Arriving in the capital, I immediately booked a nice hotel. Sarah, being in the capital for the first time, seemed to be cautiously exploring the area.
Instead of scolding Sarah, I gave her a small room. Since it was usually a room fit for the children of nobles, Sarah was so touched she didn't know what to do.
“Madam, can I really use such a nice room?”
“But it’s a secret from the other kids.”
“Yes, yes! Of course!”
“I came here for a change of pace, so I’d like to be alone today. Is that okay?”
Sarah nodded, her spirits piqued. I was glad I'd chosen a young maid. A more mature maid might have already noticed something.
While Sarah was enjoying some alone time in her small room, I changed into the men's clothes I had prepared and left the hotel.
I boarded a carriage stationed near the hotel and headed toward the Marquis of Amber's residence. I was worried about whether things would go as planned, but at the same time, my hands were trembling with the thought of meeting Kaiser.
After paying the groom, I looked up at the Marquis of Amber's mansion. Even though it wasn't the main gate, it felt all too familiar to me. I was the landlady of this place, and I paid attention to every brick in the fence, every blade of grass in the garden.
For me, sneaking into the Marquis's residence was a breeze. By this time, I even remembered the exact layout of the guards inside the Marquis's residence. It was I who had discovered the security loophole and suggested it be fixed.
Until then, Kaiser had been acting like a good husband to me, and my proposal was so good that he readily agreed.
Of course, later on, he criticized me, saying, "That woman is trying to take over even her husband's role."
I decided to put my depressing thoughts aside. The important thing was that, based on that experience, I could now easily sneak into Kaiser's mansion. I walked through the hallway, blindfolded, without encountering anyone until I reached Kaiser's bedroom.
“No one called you. What’s going on?”
Hearing the sound, Kaiser spoke from his bed. I approached him slowly. Just before he raised his head, I placed the knife against his neck. The blade rested sharply on the burn I had made.
“Kaiser, your wounds have healed a lot.”
At my warm greeting, Kaiser gasped for breath. Just looking at my face seemed to bring back memories of the horrific experience in the basement. I smiled, feeling immensely satisfied.
“Again, again, again...”
“That’s right. It’s me again.”
"Oh, you crazy woman. What the hell are you doing here? I told you I don't know anything!"
At those words, I thrust the blade deeper and struck fiercely.
"That's nonsense. I know how much you do for Prince Cain."
"Hey..."
Kaiser began to try to persuade me in a trembling voice.
"I don't know why you're doing this, but I know it's not simply because you hate me. If you did, you'd have killed me already."
“You are smart.”
“Yes, tell me what you want!”
Kaiser shouted urgently. His voice sounded like metal scraping the floor, as if he were gripped by fear.
“Don’t scream. If someone comes and takes me away, I’ll kill you and go.”
I whispered ominously, and Kaiser nodded quietly, as if he understood. I nodded back, relaxing my grip just a little. When you're too scared, threats don't work.
"I don't care about you. We have a common enemy, don't we? You must have felt betrayed by Prince Cain, too."
At my words, Kaiser's eyes lit up with anger. It wasn't anger toward me. It was anger toward Prince Cain, to whom he had always been loyal.
He had never betrayed Prince Cain. Even if he wasn't completely loyal, he felt they were on the same boat. However, Prince Cain, swayed by trivial rumors, treated Kaiser with contempt.
“What exactly do you want to do and how?”
Kaizak's demeanor had changed. Where before he had been filled with fear of the intruder, now he was calculating and cooperative. He still displayed a keen wariness toward the knife at his throat, but he showed no signs of resistance.
I lied calmly.
"I want to eliminate any discord that might arise as the Crown Prince ascends to the throne. It's only natural that I want to eliminate Prince Cain."
“The Count of Winsley must have been loyal only to the Emperor for generations.”
“I think that kind of thing is boring.”
Kaiser didn't doubt my words too much. His thoughts lacked the kind of beliefs passed down through generations. In fact, he accepted my existence with even greater realism.
When Kaiser showed signs of wavering at my words, I continued with a more important topic.
"I need Prince Cain's weakness. A weakness so critical that even the Emperor can't shield it."
“...Prince Cain has Princess Abigail. Prince Cain may not know it, but Princess Abigail is clever. It’s not that easy.”
As I tried to tighten my grip on the sword, Kaiser raised both arms over his shoulders in a gesture of surrender.
"It's not that there's no way. Prince Cain has been trying to control all the families that have been loyal to the Emperor for generations. That requires enormous funds, and those funds are from taxes embezzled from various sources."
