INTEC 14

Chapter 14

Roabellin, who had ambitiously entered the imperial capital, Vicentium, couldn’t keep her mouth closed from the moment she passed through the city gates.

“Wow……”

As a child, she had hardly ever left the ducal territory, and after the destruction of her family, she had lived in hiding in the outskirts of a small kingdom. This was her first time seeing such a large city.

Vicentium was crowded with all kinds of people, and there were many splendid shops. It was a noisy, lively city. Among the passersby, she occasionally saw people with platinum-blond hair, which made Roabellin feel a little relieved that even if she dispelled the magic that changed her appearance and went around in her real form, she wouldn’t stand out too much.

‘In Aventador, it’s such a rare hair color that platinum blond had practically become a symbol of the Hertenes family. Luckily, it doesn’t seem to be that rare here. I still haven’t seen anyone with purple eyes, though……’

After looking around the city for a bit, Roabellin found a modest restaurant with a fine view of the Imperial Palace in the distance. While waiting for her order, she fell into thought.

‘First… I need to figure out how to get into the Imperial Palace.’

From childhood, Roabellin had been taught how the departments that managed the Aventador Royal Palace were organized. It was basic knowledge for a future mistress of the palace. Though there might be slight differences between countries, royal palace administration systems were generally similar. The Imperial Palace of Prahenfeld would likely be the same.

‘Back when I was learning this from Aunt, I honestly wondered if I’d ever use this knowledge. But now a day has come when it’s useful. Let’s see… assuming Aventador and Prahenfeld’s palace organizations are similar……’

In her mind, the organizational chart of the Palace Department that managed the servants of the Aventador Royal Palace unfolded clearly.

‘The maids who work in the building where the Emperor lives are more likely to meet him, but those positions are all taken by noble ladies of at least mid-ranking status in this country. Since the Emperor is unmarried, there’s currently no Empress, nor any princes or princesses. The Emperor’s first older brother is imprisoned, and his second older brother has been granted the title of Grand Duke and has left the palace…. That means the only imperial family member in the palace is the Emperor himself. Then becoming a maid who directly serves the imperial family… will be even harder.’

Counting off the imperial family members one by one, Roabellin let out a small sigh.

‘Next are the court ladies. Those are commoners working as civil servants. The court ladies and the attendants working in the main palace are said to be potential women of the Emperor. If they aren’t married, they can’t refuse the Emperor’s favor….’

Of course, most of them applied with that possibility in mind, and even without that, there would be few women who would refuse the favor of the young Emperor ruling such a vast empire.

‘The court ladies who work outside the main palace aren’t the Emperor’s women at all—they’re just ordinary workers. Among those positions, I need to enter one that’s the hardest but easiest to get into: the cleaning or laundry department. Even if the chance of meeting the Emperor is almost zero, this isn’t the time to be picky.’

After finishing her simple meal, Roabellin asked people for directions and went to a job agency.

“Um… hello. I’d like to work at the Imperial Palace.”

She handed over the fake identification she had made to the agency owner as she spoke. It identified her as a commoner of the Kingdom of Avery named “Yulie.” Fortunately, since Avery was a vassal state of the Prahenfeld Empire, Avery’s citizens could work freely in Prahenfeld.

The agency owner narrowed his brows slightly as he examined her fake ID. Roabellin felt tense for a moment, but she forced herself to keep a calm expression.

“Hm… you’re a foreigner?”

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice it was fake. Roabellin quickly composed her voice.

“Yes, is it impossible for foreigners to work at the Imperial Palace?”

“No, not exactly. Not all foreigners are the same. Citizens of vassal states are allowed. But even if it’s the palace, the kind of elegant job you’re imagining is out of the question.”

Of course, she already knew that and was prepared.

“Yes, I know.”

“You’re not a noble and you don’t have connections inside the palace, so if you want to work there, the easiest way is to enter as a court maid in the laundry department. No—since you’re a foreigner, that’s practically the only option for you.”

‘As expected, the laundry department.’

Since it was exactly what she had anticipated, Roabellin nodded slightly.

“Maybe because it’s so hard, people quit quickly. That’s why they’re always recruiting. Submit an application, and if there’s no problem, you can enter the palace within ten days.”

‘That fast?!’

Roabellin’s face brightened with joy.

“Yes, I’ll apply!”

“Good. Once you submit the application, you’ll hear back within a week. Honestly, I’ve never seen anyone rejected. Like I said, they’re always short on people.”

At his words, Roabellin immediately filled out and submitted the application on the spot.

‘Finally! The first step is going smoothly!’

Seeing her look a little excited, the agency owner spoke calmly.

“You’re not thinking that just because you enter the palace you’ll be able to see His Majesty the Emperor, are you?”

‘How did he know? Is it that obvious?’

Startled, Roabellin’s expression stiffened slightly.

