TLNTAAM Chapter 7

A Cupid I Never Signed Up For

"That's right. That's right. His Majesty really does have a wonderful voice."

"I want to hear it too."

The dining hall had gone quiet, and I was vaguely aware of it, but the two angels paid it no mind whatsoever. That's when it happened. Someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Wha—whoa!"

I looked up to find a man I didn't recognize. He had red hair falling loose around his face, and he was adjusting his monocle while looking at me with an expression of open disapproval.

Jousie knew him.

"Dio!"

Where have I heard that name? I turned it over for a moment, and then I saw the monocle and it clicked. The doctor from yesterday morning.

"I told you to come by the medical office this morning. Why didn't you come?"

First I'd heard of it. No one had told me anything of the sort.

"Ah. I forgot to mention it yesterday."

Excuse me? Is he doing a bit right now?

"Come by the medical office starting tomorrow, then. If you don't know the way, I'll have someone show you."

He said it, turned around, and walked away without a second thought. I didn't even have time to open my mouth.

"You know Dio too?"

Lara's eyes lit up suddenly. I answered without any particular guile.

"Yes. He examined me yesterday to see whether I had poison-tasting ability."

"Dio's wonderful, isn't he. You really are meeting all the handsome men in this castle."

I smiled awkwardly and tore off a piece of bread. Starting tomorrow, he said. What is he even planning to do with me.

'I have a feeling he's going to make me eat that fruit again.'

If it was the same one as last time, would I get those hives again? The hives themselves had faded quickly enough, but the itching had gone on for quite a while. I'd been told scratching would leave scars, so I'd suffered through it in silence—

'I can't exactly refuse to go, can I.'

It would be very nice if I could insist on being Nina Cage, exclusive poison-taster to Saint Seraphie, and leave it at that. But I had no idea how the chain of command worked here, or how duties were divided.

'I wish I had a supervisor.'

Someone senior I could ask questions. While I was at it—were there other poison-tasters in this castle?

'The king must have his food tasted too.'

At minimum, I couldn't be the only one.

I was still turning this over when Lara, sitting across from me, spoke.

"Nina, can you tell us more stories like this?"

I nodded readily. The angels dissolved into laughter.

'They love gossip. Well, so do I.'

Nothing makes time pass like a good story. I could filter out anything genuinely dangerous. But I needed to keep my wits about me. There were people in this castle who thought I was a spy.

'Prove your loyalty! Sing the praises of the crown! His Majesty is the best! He's so handsome!'

If that's what it took to preserve this one life of mine, there was nothing I couldn't do. I let out a small sigh and swallowed the last of the mashed potatoes.

"Lara, can I ask you something? If I wanted to buy fabric inside the castle, how would I go about that?"

"Did your clothes wear out?"

"No, I just got my maid's uniform yesterday. It seems like someone else wore it before, but it's perfectly wearable. I need fabric scraps to make something. Rough cloth would be fine—I just don't know where you're supposed to buy personal things."

Jousie answered.

"On your day off you get your weekly wages, and you can go outside the castle to buy things. What are you making?"

"A doll. Even scrap pieces would be fine."

Lara looked up at this and said, very easily, "I could give you some, if you like."

Good heavens. She really was an angel.

"R-really?"

"There are so many fabric scraps in the sewing room. It's all going to be thrown out anyway—I can just bring a few over. I'll give you some usable ones."

"Thank you so much!"

"But do you have a needle?"

Jousie asked, tearing her bread. I nodded. One of the treasures in Nina's bundle had been a needle.

"Then you'll want to get a permit from the head maid first. Sharp objects like needles and scissors require authorization."

I startled. This was something I hadn't known.

"Who do I get it from?"

"You can get it at evening roll call."

I thought of the maid who had carefully gone through my luggage the night before. Whether she'd checked the needle in the pincushion or not, I couldn't quite remember.

'Better to be safe. I'll get the permit tonight.'

I was under suspicion of being a spy. Every stone had to be turned over, without exception.

While I was eating my torn bread, Lara said, "Where are you staying? I'll bring the fabric by later."

I could see wings on Lara now. Delivery service included. A true angel of a person.

"I'm in the room at the south end—do you know it?"

"Oh, the single room? You're staying there?"

"It used to be shared by five or six people, but it changed this morning. They told me to use it."

"I'm jealous. The Michelle next to me snores terribly."

I smiled and chewed my fruit carefully. It was comfortable having the room to myself, but it was also suspicious.

'It's surveillance. It has to be.'

For all I knew, everything—what I was wearing, what I was eating, even this small talk—was being reported somewhere.

'I'm going to develop a persecution complex.'

I'd survived the merger of two personalities without dissociative disorder, and now I was going to come down with paranoia instead.

'Can't be helped. Oh well.'

The suspicion would fade eventually. Right now it was thin ice, so I just had to hold on a little longer.

'Time will sort it out.'

But when would all of this actually end?

'When the king and Seraphie build their Great Wall?'

They didn't seem particularly close just yet. Seraphie was crying because she wanted to go home, and the king was holding his ground with a just you try it energy.

'When do the supporting characters show up?'

Bound Bird was a story that ended with the king and Seraphie confirming their love. But the early content was running significantly differently from what I remembered. For one thing, I had no plans to die. If Nina's death didn't happen, how would the story proceed?

'What happens if the scene never comes?'

The king discovers Seraphie's escape attempt and transforms into a creature of pure possessiveness. Then, having made up his mind, he claims her.

