Chapter 1 – Budding Flower of Evil
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〈 Chapter 1 - Budding Flower of Evil 〉


 

Flip. Flop. Groggily a girl tossed and turned among the red sheets of her massive canopy bed. Crimson curtains heavily decorated with silver embroidery draped around her luxuriously. An intricately carved and engraved headboard made of an aged, darkened wood rested against the stone and wood panelled walls, and a unique fragrance tickled her delicate nose. An unusual floral perfume scent teased her awake from her long slumber and her eyelashes fluttered open gently in her still half-dazed state.

One blink. Two blinks. Three. Crick, crack. The gears of the girl's mind slammed to a sudden stop while she opened her eyes as wide as they could go. Left and right the girl's head whipped around and scanned the room.

"Ah. Haha. Where am I!!!"

 


 

As I bolted into an upright sitting position I felt my hand press into the soft bed that I was only just recently sleeping in. With absolute confusion I looked around the room that could only be described as exceedingly expensive and ostentatious. Whether it was the enormous, woven, artistic rug or the premium condition, embossed antique furniture everything from left to right the ceiling to the floor screamed "deep pockets".

"An unfamiliar ceiling. Haha, ha ... ?"

"Test. Test."

I raised a hand to my throat after realizing that something was wrong with my voice. Then I noticed after touching my neck and chin that something was wrong with my face as my hand went higher. Something appeared to be wrong with my hand as well ... and my hair ... and my EVERYTHING!

Long, black locks of wavy hair fell into my field of view as I stared at my shaking hand and arm. Porcelain white skin and a slender arm that I didn't remember greeted me back.

Throwing the covers off of me in a panic I stared down at the rest of my body. Many red flags started popping up in my head as I looked downward to see a rather lithe body. I don't remember being anorexic and I don't remember wearing a black silk nightgown. Two things that I didn't remember ... and the third thing I don't remember is having breasts. I'm sure I'm not mistaken.

Attempting to get out of the bed in an even greater panic resulted in me greeting the floor with a good morning kiss. The fall stung and my hands and knees met with a rather hard floor despite the carpet which was primarily decorative.

Uncoordinated and shaky was the best way to describe my current state. I tried to stand up only to lose my balance and once again fall down. Is it the incongruence caused by this body? Perhaps it was difference in limb lengths that was causing me to misjudge my movements. A different body shape, a shift in my center of mass, different musculature causing me to gauge my leg strength poorly and throwing off my core muscles necessary for balance, everything seemed to be misaligned and skewed, my fine and gross motor skills were altogether uncalibrated. Trying two more times only to fall on my ass pitifully I crawled to the side of the bed and used it as a support to stand up. Gripping the bed like a drowning person would grab a piece of driftwood in the ocean I gazed around the room wobbling like a newborn fawn.

Bent at ninety degrees smothering my upper half into the top of the bed and clutching the bed sheets like my life depended on it I once again took a look around the room. Yes, yes it's all coated in a hefty veneer of luxury, but over there! On that needlessly ornate dresser in the corner there appeared to be a mirror.

I gave up the temporary security of the bed and let myself slide down to the floor. In the most unsightly way possible I moved towards my new goal. Crawling like this reminds me of a baby or even worse an elderly person who fell down.

Ignoring the many rampant negative feelings going through me right now I commando crawled my way to victory. Lifting myself up with the side of the dresser and stool that was placed in front of it I managed to get into a seated position.

The mirror that I was about to look in seemed like an antique with fine engraving around its polished, oval surface. With a slight yellow tint I could only guess that it was a polished brass or bronze mirror. But enough of admiring the craftsmanship of this unique piece! I had more important things to do.

 


 

With great trepidation ... oh god, mirror, mirror on the wall. Trouble. Danger.

Long black hair, fierce red eyes, fair skin, and a rather incredible figure. Finally, "This resting bitch face ..." I contemplated momentarily, "It's totally my preference! But it's totally my face! Totally bad news!" Uwaaaaa!

*Creak*

I turn my head towards the sound and notice a large door opening. Entering into the room with a spring in her step was a young girl wearing maid clothes. No, it was clearly a real maid. She seemed to immediately look at the bed in confusion and upon pondering this juncture nearly immediately began casting her rather frenzied gaze around the room as fast as she could.

I'll forgive her for not immediately noticing me sitting on the dresser stool. It's an extremely inordinate room after all. But should I forgive her stupid looking face that is currently plastered with shock. We began a short-lived staring match.

So ... what does this girl want me to do? Should I wink at her and make this situation even more awkward?

"Milady Garnet!" She shrieked.

Hey! That fucking startled me! I'm easily startled right now! Show some restraint, dammit!

The young maid rushed over to my side.

With great concern she asked, "Are you alright milady?"

Forgetting how to speak momentarily I could only give a generic answer as I observed the Brunette girl's earnest question.

"I'm fine."

The girl looked visibly relieved.

"I will immediately inform the Duke and Madam!"

She turned on her heels and immediately began to dash away.

"Wait! Stop!"

Freezing like a statue she immediately turned around and returned.

"Y-yes, milady?"

Avoiding eye contact she asked me in an unusually nervous way.

"Please, help me sit down on the couch."

That simple sentence caused her to whip her head up confusedly.

