The knight, Martin, dropped to his knees, sweat pouring down his face as he stammered out a desperate explanation.
"Princess! Forgive me! I... I saw that you had discarded it, and I thought... I thought it was just trash to you! I took it for my beloved Ribella! It’s my fault! Please, I’m so sorry!"
I looked at the hairpin in my hand, then back at the trembling knight. I wanted to laugh. 'Discarded it? You saw me give it to that child.'
Charlize was known for her boredom and extravagance, frequently throwing away expensive items that no longer caught her fancy. If I were the real Charlize, maybe his lie would have worked. But I was the one who had chosen that pin. I was the one who had seen the look on that little girl's face when I gave it to her.
A dark, cold sensation washed over me. For a second, a strange whisper in the back of my mind suggested I should simply kill him. 'Cut his tendons. Make him crawl.'
I shuddered. My grandfather’s command to "be different" fought with the sudden surge of Imperial blood in my veins. I was about to force myself to stay calm when I caught Loxdian’s eye.
The Emperor was watching with a dark, satisfied smile. He held up his hand and made the universal sign for money—circling his thumb and forefinger. *Gold coins.*
'It’s worth the money,' he seemed to be saying.
That was the breaking point. The mockery in his eyes snapped my self-control.
*Slap!*
It wasn't just a slap; it was a solid, ringing blow. My fist was clenched tight, and I felt the impact vibrate up my arm. My wrist throbbed with pain, but I didn't care.
"You stole a gift I gave to a child," I said, my voice cold as ice. "And because of your greed, that child spent the night crying and caught a fever looking for it. Do you think I’m an idiot, Martin?"
"Princess... please..."
"You knew exactly where that pin came from. You watched me give it away in Lemut." I hit him again, my body moving with a grace and precision that Charlize’s muscles seemed to remember perfectly.
Martin fell to the floor, trembling. He wasn't afraid of the pain; he was afraid of the monster standing over him.
"I-I'm sorry! Please, let me live! It was... it was her! Ribella! She’s the one who made me steal it!"
My brow furrowed. Grandfather really needed to hire better knights. Faced with a crisis, this "brave" man was immediately throwing his lover under the bus.
"Martin! How could you?!" Ribella, the young maid, screamed. Her face was a mask of shock and betrayal.
I looked at the two of them and narrowed my eyes. "Let's talk."
* * *
Ribella was a veteran maid of four years, the daughter of a minor baron who had fought hard for her position in the Imperial Palace. Her career was her pride, and she’d been enjoying her life until she met Martin.
Martin was also from a baronial family, a knight of Altsbeit with what seemed like a bright future. But behind closed doors, he was a different man.
*"I hate her,"* he’d often whisper to Ribella. *"The Princess... if she weren't so beautiful, I would have left Altsbeit long ago. She’s empty-headed. She doesn't even know what she has."*
Ribella had felt uneasy about his insults, but she’d stayed with him. Then, one day, he’d presented her with the ruby-studded hairpin. She’d recognized its value instantly.
*"Where did you get this, Martin? It looks incredibly expensive."*
*"I saved up for it, for you. Do you like it?"*
*"Don't lie to me. Did you steal this from the Princess's room?"*
Martin had grown indignant. *"Am I a thief? I found it! It had no owner, so I took it. Just take the gift, Ribella."*
Eventually, he’d confessed the truth. *"That woman is giving jewelry to peasants. They don't need it anyway. She has more boxes of this stuff than she knows what to do with. She’ll never even miss it. She’s too busy being pretty and empty-headed."*
Ribella remembered that conversation clearly. She knew she was at fault for accepting the gift, but she’d convinced herself that a woman as wealthy as Charlize wouldn't care about a single missing pin. She’d let her own greed blind her.
And now, the price of that blindness was more than she could pay.
She looked at Martin, her heart full of resentment. "You bastard... you told me she’d never know! You said she was stupid!"
She realized then how wrong he’d been. The woman standing before them wasn't empty-headed or oblivious. She radiated an aura of intimidation that was almost suffocating—a cold, imperial presence that made it clear she was truly Loxdian’s sister.
"There was trash under my roof," Charlize said, her voice a sharp blade.
Martin and Ribella held their breath. They knew the rumors of her cruelty. They expected to be executed on the spot.
"Ribella?"
"Y-yes, Princess...!"
"I’ll give you a chance to handle this trash yourself."
I gave her a slow, seductive smile—the smile of a demon offering a deal. "Deal with him as you wish. But make sure the treatment is to my liking."
Ribella didn't hesitate. Her career was over, her life ruined by this man’s lies and her own greed. She turned and delivered a stinging slap to Martin’s face.
Martin tried to move, but he was frozen. I realized Loxdian was exerting his "Imperial aura"—a weight of pure bloodlust that only the knight could feel. Martin was paralyzed by mortal terror.
Ribella didn't stop. She poured all her anger and despair into her hands, the sound of her slaps echoing through the silent room.
Finally, she collapsed, gasping for breath.
"Enough," I said. "Both of you, get out of my sight."
I turned away, hiding my face. The other maids and assistants were huddled together, heads bowed, waiting for the next outburst.
*Clap. Clap. Clap.*
Loxdian was applauding. He rose and patted me on the shoulder, a look of genuine satisfaction on his face.
"Human nature never changes, does it?" he chuckled. "Go on then, live as you wish. Keep this up, and Altsbeit will kick you out in no time. And when they do... I’ll be waiting."
He swallowed the rest of his thoughts and walked out, leaving me standing in the middle of the room.
'...Great. Now there will be more rumors. I'm screwed.'