# Chapter 14
Chapter 14
“Who are you?
The woman's face could not be seen because she was wearing a hat with a mesh around her face.
While Olivia was cautious, the woman took out an envelope from her bag and carefully held it out.
In that short amount of time, Olivia looked inside her bag.
Unexpectedly, there was a pattern that looked like a family emblem within it.
"A crown?
So the lining of the bag is embroidered with a crown...
few families have that symbol."
The envelope, likewise, had no seal, except for the red candle wax.
It was a letter that hid the identity of the sender.
“My master asked me to give this to you.
“…is there any reason for me to read this when I don't even know who sent it?
“My master said that if Miss.
Grace asks you this, I should tell you this.
The quiet woman opened her mouth.
“An intelligent and curious woman like you would have questioned recent events.
If you see this, it might help a little.
Olivia closed her lips tightly.
“They addressed me with an informal speech.”
This meant that the person must have a higher title and position than her.
"Who was this master the woman was talking about?
It was as if they knew her well."
An anonymous letter.
The crown on the bag lining.
There were lots of tips there.
“It’s Princess Cayena”
Olivia received the letter politely.
“My master said that you would definitely be able to infer her identity.
Looks like she was right.
Soon, a carriage arrived.
It was a rented carriage rather than a personal one.
“You don't need to answer.
Saying this, the woman entered the carriage and closed the door.
Olivia's carriage was delayed because of that woman's carriage.
She realized she had done it on purpose to keep her feet tied.
“I wonder why the princess secretly sent me a letter.”
Olivia was confused.
“Milady?
Her maid opened the carriage door and called Olivia.
Olivia hid the letter and climbed into the carriage.
The maid was riding alongside the knight, so she was the only one inside the carriage.
Olivia immediately opened the letter.
“It would be better for your family to wait until the next order arrives.
I prefer that you wait as quietly as possible without revealing your presence.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
“Wait for the next order…?
"And saying you're looking forward to seeing her, hmm.
It seems to mean that I shouldn't respond to the prince's request and just wait.
But what was that about the next request?"
Furthermore, she hinted that they would meet soon.
“Is she trying to issue an imperial order?”
That made even less sense.
The emperor didn't care about these things.
Furthermore, it was a fact that he had a bad relationship with the princess.
Olivia looked at the letter and frowned.
“What are you thinking…?”
She had a hunch she had been caught in a storm.
Vera spoke to Cayena, who was reading comfortably while a maid combed her hair.
“Your Highness.
Lord Raphael has requested an audience with you again today.
Cayena was silent for a while, then responded indifferently.
“..
Tell him that I don't feel well and that he needs to come back another time.
“I'll let him know.
“It was the fifth time I turned him down since we talked about couples.”
In the meantime, rumors about Raphael's marriage spread in society and numerous visitors entered and left the capital.
“What is Rezef doing now?
“His Highness is meeting with Count Dominin.
“The one with the sapphire mine?
It's been a while since your wife died, hasn't it?
“Yes.
Aristocrats who wanted to marry into the imperial family constantly visited the Imperial City, and so Rezef had been busy.
The emperor was unable to receive visitors because he was unwell and Cayena was still feigning weakness due to the poison.
This was an opportunity that Cayena opened for Rezef.
In the meantime, Rezef built relationships with powerful and deep-rooted aristocrats.
When people in power speak, political interests tend to emerge.
Cayena's wedding was a great opportunity for Rezef.
Rezef, who was recently very upset with Heinrich, was very pleased with the flow of people that Cayena brought.
He also openly said that she was the only one who truly cared about him.
In addition to praising her, he even increased the budget for theCayena Palace.
With this money, Cayena bought luxury items for her ladies-in-waiting.
Needless to say, their attitudes became more careless.
“I should make Rezef a snack.
Vera naturally understood the remark as an order to prepare some snacks and asked:
“What should I prepare?
“I'll do it myself,” said Cayena.
“Will your Highness go?
None of the ladies-in-waiting had ever seen her enter the kitchen.
They heard that when her nanny was in the capital, they had refreshments together, but surely that was just a story?
