CHAPTER 034
The Pond Garden of the Separate Palace
"What are you saying right now?"
Dina asked, shaking Rosa's shoulders as she sobbed on the ground.
"I, I ruined the lady's shoes. The shoes she was supposed to wear for the dance with His Majesty today. Waaaah."
"Are you out of your mind? Why would you do such a thing?"
"Stop this here. Get up. Dina, help Rosa up."
Seeing the maids' curious glances at Rosa's wailing, Vera hurriedly spoke to the two.
The maid trio quickly headed to the separate residence, while the maids of Princess Lilibet watched with scornful eyes.
"It looks like that fool might spill everything."
"What should we do? What if she says it was the Princess's order...?"
"Do you really think the Princess would be that careless? Who would believe her anyway? A maid under a powerless master blabbing about it? It's worthless."
'This is the same person who eliminated over ten ladies in the first competition in a similar manner,' one maid thought, sneering as they returned to their quarters.
"How could you do such a thing? We're just maids, but we have our own loyalty to uphold!"
Dina, hot-tempered and straightforward, shouted at her closest friend. She was trembling with the urge to slap her.
Back in the separate residence, Rosa, crying, confessed everything to Vera and Dina. She admitted to discreetly damaging the heel of Arabelle's dance shoes so that they would break when she wore them to dance with His Majesty.
"Then, the lady wouldn't have been able to dance with His Majesty today."
Vera spoke with a vacant expression, and Dina, on the verge of tears, responded,
"She would have been humiliated instead of dancing. She must have endured the insults of those wicked ladies all by herself again."
Unable to contain herself, Dina grabbed Rosa, who was sprawled on the floor, and shook her as she hit her back hard.
"You wicked girl! How could you? You see how much the lady suffers every day, and you still did this? You know how much she cares for us!"
"I, I... must have lost my mind for a moment. The lady is constantly ostracized by the other ladies, and His Majesty never seeks her out. I was so anxious. Princess Lilibet, who has the highest chance of becoming Empress, promised to hire me as a maid if she became Empress. I was scared she would harm me later if I displeased her."
"And that justifies this terrible deed?"
"Unlike you and the head maid, I'm from Utekre. You both are from the Empire, but I'm from Utekre, so I can be expelled if I offend someone important. Waaah."
Rosa's wailing made Dina pause her hitting for a moment.
Rosa was from Utekre, a small, poor country in the south of the Helterde Continent. Many Utekreans, including Rosa, had come to the Empire to do low-level work and send their wages back to their homeland.
Rosa, who left her homeland 20 years ago, had endured all kinds of humiliation and received significantly lower wages than others because she was Utekrean. Though they had work permits, they would be immediately expelled from the Empire if they broke the law. Any noble with some influence could easily frame and expel a Utekrean.
The reason Rosa had to endure the filthy advances of the count and his sons was because the count threatened to expel her from the Empire.
While Dina was fuming with frustration, Rosa went into her bedroom and brought out a small box.
"I also received this. I'm sorry, Head Maid. I'm sorry, Dina. Waaah."
When Vera and Dina saw the golden egg in the box Rosa brought, their eyes widened in shock.
"You fool, how could you accept something like this! After all the nobles have done to you, can't you see? Princess Lilibet is a hundred times more vicious than Countess Laurel and her daughters! And she's the Empress Dowager's niece! Oh, you fool."
This time, Vera couldn't hold back and slapped Rosa's shoulder as she lamented.
"First, when the lady returns, kneel and apologize. Then return the golden egg to Princess Lilibet. There's no way she will let this slide easily... oh dear."
Vera slumped down beside Rosa and Dina, making Rosa cry even harder.
## The Second Separate Residence in the Palace. The Quarters of Grace of the Reissan Family.
"In a way, it's fortunate. It was unsettling that the Emperor's first dance partner was Princess Lilibet. After holding the world's most beautiful woman in his arms, it would be hard for him to notice any other candidates."
At the thoughtless words of Duke Reissan, Duchess Caroline and their niece Grace simultaneously looked at him. Especially his wife's eyes flashed with venom as she glared at her husband, who changed his mistresses every month.
"It seems like you're the one upset about not dancing with Princess Lilibet, not Maxwell."
"Is it just me? Every man in the banquet hall thought the same thing. Although she's untouchable because of her status as an Empress candidate, all eyes, regardless of age, were on her."
Duke Reissan, who was disappointed about not being able to hold the Princess's slender waist and dance, smacked his lips and muttered, seemingly unaware of his shame in front of his wife and niece.
With a snap, the duchess closed her feathered fan in her hand, making the duke come to his senses and glance at his wife with a pale face.
There were two things Duke Reissan feared most in the world. One was the black panther beast he encountered in his youth while hunting, and the other was his wife, Caroline.
The black panther he encountered when he got lost in the mountains with Crown Prince Luca, Jacob, and Peter. That moment haunted him, giving him occasional nightmares. Also, his wife, Caroline, the only daughter of the former emperor, was both his salvation and his shackle.
"I will make you the heir of the Reissan family."
That was what the audacious princess told him on their wedding night, choosing him over his far more distinguished older brothers.
And in precisely five years, he was chosen as the head of the Reissan family over his brothers.
Duke Reissan didn't bother to understand how his eldest brother, once called a saint, caused the most scandalous affair in imperial history by falling in love with a woman from a brothel, or how his genius second brother, the pride of the family, was caught embezzling an enormous amount of wealth behind their father's back.
All he needed to remember was that his wife Caroline was at the center of bringing those two down.
