The name of the Crown Prince’s palace was “Blossom.”
In Blossom Palace, there were several “palace rooms” known to everyone.
Firstly, the [Acalea] room in the middle of the third floor, which is Crown Prince Alisto's residence.
And to its right, is the [Rooster] room used by Prince Gerold Behrens, first assistant and Alisto's half-brother.
Besides, the large and small rooms on the third floor were used as residences or offices for Alisto's servants and knights.
The room that was allocated to Atha was [Almond], located directly to the left of the central Akalia room.
The room was too large for one person, and Atha was left alone with the maid.
As she scanned the room, her eyes fell on the maid, who bowed politely to her.
Since she had dealt with maids while staying at the Count's mansion, she felt a little uncomfortable but did not find it strange.
“What is your name, please?”
“My name is Ruby.
You can call me freely if you need anything.”
"Okay, Ruby.
Nice to meet you.
But I think I'd rather walk around alone now, so you can call it a day."
Ruby was surprised by this unexpected request, but maintained her polite stance with her hands folded in front of her.
“Okay, ma'am.
Then I'll see you tomorrow morning.”
Then she moved with light steps, and closed the door with a low sound.
At that moment, Atha's jaw relaxed, and she opened the mouth she had been trying to keep closed.
“What is all this luxury?”
Her round eyes moved very slowly, for the room left no corner unadorned.
The large walls were decorated with numerous frames, and the walls around the frames were carved with mythological designs and carefully colored.
Luxurious furniture, carpets that look so expensive that they are difficult to walk on, multi-layered curtains, and extensive carvings and gilding.
It wasn't just the living room like that.
The connected bedroom, dressing room, tea room, and bathroom, everything was luxurious, even sacred.
Her first thought was of course...
“Luxury Imperial Capture?”
But this feeling of enthusiasm did not last long.
She had an unsolved problem: why had he brought her here?
If it had been Cedric, it would have been understandable, but the Crown Prince?
Why?
In her limited memory, he only appeared in the original novel as a tyrant, and had no significant role in the romance.
“No, what man in the world would take a strange woman just because she said ‘Take me’?… Wait a minute.”
Suddenly, I felt a shiver of bad feeling.
Could it be that Atha, the heroine of the original novel, is somehow destined to be kidnapped?
She was able to plan an imperial captivity due to Cedric's pure and loyal nature in the novel.
But now, to change the male hero into the crown prince?
Even if he changes, there must be limits!
How could he turn from a loyal, kind man into a would-be tyrant?
Atha rubbed her shivering arms and thought about Alisto for a moment.
Of course, he was an incredibly beautiful person, but he had a fatal flaw.
"scary …!"
It was not only that he was described as a tyrant in the novel, but it was the atmosphere that she felt herself that made him so.
From short experience, he was not an evil or aggressive person or a direct threat.
But it was like a dangerous swamp, reeking of a poisonous mist quietly spreading everywhere.
“…”
Should I try to escape at once?
Instead of allowing her almost complete kidnapping without doing anything, wouldn't it be better to try to struggle a little, at least for the sake of the novel?
She nodded alone, as if taking into account non-existent readers.
Going back to the original story seems like the best option.
Determination flashed in her eyes.
***
“Ah...Mom...!”
Marven collapsed on the ground, his tears flowing from the knight's decisive movement.
But the knight, exuding a cold aura, was about to wave his sword.
“Your Highness!”
Freydis quickly crawled to the Crown Prince's feet and bowed her head.
"Your Highness!
I have sinned!
I am the one who has sinned!
Please, at least leave my child!
My dear, my dear!
Sign the marriage contract quickly!"
Before her words finished, Count Hermann quickly signed the contract, and leaned down next to his wife.
Alisto looked at the couple with unreadable eyes, and in the meantime, Gerold nodded after examining the marriage contract and putting it in an envelope.
“Now the papers have been arranged.”
Alisto took a sip of cold tea in slow motion.
“By the way, what is Atha to you two?”
Freydis looked at the Crown Prince with terrified eyes, unable to even wipe away the cold sweat.
Her instinct was warning her.
You must remain completely prone here.
“Ah, Atha… she is the one who will become the Noble Saint.”
With this answer, the arrangement of the marriage contract is completely completed.
Alisto suddenly smiled sharply.
The cold smile faded in an instant, and he silently placed the cup of tea on the table, softly warning: “If you two do not want your beloved daughter, who is already weak, to become an orphan, then be careful with your words and actions.”
He left the drawing room as if he had nothing more to say or hear.
They talked about the heir and their sons, but they said that Atha was just a saint, and there was no reason to confront them further.
“The family matter has been settled.
There is nothing holding me back anymore.”
Maybe transparency is a family trait.
He thought for a moment about the shabby little woman and wondered.
What is Saint doing now in Blossom Palace?
***
At Blossom Mansion—
Atha, who had decided to escape, quietly opened the living room door and checked the corridor.
She looked right and left, then up and down, then carefully stepped out into the corridor.
“No one's here, right?”
Fortunately, the soft carpet on the floor muffled the sound of her footsteps.
Has everyone left?
Although she had asked the maid assigned to her to leave early, she was not sure if palace servants in this world left at a specific time.
It doesn't matter, anyway.
Now it's quiet, so escaping should be a little easier.
With a little optimism, I briskly walked down the stairs.
She passed the second floor, stopping in the middle of the stairs to rest a little and spy the well-lit first floor.
Unlike the upper floors, there were a lot of people moving around on the first floor, and Atha tried to blend in naturally with them, but…
Oh, right, my clothes!
When she set foot on the first floor, she realized that she was the only one wearing normal clothes.
When I looked closely, everyone entering the Crown Prince's Palace was men, and the few women were dressed as maids.
In a panic, Atha quickly walked towards a place where there could be an entrance reserved for servants, pretending to be a maid who had just returned from abroad.
She felt as if someone was looking at her, which made her shoulders shrink.
No, I must bear it!
Even in the novels I read, the Incarnates always acted rudely.
You should be as rude as possible.
Was her effort of walking so fast worth it?
I finally entered a secluded corridor, and discovered the laundry room.
Upon entering the laundry room, she found a maid's uniform thrown away.
This is it!
The essence of escape is disguise.
She dressed as a maid, and sat in a corner to untie the pearls one by one from her original clothes.
The pearls seemed small and unattractive, but for Count Hermann's poor family, they were a treasure.
Fortunately, her dress was intended for a wedding, so there was something she could untie, otherwise she would have been left with nothing.
After fully preparing to escape, Atha exited the building through the back door reserved for servants.
As she crossed the garden and left the Crown Prince's Palace, she exchanged greetings with some maids, and no one suspected her.
The start was good.
Who would have expected the escape from the notorious Crown Prince's Palace to be so smooth?
It felt good.
“Does this privilege the incarnate, or perhaps enhance the protagonist?”
Feeling that she could do anything if she wanted, her steps were extremely light.
***
At the same time, Alisto was in the carriage returning to the palace, reviewing papers.
Since the morning, he had visited the temple and dealt with the saint's affairs, making him late for his office duties.
But the work flow did not continue smoothly.
Knock—knock—
“Your Highness, I am Garnet.”
Alisto opened the window slightly as if asking him to speak, and Garnet said, “An hour ago, Saint dressed as a maid and left Blossom.
She is now heading to the south gate.”