RETL 04

Chapter 4

A few days later.

Maids No. 1, 2, and 3 knelt with nervous expressions.

Lumiere let out a mocking laugh.

The ‘sincerity’ they had brought was far below her expectations.

“I clearly told you to show me your sincerity, didn’t I?”

No. 1 made an excuse apologetically.

“Your Highness, how could we ever take your words lightly? It’s just that the amount of money we can prepare immediately is limited…”

“That is your problem.”

They must have money they had been embezzling for years, yet they had offered only one month’s salary?

‘And all three of them brought exactly the same amount, as if they had planned it together.’

Perhaps they thought she would let all three of them go if they did this, but an agreement like this always falls apart the moment one side breaks the promise.

Lumiere put down the jingling pouch and spoke to No. 1.

“Among the three of you, your sincerity is the best.”

“Pardon…?”

“Even if it is not enough to satisfy me, I cannot help it since I have already given my word.”

“I-I don’t understand what you mean…”

“You may remain in the Imperial Palace. But I will take the other two to the Grand Duchy, so pack your belongings.”

At that moment, the atmosphere in the room subtly changed.

No. 2 slowly turned her gaze toward No. 1.

They had clearly offered the same amount, so why?

No. 3 also glanced sideways at No. 1 with a stiff expression.

No. 1, however, merely moved her lips as if she had no idea what was happening.

“Y-Your Highness. I believe there has been some misunderstanding. The sincerity shown by the three of us should have been similar…”

“How do you know whether your sincerity was the same or different? Did you perhaps agree on the amounts beforehand?”

“……!”

No. 1 froze, unable to answer.

The other two, who had been watching the situation carefully, hurriedly prostrated themselves.

“Y-Your Highness, I will raise the remaining amount by any means necessary!”

“I-I have also sent a letter to my family, so if you could just wait a few days…”

Forget their agreement. They were already looking for ways to save themselves first.

To think she had once been subjected to such humiliation by people like these.

She let out another mocking laugh and entered the bedroom.

Click.

After closing the door, she quietly listened.

The sound of the three women arguing could be heard.

“How much more did you give her?”

“I don’t know. I really paid exactly what we agreed on.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Then what? Should we go ask Her Highness? We can find out whose story is true.”

“You really…!”

Just as she had expected, the close relationship they had maintained until recently had developed cracks.

‘Now I just have to wait.’

The three of them, desperate to survive, would frantically bring her more money.

At the thought of her pouch becoming much heavier soon, the corners of Lumiere’s lips curved into a pleasant smile.

The Wezier Empire, the Emperor’s office.

A man with blond hair, blue eyes, and a tall, well-built body, yet with a despicable-looking face.

Tener von Wezier gave a hollow laugh as if he found the situation ridiculous.

“The Grand Duke will arrive in the capital soon?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“To move personally just to take that lowly thing with him. How absurd.”

“Perhaps he is worried that Her Highness the Princess might run away?”

“I heard women run away one after another whenever he sends a marriage proposal. Tsk, tsk.”

The Princess had even attempted to poison herself because she would rather die than marry a barbarian, so it was understandable that he would come personally to retrieve her.

‘The day the black hawk of the North spreads its wings, a shadow will fall upon the sun.’

Thinking of those ominous words, it was unsettling to mix the blood of the imperial family with the blood of barbarians.

But there was nothing they could do.

No one wanted to take her because of the scandal she had caused.

“What about that girl? Surely she isn’t making a fuss about dying again, is she?”

“No, Your Majesty. She has been quiet ever since she woke up.”

“Good.”

After everything she had done to disgrace the Imperial Family, she deserved to pay the price.

It would be troublesome if she died without even paying what she owed.

“Make sure this news is kept completely secret so the Princess cannot do anything foolish. And when the Grand Duke arrives, bring her directly to the Great Hall.”

“I will do so.”

“Oh, and summon Duke Trovitan to the Imperial Palace that day.”

“Yes…?”

With all the heartbreaking stories surrounding the Princess spreading everywhere, why was he asking for the Duke?

The servant’s eyes wavered in confusion, and the Emperor twisted his lips.

“Even if she is a disgrace to the Imperial Family, she is still my only younger sister. I should at least give her a chance to meet her first love one last time. Don’t you agree?”

“You are absolutely right, Your Majesty. If Her Highness the Princess understands Your Majesty’s deep affection, she will surely be moved by your grace.”

“Of course. She should be.”

A vile malice appeared in the Emperor’s blue eyes.

The false words spoken by a lowly dancer were still growing like mold in the shadows, spread by those who doubted his abilities and qualifications.

Therefore, that lowly thing would have to pay for her mother’s sins for the rest of her life.

Just as he had to carry those ominous words like a shadow for the rest of his own life.

And yet, he was giving her the chance to say a final farewell to her beloved first love.

What greater mercy could there be?

The Emperor smiled bitterly as he imagined the Princess collapsing in despair.

It had already been a month since her regression.

The shallow bond between the maids had been completely shattered by that one act of sowing discord.

The three women, who had become enemies, competed to offer not only money but also new dresses and jewelry in order to become the last survivor.

They even reported on one another.

How much money they had embezzled.

What they had said while badmouthing each other, and so on.

‘They really are ridiculous.’

How could it not be funny to watch people who were exactly the same tear each other apart just to save themselves?

Anyway, after tormenting them and relieving her stress for a month, Lumiere felt as if her face had even begun to glow.

“Your Highness, an envoy from the Grand Duchy has arrived at the castle gate!”

At last, the news she had been waiting for arrived.

Perhaps because the Grand Duke had come, or perhaps because she was finally leaving the Imperial Palace, her heart began to beat with anticipation.

“I had better hurry and prepare to leave.”

Since she was about to meet her future husband for the first time, she could not waste even a single minute or second.

With the help of the maids, Lumiere finished getting ready.

‘It was worth working so hard to gain weight for a month.’

Her white hair, smooth and shiny from the scented oil.

Her pale but clear and silky skin.

Her beautiful, deep-set eyes and full red lips.

In the mirror stood a beautiful woman in an elegant dress, with an air of sorrow as if she carried a deep and tragic story.

Perhaps it was because she had carefully taken care of the body that had been neglected for so long.

She had not done anything particularly elaborate, yet she seemed to see a trace of her mother—the dancer who had once captured the Emperor’s heart despite her lowly status.

She turned her gaze away from the mirror and checked her money pouch.

Inside, the gold coins and jewels she had taken from the maids sparkled brightly.

There was quite a lot, as if she had scraped together every last bit of their wealth.

“Your Highness, but who are you planning to take with you to the North…?”

Lumiere shook her head at the question from Maid No. 1, who had been cautiously watching her all this time.

“That won’t be necessary. Even if I take them with me, I will be lucky if they don’t become a burden.”

At those words, the maids’ faces brightened.

‘They shouldn’t be so happy.’

Would that petty Emperor really stay quiet after seeing her looking this healthy?

No.

He would certainly look for someone to take his anger out on.

And there was a very high chance that those targets would be the maids of the Princess’s Palace who had worked so hard to keep her healthy.

‘…Well, whatever happens to them has nothing to do with me.’

She carefully hid the fairly heavy money pouch inside her clothes and straightened her dress.

How long had she been waiting?

Eventually, No. 1 announced that a servant had arrived.

“Your Highness the Princess, the servant sent by His Majesty the Emperor has arrived. He says you are to come to the Great Hall immediately.”

Without the slightest idea of what was about to happen, she left the room, leaving the excited maids behind.

At last, the moment to leave had come.

To leave this unbearably horrible Imperial Palace.