Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Translation: godsn
"You really won't talk? I don't want to do this either. Just say you'll leave and it ends here!"
Thwack.
"Ugh."
"Do you really need to see blood to come to your senses? If you die here, no one will know! Not even your mistress! You'll just die like a dog!"
As Neril tightly shut her eyes, Jena, who had been lashing the whip, snarled in frustration.
She didn't seem to realize that the sight of Neril stubbornly pressing her lips together only fueled her rage.
"Fine. Let's see how long you can keep that mouth shut."
"Kkh—"
Another strike landed, drawing a pained groan.
"You picked the wrong master. What a loyal knight you turned out to be!"
Yes, her master.
Is Her Highness alright?
Neril stared blankly into the empty air, her mind drifting.
When the princess had collapsed, blood streaming down her forehead, Neril's heart had plummeted.
She must be safe.
If she had woken up, would she even notice Neril was gone? Would she come looking for her?
Neril let out a hollow laugh.
She had never been affectionate like the other maids, nor had she mastered the art of flattery. Her blunt, straightforward answers had only made Medeia dislike her.
Knowing that, it was pathetic to entertain such futile hopes.
"Does it hurt, Neril? Should Dea give you this? Don't cry."
Long ago, when tiny, delicate hands had saved Neril, she had sworn to devote her entire life to serving Medeia—even if the princess would never remember.
"How about it? Won't you come under my wing?"
"Stop tormenting her. Neril here caught the eye of the young princess—not only was she spared execution, she was even chosen for the Royal Guard."
That was why she wanted to stay by her side. To repay even a fraction of what she owed.
If even I'm gone, will Her Highness be able to survive in the palace?
The thought spiraled into endless worry.
This place was the heart of the Demon's Den.
The Regent, the Queen Dowager—even the lowliest servants wished for the young princess's downfall.
"If you keep this up, you'll really die, and I won't care!"
Swish.
The repeated lashings and her fading vision made her head grow increasingly hazy. Neril strained to keep her eyes open, fighting to stay conscious.
Then, the faint silhouette of a small girl flickered before her.
Was it the princess's phantom? Or was death drawing near?
"...Your Highness?"
But the vision didn't disappear. It remained standing right in front of her.
Neril blinked.
"How did you—?!"
Jena's startled voice sounded distant.
Crash—!
When the princess snatched the whip from Jena's hand and hurled it to the ground, the hazy illusion finally solidified into reality.
"What are you doing?!"
Jena, too shocked to remember she was facing royalty, shrieked.
A pang of guilt shot through her, but relief quickly followed when she realized it was Medeia.
"That's my line."
The princess's voice was colder than ever before.
"Who gave you permission to take my maid and whip her?"
"N-No, Your Highness! There's just been a misunderstanding— Wait, who let you in here?! Who was it?!"
As Jena's flustered voice rose, the princess turned to the maid standing behind her and ordered,
"Bring Neril here."
The maid hesitated.
Everyone in the royal palace knew Jena was the Royal Head Maid Cuisine's lackey.
In this vast palace, what would happen if a lowly maid like her fell out of the Head Maid's favor? It was obvious her life would become miserable.
"Now."
"Y-Yes!"
But right now, it was Medeia who held her leash. Even if she was only half-royal, a princess was still a princess.
If she angered the royal family, she wouldn't even be allowed to stay in the palace. A little hardship was better than losing her only means of survival in these dire times.
Having made her decision, the maid quickly rushed over and helped Neril up.
Her condition was horrific. It was a miracle she was still alive after being whipped for over half a day.
"Ugh..."
"Good heavens...!"
The maid gasped in horror when she noticed Neril's right arm twisted unnaturally, the elbow swollen grotesquely.
"Tch."
Medeia, too, let out a scornful laugh when she saw Neril's pitiful state.
"Who said you could take her? You! Put her down!"
Jena glared at the maid.
"Then answer me. Who gave you the right to do this?"
"...That's—"
Under Medeia's icy glare, Jena instinctively shrank back. Those emerald eyes flashed dangerously.