“Are you talking about cases like the funds Sasha had to send to the Glarry slums?”
At my words, Kaiser laughed in vain as if it were meaningless.
“You knew that much.”
“If you thought your sins would be buried forever, you were mistaken.”
Kaiser didn't hesitate long. It was the kind of action expected of someone quick-witted and self-interested.
“What do I get out of helping you?”
“I will help you escape safely.”
“Like Marian.”
"Yes."
Unlike Marian, you will die in the place you fled to. I looked at him with a brazen expression, as if to ask what more he could ask for.
Kaiser turned his gaze to his own arm. His hand was severed, and he was burned all over. Following Prince Cain would be of no use. Instead, it would be like walking into a pit of fire with him.
"...Good."
Kaiser calmly gave his consent.
"I'm not satisfied with Marian. I need a safer, more luxurious escape."
“You prepare the money yourself.”
Anyway, he won't be able to take a single penny with him to the afterlife.
Kaiser, who accepted my words as consent, finally opened his mouth.
"There's something Prince Cain is working on to trap the Crown Prince. I'll expedite it."
“So that the truth can be clearly revealed.”
“You’re smart.”
I smiled, took a stance as if I were pulling out a sword, and then tapped his cheek with the blade. Kaiser, who had been laughing along with me, froze in place.
“Don’t act like you’re superior to me, like you're smart or something.”
I once again placed the knife close to Kaiser's neck. This time, a trickle of blood trickled down the neckline. Kaiser shuddered and nodded his understanding.
"I'll be clear: I can enter this mansion at any time, without anyone knowing. It's also incredibly easy to kill you while you sleep, do you understand?"
“Oh, I see. Keep that in mind.”
"Good."
I grabbed Kaiser's hair and pushed him away. I wiped the knife on the blanket and slowly got up.
“I’ll finish the work within this week.”
I left the Marquis's residence, leaving behind Kaiser, who was still lying on the bed, unable to move.
I stopped the carriage that was speeding through the darkness and boarded it. On the way back to the hotel, I looked out the window and saw a white building in the distance. Its appearance felt familiar, so I watched it until it disappeared from view. Then I realized it was the temple of the goddess.
How could I have forgotten?
That was the place where my previous life met its death.
Before the sun had even risen, I knocked on the small room door to wake Sarah. Sarah opened the door, her face shiny and shiny, as if she'd enjoyed a night of abundance. She stared blankly at me, then jerked in surprise, not knowing what to do.
“Oh my, I think I slept too late. I’m sorry, ma’am!”
“It’s okay. I came early.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. I have somewhere to go, so could you get ready for me?”
“Where are you going?”
“Come to the temple...”
In my past life, I didn't particularly worship a goddess. But she was the only one who could have brought me back to life. So, I felt it was only right to pay my respects at her shrine.
Sarah tilted her head as she arranged the jewelry she was going to adorn myself with.
“I heard that His Highness the Grand Duke also visits the temple often.”
Those words brought back memories of meeting Julian at the goddess's temple. Julian had helped me, even though I trusted no one and could not be saved by anyone. Contrary to his appearance, he was a kindhearted man, and it was clear he couldn't ignore my wailing.
Judging by the fact that the priest wasn't particularly surprised by Julian's arrival, it was clear that Julian had been there often.
"So?"
I responded calmly as if it were the first time I was hearing this story.
“He seems to be very religious.”
"That might be true. Could you please prepare a veil for me? I'm going to a crowded place, so I don't want to attract attention."
“Oh, I talked too much. I’ll hurry.”
Sarah moved her hands quickly.
Since we were going to the temple of the goddess, a simple dress seemed appropriate. I chose a navy blue dress and a veil with a simple pattern. Sarah, too, wore a neat maid's attire and brought a parasol to cover me.
Unlike yesterday, I was out as a lady, so I used the Duchzan family's carriage that brought me here.
Sarah kept muttering, "Is the capital funny?" She suddenly started to apologize, startled. Unlike Anna, who was always sly, she had a cute side, so I just laughed.
Listening to Sarah's cautious chatter, it didn't take long to reach the temple. As I stepped out of the carriage, Sarah opened her parasol and tilted it towards me. I smiled, expressing my gratitude. Sarah blushed and lifted her parasol more intently.
I gazed up at the pristine white building, my mind wandering. Could there really be a goddess here? If so, why did she revive me?
