“Raymond? You’ve returned now.”
According to the butler, he had left today for reconnaissance.
It seemed the news was true, as a strange wind clung to Raymond, who had just come back.
Both of their gazes turned toward the landscape painting.
Yerpi suddenly spoke while gazing at the enchanted forest in the picture.
“Do you know this place?”
“Yes.”
Yerpi looked at Raymond at his straightforward affirmative answer.
The man’s profile, as he admired the painting, was perfectly chiseled. She hadn’t expected that she could have such a natural conversation with him, especially given his intelligent demeanor.
‘Maybe I can find it faster than I thought?’
Someone who knew the place she’d only seen in dreams.
To her, who had been struggling to make sense of things, it sounded incredibly hopeful.
“Can I go there?”
Raymond’s eyes turned to Yerpi at the unexpected question.
His handsome face, flawless like a perfect sculpture, remained expressionless as ever. But unlike before, speaking with him didn’t feel burdensome.
“It’s impossible now.”
“…I see.”
Her hope was fleeting. Of course, it couldn’t have been easy from the start. Still, she had somehow allowed herself to hope, and her shoulders slumped slightly.
Seeing her disappointed expression, Raymond hastily added more words, flustered.
“There’s an issue there. I’m planning to resolve it soon.”
At that, her downcast eyes turned back toward Raymond.
Faced with that gaze shimmering with renewed hope, he could only ask.
“Do you want to go?”
“Yes.”
Unlike her usual vague replies, this answer was certain.
Confronted by her bright, shining eyes, Raymond blurted out an unplanned promise almost involuntarily.
“…Once things are settled, I’ll take you.”
“Really?”
Raymond was flustered by the look brimming with anticipation.
Even he, the one who made the promise, didn’t understand why he had said it.
But the flushed cheeks, the lips drawing a soft curve, and above all, the eyes gazing at him, filled with hope—
all combined into a radiant smile he simply didn’t want to see extinguished by disappointment.
Unable to endure it any longer, Raymond affirmed his promise.
“Yes.”
“Thank you. I’ll wait.”
Then an even brighter smile was directed at him.
Meeting Yerpi in the lobby had been purely accidental.
He had unknowingly approached her as she stood gazing at the painting hung beside the stairs and spoken first.
The chandelier’s light, the night-time lobby—every element of that spatial flow etched her into his memory.
They hadn’t even touched. So this wasn’t resonance.
As if sensing his spellbound gaze, Yerpi asked with concern.
“Your Grace?”
He snapped back to reality. Half-awake, as if emerging from a dream, he tried to continue the conversation, almost as if trying to deceive even himself.
“Do you have business there?”
It had been a question meant merely to divert attention.
He had no idea that the immediate reply would send his floating mood crashing to the ground.
“Yes. There’s someone I need to find.”
“…What?”
Raymond repeated, but Yerpi didn’t hear him. Her gaze had shifted back to the painting.
She simply thought unexpected luck had come her way.
The splendid forest scene seemed like a direct recreation of her dream.
There was no guarantee that going there would let her meet the Master of Spring, but merely knowing the location made the distant place appear infinitely beautiful.
‘Truly fortunate.’
She had constantly worried about where to begin searching. But now, finding herself in a position to receive Raymond’s help, all such worries vanished in an instant.
Yet as one problem began to resolve, another inevitably came to mind.
“There’s still no evidence proving Meidi is the issue.”
Though Meidi had revealed her true feelings to her earlier, without her dream of memories, Yerpi wouldn’t have been certain.
Meidi always spoke ambiguously, carefully wording things so she could extricate herself in any situation.
‘But will she believe me?’
Though perfect evidence was still lacking, her suspicion was overflowing.
The fact that he had just granted her request—could that mean he trusted her at least a little?
Was this wishful thinking? She worried, but she wanted to believe in the man beside her.
“Your Grace, there’s something I must tell you.”
Unaware that he was already deep in confusion.
***
Two more days had passed since Meidi visited Yerpi.
Though days seemed unchanged, tension circulated through the castle.
The month was nearly over. That meant the Duchess’s selection of maids was drawing near.
Yerpi was having afternoon tea in her chamber.
Recently, most of her service was handled by Pepe.
Among the maids, it was already taken for granted that Pepe would be chosen as one of the attendants.
No one dared treat Pepe carelessly anymore, and some even began trying to win her favor.
With the selection approaching.
Pepe had brought what she had been asked for.
“I’ve compiled the list.”
It included women associated with seasons other than spring—those Yerpi had subtly kept in mind.
Reviewing the list, Yerpi praised Pepe.
“Indeed, you have good judgment.”
“No, not at all, Your Grace.”
She denied it, as if praise were unfamiliar, yet clearly pleased.
As Yerpi flipped through the list, she stopped at the very last page.
“Isn’t this girl one who bullied you before?”
A particularly tall, pale-faced maid from the group that surrounded Pepe stood out in memory.
Pepe, who brought the list, did not deny it.
“She was part of that group, but she’s not a bad person by nature.”
Pepe had two reasons for selecting her.
First, because she came from the land of winter and immediately respected laws and hierarchy, thus would obey the commands of Your Grace. Second, because of her uniquely gentle disposition.
“Not long ago, I saw her heal a bird that had fallen from a tree and release it back into nature.”
In a hierarchical society, she might seem cold, but her personal character was not bad.
After pondering Pepe’s words, Yerpi finally nodded.
“I see. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Though Pepe had selected the list, ultimately it was Yerpi who would choose the maids.
Her deliberation didn’t take long.
‘This one and this one will do.’
After selecting three names from the list, Yerpi called Pepe.
“Please summon the butler. And in one hour, gather all the maids in the lobby.”
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
Pepe then left the chamber and soon returned with the butler.
While the two exchanged brief words, Pepe completed gathering the maids.
“Everyone is gathered in the lobby.”
“Good. You’ve done well.”
“Yes. I’ll go wait there as well.”
Watching the retreating maid, Yerpi rose from her seat. Soon, the butler, who had just conferred with her, followed behind.
“Is everything alright as planned?”
“Yes. They’re the ones I liked most.”
“From what I’ve observed, their backgrounds and characters are excellent. Then I’ll proceed.”
The butler seemed pleased that Yerpi had chosen them.
Yerpi and the butler arrived at the lobby. Standing atop the descending staircase, Yerpi looked down at the maids.
“We greet Your Grace.”
As the maids bowed in unison, a small ripple ran through the rows of aprons.
Among the group was Meidi.
Yerpi soon spoke, observing them.
“I will now announce the names of the maids. First, Pepe Edgar.”
At the sound of Pepe’s name, the maids stirred.
Pepe, whose father was a criminal and who had previously been unable to even speak of the castle, was now selected as a maid, restoring her family’s honor.
Pepe, covering her mouth, teared up.
Soon composing herself with a firm expression, she swore loyalty before Yerpi.
“I shall serve Your Grace with utmost devotion.”
Three more maids were called after Pepe.
Among them, some looked surprised, as if they never expected to be chosen, while others appeared indifferent.
But Meidi’s name was not among them.
While the selected maids received congratulations from the others, Meidi alone stood apart.
Her blank, dazed expression quickly twisted into something fierce.
Though she tried not to show it and turned to leave, Yerpi watched her every step until the end.
The place that maid headed toward was not the young master’s room, but the basement storage of that building.
Her footsteps down the damp stairs grew increasingly violent. Unable to contain her anger, Meidi kicked the crumbling corner of the wall.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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