Chapter 30
Hmmm, my eyes are buried in both fists. I think I’m asking for too much.
‘I know it’s hard to find someone like that, but she’s the only thing I have going for me right now.’
Even if she were to pledge her loyalty to me, I didn’t have enough money to start with to entrust her with everything.
Money aside, I still had a handmaiden, even though I’d grown close to her through the Sera incident.
Besides, now that she was my exclusive handmaiden, any move she made would only draw more attention to me.
My bet with Thierry is pretty much off the table after the hunting accident, and I can’t contact my family…
Even if I did, they’d be closely guarded, and I wouldn’t be able to pull any stunts. If I asked him for money, he’d ask me why I needed it when I’d only be in the palace.
‘Oh, someone with a decent position who will be on my side. Think about it. There must be someone out there.’
By now, my upper body was almost lying on the table.
“… Yes, Maud!”
I snapped my head up and opened my eyes. My mouth dropped open as my vision flashed.
If this was Maud, if this was the Maud I knew, could I be myself?
Maybe Maud’s nonjudgmental, cool-headed personality would even believe me and welcome the crazy idea of a soul transfer, just as she’d reached out to me in the past. For some reason, I had this vague feeling of faith.
‘I have to meet Maud.’
My friend, who’s become an amazing sous chef, who has the potential to be the unicorn I thought she was a moment ago!
My first instinct was to run up to her and tell her everything.
But my last shred of sanity held me back.
Let’s see how she’s doing and how she’s growing up. And if she seems okay, then I’ll tell her who I really am.
I took a deep breath and nodded once, determinedly.
‘Okay, we’ll just observe from a distance.’
I’m not going anywhere near her today. No matter what!
***
I’ve never been so glad that my living quarters were moved to the main palace as I was today. I’ll at least have access to the kitchen on the first floor.
I wandered aimlessly through the halls, using the excuse that I wanted to see the main palace.
“Is there somewhere you’d like to go, Princess?”
Oscar asked curiously as he stood in front of a staircase and reached out to take my hand as I reached for the handrail.
I think he’s surprised that I’m going somewhere else, since I haven’t shown much interest in the palace so far, and the only place I’ve ever been is the library.
I glanced behind me, and Marie, who had been following me silently, looked at me as if wondering what I was doing.
“No, I’m just wandering around, I wanted to see something other than the same walks I take every day…”
I trailed off and smiled slightly. I figured he’d think I was bored if I answered this loosely, rather than bluntly.
“Aha, well then, there’s a room on this floor with art, would you like to go there?”
I was so focused on holding Oscar’s hand as we walked down the stairs that it wasn’t until we were at the bottom that I looked up and answered.
“Um…, I’d rather go to the first floor than the second.”
The main palace was a U-shaped structure of wings, with only the center building, where the bedrooms were located, being three stories high, while the wings were only two stories each.
The center building was where the nobles lived, with bedrooms and meeting halls, so I figured I would have to go to the wings to get to the kitchen where Maud worked.
With that in mind, I decided that the first floor was the most likely place for servants to go, so I decided to start looking around there.
“The first floor is mostly just workers, except for the passageways, are you sure you don’t mind?”
Oscar’s question caught me off guard, and I replied with a look of excitement on my face, like I had gotten it right.
“Yes! I just want to go somewhere I wouldn’t normally go.”
“Oh!”
But why is he so excited? No, he’s not just moody anymore, his eyes are shining with excitement.
“Then why don’t you go to the training grounds, that would be the freshest place to be!”
… Isn’t that where you want to go?
No wonder he was rumored to be sword-crazy, he was always rushing to the training grounds every chance he got.
“I’ll go to the training grounds later. Today, only in the main palace!”
“You’ll have more fun in the training grounds than here.”
… You’re the funny one.
Oscar’s demeanor is ridiculous, as he wipes away his smile and becomes serious. It’s not like he’s wearing a steel plate on his face or anything, and I cover my mouth with the back of my hand to hide the giggle that escapes.
