[T/W: Depiction of violence, death]
Agnes Lang.
Rieta kept looking up at her, covering her mouth with her hands.
She had expected Agnes to be somewhat upset by her escape.
It was her guilt that made her bring Agnes a warm drink and a blanket at the risk of being found out. But she never thought that Agnes would get so badly hurt…
“Kill that bitch right now!”
At that time, King Liz’s rough command came.
Those who had backed off at her momentum gripped their swords again.
“Agnes!” Rieta screamed.
Agnes swung her long sword and slashed the two ropes stretched taut under the railing.
With that, the Maureen couple’s bodies plummeted down the wall.
Although they seemed to have been seriously injured as their bodies hit the ground, fortunately the height was not enough to take their lives.
“…!”
Rieta untied the ropes around the couple’s necks as they fell near her, and she quickly checked their breathing.
Then, she immediately raised her head and looked over the wall.
There were dozens of sharp sword tips at Agnes’s neck, who was standing precariously at the edge of the castle wall.
“Agnes Lang!”
Rieta’s call was practically a scream.
Did she hear it? Agnes turned her head a little and their eyes met.
For a moment, the corners of Agnes’ lips lifted slightly.
Rieta felt dazed for a moment. The smile was so friendly.
. . . Why?
However, before she had time to find the answer, she saw countless swords piercing Agnes’ body from all sides.
“AGNES!”
Red blood spurted from Agnes’ body and splattered everywhere, some of which landed on Rieta’s cheeks.
With still-friendly warmth.
. . .
Rieta closed her eyes.
Why did she only realize it now?
Agnes’ last smile resembled the one she had seen the previous morning when she asked if Rieta liked Elisha.
So, Agnes, maybe…
. . . Me.
Rieta bit her lip.
Tears mixed with the last drops of Agnes’ blood and ran down her cheeks.
* * *
The morning sun tickled her cheeks. Rieta woke up and opened her eyes.
“…”
Then she saw the curtains swaying gently in the wind and the busy maid.
“Princess, good morning!”
The usual greeting was so natural that Rieta thought for a moment that she had been dreaming.
But when she moved, her hands stung.
There was a gauze on her hands.
The memory of last night flickered in her eyes.
There was so much pain. And Rieta could do nothing but look at it with her eyes open.
Even so, she could not leave the castle as her subjects had hoped.
…It’s the worst outcome.
She clenched her fists.
Her hands hurt, but her heart hurt even more than that.
Everything was ruined. By none other than Rieta herself.
She strained her eyes, forcibly suppressing the feeling of wanting to cry.
All the crying brought out was her hideous self-pity.
The fault was all her own, so Rieta had no right to fall into these useless feelings.
“Princess… are you all right?”
“Ugh.”
Rieta had nothing else to say.
Soon after, the maid came closer and wiped the sweat from Rieta’s forehead with a kind hand.
Did the maid hear about what happened last night? Maybe… she must have heard it.
Rieta smiled bitterly.
Since it was such a great commotion, rumors must have spread among the people inside the palace.
“I have a question.”
Rieta couldn’t easily say the question that tickled the tip of her tongue.
“Yes, ask me anything. I will answer anything.”
Then the maid responded with a gentle smile.
Rieta felt grateful for her consideration.
Even more so when Rieta remembered that she always cared for her in a sweet way.
“What happened to my younger brothers? Agnes and the Maureen couple? Everyone, because of what happened yesterday…”
The maid looked around for a moment. She replied with a vaguely panicked expression, “What, what do you mean, what happened yesterday? Nothing happened yesterday.”
Rieta’s eyes widened at the remark, which sounded unnatural.
But she immediately understood what the words meant.
Perhaps King Liz had given an indirect warning to Rieta.
Pretend nothing happened yesterday.
…Yes, he might want to make it like that.
It wouldn’t be good for Euplana to hear about this uproar.
Perhaps because Rieta didn’t say anything, the maid became anxious.
The maid quickly told another falsehood.
“You, you had a dream because your heart was complicated. Today is the day the Princess leaves for Euplana.”
“. . .”
“Don’t be too depressed. They say the prince of Euplana is very handsome.”
In spite of the maid’s bright words, Rieta just stared at her without saying anything.
“. . .”
“. . .”
While the strange silence came, Rieta realized one thing.
There were always two maids in charge of Rieta’s breakfast.
But today. there was only one from the start.
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