I Will Become the Queen’s Doormat

It felt like it was only yesterday when she muttered those words. 

‘I didn’t mean to meet you like this!’

Lying flat on the ground, Haon screamed inwardly. She was the lady-in-waiting caught by the Princess singing while she was cleaning Princess Pyreone’s room. Haon has a habit of singing her favorite songs regardless of the trend. She eased her tension by singing and was vigilant as she was only cleaning by herself. 

As much as she had read <Queen of Roses and Thorns>, Haon knew how cold and merciless Princess Pyreone was, and so she trembled at the thought that she would die immediately.  

‘So, this is how Lee Ha-on’s 22 years of life will end. I couldn’t even live my dream as the spoiler existence in a novel, and I couldn’t even see my favorite Prince’s shadow. Being caught while singing secretly – your life was pathetic, too.’

“I will ask you one more time.”

It was a pure and beautiful voice, like a jade rolling on a silver tray. She was glib, but there were no better words to express it than this. 

“What does it mean?”

“Wh-wh-what are you talking about?”

Haon answered by using as much as possible the tone of the honorifics she had seen in historical dramas. 

“You’re talking very odd.”

‘Is it not this?’

A cold sweat ran down Haon’s back.

“What would you do if you could be a doormat?”

“My apologies! I-I deserved to die!”

Obviously, in historical dramas, a court lady who made a mistake would say something like this to her master. 

“Oh, I can really kill you?”

However, it didn’t seem to work for Princess Pyreone.

“N-no, pl-please s-spare me! It was just because I liked Princess very much! I wanted to do anything for the Princess, so I wanted to be your doormat!”

You’re crazy, Lee Ha-on, you’re out of your mind. You just said whatever it was in your mind when you thought that you were really dying. Haon said it because her mind had gone blank. 

“You’re refreshing.”

There was no change in Princess Pyreone’s tone. There was an eerie silence for a while after that. Haon couldn’t even raise her head and was only profusely sweating. She was very sweaty that if she squeezed her clothes, then there might be a drop of seawater that would come out. A short voice brought back Haon’s senses as her neck became stiff. 

“Name.”

“Yes?”

“How dare you make the Princess repeat her question?”

Next to Princess Pyreone, the direct lady-in-waiting Anten asked her. The Princess then gracefully raised her left hand and stopped her. “That’s alright Anten. She may have been a little naïve.” 

Princess Pyreone was also good at looking down on others. 

“I asked what your name was.”

“My name is Haon.”

“Haon.”

Haon’s name, flowing from Princess Pyreone’s red lips, sounded dignified and elegant. How can the pronunciation of ‘Haon’ be this beautiful? As Haon heard her name, her ears burned and her heart raced.

“It’s a soft-spoken name.” 

“Thank you so much…”

D**n, my words are twisted. 

“Stop talking weirdly.” 

“Yes.”

I will if I have to. 

Haon quickly bowed down her head. For as long as possible, she wanted to live, at least in this world. She also wanted to see Princess Pyreone become the Queen of Roses and Thorns. She wanted to make an ending where she would live happily ever after with the Second Prince for a long, long time with her own hands. Most of all, I wanted to see my favorite Prince! 

It was her first life goal after learning that the world she was living in was the world of <Queen of Roses and Thorns>. She had to survive first to do that, and she had to sustain her life without offending Princess Pyreone first and foremost. 

“You can stop cleaning.”

Haon was almost delighted at Princess Pyreone’s words. She had been cleaning harder than anyone else and she was getting tired of it. And when she found out that she had been transmigrated into her favorite novel, she wanted to look around that she got sick. 

However, Princess Pyreone’s next orders were completely unexpected. 

“From now on, stay by my side to cheer me up.”

“Princess?”

Even Anten, who was next to her, was surprised, so she dared to question Princess Pyreone. But Princess Pyreone continued to speak calmly.

“Keep singing.”

“Pardon?!” Haon asked in surprise this time. 

Are you serious? Are you saying those words to me even after listening to the song I just sang? 

Haon had many things she wanted to ask, but she forcibly swallowed her words. It was because she was afraid that her neck would fly off if she asked carelessly.

“It’s the first time I heard that song. It’s very fun.” 

Of course, this is your first time hearing that song! That was a Korean idol song! Additionally, it was a version that Haon changed that will pay tribute to Princess Pyreone. 

Haon didn’t say anything and just frowned – because it was too absurd. 

Standing behind Princess Pyreone, Anten seemed to have similar feelings with Haon. She opened her mouth and squinted her eyes as she looked at the Princess from the back of her head, “I will try to sing and dance for you in the future as I stay by your side. Isn’t it better than her being your doormat?”

The corners of Princess Pyreone’s eyes were curved. It was a wonderful moment to see her smile for the first time. It was so enchanting that she would exchange all her treasures in the world for the Princess’ smile – it was beautiful, but the words she said along her smile was ridiculous. 

“Oh right, should I call her a ‘plaything for amusement’?”

Haon, who sang a song that she wanted to be the Princess’ doormat, unexpectedly attacked Princess Pyreone’s taste and became her plaything. 

It was an unexpected development.