It was only after being threatened by the 2nd Prince for a long time that I could leave Floria’s room.

“I’m not even going because I want to, but my ears are killing me.”

After hearing endless curses, it feels like my ears are about to bleed.

I recalled Floria twisting her lips amusedly at the 2nd Prince’s words that he couldn’t guarantee what the brutal 1st Prince would do to me.

She had an expression that said it would be fine if I died by the 1st Prince’s hand.

‘No, why did the 1st Prince’s palace accept the paperwork in the first place?’

There weren’t many palace people who wanted to transfer to the 1st Prince’s palace, but even on the rare occasions when his admirers applied, I heard that it was extremely rare for the paperwork itself to be accepted.

It seemed to be due to the 1st Prince’s closed-off personality. So I heard they always struggled with a shortage of palace staff, which is why I secretly hoped my paperwork would be rejected too.

‘Is it because I’m Floria’s elder sister after all?’

Well, I guess my position does pique curiosity.

“This won’t do. I need to go to the annex right away.”

The only way to avoid the madman and the pervert is to find the fairy’s source!

Just as I was hurrying my steps, determined to dig up even the soil of the annex if needed, that’s when it happened.

“Reneola Violet!”

When I turned my head at someone calling, a maid said with an annoyed expression.

“The lady’s maids are calling for you. Come to the side room.”

After finishing her words, I let out a long sigh as I watched the maid’s retreating back.

Damn, I just got tormented by the 2nd Prince until now.

“What are they trying to pick on now.”

I shook my head as I moved my feet.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and wash.”

When I just stood there quietly watching, Eileen tapped her foot with a triumphant expression.

It was an incredibly childish act, but sometimes childishness seems to work.

Today especially, kneeling before her felt like an affront to my pride. But what could I do? It was better to get it over with quickly and go to the annex.

I knelt down in front of Eileen. As I rolled up my sleeves, Eileen giggled with a superior look.

“I’ve been wearing shoes all day and I’m tired. My feet seem swollen too. Wash them clean for me.”

After our terrible first meeting, the lady’s maids often tormented me by picking on ridiculous things.

Thanks to Floria’s request to get along well, they didn’t openly mistreat me, but they would occasionally call me over and harass me.

The reason they act so brazenly is because they’ve noticed I don’t tattle to Floria.

I only went along with it because I didn’t want to run into Floria if I could help it, but now I felt belated regret, thinking I should have tattled spitefully in front of the lady’s maids at least once.

“Are you not going to do it?”

“I will.”

After replying shortly, I unhesitatingly grabbed Eileen’s foot and put it in the basin.

“Eek!”

Eileen let out an exaggerated scream and lifted her foot. Because of that, water from the basin splashed up to my face. Damn it.

As I frowned, Eileen got irritated.

“It’s hot! Are you trying to boil me alive?”

Hot my ass. It’s lukewarm, you know? But arguing would only prolong my time with them.

“Should I fetch it again?”

“Why are you stating the obvious? Go and bring it again quickly!”

Judging by her expression, she seemed intent on making me fetch it at least three or four more times. So this is why they called me to the side room with the distant washroom.

I swallowed a sigh as I stood up.

As expected, only after making me take 7 wasted trips did Eileen finally seem satisfied and entrust her feet to me.

Even so, she looked wary that I might try to pull something. They had reason to be cautious, since I hadn’t backed down in the past either.

‘I don’t know why they never tire of this when they never come out ahead.’

Once when Eileen told me to help with her bath and deliberately picked a fight, I pretended to make a mistake and made her snort water up her nose.

After that they didn’t order me to do such things, but it seemed they thought feet would be safe.

But today I was short on time too. Unlike usual, when I obediently washed her feet, Eileen who had been puzzled suddenly smiled as if she understood.

“I heard you’re going to the 1st Prince’s palace?”

“Lady Floria treated you so well, yet you betray her. This is why there’s no use in treating people nicely.”

Rena, who always got along well with Eileen, sneered.

“I didn’t like how you walked around with your head held high despite being a mere maid, but now that we won’t see you anymore, I feel so relieved. Don’t you agree, Rena?”

“But can she go just because she wants to? The 1st Prince’s palace has to accept her. I wonder if she might end up coming back here.”

“You have a point. And even if she does enter the 1st Prince’s palace, how long will she last? His Highness the 1st Prince wouldn’t leave such an impudent maid be.”

