CHAPTER 118
The head maid looked quite flustered. Her expression seemed to say, "Why would you refuse this?" However, having served the Empress for a long time, she quickly composed herself.
"Please wait. Her Majesty the Empress has not yet arrived."
Oh, maybe I was too hasty?
Feeling a bit awkward, I returned to the original room with Charlotte. The head maid had other tasks to attend to and did not follow us back immediately.
"Lady Elsner."
As soon as we returned, Lady Redmond approached me.
"What did you talk about? No, more importantly, what was that about refusing the candidacy?"
Why is she so excited?
"Is Lady Redmond planning to take the test?"
"Of course!"
She said it as if it were obvious.
I thought she was planning to decline, but she wasn't?
Even though Philip had raised her hopes and then ignored her, she still wanted to take the test?
How much does she like Philip...?
"Do you really want to be the Crown Princess, Lady Redmond?"
Do you still like the Crown Prince?
I asked with those feelings in mind, and she nodded.
"It's a chance to become the Crown Princess. We've been selected as the top ten. Even if I don't make it, I have to try."
Wow, she's really serious about this.
I thought she might have been hurt by the previous incident, but she doesn't seem affected at all.
"It's the position to stand beside the most splendid and noble person in the empire. Do you think such an opportunity will come again?"
Such overflowing passion!
I was glad she wasn't feeling down because of the previous incident, but my feelings were all over the place.
Lady, the Crown Prince is a bad guy who plays with people's hearts. Forget him and find a better man!
But I couldn't badmouth Philip here...
While I held back my words, the head maid re-entered the room.
"Her Majesty the Empress is arriving."
The ladies quickly returned to their seats, and soon the Empress entered.
"We've met before, haven't we?"
The Empress greeted us with a simple welcome.
"I'm looking forward to seeing how wise you all are."
You won't be seeing my wisdom. I'm just thinking about going home quickly.
The strange thing was, I couldn't find a moment to voice my opinion.
I need to say I'm withdrawing...
But I couldn't interrupt the Empress as I had with the head maid.
While waiting for the right moment, the Empress finished speaking.
"The palace maids will guide you to your rooms. Unpack your things, and we'll meet in the afternoon."
With that, the Empress turned and left the room.
Wait, I didn't get to say anything!
Does she think no one will refuse?
Her confidence in her son seems sky-high.
"I would like to convey my intention to withdraw!"
I went to the headmaid and said, but she only told me to wait.
"After all, only one person can become the Crown Princess. If you're not sure you'll make it, why refuse...?"
Her tone was like, "How dare you refuse?"
I just want to go home!
* * *
The Empress's palace assigned a private room for each Crown Princess candidate.
"Isn't this strange?"
After dropping off my bag in my room, I met with Charlotte and whispered.
"I clearly told the head maid I wanted to withdraw. She keeps delaying her response."
As if to buy time!
Charlotte seemed to find it odd as well.
"So I wasn't the only one who felt that way?"
"Right? It's strange, isn't it?"
"Yes. It seems like they have no intention of listening to us."
What benefit is there in keeping us here?
Charlotte speculated.
"It seems like the test has already started."
"Already?"
Her words seemed true.
Even during lunch, and the time we were asked to embroider for the Crown Prince, five maids were watching us.
With pens and paper, it looked like they were grading us.
After the embroidery session, I whispered to Charlotte.
"Lady Yaniels, you were right. It seems the test has already begun."
But shouldn't they let those who want to withdraw leave first?
Dinner was with the Empress.
"Did you all have a good day?"
The Empress appeared in the dining room and asked casually.
Once she sat down, the meal began to be served.
In the midst of it, I raised my hand. Since the head maid kept avoiding my request, I decided to tell the Empress directly.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say."
"Let's eat first. We can talk later."
"Later?"
"Yes. There's no need to disrupt the atmosphere."
Does she already know what I'm going to say?
Well, the head maid might have told her.
Looking at Charlotte, she gave a wry smile and nodded, as if to say, "Let's eat first."
"Let's eat first."
So, unexpectedly, I ended up having dinner as well.
During dinner with the Empress, the conversation was ordinary, much like the last tea time.
