“I see your Royal Highness. I apologize for the late greeting.”
Blanche belatedly composed herself and offered a proper greeting.
She bowed her head and then raised it again. The bewildered expression she had moments ago had disappeared entirely.
“I see that Your Highness has also grasped the meaning of the last words left by the Chief.”
Blanche spoke in a calm voice, lighting the remaining candles.
As the room brightened, the shadows deepened.
“I’ll take my punishment sweetly for wandering around like this when I’m supposed to be confined, but I couldn’t stay still so I came out.”
“Yes, you must have been anxious that someone else would find evidence first.”
“What are you talking about? I just wanted to clear my name as soon as possible.”
Even though she was caught behaving suspiciously on the scene, her audacity was astounding. I burst into laughter and spoke.
I opened my mouth in disbelief.
“You came here after understanding the meaning of the number 36 that the chief physician said and secretly seeking evidence.”
36.
It means the third row from the top and sixth from the left of the bookshelf in the chief physician’s office.
I had heard it from the Chief physician himself, but it was not something one would easily understand if they weren’t close to the Chief.
“How are you going to explain this to me?”
“There seems to be some misunderstanding.”
Blanche slightly turned her body and reached for the bookshelf.
A candle lit behind her, shading her face.
“I didn’t understand the chief physician’s words at once, but I’ve been thinking about them, and it occurred to me that he speaks in numbers, out of habit, when he points to the location of things, but-“
“It was too late to inform Her Majesty?”
“Indeed, you couldn’t possibly wake Her Majesty at this hour. Which is why I came in such haste.”
The lie that flowed from Blanche’s mouth was so natural, it was almost pitiful.
No matter what she says, the outcome won’t change.
“You’re trying to make excuses.”
“Don’t twist my words, your highness.”
“Twist?”
I laughed lightly and pointed to the evidence.
“You know better than anyone that this isn’t just a bunch of paper.”
Blanche’s knuckles turned white as she held the bookshelf.
Her eyelids, looking down, blinked slowly.
“Did you see it?”
Blanche’s voice dropped even lower.
I responded casually, as if discussing something insignificant.
“Of course, I saw it.”
“What was in it?”
“I don’t know. What’s certain is that the chief physician won’t die unjustly.”
“…….”
“Confessed. This is your last chance.”
Blanche, who had been looking to the side, turned back toward me.
In her eyes, I could see complex emotions she couldn’t completely hide.
“This is a trap set by the chief physician to frame me. You may be the crown princess but you cannot persecute an innocent person like this.”
“Well, if you don’t want to confess, I won’t force you to do so. I can just show these documents to Her Majesty. The dawn is breaking anyway.”
I took the wad of papers from my coat and waved them around.
Blanche bit her lower lip, clenching and unclenching the hem of her skirt.
“Didn’t I say it was fabricated.”
“A moment ago, you said you were here to clear your name and resolve the injustice with this evidence but now you’re saying it was fabricated.”
“Your highness.”
“That’s for the Empress to judge. In the meantime, you’ll have to stay here and wait patiently, Blanche, lest you destroy another piece of evidence.”
“You’ll regret it.”
“The sun will be up soon, so be patient. After all, you are in confinement, so the Empress’ breakfast will be served by another maid.”
Blanche said no more.
Instead, she narrowed her brow and lowered her gaze.
A peculiar fervor replaced the anxiety that was present on her face moments ago.
“Why didn’t His Highness the Crown Prince come with you?”
“Oh, His Highness is busy with the Chief physician’s case.”
“And I don’t see the maid of the Garnet Palace, who always follows you around.”
“She’s waiting outside. She’s supposed to be hiding here with me, but the two of us might get noticed easily.”
“Outside…….”
Blanche glanced out the window.
Her gaze slowly returned to me, as if she had made a decision.
“Do you want to make a deal with me?”
“A deal?”
“Hand over that document to me, and I’ll make your life in the palace easier from now on.”
I burst out laughing, unable to contain myself for a moment.
After all her stubbornness, now she was attempting persuasion.
I didn’t think I’d ever find myself laughing so heartily.
I calmed my laughter and replied.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I laughed too much, right? Where did the dog that barked so proudly go?”
Count of Camer, the venerable loyalist.
I’m sure if I shook her, a cloud of rotten dust would fall from her hood.
They’re almost as good as my own family, the Duke of Cassian.
“Well, it’s a dog, it’s bound to bark. Don’t you think so?”
“I gave you a chance……..”
Blanche quickly gave up on persuasion and turned her head. Then, she reached for the candle I had lit.
The flickering candlelight made Blanche’s face glow yellow.
“You have a knack for annoying people.”
I took a step back from Blanche, sensing danger.
Suddenly, a bright light blocked my vision.
Reflexively, I catch the flying candle in my hand and duck slightly to the side as Blanche reaches for me.
“What a pointless act.”
Blanche’s body, surprised, slumped forward, and I struck her back with my palm, causing her to fall to the ground without even a scream.
“……!”
Blanche collapsed without a sound. I caught her falling body and let out a sigh.
“I’m the one giving you a chance.”
Who’s giving who a chance?
It seemed like she planned to snatch the document from me and then pretend she didn’t know anything.
Those who bear the name Cassian are trained in basic combat and swordsmanship.
To avoid being looked down upon in the underworld they rule.
Of course, we weren’t openly taught, so the outside world would never know.
No wonder Blanche was so intent on attacking me.
‘At times like this, it’s a good thing I’m a Cassian.’
Although it was a family I wanted to forget and escape from, the fact that it was helping me couldn’t be denied.
I frowned for no reason, and the window suddenly opened.
“Rohiriel! What’s the matter….. What happened……?”
Julion rushed in and was about to ask what happened when he realized the situation. He changed his question to the past tense.
I had told Blanche Julion wasn’t here because he was busy with the chief physician’s case, but he was actually upstairs in a room waiting just in case.
I think he came down because of the commotion, but it happened too quickly and ended quickly.
Julion’s golden eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the sight of me and Blanche slumped in my arms.
“Nothing happened. Just a little.”
“A little……? How does a little something leave the head maid lying there like that?”
“Well, she jumped on me. In self-defense..”
Julion’s expression changed as he spoke.
“All I did was use my hand… Well, Julian?”
From bewilderment to suspicion, from suspicion to astonishment, and from astonishment to anger.
‘What could possibly upset him so much?’
Instead of answering me, Julion asked another question.
“Rohiriel. What’s in your hand?”
“What? Oh, this?”
It was the candle that Blanche had thrown at me earlier. The candlestick had flown far away, and in my hand, there was only an extinguished candle.
“Head maid Blanche threw it at me, and I don’t know what I would have done if the fire had spread.”
I was about to roughly put the candle on the table, but I stopped.
It was dark, so I didn’t realize it, but I was still holding the candle…… upside down.
‘I’m screwed.’
The candle had gone out, but the wax had dried on my palm.
It’s like holding a hot fire in your hand and extinguishing it, and even covering it with candle wax.
The condition of my palm was obvious.
‘I didn’t notice because I didn’t feel any pain.’
If I had known, I would have thrown the candle away.
I’ve been taking Aperium every day for the past few days, but it’s still not enough to get my senses back.
And today, I was too busy with everything, so I didn’t have a chance to take Aperium.
“Rohiriel.”
“Ah, hmm. I really like this candle. Do you mind if I take it back to my palace?”
A ridiculous sound came out of my mouth.
Julion was now right beside me, staring down at my hand holding the candle.
