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Chapter 11
Heidi asked with a bewildered expression.
“The master… no, the teacher isn’t here right now?”
“Yes. He went out this morning.”
“Th-then when will he be back?”
“I’m not entirely sure… He didn’t say anything specific, so he’ll probably return sometime today.”
We’re doomed.
Completely doomed.
If the plan is exposed here…
This wasn’t just any matter—it involved royal blood, something capable of shaking the line of succession itself.
If Desion’s plan became known to the princess, he would likely be accused of plotting treason.
It’s not only the teacher who’ll be in danger. Miss Eloise and the other maids could suffer too.
Heidi bit her lower lip.
And I’ll be finished.
The fact that she carried the king’s blood was something only Desion knew. To everyone else, she was just a commoner. She would probably disappear without a trace.
I need to hide. That’s the only option right now.
Trying to leave the estate would be far too dangerous. There were too many eyes watching.
That left only one choice—the estate itself.
Several possible hiding places came to mind. The storage rooms, the cellar…
But she quickly shook her head.
Too obvious.
If the soldiers had come searching for something, those would be the first places they would check.
Anxiously, Heidi looked around the room.
Is there somewhere people wouldn’t think of immediately? Somewhere they’d overlook and pass by without noticing…?
Then it happened.
Her gaze landed on the maid’s apron.
Perhaps the maid had bumped into a wall while rushing over, because there was a faint smear of dirt on it.
“…!”
That’s it.
Heidi’s eyes lit up.
* * *
With practiced hands, she tied the apron tightly around herself.
She tucked her hair beneath a maid’s headscarf, and the reflection staring back from the mirror was unmistakably that of a servant.
Dull blue-gray fabric with white sleeves.
An apron slightly stiff from starch and frequent use.
“…”
Just two months ago, this had been her everyday appearance.
Why did it feel so unfamiliar now?
But she had no time for sentimental thoughts.
The commotion outside the estate had become loud enough for even her to hear.
While the servants erased all traces of her from the room, Heidi quietly picked up a tray filled with cleaning supplies.
“I’ll help too.”
The maid shook her head.
“It’s too dangerous for you to face the soldiers directly. The other maids might react awkwardly when they see you.”
“Ugh…”
“At the end of the downstairs hallway there’s a supply closet. Stay there for now. Once I find somewhere safer, I’ll come get you.”
Heidi nodded and quietly slipped out of the room.
The moment she entered the corridor, the voices became clearer.
The palace soldiers and the butler were arguing.
Silently descending the staircase, Heidi strained her ears.
“The master is currently away. May I ask why you’ve brought so many soldiers here?”
“Ah, we’re merely passing through. We’ll be taking a ship from Rotem Port to Aras, and we need somewhere to stay for a night. We’d appreciate your cooperation.”
The butler frowned at the words of the man who appeared to be the unit commander.
“In that case, proper etiquette would be to notify us in advance.”
“We sent a message. Unfortunate if it never arrived.”
The man replied shamelessly before looking around the estate.
“Fortunately, there seem to be plenty of rooms. We’re only asking for lodging, not special treatment, so there’s no need to feel burdened.”
After a brief pause, the butler spoke again.
“We require the master’s permission.”
“Then we’ll wait inside until he returns. We have nowhere else to go.”
“…”
“The Marquis will allow it. The princess herself guaranteed it. In fact, we came here today under the princess’s orders.”
Heidi froze.
The princess?
Her ears perked up instantly.
I want to hear more.
But lingering there would risk drawing attention.
Reluctantly, Heidi continued moving as naturally as possible.
Turning the landing, she hurried across the first-floor hallway.
Click.
At the end of the corridor she opened a small door, slipped inside, and immediately shut it behind her.
Darkness swallowed the room.
“…”
The faint light leaking through the cracks in the door barely allowed her to make out her surroundings.
Wooden crates packed with miscellaneous items were stacked haphazardly throughout the room.
Brushing a layer of dust off one of the boxes, Heidi sat down.
The tension drained from her body all at once.
“Haa…”
She took a deep breath and looked around.
It was a cramped, dusty storage room.
To Heidi, it felt familiar.
She had spent countless hours in places like this while working as a maid.
It’s been a while since I’ve hidden in a storage room.
When she had first become a maid, she often hid in places like this to catch her breath away from others.
She had cried many times because of the bullying from senior servants.
Who would’ve thought I’d miss those days?
Thinking briefly of her difficult years as a new maid, Heidi buried her face in her hands.
Maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to this at all.
She hadn’t overheard much, but the soldiers had clearly said they came under the princess’s orders.
Perhaps Anastasia had become suspicious.
Perhaps she already knew something.
If that’s true, this is bad…
Anxiety gnawed at her.
Then she heard heavy footsteps in the hallway.
“…!”
Heidi held her breath.
“What exactly are we supposed to be looking for?”
“If something seems suspicious, just take it. Probably documents or something.”
“Coming all the way out to this countryside for this nonsense…”
The grumbling voices of soldiers drew closer.
Step. Step.
As the footsteps approached, Heidi’s heart clenched painfully.
She covered her mouth with both hands.
Then—
“You two!”
A sharp male voice rang through the hallway.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop chatting while on duty?”
“Sorry, sir!”
“Move it.”
“Yes, sir!”
Listening quietly, Heidi frowned.
That voice…
It sounded familiar.
It seemed to belong to the same commander who had been speaking with the butler earlier.
She quickly stood up.
Have they gone?
The hallway had fallen silent.
Wanting to hear what was happening outside, Heidi cautiously approached the door.
And then—
Bang!
“…!”
The storage room door swung open.
Standing there was—
I’m doomed.
The one man she most wanted to avoid at that moment.
“Who are you?”
It was the commander.
Frowning, he asked,
“What were you doing in here?”
Keeping her head slightly lowered, Heidi answered casually.
“I was gathering cleaning supplies. We were told to prepare all the guest rooms.”
“Hm.”
The commander glanced at the items on her tray and stroked his beard.
The suspicion in his eyes faded almost instantly.
Apparently losing interest, he idly rubbed his ear.
“Make sure my room is cleaned especially well. Dust makes my throat itch.”
“Yes. I’ll take extra care.”
Heidi bowed politely.
Did I fool him? Am I actually getting away with this?
Suppressing her nervousness, she stepped out of the storage room as calmly as possible.
One step.
Two steps.
Just as she carefully tried to pass by the man blocking the doorway—
Grab.
Her wrist was seized.
Clang!
The metal tray slipped from her hands and crashed noisily onto the floor.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Did I see that correctly?”
The man muttered under his breath.
Pulling her wrist closer, he said,
“Your eyes…”
Heidi’s heart nearly stopped.
My eyes? Don’t tell me… did he notice the color of my eyes?
The situation was so unexpected that her mind went blank.
She squeezed her eyes shut.
At the very moment she thought everything was over—
“I heard you were looking for me.”
