After everyone had left, Lamia appeared quietly in my room.
Instead of the food I'd been expecting, she carried a wooden bucket filled with warm water, steam rising gently from its surface.
"What about the food?"
"I brought this because I thought the Princess might freeze to death before the food was ready. Look at you—your lips are turning blue."
Lamia laughed, completely shameless. "I told the innkeeper you were about to die, and she gave me this in a hurry."
She wet a cloth with the warm water and gently wiped my face. Then she had me soak my feet in the remaining water.
"If you warm your feet like this, your whole body will heat up faster."
The gentle touch felt so unfamiliar that I found myself fidgeting uncomfortably.
"When will you put me in danger again?"
"Are you still talking about that? Back then, I had to survive first. And now we're on the same side, aren't we? It would be a problem if the Princess suddenly died before I could escape."
"Ugh."
It was a callous thing to say—but somehow, it didn't feel mean.
Without asking permission, Lamia lay down on my bed.
The action felt so natural—and yet it was absurd, because it was the first time anyone had ever simply taken my space like that, without apology or hesitation.
She propped herself up on one arm, looking at me with an expression that was either deliberately oblivious or genuinely unconcerned.
"My stomach is sticking to my back. I haven't been able to eat properly while hiding in the palace."
"How on earth did you manage to hide without being discovered? The guards must have searched the palace thoroughly."
Lamia shrugged, answering with infuriating nonchalance.
"What? That's a trade secret, so don't ask. I'm so hungry I don't even have the energy to talk."
Despite her words, she seemed far more energetic than I felt.
We continued to whisper in low voices, mindful of the knights standing guard just outside in the hallway.
"When are you planning to run away? Shouldn't you be leaving soon?"
"Oh, I need to fill my stomach before that. I saw the innkeeper slicing up some meat earlier. Use that."
She licked her lips, practically salivating at the thought.
I found her utterly fascinating.
"Just in case—you do know that there's a wanted poster for you distributed throughout the empire, right...?"
How could she be so peaceful when Kavala had released soldiers across the land searching for her?
"I know. That's why I dyed my hair while you were busy hiding. It was a real pain to steal the hair dye, you know."
Then she glanced at me with narrowed eyes.
"And those wanted posters are all because of you, Princess! They're framing me for the theft!"
"No, that's not—!"
"What do you mean, 'that's not it'?"
"I feel wronged."
"What's wrong with you? I'm the one who's wronged."
"..."
I kept my mouth shut, unable to explain that even if I hadn't stolen anything, the wanted poster would have been distributed regardless.
Lamia suddenly leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"We're accomplices now, and I feel like I'm at a bit of a disadvantage here. Shouldn't we share some of the treasure you stole that day?"
I squinted at her.
"I hope you think carefully about what you did to me that day."
"Did you just admit to stealing the treasure?"
"I'm saying you're shameless."
"How much did you steal? Can't you just give me a small piece? Just one jewel?"
"When are you going to leave?"
"I need money to use the magic circle for transport. Please, just one jewel?"
"You said you were going to eat first."
"I didn't say I was going right away. I said I needed to fill my stomach first."
The circular conversation continued.
Even though the water I'd been soaking my feet in was cooling, I didn't stop talking.
I was amazed at myself—having such a light, free conversation with someone.
The conversation with Lamia was different from my exchanges with Karl, and different again from my talks with Callius.
"Don't you want to go home? Your family will be worried."
Lamia tapped her foot against the bedframe thoughtfully.
"The people you meet are your family. The place you rest your head is your home."
Suddenly, I remembered what the guard had said when I first met Lamia.
"How dare you, a gypsy, speak the name of Her Royal Highness, you filthy bastard!"
It was strange that the guard had spoken as if he knew Lamia—as if he recognized her on sight.
"Are you a gypsy?"
Lamia smiled brightly.
"Please call me a wanderer in pursuit of romance."
A gypsy, then. So the soldier did know Lamia... but is she really a thief?
I asked calmly:
"Why on earth would a romantic wanderer hide in the palace?"
