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TL Note:

This chapter revealed that there are hierarchies among maids. From now on, please consider the ones who have been following Cayena (previously “maids”) as ladies-in-waiting and the servants who work under them (whom you’ll get to meet in this chapter) as maids.

I’ll go back and correct the previous chapters when I have some free time. Thank you!

[Edit: Previous chapters have been corrected as of July 26, 2020.]

‘…The princess didn’t actually discuss this with my mother, did she?’

He frowned as he added this circumstantial evidence to his hypothesis.

Unaware of his complex inner thoughts, his mother praised the ladies.

“They are all wise and virtuous young women,” she said.

Raphael took a sip of the strong tea to moisten his mouth.

“A wise and virtuous young woman…’

He recalled the different traits of his potential partners that Cayena mentioned.

Dolores Avon, who was skilled at piano and embroidery but fainted at the sight of blood.

Rita Brukin, who was violent and had trained as a knight.

And Olivia Grace, who was sponsored by his mother and recommended by the princess.

‘…I think I’ve been given a sign.’

The princess had told him very precise information. And if her words were right…

‘None of them are suitable to be a duchess. I’m sure of it.’

The duchess pointed to a portrait.

“What do you think of Lady Grace? She isn’t lacking by any means, and she’s very intelligent.”

“I have no intention of getting married, Mother,” answered Raphael.

Rationally, though, his mother was correct. The most important thing for the family was for him to solidify his position.

However, Raphael was disgusted by skinship and the thought of someone being interested in him.

How could he choose a spouse like this?

If it was just someone to sit with during meals, he would have already chosen someone. But Raphael didn’t feel affection for anybody but himself. He had never even felt love for his own mother.

Her presence in his territory caused him a great amount of stress.

“You can’t really mean that,” she said. “Don’t forget that marrying quickly is for the sake of your family, Raphy.”

It was a cold reminder that did not suit the friendly nickname she bestowed upon him.

The duchess quickly got up as soon as she finished saying what she had to say. Then, she left, and the door closed firmly behind her.

Raphael once again noticed the portraits that were still neatly placed on the table. His eyes stopped on Olivia’s likeness.

She was an impressive beauty, with wheat-colored hair and green eyes.

How did Cayena know? How did she end up discussing his potential wife with him at just the right time?

Raphael spoke to a butler who had entered the dining room. “Tell Jeremy to request an audience with Her Highness, Cayena.”

“Yes, sir.”

He was curious about the princess.

***

As soon as Cayena arrived at her palace, she noticed that her bedroom was untidy.

“I see that you haven’t cleaned this room.”

“I apologize, Your Highness!”

The young lady-in-waiting who was in charge of cleaning the chamber was surprised, and her knees buckled beneath her.

“Make sure you do not make this mistake again.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The ladies-in-waiting secretly exchanged glances, seeing how Cayena generously overlooked the mistake.

The princess had definitely changed. She was a lot more mature, now.

And as they were the ones who were the closest to her, they were the ones who saw how much she had changed.

“I’d like to take a rest now, so you may leave.”

“Then, please excuse us.”

The ladies exited Cayena’s chambers and went into the lounge.[1]

Some maids brought out tea and refreshments for the ladies’ break. The products that they brought out were of a much higher quality than before.

“Lydia.”

Vera called out to Lydia, the lady-in-waiting who was responsible for cleaning the bedroom.

“Why didn’t you fulfill your duties properly? You’re not such a poor lady-in-waiting that you would make such a mistake.”

Lydia made a discontented face at Vera’s scolding.

“Her Highness forgave me, so why are you bringing this up?”

She immediately started scolding Lydia back.

“It’s only the bedroom. Just because I skipped it today—”

“What?”

Vera was stunned.

Lydia had originally behaved because Cayena had a strong temper, but in reality, Lydia was arrogant because she came from an influential family. Now that Cayena was kinder and more tolerant, Lydia quickly showed her true personality.

“And the one who hired me was Prince Rezef, not Princess Cayena.”

Among everyone who gathered here, who wasn’t?

They had all been brought in by Rezef to be Cayena’s ladies-in-waiting.

“His Highness Rezef will protect me anyway. He needs my family’s power.”

The maids around Lydia began to agree with her, one by one.

“Really, it’s Vera who shouldn’t forget our mission. We’re Prince Rezef’s people.”

“Don’t you know that we can’t let Princess Cayena’s influence become too strong?”

“…”

Vera couldn’t speak as she listened to this foolish conversation.

‘They realize that much, but they don’t understand why we were planted as her ladies-in-waiting.’

The reason was apparent just by seeing Lydia Benzeman, who hailed from the most powerful family amongst them.

They were like chicken ribs. In other words, they weren’t worth much, but it was better to have them than to throw them away.

