Chapter 14

Quite some time had passed since Adelian began his private meeting with the empire’s first prince. Crown Princess Rowse, who had heard the news belatedly, was pacing outside the reception room with an anxious face.

‘What on earth are they talking about?’

Just as she was thinking she’d like to abandon all dignity and press her ear against the reception room door.

“……Princess!”

The reception room door flung open, and Adelian burst out with urgent steps. When Rowse ran to him in surprise, he immediately grabbed her wrist and walked almost at a run toward somewhere.

“Your Highness, Your Highness! Please, your hand…… What did you discuss with the first prince that has you hurrying like this?”

Startled, Rowse tried to stop him, but Adelian silently pulled her along until they reached a place with no people.

The place where Adelian’s steps finally stopped was the secluded back of the garden. Only after confirming that no one was there did Adelian release Rowse’s wrist and speak.

“It’s not Amelia. It wasn’t Amelia!”

“What?”

Adelian stopped walking and firmly grasped both of Rowse’s shoulders. His face was flushed with elation, and his voice trembled as if he had tasted salvation.

“Princess, the princess in the empire is not Amelia. It wasn’t! That’s why she’s been leaving us alone without doing anything in the empire. Because it’s not Amelia!”

“Your Highness, what are you……”

As Rowse looked at Adelian, unable to understand his incomprehensible words, a small existence she had completely forgotten suddenly came to her mind.

“……If not Amelia, could it be?”

Seeing Rowse’s trembling eyes in disbelief, Adelian nodded with a smile that split his face.

“That’s right. That lowly thing. She’s in the empire now. Pretending to be Amelia!”

* * *

Marchioness Mervissen, Viscountess Roland, and Baroness Cezarn, these three women had not a single outward commonality.

Marchioness Mervissen sat with her legs crossed on a chair, wearing a black dress designed to reveal her sensual figure, with her captivating red hair braided up.

Viscountess Roland blinked her innocent eyes, boasting pale wheat-like flowing hair and skin as white and fine as clouds.

And Baroness Cezarn has features as distinct as a sculpture and attractively long, straight limbs like a warrior.

All three were dazzlingly beautiful, which might be considered a commonality, but the greater commonality was that they were all mistresses of First Prince Rihast.

‘Gathering them in one place is truly……’

Mel sincerely wanted to click her tongue at Rihast’s fastidious taste. Each woman was incomparably beautiful, yet they couldn’t hide how they were checking each other, suggesting they weren’t the type to use their heads well.

‘He certainly picked out beautiful women who are easy to manipulate.’

The head maid was shooting stern looks at the mistresses who were showing their discomfort with each other without restraint. Since this was nominally just a simple tea party, her looks meant they should stick to that.

But the women paid no attention to the head maid’s glares. Among them, Viscountess Roland, who seemed somewhat perceptive, glanced at the atmosphere before greeting Mel first.

“I’ve been quite disappointed not seeing you at the last party, Princess. I’m so grateful for this invitation……”

As Viscountess Roland spoke first, Marchioness Mervissen, who had been quietly watching her, also opened her mouth.

“What is there to be disappointed about, Lady Roland? It’s just that your tiny heart wasn’t well, so you couldn’t attend the party.”

“Ah, I didn’t mean to blame the princess……”

“My, when did I ever accuse Lady Roland of blaming the Princess? I was merely concerned about your heart that only functions when gaining a man’s sympathy.”

“That’s……”

Viscountess Roland’s face turned bright red. Transparent tears were about to well up in her round eyes. From just this brief exchange between the two, Mel could truly understand a lot.

She looked at Baroness Cezarn, who had been holding up her teacup without joining the conversation. With deeply sunken eyes that revealed nothing of her thoughts, she had been watching the bickering Viscountess Roland and Marchioness Mervissen before meeting Mel’s eyes.

“How is the tea?” Mel asked.

Baroness Cezarn put down her cup with a clank on the table and said, “May I be honest with you, Princess?”

“Sincere opinions are very helpful. I enjoy hearing them.”

“The tea tastes good, but the venue doesn’t seem very good.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Baroness Cezarn picked up her teacup again to savor the tea. Meanwhile, Mel looked around the garden where the tea table was set.

This was the southern garden of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion, right in front of the vegetable patch that Mel had cultivated herself. Besides being a garden that hadn’t been maintained for a while, the vegetable patch that Mel and Lin had clumsily tended couldn’t really be called a hobby-level garden.

After mentally assessing the tea party venue like that, Mel smiled brightly and said, “That vegetable patch is something I cultivated myself. I thought it had quite a bit of meaning, but I forgot that’s only for me. Thank you for the good observation.”

“……I didn’t know that. Now I can appreciate it anew.”

Baroness Cezarn said she would appreciate the garden, but her gaze was directed at Marchioness Mervissen and Viscountess Roland. The two women receiving Baroness Cezarn’s gaze subtly trembled before picking up their teacups and averting their eyes.

‘……Though Baroness Cezarn’s status should be lower than Marchioness Mervissen or Viscount Roland, those two seem to be watching out for the Baroness.’

She wondered if there was a different hierarchy among the mistresses. Mel pretended to savor her tea as she carefully observed the three women.

‘They don’t seem to get along. There’s undisguisable contempt in Baroness Cezarn’s eyes, Marchioness Mervissen doesn’t hide her jealousy, and Viscountess Roland fears this situation.’

In a way, they were all mistresses of one man. None of them had become the prince’s consort, and presumably, none of them would in the future. So it was inevitable they wouldn’t get along, but knowing how this gathering came about meant they must be quite trusted by the First Prince.

“Why couldn’t the three of you attend the party that day?”

To Mel’s question, Marchioness Mervissen answered first.

“My husband didn’t want me to attend. He’s a man who shows particular affection for me. He doesn’t even allow others’ gazes to linger on me for a moment.”

At her words, Viscountess Roland’s face turned pale blue. Baroness Cezarn slightly curled one corner of her mouth as if amused. This was because Marchioness Mervissen was a widow.