Caroline controlled her weak and incompetent husband, wielding power in exchange for turning a blind eye to his incessant womanizing.
In truth, the one he feared most was his nephew, Emperor Maxwell. However, as long as he hid under the skirts of his tigress wife, he believed he was safe and only indulged in affairs as much as she allowed.
"The Emperor is a thoroughly rational person. He's not a foolish man driven by his lower desires. He'd rather be interested in a partner like Grace, who can discuss politics, economics, and culture with him."
When the Duchess shot her husband a disdainful look, Grace pouted and grumbled.
"Today was the perfect opportunity to prove my knowledge to His Majesty... I'm so upset."
Emperor Maxwell descended the stairs of the banquet hall, shining so brightly it was almost blinding. There had never been a moment he didn't shine. From the day she first met Maxwell at the imperial palace when she was eight, she had vowed to take the seat next to him.
No one will interfere. I will win the competition no matter what.
Grace's green eyes gleamed with a mix of desire and ambition.
"Still, thanks to Lilibet, we managed to trouble Arabelle without getting our hands dirty. The Empress Dowager's side will continue using such dirty tricks, so we won't need to step in ourselves."
At Caroline's words, Grace and the Duke of Lussan nodded in agreement.
"It seems Princess Lilibet's scheme failed today."
As a serious voice flowed from the entrance of the parlor, the three of them turned their gazes to the voice's owner.
"What do you mean, Bridget?"
"According to Millie's report, His Majesty called Lady Arabelle to his chambers and spent quite a long time with her after the banquet ended."
At the royal maid Bridget's response, Grace's face turned pale, and she jumped up, trembling with clenched fists.
"What do you mean? I saw her getting into a carriage to return to the annex from the balcony!"
"Grace."
At the icy voice of Caroline calling her name, Grace calmed her anger and sat down again.
I am different from the ignorant and hot-tempered Lilibet. I will not let emotions ruin my plans. I must always remain calm and composed.
Grace bit her inner cheek hard, repeating the words the Duchess had told her every day.
"She was getting into the carriage, but His Majesty called her back and had the royal physician treat her. After the physician left, they spent quite a long time alone in his chambers."
"Instead of a dance that ends after a few rounds on the floor, she monopolized the Emperor all night. Alone in his chambers!"
Before Bridget could finish, the Duke of Lussan interrupted, incredulous.
The candidate the Emperor brought to the banquet, according to rumors, was as ordinary as could be. To a philanderer's eyes, she seemed like an innocent woman who knew nothing about men.
"Crafty little thing. I believed she was insignificant and thought the Empress Dowager's side would handle it... Entering the Emperor's chambers? She needs a lesson."
The Duchess twisted her lips as she exchanged glances with the maid.
Grace bit her inner cheek hard, tasting the metallic tang of blood, as she cursed the bumpkin who had monopolized the Emperor that night.
'I won't leave her alone. I'll make her regret ever coming to the imperial palace with the Emperor.'
***
The morning after the banquet. The third annex of the detached palace, Princess Lilibet's residence.
"It can't be helped. You've changed your mind."
Princess Lilibet spoke with a sweet smile, and Rosa, bowing her head repeatedly, sobbed.
"I can't believe I thought of betraying Lady Arabelle. What was I thinking?"
"It's disappointing that you won't help me, but it's commendable that you remain loyal to your lady."
At Princess Lilibet's unexpectedly kind praise, Rosa's stiff shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Thank you so much for understanding. And my lady has decided not to make an issue of the broken shoe incident. She asked me to tell you that she will let it go."
Rosa choked on her words and hurriedly wiped her tears.
Last night, she had confessed everything to Lady Arabelle upon returning to the annex. She had expected to be thrown out, but she was forgiven.
And Lady Arabelle decided to bury the incident for her. Even though Princess Lilibet had ordered it, Rosa had broken the shoe heel herself. That alone was enough to be expelled from the Empire for harming a candidate for Empress.
It was unbelievable. For her, a mere maid, Lady Arabelle was willing to overlook a scheme that had humiliated her in front of everyone at the banquet.
As Rosa relayed the message to Princess Lilibet, tears of gratitude for Lady Arabelle continued to flow.
"So you brought back the golden egg I gave you."
"Yes."
"It can't be helped if that's your decision."
Princess Lilibet yawned lazily as she spoke, reclining on the sofa.
"Before you go, could you put it in the treasure box inside my wardrobe? As you can see, all my maids are out."
"Of course. I'll place it in the treasure box before I leave."
With Lilibet's nonchalant request, Rosa's expression brightened, and she headed up to the second floor. Grateful for her luck and determined never to fall for such temptations again.
She vowed to serve Lady Arabelle with all her heart for the rest of her life.
Rosa's steps were light as she ran up to Princess Lilibet's bedroom. Inside the expensive, fragrant room, she opened the wardrobe and the treasure box at the front.
As she carefully placed the box containing the golden egg inside,
"Thief! Catch her!"
"What do you think you're doing, sneaking into our princess's room and rifling through her jewelry box?"
Suddenly, three of Princess Lilibet's maids burst into the room, grabbing Rosa's arms and shouting.
"No! It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! The princess asked me to put the golden egg in the treasure box! Ask the princess!"
As Rosa's face turned ashen and she shouted, a mocking voice came from the front of the bedroom.
"Me? When did I ask that? You asked to use the bathroom, so why are you sneaking into my bedroom like a thieving cat?"
Princess Lilibet tilted her head and looked at Rosa with an innocent expression. Her beautiful blue eyes held a cruel glint as they settled on the box in Rosa's hands.
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