The Victorious Heroine's Scheme at the Imperial Palace
When the Crown Prince and Cartina de Bosch returned to the Imperial Palace, they couldn't forget the humiliation inflicted by the Northern Grand Duke.
The Crown Prince rubbed his shoulder, barely containing his rage. Cartina felt the same. The Northern Grand Duke's pressure. And the Crown Prince, unable to even resist it. He looked pathetic. On top of that, Daniela von Bart, strutting around with such confidence. Grit—she ground her teeth so hard they might shatter.
Even at the academy, and now here too, she was a nuisance. That filthy slut! That dirty bitch! If she'd been expelled from the academy, she should have just died! Cartina cursed her inwardly.
"Are you alright, my love?"
The Crown Prince approached cautiously. His long hair brushed her cheek. His hand gently gripped her shoulder. Cartina placed her hand lightly on his and flashed a sweet smile—but that wasn't what she truly thought.
"Of course, Your Highness. Whenever I see you, everything feels fine."
"Really? My love, tell me what's troubling you. Let this body of mine help."
"No, Your Highness. Don't worry about it."
It was time for her performance. The Crown Prince hovered around her with a worried look. The maids wore blindfolds, seeing nothing. It was the Crown Prince's order, enchanted by Cartina: no dirty gazes on his beautiful fiancée. Endless delicacies poured in. Gorgeous jewels too. But even amid it all, he fixated on her lack of smiles.
"Tell me what's wrong, my love."
"Would you really do anything for me?"
"Of course! This body will become the emperor ruling this empire. If I can't even make the woman I love happy, what right do I have to rule the empire?"
The Crown Prince puffed up his chest. But his words only drew a scoff from Cartina. Mock him openly, and he'd throw a fit, so she simply took his hand gently.
"Do you plan to just leave Daniela be?"
"That slut! She tried so hard to pair with this body, only to latch onto those northern barbarians right away!"
Mentioning her name ignited his fury. The Crown Prince spewed every curse he knew, then swept all the food off the table. The maids flinched at the crashing dishes. Cartina knew exactly how to rile him up. A little prodding, and he was hooked.
"So, what do you plan to do?"
"Not only did she insult you, but she dared lay hands on this noble body of mine! I absolutely cannot forgive it!"
"And what method will you use?"
Cartina pressed, but the Crown Prince had no answer. He had no real plan. The nobles had witnessed the rudeness but showed no reaction. They made a fuss in front, veins bulging in their necks, but stayed silent behind the scenes. Especially the Bart family from the banquet—no follow-up measures at all.
"We must arrest that lowly scum and that slut right now!"
"And with what authority?"
"For insulting the imperial family!"
"How? Will you send an army to the North? Or strip the Northern Grand Duke of his title?"
Cartina persisted relentlessly, but he gave no reply. He even seemed to lose interest. The Crown Prince returned to his seat. Cartina had already realized it fully: the Crown Prince lacked the power to counter the Northern Grand Duke's offensive.
But she wanted revenge. How dare a loser humiliate her like that. It was utterly intolerable for Cartina.
"How about this, Your Highness?"
"What is it?"
"Put him right in our hands. Every move the Grand Duke makes. Then we can seize his weaknesses, right?"
"Great idea! As expected of this body's fiancée—the perfect future empress!"
"Empress? I'm not yet..."
While the Crown Prince bounced around excitedly, Cartina quietly passed word to a maid she'd recruited. Send someone useful from the de Bosch family immediately. Get them into the highest positions in the North somehow.
Soon, that attempt hit the mark perfectly. News came that slaves from the de Bosch family, a few of the Crown Prince's underlings, and some noble lackeys had infiltrated Winter Castle. And they'd successfully become Daniela Wintergard's maids. Cartina smirked. That slut. I'll kill you without a trace. Heh heh.
"...That's what she's thinking, right?"
After the banquet ended, in the bathhouse. The owl had secretly reported to me. A few women used as slaves by Cartina de Bosch's family had been planted here. They were building an intelligence network in the North, prioritizing ties to the imperial family. A means to minimize damage to the de Bosch family, it seemed. For appearances, they wanted it to look like the imperial family had sent them.
"Watch them for now. Or is it too risky?"
"It may be fine for Your Grace, but quite dangerous for the Grand Duchess."
"Yeah, probably. Still, it's a card too valuable to waste."
I pondered. Maybe turn them instead. Not a bad idea. But that would mean putting Daniela at risk. They knew they couldn't touch the Grand Duke's title anyway. And above all, Daniela was who they'd hate most.
"We might be able to recruit one, Your Grace."
"Who?"
"She's coming now, Your Grace."
The owl approached and roughly shared the recruitable one's info. Probably figured the Grand Duke could handle it himself. The story was intriguing. Working as a slave for the de Bosch family. Sick mother. Sold off because they desperately needed money.
"How'd you find that out?"
"Our owls are already well-placed in the Imperial Palace."
"Reliable. Alright, noted. I'll talk to her myself. If things get messy, then..."
There was only one real option. I didn't like it much, but no choice.
I dressed and stepped out. After a thorough wash, heading to my office, a maid attached herself. A new face.
The one the owl mentioned as recruitable.
"New maid?"
"Y-yes, Your Grace."
"Busy day, huh."
"N-no, Your Grace."
Instead of the office, she led elsewhere. Toward emptier spaces, fewer people.
Childlike. Even among southerners, unusually short. Her face still held a youthful innocence.
"So young. Why work as a maid?"
"W-well, my mother is very ill, so I started to help with money."
"I see. What illness costs so much?"
"A cough that won't stop. Sometimes she coughs blood. They said treating it would take a lot of money."
End of the corridor. No one around. Winter Castle wasn't huge, but I knew the empty spots well. The owl was probably watching from somewhere.
"That disease is probably hard to cure. No real treatments in the Empire or the North."
"...Your Grace, what do you mean by that?"
Kairu. That was the kid's name. Sent because she looked childish, or maybe because they had solid leverage over her.
"A cough with blood is likely tuberculosis or lung cancer. One or the other. You're still fine, right? If your mother's suffered long, probably lung cancer."
"Your Grace, if I may, I don't understand a word of this."
As if. She was trembling visibly. She knew I'd caught on. But to confirm:
"That disease can't be cured. Better to be with your mother, no?"
"...Your Grace, even so, such speculation is too much."
"I'll pay double what the de Bosch family promised."
Simple offer. Her tasks wouldn't be heavy. It signaled reverse recruitment. Kairu trembled.
Anxiety. Certainty of exposure. Now what?
"And I have leverage too. Depending on your choice, I can cover your whole family's debts. But if not..."
"Your Grace, I still don't understand."
"Playing dumb. Anyone connected to you—even brushing your clothes—doesn't matter."
No time to think. Crucial. Follow-up experiments would solidify her loyalty. But first, warn what betrayal brings.
Choose me, and I'd reveal the benefits.
"Double the money. If you want to live in the North, I'll make it worth it. Just decide, and I'll bring your whole family. Your mother might struggle, but she'll live safely."
"C-can you promise?"
"Of course. But decide now. Betray me, and your family—all gone. And since I already know..."
Well, you get it, right?