As I took a step forward, a priest approached me and stopped me.
“Madam, you cannot go in now.”
Instead of scolding Sarah, I gave her a small room. Since it was usually a room fit for the children of nobles, Sarah was so touched she didn't know what to do.
“Madam, can I really use such a nice room?”
“But it’s a secret from the other kids.”
“Yes, yes! Of course!”
“I came here for a change of pace, so I’d like to be alone today. Is that okay?”
Sarah nodded, her spirits piqued. I was glad I'd chosen a young maid. A more mature maid might have already noticed something.
While Sarah was enjoying some alone time in her small room, I changed into the men's clothes I had prepared and left the hotel.
I boarded a carriage stationed near the hotel and headed toward the Marquis of Amber's residence. I was worried about whether things would go as planned, but at the same time, my hands were trembling with the thought of meeting Kaiser.
After paying the groom, I looked up at the Marquis of Amber's mansion. Even though it wasn't the main gate, it felt all too familiar to me. I was the landlady of this place, and I paid attention to every brick in the fence, every blade of grass in the garden.
For me, sneaking into the Marquis's residence was a breeze. By this time, I even remembered the exact layout of the guards inside the Marquis's residence. It was I who had discovered the security loophole and suggested it be fixed.
Until then, Kaiser had been acting like a good husband to me, and my proposal was so good that he readily agreed.
Of course, later on, he criticized me, saying, "That woman is trying to take over even her husband's role."
I decided to put my depressing thoughts aside. The important thing was that, based on that experience, I could now easily sneak into Kaiser's mansion. I walked through the hallway, blindfolded, without encountering anyone until I reached Kaiser's bedroom.
“No one called you. What’s going on?”
Hearing the sound, Kaiser spoke from his bed. I approached him slowly. Just before he raised his head, I placed the knife against his neck. The blade rested sharply on the burn I had made.
“Kaiser, your wounds have healed a lot.”
At my warm greeting, Kaiser gasped for breath. Just looking at my face seemed to bring back memories of the horrific experience in the basement. I smiled, feeling immensely satisfied.
“Again, again, again...”
“That’s right. It’s me again.”
"Oh, you crazy woman. What the hell are you doing here? I told you I don't know anything!"
At those words, I thrust the blade deeper and struck fiercely.
"That's nonsense. I know how much you do for Prince Cain."
"Hey..."
Kaiser began to try to persuade me in a trembling voice.
"I don't know why you're doing this, but I know it's not simply because you hate me. If you did, you'd have killed me already."
“You are smart.”
“Yes, tell me what you want!”
Kaiser shouted urgently. His voice sounded like metal scraping the floor, as if he were gripped by fear.
“Don’t scream. If someone comes and takes me away, I’ll kill you and go.”
I whispered ominously, and Kaiser nodded quietly, as if he understood. I nodded back, relaxing my grip just a little. When you're too scared, threats don't work.
"I don't care about you. We have a common enemy, don't we? You must have felt betrayed by Prince Cain, too."
At my words, Kaiser's eyes lit up with anger. It wasn't anger toward me. It was anger toward Prince Cain, to whom he had always been loyal.
He had never betrayed Prince Cain. Even if he wasn't completely loyal, he felt they were on the same boat. However, Prince Cain, swayed by trivial rumors, treated Kaiser with contempt.
“What exactly do you want to do and how?”
Kaizak's demeanor had changed. Where before he had been filled with fear of the intruder, now he was calculating and cooperative. He still displayed a keen wariness toward the knife at his throat, but he showed no signs of resistance.
I lied calmly.
"I want to eliminate any discord that might arise as the Crown Prince ascends to the throne. It's only natural that I want to eliminate Prince Cain."
“The Count of Winsley must have been loyal only to the Emperor for generations.”
“I think that kind of thing is boring.”
Kaiser didn't doubt my words too much. His thoughts lacked the kind of beliefs passed down through generations. In fact, he accepted my existence with even greater realism.
When Kaiser showed signs of wavering at my words, I continued with a more important topic.
"I need Prince Cain's weakness. A weakness so critical that even the Emperor can't shield it."
“...Prince Cain has Princess Abigail. Prince Cain may not know it, but Princess Abigail is clever. It’s not that easy.”
As I tried to tighten my grip on the sword, Kaiser raised both arms over his shoulders in a gesture of surrender.
"It's not that there's no way. Prince Cain has been trying to control all the families that have been loyal to the Emperor for generations. That requires enormous funds, and those funds are from taxes embezzled from various sources."
