Chapter 99
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Hermian's Request
“Because I need your help.”
Hermian asked for assistance. Rachel blinked.
“I can’t imagine how I could be of any help to Your Highness, but I’ll do whatever I can. Of course, excluding anything that would betray Prince Carion.”
“Bold, just as the rumors say. Then let me ask you one thing first. Are you really a witch?”
“No.”
It seemed the rumors had flown straight to her ears.
“If I were a witch, I’d be a stain on Prince Carion’s reputation.”
“True. Brother Carion wouldn’t make such a mistake.”
“Does Your Highness’s request require a witch to fulfill it?”
In short, she was asking whether it mattered if she was a witch or not in order to grant that request.
The maid standing behind Hermian bristled as if to step forward, but Hermian smiled with an expression that said, ‘Well, now?’
“I can see why Brother likes you. The help I want is something you—not as a witch—can provide.”
Rachel swallowed.
‘Now we get to the point.’
“You know this already, but Mother and I have been supporting Demian from the shadows at her request.”
As she said, Rachel knew that the princesses were backing Demian.
That scoundrel had survived his unprincely antics unscathed because his mother and sisters pulled strings behind the scenes.
“Though men are said to lead this country, we women’s power can’t be ignored. Until now, Mother and I have rallied other noble ladies and maidens to create favorable outcomes for my brother.”
The First Queen was dead, and Carion had no sisters. Naturally, the women had formed a group centered around the Second Queen and her two princesses.
Had the Crown Prince lived, his fiancée would have been at the center. But after his death, she returned to her estate.
Thus, high society naturally revolved around the Second Queen and Hermian.
“But there was a problem.”
Despite the Second Queen and princesses stepping up to build support for Demian, they hit a massive obstacle.
“To the point that our efforts were wasted—my brother was utterly incompetent.”
Demian lacked even the bare minimum qualities to be king. As his supporters dwindled, his true colors began to show.
“In the past, I thought if my little brother succeeded, I would too.”
Until then, Hermian had believed that if Carion became king, she—who had a distant relationship with him—would be ousted from high society.
So she tried to make Demian king. Even if it meant marrying an old man, she believed she’d be rewarded when Demian ascended. But then,
“Our sacrifices with Hesian were for nothing—Demian got lost in women and gambling, neglecting to manage his subordinates. He only knew how to indulge, not how to give.”
Some sisters married men they didn’t love to make their brother king.
Yet the brother himself couldn’t show restraint, laid hands on any woman, and caused scandals.
Demian’s reputation in high society had hit rock bottom, and her own authority as his defender was no longer what it once was.
“Then I heard about you from the palace maids.”
The girl who exposed her uncle’s crimes and earned a title. Hermian had seen Rachel at the appointment ceremony but paid her no mind then.
“Honestly, I thought your name would fade quickly. But it kept coming up.”
She’d thought a woman with a title couldn’t do much. Yet Rachel’s exploits kept reaching her ears, and she had an epiphany.
“Your actions made me realize something. Until now, I’ve been helping my brother to become the king’s sister. But,”
Hermian took a sip of tea, as if her throat was dry. Then she continued.
“I realized it’d be easier for me to earn a title myself than to make my brother king.”
“I don’t know how I can help Your Highness obtain a title.”
“I want to see Brother Carion.”
Rachel tilted her head at Hermian’s words. They lived in the same palace—how could she not meet him? But the puzzle solved itself quickly.
“If I go to him secretly, bypassing Mother, it’ll surely reach her ears. So help me meet Brother Carion. I’ll handle the convincing myself.”
“Your Highness, there’s not a shred of deceit in what you just said, is there?”
“How dare you doubt the princess’s word!”
The maid shouted, deeming Rachel’s question rude.
Rachel ignored the maid entirely, staring only at Hermian.
“I am Prince Carion’s retainer. If I bring Your Highness to him on my own and something goes wrong, who takes responsibility?”
“Truly worthy of being Brother’s favorite retainer. Then what must I do to prove my words?”
“Soon, I’ll introduce someone to Your Highness. If he says it’s fine, I’ll speak to Prince Carion.”
“Very well.”
“Princess! How can you trust this witch to introduce someone?”
The maid whispered, but Rachel heard it all. It seemed Hermian’s maid believed the witch rumors about Rachel.
“Our meeting with him won’t be dull. He’s quite handsome.”
“That’s fortunate to hear. My husband had nothing to look at besides his money—and even that he lost in prison, dragging my honor down with him.”
Only then did Rachel recall the king’s son-in-law’s involvement in the back-alley cleanup. Given his status, Carion had stepped in personally for special handling.
‘It was cutting off the Third Prince’s tail.’
“I’m sorry about your husband.”
“No need. Thanks to that, I divorced the old fool.”
Hermian spoke as if relieved.
“I’m tired of being someone’s wife or sister. I want to be called by my own name, like you.”
With that, she rose from her seat.