From what Mel had learned, when she married Marquis Mervissen at the age of 17, the Marquis was 81 years old. He died on the night he acquired his young and captivating wife. He tripped over his own feet while hurrying to the bedroom, resulting in a head injury.

Marchioness Mervissen thus inherited the Marquis’s vast wealth and mansion, becoming the most attractive remarriage candidate. Perhaps it was only natural that she became the First Prince’s mistress. The First Prince would have coveted the Marquis’s wealth, and Mervissen was beautiful and young.

“Your marital affection is extraordinary. It’s truly enviable.”

Mel feigned innocence and expressed admiration, as officially she was supposed to be unaware of imperial nobles’ circumstances.

“Yes, he’s so affectionate to me. It’s a bit suffocating, but what can I do? I must follow my husband’s wishes.”

Viscountess Roland, who knew exactly whom Marchioness Mervissen was referring to as her husband, bit her lip.

“Viscountess Roland said she couldn’t come because she was ill. What about you, Baroness Cezarn?”

“His Highness the First Prince didn’t want me to attend.”

“Oh?”

Mel showed interest in Baroness Cezarn’s mention of the First Prince. Before the other two ladies could stop her, Baroness Cezarn naturally continued.

“It was when rumors about you and the Prince were at their height. He said he didn’t want to deal with people’s gossip if I, his mistress, were there with you.”

“……!”

“……!”

At these incredibly blunt words, Marchioness Mervissen and Viscountess Roland simultaneously jumped to their feet. Baroness Cezarn didn’t even pay attention to their reaction, just staring directly at Mel. She was watching how she would respond to this statement.

Mel thought that depending on her reaction, the First Prince’s instructions might have been different. Did the Princess know what kind of gathering this would be when she arranged it, or not?

“How surprising, truly.”

Mel opened her eyes wide and glanced at the head maid while covering her mouth with a fan. Seeing the head maid’s face turn pale white, she could tell that Baroness Cezarn’s statement wasn’t at least agreed upon with her.

“It’s something all imperial nobles know. Since you’ve entered imperial high society, I judged it better to tell you myself rather than have you find out eventually.”

“Then these two ladies as well?”

“That’s right.”

When Baroness Cezarn readily admitted it, Marchioness Mervissen and Viscountess Roland sat back down with faces that couldn’t hide their dejection.

“If the Baroness speaks like this, what happens to my husband’s reputation?”

“Marchioness Mervissen, you’ve become a mistress especially loved by the First Prince.”

“Hmph.”

Marchioness Mervissen turned her head away in displeasure. Beside her, Viscountess Roland, who had been fidgeting nervously, merely moved her lips before hanging her head low when Marchioness Mervissen didn’t say anything further. She looked like she wanted to add something but gave up after hesitating.

“Now that nothing is hidden from the princess anymore, shall we talk comfortably?”

“Of course, Baroness Cezarn. I like bold people like you.”

“Thank you for saying so.”

Baroness Cezarn took a sip of tea. Mel noticed this was her way of relieving tension. The Baroness’s next words would likely be the purpose of the tea party. Mel felt her heart beating slightly faster as she listened attentively.

“His Highness the First Prince has a hold on your weakness, Princess.”

Mel recalled her biggest weakness. The slave blood flowing through her body, her insurmountable status—that was it. Mel tightly clasped her hands hidden under the table.

“What do you mean by weakness……”

She put on a deliberately uncomfortable expression as she examined Baroness Cezarn’s face.

As a noble, if Baroness Cezarn knew Mel’s true identity, she wouldn’t be able to hide her disgust. But her face remained calm.

‘I can tell that at least my status isn’t the weakness the First Prince holds. Then what is it?’

Mel became curious about what card he might be holding. There must be a specific reason he was trying to threaten her through his mistress’s mouth.

“I apologize if my words were unpleasant. I’m just here to deliver His Highness’s message.”

Baroness Cezarn thoroughly excluded herself from this conversation. Her voice, devoid of any personal interest, was emotionless. She seemed to be simply fulfilling her assigned task.

As Mel and Baroness Cezarn silently gazed at each other, exchanging looks, Marchioness Mervissen hastily intervened.

“Did His Highness also leave a message for you, Baroness Cezarn?”

“You too, Marchioness Mervissen?”

“Of course. I thought His Highness sent the two of you along because I would be lonely alone……”

Marchioness Mervissen looked deeply disappointed. She seemed to have taken great pride in her role as a trusted mistress who received important instructions from the First Prince.

Baroness Cezarn didn’t show any particular reaction to her words and attitude, as if she had already expected it, but Viscountess Roland fidgeted with her hands and spoke up.

“Um, I also…… His Highness told me something.”

“You too, Lady Roland?”

Marchioness Mervissen’s voice automatically sharpened. Viscountess Roland flinched, but she endured Marchioness Mervissen’s piercing gaze and said.

“He said it’s important, so I should definitely tell you when we’re alone, Princess. When these two aren’t around.”

“Ha.”

At Viscountess Roland’s words, Marchioness Mervissen swallowed a hollow laugh as if she found it absurd.

“His Highness wouldn’t do that.”

“Marchioness Mervissen, that’s enough. Why don’t we finish our business and leave?”

The one who stopped the marchioness from interrogating Lady Roland was Baroness Cezarn, who had finished exchanging looks with Mel. She didn’t bring up anything else, as if she only needed to convey that the First Prince had a hold on the princess’s weakness.

The First Prince clearly didn’t even trust his three mistresses and had divided his message among them. He probably didn’t expect Baroness Cezarn to speak so openly in front of everyone.

“Then I’ll also speak with the princess alone.”

“His Highness didn’t leave any special instructions for you, Marchioness Mervissen.”

“He specifically instructed Lady Roland because she’s not trustworthy. Isn’t it normal not to share such important conversations with everyone?”

Viscountess Roland couldn’t say anything more and just bit her lip tightly.

Marchioness Mervissen’s gaze now turned to the baroness.

“Baroness Cezarn, you must have known this, so I don’t understand why you rushed like this.”

“I know Marchioness Mervissen’s understanding is broad, but there’s no need to embrace me as well.”