Of course, her goal was a little different from the usual ones, but—

‘…No, isn’t it the same in the end? Wanting to bear the Emperor’s child.’

While she quickly adjusted her expression again, the agency owner continued.

“The palace is a stable workplace, and once in a great while someone catches the eye of a high-ranking person and rises in status. That’s why the competition to get in is fierce. But why do you think the laundry department is easy to enter? Because the chance of being noticed by someone important is almost zero, and the work is hard. It’s not really my place to say this as a job broker, but they say you have to work fast and do a lot, so discipline and hazing aren’t easy either.”

To Roabellin, who was planning something enormous, it didn’t seem very important, but she still put on a suitably worried expression.

“Well, at least I might get to wash His Majesty’s clothes. That would be an honor too, haha.”

The agency owner laughed good-naturedly. It wasn’t mocking. It was more like advice given out of concern that, with her foreign accent, she might not know much about this country’s palace and might waste her youth chasing an unrealistic fantasy.

But Roabellin knew very well that, while she was pretending to be a commoner, there was almost no other way for her to enter the palace.

‘It can’t be helped. I was a young lady in my own house, but I’ve already spent eight years pretending to be a commoner.’

Though she had been born into a noble status, she had grown up through much suffering and thus had a sense of reality. But since she couldn’t reveal her true purpose, she deliberately put on the bright, naive face of a girl who didn’t know much about the world.

“It provides food and lodging, so I’ll work hard, save money, and then leave!”

Even at her spirited reply, the agency owner only looked over her slender frame with concern.

“With that body, I don’t know how long you’ll last in such a hard department.”

“It’s okay. Ah, by the way, there isn’t an Empress yet, right? But what about other concubines……?”

“You’re entering the laundry department—why are you curious about that?”

“Well, I’m going to work there, so I’m curious about everything~ If there are many people, there’ll be more laundry, and, um…….”

Even she thought her answer sounded awkward. Fortunately, the agency owner didn’t pry further and let it pass.

“Young people really are curious. As far as I know, His Majesty the Emperor doesn’t have any concubines yet. As for whether there are other women, people outside can’t know that. But with things as wide open as they are now, just one night of service would probably land you a concubine position right away…. Ah, and as for children, there haven’t been any officially announced.”

It was hopeful news.

‘Good, it matches the information I gathered beforehand. And there’s one more important thing I need to confirm.’

“Um, then… is it possible that His Majesty the Emperor is… um… unable to have children?”

At her unexpectedly bold question, the agency owner burst out laughing.

“What? You always have to be careful when talking about royalty. Still, that’s a funny thought, hahaha.”

Wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes as he laughed, he said,

“Well, it has already been five years since His Majesty came of age, and yet there’s still no official woman or child…. If you enter the palace, why don’t you ask the court physician yourself? Hahaha.”

Encouraged by his kind answers, Roabellin dared to ask one more question.

“Th-then… could it be that he prefers men…?”

This was a truly unexpected question; the agency owner’s eyes widened. But he soon shook his head.

“There haven’t been any rumors of male favorites for His Majesty. If there were a definite lover, he would be granted one of the palaces where the concubines stay, but I hear all those palaces are empty. Since His Majesty ascended the throne, they haven’t even hired cleaning staff for those palaces.”

‘Then… does that mean he really is impotent?’

They weren’t certain facts, but it was still a big gain. Roabellin smiled brightly at the agency owner who had told her so much and turned to leave.

‘Wow, next week I’ll be entering the Imperial Palace!’

It felt like she had taken a big step closer to her goal. Thinking that her first step was going smoothly, her heart felt lighter.

‘On a day like this, I should celebrate by buying something to eat!’

Just then, she found herself at the entrance to a bustling market.

‘Since it’s daytime, alcohol is out… how about some fruit juice?’

She went to a stall that squeezed fruit juice. There were fruits she had never seen in Aventador or Avery.

“Welcome! What would you like?”

The vendor greeted her cheerfully. Roabellin gave him a small smile in greeting and pointed at an unfamiliar fruit.

“Um, what is this? The skin is red, and the inside you’ve cut is white.”

“Judging by your accent, you’re from abroad! This is a fruit called bola, and it’s common in this region. It has a tart taste.”

“Oh, then I’ll try it! I’ll have that one.”

While Roabellin chatted cheerfully, there was a young man watching her from about forty or fifty paces away.

‘Hearing Aventador’s accent here…’

With platinum-blond hair and blue eyes, a handsome-looking man stopped in his tracks and turned to look at Roabellin’s profile.

‘It can’t be someone I know, but somehow she feels familiar.’

“Terik, what are you doing?”

At the call of a middle-aged man walking ahead, the young man who had been staring at Roabellin quickly withdrew his gaze and went to join him.

Roabellin, unaware that she had been watched, bought her juice and turned away.