Hortus Arcanus planēta

ACT 2

whispering

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A few days passed since the day I began working in this mansion.

I worked every single day without rest.

From the moment it was decided that I would work here as a servant, the two daughters looked at me with utter disgust—

as if they were staring at something filthy.

They wore those expressions every single day.

And almost every day, they would whisper pleadingly into their stepmother’s ear.

It was during my time working here that I learned her name—

the stepmother was called Surie.

I also came to know the names of her two daughters.

The older one, whom I had been calling Daughter One, was named Lope.

The younger, whom I had called Daughter Two, was Nepe.

Lope: “Mother! What is the matter?! Are you feeling unwell?!”

Surie: “No. I am not unwell.”

Lope: “Then why would you allow such a thing—

to take in a rat that resembles Cinderella as a servant?!”

Nepe: “Exactly, Mother !

If you let two filthy sewer rats like them live in this house,

this entire mansion will rot away!”

Surie: “Listen carefully, both of you.

This was my decision.

Are you questioning what I have decided?”

Lope & Nepe: “Well… that is…”

Surie: “Besides, Cinderella is slow at her work.

Day after day, she believes she has done her duties,

yet the mansion never becomes clean at all.

And if she makes even the slightest mistake…

we can simply sell her.

When that time comes, we will earn a great deal of money.”

Hearing them whisper these words,

I felt a chill of fear run through me.

I carved it deeply into my heart—

I must never make a mistake.