Finally, when everyone had finished eating, I raised my hand again.
"Your Majesty."
All eyes were on me, but I wanted to say it before it got any later.
"I would like to withdraw from the Crown Princess candidacy. I came because I couldn't refuse in writing, but the head maid has been avoiding my request."
The ladies' eyes widened.
I was known for my low profile, but today I stood out unusually.
If they had just let me go, this wouldn't have happened...
As expected, the Empress, having heard from the head maid, looked at me calmly.
"We've changed the rules this time, but it seems the notice didn't reach you."
But what the Empress said was quite surprising.
"Once you've become a Crown Princess candidate, you can't quit midway."
"What?"
How is that possible?
The other ladies seemed just as shocked.
Then Charlotte bravely asked.
"Could you explain why?"
"We had a meeting among the officials involved, and the rules were changed. Whether you put effort into the test or not is up to you."
The Empress's words were firm.
"But you cannot quit midway, so keep that in mind."
Such a unilateral announcement.
Not being able to quit midway meant we couldn't leave the palace during the evaluation.
If I were staying because I wanted to, it would be different, but this feels like being forced.
I told Lewis I'd be back soon to see him in the evening...
"If we don't return today, our families might worry. Will you inform them?"
To Charlotte's question, the Empress nodded.
"Yes. We will explain the situation to the families of those who wish to withdraw, so tell the head maid."
Chapter 17: The Crown Princess Selection
I returned to my room, feeling bewildered.
What kind of rule is this? At least during the Aeres selection, people volunteered.
Grumbling, I passed the time until it was completely night.
Since I thought I'd return to the Duke's mansion, I didn't bring enough to stay for several days, so the Empress's palace provided all the necessary items.
One of them was a chemise, and seeing it in front of me made it all feel real.
Am I really going to sleep here?
Suddenly, this all seemed surreal.
Feeling restless, instead of changing clothes, I opened the door. Maybe I could take a walk and look at the moon.
But as soon as I stepped out, there was a knight standing in front of my room.
"Oh my!"
He wasn't the only one. Four knights were standing at regular intervals in the hallway.
Is this for security? They weren't there earlier.
The knight, who unintentionally startled me, asked.
"Where are you going at this hour?"
"I just wanted to stroll in the garden."
"It's difficult to go out at this hour. Please return to your room."
He was as rigid as a rock.
"Oh... okay."
He said it so firmly that I couldn't argue.
I returned to my room.
"Why are they so scary?"
Not just the knight who spoke to me, but the whole situation was intimidating.
While talking to the knight, all the other knights in the hallway were watching me.
Maybe they were just looking because I came out suddenly, but their gazes felt...
The knight next to me seemed curious. The one in front of my room looked at me like a watchful guard.
"Why are they looking at me like that? Did I do something wrong?"
I muttered, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling, but it didn't go away quickly.
* * *
Lewis found out about Selina's absence on the first evening she was gone.
"Where is Selina?"
"She can't come today."
"What?"
When he went to the Duke's mansion to see Selina, Bella met him with a displeased face.
"Why can't she come?"
"I don't know. A servant from the Empress's palace just left. She can't quit midway and will return after a week."
"A week? She has to stay in the palace until the test ends?"
Lewis frowned.
Selina didn't take her communication crystal, thinking she would return soon.
"Why did they change the rules all of a sudden?"
Bella just shrugged her shoulders.
But Lewis had no intention of not seeing Selina for a week.
With magic, he could meet her anytime he wanted.
* * *
It's already the third day in the Empress's palace. Today, the ladies were excited.
During the still-life drawing session, Philip was scheduled to visit the ladies!
"What does drawing have to do with becoming the Crown Princess?"
"Well, I think they're checking our concentration and perseverance."
I thought we had to draw as a form of etiquette to become the Crown Princess.
As the drawing session began, Philip sat on one side, watching us.
Whether he watched or not, I casually drew the fruit basket in front of me.
I had no intention of putting effort into this.
'Moreover, is this the time for me to care about such things?'
The unsettling feeling that started when I arrived at the Empress's palace was still lingering.
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