Mensis
I never thought I would be able to overcome everything all at once...
Revenge hasn't even begun yet, and planning alone isn't enough to push myself to the limit.
I need action—something real. A true beginning.
I had taken a day off since yesterday. I didn't leave my room; I just wanted some solitude to rearrange my thoughts and sketch out the outline of my future plans.
I sat on the chair near the window, gazing at the gray sky that seemed to share the heaviness of my heart.
– "An... can you bring me my notebook?"
– "Of course, my lady. Would you like some sweets as well? Perhaps they'll help ease your tension."
– "Thank you, An"
An quietly left the room, leaving behind a warm silence.
And among all the things I realized after returning in time...
I realized how weak I had been. Poor. Worthless in their eyes.
I had no place in this cruel society—making me an easy target for exploitation.
They had cornered me, and I had no right to resist.
In this world, those without power... can do nothing.
They have no right to say no, no strength to fight back.
Everything that happened... was simply because I was weak.
An returned, holding a neat tray with a steaming cup of herbal tea and a small plate of sweets.
She set everything down gently in front of me, offered a soft smile, then left again.
I looked at the rising steam from the tea...
It felt like smoke from the fire in my chest—dense, warm, and ready to ignite at any moment.
That anger... if left unchecked, could spark an inferno that no one could put out.
I need to amass a fortune.
A fortune that could change the fate of House Carl.
Power... only power will grant me the means to get revenge.
There was a soft knock at the door, and An stepped in quietly.
She was holding an elegant envelope with a golden ribbon, her expression slightly hesitant, as if delaying its delivery had weighed on her.
In a hushed, gentle tone, she said:
– "My lady, a letter arrived yesterday from Miss Elizabeth… but you were exhausted, and I didn't dare disturb you. I apologize for the delay."
I lifted my eyes toward her, narrowing them slightly as if I had just seen a ghost from the past.
I whispered to myself, lips barely moving:
– "It's happening just like before... exactly the same."
Anne raised her eyebrows in confusion:
– "What do you mean, my lady?"
I smiled coldly and answered quietly:
– "It's nothing, Anne. Thank you. You may go now."
She gave a small bow and left, gently closing the door behind her.
I held the envelope in my hands, untied the golden ribbon, and carefully pulled out the thick sheet inside.
"An official invitation to the grand opening of Miss Elizabeth's Fine Arts Salon."
I let out a soft, bitter laugh.
I whispered again, rereading the invitation:
– "Hah… really? Is it repeating in the exact same way?"
I raised the paper high, my heart pounding heavily.
Time had gone back, yes… but it hadn't changed the rules of the game.
It had merely given me the chance to play it again—on my terms this time.
I stared at the invitation in my hands, my fingers brushing the paper as if trying to verify that this moment was real.
Something inside me whispered this wasn't just a repetition…
But a test.
"Can a single wing's flutter in this time...
be enough to spark a storm in the future?"
I lifted my gaze toward the window, where the trees swayed gently in the breeze, and I smiled with faint sarcasm.
— "The butterfly effect, huh?"
The idea that a single decision, a small step… even a glance or a word, could change the course of an entire life — it was no longer just a myth.
I am here now, in the past…
Every choice I hold is a butterfly's wing, and each move might create a new world — or destroy one.
Maybe, if I had ignored the invitation back then… none of this would've happened.
And maybe, if I choose to go this time, I'll flip the rules of the entire game.
I sighed slowly, my eyes returning to the ornate lettering on the paper:
"Miss Elizabeth's Salon of Fine Arts."
— "Elizabeth…" I whispered. "The beginning won't be the same this time, and neither will you."
My wings have fluttered now, and this storm won't stop until it devours everyone who ever turned their back on me.
But…
As I drowned myself in deep thought,
My heart suddenly jolted.
"Damn!" I gasped softly.
How could I forget?
Today… is my shift!
How could I forget my workday after all that planning?!
