YANML17🔒

**\<CHAPTER   17>**

“Here you are again today.”

Edel, who had been reading the newspaper carefully, lowered the paper and met the visitor’s eyes.

Cassian’s servant, Sebastian, smiled brightly and introduced the person he had brought along. From the sound of it, she seemed to be another maid working at the duke’s residence.

“What’s the occasion? Why did you bring someone new?”

“This person begged to meet Princess Edel.”

“Hmm…”

With just a glance, Edel could already tell.

Sebastian was greedy enough, but in the new maid’s eyes, there was an even darker desire. She had most likely come running after seeing the reward Edel had given Sebastian.

She wasn’t as good as people who moved with their hearts, but most of the world was made of this kind. For now, there was no need to take the risk of rejecting such people.

Edel ordered tea to be served and personally chatted with them.

While Sebastian reported Cassian’s condition, the maid’s eyes wandered around restlessly.

Her gaze often lingered on the servants’ chests as they walked by—where valuable brooches were pinned.

“You can’t seem to focus.”

Edel decided to poke at the maid’s desire.

As expected, the maid wasn’t embarrassed. Instead, she shamelessly answered back.

“It’s my first time visiting Your Highness’s palace, so everything looks fascinating. Even though we’re all maids, those who work here seem very different.”

Edel rested her chin on her hand and stared at her.

The maid felt as if Edel’s gaze was piercing right through her, yet she showed no sign of shrinking back.

“So, you said Duke Dwelsen sent a letter?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

At Edel’s words, Sebastian quickly took the letter from his chest pocket.

“Let’s see…”

The letter mostly said that his health had improved a lot. It even suggested that, if things continued this way, he might be able to return soon.

But lately, Cassian often repeated the words “I love you.” He hadn’t said it this much before—what on earth had gotten into him?

Was it because the nightmare of killing Edel had been too vivid?

If that were true, shouldn’t he never have betrayed Edel in the first place?

Edel’s teeth clenched hard, and her grip crushed the letter in her hand.

“You did well.”

Her cold voice slipped out without meaning to.

Both Sebastian and the maid blinked quickly in surprise, and Edel herself flinched. She quickly fixed her expression and smiled sweetly.

“I’ll go back now. Will you stay a little longer?”

“Is that all right?”

“Of course. I can’t just send away Duke Dwelsen’s servant.”

The maid’s face showed regret at Edel leaving, but Sebastian was deeply touched by the fact he was allowed to stay.

Edel nodded lightly and left the room. When she was far enough that they couldn’t hear her, she called for Kia.

When Edel tapped her brooch, Kia answered instantly, bowing her head as if she had been waiting.

“I’ll deliver the message well.”

“Good. I’m counting on you.”

—

The servants didn’t wander around Edel’s palace carelessly—they at least had that much sense.

Seeing them stay in place, Kia approached with a gentle smile.

“We meet again.”

Sebastian greeted her happily, recognizing her. The maid also realized this was the brown-haired personal maid she had heard rumors about, and she licked her lips.

Kia pulled out a chair, sat down, and slowly looked at them both.

“Thank you, as always. Her Highness often wonders about Duke Dwelsen’s condition, so she’s glad she can hear news in time thanks to you.”

“If I weren’t around, what would Princess Edel do? …Though, really, it’s my honor.”

While Kia and Sebastian chatted, the new maid couldn’t butt in and only wet her lips with tea.

Kia turned to her kindly.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Chloe.”

“I see. Chloe, you’re a maid of Duke Dwelsen, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Not a servant, but a personal maid—then the Duke must really value Princess Edel.”

“….”

“Of course, it also shows how much he trusts you, Chloe.”

At those words, both Sebastian and Chloe flinched. Then, as if something came to mind, Sebastian spoke up quickly.

“Miss Chloe, could you please not tell the Duke that I came here to see Princess Edel?”

Kia gave him a puzzled look, and Sebastian fidgeted nervously.

Finally, Chloe, the real cause of this, sighed and said,

“To tell the truth, I only told the Duke I was going out. He doesn’t know exactly where I am.”

“Then… you mean the Duke doesn’t know your location?”

“That’s right.”

Unlike Sebastian, Chloe looked confident, as if she had nothing to fear. Even Kia was a little taken aback.

But soon Kia nodded.

“If you say so, I won’t tell him. But why did you hide your real destination from him?”

“….”

This time, both stayed silent. Something about it felt suspicious.

“Well…” Sebastian sighed and explained.

“For some reason, the Duke doesn’t like sending Chloe to Princess Edel.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know why.”

Chloe sighed as well and clicked her tongue.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know—it was that he lacked awareness.

Clearly, Cassian must have thought that since Chloe only moved for money, if Edel offered her more, she might switch sides anytime.

Other possibilities existed, but they were unlikely.