“Really? Well, that’s a shame, then, Sir Oscar, would you like to go to my place? I’m only going to be wandering around the main palace today, so I don’t think I’ll make it to the training grounds.”
“I’d love to, but I can’t.”
Oscar’s slightly drooping eyes drooped further down, tinged with regret. He didn’t look all that pitiful, considering he was a handsome man with a bad temper.
Still, if I left him alone, he’d probably keep bickering about the training grounds, so I nodded in understanding.
“Then show me the training grounds next time, I’ll be sure to come.”
“How about tomorrow?”
I wondered if I should just go… For a moment, I was conflicted by the speed with which he responded.
But then I looked into those glazed jade-colored eyes that wouldn’t let up until I gave him the answer he wanted, and I realized I’d better not make a fool of myself.
“… Ahahaha, yeah, whatever.”
I grinned with a liberated expression and shifted my feet. I had to find my way down a hallway that was mostly used by servants, not the main corridor where the ministers came and went.
Satisfied with my answer, I checked on Oscar, who followed quietly, and motioned for Marie to come alongside.
“Do you happen to know where the kitchen is?”
“Yes, the kitchen is this way. I’ve heard that it’s divided into three parts, but they’re still attached to each other, so you can just wander down the hall.”
Marie politely pointed in the direction they should go.
“Do you mind if I walk with you then?”
She whispered, barely above a whisper.
‘Marie Best…’
What is wrong with Sera’s judgment of people, to treat someone like this so crassly and meanly. She should be punished for what she really did.
I’ve heard that she’s in jail, but they’re still waiting for the results of the investigation into the mysterious vials before they can give her a definitive punishment. When will we find out? I can’t wait for this!
“We’re almost there, just a little further.”
As we walked, I realized we were deep in the center of the palace. I nodded to Marie and scanned the area.
It was still before mealtime, so the hallway leading to the kitchen was deserted. There were a few storerooms, passageways, and doors that looked like they could be used for private conversations.
“Oh, this is so annoying.”
And then, as usual, an interesting sound caught my ear.
“What? Did you hear what he said to Sue again?”
Sue? It can’t be Maud, it can’t be Sue, she can’t be the one who did it.
Despite my head’s denial, my stomach was churning, and my body finally stopped.
I cautiously walked toward the door to hear more.
“Is only a minute late, and she’s screaming like she’s going to eat people, like she’s done something terribly wrong.”
“Ugh, I didn’t have to look. Are you okay?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know why she’s acting so noble when she didn’t earn that seat. Is it because she got stabbed, or is it because she’s a rat, and she’ll eat you if you do anything wrong?”
“Yeah. She’s so stiff and piney, even the head chef bumps into her, and the head chef is the Emperor himself put in the kitchen, and the guy who disrespects women can’t say anything and talks a lot… “Well, that’s a little bit of a dick.”
… His Majesty put it in, Thierry?
All my instincts pointed to Maud, who was a favorite of the Emperor’s, given that he had called Chef Sue to introduce himself to me during the cucumber incident.
“Whose side are you on?”
“A… Of course I’m on your side, I’m just saying.”
But Maud would get that angry?
The maids were surprised because in my memory, Maud was always cool and got along well with people.
“Who would want to marry such a dirty personality, she’ll surely grow old and die alone.”
“But didn’t you say she had no family?”
Oh, no. My face immediately stiffened. There’s a line you don’t cross when you’re upset, even if you’re allowed to talk behind your back.
I gripped the cold handle tightly.
“Eh! Chef Sue is famous for appealing to the Emperor for the lives of noblemen, not a commoner!”
I boldly opened the door and two maids looked at me in disbelief. They glanced at me in bewilderment, then at Oskar, who stood behind them, and seemed to understand the situation.
“You have an honored guest.”
The maids barely bowed, their voices quivering and their bodies trembling. I glanced down at their heads and finally asked.
“… Did I scare them?”
Mei’s eyes widened at the sudden sound of my voice.