I jumped up as if flames had caught my feet.
I tossed the invitation onto the table and rushed to the wardrobe, pulling drawers open in a frenzy, looking for the right uniform.
I shouted at the top of my lungs:
— "An! An, I need you now!"
Poor An ran into the room, her face full of panic.
— "Yes, my lady! What happened?!"
I said quickly, yanking off my silk blouse:
— "Listen, I'm going out through the window, there's no time for main hall protocols! I need you to cover for me — no one must notice."
An hesitated, then asked:
— "Where…?"
I cut her off, impatiently:
— "To work. Don't ask questions now! Just lay Hana in my bed, prop her up on the pillows and pull up the blanket. If anyone comes in, say I'm feeling unwell and sleeping."
An blinked in shock.
— "Hana?"
— "Yes. Let her lie there for just an hour. I'll be back before anyone realizes."
I dashed to the window, now dressed in the maid uniform, tightening the belt around my waist.
I opened the window quietly, then turned to An who finally understood the plan and nodded confidently.
— "Good luck, my lady…" An whispered.
I replied as I put on my plain cap and fastened the buttons of my worn-out coat:
— "The butterfly effect has begun. One flutter is all it takes to ignite everything."
And I leapt lightly from the window, letting the shadows scatter around me…
As I ran through the rain-drenched alleys,
Toward the hidden part of my life…
Where no one knew that the girl sleeping in the royal chamber
Was nothing more than a girl made of past ashes…
Returned to break the game.
Morning light streamed gently through the large windows of the herb shop, spilling softly onto polished wooden shelves lined with rows of gleaming glass bottles and neatly arranged bowls of herbs, like precious treasures.
In the heart of this space — a reflection of Carlos's care and precision — he sat wearing a clean, elegant apron, holding a small woven basket filled with freshly picked herbs from the garden.
His fingers moved tenderly, selecting petals and leaves with great focus, lost in thought about how each element might blend in harmony to achieve the perfect effect.
"Lavender…" he murmured quietly, brushing violet flowers between his fingers, "soothing to the soul, calms the weary mind…"
He added soft sage leaves, whispering:
"Anti-inflammatory… enhances focus and memory…"
Then picked up dried ginger, his tone contemplative:
"Stimulates the body… boosts immunity… improves circulation…"
Finally, he sprinkled in a touch of aromatic thyme with a slight smile:
"Fights infections… supports the respiratory system…"
At that moment, he paused, a vivid image filling his mind — the girl with pink hair and blue eyes he saw last night.
She was unlike anyone he'd seen before — not just outwardly.
There was something in her gaze, something deep and mysterious, like a riddle he couldn't solve.
He wondered:
*"Could this mixture be like her?
He wondered to himself:
"Could this blend be like her? Soothing and inspiring at the same time?"
He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the mixed herbs, then closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth of the blend he was about to create—hoping it carried more than just healing for the body, but a key to something deeper… something like hope.
Carlos was lost in thought, staring at the herbs he had collected in the wicker basket, his inner voice still reciting the names of plants and their benefits. His breaths were calm, his eyes resting on the floor at the corner of the shop, where he had placed the mop after cleaning.
Suddenly, the shop door flew open, and Mensis rushed in with hurried steps, her eyes filled with visible anxiety, as if she feared she was late on her very first day.
"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to be late, I was—" she began apologizing as she moved quickly, her steps overly rushed, nearly tripping on the freshly mopped floor Carlos had just cleaned.
Carlos didn't lift his gaze, still watching the mop in its place, as if unaware, though inside, he was preparing to intervene.
But before he could say a word, Mensis slipped—comically and unexpectedly—lurching forward and almost falling. Her arms flailed in the air, trying to grab onto something—anything—as her body swayed left and right, her expression shifting from panic to stunned surprise.
Carlos slowly lifted his head, breaking from his reflection, and smiled faintly, as though that small moment had pulled him from his inner isolation.