After all, would Cassian, who wanted Edel gone, really send her such a gloomy-looking maid out of concern for her? That made no sense.

—

The mood grew heavy, so Kia tried to lighten it. She removed the brooch from her chest and placed it on the table.

At once, Chloe’s eyes gleamed with greed.

“What is that? Could it be…?”

“This isn’t for you, Chloe.”

Her small hope was crushed instantly, and Chloe’s expression turned sour. She didn’t show it openly, but her attitude changed, as expected from someone who only thought about gain and loss.

Kia couldn’t help but laugh a little. She covered it with a cough and pushed the brooch toward Chloe.

“Take a look. Do you like it?”

“Of course I do.”

“That’s good. I can’t give you this one, but I can prepare another brooch with the same design for you.”

“…What?”

“Princess Edel plans to gift you one just like this.”

“…Really?”

Chloe couldn’t believe her ears. Soon, she slammed the table and jumped up. Sebastian flinched in alarm, but Chloe’s eyes were already glowing with desire.

“I’ll have Madam Jane prepare the brooch soon and give it to you.”

“Thank you…!”

“It’s a gift directly from Princess Edel, so please treat it with care.”

“Of course!”

Chloe clenched her fist and answered with enthusiasm. Sebastian clicked his tongue and looked at her with disapproval.

“You’re being too obvious.”

But Chloe didn’t care about him at all. She was drunk on the thrill of gaining something big.

“In any case, the Duke will surely be jealous when he sees this.”

“Haha, I hope so.”

“Do you know how much the Duke misses Princess Edel?”

“Really?”

Kia pretended to be surprised, giving him a signal to keep talking.

Sebastian gladly did so.

“The Duke always thinks about Her Highness. He often tells us, ‘What should I do to make Princess Edel happy?’ So I told him the best thing would be to see her face directly!”

“….”

Hearing this, Kia’s eyebrow slowly furrowed in doubt.

It didn’t make sense. Cassian couldn’t possibly care about Edel that way.

In fact, Edel had once told her that gray hair had been found in Cassian’s bed. It likely belonged to Rowen. Maybe Cassian was caught cheating and was now saying these things to cover it up?

Kia rubbed her forehead, trying to clear her thoughts.

“I’ll ask just one thing.”

“Go ahead.”

“Among the guests who visited the Duke’s residence before he fell ill, was there anyone with gray hair?”

Sebastian tilted his head, thinking carefully.

“No.”

But before he could answer, Chloe spoke firmly.

“No. Gray hair is very rare. Even Princess Rowen having it is unusual.”

So, was the hair truly Rowen’s?

And yet… something didn’t feel right to Kia. Why did it feel like it belonged to someone else?

She thought of the few people she knew with gray hair. None of them could have visited the Duke’s residence.

And yet…

Wait. Hold on.

Suddenly, an idea struck her like lightning.

She shot up from her seat, startling both Sebastian and Chloe.

Breathing heavily, Kia asked,

“Does Duke Dwelsen have any connection with someone named Hen Warvel?”

“Hen Warvel? Who’s that?”

“He’s a prince of the former Warvel Kingdom.”

Sebastian looked confused, so Chloe scolded him.

Then, staring strangely at Kia, Chloe asked,

“But why do you bring him up?”

“Wasn’t that prince also gray-haired, Chloe?”

“That’s true, but how could such a man visit Duke Dwelsen? Besides, it’s certain he went missing and was presumed dead.”

“…Yes. You’re right.”

Realizing she had gotten carried away, Kia bit her lip and slowly sat back down.

“Anyway, I think it’s time for us to leave now.”

Sebastian stood up with regret after checking the time.

Kia returned to her usual kind face and said her farewells, and the two of them left for the Duke’s residence.

Left alone, Kia fell deep into thought. She knew it didn’t make sense, but her body shivered with unease.

“There’s no way Duke Dwelsen knows Hen Warvel. And there’s no way that man could have visited the Duke’s home.”

It was just her imagination.

Kia shook her head firmly and walked away.

—

Edel, who had been reading leisurely, raised her head at the sound of Kia’s footsteps.

“Did your talk go well?”

“Yes.”

“Then why does your face look so gloomy?”

Normally, Kia was good at keeping a calm face. But Edel, who had spent so many years with her, noticed the smallest changes.

Kia flinched and gave an awkward smile.

“I didn’t know I was the kind of patient who suffers from wild imagination.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“It’s not something good for Your Highness to hear.”

“So, it’s hard to talk about?”

“….”

Usually, Kia would have confessed everything with just this much prompting. The fact that she held back meant it was truly better left unsaid.

Though curious, Edel let it go.

Still, Kia pressed her temples as if her head hurt, then calmly reported everything that had happened.

Even with her doubts, Edel was pleased. Kia had followed her orders faithfully and managed to draw out plenty of information. Edel felt once again that Kia’s abilities were beyond doubt.

—