"DO NOT LOSE YOURSELF TO THE WORDS OF OTHERS WHO RASHLY DEFINE YOU."
...YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW.
WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH,
OR WHAT KIND OF MINDSET I'VE HAD TO ENDURE IT ALL.
FOR SOMEONE WHO'S SEEING ME FOR THE FIRST TIME, YOU SURE SPEAK SO EASILY.
BECAUSE NO ONE WAS WILLING TO FACE MY TRUE INNER SELF,
AND IF ALL THEY EVENTUALLY SAW WAS A FALSE SHELL...
I JUST PREFERRED NOT TO SHOW MYSELF TO ANYONE AT ALL.
UNABLE TO SUPPORT MY PRECARIOUS SELF ON MY OWN,
I RELIED ON THE PROVERBS OF THE WISE AND THE HOLY SCRIPTURES,
AND ENDLESSLY EXPLORED THE MESSAGES OF THE STARS AND THE MEANING OF DESTINY.
EVEN IF I COULDN'T FIND THE ANSWERS,
THEY WERE THE ONLY WAY FOR ME NOT TO LOSE MYSELF.
IN THE DISTORTED MIRROR KNOWN AS OTHERS, AMIDST THAT HELLISH STIGMA.
AND YET, THAT PERSON SAID HE WOULDN'T JUDGE ME.
THAT THE PERSON I AM...
...WOULD NOT BE SO EASY TO FIGURE OUT.
IT'S TRULY FASCINATING.
THE FACT THAT HE SAID HE DOESN'T KNOW ME...
HOW CAN IT BRING ME SO MUCH RELIEF?
THE ANTEROOM HALLWAY DOOR IS CLOSED RIGHT NOW.
HAS HE NOT RETURNED YET...?
I SHOULD STEP BACK AND TRY AGAIN...
IF YOU PULL IT LIKE THIS,
THE BELL NEXT TO THE HALLWAY DOOR WILL RING.
RINGING THE BELL ONCE MEANS YOU MAY ENTER.
RINGING IT TWICE MEANS TO STEP BACK.
RINGING IT THREE TIMES MEANS TO COME BACK IN 10 MINUTES.
RINGING IT FOUR TIMES MEANS 20 MINUTES, AND SO ON. EACH ADDITIONAL RING ADDS ANOTHER 10 MINUTES.
LEAVING THE ANTEROOM HALLWAY DOOR OPEN MEANS ANYONE IS WELCOME TO COME IN.
They must be flustered because I came all the way out to the hallway myself...
how embarrassing...
HOWEVER, NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO CARELESSLY OPEN THAT BEDROOM DOOR OTHER THAN HER GRACE AND HIS GRACE THE DUKE.
YOUR GRACE, I APOLOGIZE, BUT...
DID CORIN NOT TEACH YOU HOW TO USE THE CALLING BELL?
AH... NO.
I FORGOT. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME KNOW.
I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT PREPARING SUITABLE CLOTHES FOR YOUR GRACE.
IT IS ENTIRELY MY FAULT.
I WILL DEEPLY REFLECT ON MY FAILURE TO FULFILL MY DUTIES AS A STEWARD,
AND I WILL DEVOTE MYSELF TO ASSISTING YOUR GRACE WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST NEGLIGENCE.
ALL OF YOUR GRACE'S CLOTHES AND SHOES HAVE BEEN SENT IN FOR CUSTOM TAILORING.
I WILL ALSO MAKE SURE TO QUICKLY PROCURE ANY IMMEDIATE READY-MADE NECESSITIES THAT FIT YOUR GRACE'S MEASUREMENTS.
AND...
I HAVE ALSO FINISHED TIDYING UP THE BEDCHAMBER FOR THE TWO OF YOU TONIGHT.
...THE PRINCESS HAS NOT RECOVERED HER STRENGTH YET.
DO NOT RUSH IT.
YES, YOUR GRACE.
...MARIANNE.
HOW IS CECIA'S ATTITUDE?
YOU, TOO, ASSUMED THAT PRINCESS IREMIA WOULD BE THE ONE WE'D BE SERVING,
WHICH IS WHY YOU SELECTED THE LADY OF THE PROUD HOUSE MERYL TO BE HER LADY-IN-WAITING, DID YOU NOT?
I DID NOT CHOOSE HER BASED ON HER FAMILY BACKGROUND.
I JUDGED HER TO BE A RESILIENT CHILD WHO WOULD UPHOLD PRINCIPLES AND MAINTAIN HER MANNERS IN ANY SITUATION,
WHICH IS WHY I DECIDED TO PLACE HER BY THE SIDE OF SOMEONE NOBLE.
PLEASE DO NOT WORRY.
"Ah.. no."
"I forgot. Thank you for letting me know."
HELLO, CORIN.
LADY CECIA! WHAT BRINGS YOU TO MY LABORATORY...?
CORIN. YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE THE FIRST TO ASSIST HER GRACE AS HER PRIMARY PHYSICIAN.
DID YOU PROPERLY INSTRUCT HER ON HOW TO USE THE CALLING BELL?
YOU FORGOT.
AH, WELL... THE TRUTH IS, I HAD FORGOTTEN FOR A MOMENT, AND WHEN I REALIZED IT LATER, I WENT BACK TO HER GRACE'S BEDCHAMBER, BUT...
SHE WASN'T THERE, SO...
ARE YOU BLAMING HER GRACE FOR YOUR MISTAKE RIGHT NOW?
TH-THAT'S NOT IT..
ADMITTING YOUR FAULT COMES BEFORE FINDING EXCUSES.
