Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Translation: godsn
"Neril, why are you here...?"
'Why is she still here? By now she should've been thrown out of the palace somewhere!'
Mariyu was aware of the Head Maid's plan to drive Neril out.
"You weren't even in the palace, yet you speak as if you saw everything."
At Medeia's sharp interrogation, Mariyu flustered and exclaimed loudly.
"That's not true, Your Highness! I went to the laundry room because there was an issue. I haven't slept or eaten, staying by Your Highness's side all this time... Your Highness?"
Medeia listened to the excuses half-heartedly while scanning the line of maids standing before her.
All of them had been absent earlier.
'They came running in a panic.'
Medeia ordered them to summon the Royal Physician to examine Neril's condition.
"Uh... Yes..."
The maids murmured restlessly. Their aimless, trembling eyes darted about nervously.
Because beside Medeia, Mariyu was glaring at them fiercely.
"But, Your Highness. Neril shouldn't be here. She committed a grave crime and must be punished—"
"Enough."
Medeia cut off Mariyu's interjection.
"It seems I've been too lenient with you. How dare the daughter of a wet nurse presume to interrupt my orders."
"Y-Your Highness."
Mariyu was taken aback by the princess's icy demeanor.
"Do I need to repeat myself?"
"No, Your Highness!"
The princess had grown resolute, while Mariyu floundered helplessly.
The choice was obvious.
They hastily bowed and took Neril away.
"Your Highness... How could you say such cruel things to me..."
Mariyu's eyes welled up with pitiful tears as if deeply wounded. Watching this, Medeia suppressed a hollow laugh.
In her past life, she had cherished this woman. Believed her to be the only trustworthy ally.
Until Mariyu repaid kindness with betrayal.
"Over here, Your Highness! This way!"
"Your Highness, don't blame me. I had no choice if I wanted to survive."
When the rebellion broke out, Mariyu had pretended to help Medeia escape, only to abandon her to the Rebel Army invading the capital.
The rebels mocked the princess, claiming she had fled to save her own skin while abandoning her country, then took her captive.
Though Pelleus eventually returned and quelled the rebellion, Medeia had been deeply wounded inside and out by then.
Her reputation and dignity were in tatters.
Finishing her brief recollection, Medeia gazed at the detestable face before her.
"Come to think of it, Mariyu, you attended that tea party that day too."
Her voice sounded distant, as if dredging up memories.
"Huh? Yes. That's right. Do you remember? When Neril hurt Your Highness, I was the one who carried Your Highness back to the palace after you fainted."
Mariyu nodded proudly, puffing up with self-importance.
"You should go see the Head Maid now."
"What? Why the Head Maid all of a sudden..."
Bewildered by the puzzling order, Mariyu blinked in confusion.
"Do you have a message for her, Your Highness? Should I send someone else—"
"No, you go personally."
The princess firmly blocked any objections.
"Tell her you were at that tea party too."
"What? What does that—"
"And mention that I value fairness."
"Pardon?"
Mariyu called after her, but Medeia had already turned her back and walked away.
"What on earth is wrong with her? Did she eat something bad? He must be waiting for me—this is so annoying!"
With a burst of irritation, Mariyu grumbled as she headed toward the Administrative Palace where the Head Maid would be.
Without even imagining what might be waiting for her there.
"Good heavens, what's going on?"
"Shut your mouth! Before I tear it open!"
Mariyu, who had gone to see the Head Maid on Medeia's orders, returned well past midnight, dragging her swollen legs behind her.
The moment the Head Maid saw her, she snorted like a fire-breathing dragon.
"What in the world happened? Neril came back completely unharmed! How did you mess this up? Does the Duchess know about this?"
If Mariyu had been just a little more perceptive, she might have noticed the icy atmosphere and the Head Maid's ragged breathing—but alas, it was her misfortune.
"Her Highness told me to say... that I was also at the tea party that day. That she likes fairness—whatever that means."
"The Princess... said that?"
The Head Maid's patience snapped.
She likes fairness?
Wasn't that a threat—that she'd make sure Mariyu was punished just the same?
Mariyu flinched as the Head Maid suddenly glared at her.
"Seize her!"
"W-what are you doing?!"
Before she could even understand why, Mariyu's arms were tightly gripped by the Head Maid's attendants. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free.
"If you had just done your job properly, would that little wretch of a Princess have come looking for me? I told you not to take your eyes off her!"
"Ahh! Why are you doing this?!"
"Make sure to deliver this message. Tell Her Highness... I will absolutely live up to her expectations."
The way she spat those words through clenched teeth was ominous.