“That’s right. Did you hear the rumor about how the 1st Prince beheaded the chef who brought out carrots last time?”

“Oh my, really?”

What? Is that true?

I gasped in shock. To behead someone for such a reason. I clicked my tongue at the 1st Prince’s cruel nature.

And soon a sense of foreboding washed over me that this might become my fate. I made up my mind to carefully reread the information Cal gave me as soon as I returned to my room.

Thinking I needed to get to the annex quickly, I moved my hands busily.

Watching me, Eileen and Rena snickered. The two began listing off scary rumors related to the 1st Prince, as if for me to hear.

Their intention to scare me was obvious. If asked whether their intention worked, I’d like to say it worked very well.

Damn, I knew it but he really doesn’t seem like an ordinary madman.

‘How is there not a single sane person in this crazy novel?’

“Oh, by the way, did you hear about that?”

“About what?”

Eileen, who brought up the topic, glanced at me as she continued speaking.

“I heard Viscount Gavis Palong met robbers again.”

“Oh my. Again?”

“Yes. They say this time he was made unable to speak.”

“Oh my.”

“It seems His Highness the 2nd Prince had no choice but to dismiss him. I heard he’s locked up tight in his house and won’t take a single step outside. They say he seems half-mad from what I’ve heard.”

Rena, who had been listening with interest while covering her mouth, furrowed her brow.

“With the capital’s security being this lax, goodness, I don’t know how we can go about safely.”

“In my opinion, this is definitely an act of revenge. Otherwise, why would they specifically maim him like that?”

“Well, he did have many affairs with women, so there must have been many people holding grudges against him. Didn’t he even go on trial for sexual assault last time?”

“That’s right.”

Gavis Palong ended up like that?

It seems he received divine punishment for always speaking so crudely. And to think he even lost his position as the 2nd Prince’s secretary – it was welcome news to my ears. I felt utterly relieved, as if a 10-year-old lump in my chest had been cleared.

“Your lover met with misfortune, shouldn’t you go visit him?”

Eileen raised her eyebrows as if in pity. Rena let out a scornful laugh.

I had intended to endure as much as possible today, but being called Gavis Palong’s lover was something I simply couldn’t let slide.

I smiled brightly at Eileen, who had succeeded in grating on my nerves. Eileen flinched at my smile.

“You said you were tired, but your complexion looks quite bad. Let me loosen you up properly.”

“What?”

I firmly grasped Eileen’s foot and began applying pressure. It was an acupressure technique I learned as an elective in university, but I never thought it would come in handy like this.

When I deliberately sought out the painful spots and pressed hard, Eileen startled.

“Eek! Wh-what are you doing?! Let go!”

“This is a famous massage from the Eastern continent. It’s good for relieving fatigue.”

“Let go! I said let go! It hurts!”

Eileen struggled, but a noble lady who only ever lifted fans was no match for me. Rena was helpless as well.

“Oh my, it’s so stiff here. Your fatigue has built up!”

“It hurts! I said it hurts!”

“Ugh… I need to wash my hands first.”

Having been kicked out by Eileen, I left the side room with my hands held up in the air like a surgeon about to operate, feeling unpleasant. That’s when someone called out to me from behind.

“Reneola!”

When I turned around, Aisha was running towards me, holding up her dress.

“Think again about going to the 1st Prince’s palace. You must have heard earlier, but His Highness the 1st Prince is truly frightening. They say he’s extremely cruel and cold.”

Aisha spoke urgently while catching her breath.

“And be careful of the maids.”

“What do you mean?”

“Earlier, I saw Eileen ordering something to the maids. I’m not sure what it was about, but I heard your name so it must be about you.”

“Is that so?”

Looks like some more troublesome matters are coming up.

“Thanks for letting me know.”

I briefly greeted the hesitant Aisha and turned my back.

“I’m not a dog, what am I even doing.”

After digging up the annex garden all day, I dragged my completely exhausted body towards my room.

According to Matthias, among the various ways to identify a fairy’s source, the simplest and easiest method was to call out the owner’s name.

So I massaged my dry throat after calling out “Hesse”, the name of the first queen, hundreds of times while digging here and there.

“Ah, my throat hurts.”

Thinking I would fall asleep as soon as I lay on the bed, I opened the door to my room when a low voice came from behind.

“You’re out late.”