“Then I’ll inform His Highness about today’s events.”

“Go ahead. Nothing will change anyway.”

Marchioness Mervissen seemed to realize that continuing to exchange words with the baroness would only lead to repetition, so she snapped open her fan and covered her mouth while waving it. With narrowed eyes, the marchioness slowly scanned Baroness Cezarn from head to toe.

“Well, you’re not one to talk nonsense, Baroness. I’ll let it go this time.”

“……”

Baroness Cezarn just drank her tea as if she had expected this, showing no particular reaction. Mel quietly observed the argument between these three people at the tea party she had ended up hosting.

The relationship between the three was quite subtle. Marchioness Mervissen and Viscountess Roland couldn’t acknowledge each other’s existence. In contrast, Baroness Cezarn seemed to be excluded from their competition.

“If everything is settled between you all, why don’t we end this meaningless tea party after you deliver your messages to me? I’m sure you must all be busy.”

Mel smiled brightly, asserting her presence. Now that it was revealed this was a meeting with a purpose, there was no need to wear various masks and try to figure out each other’s intentions through roundabout means.

“Ha, fine. I don’t know how you earned His Highness’s displeasure, but you should be careful with your conduct.”

“Why is that?”

“Duke Ivanstein’s mansion is older than the empire’s history, isn’t it? Just look at the size of this terrible garden. One might get lost if left alone here.”

Marchioness Mervissen lowered the fan covering her mouth. Her luscious lips with one corner smoothly raised became visible. She was a woman who knew how to show a sneer similar to First Prince Rihast’s.

“But His Highness knows that you deliberately entered a place forbidden by the Duke. That’s quite a significant difference. Enough to turn from a pitiful princess to an insolent enemy spy in an instant.”

“My goodness.”

Mel pretended to be surprised, covering her mouth while glancing at the head maid. She was holding her head high shamelessly. Mel hadn’t expected her to keep her mouth shut, but she hadn’t thought she would report to the First Prince so quickly that Mel had entered the western garden.

But since she had anticipated that the news would reach the First Prince one way or another, Mel didn’t lose her composure.

“But I truly got lost.”

Her face, tilting her head to the side with a furrowed brow as if troubled, looked absolutely innocent. Even Viscountess Roland’s freshness would have to take a step back.

Marchioness Mervissen flinched momentarily. Perhaps she didn’t get along well with this type, as she immediately wrinkled her face and said.

“That doesn’t matter, Princess. His Highness is in Reibritton now.”

“……!”

“Seeing your surprise, I think you now understand how difficult things could become for you.”

It would have been strange not to know. What business would the First Prince have in Reibritton? He must be meeting the Reibritton royalty. The fact that he, who had always taken a position in favor of conquering Reibritton, visited the enemy country as soon as he was pushed out of succession was telling.

‘A rebellion is coming.’

Mel could easily predict his move. If he succeeded in negotiating with the Reibritton royalty, the fact that Mel had entered a forbidden area of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion at this point could put her in great danger.

The Reibritton royalty had already abandoned the princess once, so if they could secure their safety through the First Prince, they might readily agree with him and admit they had sent the princess as a spy.

But what was even more frightening was……

‘The king doesn’t know about my existence, but the crown prince and crown princess do.’

Since the First Prince couldn’t possibly know that Mel was a slave, he couldn’t reveal the truth even if he met the crown prince. But Mel judged that if the crown prince heard about her behavior in the empire, he could quickly identify who she really was.

‘I need to hurry.’

The day when Mel’s identity would be revealed was approaching, tightening around her breath. Mel grabbed hold of her anxious mind and decided to organize her thoughts step by step in the current situation.

“For His Highness to be away on a day like today……”

“People are too busy wagging their tails under the glory of the new Emperor to pay attention to our Prince.”

Marchioness Mervissen said this as she rose from her seat. She seemed to have only this to say.

“I apologize, but I’ll take my leave first. His Highness will tell you the rest.”

Mel nodded. Marchioness Mervissen lightly bent her knees in courtesy before leaving.

“Have you also finished your business, Baroness?”

“I was planning to stay a bit longer because the situation is interesting……”

She glanced at Viscountess Roland. The Viscountess was still sending anxious looks to Baroness Cezarn, perhaps trying to follow the First Prince’s instruction to speak with the princess alone. Seeing that blatant face, Baroness Cezarn swallowed a sigh and stood up.

“I’ll leave out of consideration for Viscountess Roland. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“Of course. I find myself wanting to meet with you separately sometime soon, Baroness.”

“If that’s what you wish, I will make time.”

“Thank you.”

After Baroness Cezarn left as well, Viscountess Roland visibly relaxed and smoothed her chest. Mel found it curious that Lady Roland seemed unable to hide her expressions or protect herself.

“Please speak comfortably and then go, Viscountess Roland.”

“Ah, I really feel bad about how things turned out, Princess. I wanted to have many conversations with you.”

“That’s something we can do slowly over time.”

“That’s right! I’m going to be good friends with you from now on. His Highness said so too, that I should become close with you. Friends who can share even secrets!”

Viscountess Roland looked at Mel with eyes sparkling with innocence, clasping her hands together.

“Will you continue to freely come and go to the place Duke Ivanstein has forbidden entry to, Princess? His Highness wants to hear about that place.”

“As I said, I truly got lost and ended up there.”

“It doesn’t matter. You’ve had your weakness caught by His Highness, so you must follow his words.”

Viscountess Roland smiled brightly as if this were a blessing. Watching her genuinely delighting in sharing this joy, Mel thought.

She understood why the First Prince had made that woman his mistress. Viscountess Roland was a little bird who only spoke the truth to the First Prince.

“What kind of story does His Highness the First Prince expect me to tell?”

“I wouldn’t know! His Highness said that if I become friends with you, it would be a great help to what he’s doing.”

Mel silently smiled at Viscountess Roland. She seemed pleased with the friend the First Prince had created for her, apparently forgetting what she had just said.

‘You just said I’d tell stories about the forbidden place in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.’

