Chapter 67
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. It seems I was short-sighted. I shall follow your command.”
When I responded obediently, Empress Sierra’s expression darkened.
“Good. I’m glad you’re being so agreeable. You may leave now.”
It seemed my compliance displeased her, as she immediately dismissed me.
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress. I shall take my leave.”
With the sweetest smile in the world, I grasped my dress and bowed. I saw a satisfied malice flash in Empress Sierra’s eyes.
On the way back to the palace, I ground my teeth.
‘You’ll regret saying that to me today. Just wait and see.’
* * *
As soon as I returned to the prince’s palace, I called for the head attendant and the head maid. The two appeared before me with exhausted eyes.
“I’d like to see how well you did the tasks I assigned.”
“Pardon?”
They looked at each other in shock, their troubled thoughts and anxious glances plainly visible.
“R-right now, Your Highness?”
I curled one corner of my lips skyward with a wicked smile.
“Of course right now. I gave those orders just yesterday, didn’t I? I’ve got more for you today, so I need to inspect quickly.”
“Pardon?”
“More?”
The prince’s palace had become the most dreaded place among the palace staff due to the constant barrage of work.
Yesterday’s task had been to clean the roof and windows of the prince’s palace.
It hadn’t been cleaned in years, so from afar, it looked like an abandoned palace. The attendants had no choice but to obey me, despite their reluctance.
“Your Highness, it’s a dangerous task. We’ll need a bit more time.”
“Is that why it hasn’t been cleaned or maintained all this time? Because it was too dangerous?”
They seemed to think their excuse had worked and nodded eagerly.
“Yes, of course. Nothing is more important than your safety, after all.”
The head attendant and head maid nodded once again with urgency.
“But, you see—”
They looked at me with puzzled expressions.
“Why is it that all the other palaces are kept spotless, but only the prince’s palace is in such a filthy state? Even the Emperor’s and Empress’s palaces are taller and larger than this one, aren’t they?”
“Th-that’s because…”
“I suppose you have no excuse if I blame your incompetence. It’s frustrating that only the Prince’s Palace is filled with such incapable people. If you continue to do your jobs poorly, I’ll have to bring in more staff.”
At my words, the two attendants’ eyes lit up. After all, the Prince’s Palace had far fewer workers compared to the other palaces, so adding more was entirely feasible.
But I had no intention of filling the positions with people loyal to Empress Sierra.
I had already gathered quite a few trustworthy people through friends like Madam Hyacinth.
Many people longed to enter the Imperial Palace. And soon, Cordelia would be joining me as my noble maid.
“We will hasten the recruitment process.”
“No need. I’ll be selecting them myself, so don’t concern yourselves.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
I needed to corner them purely on merit—to lessen Empress Sierra’s suspicions.
“Isn’t this a situation where I have no choice but to question your competence? Would people who’ve neglected palace maintenance this badly be able to judge others properly? They say you can tell everything from just one thing. You just focus on the work I assign.”
“Still, Your Highness, we’ve worked in the palace for a long time. We can recognize talent.”
“I’ve met plenty of people outside too. Have you forgotten what I did before marriage?”
The two were struck speechless, faces steeped in despair.
If they were kicked out, they would surely be abandoned by Empress Sierra as well. She wasn’t someone who cared about the hardships of her subordinates.
“Split the attendants and maids in half. One group will finish the remaining chores, and the other will head to the garden.”
With a light heart, I walked gracefully toward the garden.
Outside, the attendants and maids were lined up in rows.
“I visited Her Majesty the Empress’s back garden today. It was truly a beautiful place. While I may not match Her Majesty, I want to make a pretty garden of my own. But when I looked, the ground was uneven and the soil lacked nutrients. A good garden comes from good soil!”
Their expressions darkened by the second.
“Starting today, you’ll dig up the entire garden and fertilize the soil.”
Normally, gardeners handled such tasks. But of course, there were no such people in the Prince’s Palace.
“There’s a tea party next week, so work quickly. I want to host our guests in a beautiful space, not subject them to the smell of fertilizer.”
As I turned to head inside, the head maid called out urgently.
“Your Highness the Princess Consort!”
“Yes?”
“By when must the garden work be completed…?”
I looked at her as if the answer was obvious.
“Are you seriously asking that? Finish it today, of course. The smell will take time to go away.”
With that, I entered the palace with Sarah. Behind us, the sound of wailing came from the garden.
For now, I planned to reform the palace with the people who had once acted as spies.
Once the neglected Prince’s Palace was reorganized, I’d send them all to the training department for palace staff. I didn’t want to fire them outright, so this was my last act of mercy.