Vera lost all her will to reproach them. They were foolish without peer.

“Why are you meddling and making a fuss?” they murmured as they walked past Vera.

“…”

She felt dejected. And now that she saw the true nature of those she once believed to be her colleagues, she felt tired.

‘How did I ever think I could be acknowledged in this place?’

Actually, most of the maids gathered here were aiming for Rezef.

He was the only prince of the Empire, and his soft and kind appearance shook their hearts.

They were under the impression that they could save him and melt his cold and cruel nature.

‘As if that could ever happen.’

Vera knew how this would go. None of them would be a match for Rezef.

As for her, she just wanted to be recognized for her own values. If she was able to be recognized, it might be enough to receive a title of nobility or establish her family’s influence.

‘I’m sure that Her Highness had me stay with her today for a reason.’

Vera’s mind was in turmoil.

***

After dismissing the ladies-in-waiting, Cayena leaned comfortably on the sofa.

‘Because of Vera’s nature, she won’t neglect her work.’

The division between her and the other court ladies was going as scheduled. It was much like this in Cayena’s first life, too.

In the original, Vera increased her influence by accusing the other ladies-in-waiting of incompetence and negligence. But now, the situation was a little different.

‘She’ll start to realize that Rezef does not care.’

However, Rezef was sure to be the next emperor. That was the biggest reason that Vera hesitated.

So Cayena would need to calm the confusion in Vera’s mind.

“What would be the best way to do that?”

At her murmur, the maids briefly raised their heads before continuing to clean the bedroom.

Unlike her ladies-in-waiting, the maids came from humble circumstances. They were relatively out of Rezef’s control as most of them could not read nor write.

So Cayena currently had just the maids in her room.

“Don’t clean things too thoroughly. Make it look like you were reluctant to do it.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Rezef entrusted the care of the maids to her ladies-in-waiting, but the lady who was in charge of them today was the problem.

“Your cleverness saved yourselves.”

The maids, Donna and Annie, smiled.

As soon as Lydia ordered them not to clean the bedroom today, they secretly reported the fact to Cayena.

Cayena found that Lydia was quite hated among the maids.

“You can use my name to get the medicine that you need.”

Then, Donna prostrated herself on the floor.

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

Donna’s parents were both ill, but the salary of a maid was not enough to cover the price of medicine.

Donna thought that it was definitely good to be on Cayena’s side.

She clenched her fist. This was something that Lydia, her direct superior, should have taken care of.

However, Lydia hated the thought of requesting something from Cayena.

It would have hurt her pride to make such a trivial request to her when she might become the next empress.

‘Lydia will become more reckless and foolish.’

In Cayena’s first life, Lydia eventually became unafraid of Cayena’s temper and refused to submit to her, acting unruly up to the end.

It was also part of her duties to report Cayena’s every move to Rezef.

‘It would be the best for her to get out of here as soon as possible.’

Lydia had eventually been executed for Rezef. And while Cayena intended to cut off her tail, at least she would keep her life.

‘Now that I am stronger and have more power, I have to use that power.’

The original novel began with Raphael’s marriage proposal to Olivia.

Cayena had to prepare for that moment. She needed to coordinate the timing of Olivia’s entry into her palace.

Cayena told Rezef that she wanted Olivia as one of her ladies-in-waiting. However, it would be difficult for Rezef to bring her in as Olivia was sponsored by the Kedrey duchy.

‘If she becomes a lady-in-waiting at Rezef’s request rather than by the Emperor’s, she’ll become estranged from the Kedrey dukedom.’

Then, it would be a political problem for Raphael and Olivia to get married.

Cayena was trying to set the two up together. She had no intention of getting in their way.

“Annie, bring me some stationery.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Cayena wrote a very brief letter, disregarding the flowery introductions.

‘Olivia won’t move because of what Rezef orders. I have to make it so that she will become one of my people regardless of Rezef.’

The Grace family was humble but loyal. They would never betray their sponsors, the Kedreys.

Right now, they were pretending that they didn’t know that Rezef was asking for their daughter, but Rezef would eventually put pressure on them.

It was because Rezef hated to be challenged or humiliated. He may get angry at how such a lowly family dared to ignore his request.

Cayena let the wax drip down from the red candlestick, then pressed down on the wax with an unengraved stamp to seal it.

Her secret letter was complete.

“Annie.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Annie, even in the same uniform as the others, looked very stylish.

If she wore a good enough dress, she would look like a noble.

“I have an errant for you.”

Cayena held out the sealed letter to Annie.

“Take this to Marreth Salon on Lawrence Street.”

In the meantime, she would have to distract Rezef. Cayena stood up and said, “I will go to the prince’s palace.”

[1] Like a staff lounge, meant for short breaks in between work.