Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Translation: godsn
The logic she had deduced in a whirlwind was not wrong.
The only unbelievable part was that it had been pieced together by the timid and foolish Princess Medeia.
For a moment, Catherine felt dazed and blinked. She soon regained her composure and nodded.
"......Yes, of course. I will bring a physician later...... to visit Her Highness the Queen Dowager."
But contrary to her words, Medeia could confidently assert that Catherine would never actually bring the Divine Physician to the Queen Dowager.
"Sister, Mother went all the way to Kazen to personally bring the Divine Physician because she was thinking of you. Aren't you being too dismissive of her sincerity?"
Virna pouted her lips.
"Aunt personally went? Even if the journey wasn't that long, we're in wartime—are you saying the strict Lord Siseo permitted that?"
Medeia widened her eyes as if genuinely surprised.
"Virna! I told you to refrain from unnecessary remarks!"
Catherine's expression darkened as she sharply reprimanded her daughter.
"Please don't worry, Your Highness. Proper procedures were followed, and his credentials are impeccable. He merely came to Valdina ahead of the Kazen diplomatic mission as their chief physician."
Catherine smoothly offered her excuse, then wore a sullen expression.
"But to doubt the identity of the Divine Physician I brought... That's rather disappointing."
"......."
"Forgive my presumption, but I've always thought of Your Highness as my own daughter. Surely, you wouldn't distance yourself from me because of some childish schemes, would you?"
Catherine dabbed at her tears. The sight of this elegant noblewoman wiping away her tears tugged at heartstrings.
The newly assigned maids standing by the wall exchanged glances.
They had heard that the Duchess had devotedly cared for the Princess since childhood.
They'd even heard she refused to have a third child for the sake of her niece. Seeing her now being coldly treated by the Princess stirred pity in their hearts.
Catherine, too, knew what whispers were circulating among the maids.
She pressed her fingertips more forcefully against her eyes.
The more Medeia's words spread throughout the palace, the more they would add flesh to the rumors of her disgrace.
That the Princess of Valdina was not only foolish but also ungrateful.
"Is that really true?"
Medeia asked. Her calm voice was the complete opposite of Catherine's tearful one.
"Forgive me, Aunt. Your words are moving, but they don't resonate with me."
"Sister! What's gotten into you today? How can you say such things!"
Virna snapped sharply.
"Is that so?"
Medeia stared at her intently.
"You don't agree."
The moment she met those pale, gleaming green eyes, Virna instinctively hunched her shoulders.
"If Aunt truly thought of me as her own daughter, she wouldn't have allowed the Head Maid to treat me this way."
"Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"
"You know very well. What I've endured since clashing with the Head Maid."
"......."
"You can't possibly claim the rumors spreading through the Royal Castle bypassed the Ducal household. Look at these newly assigned maids—did you notice my uncomfortable remarks but remain unaware that all my maids were replaced?"
The maids' eyes turned toward Catherine. Hearing the Princess's words, the Duchess's contradictory reactions now seemed strange.
Catherine was flustered, but more than that, she was so frustrated she felt like her insides would burst.
It wasn't that she didn't know. The previous maids had all been replaced, and new eyes had been brought in to monitor the Princess.
The princess had cornered them before they could even broach the subject.
Flustered, Catherine rose from her seat and approached Medeia.
"Since the Head Maid is your intimate friend, Aunt, I understand how difficult it must be for you to properly discern right and wrong between her and me."
"Your Highness, that's not—"
"That's precisely why I thought I'd spare you the discomfort of spelling it out, believing you understood my position."
The princess's monotonous voice spread unhindered through the frigid air of the royal chambers.
"Was it guilt over failing to restrain the Head Maid's tyranny that moved you to bring me the Divine Physician?"
"How could that be! I—we Claudios have always been on Your Highness's side. No friend of mine could ever be more important than you."
Medeia brushed aside Catherine's outstretched hand.
"I wonder, Aunt. Forgive me for taking my leave first—I find myself quite unable to bear the sight of either of you any longer today."
Eyes like frozen jade swept over Catherine's entire figure.
"I'd like to believe not everything you've ever said to me was a lie."
The carefully applied makeup, the faintly glimmering Black Pearl necklace, even the delicately embroidered lace at the hem of her dress—
Every detail was meticulously crafted.
Which was to say, Catherine had had the leisure to do so.
"Would you have remained this composed if it were Virna suffering such humiliation?"
Catherine's words caught in her throat.
"It seems the cruel truth has been made clear to me—that I may be treated as a daughter, but can never truly be one."
"Your Highness! Wait!"
Medeia shook her head and departed.
Catherine reached out to stop her, but dared not recall the princess who had stormed out like a whirlwind.
"Why must you run your mouth needlessly!"
