Shana increasingly guarded against me, thinking I was stealing her role whenever I helped Floria. And now, as if taking revenge, she pulled back the topic I had barely managed to change.

“Ah, yes. First, elder sister’s marriage.”

Floria nodded.

“Rather than dragging it out and worsening rumors, it’s best to hold the wedding as soon as poss…”

“Your Highness!”

I shouted without realizing, interrupting Floria’s words.

“I’ve thought of a good way to change the First Prince’s heart!”

Floria slowly tilted her head.

“What kind of method?”

“W-well…”

My words suddenly stopped.

I had blurted it out desperately to avoid the talk of marriage to Gavis Palong, but how could I possibly change the First Prince’s heart? However, seeing Floria’s expression that looked ready to set the wedding date tomorrow if I didn’t answer, I racked my brain furiously.

‘Think, Reneola Violet! Put that silver tongue of yours to use!’

As I pursed my lips and rolled my eyes around, Shana let out a deflated laugh and leaned towards Floria.

“Your Highness, how could a mere maid change the First Prince’s heart? Perhaps you’re dissatisfied with the match His Highness has arranged…”

“Is that so, elder sister?”

“No! Sir Palong is too good for me. Although that part has been cut off… Anyway, how could I dislike someone Your Highness introduced with me in mind? Moreover, with such rumors, it’s only natural to get married. But what importance does my marriage have?”

My head spun as I tried to come up with some excuse.

“Right now, I think the priority is to change the First Prince’s heart and prevent his marriage to Princess Isola. In my opinion, how about attaching a trustworthy person to him?”

“You mean to plant a spy?”

“Yes! That’s it. Someone to approach the First Prince and leak information about him. And if we can drive a wedge between him and Princess Isola to thwart their marriage, wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone?”

“But I’ve heard that the First Prince, having been at war for so long, doesn’t trust people easily. Moreover, they say his temperament is unusually eccentric and cruel. Who would volunteer to go to him?”

“If Your Highness wishes it, who would refuse? If everyone is hesitant, I would gladly step forward…!”

Huh?

“What? You, elder sister?”

Ah?

“Are you saying you’ll go to the First Prince?”

It seems I’ve blurted out something I shouldn’t have in my frenzy.

Seeing Floria’s eyes sparkle as if she’d caught onto something, cold sweat ran down my back. I wanted to slap my lips that had carelessly let slip such words. But I couldn’t back out now, so I just raised my trembling lips.

“Of… course, for Your Highness, I could jump into a fire pit, let alone approach the First Prince. But wouldn’t he refuse to allow me near him, knowing I’m Your Highness’s elder sister?”

“No, that very point might work with the First Prince.”

Shana. Shana. Shana!

No matter how many times I may have stolen your chances to shine, how could you throw me to the wolves like this?

Regardless of my resentful glares, Shana began persuading Floria.

“The rumors about House Violet are known to everyone in the Hilic Kingdom. Surely the First Prince has heard them too. Even though Miss Reneola is now pretending to be loyal to Your Highness, who would truly believe she has become Your Highness’s person?”

“That’s not true! I truly regret my past actions and am giving my all to Your Highness. Please believe me, Your Highness!”

Don’t you remember all the excellent acting I’ve shown so far! I screamed internally.

“Then this is your chance to show that sincerity to Your Highness.”

Shana raised her head and looked down at me.

“Enter the First Prince’s palace and find out his weaknesses.”

Oh, damn it.

At this point, I couldn’t keep backing out. I glanced at Floria’s expression, and it seemed she shared Shana’s thoughts.

“I’m not keen on sending you to the notoriously cruel First Prince, but like Shana said, I think you might be the most suitable person, elder sister.”

“…Wouldn’t it be better to choose someone more beautiful than me? I think that would be better for gaining the First Prince’s favor.”

“Someone too beautiful would arouse suspicion. Rather, a face like Miss Reneola’s might lower their guard.”

…What do you mean by that?

“It’s a dangerous task and I’m worried, but you’re so clever that I believe you can handle it well.”

Floria took my hand and comforted me.

“…But I don’t even know how to approach the First Prince…”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ve heard the First Prince’s palace is always short on court ladies. There, you could comfortably be a lady-in-waiting instead of a maid.”

