I woke up to the sound of birds chirping from somewhere. I turned to look in the direction where the sound came from and found my face being touched by the sun's rays.
I slowly opened my eyes and found a double glass door together with a balcony on the other side of it.
I guess it was not a dream. There's no way, the organization had an ambiance such as this.
I looked at my hands and clenched them. This is actually happening, I suddenly became a baby.
I tried to get up to get a good look outside, but my body is not responding.
I squirmed inside the crib trying to get on all fours.
Oddly enough, my mind was at peace compared to my past life. It seemed like I'm more in control of my thoughts and actions now. Maybe it's because I'm no longer influenced by the drug that was administered to me ever since I was a child.
I also no longer have the urge to count everything I see or hear. And I can already feel pain.
Was I given another chance at life?
I heard someone chuckle.
"You'll fall off your crib, princess. Here, let me help you."
The maid from last night picked me up and cradled me inside her arms.
Her black-colored hair was tied in a tight bun, and she was wearing a black and white maid uniform. Her brown eyes are filled with kindness as she smiled lovingly at me.
Then, someone knocked on the door.
"Cecil, the baby's breakfast is here."
"Bring it in."
The double doors swung open as another maid went inside pushing a trolley filled with delicious food that a baby can eat.
Other maids followed inside and set up the table with a wooden high chair, where babies can eat comfortably, beside the table.
After they finished setting everything up, they bowed down grudgingly then left the room.
"Her hair is not even..."
I heard a maid whisper to another maid as they went outside the room.
"Okay, let me help you settle down."
The maid - Cecil, gently helped me get seated on the wooden high chair. She put a bib around my neck to avoid food from spilling on my clothes.
"After this let's wash you up, then we'll take a look around the palace."
She gently caressed my cheek again with her finger but I stopped her by holding her finger with my left hand.
"Aaaaawe, you're so cute. Are you scared? Do you want me to carry you?"
No, not really. Just don't caress my cheek, it's quite ticklish.
"Na-" I tried to say "not really" but I guess I'm still stuck with one syllable. I wondered how old I am.
"Na? What are you trying to say, princess? Maybe you're already a year older. I heard you mumbling something in your sleep."
Was I talking in my sleep?
"You even cried while sleeping. Maybe you're still in shock after what happened." She looked at me sadly as she continued to feed me.
After eating breakfast and washing up, one of the rude maids from last night went inside to help me get dressed.
They made me wear a cute little pink long-sleeved dress, pink socks, and white shoes, along with a white cloth headband.
I wondered how they prepared everything in a short time. I arrived last night but the closet room is already filled with baby clothes.
I looked at myself in the mirror as Cecil carried me. I can see the reflection of the other maid, as she looked at me with disgust.
I turned to look at her and met her eye to eye and because of this, she seemed uncomfortable.
"I-i should tend to other things." She bowed rigidly at me then left the room.
I turned to look at myself again. I have fair tanned skin, with straight hair that is dark as the night. I can't clearly see what my eye color is, but I know it's dark.
I looked around the room, this time I can clearly see that it was really an extravagant room. The walls are a mixture of the colors white, pastel pink, and gold. The curtains are also having the same color palette as the walls, the light orbs that I saw last night were nowhere to be found.
I looked up and observe the ceiling, it displayed a beautiful golden pattern. I focused on it more and realized the pattern formed an outline of a dragon.
I recalled Cecil's lullaby last night, it was also about a dragon.
What's with dragons?
Cecil started to baby-talk me as she pointed towards my reflection.
“So who is the prettiest princess in the whole world? That’s right, it’s Princess Flizeria de Sanguis Draconia. That’s you, my princess!”
That’s my name? I never had a name before, they just call me number Zero. Having a name is giving me an indescribable feeling, a feeling that I have never felt before. It felt like I am now truly a human being.
We stayed there for a while as she continued to babytalk me and even introduced me to my own reflection on the mirror.
"Okay! Let's go walk outside." With that, we left the room.
The hallways are as extravagant as the room. Even the ceilings also depict a figure of a dragon.
We passed by many rooms and I wondered if other people were occupying them.