Catherine collapsed into a chair as she scolded Virna.
I thought we'd tamed her well enough that she couldn't escape—was I mistaken?
Nothing warrants sounding the alarm more than a beast attempting to break free.
'There's only one reason she'd act out so suddenly...'
Catherine chewed her lip.
"Cuisine, I told you to exercise restraint."
When news first arrived that the princess had beaten Cuisine, her husband had been suspicious of the Head Maid.
How much effort had she expended to dissuade him from replacing Cuisine?
Yet far from heeding her words, the wretched woman had stubbornly sought revenge against the princess.
'She should've at least been discreet about it!'
Fury toward Cuisine surged through Catherine's veins.
'After I even sent someone separately to placate her, she still couldn't control her temper and caused this disaster?'
Late at night, as darkness settled over the land.
Deep within the Administrative Palace, a light burned. Two shadows stretched across the lamplight.
"Didn't I tell you it'd be a sight? Though the rumors didn't do her face justice, eh?"
A vulgar, cackling laugh echoed through the palace. The shadow's chin wobbled with mirth.
It was Count Etienne, the Minister of Palace Affairs—a man with frog-like bulging eyes and an obese frame who took pride in his corpulence.
'That swine's loose mouth...'
The Head Maid's blood boiled.
"Enough. I heard the Duchess came and slapped you silly first thing."
"How did you—"
"Did you think useful ears belonged only to you?"
The Minister giggled.
"She was so furious she stormed in and dumped everything on you, I heard? Well, serves you right. She's not your friend anymore—she's your mistress. If you act out of line, you'll get what's coming to you."
Head Maid Cuisine swallowed the indignation rising in her throat.
Just as he said, she had been forced to endure Catherine's fiery outburst.
[You must be exhausted—rest for now. I'll send your replacement soon.]
A brief message delivered by the spy's courier.
At a glance, it might have seemed like concern for the Head Maid's well-being, but in truth, it was a declaration that she would soon be replaced.
"See, you should've known your place. The Regent doesn't want to see his niece being oppressed."
"So I was just supposed to endure this humiliation in silence?"
The Head Maid lashed out sharply.
The Minister chuckled, his jowls quivering.
"Why did you have to cling to the Princess and push your luck...? You've crossed the line one too many times. Tch. What can you do?"
His thick hand patted Cuisine's shoulder a few times.
"Just do as the Duke commands. How many people do you think stay unharmed once they fall out of his favor? Or you should've worked hard like me to secure your position."
The Minister's advice was worthless.
'Damn bastard. What's so great about being born with a silver spoon in your mouth?'
Head Maid Cuisine bit her lip. Even though her pride had already been shattered by the Princess, the Minister's mocking tone made her feel like nothing more than the Regent's lapdog.
'If I'm already out of favor, do I even need to listen to the Duke anymore?'
The thought flashed through her mind.
If the Duke was going to discard her, she wouldn't go down quietly like some beaten mutt.
'I have to carve out my own path.'
"By the way, Minister, how were the children I sent you last time?"
At the sudden question, the Minister raised an eyebrow.
When the Head Maid first entered the palace, the Regent had given her one order:
Every month, send young, rootless servants to Count Etienne.
He claimed the Minister needed attendants to assist him.
Though she couldn't understand why a man overflowing with wealth and power would make such a request, she obeyed regardless.
She assumed they were assigned to other tasks—living comfortably in his estate.
But the day she discovered the brutally murdered bodies of boys in the Minister's residence, Head Maid Cuisine finally understood why he had allied with the Duke.
It was the price for satisfying his perverse desires.
Yet the Head Maid was a coward. Though their filthy alliance disgusted her, she had no intention of sacrificing herself to save those boys.
"Your judgment has always been reliable."
"If you wish, I can send you more. You deserve to relieve your stress."
At her words, the Minister's eyes gleamed with suspicion.
Wasn't this the same woman who couldn't hide her revulsion at his depravity? Why the sudden enthusiasm?
"What are you scheming?"
"I can't just lie down and die quietly. I'm thinking of seeking out the Queen Dowager."
"Ah."
Even a rat will bite a cat when cornered. It seemed this woman was planning to slip entirely out of the Regent's grasp.
"He won't allow it."
"I know how the Duke thinks. But I'm more curious about your thoughts, Minister."
Count Etienne studied the Head Maid, gauging her intentions.
His lips curled sharply as he crossed his arms.
"What can I say? I have no intention of opposing the Regent."
As if I'd abandon the Duke just to side with the likes of you.
His undisguised contempt made the Head Maid's face stiffen briefly before she regained her composure.
"Don't you have any aspirations to become Prince Consort?"
Prince Consort?
"...Do you even understand what you're saying?"
There is only one Princess in this kingdom.
"Medeia, that brat, and me?"