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Chapter 7
“Why is Neril here…?”
Why is she still here? She should’ve been thrown out of the palace by now!
Mariyu already knew about the head maid’s plan to get rid of Neril.
“You speak as if you saw everything yourself, even though you weren’t even in the palace.”
At Medeia’s sharp questioning, Mariyu panicked and quickly defended herself.
“N-No, Your Highness! I had to go to the laundry because there was a problem. I haven’t eaten or slept—I’ve been by your side the whole time… Your Highness?”
Medeia barely listened to her excuses and instead scanned the line of maids standing before her.
None of them had been present earlier.
They must’ve rushed here in a panic.
She ordered them to summon a physician and check Neril’s condition.
“Ah… yes…!”
The maids hesitated, their eyes darting nervously.
Mariyu stood beside Medeia, glaring at them.
“But, Your Highness, Neril shouldn’t be here. She committed a serious offense and must be punished—”
“Enough.”
Medeia cut her off coldly.
“It seems I’ve been too lenient with you. A mere nanny’s daughter dares to speak over my command.”
“Y-Your Highness…”
Mariyu was shaken by the princess’s icy attitude.
“You all—do I need to repeat myself?”
“No, Your Highness!”
The choice was obvious.
A firm princess… or a flustered Mariyu.
The maids quickly bowed and carried Neril away.
“Your Highness… how could you say something so cruel to me…”
Mariyu’s eyes welled with tears as she tried to look pitiful.
Medeia let out a quiet scoff.
In her past life, she had cherished Mariyu.
She thought of her as the only person she could trust.
Until Mariyu repaid that trust with betrayal.
“Over here, Your Highness! This way!”
“Please don’t resent me… I had no choice if I wanted to live.”
During the rebellion, Mariyu had pretended to help Medeia escape—
Only to abandon her to the invading rebels.
They mocked the princess for fleeing to save herself and kidnapped her.
Though Peleus later returned and suppressed the rebellion, the damage was already done.
Medeia’s reputation and dignity had been utterly shattered.
Returning from that brief memory, Medeia looked at Mariyu’s disgusting face.
“Come to think of it, Mariyu… you were at the tea party that day too, weren’t you?”
Her voice sounded distant, as if recalling something far away.
“Huh? Yes, that’s right. You remember? Neril got you hurt, and I carried you back to the palace after you fainted.”
Mariyu nodded proudly.
“Go to the head maid.”
“…What? Why suddenly the head maid…?”
Confused by the unexpected order, Mariyu frowned.
“Do you have something to deliver? Then I can send someone else—”
“No. You go.”
The princess cut her off firmly.
“Tell her that you were also at the tea party that day.”
“…What?”
“And that I like fairness.”
“…Excuse me?”
But Medeia had already turned her back and walked away.
“What is wrong with her? Did she eat something weird? He’s waiting for me—this is so annoying!”
Grumbling irritably, Mariyu headed toward the administrative palace where the head maid would be.
Without the slightest idea of what awaited her.
* * *
“What on earth happened?!”
“Shut up before I tear your mouth apart!”
Mariyu, who had gone to see the head maid on Medeia’s orders, didn’t return until well past midnight—dragging her swollen legs.
The moment the head maid saw her, she flared up like a fire-breathing dragon.
“How did this happen? Neril came back unharmed! What kind of job did you do? Does the Duchess even know about this?!”
If Mariyu had been a little more perceptive, she might have sensed the icy tension and the head maid’s seething anger.
But she wasn’t.
“Her Highness told me to say I was also at the tea party that day… and that she likes fairness. I don’t even know what she meant—”
“The princess said that…?”
The head maid’s patience snapped.
Fairness?
Wasn’t that a warning?
That she would watch whether Mariyu would be punished the same way?
Mariyu flinched as the head maid glared at her.
“Seize her!”
“W-What are you doing?!”
Before she could react, Mariyu’s arms were tightly restrained by the head maid’s subordinates.
