TCIWTFY - Chapter 3

 

"Are you really not going to talk? I don't want to do this either. All you have to do is say that you want to leave!"

Slam.

"Ugh."

"Do you really need to see blood to come to your senses? Even if you die like this, no one will know! Even your Master! It's just a dog's death!"

Neril narrowed her eyes and Jenna, who was swinging a whip, huffed.

It seems like she doesn't know that keeping her mouth shut without saying a word inflames the other person's anger even more.

"Good. Let's see how long you can keep your mouth shut like that."

"Ugh."

Neril groaned as the hand struck her again.

"You are in trouble because you met the wrong owner. You have been a very loyal knight!"

That's right, Master.

'I wonder if Her Highness will be okay.'

Neril stared into space with a blank face.

When the Princess, who was bleeding from her forehead, lost consciousness, her heart sank.

'You should be safe.'

If you woke up, would you notice that I wasn't there? Will you be looking for me?

Neril quickly laughed.

She wasn't as gentle as the other maids and she didn't treat her well..

Medea disliked her because she was short-answered, blunt, and talkative.

Knowing that she found it funny to imagine such vain hopes.

"Sister, are you sick? Dea would give you this. Don't cry."

Ever since the little fern hand saved Neril a long time ago that the Princess can't even remember, she decided to be loyal to Medea all her life.

"How about you come under me?"

"Don't bother her anymore."

That girl, Neril, caught the eye of the Princess, and instead of being expelled, she was selected into the Royal Guard.

So she wanted to be by her side. She wanted to give back at least a little of what she received.

'Would Her Highness be able to live properly at the palace without me?'

Her thoughts soon led to long-term worries that she couldn't stop. This is the middle of a battle of fortunes.

Prince Regent, Queen Mother, and even the mere attendants hope that the young Princess will fall apart. 

"If you keep doing this, I don't know if you really die!" 

Swish.

Neril's head gradually became blurry amid repeated whippings and distant vision. It was when Neril opened her eyes, trying not to lose her senses.

The image of a small girl flickered before her eyes.

Is it a goodbye from the Princess? Or maybe death is really close. 

"... Your Highness?"

However, the illusion did not disappear and still stood in front of her.

Neril blinked.

"How can you get here?"!"

Jenna's surprised voice also sounded distant.

Bang-!

When the Princess took Jena's whip and threw it to the floor, the dreamy illusion finally became reality.

"What are you doing!"

Jenna was so startled that she shouted, forgetting that the other person was royalty.

Jenna felt a pang in her stomach, but she soon realized that the opponent was Medea and felt relieved.

"That's what I'm going to say."

The Princess's voice was colder than ever.

"Who told you to take my maid and beat her without my permission?"

"No, Your Highness. You just have a misunderstanding. Wait, who let Your Highness in?! Who is this?"

While Jenna's panicked voice grew louder, the Princess gave an order to the maid standing behind her.

"Bring Neril."

The maid hesitated.

Everyone who works at the royal palace knows that Jenna is a confidant of Madame Cuisine, the royal maid.

What if worms like them get out of sight of the maid in this vast palace? It was obvious that life ahead would be difficult.

"Hurry."

"Hey!"

But now it was Medea who was holding the maid's leash. Even if she is only half-hearted, a Princess is still a Princess.

If you fall outside the eyes of the royal family, you can't even stay in the palace, so even if you suffer a little, it's better than losing a job that gives you gold coins during this recession.

After making a judgment, the maid quickly ran over and helped Neril up.

Neril condition was quite miserable. It was a wonder she was still alive, as she had been whipped for over half a day. 

"Ugh."

"Oh my God."

The maid was astonished when she noticed that Neril's right arm, which she was supporting, was unnaturally twisted. Her elbows were swollen.

"Haa."

Medea also discovered Neril's miserable state and sneered at her.

"Are you saying you can take anyone as you please? You! Put her back down!"

Jenna glared at the maid.

"Then answer me. Who did this on their own?"

"... That."

Jenna flinched at the sight of Medea's cold eyes. Green eyes were sparkling.

