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Chapter 5
Did the princess… really just strike the head maid’s calf?
Even after seeing it with their own eyes, no one could believe it.
The maids hurriedly lowered their heads, afraid of getting caught in the fallout, but they were still completely stunned.
“…Ugh.”
A groan slipped from the head maid’s lips.
Though she was originally a commoner, she had lived a comfortable life without ever doing hard labor.
She had never experienced violence like this.
“Jena.”
“Y-Yes?!”
Amid everyone’s shock, only the princess remained calm.
“Don’t mind me. Continue.”
“….”
Jena’s mind went blank.
Am I next…?
“I said continue. The punishment must not be weakened. I have no intention of interfering in the head maid’s authority.”
But Jena could no longer swing the whip as fiercely as before.
Seeing the once-dominant head maid being beaten filled her with fear.
Smack.
The whip cut through the air—much weaker than before.
Whoosh—!
But the switch danced far more fiercely.
Unlike Jena, Medeia showed no hesitation in her actions.
Jena slowed down, glancing between the two—
until eventually, for every one lash of the whip, Medeia struck three times with the switch.
Yet the princess didn’t seem to care about the uneven rhythm.
“Ugh…”
Neril’s groans grew louder under the continued punishment.
But Medeia didn’t even blink as she continued.
“Ahh—!”
At last, the head maid could endure no longer and collapsed.
“Head maid!”
The maids tried to rush forward—
but Medeia raised a hand.
They froze.
“Stand up.”
Her calm voice sent chills down their spines.
As if she couldn’t even see the head maid’s blood-soaked legs, Medeia lifted the switch again, expressionless.
“I—!”
At that moment, the head maid dropped to her knees.
She couldn’t endure it anymore.
Her legs felt like they were burning.
Her mind blurred, and only the instinct to escape pain remained.
“I—I lost. Please… forgive me.”
She surrendered.
In front of everyone.
By the end of the day, the entire palace would know.
The taste of blood filled her mouth, along with overwhelming humiliation.
When she glared up with murderous intent, Medeia’s fingers twitched again on the switch.
“Y-Your Highness, please—!”
The words slipped out involuntarily.
Her shoulders shrank.
Her head bowed.
There could be no greater humiliation.
“….”
Instead of answering, Medeia released the switch—
then snapped it in half.
Crack.
The sharp sound pierced the silence.
Her gaze turned to Jena.
“Bring Neril.”
“Yes!”
Jena jumped as if burned and threw the whip aside.
“We’re returning.”
“…You will regret this.”
The head maid glared at her with venomous eyes.
“Well.”
Medeia replied quietly.
“We’ll see.”
With that, the door closed.
* * *
“Go back.”
As they reached the princess’s palace, Medeia gave the order.
Jena bowed stiffly and fled like her life depended on it.
“…Your Highness… why…?”
Neril, barely conscious, tried to steady herself, her voice filled with worry.
“Lean on me.”
Gone was the imposing tone from before—
she sounded like the young princess Neril knew.
“The head maid… controls the palace. She will… definitely retaliate against you. Even now… I should go back and smooth things over… ghk…”
Medeia grabbed her shoulders.
Blood from Neril’s wounds stained her hands.
“I’m sorry.”
A single tear slid down Medeia’s pale face.
In her previous life—
Neril must have died like this.
Trying to protect her. Refusing to leave her side.
And yet, Medeia had believed the lies of her enemies and resented Neril for abandoning her.
“…Your Highness?”
“It’s because of me. Because of me, you…”
Neril didn’t understand.
She didn’t know the missing word was death.
“Neril… I’m sorry. I was foolish. I didn’t recognize you.”
She couldn’t possibly know that this apology carried the weight of an entire past life.
“Why did you just endure it? You should have fought back. What happened to your knightly title?”
Neril only smiled awkwardly.
Medeia already knew the answer.
Neril hadn’t fought back to avoid giving them another excuse to expel her from the princess’s side.
“Don’t do that again. Next time, just do what they want. If you had said you’d leave me, I would have let you go peacefully.”
“…I can’t… do that. I serve Your Highness… where else… would I go?”
Medeia held her tighter.
Neril… even in this vast palace, you cared for me.
Peleus tried to protect me too.
Why didn’t I see it?
Why did I think everyone hated me?
Another tear fell.
Her green eyes shimmered, and the sight of her sorrow pierced the heart.
“This will never happen again. I promise.”
“Your Highness… please… don’t cry…”
Neril didn’t realize the resolve hidden in her voice.
My master…
The princess had saved her again.
She would never forget that small, fragile back that had stood before her.
Turning her head to hide her reddening eyes, Neril spoke:
“Still… please don’t do this again. You’ll get hurt. I… I can protect you…”
“With you in this state, that’s not very convincing.”
“Your Highness…”
“Let’s go. You need treatment first.”
Neril, unaware that the princess hadn’t truly answered her, felt both grateful and worried.
If they so much as lay a finger on her… I’ll give everything to protect her.
* * *
Second District of Valdina’s capital.
In the innermost area of an affluent neighborhood stood a white mansion.
Elegant yet sharp in design, its white stone walls were wrapped in blooming rose vines.
But the walls were so high that even stretching one’s neck would reveal only a glimpse of roses.
No one came or went.
The owner was never seen.
Several bold thieves once climbed the walls—
None of them ever returned.
Rumors spread.
The owner of the white mansion was a famous arms dealer who traveled the continent, commanding a terrifying mercenary group.
People nodded in understanding.
And never dared to be curious again.
“My goodness. Do you know what I just read?”
On the third floor of the white mansion—
Under a sunlit window, Gallo waved a piece of parchment.
His handsome face was marked by a scar across his cheek, giving him a rough, dangerous aura.
His wavy straw-colored hair and sun-tanned skin seemed more suited to a sunny beach than cold Valdina.
“Boss, fresh news from the royal palace. The head maid got beaten by the princess. Can you believe it?”
He chuckled, reading on.
“Apparently she tried to remove one of the princess’s maids. Turns out that maid was once trained under the royal guard captain—so the regent must’ve found her suspicious. Anyway, the princess found out, showed up with a switch, and cited some old royal law.”
“….”
“The head maid’s lackey whipped the princess’s maid, the princess whipped the head maid—and in the end, the head maid was the first to collapse! Hahaha!”
Gallo laughed so hard his chair nearly tipped over.
The young man who had been looking at a map of the continent raised his head.
Jet-black hair.
A sharp nose.
Eyes that gleamed coldly.
Though young, his presence was overwhelming—his gaze arrogant, as if looking down upon the world.
His features were sculpted with near-perfect precision.
“There’s a princess in Valdina?”
One corner of his eye lifted slightly.
