THE WORLD THROUGH PETRA’S EYES
1
To Petra Leyte, the world was very small and simple.
On the lands of Marquis Mathers sat a little village named Earlham. It was here that the Leyte family made their home and where Petra was born.
Petra was not fortunate enough to have a blessing, nor did she have a wealthy family. She was born in the most ordinary village in the most ordinary house as the most ordinary village girl, but she was fortunate enough to grow up healthy.
There was nothing particularly noteworthy about Earlham Village. It was just one more lonely village, much like any other. Being near the marquis’s mansion was the village’s only distinguishing feature. Unlike the rest of the marquis’s realm, many of Earlham’s residents had the chance to see the lord in person from time to time.
But to demand of the still quite young Petra that she comprehend these valuable encounters was a cruel notion indeed.
Now, this lord, Roswaal L Mathers, was quite an enigma. For a start, he looked nothing like what most people imagined one of those grand nobles was supposed to look like.
He fancied wearing the sort of clown makeup that belonged more in fairy tales than at court, and he was always dressed in eccentric, bizarre clothing. Whenever anyone saw him, they looked upon him not with reverence but with bewilderment.
If the lord of the land isn’t respectable, common folk like us are gonna be in serious trouble.
This was a thought that had slowly taken shape in Petra’s mind based on the children’s books she’d read and the adult conversations she’d overheard. And even as a child, Petra somehow noticed that her lord did not seem to be the most upstanding person.
In fact, the way he sometimes sauntered down to “inspect” their village was quite peculiar. He didn’t seem very much like their lord. Instead, he pulled pranks on the adults, said strange things that angered the blond maid, and generally turned the village upside down, leaving chaos in his wake.
Unable to understand why the village elders laughed it off, Petra once complained directly to the marquis himself. However—
“Oh, myyyy. What a strict judge of character you are. But to be able to say such a thing to someone like me truly makes you a brave little girl. I hope you keep that courage in your heart always, even when you grow up.”
For some reason, he ignored Petra’s righteous indignation and happily patted her on the head. Ever since that day, Petra gave up lecturing him about his eccentric behavior, deeming any conversation with her lord a complete waste of time.
Now that that’s out of the way, our story’s focus will shift from the village and its lord back to Petra.
Petra lived an ordinary life as an ordinary girl in an ordinary village. And to borrow a word from the lord, we can add that she was a brave girl. And as an ordinary village girl, as long as she could remember, she had realized something about herself. Compared to the other village children, she was a bit prettier.
Even taking Petra’s childishness into account, she was indeed quite pretty. She had big round eyes, lips the color of cherry blossoms, long, lean proportions, and fair skin. Her reddish-brown hair was fine and silky, waving gently in the breeze behind her. Petra’s youthful yet elegant appearance earned her the village’s stamp of approval—everyone agreed that someday, she would be a stunning beauty.
A little girl’s self-awareness was not to be taken lightly. Because not only was Petra better-looking than most, she was also more intelligent. On the other hand, that intelligence could be called cunning.
Petra believed that being born with good looks was equal to being born with a blessing or talent. So it was only natural that she should exploit her good looks to make her mark in life.
Whenever she broke something because she got a little too carried away at play.
Whenever she stole a bite of the sweet orenjes that grew in the orchards.
Whenever she neglected the family livestock and played with her friends instead.
And every time the adults got angry with her, Petra slyly made use of her beauty and charm. If she let her eyes fill with tears, peered down at her feet, and muttered an apology, that was enough to convince the adults to not be mad. And it was only natural that once they stopped scolding Petra, they would have to stop scolding the other children, too.
The only adults who could scold Petra without reservation—her parents—were thoroughly fooled by the good-girl facade she maintained around them. So Petra spent her days acting like a mischievous little devil.
As long as you have Petra by your side, fortune will smile on you.
Everyone had no problem believing that, even though she was a child—perhaps because she was a child. Organically, Petra became a focal point for the village children. And because of this, Petra grew more and more spoiled.
Admired by the boys, relied upon by the girls, and doted on by the adults, Petra watered her flower of self-worth until it was in full bloom.
It was almost harder to not believe the world revolved around her, as delusional as that may have seemed. Of course, she was still a child, which made her precious, delusion and all.
And though she was spoiled, Petra’s rottenness never went beyond what was expected of any other rascal, and none of her misadventures with her friends ever rose above the level of your average village antics.
Petra Leyte, center of the world, would eventually recognize her delusion. She would learn that the world was much bigger than she once assumed. That happened when she turned ten years old.
It was when a merchant selling silk goods came to the village; a rarity in Earlham. Apparently, this merchant sold several unusual pieces to the marquis with eccentric fashion tastes before leaving. On the way out, the merchant stopped at Earlham Village and briefly set up shop.
“These are the latest trends out west in Kararagi, far to the south in Volakia, and in the royal capital of Lugunica.”
When Petra heard the merchant’s voice and saw the wares on display, her worldview changed. Her gaze was stolen by the brilliant, colorful fabrics. In a flash, she was sucked into a mirage.
The next thing she knew, she used her cute charm to wrap the merchant and her parents around her little finger, attained several pieces of fabric, and stared at them for hours on end in bed in her room, never tiring of them.
They became an irreplaceable treasure to her…and they ignited a dream within her.
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