"Hiding? I told you—I was kidnapped."
"...By whom?"
"By the Empress!"
"Why?"
"How would I know? I was traveling with a group of wanderers, and I think some bastard sold me out."
"Sold you?"
"Yeah. Someone said he'd gotten some good liquor from somewhere, so I drank it—and then I started to feel dizzy. When I woke up, I was locked in a chest. My arms and legs were shackled. I was so shocked!"
Lamia said such a horrifying thing with an utterly calm expression.
Her face was so neutral that it was hard to tell whether she was lying or telling the truth.
A chest...? Why would someone lock a person in a chest and bring them into the palace?
I wanted to ask more questions, but someone knocked on the door outside.
Knock knock.
"Who is it?"
As Lamia walked to the door and called out, a reply came from outside.
"I've brought your meal."
Lamia's face, which had been sullen the whole time, brightened instantly.
She opened the door eagerly.
A servant stood at the entrance, carrying a tray of food. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be someone working at the inn.
"Give it to me."
Lamia smiled brightly and reached for the tray.
The servant handed it to her—then looked up and glanced past her.
His eyes met mine.
At that moment, I froze.
That man...!
His unusual eyebrow shape was familiar. Terribly, horribly familiar.
I recognized him—but he didn't seem to realize that I recognized him.
Of course he wouldn't. I'd never met anyone like him in this life.
He was Viscount Pelsus's errand boy—the man who had handled any dirty work the Viscount demanded: murder, kidnapping, torture.
Why is that person here?
What was going on? Was this Kavala's doing? Andrea's choice? Was someone trying to kill me? Or Callius?
The man acted like a servant at an inn, handed Lamia the food, and disappeared.
My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst.
I don't know what's happening, but I need to tell Callius about this—without the maids knowing.
"Princess? Are you all right?"
Lamia shook my shoulder gently.
I grabbed her wrist. My hands were shaking violently, turning white at the knuckles.
"Don't eat that."
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"Don't eat that food, Lamia."
Lamia looked confused, glancing back and forth between the food and me.
My heart was pounding harder and harder. Something inside my chest felt like it was tearing apart.
"Ugh..."
In an instant, memories flashed through my mind like firecrackers exploding.
The hand that had dragged me away. The darkness of the cellar. The kicking. The terror of death.
All of it came rushing back in a dizzying torrent.
"Huk...! Ugh...!"
My breathing became rapid and shallow.
"Shall I call the knights? Just wait a moment—!"
Lamia tried to run out of the room.
I caught her arm.
"No...! No, no... Stay still, please..."
Lamia stamped her feet, watching me gasp for breath as I clung to her.
I held onto her as tightly as I could.
With my other hand, I clutched at my hair, trying desperately to shake off the terrifying, unpleasant thoughts.
Then Lamia, who had been fidgeting helplessly, wrapped her arms around me.
"It's okay."
"...!"
"It's okay. It's okay."
A hand patting my back. Warm body heat. A feeling of pressure enveloping me.
As I focused on those unfamiliar sensations, my breathing gradually began to calm.
"It's okay now."
I burst into tears when I heard those words.
"Sob...!"
I buried my face in Lamia's shoulder and sobbed quietly.
But the sobbing lasted only a moment. I struggled to stop crying.
There was no time to cry now.
"Lamia, can you use that magic again—like you did with my face last time?"
"Huh? Uh..."
Lamia's confused expression wavered as tears blurred my vision.
I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand and gripped her shoulders.
"Hiding it won't help. I saw everything. Please—use that magic to pretend to be me here for a moment."
"What?!"
"It'll only take a moment. Just lie down on the bed as if you're asleep—in case the maids come to check."
"What are you going to do?"
She looked at me suspiciously. I had been shivering and pale moments ago, barely able to breathe properly.
"Are you okay? Are you awake? Do you even know where you are?"
"I'm in my right mind. Please."
I changed into Lamia's outer garment and pulled the hood up to cover my head and face.
I must warn Callius.
[ To be continued... ]
---