"Vanity schemes, hidden blades, and a princess who imports predators."
Birna's room.
"Birna, you cannot speak to your godfather so rudely. Do you realize it's thanks to him that you were able to leave the convent so early?"
Catherine gripped Birna's arm and scolded her sternly.
"Hmph. I greeted him, didn't I? He should be grateful I didn't outright insult him."
"Birna!"
Birna scowled.
"Mother, I don't like that man. And why is he staying in my house? You say he has wealth and power—yet somehow he has nowhere else to go?"
"That man—Birna, Count Raju is a noble of the Empire. His presence here is a mark of favor from the Emperor of Katzen. Do you understand how important he is? His influence rivals even that of the Duke of Valdina."
Catherine's explanation did nothing to move her.
To Birna, men like Raju—and those Valdinians and"commoners"—all seemed like schemers clawing upward by fawning over her family.
"How many times has that unpleasant man fawned over you and Father?"
Whenever he looked at her, his face lit up like a full moon. Every empty compliment, every lavish gift thrown at her feet—it all felt the same.
As if someone of her birth—the Regent's only daughter—could ever be a match for blood that pathetic.
"And I hate that he's drinking with Father every night since he arrived. Father never used to drink, but now he's always completely drunk. Something's wrong."
Birna pouted, voice dripping with disdain.
"One of the maids said she heard a woman moaning in his room a few nights ago. It's disgusting. What is he even doing in our house?"
She lashed out without realizing she was insulting her own mother's choices.
Then she paused and peered up at Catherine.
"Mother, what's wrong with your face?"
"Eh? W-what are you talking about..."
Catherine quickly smoothed her cheeks, burning with shame.
"It's as red as if you've been drinking."
"The room is just stuffy with the door closed, that's all. And you—don't spout such nonsense in front of guests. It is unladylike. Have you forgotten everything I taught you about proper decorum?"
Birna, infuriated that her mother refused to listen, grabbed a pillow and struck it repeatedly.
"In the end, what are lowborn commoners? They even sold our country out. When I become Grand Duchess, I won't have anything to do with traitors like that."
Birna recalled Jason's handsome face—the Grand Duke of Katzen, whom she'd only ever heard of before.
Not long ago, he'd visited the Duke's residence and greeted her with courteous warmth.
Those flawless looks, impeccable lineage, and elegant manners… Only then had she truly understood what her mother meant when she said there was no one of equal worth in Valdina.
"Mother, when will Archduke Castullo visit again? He isn't coming back here, is he?"
Catherine could read her daughter's thoughts with painful clarity.
"Then show every courtesy to Count Raju. He is close to the Archduke. If you please him, he might bring Castullo with him again."
"Ah—understood!"
If she could see Jason again, she could tolerate that greasy, obsequious face for a while longer.
As Birna buzzed with excitement, Catherine watched her with a shadowed expression.
"Birna, a moment ago you said you disliked your godfather. Now that he's a possible bridge to the Archduke, you've changed your mind?"
"Of course. Do you really think I'd bow to lowly commoners if there wasn't something to gain?"
"Are you sure he's not a commoner in your eyes?"
"He is, obviously. That low blood hasn't changed. I understand that. So stop lecturing me. I won't let any of it show in front of him. All right?"
Catherine sighed as she watched her daughter admire a new dress with starry-eyed delight.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
Just as Acares had promised, a new"maid" arrived at the palace.
"You guided us at the theater last time, didn't you? Thank you."
Zeta suppressed his surprise.
He hadn't expected her to recognize him so swiftly, especially when he'd been in disguise then. The princess's perceptiveness was unnervingly sharp.
"What is your name?"
"...Zeta, Your Highness."
"Are you dissatisfied with being assigned to me after serving your master? You may return if you prefer."
Zeta hesitated for a heartbeat, then replied calmly.