Medea killed countless demonic beasts and light dragons and went through both the struggle for the throne and the secret struggle of the Empire.

Even if she returned to the past and took on the body of a young girl, a mere maid could not see or handle the sharply sharpened life skills she had while crossing the line of fire.

'Some kind of child's eyes look like they could eat someone...! Did the Princess have this spirit?'

Jenna couldn't remember much because she always saw her with her head down and her eyes focused on the ground.

 "Take her out."

Jenna's shoulders shook without realizing it, like prey before a wild beast. She barely clenched her fists and shouted in a trembling voice.

"Oh, no! Where are you doing?!"

Those who followed Jenna, as well as those who heard the commotion while coming and going, gathered in small groups.

However, all of them held their breath and did not dare to come forward, oppressed by the intimidation radiated by the Princess.

"You can't go!"

When no one came forward, Jenna became desperate and tried to stop the Princess with her body.

At that time, a middle-aged woman appeared, dividing the crowd of people gathered.

"Her Royal Highness, what is this? Are you doing a disgraceful act?"

A delicate hand picked up the whip lying on the floor and handed it to Jenna.

It was Madame Cuisine, the head maid.

She was a woman who took over the vacant position of head of royal maid after the previous head of maid retired for some reason.

Despite not being from a noble family and having somewhat limited experience, she was in the best position to take charge of the inner palace.

Behind it all was Medea's uncle, Duke Claudio.

'She became my uncle's hands and feet along with the Minister of Palace Affairs. If it weren't for the two of them, my uncle wouldn't have been able to run the palace.'

This woman existed in Medea's difficult life in the royal palace.

It was common to replace everything in the Princess's palace with flashy-low-class items, steal the budget, and then blame it on Medea's extravagance.

The reason they are targeting Neril now is probably to completely isolate Medea from the palace according to the Duke's orders.

"Your Highness, we will get the children to you safely. You must have just woken up from a sick bed, so you shouldn't overdo it."

The head maid looked ridiculous and did not even listen to Medea's answer. She was just trying to send her back due to her recklessness.

"What are you doing? Why don't you serve Your Highness?"

"Chief maid, why did you steal my maid without my knowledge and beat her?"

Medea raised her voice and interrupted the head maid.

"Just a whipping without a fair trial or right or wrong. Since when has the royal family been so reckless?"

The head maid raised her eyebrows at the unexpected question.

It was the first time that a timid Princess who was swayed by even a single maid made a loud noise.

"Your Highness, I am honored, but before they are your maid, they are children under my jurisdiction. As the chief servant of the Valdina bloodline, I must take proper care of these children."

Madame Cuisine answered sternly.

"Neril, not only was that child negligent in respecting Valdina's lineage, but she even injured Your Highness, and her sin is by no means a light one."

The head maid sighed openly and added an explanation as if she were giving a lesson to the foolish Princess.

"We are servants who serve Baldına's bloodline as the top priority, so we can only do our best. Was this the answer?"

Even though she said she was a servant, the head maid couldn't erase the laughable look in her eyes.

Alas, God is sometimes unfair.

Why did she make a capable and sincere person like her bend down to such an idiot?

"Well, then, take Her Highness back."

"Headmaid."

"Ha. Please speak, Your Highness."

"It's strange listening to you."

Medea spoke quietly to the head maid who sighed as if she was annoyed.

"You said every word that you served the Valdina bloodline."

"Yes. Because that is my duty as a servant of the royal family."

"But, as you know, there is not just one Valdina blood in this royal family."

The head maid stopped and stared at Medea.

The eyes of the girl, who had just woken up after a few days of standing still, were eerily clear.

"Nearly, my grandmother, the Queen Mother, my uncle, Prince Claudio, my great-aunt, Princess Lorraine, and my-in-law, Monte. If you count their children, you can't count them all on two hands. But is there any servant in the world who serves so many masters?"

Medea had an expressionless face.

"Let me ask you. Chief of maid, to whom is your loyalty?"

"..."

"Which of Valdina's countless bloods is this?"

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