“You! If you had done your job properly, would the princess have come here?! I told you not to take your eyes off her!”
“Ah! Why are you doing this?!”
“Make sure to deliver this message— I will absolutely meet Her Highness’s expectations.”
The words came out through clenched teeth.
And just like that, Mariyu became a target of misplaced rage.
She was beaten with rods until every single one hanging on the wall broke.
Only then was she released.
“My goodness… Lady Mariyu…”
The maids gasped at her appearance.
Her once beautiful pale legs were now covered in horrifying red welts.
Her face was swollen and smeared with dried tears and mucus.
Her hair was a mess, her dress torn and stained with blood.
Anyone could tell she had been brutally beaten.
“What happened to you?”
That was exactly what Mariyu wanted to ask.
Why?!
She had been beaten without explanation.
But one thing was certain—
It was because of the princess.
Resentment surged within her like a tidal wave.
“Let go!”
She slapped away the medicine a maid offered.
“Move. I’m going to my room.”
“W-Well… about that…”
The maid hesitated.
“What now?!”
“…Your room has been changed. You’ll have to go over there.”
“What nonsense! This is my room!”
“Her Highness ordered it.”
“…What?”
Mariyu’s mouth fell open in shock.
It felt like she’d been hit in the back of the head.
Has Medeia gone mad?
This couldn’t be happening.
Not like this—especially after sending her to be beaten.
“I! Because of YOU! Ended up like this!”
Her hysterical scream echoed through the hall.
The Next Day
Mariyu, dozing in her new, downgraded room, suddenly woke up and stormed into the princess’s bedroom.
“Your Highness! What did I do wrong?!”
“What is all this noise?”
Medeia looked at her coldly.
Despite the early hour, she was already dressed as if she had been outside.
No one noticed the faint grass stains at the hem of her dress.
“Do you know what happened to me?!”
Mariyu immediately began pouring out her grievances.
“The head maid beat me! Look at this—look how badly! The moment I delivered your message, she grabbed me and—”
“….”
But something was strange.
The princess, who should have been outraged and tearful, demanding justice—
Was completely calm.
“Your Highness, are you listening? Madame Quisin beat me!”
Medeia turned her head.
Only then did Mariyu realize she hadn’t even been looking at her.
“Oh my.”
Her tone was flat.
Not surprised at all.
“That must hurt. Give her some medicine.”
She casually instructed another maid and walked past Mariyu.
That’s it?
Mariyu instinctively grabbed her sleeve.
“Your Highness…?”
A thought crossed her mind.
Don’t tell me… you sent me there on purpose…?
“Why?”
The response was completely natural.
Mariyu was left speechless.
“I-I mean…”
That’s it? That’s all?
“Your Highness, the servants—while I was gone—changed my room without permission! They must be punished severely!”
But Medeia showed no reaction.
She had no intention of letting Mariyu continue her luxurious life.
“I told them to move you.”
“…What?”
“Neril needs a larger room for treatment. Stay there for now.”
Mariyu couldn’t believe her ears.
“Y-You gave my room to Neril?!”
Why her?
“Why… why didn’t you even tell me…?”
Medeia’s green eyes turned cold.
“Do I need your permission to take care of one of my people?”
“N-No, that’s not what I—”
“You’ve become far too insolent.”
Mariyu flinched.
Before she could recover—
“Mariyu, you don’t seem capable of thinking clearly in your condition. Rest. You don’t need to work.”
Medeia brushed her hand away coldly.
As if even this moment was more than she deserved.
This can’t be happening.
Mariyu’s face flushed red.
You’re just a princess because of your bloodline! How dare you treat me like this!
Her resentment deepened.
“Wait!”
She rushed after Medeia.
Silver hair swayed like silk.
For a moment, she had the urge to grab it—
to yank it.
“Your Highness, wait—!”
She reached out roughly—
and grabbed Medeia’s arm.