Naturally, Empress Sierra would be forced to come up with a reason why she couldn’t take them back. That was exactly what I wanted—whether she abandoned them or not.
Honestly, I hoped she would discard them.
It would be more meaningful if she personally cast them aside.
That way, their resentment wouldn’t be directed solely at me—it would be shared with the Empress as well.
‘This is why choosing the right side matters. I’ll make sure you pay dearly for ignoring the future seat of power.’
Of course, I wasn’t the type to leave things to chance. I’m the diligent kind who works hard and builds things step by step.
* * *
After soaking in warm water and relieving my fatigue, I returned to my room.
“Your Highness, are you looking for something?”
“Sarah, I’m looking for my ritual goods set.”
“Ah, I’ve already set it aside.”
She brought out a wooden box from a drawer.
“Are you starting again today?”
“Yeah.”
Work outside the palace was backed up anyway, and I figured it was time to get back to what I could do here. I’d start with the rituals I had put off for too long.
“I’ll prepare everything. But, Your Highness, which direction should I set it up in?”
I stood still and gauged the cardinal directions.
“Set it up on the terrace facing the rear garden.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I’m going to change clothes.”
“I’ll help you.”
“No need. It’s not a dress—just changing out of sleepwear, so I can do it myself.”
“Understood. I’ll get everything ready.”
I walked into the dressing room. When I took off my silk robe, a slip dress of the same material was revealed underneath.
I looked closely at my reflection in the mirror.
‘This kind of design used to feel unfamiliar and embarrassing.’
But now, I had grown used to wearing such nightwear when sleeping with him.
I took off the garments of the imperial palace.
Then I put on a beige two-piece outfit designed in a comfortable, modernized hanbok style.
It had been a while since I tied the ribbons properly, so I had to redo it several times. I let my hair down as I adjusted it in front of the mirror.
I was no longer dressed as the Princess Consort—I had returned to being Adeline Senner.
Back to Adeline, whom I had been neglecting for some time.
From the wedding until today, I had lived fully as the Princess Consort, and I’d grown accustomed to that role.
But I couldn’t abandon my own life forever. From now on, I had to live both as Adeline and as the Princess Consort in harmony.
The life I live as Prince Ilias’s consort by contract, and the life I live as Adeline Senner—both are equally important.
When I returned to my room, Sarah had already finished the preparations.
“I’ll take care of the rest. Go ahead and rest, Sarah.”
“Please ring the silver bell when you’re done. I’ll be in the lounge.”
She bowed respectfully and left.
I walked out to the terrace and looked up at the sky. A crescent moon hung in the night sky, as if painted with a delicate brush.
I knelt before the altar where the water-filled bowl had been placed. Gazing at the moon, I brought my hands together and began my ritual prayers.
I prayed with all my heart for everyone who had purchased goods from me. With deep concentration, I repeated bows and heartfelt prayers.
‘I pray for the safety and peace of my customers. And please, may everything that Prince Ilias and I do go well.’
I sincerely, earnestly hoped and prayed. Because it had been so long, I was even more focused and immersed.
That’s why I didn’t notice someone entering the room.
And honestly, since I had done this so often, I didn’t think it would appear strange to anyone.
Crash!
At the sound of a teacup breaking, I turned to see Ilias standing frozen, his expression stiff.
“Your Highness!”
Ilias was too stunned to even reply to me.
As I hurried to his side, he flinched and stepped back.
“Your Highness?”
“What are you doing, Adeline?”
“Oh! I was offering a ritual for the sake of my people.”
“A ritual?”
“Yes, it’s a heartfelt prayer for their well-being. But, Your Highness…”
“What is it?”
“Your complexion looks pale. Are you all right?”
Ilias avoided my eyes and rubbed his reddened neck.
‘What’s wrong with him? He’s never acted like this before.’
Looking embarrassed, Ilias stared off into the distance.
“I was… a bit startled. I heard you were here and thought I’d join her for tea, but…”
“But?”
“I hope you’re not offended.”
“Of course not. Why would I be?”
“I… I thought you were a ghost instead of Lin.”
“What?”
I turned in place to look at the mirror. My long hair was messy from my vigorous movements.
Wearing a pale outfit, hair loose, kneeling and bowing repeatedly with whispered prayers…
Anyone unaware of the context might easily misunderstand.
‘So he was actually scared? That’s why he looked so pale?’
I bit my lip and furrowed my brows—otherwise, I was going to burst out laughing.
‘Ilias, who once took down more than twenty enemies alone, scared of ghosts?’
It was such an unexpected, unfitting moment of humanity from him.
Just looking at his pale face made it hard not to laugh, so I kept averting my gaze. But then Ilias called out to me, flustered.
