# Chapter 36
Chapter 36
“But His Highness has already selected the court ladies to take command of his palace.
“Enough of this nonsense!
— The woman immediately shut down Vera's words as if they were worthless.
“The ladies-in-waiting of the princess's palace must be carefully selected.
How can these uneducated ladies serve His Highness?
There was nothing wrong with Mrs.
Sovenin's words.
But they weren't right either; the women's goal was clearly to spy on Cayena.
“Besides, your attitude is problematic.
Don't you know how much damage you are doing to management by overtaking the central kitchen?
Vera's eyebrows wrinkled, disconcerted.
His expression gradually lost its politeness and grew cold.
“What do you mean by overtaking?
“Aren't you interfering with the sole authority of the kitchen staff?
The central kitchen complained to the cleaning manager many times!
— His irritation increased.
Overtaking?
Vera just checked the food to see if there was anything the princess couldn't eat and if ingredients she normally didn't like were used.
These were things she naturally had to do as his lady-in-waiting.
The other court ladies assigned to the princess's palace had relaxed before, but there was no problem with Vera's behavior.
“I don’t think she’s simply trying to start a fight under that pretext… the head maid’s handling is suspect.”
Vera's eyes swept over Mrs.
Sovenin and the other courtiers.
She expected the maid to be displeased with Cayena's authority over internal matters.
But Vera didn't know that she would try to pressure Cayena so quickly.
Vera hid her anger and responded as calmly as possible.
“His Highness recently became very ill because of his nut allergy.
For now, I have to check the food delivered to His Highness.
Then Mrs.
Sovenin grabbed the end of his words and distorted them.
“Do you think the chef prepares the food without knowing it?
How dare you doubt your ability and attack him like that!
— Vera bit her lip and replied.
“…that's not what I meant.
She had lost this round.
She was disheartened, but had to lower her head passively.
Mrs.
Sovenin smiled triumphantly.
“These women are going to serve His Highness's meal, so come back.
Vera clenched her fists.
It seemed that Prince Rezef's parole bothered them.
“She was barely given any authority…”
The princess only temporarily had authority over internal affairs, but the prince's forces were advancing against her.
If these petty things could defeat her, then it was no different from when Cayena was looked down upon as a paper princess.
Vera was angry and resentful.
She could not immediately return to the princess's room.
“How does Your Highness always stay calm?”
Even this kind of oppression made Vera upset and unhappy.
“How could that small, seemingly fragile person be so strong?”
Mrs.Sovenin pressured her and Vera was beaten without help.
Her position and family were weak compared to others, so there was no way she could have won.
What could someone like her do to help Cayena?
Vera never considered herself incompetent.
But that was your mistake.
Once Rezef's authority was restored, Vera would be nothing more than an ordinary, powerless senior lady-in-waiting.
“If I don’t act with more intelligence and confidence, I will continue to be looked down upon by them.”
She had to make herself useful.
It was Vera's obsession since she started working at the castle.
For Vera, Cayena was her only hope of salvation.
If more useful and competent people joined Cayena, Vera might be abandoned because of her humble family.
She had to be more useful.
Vera stopped in the lounge used by the court ladies and suddenly looked up.
“The central kitchen…
She remembered how the head chef was very wary of strangers.
There was something there.
If she investigated, something would definitely come out.
“I have to find someone to help me.
Vera was biting her nails when she heard a sound.
Click.
At that moment, the break room door opened and someone entered.
“Oh my, I didn't think there would be anyone here.
“…Miss Olivia?
It was none other than Olivia Grace.
“Miss Olivia.
I'm sorry to start asking for thisplease.
Vera urgently asked for help.
It was not a challenging request.
“There's something suspicious in the central kitchen, and I'm trying to figure out what it is.
Could you draw attention to the kitchen by pretending you're getting some hands-on training?
“That doesn't seem difficult.
Seeing Vera dressed as a maid, Olivia asked anxiously, “Will this be okay?”
“The maids always wear masks, so everything will be fine.
And luckily, my eyes and hair color are common.
Olivia let out a low sigh.
She didn't think she would have to examine the cross-section of the imperial palace's machinations on her first day.
“There is always someone looking after the storage area in the central kitchen.
The storage area was connected externally, and all materials imported into the palace were stored there.
As Vera looked around the kitchen, she saw guards strictly guarding the warehouse door.
In the past, she thought it made sense to watch since there were so many expensive ingredients.
But now, she felt something was off.
Didn't this level of surveillance imply that something shady was going on?
Vera, who had been in the imperial palace for a long time, was able to roughly predict what kind of corruption was going on there.
The chef must be embezzling funds.
Vera's eyes shone brightly.
“Let's go.
At that time, Cayena was looking through travel books.
"Southwest Milhen looks good.
It's moderately poor and isolated."
She was about to decide where to live after marrying her imaginary husband.
“Although it is a bit close to the Kedrey Duchy.”
But its proximity to the Kedrey Duchy could be an advantage, as Rezef and the other forces wouldn't bother easily.
Then, she heard a knock on the door.
“Come in.
It was Annie who opened the door and entered.
But his expression was somewhat strange.
“Your Highness, your meal is ready.
But…
Cayena put down the book.
Intrigued, she asked: — What's wrong?
“It was the first time I saw the court ladies preparing Your Highness's meal.
What should I do?
“Where is Vera?
“I didn't see her around.
“Other ladies of the court besides Vera?”
Vera wouldn't have sent someone else without saying a word.
Cayena's eyes became sharp for a moment, then returned to her usual face.
“Let them in.
Soon, unknown court ladies entered.
“We respectfully greet Her Majesty, the Princess.
Those who entered held exceptionally high positions, even among the most senior ladies of the court.
Cayena ordered them to set the table.
“You are not the people I usually see in my palace.
How did you come to bring my meal?
“The number of court ladies in your palace is remarkably small, so we were assigned here.
In the future, we will be responsible for taking care of Your Highness.
“Oh.
Is that so?
Cayena immediately recognized his transparent intentions.
“Should I leave them alone?”
She had just set up a system to prevent her palace from being touched, but people were already trying to keep her under control.
Furthermore, it was ridiculous that she was ignored and assigned senior bridesmaids without her permission.
It was proof that they believed in the power of their sponsor, Rezef – no, the Evans family.
"If I am antagonistic for no reason, it will be quarrelsome.
If I let it go, it will be no different from before..."
The court ladies she chose had not all arrived yet.
When Susan and Julia arrive at the princess's palace tomorrow, they will be able to drive the others out naturally with the power of their families.
“In terms of family background, they are superior.”
“A shipment of fresh fish entered the central kitchen today, so the fish were grilled for your meal.
Although Alquiem, the capital where Cayena lived, was in the interior of the empire, it was not difficult to obtain fish because of the nearby port city.
However, fish wasn't usually part of Cayena's meals because she didn't like the taste of fish.
“…I'm sure Vera didn't check this meal.”
Vera was not someone who would disappear, leaving her work undone, so Cayena became more worried.
She took the knife and addressed the court ladies who stood in a line, watching her.
“Why haven't you left yet?
“We were ordered to help Your Highness…
Beat!
The knife hit the plate and made a sharp noise.The court ladies trembled.
Cayena, still smiling, said to them: — Didn't I just tell you to leave?
There was a rumor that Cayena was calmer lately.
However, the cruelty she had displayed until now remained clear in the minds of the court ladies.
They were afraid that she would throw the knife she was holding now if they couldn't appease her.
They retreated with a shudder.
“…please call us when you need us, Your Highness.
The court ladies left and Cayena immediately called Annie.
“Go and find Vera.