"Eh?"

"I'm having issues with coordination currently. Please, assist me and support me while I walk to the couch."

She still seemed to be confused, but I couldn't figure out what it was that I said that caused this. The girl immediately appeared at my side as if she had teleported, but awkwardly fumbled about unsure of how to proceed. Holding out my hand to her she gingerly took my hand. From that point on nothing happened.

"No, I really need you to support me while I walk. Just holding hands won't work."

"Uh, right Milady."

Her face somehow looked incredibly concerned and distressed. Bringing her body closer I was somehow able to wrap my arm around her and pull myself up. I began walking towards the seating with her support, but my goodness was she ever unsteady while supporting my weight. We awkwardly swayed and before I knew it somehow our feet got tangled up and I fell down.

"Milady!"

She shrieked yet again in pure terror. With a frozen body she sent a fearful gaze towards me while I laid nonchalantly on the ground.

"I'm fine! You there, lower your voice and go get somebody. Oh, and don't speak a word of this."

She bolted out of the room without a word and I immediately began to crawl my way to the couch the moment she was out of sight.

 


 

A large crowd of strangers were arranged before me with the majority of them seeming to be rather anxious, but the one with the truly distraught heart was me. Beneath my stone-faced expression, in this awkwardly silent room filled with people, I was feeling completely cornered. Unable to run away due to physical disability, confused, and terrible at dealing with crowds of strangers compounded the problem. I don't know if it was a blessing or a curse, but I am sure that everyone in this room of silent hell was avoiding eye contact with me. I'm actually fairly sure that they were doing their utmost to look directly forward without moving their head one inch or letting their eyes roam. Considering how easily people are distracted and lose focus I could only respect their earnest diligence in their current performance.

"Achuuu."

A rather cute stifled sneeze rang out in the room causing everyone to flinch for a brief, but noticeable microsecond. Looking to my left I notice that it's the Brunette once again who has fumbled. She kept her eyes forward, but her pitiful, sniffling face filled with uncertainty ... I liked it.

Reality forced me to disregard my sadistic tendencies and focus once again on the situation before me. Strong steps sounded through the hallway just beyond the room entrance and more trailing steps behind it.

A rather powerful looking man entered the room. Black hair, red eyes, and a stoic expression chiselled from corundum. His build was large and his clothing seemed to be some finely embroidered black uniform with a military feel to it. Without a single ounce of hesitation he walked before all those present in the room and myself. His stern expression bore into me as I apprehensively met his gaze.

"How is your condition?"

Well, I had expected someone would ask me sooner or later. Foreseeing this I had likewise prepared an appropriate response. It was the only reason that I could even muster the courage to reply smoothly to this man, the Duke.

"Dizzy and fatigued. Disoriented and having a strong headache, but otherwise cognitively and physically capable."

While only taking a moment to consider my answer he prepared his next words and had already turned his back to leave.

"Have a doctor properly examine my daughter."

He left his words to no one in particular and didn't bother to give anyone a glance, but I doubted that anyone present wouldn't make his orders a priority.

While he turned his back I shared a moment observing the finely dressed woman behind him. This sensational milf with sharp features ... it couldn't be, but are you the Madam? In the end she hardly spared me a look and in the singular moment she did direct her gaze my way at best it could be described as disinterested. Once she had also begun to follow after her supposed husband the rest of the mob surrounding me from before and after followed suit.

As the crowd left the room I noticed only one boy who gave a look back at me. The only one out of the bunch to not avoid eye contact entirely or disregard me even at this late point in time. Our eyes met and an instant later he vanished through the door.

It appears that three young maids had bothered to stay behind. Rather, was this actually their job as I could see the sneezing brunette among them?

Silence once again returned to the room and none dared eye contact or sound. I could only assume that they were still breathing. Perhaps they were pretending to be ostriches with their heads down? After determining that only I was qualified to break this silence I spoke up.

Pointing to two of the girls and finally the brunette I made my request, "You and you, please leave the room for a short while. You stay."

Confusedly the two girls left while the last girl showed her characteristic faced filled with distress.

"I need assistance walking to the bed. Support me."

She once again awkwardly came to my side to aide me.

I should have known, but I don't want to show this unsightly and feeble me to others again. At the very least I thought that this shrieking, easy brunette would stay quiet with a bit of coercion. One step, two steps, three ... and before I knew it I was once again laying on the floor nonchalantly staring up at a panicked face.

"Milady Garnet!!!"

 


 

〈 Author's Note 〉

Hello, this is my first time publishing a story. I'm the kind of person who hates showing their artwork, poems, and writing to others so it's unusual for me to write this story here, but it's all for fun and I hope that others can enjoy it too.

I had written before, but those were more like crappy fanfictions that weren't really something I could call my own. However, this time is different. I asked myself, "How can I write a meaningful story that is fun for me and my audience? It must have adventure and romance. Interesting elements like magic, monsters, and danger needed to be included. Arguably the most difficult part is that the story needed to have dynamic characters that were interesting." It struck me that I needed to put my fish back in the water. I had been trying to write the wrong genre, but now the tables have turned. Thus I present to you an otome game story wholly my own that I can even call original. I am channelling my element here and the years of otome game fandom shall serve me well! Ohoho.

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