“Are you talking about cases like the funds Sasha had to send to the Glarry slums?”
At my words, Kaiser laughed in vain as if it were meaningless.
“You knew that much.”
“If you thought your sins would be buried forever, you were mistaken.”
Kaiser didn't hesitate long. It was the kind of action expected of someone quick-witted and self-interested.
“What do I get out of helping you?”
“I will help you escape safely.”
“Like Marian.”
"Yes."
Unlike Marian, you will die in the place you fled to. I looked at him with a brazen expression, as if to ask what more he could ask for.
Kaiser turned his gaze to his own arm. His hand was severed, and he was burned all over. Following Prince Cain would be of no use. Instead, it would be like walking into a pit of fire with him.
"...Good."
Kaiser calmly gave his consent.
"I'm not satisfied with Marian. I need a safer, more luxurious escape."
“You prepare the money yourself.”
Anyway, he won't be able to take a single penny with him to the afterlife.
Kaiser, who accepted my words as consent, finally opened his mouth.
"There's something Prince Cain is working on to trap the Crown Prince. I'll expedite it."
“So that the truth can be clearly revealed.”
“You’re smart.”
I smiled, took a stance as if I were pulling out a sword, and then tapped his cheek with the blade. Kaiser, who had been laughing along with me, froze in place.
“Don’t act like you’re superior to me, like you're smart or something.”
I once again placed the knife close to Kaiser's neck. This time, a trickle of blood trickled down the neckline. Kaiser shuddered and nodded his understanding.
"I'll be clear: I can enter this mansion at any time, without anyone knowing. It's also incredibly easy to kill you while you sleep, do you understand?"
“Oh, I see. Keep that in mind.”
"Good."
I grabbed Kaiser's hair and pushed him away. I wiped the knife on the blanket and slowly got up.
“I’ll finish the work within this week.”
I left the Marquis's residence, leaving behind Kaiser, who was still lying on the bed, unable to move.
I stopped the carriage that was speeding through the darkness and boarded it. On the way back to the hotel, I looked out the window and saw a white building in the distance. Its appearance felt familiar, so I watched it until it disappeared from view. Then I realized it was the temple of the goddess.
How could I have forgotten?
That was the place where my previous life met its death.
***
Before the sun had even risen, I knocked on the small room door to wake Sarah. Sarah opened the door, her face shiny and shiny, as if she'd enjoyed a night of abundance. She stared blankly at me, then jerked in surprise, not knowing what to do.
“Oh my, I think I slept too late. I’m sorry, ma’am!”
“It’s okay. I came early.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. I have somewhere to go, so could you get ready for me?”
“Where are you going?”
“Come to the temple...”
In my past life, I didn't particularly worship a goddess. But she was the only one who could have brought me back to life. So, I felt it was only right to pay my respects at her shrine.
Sarah tilted her head as she arranged the jewelry she was going to adorn myself with.
“I heard that His Highness the Grand Duke also visits the temple often.”
Those words brought back memories of meeting Julian at the goddess's temple. Julian had helped me, even though I trusted no one and could not be saved by anyone. Contrary to his appearance, he was a kindhearted man, and it was clear he couldn't ignore my wailing.
Judging by the fact that the priest wasn't particularly surprised by Julian's arrival, it was clear that Julian had been there often.
"So?"
I responded calmly as if it were the first time I was hearing this story.
“He seems to be very religious.”
"That might be true. Could you please prepare a veil for me? I'm going to a crowded place, so I don't want to attract attention."
“Oh, I talked too much. I’ll hurry.”
Sarah moved her hands quickly.
Since we were going to the temple of the goddess, a simple dress seemed appropriate. I chose a navy blue dress and a veil with a simple pattern. Sarah, too, wore a neat maid's attire and brought a parasol to cover me.
Unlike yesterday, I was out as a lady, so I used the Duchzan family's carriage that brought me here.
Sarah kept muttering, "Is the capital funny?" She suddenly started to apologize, startled. Unlike Anna, who was always sly, she had a cute side, so I just laughed.
Listening to Sarah's cautious chatter, it didn't take long to reach the temple. As I stepped out of the carriage, Sarah opened her parasol and tilted it towards me. I smiled, expressing my gratitude. Sarah blushed and lifted her parasol more intently.
I gazed up at the pristine white building, my mind wandering. Could there really be a goddess here? If so, why did she revive me?
As I took a step forward, a priest approached me and stopped me.
“Madam, you cannot go in now.”
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