Chapter 3

I needed a few hours to realize that Ephraim really wasn't taking me to the Capital. And I needed even more hours to realize that I was still stuck here. It felt so unfair that I started hitting my bed. I only stopped once out of breath and the maids that entered my room to bring me tea stared at me with confused looks. I was so angry and sad and panicked that I didn't care about them at all.

"Sorry, bed. You didn't do anything wrong I shouldn't hurt you but I don't have a punching ball and I would never survive the shame of being a wall hitting man. I may be desperate but I still have self esteem."

I didn't realize when but the maids finally left me alone and I fell back on the mattress with a deep sight:

"Why? Why? Why? Why? Why do I have to be here? Why me? Why can't I go home? I don't want to be Sliske. I never wanted to. Who would want to be pitiful and weak?"

I despised Sliske with all my heart while reading the webtaan and the only person I hated more than Sliske was Ephraim. They were none other than the villains of the story and only existed to destroy the hero's life. Being an omega in a society worshiping alphas, the hero thought Sliske would understand him and help him but Sliske never paid attention to his misery. He was horrible but he wasn't the worst and he didn't deserve to die. At the end he was only too scared to realize his condition.

"I hate this!"

Should I find the hero? Maybe I needed to correct Sliske's mistakes. But why should I do that? I was way too lazy. I never asked to save someone. I never wanted to be a hero. I never asked to come here. And maybe I didn't have a reason to be here. Maybe it was just a glitch in the system. All I could do was lay back and wait for my soul to finally go home. Or at least leave this place.

Days went by and I just continued laying there, staring out the window. Seeing me in bed for days made people panic and I was getting bored of the pitiful looks. Eulisses seemed to be the most worried one and he would come check on me every hour, bringing me vitamins and food:

"How are you feeling today, Your Highness?

-Still the same as yesterday."

He flinched:

"Today is the grand opening of the Therapa.

-I don't care.

-But... You have been waiting for this day for months... Are you sure that you don't want to attend?

-I don't want to move.

-Then, should I send someone to bring you back a few dresses?"

I shook my head. In my past life my mother would force me into dresses all the time and that kind of traumatized me. How ironic was it that in this world rich people all wore skirts, men and women alike.

"I want pants."

Eulisses gasped so loud that he dropped my empty mug. He left very quickly and came back seconds later followed by the doctor.

"Everything seems in order. His Highness just seems a bit tired. A few more days in bed and he should be back to his normal self.

-Are you sure? But... No, there must be something wrong. He is saying weird things.

-What kind of things?"

Eulisses glanced at me before whispering:

"That he wants to wear pants."

Even the doctor froze and he checked my pulse again.

"Do you feel any pain somewhere?"

I sighed:

"I don't. I am fine, leave me alone."

I didn't have the energy for these people anymore. Moreover, being left alone with my own thoughts wasn't helping and soon I decided that it was time to get up. Maybe I could go for a walk and have some fresh air. It took long minutes but I finally convinced Eulisses to bring me pants and I could get out of my pajamas. The pants were very wide and they looked like a skirt when I was standing still but they were still pants so I felt fine. I knew that clothes didn't have gender and I knew that I shouldn't mind wearing skirts but I just couldn't forget my mother's glare every time I saw skirts. Just thinking about it gave me goosebumps.

"Thank you. I will be back soon.

-I will accompany you.

-Oh, you don't have to.

-I must insist. We never know what might happen.

-What? Scared that I'll poison myself again?

-Master! You shouldn't joke about such things.

-It wasn't really a joke though."

Eulisses suddenly stopped:

"Master... Are you this unhappy here?"

I frowned:

"If I say yes, can you help me get a divorce?"

Eulisses looked like he was about to cry.

"I am so sorry, Master... I don't have the power to help you with that.

-Then who does?

-His Majesty the Emperor decided your union. He is the only person who could put an end to it.

-So either the Emperor or suicide.

-Master!

-If you look at me like that I'll start feeling bad.

-You should! Don't talk about your death so easily!"

I frowned. Eulisses only appeared one or two times in the webtaan. I didn't know that he was this close to Sliske. Would he cry if I told him that I wasn't Sliske? I kind of felt bad imagining it. I could keep my mouth shut for a few minutes. Why was I so nice, seriously?

Eulisses followed me everywhere, jumping to catch me every time he thought I would collapse. I had no idea why he thought me so weak but I did my best to ignore him. Now that I had walked around the mansion, I had a new plan in head. What if I ran away? If Ephraim didn't want to divorce me I could just disappear. That would force him to forget me and everyone would be happy. Maybe I could even take Ephraim with me. He looked like a sad puppy. I just couldn't leave him behind. They would look for us for a few days and if they were too close I could just simulate my own death.

"That sounds amazing."

Eulisses's head jerked up:

"Yes? Do you like flowers that much?"

I looked down at the vase that I stopped in front of, seeing it for the first time.

"Oh... I guess so. When was your last vacation, Eulisses?

-Sorry?

-When did you go on a vacation last time?

-I... I'm sorry Master I don't have vacations.

-What? Why?

-I...

-You have starting now.

-I beg your pardon?

-You know what? You should go right now. Have a week for yourself. Or even a month."

Maybe while Eulisses was gone I could leave this body and finally go home.

"Master, I can't leave you while you are sick.

-I suddenly feel way better. It must be thanks to all your vitamins. Thank you so much. You really deserve this vacation."

Eulisses smiled:

"I am so glad that you are feeling better. I will stay a few more days to make sure that you don't get any worse."

I sighed.

"You are so stubborn..."

Eulisses didn't know how to answer so he just smiled. I decided to give up on pushing him away. After all, I couldn't run away yet. If I wanted to leave this place I needed money. A lot of it. I couldn't just leave my pockets empty. Eulisses didn't look very good at keeping secrets so I decided not to tell him about the plan yet. I was starting to change my mind anyway and wasn't sure that I wanted him to come with me. I would leave him a very nice letter and would leave him enough money to quit his job. Once the real Sliske came back he could come find Eulisses again.