"I have no complaints. My true master is not Acares, but his maternal grandfather. I was ordered to protect you, and I will faithfully fulfill that command."
Medea felt the strength of a veteran warrior in the calluses and faint scars across the"maid's" hands.
Zeta stood with the posture of a deferential servant—yet without leaving a single opening.
At the same time, he was skilled enough to conceal his aura almost completely. The blurred brows and unremarkable hair color were clearly deliberate choices, creating a face that disappeared into the background.
"I'm sorry, but… may I request a favor?"
Medea was not the only one to recognize Zeta's capabilities.
Neril, who had been studying him closely for several days, stepped forward with a request. Zeta glanced at the princess for permission.
Medea nodded.
"Sir Neril, I'll yield the initiative to you."
"I won't decline."
*Bang!*
Yet before they'd exchanged more than a few blows, Neril had already been forced back.
'So he really is Facade.'
The silence of an assassin in each step; the clean lines of a knight in every strike.
Zeta flinched and stole a glance at Medea's expression.
'Damn. I should have been more cautious. But they approached with such sincerity...'
Neril's eyes, however, burned even brighter. She launched herself forward again.
'She's strong.'
Meeting Zeta seemed to finally quench some of the thirst that had been gnawing at her.
'If I'm going to chase after *you*, I must surpass who I am now.'
"Again, please!"
For quite some time, the ringing clash of steel echoed from the small training hall behind the princess's palace.
Meanwhile, Medea's other maid, Marieu, was also quite occupied.
She could hardly ignore the summons of her lover after such a long silence.
"Marieu, you idiot! How could you be involved in something so big—and fail so miserably—without even consulting me?"
After being expelled alongside Cuisine for plotting against Medea, Samon had flown into a rage and cut off all contact.
He hadn't so much as looked at his lover, whose punishment had included the severing of tendons.
Now, as if he'd forgotten everything, he called her back to him.
"All right, darling, gently—"
"Shut up."
Her lover treated her roughly, like a tyrant venting his frustration. Perhaps he was using Marieu to discharge the anger he couldn't unleash on the princess.
Still, Marieu accepted it. She was willing to shoulder the cost of refusing to abandon him.
"Oh my, Samon... what are all these bruises?"
Afterward, as she gazed up at him with lovestruck eyes, she finally noticed the blue-black marks and half-hidden wounds visible beneath his still-fastened collar.
Looking closer, his cheeks were faintly reddened—as if someone had slapped him repeatedly.
"Who dared lay hands on you?"
Was this why he refused to fully undress?
"Are you insane? This is the palace. You can't just touch everything."
*Thud.*
Samon angrily slapped away her hand reaching out in concern.
His pride shriveled at the thought of Marieu—or anyone—discovering he'd been handled like a dog by the Fourth Princess.
Marieu quickly pulled her hand back.
"I'm sorry. I was just... worried. I haven't been able to see you in so long..."
"Spare me your presumptuous concern. Just take care of your own affairs."
Snarling, Samon turned to leave.
In his agitated movements, something small slipped from his pocket and tumbled to the floor.
"Wait, Samon, you dropped—"
Marieu bent to pick up the object—and froze.
"A hairpin?"
It was a high-quality hairpin, set with a ruby.
The craftsmanship was intricate and lavish—it clearly did not belong to a palace maid or any ordinary woman.
Marieu's gaze wavered, unfocused.
'No... no, of course not. I'm the only one he has. It's only me...'
She shook her head sharply and pressed the hairpin into her own bodice.
She could only hope that burying it there would smother the creeping anxiety and doubt.
Valdina Palace, Archduke Castullo's residence.
Jason's adviser, who had spent several days shuttling ceaselessly between palace and city, finally returned with fresh intelligence.
"Your Highness the Grand Duke, it is said that the princess secretly brought in a pack of wolves along with the relief convoy."
"They were apparently transported without Count Kensington's knowledge."
Jason went still.
"She brought them... here?"
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