Valdina Palace.
"There's nothing! Are you sure His Highness the Grand Duke left his relics here?"
In the empty ambassador's quarters. Birna suddenly became irritated.
"Damn it, you cheapskate. You can't do anything right!"
When she gets back to the Duke's house, she'll give him a good beating. Birna muttered grumpily.
Not long ago, the Grand Duke of Castullo secretly visited Duke Claudio's family again.
However, perhaps because he was ashamed of being chased out of the Valdina Palace, he only gave Birna a glance and passed by.
"Um, Miss... I overheard His Highness the Grand Duke speaking to his subordinates. I thought if it might be a good excuse for you to visit His Highness..."
In the meantime, a new maid had come to the palace secretly, telling her through eavesdropping that the Grand Duke of Castullo was looking for something he had left behind in his quarters.
"Huh, Sheila, she was so stupid, but you're a bit smarter, aren't you? Just keep doing what you're doing now, and I'll promote you to maid soon."
Not realizing that a cold glare had gathered in the maid's eyes at the one word of praise she had thrown out.
'If it's the relics of the deceased Empress, it's not an ordinary thing. The Grand Duke will be very grateful to me.'
Birna was confident that she could use that as an excuse to start a conversation that had been stalled, but in reality, his dorm was empty and there was nothing left.
Birna, who was leaving the quarters, stopped in her tracks. It was because she sensed the chaotic atmosphere in the palace.
"What? What's going on?"
A clanking noise like clashing iron and black smoke rose from the administrative palace and the Queen Mother's palace in the distance. She felt somehow instinctively that something was dangerous.
“Birna!”
At that moment, someone ran to wards Birna.
"Your Highness?"
Silver hair fluttering, beautiful green eyes. She blinked in a daze.
"Oh my goodness, you're here! Thank you, God. I can't tell you how long I've been looking for you. I thought you were already caught."
Medea gasped, placing her hand on her chest.
'Why is this girl looking for me? And I got caught?"
For a moment, Birna was just confused as to what Medea was talking about.
"Let's go, we have to avoid this place."
"What the hell is going on?"
"There's a rebellion! They're going to storm the palace soon. Hurry!"
Medea grabbed Birna by the wrist, her face filled with urgency.
The hand holding her wrist was soaked with sweat as if she was paralyzed with fear.
"Oh, a rebellion?"
Birna's eyes widened.
"My uncle told me there was a way out. Come with me."
Medea seemed to have no time to say anything else and quickly moved towards the garden with Birna.
Birna hesitated and tried to shake off Medea's hand, but when she saw that the knight standing next to Medea had the emblem of the Duke Claudio family engraved on his armor, she followed her obediently.
'If Dad sent the family knight, then it's true.'
If there were any dangers in the place she was going, the knight would have stopped Medea from taking her.
How long did it take?
As Birna cleared away the thick ivy growing on the wall at the back of the royal garden, a small side door came into view.
Thud.
The door creaked open as the knight inserted his scabbard into the gap and twisted it.
The inside, which was connected to a long passage, was cold and dark. It was so dark that it was impossible to tell what was lurking there.
"I... I don't like it. Your Highness, you go in first."
Birna stepped back and pushed Medea's back.
"Yes."
The knight lit a torch as if to tell them not to worry.
Only after the knight and Medea had entered and made sure that nothing had happened did Birna finally enter the secret passage.
The passage smelled of dirt and grass. Birna covered her nose.
'It's the worst.'
The floor was damp with moisture, and the air was stale.
Sigh, sigh.
Just the thought of breathing in this dirty air made her throat feel like it was rotting away.
"This path leads to the outside of the castle. He said there would be someone waiting to help us escape so just hold on a little longer, Birna."
The Princess consoled Birna in an adult-like manner.
At that time.
"Run away!"
"Ugh!"
From afar, eerie, distant screams could be heard. The palace seemed to be in chaos.
'Have the rebels already arrived?'
Birna bit her lip. She could tell that the palace was turned upside down, just as Medea had said.
'A rebellion? Why on earth didn't Mom and Dad tell me about such a big thing?"
She realized that this was the reason the Grand Duke had come to see her father and why her father had been barring her from entering and talking to her in his office for the past few days.
Birna trembled with betrayal.
'You went to rescue Medea yourself, but you didn't even look for me, your own daughter and just left me alone?'
How long did they walk down the passage?
As she got further and further away from the palace and the sense of urgency lessened, the resentment she had been putting off began to surface in Birna's chest.
So she noticed Medea's movements slowing down beside her a little too late.
When she came to her senses, she could no longer hear the Princess's footsteps next to her.
"What is it. Your Highness?"
Birna suddenly turned around. About five feet away. Medea stood still in the dim torchlight.
"I guess it won't work. I have to go back."
"I beg your pardon?"
"I am the Princess of Valdina. The palace is in mourning, so how could I run away like this and live alone? Even if I leave the palace, I won't feel at ease."
That's your business!
Birna frowned.
'No matter how weak-hearted you are, you still want to pretend to be good in this situation?!'
"It'll be okay. Even if we go back anyway, what can we do?"
She tried hard to persuade her cousin to go back on her way, but Medea was adamant.
"They might kill all my maids and servants."
"..."
What about Grandmother? Is Her Majesty the Queen Mother safe? She must have been quite shocked at her age
"Okay. Then you may go back. I will go all the way."
Finally, Birna's patience reached its limit.
"But this knight must go with me. I am listening to Your Highness's insistence."
"Birna, my uncle said there would be guards waiting at the end of the passage. If you just keep going this way... But I..."
So you want me to give you the knight?
That was absolutely not possible.
Why should I, for Medea's sake, go through this dark passage alone? Why should I do her such a favor?
'I'd rather you go back alone and die, captured by the rebels left in the palace!'
If the blind blades pierce that girl. A cruel yet pleasant thought flashed through Birna's mind.
'Then I can't give you even more.'
"I'm sorry. Your Highness, but he is a member of my family. You wouldn't think of taking him away from me as royalty, would you?"
"Birna..."
"The armor and sword the knight is wearing are all our Claudio's property. The knight's salary also comes from our family's purse. Therefore, it is also his responsibility to protect me, the Princess of Claudio."
If it weren't for Medea, Birna wouldn't have been able to escape like this.
But rather than feeling grateful to her, she was obsessed with sending Medea back naked.
Birna glanced proudly at the knight holding the torch.
Although his face couldn't be seen because he was wearing a helmet, he seemed to have a good grasp of who his owner was, Judging by the way he kept his mouth shut quietly.
"Instead, I'll give you some torches. It'll be pretty dark on the way back."
It was a tone that seemed to indicate a great favor.
"Okay, Birna. Well then please stay safe."
Medea approached and held Birna's hand tightly. She seemed to be trembling faintly as if in fear.
For a moment, Birna thought that she had gone too far, but soon she let go of her guilt by saying nothing.
"Please wait a moment, Your Highness. I will go first and send a detachment of knights to the palace. Do not lose hope."
The empty promise that was not in her heart was sweet and gentle, just like the promise she made while holding Medea's daughter one day.
"Thank goodness, Birna. You haven't changed."
Medea nodded.
"Yes?"
"I'll wait."
Medea, holding a torch, turned and walked away.
In the black passage, the torchlight grew smaller and smaller and her figure seemed to disappear into the darkness.
"Huh, who can stop someone from going down the path to death?"
As Medea disappeared, Birna stuck out her lips.
"Let's go."
"..."
They walked down the aisle again.
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