"P-Princess? I... it’s just..."
I had spoken out loud, but I hadn't even finished my sentence before the maid in front of me started shaking like a leaf. She looked like she was trying to force herself to speak.
"I'm not trying to pressure you," I said calmly. "Don't worry. I only asked because I wanted to tell you something."
"Oh... Your Highness," she stammered. My composed tone clearly caught her off guard. She took a deep, shaky breath, looking surprisingly brave. "Before the official medicine arrives... would you like to try this first?"
"What is it?"
"It’s a hangover remedy. It’s... it’s homemade, but—!"
"Homemade?"
"Yes! My older brother made it. He suffers from terrible hangovers frequently, so he came up with this."
I stared at the small pill she was offering.
"Hmm. If this is poison and I collapse, you'll be executed. Are you sure about this?"
"Wh-what?! No! Princess, I’m so sorry! I was being presumptuous! I would never—I mean, poison—!" She practically fell to the floor. "I just... I saw you in pain, and it reminded me of my brother, and I thought... Please, please forgive me! Spare my life!"
'Wow, Charlize really was a nightmare if a simple joke gets this kind of reaction.'
I felt a pang of guilt. I hadn't meant to terrify her, but then again... what if it actually *was* poison? I needed to be sure.
"What does your brother do for a living?"
"He’s a manager who supplies alcoholic beverages to the Duke's estate! He drinks for work—a lot—so he needed something to survive the next day!"
To prove her point, the maid quickly popped one of the pills into her own mouth right in front of me. She clearly knew that unless she demonstrated its safety immediately, she wouldn't survive my "mercy." There wasn't a hint of hesitation in her.
'This is the kind of fear Charlize inspires,' I noted.
I took the remaining pill and swallowed it. To my surprise, it tasted exactly like the hangover remedies I used to take back on Earth. It was a miracle. My headache began to recede almost instantly.
"Wow, this actually works. Thank you."
"P-Princess?"
"What's your name?" I asked, but before she could answer, another maid burst in to announce that the carriage was ready.
I took the hand of the maid who had given me the remedy and smiled. "I’ll learn your name when I return. For now, take this."
I slipped a gold bracelet off my wrist and pressed it into her hand. The maid was frozen in shock, as were all the other servants in the room. I noticed one man watching with greedy eyes—likely the head of the servant staff.
'He better not try to take that from her.'
"To the carriage," I said, patting the brave maid on the shoulder as I walked past.
It was time to finally see my fiancé's face.
* * *
Askin Remut.
Before we arrive at his residence, you should know a bit about his background. The Duke of Lemut’s primary territory is in the far West. Generations ago, an Emperor rewarded the family for their victory over the western monsters by granting them a city near the capital as an additional estate. When the Duke visits the capital, he stays in a castle on that estate rather than his city mansion. That was where I was heading.
It was only a half-day's journey.
"Oh... no way."
I had arrived in high spirits, but the trouble started at the very gates. Access was completely blocked.
'I should have seen this coming.'
I’d sent thirty invitations, and every single one had been returned unopened. It was obvious I wasn't welcome. In high society, returning an unopened letter was a direct insult to someone's character. The old Charlize would have probably brought an army to tear the gates down.
'But I’m trying to be polite,' I reminded myself.
My fiancé was clearly determined to ignore me. His silence was the price I had to pay for Charlize’s past actions. But I wasn't going to let that stop me.
"Princess... please... you can't be here," a knight stammered, blocking my way.
I didn't say a word. I just stared at him. He was a high-ranking knight, yet he was tasked with rejecting his master's fiancé. It wasn't his choice; it was an order from above.
I kept my gaze fixed on him, saying nothing.
"I-I... I'll go inside and ask the Deputy!" he finally blurted out, unable to withstand the pressure. The gates swung open.
'Lucky me.'
I took advantage of the opening. Politeness was one thing, but if I stayed too polite, I’d never meet the man before my one-year deadline was up. Especially since my grandfather had warned me that Askin was officially moving to break the engagement.
As I walked into the residence, I was struck by how empty it felt. It was a magnificent building, large and imposing, but it felt hollow. Compared to the Altsbeit mansion—the pinnacle of gaudy luxury—this place was incredibly frugal.
'I knew he was in debt, but this is worse than I thought.'
I didn't have many memories of this place. I must have visited, but the details were hazy. As I walked, I noticed there were far fewer servants than I was used to. Those I did encounter didn't just bow; they fell to their knees and trembled.
'I wonder if the hallways are empty because the old Charlize broke all the decorations,' I thought, clicking my tongue.
"Princess?"
I was greeted by Rowena, the head maid, and Bond, the general butler. Bond was a middle-aged man with a weary face.
"...Welcome, Your Highness."
"I’m here to see Duke Lemut."
Both of them looked completely baffled. Their expressions practically screamed, *Why is she being so polite to our master?* Usually, Charlize called her fiancé "my dog."
I decided to be bold.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but his Lordship is not accepting visitors..."
"I'm here to see my fiancé," I interrupted softly. "What is there to be sorry about?"
The "polite girl" inside me was dying of embarrassment, but I had a mission. I tilted my head slightly, and I saw Rowena and Bond's pupils practically vibrate with shock.
'Why are they shaking so much? I just tilted my head...'
"The Duke gave strict orders not to admit the Princess," Bond said, his voice firming up.
Askin’s subordinates were famously loyal. In the novel, they were described as people who would die for him without hesitation. This loyalty was what eventually helped the heroine take down Charlize.
"Just go and ask him," I said. "Surely he can spare a moment."
Rowena and Bond exchanged panicked looks. 'Why is she acting so out of character?' they seemed to be asking.
Bond's expression turned even more resolute. "I'm sorry, Princess, but I cannot. Even if you were to cut off my fingers, I cannot let you in."
I looked at him for a moment, then calmly sat down right there on the floor.
"Then I'll just wait here," I said. "I won't get up until the Duke comes to see me."
"...What?"
"If he won't let me in, he can come to me."
I looked at them both. I felt a bit bad for being so difficult, but I needed results. "Just go ask. It’s not that hard, is it?"
Bond looked more stunned than I’d ever seen anyone look. It was as if he’d forgotten how to breathe. I knew I couldn't act *too* differently from the original Charlize, but I certainly wasn't going to start cutting off people's fingers.
'Wait... did she actually do that? That's terrifying.'
"I am truly sorry, but this is simply not possible—!"
"What is all this noise?" a low, resonant voice interrupted.
My heart skipped a beat. It was a beautiful voice. Was it him?
'No.'
A very tall man stepped into the hallway.