“As I mentioned before, you don’t need to worry about that happening.”

“You seem quite confident. May I ask what’s the basis for your claim?”

“Of course. I’ll gladly answer. The prince fell in love with Lady Evelyn at first sight, and he sincerely loves her. Even after seeing the much more beautiful Princess Ella, he only had eyes for her. He probably wouldn’t even blush if he saw me again.”

“…So how can you be so sure about that?”

“And even if he did take an interest in me, it doesn’t matter. Anyway, it could be used as a pretext to prevent the royal marriage with the princess. Most importantly, I have no feelings for him whatsoever. I’m the type of person who needs a lot of time to develop feelings for someone.”

I cut off his attempt to refute and looked him straight in the eyes as I spoke. The duke’s sharp eyes widened slightly as he looked at me. He stared into my eyes for a moment, then let out a small laugh like a deflating balloon and muttered softly.

“…Someone who needs a lot of time to develop feelings for someone, huh.”

The duke rubbed his mouth with his hand. I frowned at his puzzling words and actions. Then, the duke, his face returning to an expressionless state, said to me.

“Hearing your words, I understand now. I’m sorry. I guess I got anxious thinking Prince Justin might mess things up.”

“…I appreciate your honest apology. But please don’t do this again. You should keep your promise to trust me and act accordingly.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry. My thinking was short-sighted.”

The duke apologized to me again. I forgave him seeing his demeanor. At that moment, Princess Ella cleared her throat softly and said to us.

“I appreciate both of you working hard for my sake, but why don’t you stop the argument here? It’s embarrassing to watch.”

“We apologize, Your Highness.”

“…I’m sorry.”

At those words, the duke and I apologized to the princess in turn. The princess patted our shoulders as if to say it was alright and said.

“Good. Now I need to fill my stomach in preparation for the commotion that will occur in the evening. Lady Yusten, do you like sweet desserts?”

“…Yes, I do.”

“That’s good. I had them prepare a pie topped with lots of sugar-preserved cherries and honeycomb pieces for you. …Countess. Bring that over here.”

Having heard my answer, the princess turned to Countess Jelut and spoke. Soon, the countess brought over a tray with desserts. The princess and the duke gave up their share of the pie to me. During that tea time, I had to eat all the pie while conversing with the two of them.

About two hours later.

As the red sunset light seeped through the window of the princess’s reception room, Princess Ella stood up. The princess turned to me, the duke, and Countess Jelut and said.

“Well, I should go meet Prince Justin at the annex now. I’ll bring the prince to the garden where this reception room is clearly visible in about 20 minutes, so move according to the plan. …Elliot, follow me.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

With those final words, the princess and the duke left the reception room. I turned to Countess Jelut and said.

“I’m sorry for making you play the villain, Countess. I feel a bit sorry for Lady Evelyn too.”

“You have nothing to be sorry for, Lady Yusten. …I would have disciplined that child myself for daring to enjoy a secret meeting with someone who might become my master’s fiancé, even if Her Highness and you had tried to stop me.”

“Thank you for saying that. …Well then, I’ll be counting on you.”

I greeted her and went to the room next to the reception room. As the princess had instructed during the tea time earlier, I pushed slightly on the part where the wallpaper was misaligned, revealing a small gap through which I could peek into the reception room. I placed a chair in front of it and sat down.

Knock knock.

“Head Maid, I’ve brought Evelyn as you ordered.”

A few minutes later, there was a knock followed by a maid’s voice. The countess replied in a cold voice.

“Tell her to come in.”

Then Evelyn entered the reception room. She curtsied slightly to the countess, holding the ends of her old gray dress in both hands.

“You called for me, Head Maid?”

The countess glared at her with a cold gaze and said.

“This morning, someone told me an unbelievable story about you.”

“…Pardon? What kind of story?”

“They said they saw you having a secret meeting with Prince Justin of the Lasca Empire on the outskirts of the castle. Is that true?”

At those words, Evelyn’s face turned pale blue. The countess let out a mocking laugh and said.

