“Excuse me?”
As the maid asked in confusion, instead of answering,
Thud.
She felt a push on her shoulder. The stairs leading down to the underground prison were long—very long, dark, and slippery, like the mouth of something. The maid felt her body floating in the air.
Am I going to die like this?
The sensation of her body suspended in the air didn’t feel like her own. Ah, I’m falling. Just as she thought that,
Ah—
She heard a singing voice from somewhere. The maid thought it was the voice of an angel coming to take her away. But then,
“Seize that guard immediately!”
Dorothea’s command rang out sharply. The knights quickly apprehended the guard, while the maid remained suspended in the air, her eyes wide with shock. Dorothea shouted,
“Well done, Ariadeline!”
Ariadeline continued singing as she cautiously approached the maid. She took the maid’s hand, enveloped in white light, and once they reached a safe spot, she stopped singing.
Thud.
The maid, having escaped the brink of death, collapsed in her place.
“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Ariadeline asked urgently. The maid tried to nod in response but felt tears streaming down her face instead.
“I—I thought I was… going to die…”
With tears dripping down, Ariadeline embraced the maid.
“It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s all over now.”
Dorothea looked at the subdued guard with an angry expression.
“I saw you deliberately push the maid. Do you have anything else to say?”
The guard clenched his teeth in silence.
“I need to find out the detailed reasons for this. Immediately transport him to the Crown Prince’s palace! Request that His Highness conduct a thorough investigation on him!”
“Yes!”
Having overheard the conversation between Ariadeline and the maid at dawn, Dorothea had finished contemplating the suspicions surrounding Princess Yermondi. She whispered,
“I didn’t know Princess Yermondi had her hands in my palace. I don’t know about my palace, but Luciano’s castle would be different.”
“She probably did it recently. The princess doesn’t have that much power.”
“I think so too. For now, Ariadeline, let’s cancel today’s volunteering activities and go back with the maid. I will assign reliable knights to accompany you.”
“Thank you so much.”
“No, this is the least I can do.”
Ariadeline helped the maid stand up. Dorothea assigned her most trusted knight, Tarn, to accompany them. Just as Ariadeline and the maid were about to leave,
“Ariadeline.”
Suddenly, Dorothea called her. She looked at Ariadeline with a somewhat confused expression and slowly opened her mouth to ask something.
“Did you do it?”
It was a somewhat unexpected question. However, Ariadeline quickly understood the meaning behind it. She had probably been thinking a lot since yesterday, having learned that the princess was trying to harm her.
“I… never claimed from the beginning that I did it.”
At those words, Dorothea’s eyes widened in surprise. Ariadeline started walking forward with the maid and Sir Tarn.
‘If Dorothea believes in me…’
Maybe she can expose Princess Yermondi’s evil deeds. And…
‘I’ve gained this maid.’
Ariadeline looked down at the maid, who was limping as she walked. She would become her only witness. Ariadeline couldn’t help but smile softly.
Ever since Carlotthan had said he believed her, she felt a bit more motivated. Perhaps there was a chance to clear her name after all.
‘Let’s see who wins.’
Ariadeline’s blue eyes sparkled with determination.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Clank.
The carriage stopped.
News of what had transpired in the Crown Princess’s palace reached Princess Yermondi’s ears.
The maid had been released from the Crown Princess’s palace, and the person who had tried to harm her was caught.
Thus, the Crown Princess, suspecting something was amiss, handed that person over to the Crown Prince for questioning.
Yermondi gazed out the window, pondering this development. She should have eliminated that maid beforehand. Everything was ruined. Everything.
She felt irritable. She wanted to smash something. But first, there was something she needed to do.
Princess Yermondi stepped down from the carriage and walked down the corridor. The maid following her looked pristine, and the smile on the princess’s face seemed kinder than anyone else in the world.
When she encountered the visiting nobles in the palace, she exchanged warm greetings.
“Your Highness, it’s a pleasure to see you.”
“Oh, Count, it’s been such a long time. Have you come to see Her Majesty, the Empress?”
“Yes, I’ve been waiting for three months now.”
“Oh dear, I’m sure Her Majesty has been very busy, but if it’s the Count’s story, she would definitely want to hear it. That’s why you were summoned, isn’t it?”
“Is that so?”
The Count’s face brightened. Yermondi, despite finding his expression repulsive, managed to respond with a charming remark.
“Your cuffs today are quite elegant.”
“Your Highness, you are truly beautiful today.”
“Ahaha.”
The princess gently narrowed her eyes as she spoke.
“Considering the Crown Princess Dorothea is present, how could that be so? And…”
She let her glimmering eyes fall on him.
“Ariadeline is still alive, isn’t she?”
At those words, the Count appeared somewhat flustered. However, Yermondi treated it as if she hadn’t said anything and bid him farewell, elegantly passing by him.
She continued down the corridor until she reached the Empress’s chamber.
The maids bowed to her and announced her arrival.
“The First Princess has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
The door opened, and the Empress, seated on the throne, came into view. Yermondi felt her shoulders stiffen.
No matter how many times she saw her, the presence of Empress Olivia always made her anxious. Even though she was her mother, sharing the same blood, that didn’t change.
Suppressing the urge to recall distant memories, the princess greeted her.
“I’m honored to see you, Your Majesty.”
“Welcome, Princess.”
Yermondi greeted her mother stiffly, but the Empress regarded it as normal and gestured for her to sit.
Yermondi followed the gesture and took a seat on the sofa she indicated. She maintained a friendly smile, which satisfied the Empress, who smiled back contentedly.
“You’re always so lovely.”
Yermondi’s smile almost faltered at the Empress’s words. However, reminding herself that she must not show even a hint of weakness before her mother, she bit her lip and kept smiling.
“Of course. I’m following your advice, Mother.”
“Is that so?”
The maids brought in tea. The Empress personally poured tea from the teapot into the princess’s cup and said,
“You must be charming and endearing so that everyone can love you.”
Though the Empress’s words were gentle, they felt almost like a command. Yermondi felt her lips quiver slightly.
After pouring the tea, the Empress set down the teapot and looked at Yermondi again.
“Isn’t it about time you consider marriage?”
“…Yes.”
“I’ve kept quiet since you said you would handle it yourself, but I think it’s better for me to look into it.”
“…As for my marriage partner…”
“Don’t make presumptuous statements about choosing for yourself, Princess.”
The Empress spoke in a commanding tone. Although her words were soft, she always addressed the princess this way.
“Duke Carlothian Denaves is certainly an excellent match. However, there have been some unsavory rumors about him lately…”
The Empress clicked her tongue. Yermondi quietly opened her mouth, trying her best not to upset her mother.
“It’s not a flaw for a powerful person to have a mistress.”
“That may be true, but the issue is that it’s Ariadeline.”
“Mother.”
Yermondi raised her smile to its fullest.
“I love Carlothian Denaves.”
A cold sensation gripped her heart. The Empress smiled, as if resigned, and spoke with a feigned generosity.
“I see. Then I will give you a bit more time.”
The Empress lifted her teacup.
“I’ll say it again.”
“Yes.”
“Yermondi, you must not love just anyone.”
“…Yes.”
The Empress continued with casual cruelty.
“It seems you’ve found true love this time.”
Yermondi clenched her hands tightly over her dress. It felt as though her smile was on the verge of cracking.
“Of course.”
Yermondi’s voice was low and hoarse as she said that.
