The moon hung low, its silver glow bathing the world as I stepped onto my balcony, silk nightgown fluttering in the cool breeze. I hugged myself, seeking warmth and solace. The stillness wrapped me in a melancholy embrace, and before I knew it, tears slipped down my cheeks.
I tilted my head to the heavens, whispering to a God I could only hope was listening. "Can I truly do this? What if I fail? What if I disappoint everyone who dares to believe in me?" The tightness in my chest grew unbearable, and the sobs broke free. "It's only a few days since you're here and here you are, crying all over again, weak, Noah, so weak," I chastised, wiping away the tears, only for more to fall. With trembling hands pressed against my heart, I whispered like a mantra, "I can do this. Please, God, lend me strength—no system, no luck—just a nudge, a little push forward."
Time passed in a blur of tears and prayers, the world silent but for my whispered pleas. Eventually, I leaned against the cold marble railing, gazing at the untainted beauty of the night. "Such a pure world," I murmured, smiling through the tears. "Let's fight together, shall we?" I extended a hand to the wind as if sealing a pact, tears glistening on my cheeks even as a soft smile adorned my face.
The exhaustion took over, and I drifted to sleep right there under the starry expanse.
I awoke to Edda's panicked cries. "Lady! You slept outside? It drizzled last night!" She shook me gently, her worried gaze scanning my face. Blinking groggily, I noticed something draped over me—a navy cloak. It smelled faintly of pine and leather, a scent unfamiliar.
"Who... whose cloak is this?" I asked groggily.
Edda glanced at it, then at me, her expression suddenly awkward. "Perhaps the man from the garden yesterday?"
My brows furrowed as I held the cloak up with a grimace. "Ugh, what a ridiculous gesture. If he saw me out here, why didn't he carry me inside? Leave me to freeze and get drenched, but oh, here's a cloak to make it better. Idiot."
Edda's lips twitched as she tried to suppress a giggle. "But, Lady, isn't it sweet? He must've been concerned!"
"Concerned?" I shot back, my tone sharp with mock indignation. "If he were concerned, he'd have done the sensible thing, not leave me out here like an ornament to catch dew!" My scowl deepened as I tossed the cloak aside.
Edda carefully folded it, a smile tugging at her lips. "Maybe next time, Lady, he'll sweep you off your feet properly."
"Over my dead body," I grumbled, stomping back inside.
After a warm bath and a fresh change of clothes, I made my way toward my mother's sitting room, determined to ask for permission.
"Mother," I began, hands folded neatly in front of me. "I would like to visit the nearest town today to study the environment... for the public toilet project. There might be other needs we can uncover too."
Mother's fingers, which had been delicately weaving embroidery, froze mid-stitch. She looked up at me with furrowed brows, concern practically radiating from her.
"Is it truly necessary for you to go yourself, dearest? The roads aren't as safe as the gardens here," she fretted, her voice thick with worry.
I tilted my head slightly, a sliver of suspicion slicing through my chest.
(Wait... this woman... is she really my mother? Is she the same lady who told Father to slap me awake the day I first arrived in this body? Am I being gaslit? No way. Like, seriously, would my real mom ever tell Dad to whack me first thing in the morning? That's messed up, dude.)
Still, I forced a gentle smile. "I'll be careful, Mother. I won't go alone. Lady Vanessa and Edda will accompany me, and we'll have guards too. I promise it's just a short visit to observe."
Mother exhaled, the lines on her forehead deepening before she reluctantly nodded.
"Very well... but do not wander off, Seraphina. If anything feels wrong, return immediately."
"Of course, Mother," I said, my heart softening a bit.
(Okay, maybe she's not a total monster. Maybe just... emotionally questionable.)
At that moment, Edda bustled into the room, her apron slightly askew.
"My Lady, the carriage is ready!" she announced, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"Perfect timing!" I beamed at her, giving Mother a reassuring look before linking arms with Edda and practically dragging her out.
Thus, with a heart half curious and half cautious, we set off toward the capital city—the first step in turning a simple toilet idea into a revolution.
The capital city we arrived at was called Velmoura — a name that sounded as grand and intricate as the city itself.
The moment I stepped out of the carriage, I could hardly believe my own eyes.
(Oh my God. I'm actually inside a freaking novel. This is insane.)
Even though my nearsighted vision blurred the finer details — thanks to my lovely minus 3.00 prescription — the city's beauty still took my breath away. The grand spires, cobblestone streets, vibrant merchant stalls... it was like something straight out of a dream.
Still, I made sure to keep my head clear.
"Guards, please remain stationed near the main gate. We'll explore on foot from here," I instructed, keeping my tone light but firm.
The guards exchanged glances but nodded in unison, staying behind as Lady Vanessa, Edda, and I began our slow trek into Velmoura.