Even if it wasn't, it was nothing more than childish games.
They headed to the kitchen with Cayena, intrigued.
“Greetings, Your Imperial Highness!
— The kitchen servants were surprised by your surprise visit.
What occasion brought the princess to visit?
They exchanged glances with each other.
Vera said to the kitchen servants:
“His Highness will prepare a snack for the prince.
The explanation confused them even more.
“Did we do something wrong…?”
“Keep doing what you were doing,” Cayena said.
She rolled up her sleeves and checked the groceries she personally ordered.
“Please tell me what you need, Your Highness.
I'll bring you whatever you need right now!
“I am fine.
The man was instantly embarrassed when he saw her acting so maturely.
Cayena took out flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon.
It seemed like she was used to working in the kitchen, without even asking for a recipe.
"No way."
The chef rubbed his eyes.
Now, he saw Cayena holding a knife, cutting an apple and peeling it.
“I will do it, Your Highness!
“If you wish.
Cayena quickly handed the chef an apple and a knife.
The chef was about to finish peeling the apple when he hesitated.
Cayena was someone who never had a reason to hold a knife, but she peeled it very finely.
“This could just be a coincidence.”
While peeling an apple, he took a look at what had already been prepared.
He asked carefully:
“Are you trying to bake an apple pie?
Cayena praised the chef as if she admired him greatly.
“You knew just by looking at it.
As expected from the head chef.
Cayena started making the dough while the chef cooked the apples.
As the chef continued to help her by his side, he couldn't help but be amazed.
He couldn't say the princess was an expert, but she was certainly talented.
“I didn't know you were so skilled, Your Highness.
The ladies-in-waiting were curious because Cayena seemed to be an expert at the task.
But it was even stranger that the head chef praised her.
“You are very skilled in handling the ingredients.
Its speed is also fast.
With those words, Cayena had a shy expression on her face.
“You're paying me a lot of compliments,” she said.
“After all, I have lived alone in my previous life for years.”
She grew up in a single-mother family and lived alone after her mother died of illness, so she had to get used to working in the kitchen.
Her mother was a baker.
“Your tongue is smooth as oil.
— She scolded the chef with a croquetful air.
“That's not it, Your Highness!
I really mean it!
— It was obviously a flattering statement, so the ladies-in-waiting were skeptical.
“I'll give you some, even if you don't flatter me like that,” Cayena said chidingly, placing two stuffed pies into a preheated oven.
The chef seemed very moved by Cayena's words.
Receiving food made by a member of the imperial family was an honor, a source of pride for their children and their children's children.
The chef's response further convinced the ladies-in-waiting that he was just flattering Cayena.
It was evident that the chef was fascinated by Cayena's beauty.
“I don’t need to look like a talented person.”
She had to act in a way that was acceptable to others.
If she unnecessarily showed off her abilities in everything, it would only raise his expectations.
“I made two pies so everyone can taste them.
Looking at the respectable-looking pies, they started to get excited.
“How do you intend to take it to the prince?
— Lydia asked this with an ulterior motive, thinking it was a chance to see Rezef's face.
Cayena initially intended to send Vera to deliver the snack.
But listening to Lydia, she realized thatand many of the court ladies wanted this honor.
“If I send Vera into this situation, it will be easier to isolate her from the group, but…”
She wouldn't be able to win Vera's loyalty using these malicious tactics.
She judged it best for her ladies-in-waiting to compete for him.
“Any of you can go.
At Cayena's words, the ladies began to look at each other, fighting with their eyes.
Once the pie was ready, Cayena placed it on a different plate to cool.
A hand unexpectedly stopped her as she did so.
“I'll take this to His Highness!
— Lydia grabbed the pie that Cayena was carrying.
“Oh, that's...!
— Lydia shouted before the surprised chef could stop her.
“Ahl Hot!
— She burned her hand and threw the plate.
The pie flew straight into Cayena's arm, which was right in front of Lydia.
“Your Highness!
— The hot pie touched Cayena's bare skin from when she rolled up her sleeves while cooking.