguish.

Though we were taken aback by her sudden outburst, considering we had spent a pleasant day bonding as a family at the riverside park just the day before, and as far as I knew, nothing untoward had occurred.

"Shhh. It's alright, my dear," I murmured soothingly, gently patting her back as we held her close, trying to provide comfort in her time of distress.

"What happened?" my husband asked, his tone calm and reassuring, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at our daughter.

"It's my fault," she sobbed, her shoulders trembling with the weight of her guilt.

"It's because... I hesitated to kill her. She killed everyone because I hesitated to kill her first." As she spoke, her words hung heavily in the air, the weight of her confession filling the room with an oppressive silence.

***

"After you had that nightmare—"

"Wait. Did I say that I had a nightmare?"

"Ahmm. Well, it has to be a nightmare since we're still alive and kicking," she joked with a smile.

They assumed it was just a nightmare, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to it. Ever since I found myself in this world, my mind had opened up to endless possibilities, especially considering the existence of mana, magic, and all sorts of other things.

I gazed at her, silently urging her to continue.

"Well, after that, we did notice some changes in your behavior. You never left our side. It was either you were with your father, me, or Emma."

"So I developed separation anxiety," I said, realizing the impact that incident had on me.

"You weren't yourself after that nightmare," she added, confirming my suspicions.

"Ohh... You also took an interest in magic towers and the palace for the goddess," she added, recalling my newfound curiosity.

"Then, after a while, you started to travel on your own again. But then, that kidnapping happened. Although I feel bad that you don't remember your past, I can say that it kind of feels like it's a good thing, because I can see that you're happier these days," she concluded, expressing her relief at seeing me find happiness despite the challenges I faced.

I fell silent, trying to absorb all of the things she had just revealed to me.

My intuition told me that the incident she described was somehow connected to why I found myself in this world.

I could choose to ignore it, but I knew deep down that this information could be crucial to understanding how Roselle's story would unfold.

Like any other novel, Roselle's world would likely have trials and challenges for her to overcome. And as that kid/creator said, I remembered the instructions: defeat the villain and marry the male lead.

Was Sebastian the villain? It seemed possible, but as long as he didn't align himself with his father's schemes, he might not pose a significant threat.

I wasn't certain of everything yet. I didn't know who the true villain was that I needed to defeat, and I hadn't even met the male lead face-to-face.

What I was sure of, however, was that the story would only progress if I journeyed to the capital. After all, there was no prince to be found in the south.