CWT 14

Chapter 14

“It’s not impossible.”

“You’re insane.”

“The princess is still young, but she’s not too young for marriage. In fact, her youth would make her easier for us to manipulate.”

“Us?”

The Head Maid smiled faintly.

“That depends on you, Minister. The Duke of Claudio isn’t the type to share power. I never thought you’d stay by his side forever… was I mistaken?”

The bait had been cast.
Now, all that remained was for it to be taken.

Silence stretched.

The Head Maid waited patiently.

The Count’s tightly pressed lips slowly curled upward.

“No… your timing is perfect.”

If he became the Royal Consort, he could build power comparable to the Regent Duke. He would have both legitimacy and status.

“You won’t regret today, Minister.”

The toad had taken the bait.

Whether it was food or poison… only time would tell.

That Night

With all the lights in the princess’s palace extinguished, Mariyu once again slipped out secretly.

But this time, her attitude was noticeably colder and more arrogant.

“What is this about? And what was that note?”

After being driven away by the princess, Mariyu had found a note stuck to her door—

A request from Head Maid Quizin to meet.

“What do you think?”

Quizin smiled smoothly.

“I heard you’ve been treated worse than a dog lately. I figured you’d have a lot to say.”

“Hah. Says the one who beat me. And how do you compare to someone abandoned by the Regent Duke?”

Mariyu shot back sharply.

How does she know that…?

Quizin clenched her teeth invisibly and replied coldly.

“Aren’t we in the same situation? The princess has turned her back on you. I hear you’ve been cleaning alongside low-ranking maids lately.”

“……”

“Your position’s already been taken by Neril. Admit it—the princess has discarded you.”

Mariyu glared at her, lips tightly pressed.

“If you don’t find a way to survive, you’ll be the one thrown out of the palace soon. You don’t have much time.”

Mariyu clenched her fists, eyes burning with anger—but she couldn’t deny it.

Because it was all true.

“…What do you want?”

As expected, a relaxed smile spread across Quizin’s face.

She pulled out a sky-blue handkerchief.

Gold thread embroidery glinted at its edge.

“L. Etienne… Wait—Larc Etienne? Isn’t that the Minister of the Interior?”

Quizin only smiled.

Annoyed, Mariyu snapped,

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“Why else? Sneak it into the princess’s bedroom. Somewhere hidden, out of sight… among her undergarments, for example.”

Mariyu flinched.

In conservative noble society, a woman secretly possessing a man’s item in her private chambers meant only one thing.

“What are you trying to do? Don’t tell me…”

Her face turned pale.

“You already know. Why ask?”

“You’re insane. The princess and the minister? Are you serious? That’s absurd.”

Putting aside the disgusting age difference—

Even if the princess was neglected by the royal family, she was still the king’s sister.

She could not be compared to that old, ugly minister surrounded by vile rumors.

There were even whispers of his cruel perversions.

If rumors spread that they were lovers, no one would ever propose to the princess again.

‘Then Count Etienne would become Royal Consort… Medeia’s husband? That’s impossible.’

Mariyu had always felt inferior to Medeia—

But even she instinctively shook her head at this.

She stared at Quizin in horror.

“We just have to make it believable.”

“My God… aren’t you afraid of heaven?”

Quizin sneered.

“You’ll end up like me soon enough. Before the princess abandons you completely, you should find your own way to survive. If this succeeds, I’ll help you change your status.”

“…Status?”

Mariyu froze.

“You know how I became a noble.”

Quizin crossed her arms.

“My husband’s nephew has no heir. Stay as their adopted daughter for a few years, and you’ll become a noble lady.”

“A noble…”

At that moment, Samon’s voice echoed in her mind:

“As a viscount’s heir, I need a proper reason to take a commoner as my wife.”

‘If I can change my status… I can stand beside him proudly.’

Gulp.

Her throat moved slowly.

“Well? I can’t give you much time. You know better than anyone how valuable this opportunity is.”

