“Send this letter to Andre’s Trading Company.”
Though I had gone to bed clutching my head in frustration the night before, I woke up quickly—perhaps because the worries hadn’t left me. When I opened my eyes, the sun was just barely peeking over the horizon.
“My lady, your eyes are so swollen. Oh my! What happened to your nails?”
“I’m fine now. Just make sure this letter gets to the company quickly.”
“What business do you have with the trading company?”
“I have something I need to do through them.”
“Through the trading company…?”
Michelle quickly took the letter. Her gaze lingered for a long time on my hands and face. It looked like she wanted to say something out of concern, but when I urged her about the urgency, she dashed out the door.
I looked out the window, listening to the sound of Michelle’s hurried footsteps. It seemed she had spoken to the steward right away. Soon, I saw the stableman galloping off on horseback to deliver the message.
“My lady, I asked Uncle Johnny to take care of it.”
“Thanks.”
“Now, come sit here. We need to take care of your nails.”
Her expression was still crumpled with worry, just like in the morning, but her fingers were gentle and meticulous as she treated the wounds on my hands.
“My lady.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re not doing anything dangerous… are you?”
Michelle whispered, ‘I’m just so worried about you, my lady’.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to do anything reckless.”
“Alright. Now give me your right hand. And don’t touch the ointment.”
“Okay.”
“But my lady, the letter to the trading company…was that something for Andre?”
“That’s right.”
“But Andre is…”
Michelle lifted her gaze to meet mine. Her eyes were filled with confusion, as if trying to read my intent.
“Isn’t Andre not here right now?”
“I know. He’s in Iluca.”
Precisely because he wasn’t here, Andre was the best person for the job. Michelle, who didn’t yet know the situation, needed some explanation.
“Michelle.”
“Yes, my lady?”
“What’s the fastest way to send word to someone far away?”
“I’m not sure…”
She paused to think, then answered.
“A royal courier? Or maybe a signal fire? But that only sends preset messages, so maybe a messenger bird would be fastest?”
“Wrong.”
“Then what is it?”
I felt the thick, sticky ointment as it was gently applied to my fingers.
“It’s the road.”
“The road? You mean all the roads stretched across the land?”
I nodded.
“But if you mean the road… couriers use it too.”
Michelle’s answer missed the point.
“Merchants are people whose profit depends on how quickly they can move goods. So they’re the ones who move fastest on the roads, right?”
“That’s true.”
“And this letter must reach Andre without anyone else seeing it.”
The letter’s content was written in such a way that only Andre and I would recognize anything unusual.
“Well, it’s a trading company—”
I turned to Michelle and gave her a bright smile to ease her nerves.
“I just asked for a few items needed for the wedding.”
* * *
After I sent the letter to Andre, a number of small packages began arriving at our house. Trinkets and cosmetics—things a bride-to-be might purchase.
When Michelle saw the items I’d requested coming in, she gave me a deflated expression, as if wondering if I had really asked the trading company for something so trivial. But for me, it was a relief.
The fact that these ordinary items were being delivered to the house meant only one thing:
‘It wasn’t discovered.’
I smiled to myself.
By now, I had a decent grasp on what kind of man Prince Zeta was. He was likely curious whether I’d obey his command or not. It was all too clear—he would have already intercepted the contents of the letter.
“My lady.”
“Hmm?”
“You said you’re preparing for a wedding?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Whose wedding?”
“Mine, of course.”
“I’m really asking because I’m confused, but… the Young Duke still hasn’t returned, has he?”
Michelle’s voice rose slightly in frustration.
I could feel eyes on us. Turning my head, I saw a maid I didn’t recognize wiping the windows. Michelle followed my gaze, and her expression immediately turned uneasy.
Just as Michelle moved to send the maid away, I raised my voice casually as if nothing was wrong.
“Well, of course—it’s the wedding with His Highness the Prince.”
“What?!”
Michelle’s voice grew louder than before. She couldn’t tell if I was joking or serious. Her eyes darted nervously around the room, worried that the other maid might’ve overheard. I couldn’t help but laugh at her reaction.