And so, without understanding why, Mariyu became the target of the Head Maid's fury. It wasn't until every last switch hanging on the wall had been broken that she was finally allowed to leave the punishment chamber.
"Good heavens, Lady Mariyu..."
The maids couldn't hide their shock at the sight of her.
Her once-pristine, delicate calves—her pride—were now marred by gruesome, livid stripes.
Her face, flushed crimson with rage, was streaked with dried tears and snot. Her hair was disheveled, and her dress was torn in places, even stained with blood.
Anyone could see she had been thoroughly whipped.
"What in the world happened?"
That was exactly what Mariyu wanted to know.
Why?!
She had been beaten senseless without a single explanation.
She might not know the reason, but one thing was certain—this was the Princess's doing. Resentment surged through her like a tidal wave.
"Let go!"
Mariyu snatched the medicine a maid had brought and flung it away in a fit of rage.
"Move. I'm going to my room."
"Th-that's..."
The maid hesitated.
"What now?!"
As if it would be easier to say it without looking, the maid squeezed her eyes shut.
"Lady Mariyu... your room has been changed. You'll have to go... over there."
"What nonsense is this?! My room is here!"
"Her Highness the Princess ordered your quarters to be moved."
"What?"
Mariyu's mouth fell open in shock.
It was as if she'd been struck hard on the back of the head with a club—she was utterly dumbfounded.
Had Medeia lost her mind?
This couldn't be happening. How could she do this so suddenly—especially after sending her straight to the Head Maid to be beaten—
"Who—who do you think is responsible for this?!"
A hysterical scream echoed through the air.
The next day. In her newly assigned room where she had been banished, Mariyu, who had been nodding off drowsily, suddenly snapped her eyes open and stormed straight into the princess's bedchamber.
"Your Highness! What exactly have I done wrong?!"
"What is all this commotion?"
Medeia swept her indifferent gaze over Mariyu, who had barged in without even a semblance of decorum.
Despite the early hour, the princess was dressed in outdoor attire, as if she had just returned from somewhere.
No one had noticed due to Mariyu's furious outburst, but the hem of Medeia's dress bore faint stains of grass.
"Do you have any idea what happened?"
Mariyu immediately poured out her grievances from the previous night.
"The Head Maid whipped me with a switch! Look here, can you see? This badly! The moment she heard the order, she grabbed me out of nowhere and—!"
"......"
But something was strange.
The princess's reaction was far too calm—where she should have been leaping up in outrage, demanding to see the wounds and tearfully asking who dared harm her.
"Your Highness, are you listening? Lady Cuisine struck me!"
The princess turned her head. Mariyu realized she had been looking elsewhere all this time.
"How unfortunate."
A monotone voice. She didn't seem particularly shocked.
"That must hurt. Fetch her some ointment."
Medeia issued the brief command to a nearby maid and stepped past Mariyu.
Was that it?
Without realizing it, Mariyu grabbed the princess's sleeve.
"Your Highness?"
A sinister thought crept into her mind.
'Don't tell me... Did she send me there on purpose...?'
"Why?"
The utterly casual reply left Mariyu speechless.
"Th-that is..."
Was that it? Was that really all?
"Your Highness, last night—listen—those lowly servants changed my room without my permission while I was gone! How dare they torment me without Your Highness's approval? You must punish them severely!"
But Medeia's expression remained utterly unmoved.
She had no intention of letting Mariyu continue her luxurious lifestyle.
"I ordered it moved."
"Pardon?"
"Neril needs a larger space for her treatment. You'll stay there for the time being."
Mariyu couldn't believe her ears.
"You—you gave my room to Neril?"
Why... to that wench?
"Why... without even telling me...?"
At her stammering words, the princess's emerald eyes turned icy.
"Do I need your permission to take care of my own people?"
"N-no, that's not what I meant..."
"My, my. Your insolence knows no bounds."
Mariyu flinched. And in the midst of her confusion—
"Mariyu, you seem too pained to think straight. You should rest. There's no need for you to work."
Medeia indifferently brushed Mariyu's hand away.
As if this fleeting moment was all the time she was willing to spare for her.
'This can't be happening. She can't treat me like this.'
Mariyu's face flushed red at the blatant disregard.
'Who does she think she is, acting all high and mighty just because she's a princess by blood! How dare she look down on me!'
A deep resentment welled up toward the princess, who showed not the slightest regard for her dignity.
"Wait a moment."
Mariyu chased after the slender back. Silver hair fluttered like silk behind her.
She barely suppressed the urge to grab that delicate hair and yank it back.
"Your Highness, wait—!"
Just as Mariyu was about to roughly seize Medeia's arm—