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~Chapter 32~
“That day… it wasn’t really an accident, was it? Why did you go into the lake?”
Monet and Annie, listening nearby, both opened their eyes wide in surprise.
“H-how did you know?”
The princess seemed flustered, stammering her reply.
“Before I went in to help, I saw your dress folded neatly on the ground. Were you swimming?”
The princess looked down at the ground, her shoulders drooping.
“No… I went in to find something that fell in the water.”
“You could have asked your maids to do that.”
Dahlia watched the princess’s face, puzzled.
“It was my mother’s keepsake. I wanted to get it myself.”
“Oh… how did that happen…”
The princess shook her head sadly. Behind her, Monet lowered her head, as if she already knew the story.
Seeing their sad faces, Dahlia gently changed the subject.
“Is there a reason you asked us to come here instead of the palace?”
“Oh, I heard His Majesty said not to speak about what happened that day. I wanted to thank you in person, but if I came to your room, strange rumors might start. So… thank you again.”
The princess put her hands together and bowed deeply.
“I’m happy to accept your thanks, Your Highness. But actually, I fainted in the middle. Shouldn’t you be thanking His Majesty’s attendants instead?”
Dahlia made a little joke, and the princess gave a soft smile.
“I saw you going into the water first for me. You were so brave. Um… would you… sometimes be my friend and talk with me?”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
Dahlia answered without hesitation. The princess’s pale cheeks turned a gentle pink.
“You’re more beautiful than anyone I’ve ever seen.”
The princess looked at Dahlia and blushed as she confessed.
“You’re very cute, too, Your Highness.”
“No… I’m not…”
The princess pushed up her glasses and shook her head quietly.
Dahlia wondered why such a lovely girl had no confidence, but changed the topic gently.
“Shall we meet here at the lake again next time?”
“Would you? You’re just as kind as I thought.”
Behind her glasses, the princess’s dark eyes sparkled.
“You always say such nice things to me.”
“I heard from Monet. She said you gave her snacks?”
Monet, standing behind, gave a little smile.
“It was just some candy.”
“I didn’t even know Monet liked candy.”
The princess looked at her maid, almost apologetically.
“N-no, Your Highness! I don’t like it that much!”
The princess squeezed Monet’s hand gently.
“Monet, let’s talk more often from now on.”
“…Yes, Your Highness!”
The two girls exchanged bright smiles.
Dahlia and Annie watched them, feeling happy.
“Your Highness! Where have you been?!”
As Viviana walked back into the palace with Monet, a sharp voice made her shoulders jump.
Nanny Sylvia and the maids stood there in a line.
“We just went for a walk—”
Viviana tried to answer, but Sylvia cut her off coldly.
“Didn’t I tell you to tell me wherever you go? You already got in trouble last time for sneaking out. If something happens again, I’ll be the one blamed!”
“…I’m sorry, Nanny.”
“Was it that lowly maid again who tempted you to go outside?”
Sylvia’s icy eyes landed on Monet.
“No! It wasn’t her! It was me!”
Viviana quickly stood in front of Monet, her face white with worry. She was the one who wanted to go out. If this continued, Monet would get punished again because of her.
Memories flashed in Viviana’s mind—
The sound of the whip,
The pain in Monet’s legs,
Blood on the floor.
Viviana collapsed, crying.
“Nanny, please stop! It’s my fault!”
“Your Highness, do you really want this girl to stop being punished?”
Sylvia stopped and looked at Viviana.
“Yes! Please stop!”
“She’s just a servant. She’s not someone you need to care for.”
Sylvia frowned.
“I… I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”
Viviana struggled to catch her breath.
“Fine, Your Highness. Then make a deal. If you throw away the late Empress’s necklace in the lake, this girl will stop being punished and live as an ordinary maid.”
“The necklace…?”
Viviana’s hands shook as she gripped her mother’s necklace.
“No, please! I’ll take the punishment. Please don’t do it, Your Highness…”
Monet, crying, shook her head.
The necklace was precious, but seeing Monet get hurt was even more painful.
Viviana held back tears and removed her mother’s necklace.
“I’ll do it. I’ll throw it away.”
“Remember, Your Highness. This is your choice.”
“…Yes. My choice.”
A maid followed her to make sure she really did it.
That day, Viviana threw her mother’s keepsake into the lake with her own hands.
“Because of that maid, Your Highness keeps learning bad things.”
“That’s not true. Monet is a good person.”
Monet, standing behind, felt her heart ache.
The princess was always protecting her.
But really, she wanted to be the one to protect the princess.
Back at the orphanage, the director told her:
In the palace, the emperor is first, then the princess.
But Sylvia, the nanny and head maid, was always scolding the princess, just because she was an adult. None of the other maids stopped her.
It wasn’t fair.
If only she was a little older, she could protect the princess herself.
“You’re forbidden from leaving the palace for now.”
Sylvia’s cold voice made the princess’s shoulders fall.
Monet watched the princess’s lonely back and clenched her fists.
The princess had been so happy, saying Dahlia was her first real friend.
But now she couldn’t even go outside.
Monet’s hand trembled.
She was still young and a lowly maid,
But the feeling of wanting to protect the princess was stronger than anything.
“That’s right. Wanting to protect someone doesn’t depend on status. What matters is your heart.”
Monet, full of courage, stepped forward.
“I begged her! I asked Her Highness to come out and play, Nanny. The princess did nothing wrong.”
“Monet!”
Viviana grabbed Monet’s hand and pulled her back in surprise.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Nanny, please—”
“Ha! Now that the princess cares about you, you’re getting bold.”
Sylvia cut her off with a cold glare.
“I’m sorry. But it’s wrong for the princess to lose her freedom because of me. So please punish me, and let Her Highness go outside.”
“No, Monet, don’t—”
Viviana tried to stop her, worried.
“And what if I say no?”
“I heard at the orphanage: in the palace, the emperor is first, then the princess. Why can Nanny stop the princess from going outside?”
“You insolent girl!”
Sylvia’s eyes flashed with anger. She slapped Monet hard across the face.
Monet, small and light, fell to the ground.