Mel couldn’t guess why the First Prince was showing interest in the Duke’s mansion. She understood he was contemplating rebellion, but there was nothing to connect him with this mansion.

Was he trying to find out something to pull Duke Ivanstein to his side? Unlike Mel, who had a complicated expression, Viscountess Roland chattered in an excited voice.

“Let’s meet often from now on. We’ll go choose dresses together, listen to arias together, and also……”

“Ah, my lady?”

Mel sighed deeply, pressing her throbbing head with her hand. Viscountess Roland flinched and looked at her nervously.

“Since we have much more to discuss, let’s arrange another meeting later. I’m tired today, so would you please return now?”

“Ah, ah? Of course! Please invite me again next time!”

Viscountess Roland rose from her seat with a radiant face, clearly pleased with the word “next.” She showed no concern for Mel’s tired expression, appearing completely innocent and carefree.

“Or I’ll invite you instead! I’m planning to hold a party at the viscount’s mansion soon!”

“I’ll think about it.”

“I’m so excited! A party with a friend will surely be the best one of my life!”

Viscountess Roland giggled as she walked away. From the southern garden until she boarded the carriage that would take her to the entrance of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion, she kept glancing at Mel and waving her hand.

Mel waved back expressionlessly until she could finally lower her hand after watching the Viscountess climb into the carriage, open the window wide, and extend her arm in farewell. Though the tea party had been so brief it could hardly be considered a moment, to Mel it felt as if thousands of hours had passed.

After sighing briefly, Mel called to the head maid standing behind her in a low voice.

“……Head maid.”

“Yes.”

“Although we’ve shared secrets, I didn’t want us to become the type to share every little detail.”

Mel turned her head to look at the head maid. The head maid stood with her chin raised high, her expression unchanged.

“Have you decided not to hide anything from me anymore?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I mean having two masters. Though it seems clear now which one is real.”

The reason the head maid’s request for the tea party and her explanation had been so flimsy was because she never intended to hide from Mel that she worked for the First Prince.

“You don’t seem worried about me telling Duke Ivanstein.”

“Princess, you and I are in the same boat whether we like it or not. We both have secrets we’d rather not share with the Duke.”

The fact that Mel had entered the forbidden area shouldn’t be revealed to Genoa yet. Of course, since Genoa already knew the head maid worked for the First Prince, the scales had already tipped to one side. Only the head maid didn’t know that.

“My master, His Highness Rihast, will eventually hold Duke Ivanstein’s leash. Even if the Duke wants to kill me then, he won’t be able to.”

“……I have one question.”

“Go ahead.”

“What was the First Prince’s initial aim in arranging this meeting?”

“Does that matter now? What you should be more concerned about is that with your reckless curiosity, my master now holds better cards than he originally planned.”

How spiteful her words are. Mel recalled the head maid’s true nature, which she had temporarily forgotten during the tea party. Now that they each held one of the other’s weaknesses, the head maid no longer needed to be cautious around her.

Judging by how she had treated Lin when Mel first arrived at the mansion, life would likely become quite troublesome from now on.

“Fine. I’ll handle things from here, so you can step back. What a nuisance this has become, just because I was curious and took a peek at the western garden.”

Mel deliberately grumbled as she rose from her seat. She didn’t miss the tea party at all, despite the fragrant tea aroma that still lingered.

‘I should find Bane first.’

She boarded the carriage with the head maid to return to the mansion from the southern garden.

Bane had remained at the mansion instead of following Genoa to the emperor’s coronation. This was to stay vigilant in case of any incidents, as three of the First Prince’s mistresses were visiting the Duke’s mansion, not to mention the head maid who worked for the First Prince.

Mel felt the need to speak with Bane before Genoa returned. She planned to rest in her room first to relieve her fatigue, just a little, before meeting him.

* * *

“Princess! Where have you been!”

Lin welcomed Mel as she returned to the mansion. Mel opened her eyes wide in surprise before finally remembering that she had sent Lin on an errand, and then smiled to greet her.

“Did you do well with what I asked?”

“Of course I did well…… Where did you go with the head maid?”

“Hmm? Ah. I was discussing my vegetable garden. Right?”

Mel gestured toward the head maid, but the head maid simply brushed past her and entered the mansion. Lin’s indignant voice rang out behind the rapidly departing head maid.

“You! I was wondering why you’ve been so uncharacteristically quiet!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I was actually more uncomfortable seeing the head maid act so out of character.”

“That’s true, isn’t it?”

The head maid paid no attention to whatever conversation the princess and Lin were having, or how loudly they gossiped about her. What mattered to her was that she had achieved her greatest accomplishment since entering Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.

Rihast was a cruel person. Since he had high expectations for the head maid, there would certainly be consequences if she disappointed him. Getting into Duke Ivanstein’s mansion as the head maid had been extremely difficult, but even more challenging was persuading that naive princess.

The head maid had to be on high alert for every insignificant action of the princess, fearing her true identity might be discovered. But now that was over.

‘How stupid. Go ahead and get sucked dry to the bone by His Highness Rihast, then rot away with your bloodline.’

The head maid knew that Duke Ivanstein had proposed to the princess. But she thought the princess’s fate was sealed whether she accepted the proposal or not. How could a woman with so little intelligence that she earned the First Prince’s hatred ever become the Duchess of Ivanstein?

‘She’d better wake up from her delusions soon.’

Working as a spy in the mansion, she had discovered quite a few things. There was something suspicious about the House of Ivanstein.

The head maid had spent all night wondering if she should have followed Mel when she entered the western garden that day. What could possibly be there that would warrant immediate execution for anyone who entered?

Through this tea party, the head maid now understood her master’s interest in the forbidden area of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.

If only she had figured out his intentions sooner, she wouldn’t have needed to involve the princess. She kept feeling regretful. Then she could have earned merit faster and been called back to the imperial palace earlier.

‘Should I follow the princess into the western garden now?’

Just as the head maid was seriously considering this, she arrived at her quarters. As soon as she opened the door and entered, she lifted a cage hidden behind the curtains. She woke the carrier pigeon dozing inside, then quickly wrote down her accomplishments to send to Rihast, tying the note to its leg.