“Then I’ll take my leave. I look forward to our next meeting. I hope it’s soon.”
“Take care.”
Hermian left. Rachel let out a sigh of relief. She’d thought the scoundrel’s full sister would be fierce, but that was a prejudice.
“She was more forward-thinking than expected.”
Realizing Demian was hopeless and immediately latching onto Carion was no small feat for a woman of this era.
As Rachel prepared to return to the administrative offices after Hermian departed, she spotted a red-haired young man running from afar. It was Carion.
“Huff, huff—what? You’re safe.”
His first words were grating, but his expression showed he’d been worried about Rachel.
He rarely sweated, yet his forehead was drenched. For someone with the stamina to leap over two or three floors’ windows, panting like this was rare.
His words weren’t kind, but seeing he’d rushed over out of concern, Rachel smirked.
“Of course I’m safe. Why?”
Rachel handed him a handkerchief as she asked. Carion took it and wiped his sweat.
“No, I heard Hermian took you away.”
“Yes, we just finished talking, and she left. Were you worried about me, by any chance?”
“Well, of course? Hermian supports Demian.”
Carion answered sheepishly. Rachel giggled on purpose at his uncharacteristic demeanor.
“Not worried about losing your paperwork slave?”
“Stop calling yourself that. That was my mistake back then. The other retainers consider it an honor to work under me—why are you...”
“Anyway, thank you for worrying.”
He’d grumbled softly, but brightened at Rachel’s thanks.
“Right? You’re grateful? Happy I’m your lord?”
She hadn’t said that, but sensing that’s what he wanted, Rachel nodded.
“Yes. Except for the part where you pile on the work.”
“Ah, that.”
He couldn’t help the workload, trailing off.
“But it’s way less than before, isn’t it?”
Carion asked, then met Rachel’s cold gaze and shut his mouth.
“No, huh.”
“We’ll see with today’s load. But earlier, your desk had a ton of papers?”
Carion was speechless despite having a mouth.
While Rachel was away, he’d pulled staff from other departments, but they couldn’t handle it alone, requiring five reinforcements.
Dissatisfied, he’d even resorted to using Louis Chance, but even that Louis fled after three days, tongue clicking.
Unaware of this, Rachel nodded at the tight-lipped Carion.
“Why?”
“No, the academy graduation is soon, so I’ll increase administrative staff afterward.”
“That’s welcome news. But Your Highness, what about that thing we talked about a few days ago?”
Carion clicked his tongue. Rachel realized from his reaction it hadn’t gone well.
“Couldn’t find him. After Brother died, he purged most of the guards holding responsibility, but no trace of Baron Hani anywhere. Brother handled his appointment personally.”
“What about Baron Hani’s territory?”
“The records were all fabricated.”
He’d checked the archives for inspectors and tax collectors who’d supposedly visited the barony—they didn’t exist.
“Seems like this happened constantly after Brother started handling state affairs.”
Carion frowned, head aching.
“I just can’t figure out why Brother did it.”
There were no other strong contenders for the throne. Everyone propped him up, taking it for granted he’d be king.
What good would wrecking the country he’d rule do him?
“Maybe he was manipulated.”
“Brother?”
“Who handled his education—forgot?”
“Viscount Noema...”
Viscount Noema was tied to the black sorcerer. Having raised the Crown Prince from childhood, brainwashing was possible.
“Brother trusted him deeply. He treated Brother like a son.”
‘Their mentor-disciple bond must’ve been tight.’
“Let’s head in for now. We have today’s work.”
Rachel moved, recalling the stack on her desk. Carion, lost in thought briefly, hurried after her.
***
After a busy week, Rachel arranged an introduction over the weekend. Not for romance, of course—just a literal introduction.
The participants: First Princess Hermian and...
“This one?”
“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
Hermian nodded knowingly at Rachel’s question. Standing before her was none other than Abyss.
“It’s an honor to meet Your Highness.”
Today’s Abyss sported a noble gentleman concept: navy hair slicked fully back, clad in fine attire.
Not stopping there, he played the refined gentleman to perfection, flushing Hermian’s cheeks.
But today’s goal wasn’t romance—it was judging if Hermian was safe to introduce to Carion.
“Certainly refreshing. But can this one truly judge me?”
Abyss’s eyebrow twitched once. Hermian had underestimated him, pricking his pride.
Yet he didn’t stoop low.
“How could I presume to judge Your Highness? I’ll merely listen and gauge your sincerity.”
Rachel turned away from Abyss’s loathsome charm.
But Hermian was no pushover. She blushed once at his looks, but that was it.
The two began conversing.
‘Then I’ll step out for a bit.’
Rachel slipped away from between them.
‘I can ask for the results later.’
Abyss would fully discern if Hermian spoke truth.
Rachel passed Hermian’s guard knights and exited.
As she opened the shop door, a woman in a dress ill-suited to the alley stood there. The startled, blinking face looked familiar.