As a woman chosen by the gods, she seemed to have seized all the good fortune.

But jealousy was short-lived.

If I stayed by Elizabeth’s side, a bright future would unfold before me as well.

I found myself humming a tune.

At that moment, a black shadow covered Nisa.

“Ugh!”

A rough towel blocked Nisa’s nose and mouth.

Struggling was futile.

A pungent taste penetrated her mouth.

The prickly scent of flowers, the rancid smell of eggs, and the lingering fragrance of musk hit her nose.

It was an odor that couldn’t be distinguished as either foul or fragrant.

‘What is this? Who is it? Why are they doing this to me?’

Whether due to the smell or fear, her stomach churned.

Due to the throbbing headache, even standing was difficult.

As if the business was finished, the black shadow roughly pushed Nisa.

“Cough, cough!”

Rolling on the ground, Nisa coughed violently.

From behind, a voice that felt chillingly familiar.

“Long time no see, Nisa.”

Nisa opened her eyes.

Cold sweat ran down her spine.

Even if the red hair was dyed dark.
“Even if she were as thin as a dragonfly larva, Nisa could recognize her. Even dressed in the attire of a lower-ranking maid, Nisa, with trembling lips, faced Rose’s mockery. ‘Why are you so surprised? Did you see a ghost?’ ‘Ro-Rose Mama…?!’ ‘Do I still look like Mama to you? All thanks to you and Elizabeth.’ Rose screamed nervously, tearing at the front of her maid uniform. In her eyes, a mix of shame and madness bundled up. Only then did Nisa realize that what she had ingested wasn’t just ordinary perfume. ‘What did you do to me?’ Rose laughed appreciatively, as if thanking her. An old towel dropped in front of Nisa. From the worn towel with murky stains, a sinister smell emanated. ‘You’ve just absorbed the afterlife flower seed.’ ‘Stop lying. The afterlife flower is gone!’ ‘If you don’t believe it, go back and check your body. There should be red petal-shaped spots somewhere!’ Rose threw back her head, laughing loudly. It was the same as when she used to torment others during the days of Hwangbi. ‘I’ve contracted that wretched plague?’ ‘You smelled the oil from the seed and touched it on your skin!’ ‘That can’t be…!’ ‘Knowing you could betray your master and still be fine? You’re a traitor, even if I tear your limbs apart!’ Rose wanted to believe that Rose’s words were all bluff, but her instincts were sending danger signals. Nisa’s eyes blurred with tears. Rose sneered as if bestowing great favor. ‘If you come back under me, I’ll give you the antidote.’ ‘The afterlife flower is an incurable disease until death, isn’t it?’ ‘If you don’t want to believe it, then leave. I’ll go check.’ Rose turned away coldly, but Nisa called out to her. ‘Wait!’ ‘Soon, red spots will appear all over your body. You’ll start coughing while emitting a foul odor. No one will take care of you until you die!’ ‘Rose Mama…!’ ‘If you listen well, I’ll let you live. Elizabeth must die, but.’ ‘Are you telling me to harm Elizabeth?’ Rose’s twisted smile widened, and she pulled a dagger about a hand’s length from her bosom. ‘It’s a knife dipped in assassin’s poison. Use it to stab Elizabeth’s throat.’ ‘It’s impossible! Elizabeth is often with Her Majesty and the Crown Prince. Guards are stationed everywhere!’ ‘That’s unfortunate. Wait for the day you vomit blood and die, Nisa.’ Rose’s sharp voice descended like a guillotine. Nisa, whose future seemed to be paved with flowers, crumbled all at once. Nisa crawled on her knees, seizing the dagger.”
“You just absorbed the afterlife flower seed.”

“Lies, the afterlife flower disappeared!”

“If you can’t believe it, go back and examine your body. Somewhere, there should be red petal-shaped spots!”

Rose tilted her head back and laughed loudly.

It was just like the time of Hwangbi when she genuinely delighted in tormenting others.

“I contracted that wretched plague?”

“You smelled the oil from the seed and touched it on your skin!”

“This can’t be…!”

“Betraying the owner and still appearing well? You, the ungrateful traitor!”

Rose’s words wanted to be believed as mere bluster, but instinct sent danger signals.

Nisa’s eyes became blurred with tears.

Rose chuckled as if bestowing great favor.

“If you come back under me, I’ll give you the antidote.”

“The afterlife flower is an incurable disease until death, isn’t it?”

“If you don’t want to believe it, then leave. I’ll go check.”

Coldly turning her back, Rose was summoned by Nisa.

“Wait!”

“Red spots will soon appear all over your body. Emitting a foul odor, you’ll start coughing. No one will take care of you until you die!”

“Rose Mama…!”

“If you listen well, I’ll let you live. Elizabeth must die, but…”

“Are you telling me to harm Elizabeth?”

Rose’s twisted smile widened, and she pulled out a dagger about a hand’s length from her bosom.

“It’s a knife dipped in assassin’s poison. Use it to stab Elizabeth’s throat.”

“It’s impossible! Elizabeth is often with Her Majesty and the Crown Prince. Guards are stationed everywhere!”

“That’s unfortunate. Wait for the day you vomit blood and die, Nisa.”

Rose’s sharp voice descended like a guillotine. Nisa, whose future seemed to be paved with flowers, crumbled all at once. Nisa crawled on her knees, seizing the dagger.

Although she arrived at the laundry room, Nisa was nowhere to be seen.

It was Nisa who suggested going back together because it was dangerous.

“Did she arrive late and went in first?”

From the concubine’s quarters to the canary room wasn’t a long distance.

Nisa tried to change into the clothes she brought, but it seemed fine even in the attire of a lower-ranking maid.

It was better than standing out by limping.

But it was terribly annoying for a lower-ranking maid to stroll around the royal palace.

“Hey, maid! Why are you standing stiffly with your head high when the knight is passing by?”

It wasn’t a scolding from a knight, but from a servant.

She was startled and quickly lowered her head.

Such incidents repeated several times.

Not only nobles and officials but also maids had to stop and bow when passing by.

Some nobles even complained, asking why such a small girl was walking on the main road.

They advised her to only use the back alleys to avoid bothering the noble people.

“There’s no human rights here, right? What’s so great about your status!”

I also received greetings.

I never realized there would be such hardships for maids and servants.

In fact, I didn’t even realize that there were people who bowed and greeted when I passed by.
“I thought being a commoner meant persecution… What a completely arrogant idea.”

I didn’t want to meddle as if I had experienced and understood their lives for a moment.

It was far better to find something I could do and provide practical help a hundred times over.

Thinking about a few options, a familiar figure appeared in the distance.

A person with a head taller than others.

Broad shoulders and long arms and legs that stretched out widely.

A man with an overwhelming physique that couldn’t be ignored even if I didn’t want to see.

“Please pretend you don’t know, Your Majesty!”

I bowed my head to the ground.

The sound of footsteps gradually approached.

My heartbeat quickened along with it.

Nikolai, who stood tall in front of me, spoke.