“Please fly well and make me the chief lady-in-waiting of the imperial palace.”

The head maid opened the window and released the carrier pigeon. As she watched it fly into the sky, growing smaller in the distance, she turned around with a satisfied feeling.

“Hup!”

A black hand shot out and covered the head maid’s mouth.

“Mmph, mph!”

The head maid struggled, but the assailant gripped her jaw with such tremendous force that it seemed he might crush it, refusing to let go. The head maid’s terrified eyes frantically scanned her room. But no matter how much she looked around, she couldn’t see any way to escape this situation.

It became difficult even to breathe. As the head maid’s vision began to blur, someone burst through her door.

“……Hmmph! Ugh!”

It was Bane, the captain of the Ivanstein knights. The head maid’s eyes greeted him enthusiastically. But that welcome didn’t last long.

“I told you to catch her before she released the carrier pigeon.”

“Ah, I apologize, Captain. She sent it off too quickly, what could I do?”

“Tsk.”

Watching Bane click his tongue in disappointment, the head maid bulged her eyes. Looking at her, clearly not understanding the situation, Bane said:

“My lord sends his regards for your hard work.”

“Hmm, ugh!”

“My lord.”

As Bane finished speaking, Michelo, who had been covering the head maid’s mouth, struck the back of her neck to knock her unconscious. In her fading vision, the last thing the head maid saw was Bane’s cold, sunken eyes.

* * *

Mel dreamed. It was a dream of long ago, when her mother held her small self tightly and wept. Though her mother wouldn’t have known, Mel had developed her senses earlier than most children her age. She understood words quickly and had an excellent memory.

“I want to die, I can’t die, I want to die, but my Mel, ah, I just want to die……, sob. Father, Mother……, Brother, sob. I should have died with them back then. I should have……”

Mel remembered the words her mother muttered every night while crying until she could barely breathe, and when she understood their meaning, she finally realized. Because of her, her mother wanted to die but couldn’t, and was living a life where she wanted to.

‘If only I weren’t here……’

Mel grew up close to death. Some slaves around her were beaten to death, stabbed to death, or strangled themselves to death. So Mel knew well how her small, fragile body’s breath could be extinguished.

Hundreds of times a day, whenever her mother’s heart-wrenching sobs echoed in her mind, Mel wondered: If I die and disappear, could Mother be free? But since the freedom her mother desired was death, Mel couldn’t make that choice. Because she loved her mother.

Because she loved her, Mel wanted to die, and because she loved her, she couldn’t die.

‘Mother and I are living in the same hell after all.’

Mel thought this as she listened to her mother’s sobs in the dream, holding her. Meeting her beloved mother in a dream—was this a good dream or a bad one?

The mother in the dream was frail and weak, with the eyes of the dead. Though she held the young Mel in her arms, she writhed in emptiness as if there was nothing there.

“Sob, sob, sob…… I’m sorry, I’m sorry baby. I’m sorry…… my baby, I’m sorry…… Resent me. Resent and hate me.”

Mel already knew how this dream she had repeatedly would end.

After crying for a while, a resolute determination forms in her mother’s eyes, and the hand that had been constantly stroking the young Mel slithers like a snake to her neck. Trembling fingers grip the tiny neck of young Mel, and the lips that had been constantly bitten burst open, dropping blood onto young Mel’s eyes.

“Gasp, huh!”

Startled by young Mel who looks as if she’s crying tears of blood, the mother withdraws her strangling hand and almost throws the child down.

“Huu, waaah!”

Young Mel, now awake, bursts into tears, and her mother, suddenly coming to her senses, crawls toward her. Then she holds young Mel tightly in her arms again to comfort her and says:

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, baby! What was I, what was I doing…… sob, how could I do this to you. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again, I won’t do it again……”

The mother crying so sorrowfully was almost too painful to watch, even in a dream. The mother was whispering to young Mel, who couldn’t even understand, to forgive her because she would never do it again, but Mel knew what would happen after that day.

Her mother would continue to try to kill the young Mel and then give up, then hold her again and cry while longing for death. This would repeat until young Mel began to understand the meaning of words and realized that her mother had tried to kill her and given up.

Some days, the young Mel wanted to die and wished her mother would strangle her, and other days, she feared death and pretended to wake up by deliberately rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“I love you, I love you, baby. I love you so much……”

Still, her mother loved Mel. Mel loved her mother too. It was a natural progression that they became each other’s reason for living. This was almost like an obsession—Mel was fixated on surviving for her mother, and her mother stubbornly refused to let go of her breath for Mel’s sake.

‘It’s time to wake up from this dream.’

Mel thought emotionlessly as she watched her mother embrace the young Mel and whisper words of love. This dream always ended with this scene. But then…

“……!”

The mother in the dream looked at Mel. Not at young Mel, but at Mel who was dreaming. She wore a bright smile that Mel had never seen before. Her once dead eyes now sparkled with life, and a fresh red color bloomed on her previously pale skin.

“I’m very sorry, Mel. But I’m so happy now. So my child, please be happy too. Never feel sorry for me. Understand?”

“……Moth…er.”

As the startled Mel stammered, trying to call out to her, the scene suddenly changed. The setting was the middle of a forest. Young Mel was bleeding and dying.

“Baby!”

Her mother screamed and approached the young Mel. She seemed to lose strength midway, tumbling to the ground and crawling toward Mel with her face scraping against the earth.

“Wake up, baby! Please, Mel! Open your eyes!”

Her mother tore her clothes to press against the wound on Mel’s back to stop the bleeding.

“Ugh, urgh.”

Young Mel writhed in pain. Her mother looked at her and felt relieved.

“Let’s go. Let’s go, baby. Let’s leave this place.”

Her mother tried to carry the young Mel on her back to escape. But young Mel raised her hand, covered in blood and dirt, and gripped her mother’s wrist strongly. It was an incredibly strong grip for a dying child.

“We have to, go back, Mother…… Young Master is, still there. So we have to go back.”