As Cecil guided me through the palace, a guy was following behind us. Not too close, that he can hear what Cecil is telling me, but also not too far that he can't see us.
I looked at him. He's wearing a knight's uniform. With a red dragon etched at the left side of the armor, and a black cape was attached to the armor.
He has a handsome feature, but the man who protected me and the man wearing an imperial uniform were more handsome than him.
This guy is tanned skin, with black silky hair. His eyes were small but pretty, with thick black eyebrows.
I reached out my hands in his direction, so he came forward. Cecil turned to look back at where I was looking.
"Oh, Ser Wayne. It seemed that the princess wants you to hold her."
I reached out my hand towards Ser Wayne, he looked at me hesitantly but did not refuse. I want to him up close, to see if he’s really trustworthy.
"I really don't know how to hold a baby." He told Cecil with a shy look on his face.
"You're holding the princess pretty well."
"Well, that's because she's not moving. She's pretty well-behaved for a baby."
With that, he smiled at me.
We continued our little tour with Ser Wayne and Cecil walking side by side. They even talked about various things but I did not mind.
Then, we arrived at the garden. Of course, the garden was also grand, there’s a white garden oasis in the middle, I guess that is where these people would talk and have tea. There were various types of flowers too. It’s actually very pretty and soothing. At the edge of the garden, there’s a forest. I wonder where that leads to. Maybe there’s a way out of here through that forest.
I should start taking note of who is trustworthy. I still don’t know what’s going on but the whispers of the maids, made me think that I am an existence that is not welcome.
I looked at Cecil as she continued talking happily with Ser Wayne. So far, she’s the only person who treated me kindly, but of course, I should not hastily decide to trust her. I’m still on my first day here.
I looked up at Ser Wayne. I also can’t trust this knight, he can possibly kill me in my sleep. I refuse to die again when I’m given a new chance at life.
What should I do? During our walk, I can feel intensed gazes at me. They did not even bother to hide their hostility towards me.
Why do they hate me so much? I’m just a baby and I only arrived yesterday night.
"So is this my late younger brother's daughter?"
A noble lady, wearing a fancy blue dress approached us. Her hair was also colored red and was as fancy as her dress. There were jewels embedded in her hairstyle.
Behind her were a maid, a knight, and a beautiful lady in white. She seemed different compared to the other people here.
She wore a white robe dress, her hair was long and undone, and was also colored white. She looks very calm but her eyes are sharp.
Cecil and Ser Wayne bowed down.
“We greet the Duchess of the North.”
Both of them remained in their position, never raising their heads. Ser Wayne was still holding me as the Duchess looked at me fiercely.
I stared back at her, not flinching. She then clicked her tongue.
“So, a commoner is here, at the imperial grounds, and is being treated like royalty. She does not deserve to live inside Caelum palace.” She laughed mockingly at me as she covered her face with a fan.
“This is so embarrassing, so sick. The nobles are now mocking the imperial family, even as we speak. Give her to me!”
“D-duchess?” Ser Wayne looked up at her as he wrapped his arms firmly around me.
“Give her to me. Do I need to repeat everything for you?” She grabbed me harshly.
“You’ll hurt her!” Cecil reached out to me but was stopped by a sword pointed at her neck.
“Take one step and your head will hit the ground.” The Duchess’ knight suddenly came forward and was now warning Cecil.
I looked at Cecil as if telling her to calm down. She looked at me, surprised but did not say anything further as she backed down.
The duchess held my chin firmly, squishing it.
“This filthy thing, how dare you set foot in “
“Excuse me Duchess, the Emperor is now available to meet you.” A butler suddenly called the Duchess.
The Duchess let go of my chin and handed me to Cecil harshly.
“That baby is not going to live long.” She told Cecil as she walked together with the butler.
“Are you okay Cecil?” Ser Wayne asked her and Cecil only nodded.
“I’m sorry I could not do anything. I was-“
“It’s okay, you don’t need to be sorry. I know you were only recently knighted, and could not go against your senior. Anyway, the princess’ chin is bleeding. We should treat her at once.”
They both looked at me one more time then we walked back towards my room. The atmosphere became sullen all of a sudden, the exact opposite of the atmosphere earlier as we decided to head out.