THANKS TO YOUR NEGLIGENCE, HER GRACE HAD TO RUN ALL THE WAY DOWN THAT LONG HALLWAY HERSELF JUST TO OPEN THE DOOR.
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ALL THE MAIDS AND SERVANTS, OF ALL THINGS.
YOU KNOW, I SIMPLY CAN’T UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WHO CAUSE AN INCIDENT AND THEN GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS SO NONCHALANTLY.
DO THEY NOT THINK FOR A SINGLE SECOND ABOUT THE REPERCUSSIONS THEIR IRRESPONSIBILITY MIGHT BRING?
IF HER GRACE WASN’T THERE, YOU SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR HER TO RETURN OR VISITED HER AGAIN.
IF ALL ELSE FAILED, YOU SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST REPORTED IT TO ME OR LADY MARIANNE. DON’T YOU THINK?
CORIN,
WHY AREN’T YOU ANSWERING?
I-I’M SORRY..! I WON’T MAKE A MISTAKE LIKE THIS AGAIN!
ANSWER ME ON TIME. OTHERWISE, I'LL THINK YOU'RE SPACED OUT THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE. GOT IT?
Y-YES..! I'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND..!
I WAS SO DISTRACTED MAKING HER GRACE'S FATIGUE-RECOVERY MEDICINE THAT I ENDED UP...
THE LEO CONSTELLATION LOOKS EXCEPTIONALLY CLEAR TONIGHT.
THEY SAID THAT IF *REGULUS SHINES BRIGHTLY, A PRECIOUS GUEST IS COMING...
*The brightest star in the Leo constellation
IT SURELY DOESN'T SIGNIFY THE VISIT OF A PRINCESS FROM A RUINED KINGDOM, AT LEAST.
MY HOMELAND, LUCIDORIA,
WAS THE HEART OF THE CONTINENT'S FAITH, THE CHURCH OF RANEYE.
VALLEYS AND RIVERS RESEMBLING THE TRAJECTORIES OF CONSTELLATIONS MEANDERED ACROSS THE SACRED LAND BLESSED BY THE STARS,
AND THAT PATH WAS A HOLY SITE EVERY BELIEVER WISHED TO WALK AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME.
EVEN WHEN A BLOODSTORM RAGED ACROSS THE CONTINENT, THE FORTRESS FORGED BY THE GODS OF THE SUN AND THE MOON,
AND THE GATES OF LUCIDORIA, PROTECTED BY THE PRIDE AND LOYALTY OF ALL WHO SWORE AN OATH TO THE GODS,
HAD NEVER FALLEN A SINGLE TIME IN ITS THOUSAND-YEAR HISTORY.
THAT NOBLE COUNTRY OF MINE COLLAPSED BY THE BLADE OF REVOLUTION.
BECAUSE THE KING OF LUCIDORIA, KNOWN AS THE GODS' PROXY, MY FATHER,
WAS BEWITCHED BY A WICKED MONK AND FELL INTO HERESY.
STILL, IF IT HAD BEEN MY OLDER SISTER IREMIA INSTEAD OF ME,
SHE MIGHT HAVE FIT THE MEANING CONVEYED BY THAT STAR.
I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO THEM FOR TREATING ME KINDLY WITHOUT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF DISAPPOINTMENT.
"Did Your Grace tie this hairstyle yourself?"
"If you normally prefer this style, I will study it as well!"
"I will prepare Cardonia's latest fashion catalog for you."
I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG I'LL BE HERE,
BUT I SHOULD STAY QUIET AND TRY NOT TO CAUSE ANY NUISANCE IN THE MEANTIME.
IT'S THE CALLING BELL.
PULLING IT ONCE FROM MY SIDE MEANS THEY CAN COME IN.
AT THIS HOUR... WHO COULD IT BE?
PRINCESS, IT'S LYSIAN.
OOPS...
IS IT AGAINST DECORUM IF I OPEN IT MYSELF...?
...I HAD A HABIT OF KEEPING MY DOOR LOCKED BACK IN LUCIDORIA, SO...
I USED TO OPEN IT MYSELF.
OF COURSE, I DON'T THINK OF THIS AS MY ROOM JUST YET... AND I KNOW I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE,
BUT IT'S JUST... A HABIT OF MINE.
BOOKS...
...IF IT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE, I WON'T COME IN.
NO. PLEASE COME IN.
THEY'RE BOOKS...!
THIS IS A MYSTERY NOVEL FAMOUS FOR BEING HIGHLY IMMERSIVE,
THIS IS AN ADVENTURE NOVEL WITH MANY REVIEWS SAYING IT HAS A HEARTWARMING STORY,
AND THIS... IS A ROMANCE NOVEL THAT'S REPORTEDLY POPULAR AMONG NOBLEWOMEN THESE DAYS.
CECIA GAVE IT TO ME.
...PRINCESS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A SEAT FOR A MOMENT?
...PRINCESS.
FROM NOW ON, PLEASE DON'T DROP YOUR SHOE WHILE RUNNING AWAY FROM ME.
BECAUSE I'M... NOT A RABBIT...?
BECAUSE I AM NOT A WILD BEAST.
I SAID I WOULDN'T LEAVE YOU ALL ALONE.
THAT MEANT I WOULD PROTECT YOU.
I WILL PROTECT YOU, PRINCESS.
In Clockwork Lovers Chapter Draft 4, the Princess confronts her fear of losing herself to others' judgment and is shaken when Lysian says he will not judge her. Failing to learn the call-bell rule causes embarrassment in the corridor, Cecia scolds the negligent Corin, and at night Lysian comes with books and promises to protect her.