This was a woman who had cut down countless magic beasts and even slain an evil dragon, who had survived both the imperial succession wars and the empire's darkest intrigues.
Though she now inhabited a young girl's body after returning to the past, the lethal aura honed through countless life-or-death battles was something no mere maid could withstand—let alone meet eye to eye.
'What kind of child's gaze is this? It looks ready to devour someone alive!'
Had the princess always possessed such formidable presence?
Jena could hardly remember, having only ever seen the girl with her head bowed and eyes fixed to the ground.
"Take her away."
Jena trembled like prey cornered by a beast, shoulders shaking involuntarily. Clenching her fists, she managed a trembling protest:
"N-no, you can't...! You—what do you think you're doing?!"
Her followers and those drawn by the commotion had gathered in small clusters. Yet under the princess's overwhelming pressure, they all held their breaths, not daring to intervene.
"Y-you mustn't go!"
When no one stepped forward, a desperate Jena finally moved to physically block the princess's path.
Just then, the crowd parted as a middle-aged woman appeared.
"Your Highness, what is this... outrageous behavior?"
Delicate hands picked up the discarded whip from the floor and handed it to Jena.
It was Head Maid Cuisine.
After the former head maid's unexpected retirement, this woman had filled the vacant position of Royal Head Maid.
Despite her non-noble birth and somewhat lacking qualifications, she had secured the perfect position to control the Inner Palace's workings.
Behind her stood Duke Claudio, Medeia's uncle.
'She became Uncle's right hand along with the Minister of Palace Affairs. Without those two, he could never have controlled the royal palace.'
This woman had been part of Medeia's arduous palace life.
It was routine for her to replace all items in the princess's quarters with shoddy imitations while embezzling funds, then blame Medeia's supposed extravagance. Now targeting Neril was undoubtedly part of Duke Claudio's plan to completely isolate Medeia within the palace.
"Your Highness, we'll ensure the girl is safely returned. You've only just risen from your sickbed—you mustn't overexert yourself."
The head maid wore a scornful expression, not even waiting for Medeia's response as she stubbornly tried to send the princess back.
"What are you all standing around for? Escort Her Highness back at—"
"Head Maid," Medeia's raised voice cut through, "what reason could you possibly have for secretly taking my maid away to whip her?"
"Without proper trial or judgment, just straight to the lash—since when has the royal house operated so arbitrarily?"
The unexpected counterquestion made the head maid's eyebrows rise.
This was the first time the timid princess, who even junior maids could push around, had raised her voice.
"Your Highness, though it may seem presumptuous, these girls fall under my jurisdiction before being your attendants. As an official serving Valdina's bloodline, it's my duty to properly manage them."
Madam Cuisine answered sternly.
"That girl Neril not only neglected her duties to Valdina's lineage but even harmed Your Highness. Such crimes cannot be taken lightly."
With an openly exasperated sigh as if lecturing a foolish child, the head maid added:
"We exist solely to serve Valdina's bloodline above all else, and strive only to do our best. Does that answer satisfy you?"
Despite calling herself a servant, the head maid couldn't hide her contemptuous expression.
Ah, how unfair the gods are.
Why must someone as capable and diligent as me bow to such a half-wit?
"Now then, escort Her Highness back—"
"Head Maid."
"Sigh. What is it, Your Highness?"
"Listening to you, something strikes me as odd."
Medeia spoke softly to the sighing head maid.
"You keep saying you serve Valdina's bloodline."
"Indeed. That is both my duty and fundamental purpose as a servant of the royal house."
"But as you know, there's more than one or two bearing Valdina's blood in this palace."
The head maid froze, staring at Medeia.
The gaze of this girl, who had supposedly been bedridden for days, was unnervingly sharp.
"At the closest, there's my grandmother the Queen Dowager and Uncle Duke Claudio, Great-Aunt Princess Loren and Uncle Count Montega—if we include all their children, we couldn't count them on both hands. But does the world have servants who serve so many masters?"
Medeia's face remained expressionless.
"So I ask you, Head Maid—to whom does your loyalty belong?"
"......"
"Which drop of Valdina's abundant blood claims it?"