Reincarnated as a Sickly Princess, She was Kidnapped by the Evil Dragon Lady - Chapter 5

As Isabella gently recounted stories from before the memory loss, her storytelling cadence acted like a lullaby, and Elysia gradually felt her eyelids growing heavy. After all, the “strenuous exercise” she had just endured had left her completely spent.

“I remember you used to be so introverted,” Isabella said, turning her gaze toward her younger sister. “You refused to speak to anyone, let alone let them near you…”

Just as Isabella looked over, Elysia’s body listed to the side, and she slumped uncontrollably toward her sister. Isabella caught her immediately, cradling her with careful hands. Seeing Elysia’s peaceful sleeping face, the elder sister’s smile softened even further.

“If you ever turn back to the way you were, I suppose you’ll go back to hating me again, won’t you?” Isabella whispered with a faint, knowing laugh. She adjusted Elysia’s position, tucking her into bed with tender precision before pulling the covers up to her chin.

Isabella lingered by the bedside for a long while, simply watching the quiet rise and fall of Elysia’s chest before finally rising to leave.

“Xiaobai, look after her.”

“Of course, Princess,” the maid replied.

With that, Isabella slipped out of the room, leaving the sleeping girl in Xiaobai’s care.

*****

Nearly half a month passed in a blur of quiet recovery. Time worked its magic, and Elysia gradually became familiar with her new world, eventually learning the names of almost every maid in the palace.

“Little Princess, it is time for dinner.”

A tall, poised maid knocked on the door and stood respectfully at the entrance to remind her.

“Got it! I’m heading out then, Xiaobai.”

“Yes, Princess. Please eat slowly this time—try not to get a bone stuck in your throat like last time.”

Though Xiaobai was technically a servant, her daily routine consisted mostly of playing and chatting with Elysia, making her more of a companion than a maid. Nevertheless, Xiaobai never forgot her station. Elysia had once invited her to dine together, but the girl had firmly refused. Xiaobai knew that a maid could never sit at the master’s table; she had to wait until the family finished before she could eat.

Recognizing that the social divide wasn’t something she could break with a single sentence, Elysia hadn’t pushed the issue further, not wanting to put Xiaobai in a difficult position.

“Ugh… last time was an accident. Anyway, I’m off. Bye-bye!”

“Goodbye, Princess.”

Xiaobai nodded and watched Elysia leave before turning to tidy up the room, smoothing out the bedsheets they had ruffled during their afternoon antics.

Elysia followed the other maid to a grand, opulently decorated dining hall. At the center stood a massive table laden with a lavish spread, where her parents and four siblings were already gathered. As she entered, every head turned in her direction.

“Little Elysia, come sit! We have that dish you like today… what was it called again? Spicy Tofu?” Rosaria, her mother, pointed to a plate of vibrant red and white cubes with a look of confusion.

“It’s called Mapo Tofu, Mother.”

“Right, right! Come now, hurry and eat.” Rosaria waved her over, her eyes brimming with maternal affection.

“Mm!” Elysia trotted to the table and took her place among her family.

“I didn’t know you had such an interest in culinary arts, Elysia,” Gabriel, her eldest brother, remarked after taking a bite. “This Mapo Tofu is quite exceptional.”

Naturally, the dish was a “gift” from Elysia’s previous life—a legendary staple that was bound to be a hit.

Over the past few weeks, her relationship with her family had flourished. They were incredibly indulgent, treating her almost like a precious child and granting her every request with a smile. Although being pampered like this at twenty years old felt a bit awkward at times, Elysia quickly decided she didn’t mind. It was a life so comfortable that she had no desire to return to her original world.

Originally, the maids had delivered meals directly to her room, but that changed when Elysia had accidentally caught them eating together without her. She had marched out, puffing her cheeks in mock indignation to demand why she was being excluded.

Only after their frantic explanations did she realize that the “old” Elysia had hated leaving her room and refused to dine with others. Touched by their surprise, Elysia had requested to eat with them from then on, admitting that eating alone was quite lonely. Rhodas and Rosaria had been overjoyed by the request, and even her siblings seemed genuinely touched, though the intensity of their relief puzzled her slightly.

Since then, dinner had become the highlight of her day—a time for lively conversation with a family that was otherwise quite busy.

“Actually… I was just so hungry the other night that I dreamed of this dish. I’m glad everyone likes it,” Elysia said, sheepishly scratching the back of her head.

She couldn’t exactly admit she was a different soul, so she settled for a “plausible” excuse. She didn’t realize that in the eyes of her family, her clumsy explanation was nothing short of adorable, causing subtle, affectionate smiles to break out around the table.

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