How could I be comfortable as the First Prince’s lady-in-waiting?

But just as she had stubbornly pushed for the marriage with Gavis Palong, it seemed the idea of sending me as a spy to the First Prince was now firmly set in Floria’s mind.

“I’ll try to somehow quash the rumors about Sir Palong.”

“Your Highness…”

“You’ll help me, won’t you, elder sister?”

Floria smiled, gently crinkling her eyes.

‘Damn it.’

Trying to avoid one crazy pervert, I ended up entangled with a sociopath.

I banged my forehead against the desk repeatedly. I cursed my quick-wittedness for blurting out the idea of planting a spy on the First Prince of all things.

‘Why would the First Prince’s palace always be short on court ladies? The reason is obvious!’

I might bid farewell to this world on my first day at the palace.

Recalling the First Prince’s ominous mask, I shuddered. He was surely aware that I was Floria’s elder sister. I had been anxious about when he might summon me, but now I was going to seek him out myself.

“It’s one thing after another. This is driving me crazy.”

Even mayflies don’t live such a fleeting life.

I cursed the heavens, wondering why I had to be reincarnated into this kind of novel and suffer like this, banging my forehead repeatedly. Just then, someone knocked on the door. It was Silvia.

Silvia’s eyes widened as soon as she saw my face.

“Oh my, why is your forehead so red?”

Then, as if guessing everything, she looked at me with pity. Silvia put down the book she was holding and grabbed my hands.

“No matter how hard it is, don’t hurt yourself. If you keep explaining earnestly, everyone will realize it’s just a baseless rumor. But who could have spread such malicious gossip? Linking Miss Reneola with a philanderer like Sir Palong… and now even an impotent man!”

Somehow, Silvia emphasized “impotent” as she ground her teeth at the anonymous someone who spread the rumor. After venting her anger for a while, she clenched her fist as if to encourage me.

“Anyway, don’t worry too much. Some people are already defending you!”

Unlike Silvia’s words, there was no way anyone would believe in me when my reputation had plummeted beyond rock bottom to the Earth’s core. But grateful for her attempts to cheer me up, I nodded obediently.

“Thank you, Silvia.”

But now, someone like Gavis Palong is no longer the problem. I might lose my head in an instant if I’m not careful.

Seeing my expression grow even more serious, Silvia patted me with an even more sympathetic look.

“By the way, what brings you here?”

“Ah!”

Silvia picked up the book she had put down. Curious, I looked at it as Silvia spoke with somewhat reddened cheeks, unable to meet my eyes.

“It’s the book you lent me before. I’m sorry for returning it so late.”

I took the book Silvia held out. Somehow, certain parts seemed particularly worn, so I examined it closely. Silvia spoke with an embarrassed expression, hesitating.

“I tried to keep it as clean as possible, but reading it multiple times inevitably…”

I don’t understand why she’s so embarrassed about reading something she enjoyed multiple times. I looked at Silvia’s red face quizzically and held the book out to her again.

“If you like it that much, do you want to keep it?”

“Ah, no! It’s alright.”

“You don’t have to decline.”

“Really, it’s fine. I’ve read it so much I’ve almost memorized… I mean, well… Anyway, I appreciate the thought.”

Despite her expression dripping with lingering attachment, Silvia persistently declined.

Wondering if this book was really that interesting, I was about to open the cover when Silvia, who had been glancing around the empty room, pressed close to me.

Then, like someone plotting something, she lowered her voice to a whisper.

“Um, by the way, Miss Reneola.”

“Yes?”

“Where did you get a book like this?”

“I received it from a bookstore.”

“Then, do you think there might be more books similar to this one?”

Silvia asked with sparkling eyes that contrasted with her hesitant gestures. Her desire to read other books was palpable to the point of being burdensome.

“There probably are.”

Since Matthias said there’s no book the Carrot Carrot Carrot Bookstore can’t obtain, I could probably order similar books. Seeing Silvia’s joy at my words, my troubled heart seemed to melt away.

‘Right, things have come to this anyway, so what’s the use in agonizing? It’s much better to use this time to come up with a plan.’

I should go to the Carrot Carrot Carrot Bookstore tomorrow to get what Silvia wants too.