“No, baby. No! You’ve lost too much blood. You almost died! Are you telling your mother who nearly lost you to send you back there? I can’t do that, baby. Absolutely not!”

Her mother’s voice trembled with anger and fear. She looked at young Mel as if seeing a stranger.

“Going there knowing you might die. Are you really my daughter? Would you leave your mother behind?”

“Please, Mother…… Let me go. Young Master is waiting for me……”

“All the paths that person left have already been blocked by someone! He abandoned us! We’re slaves who have served our purpose! So forget it. Forget it all! We’re leaving everything behind.”

Young Mel’s eyes shook in disbelief at her mother’s words.

“That can’t be! He promised, he said he would survive and wait there…!”

“He abandoned you, I tell you!”

Her mother screamed hysterically. Mel’s body shook violently at that piercing scream, almost like a shriek.

“What noble would sincerely care about a slave like you! Please come to your senses! That person will die there. He will die!”

“No, no, Mother…… I found it and gave it to him. ‘That thing.’ Surely Bane delivered ‘that thing’ to Young Master, so he must have survived…!”

Young Mel clutched her mother’s forearm and pleaded. With eyes that shone powerfully despite losing life as she bled, she begged. For the first time, young Mel was imploring to leave her mother and go to that person. Her mother’s eyes filled with betrayal.

“What the hell is ‘that thing’!”

She wished that ‘that thing’ young Mel had been searching for at the risk of her life would never exist in this world. To think the price for finally finding it was her dying daughter. She couldn’t comprehend it at all.

What could it possibly be that made that precious young master captivate her daughter’s heart while putting on all sorts of pretenses, despite her lowly slave origins?

“I, I found it, Mother. ‘That thing’ with the escape route from the Ivanstein ducal basement drawn on it, the map!”

Young Mel’s voice was filled with elation. But she soon lost consciousness. In her gradually fading vision, young Mel recalled ‘that thing,’ the map of Duke Ivanstein’s basement that she had preciously held against her chest as she fled.

“……!”

And that memory was shared with Mel who was dreaming. Though she had only seen it for a brief moment after discovering it before fleeing with it in hand, young Mel had a good memory. She couldn’t recall details precisely, but she could remember things vaguely after seeing them once.

In Mel’s dream, a map of the basement interior of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion appeared, larger in scale than the mansion itself, which would take quite some time to tour even by carriage. It was a memory that current Mel had forgotten due to shock and the passage of time.

‘I need to memorize it!’

Even in her dream, Mel tried to focus and memorize it. But perhaps because she tried too hard to focus…..

“Gasp!”

Mel woke up to the sound of explosions somewhere and something collapsing. She sat up abruptly. Sitting on the bed, she clutched her chest and caught her breath.

“Oh my, you’re awake?”

Lin, who had been looking out the window, approached Mel in surprise. She patted her back, who was staring at her with a dazed expression.

“Oh dear, you were startled. I’m sorry. I should have closed the window sooner……”

Mel blinked for a moment, trying to understand her current situation. The dream had been so vivid that she couldn’t distinguish between dream and reality.

I’m now in a room prepared for me in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion, and Lin is someone the Duke assigned to me, who has become the Princess of Reibritton.

As she repeated this to herself, her mind gradually cleared. Mel breathed slowly and asked Lin:

“What’s that noise?”

The sound of something exploding continued outside. Though it had grown dark, flashes of light illuminated the sky through the window.

“A festival started after the coronation ended. Look, the fireworks are in full swing.”

It had certainly been bright daylight before she fell asleep. Mel hurriedly pushed aside the blanket and put her feet on the floor.

She planned to meet Bane while Genoa was away, but if the coronation was over now, she didn’t have much time left. Feeling somewhat resentful, Mel directed her frustration at Lin.

“Lin…… Why didn’t you wake me up.”

“What? You’re saying I didn’t wake you up?”

Lin jumped up indignantly.

“I did wake you, but you couldn’t even focus and kept sleeping!”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Lin nodded repeatedly. Since this was the first time Mel had dreamed about her mother since entering this mansion, she cautiously asked Lin:

“I must have been in a deep sleep. Did I say anything in my sleep?”

“I didn’t hear anything. Oh! Ask the Duke.”

“Huh?”

Mel opened her eyes wide in surprise at the unexpected name. Why would she ask someone who should be dealing with the aftermath of the coronation right now?

“He came by a little while ago.”

“Duke Ivanstein returned?”

“Yes. He came back right after the coronation ceremony ended and asked for you.”

Mel’s mind froze, unable to comprehend the situation.

“Why me?”

“I wouldn’t know. He might have had something important to tell you, or perhaps he was checking on you since you couldn’t attend today’s coronation.”

Mel unconsciously shook her head at Lin’s words.

Would that be like him? He might have urgent business to discuss with her, or perhaps he wanted an early report about the tea party.

All sorts of reasons flashed through Mel’s mind. But regardless of the reason, nothing could be more important than the coronation.

“Anyway, when I told him you were sleeping, he came in here and watched you sleep for quite a while before leaving.”

“Why are you saying such scary things……”

“Hahaha! What’s so scary about that?”

Lin laughed brightly at Mel’s whining, not understanding her concern.

From Lin’s perspective, the Duke being so attentive to the princess was a good thing. The closer the Duke was to the princess, the stronger Lin’s position would become as her attendant. Already, many people in the mansion were prioritizing Lin’s requests behind the head maid’s back.

“The rumors must be true, Princess.”

“What rumors?”

“My goodness? Are you pretending not to know?”

Lin narrowed her eyes and approached Mel, poking her arm with her finger.

“What are you doing?”

“The rumors are all over the mansion. They say the Duke has fallen completely for you.”

“……!”

“Pretending not to know only works so many times. You haven’t visited as often lately, but before, you were going to the Duke’s bedroom every day. It would be hard for two young, beautiful people not to develop feelings.”

Part of Lin hoped the princess would settle down and live at Duke Ivanstein’s mansion. Though she knew how much Mel wanted to leave this place, Lin’s personal wish was different.