“Looking at your face, I don’t even need to hear your answer.”

“He-Head Maid…”

“How could you do such an outrageous thing! How dare you secretly meet with someone who might become Her Highness’s fiancé behind her back! Have you gone mad to do such a thing! Were you planning to continue deceiving Her Highness like this and continue your secret meetings with the prince? How terrible! After all the grace Her Highness has shown you until now!”

The countess raised her voice increasingly and fiercely berated her. Evelyn trembled in terror. Then she knelt down and said in a sobbing voice.

“Pl-please forgive me, Head Maid! I never had any intention of deceiving Her Highness. …It’s true that I dared to have feelings for the prince, but I was planning to leave the capital once his engagement to Her Highness was decided! It’s true!”

“Don’t say such nonsense! Do you think I don’t know your black intentions? You were planning to keep your mouth shut if I hadn’t found out about this and confronted you, weren’t you? And you would have put your name on the list of maids accompanying Her Highness when she goes to the Lasca Empire! Because once you go to the Lasca Empire, you could enjoy secret meetings with the prince to your heart’s content without worrying about others’ eyes! Am I wrong?”

“N-no! I’ve never had such thoughts! Please believe me!”

The countess coldly shook off Evelyn, who was clinging to her while sobbing. Then she glared at her as if looking at something disgusting and said.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t believe a single word you say.”

“…He-Head Maid.”

“I must inform His Majesty about this immediately.”

“Th-that! You can’t! Please forgive me!”

“…You shouldn’t be asking me for forgiveness. And it’s already too late. Repent and repent again for your foolish act until your last breath on the gallows for daring to deceive the royal family.”

Evelyn’s face turned ashen upon hearing those words. She staggered as if about to faint at any moment. It was then.

“Stop this at once!”

Prince Justin burst open the reception room door and entered. He blocked Evelyn, who was sobbing, and said to the countess.

“Evelyn has done nothing wrong. All the fault lies with me for falling in love with her. So if anyone should be punished, it should be me, not her.”

“…Y-Your Highness.”

“If you must send her to the gallows, then hang me instead. After all, no one would miss a useless child of the former empress who lost the fight for the throne if I were to die.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened at his following words. She shook her tear-stained face vigorously and pleaded.

“No, it’s my fault. This happened because I dared to have feelings beyond my station! So please, Head Maid, don’t report this to His Majesty! I’ll just close my heart and disappear!”

Countess Jelut looked at the two with a cold gaze and said sarcastically.

“After deceiving Her Highness like this behind her back, now that you’ve been caught by me, you say you’ll take punishment or that you’ll sort out your feelings and leave… In this situation, the pleas of Your Highness and Evelyn don’t sound very convincing.”

“Th-that’s…”

“…Head Maid.”

“Shouldn’t you apologize to our Princess Ella, who will be deeply hurt when she learns of this, before asking me for mercy? And also about how you plan to soothe her wounded heart?”

Hesitating at her sharp rebuke, Prince Justin responded with a gloomy face.

“…I know. I intend to formally apologize to the princess and make amends in whatever way I can.”

“Oh, really? Even if Her Highness demands Evelyn’s life?”

Countess Jelut said with a sharp attitude. Prince Justin, his face turning dark, silently lowered his gaze. A heavy silence fell, making it difficult to even take a breath easily.

“That’s enough, Countess.”

“…!”

At that moment, Princess Ella entered the reception room with Duke Haven.

The princess glanced at Evelyn and Duke Haven, then spoke to Countess Jelut.

“Countess, I appreciate your concern for me, but your attitude just now was not appropriate to show to a prince of another country.”

“…Your Highness, but!”

“I know what you want to say. I’ll take over from here, so don’t add any more words.”

After soothing the countess, Princess Ella stood in front of Evelyn with a dignified attitude. Then she looked down at her with a cold gaze and opened her mouth.

“I’ve heard the situation, Evelyn. You say you have feelings for the prince. It seems you even had secret meetings behind my back. Well. It must have been quite enjoyable to whisper words of love with such a wonderful prince while avoiding my eyes.”