“My lady—are you laughing right now?”
“It’s funny. What do you want me to do?”
We had definitely spoken loud enough to be overheard. The maid who had been wiping the windows seemed to notice Michelle’s glare and quickly bowed before scurrying off down the corridor.
“My lady! She definitely heard everything! What if she spreads rumors? She’s just a trainee and hasn’t even worked here long… who knows what she might do!”
“It’s fine. If she spreads the rumor, I’d be grateful.”
Yes—let the rumor spread. That would only help put the prince more at ease.
Humming to myself, I opened the pearl-toned highlighter I’d received from the Andre Trading Company and gently applied it to my cheeks.
Michelle looked like she still had doubts. It was only natural—ever since Armin and Sasha had left, I’d been walking around with a face full of gloom, and now I was suddenly buying luxury goods and talking about marriage.
“Michelle.”
Unfortunately, this was something I couldn’t even tell Michelle.
“Yes, my lady?”
“I’m going to take a nap, so go do your errands.”
I slathered on a sleeping mask—each jar reportedly costing over 20 gold—and spoke without looking up.
“You’re using that again today?”
“Why? Should I not?”
“It’s not that you can’t… but most people dab that stuff on like it’s gold dust, and you’ve already emptied half the jar in two days.”
“It’s fine. Once I’m married, all the money in this country will be mine, anyway.”
Even I had to admit I sounded shameless.
“My lady.”
“Hmm?”
“Did you… win the lottery or something?”
Michelle asked seriously. Ever since Sasha and Armin left for the border, my parents had increased my allowance to unlimited in an effort to comfort me, but…
“Nope, nothing like that. Now aren’t you going to leave? I really want to sleep.”
I had no intention of satisfying Michelle’s curiosity. It was better if I looked like a thoughtless girl drowning in luxury.
“…Very well. Then rest well, my lady.”
Michelle’s reluctant voice trailed off as she left the room.
After she closed the door, I checked both the window and the hallway. Using my “nap” as an excuse, I locked the door and drew the heavy curtains shut. Only then did I light the lamp with a soft flicker.
I dipped my finger into the jar with the sleeping mask, swirling it around until I felt something hidden at the bottom. What I pulled out was a tightly rolled slip of paper.
At a glance, it seemed blank. But if you bring it close to the fire and let it heat up just a little…
“There it is.”
A hidden message revealed itself.
Border. Minor skirmish. Target alive. No issues. Operation in progress.
It had been just over a week since Armin and Sasha had departed for the border. I had expected them to have arrived by now, but—
“This is too fast.”
I sighed at the way they seemed to pounce as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
To eliminate all evidence, I burned the paper in the flame. The specially treated paper didn’t get wet in water, and even when burned, it left behind no soot.
Next, I opened another cosmetic container—this time, the lid of the pearl highlighter.
Iluca. Persuasion successful. Wants to see the item. Needs more time.
It was a shorter note, but its meaning was easy to infer.
“Haah.”
Not great news again. Another deep sigh escaped me. Still, I was grateful to Andre for not sugarcoating the situation just to ease my nerves.
I sat down at my desk. Writing by lamplight in a dim room was a bit taxing, but I had to concentrate.
I quickly scribbled an order form for some random cosmetics and luxury goods. The contents of the letter itself were just bait and didn’t need much effort. Whether I was ordering gold bars or makeup, as long as it wasn’t suspicious, it would serve its purpose.
But folding the envelope was another matter. Carefully, I peeled open an unused envelope that hadn’t been sealed and laid it out flat like a sheet of paper. Then, using a special ink, I began to write.
This part—this was the real message.
Show them the goods. That’s the only way they’ll believe you.
These people have suffered hunger for so long, and they don’t even know such a crop exists, so of course they’ll be suspicious.
Hurry as much as you can. We don’t have time.
If I really end up marrying the prince, the first thing I’ll do is destroy your trading company.
P.S. If Michelle ends up as my palace maid, I won’t let her leave the palace.
You didn’t actually think I wouldn’t know, did you?
Imagining the expression Andre would make after reading this made me let out a small, involuntary laugh.
