ITETD 54

Chapter 54

If Calix found out the culprit was the Prince, I wouldn’t even be surprised if he ran off to start a revolution, saying this rotten country needed reform.

I walked quickly, and soon I reached the building where the maids lived. It seemed to be a shift-change time because I saw a maid rushing inside.

“Hey, you!” I called.

“Ahh!”

She nearly jumped out of her skin when I suddenly appeared from the darkness. I ignored her reaction and spoke.

“Could you call Pryn for me? There’s something I forgot to give her earlier.”

“Who are you?”

“I’m Rena. Pryn will know me if you tell her my name.”

The maid tilted her head and went inside. She returned much later.

“Pryn says she doesn’t know you.”

Of course she wouldn’t. I didn’t know her either.

“Tell her I’m a friend of Milon.”

At that, the maid’s face changed. She looked suspicious now. Who wouldn’t be, hearing that someone was a friend of the maid who had died so tragically in the imperial palace?

I pretended I knew nothing about Milon’s death.
“I once met with Milon and Pryn together. I was introduced back then, about two months ago. Maybe she doesn’t remember. I have a ribbon Pryn said was pretty that time. I wanted to give it to her.”

“I could give it to her for you,” the maid offered.

“No, it’s been a while. I want to see her in person. You know Mr. Baker, right? I came in with him and I have to leave soon.”

The maid clearly didn’t know Mr. Baker, but she didn’t say anything. Of course, because he didn’t even exist—I just made the name up to sound convincing.

Finally, the maid nodded and went back inside to call Pryn again.

While I waited, I rehearsed in my head:

“I’ll tell her I know who framed Milon. Then I’ll ask if she knows Lenia. If she does, I’ll tell her Lenia is the true culprit. Then I’ll ask her to help me clear Milon’s name.”

But all my careful plans became useless the moment I met Pryn.

“Hello, you’re Lady Rena, right?”

A kind-looking woman with light brown hair came out of the building. The moment I saw her face, the ground under my feet seemed to tremble.

“I heard something bad happened to you recently. Are you feeling better now?”

Oh no.

Pryn was someone I already knew. And clearly, she knew me too—the way she smiled, as if she’d expected this.

“Ah, damn it.”

My instincts screamed at me to run away. But I couldn’t. I forced myself to stay calm even though my feet unconsciously stepped backward.

“…You’re Pryn?” my trembling voice asked.

“The one who was close with Milon… it’s really you?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“But how…”

I trailed off. I didn’t know what to say, but she answered for me.

“You’re wondering how I’m still fine, aren’t you?”

“….”

“Milon was working in the palace while I was on vacation. That’s why I wasn’t questioned and was released without suspicion.”

I pressed my lips tightly together. I didn’t know what to say. Pryn seemed to think I was just a victim angry over her friend’s death.

“I heard you were looking for me,” she said.

“…Yes.”

“I don’t know how this will sound, but Milon—”

“I think Milon was innocent,” I cut her off before she could say more. I couldn’t let her think too long.

“What I want to know is if Milon received any kind of threats recently.”

“Threats?”

“Yes. I think she was framed. Did she ever seem scared or worried lately?”

“I… I’m not sure…”

“I heard from other maids that you were closest to her, Pryn. Do you know anything?”

Pryn tilted her head as if thinking. I grabbed her hands and spoke softly.

“I plan to stay in the palace until the party ends. If you remember anything, please come find me anytime.”

“Oh, okay. I will,” she said brightly, nodding.

But the sight of her bright smile made my skin crawl. My lips trembled as I forced a smile back.

I felt like if I stayed any longer, she would see through me. I was about to say goodbye when Pryn stopped me.

“Oh, by the way, I heard you’re Duke Hertrio’s mage. Is that true?”

“…Yes.”

“I’m a little embarrassed, but I’ve learned a bit of magic myself. If you have time later, could you teach me?”

“…”

I didn’t know how to answer. My throat felt dry. After struggling for a long moment, I finally forced out a reply.

“…Yes. If I have time… I will.”

As soon as I said that, I hurried away. The closer I got to the lodging, the faster I walked, until I was nearly running.

My stomach churned. I wanted to cry from the new truth I’d discovered.

“Pryn was Lenia.”

Pryn was Lenia. That thought kept echoing in my head.

The moment I saw her face, I knew. She carried the same magical energy I had felt in Prince Adrian. Of course—she was the one who had given him her magic.

“How could this be?”

I didn’t know which was her real name—Pryn or Lenia—but it didn’t matter.

“Pryn and Lenia were the same person.”

Then she must have been the one who framed Milon, her so-called close friend.

I clenched my eyes shut. It made sense: if you want to frame someone, it’s easiest to frame the person you know best.

She didn’t seem to realize I had figured her out. At least that was fortunate. That meant the Prince hadn’t told her about me.

No… that wasn’t a promise.

“The Prince probably didn’t tell her just because he didn’t want their plan ruined.”

I forced myself to think clearly.

I had planned to ask Pryn if she knew Lenia, to ask for her help in clearing Milon’s name.

But I never expected Pryn herself would be Lenia.

I suddenly remembered what someone had said: Pryn was supposed to be on vacation for the entire party.

She had left the palace to build an alibi, while leaving her accomplice—the Prince—inside. That way, no one would suspect her.

“Brilliant. And disgusting,” I thought bitterly.

Who would ever imagine that a Prince and a maid were working together? And all to get rid of a useless commoner mage like me.

“How does Lenia even know about the dragon? Or did the Prince know first?”

In the “original story”… though I wasn’t even sure what counted as original anymore, Lenia had joined forces with Calix to get revenge on the Emperor.

Now, even if Calix wasn’t seeking revenge, Lenia’s goal wouldn’t have changed.

She still wanted revenge.

But this time, she had chosen Prince Adrian as her partner instead of Calix.

It all made sense now.

In the original story, Calix and Lenia must have approached the Prince, promising him the throne in exchange for help. Or maybe the Prince had simply allowed them to act.

Now I knew the truth:

“The Emperor isn’t my only enemy. Lenia is too.”

To Lenia, I was nothing more than someone holding a powerful weapon—the dragon.

She probably didn’t even hate me personally.

I was just an obstacle. She thought that if she killed me and took the dragon, she would succeed in her revenge.

I understood that, but it still left a bitter taste.

And it also made me feel a small, irrational resentment toward Calix.

“Why did Calix ever fall in love with someone like her?”

The idea that after my death he chose her… I couldn’t help but feel annoyed.

But right now, more than anything, I wanted to see Calix.

I reached his door, panting from running. Maybe I was out of breath because of everything I had just learned.

Without knocking, I opened the door.

Calix wasn’t sleeping.

He was leaning against the headboard, reading a book. The moment he saw me, his face lit up and he closed it.