“……”

Mariyu fell silent, lost in thought.

Quizin frowned.

“If you’re not interested, forget it. I don’t have time to wait.”

“Wait.”

As Quizin tried to take back the handkerchief, Mariyu quickly grabbed its edge.

Quizin secretly smiled.

“I’ll take that as your answer.”

After Quizin left, Mariyu stared down at the handkerchief.

‘…I have to keep this from Samon.’

A scandal between a young princess and an old minister was too shameful.

It would affect the honor of the royal family—Samon would never approve.

He also wouldn’t want her working with someone like the Head Maid.

This opportunity… was meant for her alone.

She gave a bitter smile.

Mariyu loved Samon—but she knew he was indifferent.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have kept her hidden in the shadows for so long.

‘It’s all because of the princess. If she were gone, I wouldn’t need to stay here. I could go to him.’

Her twisted anger turned elsewhere.

‘Etienne… and the princess…’

The cold gaze Medeia had once directed at her came to mind.

The shock she felt earlier faded—replaced by anger.

If the princess became the wife of that disgusting old toad…

Would she still look down on her like that?

‘Medeia… you shouldn’t have treated me like trash.’

Her eyes flickered strangely as she stared at the gold embroidery.

Hesitating, she reached out and grabbed the handkerchief.

“You’re the one who pushed me away first, Your Highness.”

She crumpled the fabric tightly.

“So don’t blame me.”

A Few Days Later — Dawn

“Just as you predicted, Your Highness.”

Neril spoke as she accompanied Medeia out of the palace to meet Marquis Gilipos.

Her expression was tense.

“A few days ago, Mariyu secretly left the palace and met with the Head Maid.”

Medeia listened under the soft golden light of dawn.

“It felt suspicious, so I kept watching her. At first, she wandered around the palace aimlessly…”

Neril paused, swallowing her anger.

Then she pulled out a sky-blue handkerchief.

“She snuck into your bedroom and hid this inside your jewelry box.”

Medeia stopped walking.

“It has the initials ‘L. Etienne.’ This belongs to the Minister, does it not?”

“Ah…”

A soft laugh escaped Medeia.

“So the Head Maid intends to tie me to Etienne. She’s quite clever.”

“To dare associate Your Highness with that filthy man—”

Neril’s hand twitched, as if she wanted to draw her sword.

“I can dispose of them. Quietly. Two bodies… no, even three. Just give the order—”

Medeia smiled.

“All three? Then you wouldn’t remain safe either, Neril.”

“I don’t care. If it means removing such filth from your side—”

Medeia held back a laugh.

“Not yet.”

“……”

She added gently,

“I don’t let those who target me live.”

They will die.

Just not yet—only when the time is right.

“So… the handkerchief?”

Medeia held out her hand.

“Give it to me.”

“I’ll burn it. Not even a trace will remain.”

“No.”

Her small hand stopped Neril.

“You said you’re confident in hiding things earlier, didn’t you?”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

Had she changed her mind?

Hope flickered in Neril’s eyes.

Medeia smiled and took out a sparkling piece of jewelry.

“This is… the trumpet bracelet Mariyu had, isn’t it?”

It was the one Samon had given her.

“Your Highness, Mariyu dropped this bracelet… it seemed suspicious.”

Mariyu hadn’t only been exposed to Medeia.

Her poor behavior had also earned her resentment among the maids.

“She says it’s her mother’s heirloom, but it looks far too expensive. She kept showing it off—I think she stole it. Could it belong to you?”

“I’ll look into it. Don’t tell Mariyu we found it yet.”

“Of course! She’s been searching for three days already and is completely exhausted.”

That was how Medeia obtained the bracelet—filled with Samon’s so-called “love.”

She carefully wrapped Mariyu’s bracelet in the minister’s handkerchief.

Then handed the bundled cloth to Neril.

“Later… place this among Mariyu’s belongings.”