Luminaria

Chapter 8

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Kumunot ang noo ko sa narinig bago muling pinikit ang mga mata upang bumalik sa pagtulog.

I don't have the energy to scold the person who woke me up for such useless news. The hell I care with that gurang being poisoned? Well, if they'll wake me up to announce her death, I'll force my body to get up and congratulate her old life for no longer being here

"Don't bother me for that useless news. Gisingin mo lang ako kapag namatay na ang gurang na 'yon," I unconsciously mumbled. My eyes remained shut, habang tamad na napasalampak ang katawan ko sa higaan.

"P-Pardon me, My Lady? I think I heard you w-wrong..." A timid voice from someone, likely belong to a girl.

"You heard me right, so leave."

"B-But Brother Thalvin mentioned it's urgent, My Lady... as your servant Lily—the primary suspect—hasn't confess in the cure for poisoning the Queen. And now your mother is insinuating that you're involved..."

Agad kong naimulat ang mga mata nang maalala ang mga nakaraang pangyayari. Gurang is poisoned and their suspect is Lily, my naive servant?

Napabalikwas ako sa pagkakahiga. Heck, right! I was the one who ordered Lily to do that... Just my way of somehow getting back at that old witch. Hindi ko naman akalaing nandito pa ako sa oras na gumana ang lason.

I was always that rebellious brat when I was just a student, joining different gangs to play silly pranks on everyone. It was part of my highschool life! Tinuruan ako ng mga kasama ko noon sa iba't ibang halaman na makakapagdulot ng kakaibang epekto sa katawan; like sudden farting, a ballooning face, body itchiness, and many more harmless physical quirks, but nothing deadly 'no!

It was hella fun! At naisipan ko lang na pagkatuwaan ang gurang, reason why I wrote those weird ornamentals—which is I'm uncertain if found in this world—then handed it to Lily, kabilang na ang dapat niyang gawin. Inisip kong hindi ko na pro-problemahin ang resulta sa pag-aakalang iyon na ang huling araw ko rito.

"What happened to that old lady... I mean the Queen?" I asked innocently to the girl, who I think is only fourteen or fifteen.

"S-she didn't want to leave her chamber, My Lady. But from what I've heard from one of her healers, it has severely affected her mouth... her tongue, to be exact..."

Tila lumobo ang mukha ko sa pagpigil ng halakhak.

"Uhh, I don't think it's life-threatening, Your Highness, so don't worry. Tiyak kong maaagapan pa ang kalagayan ng iyong ina. It was just a peculiar poison causing strange effects in the body... Nothing too dangerous. Perhaps your servant secretly dislikes the Queen, which is why she made her tongue.... bloated—"

I couldn't muffle my inner demons anymore and laughed like a hyena.

I should give applause to Lily for making my orders succeed. Well, as a reward ay ilalabas ko siya sa pagkakakulong. Yeah, ofcourse! Ako lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit siya naroon.

Gosh! This is so stressing. Paano ko pa isisingit ang kondisyon ng aking tunay na ina.

"A-Are you alright, My Lady?" takang tanong ng babae

Bahagya akong napatigil upang punasan ang luha sa gilid ng aking mata dahil sa labis na pagtawa.

I can't wait to witness that gurang's bomb face, waiting to explode.

"I'll get dressed first," turan ko bago dire-diretsong nagmartsa patungo sa banyo.

I just took a quick bath and stormed inside the walk-in closet. I changed into a reminiscent kind of royal blue dress. Iyon lang naman ang halos parehong laman ng damitan. I let my wavy hair down.