“The butler seems to approve too. He says work has become easier since the head maid has been quiet after your arrival, Princess.”

In truth, most of the servants, tired of the head maid’s one-sided tyranny, welcomed the princess staying at the mansion with open arms. During the time when the head maid stayed quiet because of the princess’s presence, everyone enjoyed working in a peaceful atmosphere.

“I, that… the Duke and I aren’t that kind of……”

“Yeees, of course not.”

Lin clicked her tongue in disappointment. Mel opened her mouth in astonishment at such an obvious attitude.

“It would be nice if you really became the Duchess of House Ivanstein. Our Duke is truly a good person. First of all, he’s handsome. So handsome that you can’t even get used to it.”

“That’s true, but I……”

“The butler said so too. He said the Duke reconsiders things when you speak. And the butler says the Duke has never been this gentle since he started serving him!”

Lin’s words were persuasive enough to make even Mel wonder.

Could Genoa really have feelings for her? Enough for others to notice?

The people of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion were those who observed Mel and Genoa most closely. If it appeared that way to them, then perhaps Genoa truly had developed some human affection for Mel.

But Mel couldn’t feel entirely comfortable with the idea.

“Duke Ivanstein and I simply have compatible political views. My position is useful for his family’s interests, so that’s why……”

“Oh my? Our Duke isn’t the type to be kind and considerate to people just because they’re useful. He usually sucks them dry to the bone and throws them away.”

“……You really know the Duke well.”

“I’m an Ivanstein person too, after all.”

Pride and dignity resonated in Lin’s tone. Mel looked at her with a strange expression. While living with Lin, Mel had come to think of her as almost her own person. Yet Lin had deeply rooted pride in working at Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.

“Anyway, you must be hungry after sleeping so long. I’ll prepare a meal for you. It won’t take long! Rest a bit more until then.”

Lin carefully laid Mel back on the bed and covered her with the blanket. Mel obediently lay down and stared blankly at the window where flashes of light continued to shine through.

“Ah, do you want to watch the fireworks? Shall I bring a chair?”

“……Yes, please.”

“Of course!”

Lin brought a chair to the window and closed it for now. Mel pushed back the blanket and slipped her feet into the slippers by the bed.

“Why did you close the window? I want to hear the fireworks too.”

“Ah, you won’t like that sound. You just woke up startled by it, remember?”

“It was fine until now.”

Mel tilted her head in confusion. The sound of exploding fireworks had been coming through the open window throughout their conversation. She stared at Lin, finding it strange that she suddenly found it uncomfortable, and noticed Lin’s eyes shifting as if hiding something.

“Lin?”

“Hmm……”

When Mel called her name, Lin groaned as if trying to choose her words carefully, rolling her eyes around. Instead of waiting for her answer, Mel approached the window and opened it wide.

Bang, bang.

The sound of fireworks illuminating the sky wasn’t as loud as Lin had worried it would be.

“See, the sound isn’t that loud, so why……”

Just as Mel said this, along with another bang of fireworks, there came a boom! from somewhere in the mansion, followed by the sound of something collapsing.

“Gasp!”

It was a thunderous sound that made the ground shake. Lin quickly supported Mel as she nearly fell backward in surprise.

“Oh no! This is why I wanted to keep the window closed!”

“……What is that sound, Lin?”

“Umm, well……, you see.”

Mel sat in the chair as Lin supported her. Lin mumbled indistinctly while closing the window again. Once closed, the rumbling vibration of the ground was no longer felt.

When Mel stared at Lin, she sighed deeply as if giving up.

“I didn’t want to tell you because I was afraid you’d be scared and think badly of this place…… But the truth is, this mansion has a sad legend.”

“A legend?”

“The legend says that when festivals are held in the capital, people disappear from Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.”

This was a legend Mel had never heard before, despite having stayed here in the past.

“Ever since some time ago, when festivals are held in the capital and fireworks begin, loud noises are heard from the mansion. And always, someone from the mansion disappears. They say the previous duke, Lionel Ivanstein, disappeared that way too.”

“……!”

Mel’s face turned pale upon hearing the name she never expected to come from Lin’s lips.

“There are many stories about this. Some say it’s the sound of the Duke punishing traitors, others say it’s the ghost of the previous duke taking people away because he hates festivals……”

The thunderous sound from outside the window was like the earth collapsing. The same sound had occurred when the Reibritton royal palace fell. The ground-shaking rumble, reminiscent of that day, evoked an unpleasant sensation in Mel.

“Wait, what do you mean the previous duke disappeared like that too?”

“Exactly what I said. They say he just vanished overnight. Those who followed the previous duke also left one by one during that time, so our current duke was busy stabilizing the chaotic family……”

Mel’s mind suddenly became complicated. Seeing Mel’s expression harden, Lin quickly tried to smooth things over, worried she might become frightened of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.

“That’s why people just make up these legends! Some even say people don’t actually disappear but get immediately expelled for causing trouble!”

“……Is that so?”

But Mel’s expression grew increasingly serious.

This sound, the people who disappeared…. And the connection with the previous duke Ivanstein who supposedly disappeared that way…

Mel knew the feelings Genoa had harbored for his father, the previous duke, when he was young. And given Genoa’s personality, she could predict how he might have acted to resolve those feelings.

Genoa, who already knew about the head maid’s betrayal, would have judged that her usefulness ended with today’s tea party. Along with the thunderous sound, a certain outline became clearly completed in Mel’s mind.

“Princess, you look unwell. Would you like to rest for a moment?”

“……”

Lin supported Mel, whose face was turning pale, with concern. Leaning on that kind touch, Mel sat on the bed and continued her train of thought.

Perhaps noticing something strange about her, Lin carefully asked:

“Should I call a doctor? Or I can get the head maid. If you’ll just wait a moment……”

“No!”

Mel jumped in alarm and gripped Lin’s wrist tightly. It was such a strong grip that Lin unconsciously winced slightly.

“Princess?”

“Don’t go, Lin. Don’t go……”

“What’s wrong? Are you really not feeling well?”