"Looks like the mop was in the wrong place today," he said calmly, offering his hand to help her up.
After helping her to her feet, Carlos gently guided her to a neat wooden chair by the window, where warm sunlight painted the room softly. Mensis sat cautiously, still trying to regain her balance, as Carlos held a small bottle made of clear green glass.
"Drink this," he said in a quiet but firm tone, handing her the cup. "Chamomile water… it calms the nerves, eases tension, and clears the mind."
Mensis lifted the cup, gazing into the golden sunlight-colored liquid, then took a slow sip. The warmth of the drink spread through her chest, bringing comfort she didn't know she needed.
Carlos sat across from her, studying her with observant eyes, then asked gently:
"Were you the one who ran off yesterday?"
Mensis felt the ground drop beneath her and stammered before replying:
"Me?! Ran off?! No, no, no… you're mistaken. I… just needed a break. Yes, a break… a really deep one!"
She tried to smile awkwardly, as if convincing herself more than convincing Carlos.
Carlos raised an eyebrow slowly, watching her without a word, then gave a light smile:
"So… are you working here or not?"
Mensis stammered again, waving her hands a bit too dramatically, like she was hiding something under the table, then said with exaggerated enthusiasm:
"Of course, of course! I'm… an herb expert! Yes! I studied everything… well, almost."
Carlos chuckled quietly and said:
"Well then, looks like water and chamomile aren't the only things that calm nerves."
Mensis caught herself quickly, but couldn't hide the blush that colored her cheeks. Her heart beat faster—not just from nerves, but from something else… something she didn't fully understand yet.
Inside the herb shop, an hour after the fall.
The sun had risen higher, its rays reflecting off neatly arranged wooden shelves lined with elegant glass bottles, each labeled with careful handwritten script.
Carlos stood next to Mensis, holding a herb with narrow green leaves and small violet flowers.
"This is called Field Lavender," he said calmly, placing the herb in her hands. "It was used in the Victorian era to calm anxiety and insomnia. People even placed it in sachets inside pillows to offer a soothing scent during sleep."
Mensis looked at the herb… then at his hand… then to the floor.
Her mind wasn't here.
Elizabeth's invitation… why now?
Was she trying to pull her back into that spiral?
Should she ignore it?
Or was fate repeating itself again?
"Mensis?"
She snapped back at the sound of Carlos's voice, his brow slightly raised.
"You're holding the lavender like it's a piece of sad bread."
"Ah! Sorry!" she laughed lightly, setting the herb gently on the table.
Carlos shook his head and walked to another shelf. He pulled out a dark purple bundle with long, spiral-shaped leaves.
"This here is Comfrey—it was used to speed up wound healing. But it must be handled with care. Some believe it purifies the blood, but it can be toxic if used incorrectly."
At that moment, Mensis's eyes widened.
This herb…!
A vivid image flashed in her memory—she was sitting on a marble balcony, wearing a lavish golden gown, a small cup of tea beside her, filled with the same violet flowers…
And the voice of Emperor Elicar behind her, saying softly:
"This tea will keep you alert. No one can deceive you as long as you drink it."
Mensis whispered unconsciously:
"It kept me awake… even among wolves."
Carlos heard her but didn't comment. He just looked at her for a moment, as if he noticed something hidden behind her words.
"Did you say something?"
Mensis hesitated, then shook her head with a feigned smile:
"No, just… a fuzzy memory."
"Your memories are awfully strange for a girl just starting this job," he said with a touch of humor, then added:
"Focus now. I don't want you serving customers a herb that'll make them see ghosts."
Mensis laughed, but her heart was still tangled between the invitation waiting on her table…
And the memory awakened by the scent of comfrey—
As if the past was gently reaching out, whispering:
"We're not done yet
Sunlight shyly slipped through the dusty glass of the window, painting pale golden lines across the shelves of dried herbs.