(If only I had a camera... or even just a phone! I could take a million pictures of this breathtaking scenery. Ugh, imagine having a drone. I'd already be done mapping this place in, like, twenty minutes.)
Since I had none of those luxuries, I pulled out a small notebook and started sketching the rough layout manually.
Boxes. So many sad little boxes.
One small box labeled "Bakery."
Another one with a cross symbol labeled "Church."
Another labeled "Blacksmith."
And so on.
As I drew and mumbled under my breath, Edda leaned in, peeking at my crude map.
"My Lady, are you... drawing boxes?" she asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"Yes," I replied proudly. "Strategic boxes."
Lady Vanessa stifled a laugh, covering her mouth politely. "It's a rather unconventional method, but effective, I suppose," she said.
"Exactly!" I grinned. "We don't need fancy lines. All we need is to remember what's what. These boxes are treasures, you know."
Edda gave me a skeptical look but said nothing, while Vanessa simply chuckled softly and suggested,
"Perhaps we can find a cartographer later to assist you with a cleaner map, Lady Seraphina."
I waved my hand dramatically.
"Nonsense! I am the cartographer now!"
We all laughed quietly, blending into the colorful, bustling world of Velmoura as we continued our exploration.
After nearly two hours of exploring Velmoura and filling two notebooks full of boxy, scrawled maps, my feet were screaming for mercy. Even Lady Vanessa and Edda looked a little pale from exhaustion.
Lady Vanessa finally suggested we rest at a place she knew — a well-known restaurant, The Gilded Lily, often visited by the elite nobles of Velmoura.
Honestly, I still wanted to explore more — alone if necessary — but both Vanessa and Edda immediately shut that idea down.
"There are pickpockets, swindlers, even kidnappers here," Lady Vanessa warned seriously.
"It's far too dangerous for a young lady to wander on her own," Edda added, wringing her hands anxiously.
Seeing how tired they were, I relented with a sigh.
"Alright, alright. Let's eat."
When we arrived, Edda hesitated at the entrance, pulling at the hem of her dress.
"Maybe... I should find a small pub nearby instead, My Lady," she mumbled, clearly uncomfortable about stepping inside such a lavish place with us.
But I wouldn't hear of it.
"No way. You're eating with us," I said firmly, linking my arm with hers and dragging her inside, much to her horror.
The moment we entered The Gilded Lily, dozens of eyes turned toward us.
I could feel the heavy, disdainful stares from the other nobles — the silent judgment piercing through the air sharper than any blade.
Their eyes flickered from Lady Vanessa's elegance, to me — a supposedly recovered "miracle daughter" — and then to Edda, whose simpler maid uniform clearly made her a target for their sneering looks.
(Someone please bring me a camera so I can screenshot all these snobby faces, jeez.)
Despite the pressure, I lifted my chin proudly, squeezing Edda's trembling hand reassuringly as we walked deeper into the restaurant, pretending not to notice the whispered comments and the subtle glances.
We were here to rest and eat — not to entertain their arrogance.
The sun was starting to dip lower when we finally left The Gilded Lily.We strolled leisurely through the bustling stone-paved streets of Velmour, and even though my arms were aching, I kept sneaking glances at my sketchbook, adding more little boxy maps whenever I had the chance.
Lady Vanessa chatted along the way, grumbling about the arrogance of some nobles."They truly believe the world exists solely to serve them," she said with an exaggerated flick of her fan.I just nodded, half-listening, half-absorbed in memorizing the city's layout.
Then, out of nowhere, I blurted, "By the way, before I came up with this project idea... how exactly does the waste disposal system work here? I mean, I know nobles use those golden pots, but what about regular folks? Commoners? And you, Edda? How do you deal with it?"
My question exploded right into the lively street, drawing plenty of judgmental stares from passersby.Lady Vanessa immediately facepalmed in pure horror.Edda turned bright red, shrinking into herself like a guilty kitten.
I shrugged casually."It's fine! We're doing field research, remember? This is a critical question!"
Still flustered, Edda stammered out, "W-well... for nobles, we usually clean the golden pots, collect the waste in special recycling bags, and either bury it in dug-up pits for fertilizer or sometimes dump it deep in the forests behind the mountains..."
I nodded seriously, encouraging her to go on.
"As for me," she continued shyly, "I usually go to the forest directly... but only if I'm accompanied by one or two other maids. It's a bit far from the estate..."
I squinted at her."Exactly how far?"
Edda fidgeted with her fingers before replying, "Around two hours' walk, My Lady..."
I froze.
Two hours?!
Two whole hours just to go... do your business?!
At that moment, something clicked fiercely inside me.My mission was clear now.
This public toilet project?It wasn't just important.
It was urgent.
And I was going to make sure it happened — fast.