“Just, just a bad feeling. Just……”

Mel trembled for a while, holding onto Lin. Lin gently stroked Mel’s back, wondering what could frighten the princess so much. Whenever the princess showed signs of fear, Lin always felt strange.

Though she was in the heart of an enemy country, everyone treated the princess kindly. Duke Ivanstein, the imperial nobles, even the newly crowned emperor. If Lin were the princess, she would feel like walking on clouds every day.

But seeing Mel collapse like this each time made Lin wonder if she wasn’t serving her properly.

The princess had done much for Lin. Besides helping her establish her position in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion, she secretly gave Lin part of the dignity maintenance allowance that Genoa provided for her. She did this knowing that Lin was supporting her family alone.

Not only that, but she showed interest in Lin’s family—what her mother liked, what hobbies her father had, what her siblings were studying, what their dreams were—and her attentiveness was so different from the nobles Lin had known.

That’s why the princess was special to Lin, and she wanted to become special to the princess too.

‘Come to think of it, I’ve never once asked about the Princess’s family.’

Since the princess had been captured as a prisoner from an enemy country, Lin had always thought it inappropriate to ask about her royal family. While the princess treated Lin simply as a person, Lin had only ever regarded her as literally a princess.

‘……I should have asked what circumstances make her so fearful. That way I could serve her properly, and she might have felt more at peace in the mansion.’

Lin realized she had been working comfortably all this time thanks to the princess.

Lin knelt before the princess, who was hanging her head, and looked into her eyes. Seeing those eyes consumed by fear, Lin said:

“Princess, I’m on your side. So you can be comfortable around me. If that sound scares you, tell me it’s scary, and if something frightens you, tell me what it is. Then I’ll clear it all away for you.”

“……Lin.”

“I’m stronger and more loyal than you think. Although I’m a person of Duke Ivanstein’s mansion, as long as you’re here and I’ve been ordered to serve you, I’ll prioritize you over the Duke. No matter what happens.”

Surprisingly, Lin’s words gradually calmed Mel’s rapid breathing. In this mansion where she felt she had nothing of her own, Lin’s words made Mel feel as though she now had a hill to lean against.

After floundering in midair, Mel could finally feel the stability of having her feet touch the ground.

“Will you really prioritize me?”

“Of course. Until I repay the kindness you’ve shown me twofold or threefold, I won’t look at anyone else who comes. Even if it’s the Duke!”

“……”

Mel’s face contorted as if she’s about to cry. But both of them knew it wasn’t from sadness.

Mel hugged Lin tightly, sharing warmth. Her fear rapidly subsided, and the sound outside the window was no longer frightening. Finally, Mel’s mind began working quickly again.

“Then, then help me……”

Mel decided to honestly ask Lin for help. Now Lin was the only one in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion who could help her, and she was the most trustworthy.

“Tell me.”

“You said people disappear from the mansion when this sound is heard, right?”

“Yes, but actually it might just be a rumor and they don’t really disappear……”

“The head maid will disappear.”

“What?”

Lin asked in surprise at Mel’s words.

“What do you mean? Why would the head maid suddenly disappear?”

“……The head maid isn’t Duke Ivanstein’s person. She’s the First Prince’s spy.”

“Whaaaat?!”

“Shh!”

When the startled Lin shouted, Mel quickly covered her mouth. She could feel Lin’s lips quivering in shock under her palm. Looking at Lin, who was just rolling her eyes around, Mel continued quickly:

“Today while you were running errands, the head maid arranged for me to meet the First Prince’s mistresses. It seems the First Prince is planning a rebellion. He’s joining hands with the Reibritton royalty and trying to use my weakness to make me spy for him.”

“……!”

“But Duke Ivanstein knows everything. That the head maid works for the First Prince, and that I would meet the First Prince’s mistresses today.”

“Huh……, oh!”

Lin waved both hands, gesturing for Mel to remove the hand covering her mouth. When Mel carefully lowered her hand, Lin was about to say something but seemed to restrain herself, stroking her chest a couple of times.

After taking a moment to breathe deeply, Lin spoke in a voice that seemed to be suppressing something:

“If the head maid was a traitor to Ivanstein, it’s natural she’d be punished. Then this sound must be the Duke dealing with the head maid. I should open the window wide and enjoy it.”

Lin marched to the window, fuming, and opened it wide, wider. She looked ready to open every window in the room.

“Lin, do you believe me?”

“……Are you lying?”

“No.”

“Then I have to believe you. You’re not the type to talk nonsense, Princess.”

Lin’s confident answer tickled Mel’s chest. That trust Lin showed made Mel feel like she had found her place in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.

“So what do we do now? Since the Duke is loyal to the imperial family, if the First Prince starts a rebellion, you’ll be caught in the middle, Princess.”

“Now I need to discuss this with the Duke. I shouldn’t hide anything from him. That’s the only way I can survive. But……”

Seeing Mel trail off, Lin lowered her voice as if sensing something:

“You have… something to hide, don’t you?”

“……That’s right.”

Looking at Mel nodding purely, Lin swallowed a sigh. Then she prepared herself for the difficult task ahead.

“What should I do?”

She didn’t ask why. She would simply do whatever Mel asked, whatever help she needed. Lin’s attitude gave Mel great reassurance, which turned into courage. The courage to act more proactively. It came from the fact that Lin was completely on her side.

“From tonight, every night after the Duke falls asleep, I want you to help me search for the forbidden place in Duke Ivanstein’s mansion.”

“What are you looking for there?”

“An entrance. They probably haven’t had time to erase all traces of the collapse, so we need to search diligently without rest from now on.”

Mel said this while looking toward the window where the thunderous sounds echoed along with the fireworks.

She needed to gauge where those sounds were coming from. What she was looking for would be there. With Lin, who knew the mansion thoroughly and could help her more actively than the head maid, she could probably find it quickly.

“An entrance…… An entrance to where?”

To Lin’s question, Mel smiled with renewed composure:

“The basement. There’s something I need to find in Duke Ivanstein’s basement.”

In her mind was drawn the map of the basement’s escape route that she had memorized from her dream. Now all Mel needed was time.