In the back, Mensis was listening to Carlos explain how to sort dried leaves without damaging them, when the bell above the door rang.
Ding—
She turned instinctively, and for a brief moment, time seemed to freeze.
A woman stepped in with hesitant strides, glancing around as if she had stepped into a foreign land.
She wore a refined ivory coat that draped silently over her slender frame.
Her small hat was adorned with a soft chiffon trim that partially veiled her forehead.
Beneath it, her hair was styled in a complex braid coiled around her head—proof she had spent a long while before a mirror, trying to convince herself she was fine.
But her fingers, fidgeting anxiously at her neck, betrayed it all.
She was trembling.
Elizabeth (in a low, faltering voice):
"This... this is an herbal shop, right? I need something... just something calming. I mean... I don't... I don't feel quite... right."
Carlos approached her with his usual quiet steps, his eyes reading her face with the practiced precision of someone used to seeing through veils.
Carlos (gently):
"Yes, my lady. We carry a number of blends that may help. Would you prefer something entirely natural?"
She didn't answer.
She simply stared at him with distressed eyes, her hands clutching her small purse tightly, pulsing with nervous energy.
Just as Carlos was about to speak again, a soft voice came from behind—calm and clear, yet utterly unexpected:
Mensis (quietly and distinctly):
"...Baroness Elizabeth?"
The air went still.
Elizabeth slowly turned her gaze toward mensis, as if a secret had been pulled into the light.
She seemed to be trying to remember—or perhaps deny—or maybe both.
Mensis was still watching her silently.
Baroness Elizabeth.
A name etched in her memory like an unhealed wound.
Not just a noblewoman… but the hand that had handed her over to that hell, wrapped in silk, sprinkled with perfume… and dipped in poison.
But now, standing before her, she was not the Baroness she remembered.
Not the one who commanded her with a cold smile, while pain gnawed at her body every time she delayed taking the "medicine."
Not the one who silently watched her collapse… then whispered, "Just endure it, we all must obey."
She was a frightened woman.
Her hands trembling, her voice barely audible, asking for something to stop her heart from shaking.
And yet… Mensis could not hate her.
Perhaps because she knew the secret.
She knew that Elikar… was not controlling only her.
Elizabeth was also a victim, chained by the same chain, taking the same bitter-tasting drug, only in a more elegant manner.
But did that mean forgiveness?
Could she forget those nights?
When she screamed, begged, writhed in fever, carrying out his orders while those eyes watched silently?
No. Mensis had not forgiven. But she was also… no longer that child who thought the world was either black or white.
"Baroness Elizabeth…"
This time, she did not speak the name.
She hid her voice as one hides an old wound, not wanting it to reopen now.
It was not the right time.
So, she smiled lightly and handed her a small bottle containing an extract of violet clover — a rare plant used in the old days to soothe the nervous system and ease anxiety disorders, especially those caused by nerve-affecting substances.
Elizabeth took it with trembling hands and thanked Mensis in a quiet voice, without meeting her eyes.
Then… she left.
The doorbell rang again.
Leaving behind a heavy air, and the past pressing on Mensis's chest like never before since her return to this time.
But this time, she was not alone.
She remembered. And she would not let things be as they were.
Before I kill Elikar…
Before I turn back time and change everything,
It was Elizabeth who apologized.
She did not come as an enemy,
She was not merely a symbol of betrayal or weakness,
But came carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, trying… trying to atone for her sin.
But I did not hate her.
Nor could I forgive her.
Can you forgive someone who was part of your prison?
Who left you nothing but unseen wounds… yet they kill?
Elizabeth was trapped by Elikar's orders, and her pain echoed in her silence.
I was no angel, and she was no demon,
But between us… there was a thin rope of pain and regret, torn but not broken.
And that… was reason enough to let her live,
But not for her sake, for mine.
> "If Elizabeth is here… could he also be nearby?
The Tenth Prince… Elikar?".
.