Chapter 3 — Eat or I’ll Tell Mom

Chapter 3 — Eat or I’ll Tell Mom

The moonlight spilled through the curtains of Stella’s bedroom like a silver whisper, bathing the quiet space in soft shadows. The entire Rivera estate had slowly begun to return to normal—or at least, as normal as it could be after witnessing the return of a girl with a galaxy in her hair.

Stella, however, was peacefully cocooned in her blankets.

Her body curled under the soft comforter like a sleepy caterpillar refusing to emerge, her breathing steady, slow… completely undisturbed.

Until the door opened with a gentle knock.

“Pardon our intrusion, Lady Stella,” came the Senior Butler’s calm voice.

The longtime servant of House Rivera entered with his usual quiet grace, followed by Clara, the young maid, who carried a tray with dinner—warm soup, soft bread, and lightly sautéed vegetables. The scent wafted into the room, but there was no movement from the bed.

“Lady Stella,” Clara said with careful politeness, “It’s time for dinner. Please wake up.”

“...Nooo...” came the muffled reply from under the blanket. “Not hungry...”

The Senior Butler didn’t sigh. He didn’t even blink. But he did raise an eyebrow slightly.

“With respect, Lady Stella, your body has not taken food since morning. You must eat something.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“M’ not hungry,” Stella grumbled again, her voice sleepy and buried beneath her pillow. “Tell the soup to eat itself...”

Clara suppressed a giggle.

“Milady, you need strength to recover. Please...”

Still no movement.

But then the Senior Butler, calm and deliberate, added coolly:

“Very well. I shall inform the Duke and Duchess that their daughter is refusing to eat and may be feeling unwell.”

There was a pause.

Then the blanket rustled violently.

Stella popped up like a panicked squirrel, hair tousled, eyes wide and starry with sleepy indignation.

“No no no no—don’t tell them! I’m fine, I’m fine! I’ll eat, okay?!”

She sat up properly, still draped in the blanket like a royal cape, blinking sleepily and scowling as though betrayed by the universe.

The butler gave a small, respectful bow.

“As you wish.”

Stella sat on the edge of the bed, her legs dangling down, and began to eat slowly. Her posture was slumped, eyes half-lidded, but she took small bites without complaint. Even though she knew she no longer needed food—her Boundless form sustained her with cosmic energy alone—she still ate.

Because the idea of her parents worrying about her made her chest feel… tight.

It wasn’t something she liked.

Clara, standing nearby, watched the sleepy girl chewing a spoonful of soup like a child trying to stay awake during lessons. A soft smile appeared on her face—gentle and warm.

She’s like a little kid… Not the Lady Stella from before…

There was a strange peace in the room, one Clara hadn’t felt in years.

If she stays like this… maybe things will be okay.

She wasn’t alone in that hope. Most of the servants had already begun whispering quietly through the halls. They weren’t frightened of her anymore. No shouting. No cruel glares. No sarcastic orders or broken dishes. It was as if the old Stella had vanished.

When Stella finished, she gently handed the tray back and yawned.

“Done. Now go away.”

“Should I inform your mother you’ve eaten?” the butler asked calmly.

Stella gave him a half-hearted glare and then flopped back onto the bed, yanking the blanket up.

“Mmhmm. But don’t let her in. Or I’ll turn into a pillow and never move again.”

Clara giggled behind her hand. “Understood, Lady Stella.”

“Don’t come back for ten years,” Stella mumbled into her pillow.

“Of course, Lady Stella,” the butler replied neutrally.

As they left the room, the Senior Butler’s expression remained unreadable, but his thoughts were quietly restless. He had served this family for decades, and never had he seen their daughter like this—distant, dreamlike, and strange.

Clara, on the other hand, couldn’t stop smiling.

“She’s like a dream,” she whispered as they walked down the hall.

He said nothing.

But in his silence, there was thought.

And behind them, tucked in her blanket again, Stella Rivera w

as already asleep.

Dreaming of nothing.

Because there was nothing left to dream anymore.