'But without Nina, she can't escape in the first place.'

Seraphie never leaves the inner castle at all.

'Don't tell me I'm supposed to be doing something about this.'

Facilitating the two of them?

I breathed out heavily. I couldn't sacrifice this precious single life of mine—so was I supposed to be fanning the flames and blowing on the embers for them?

'What kind of cupid did I sign up for? I never signed up for any cupid.'

And even if those two did get together, did that make Nina's life peaceful?

'I need to think about this more.'

If my employer got promoted from Saint to Queen, would there be any benefit trickling down to the poison-taster? Or would Seraphie become queen and the poison-taster get left out in the cold?

'What if I just end up out of a job?'

Going back to the orphanage wasn't an option. The thought of becoming a plaything for some pot-bellied man was something I refused to even consider. I shook my head and resolved firmly not to bring those two together under any circumstances. They were going to burn for each other eventually. The day they couldn't live without each other would come regardless.

'I need to secure my position before that happens!'

I had to learn things. As many things as possible. I gripped my hands into fists and stood up from the table. There was a great deal I needed to know.

"I'll be heading off! Thank you so much for the fabric, Lara!"

I bowed and was gathering my empty dishes when the girl with freckles from yesterday approached me.

'She's angry.'

Her lips were twisted, spite practically dripping off them. I sighed quietly.

"Is there something you need?"

Freckles looked around the dining hall once.

Right. Too many people, isn't there. She couldn't hit me like yesterday. Unsatisfied with this, she stuck her lip out and said in a shrill voice, "Mary wants you."

I didn't know anyone by that name.

"And who would that be?"

It was a perfectly sincere question, but Freckles took offense and kicked me in the shin.

Thwack—!

The sound rang out quite clearly across the dining hall. I felt several of the maids eating nearby look up at the two of us.

"Are you stupid?! Just follow me!"

Among those watching were the two angels I'd just made friends with. I gave them a look that said I'm fine and walked on, limping slightly.

The concern in their eyes felt unexpectedly good.

'Freckles, I would like to curse you out so thoroughly right now.'

And yet, even in this condition, I didn't forget to clear my finished dishes. Meanwhile, Freckles was humming to herself, apparently proud of having landed that kick.

'What on earth is she so pleased about.'

Nina was a small girl of fourteen. A child with barely a whisper of divine power, with platinum hair and pretty red eyes—an orphan with nowhere to go besides, and small even for her age from not having eaten enough.

'Is this the kind of child you want to bully?'

My instincts wanted to put a knee directly into her solar plexus, but now wasn't the time.

'Hold it. Thou shalt hold it.'

I let my head drop as though I were embarrassed. Since I'd been hit anyway, I might as well get the full use out of it.

'Look as pitiful as possible.'

I leaned into the limp.

'That's how you get people on your side.'

Respected and beloved maids of Castellium Castle, please take pity on little Nina.

'If they see her as helpless, her odds of survival go up.'

There were good people and bad people everywhere. From my few days here, this place was livable enough. Which meant—

'Maybe the only problem is Freckles?'

Nina wasn't being bullied by anyone else. Seraphie was too kind for that, and the king who would eventually kill Nina—

'That one I'll set aside for now.'

With His Majesty, it wasn't a question of making a good impression. It was a question of begging for my life.

Outside the dining hall, there was no one around. I walked normally, as though nothing had happened. Whether Freckles noticed or not, she just kept walking ahead.

We walked for a while. We turned into a small room on the path from the inner castle toward Seraphie's chambers. Freckles straightened her clothes and said, "Aunt Mary, I'm here."

The door opened. A woman with silver-streaked hair was sitting at a table with a book. I bowed my head quickly.

The maid closed her book and said, "I told you not to call me 'aunt' inside the castle."

Freckles stuck her lip out. I had a fairly good idea of what was going on. Freckles had gotten into the castle because of this woman.

'Nepotism. Ugh.'

I'd had enough experience with people who rode on connections back when I was Lee Hwayun—it was genuinely awful. But connections mattered everywhere you went. There was no getting around it.

"Are you Nina?"

"Yes. My name is Nina Cage."

"From now on, if there's anything you don't know, ask me. She didn't tell you anything, did she?"

I smiled awkwardly and nodded. So Nina was originally supposed to ask Freckles all her questions. Good to know.

"My niece Charlotte handles the small errands for the mistress. I oversee the mistress's general household affairs."

So this woman was Seraphie's dedicated maid. I exhaled with genuine relief. I'd been wanting to ask someone—anyone—about the specifics of a poison-taster's duties, but hadn't known how to go about it. This was very, very fortunate.

"For now, come to the inner castle for each meal—morning, midday, and evening. You'll need to taste whatever the mistress eats and drinks."

"How early should I arrive?"

"When the bell rings once, come running to the inner castle. You'll want to be there before it rings twice."

I nodded. This was the kind of information that actually kept you alive.

"After the mistress takes her breakfast, she goes straight to prayer. That time is yours—you can wait here."

Three prayers a day. A saint is a saint. And free time—was this position actually a plum posting?

"But since Dio has been looking for you for his research, you'll likely be spending the mornings at the medical office."

I thought of the man who'd tapped my shoulder in the dining hall. I'd had a bad feeling about that, and sure enough. More useless obligations.

"And His Majesty wishes to see you."

What. I startled so hard my shoulders jerked.