“It seems opinions are divided into two.”

Lady Merhin conveyed the mainstream opinion of high society.

“First is the negative opinion about Her Majesty the Empress. The responsibility for not preventing Prince Brayton from committing such serial killings, and complaints that no matter what crimes Prince Brayton committed, she should have taken the blame as his mother.”

They were drinking tea on the balcony on a sunny day, with light streaming in.

After adding sugar and stirring a couple times with a teaspoon, Lady Merhin continued speaking.

“There’s also positive opinion. Though it’s hard to understand…”

She spoke with a slightly grimacing expression.

“As you know, the sect of the state religion that Her Majesty the Empress believes in is the largest in Turessian. It was originally just a minor sect… but absorbed the nobles of the Second Prince’s faction. So they…”

Esika picked up a cookie and took a crisp bite.

The savory aroma wafted to the tip of her nose.

“They think the prince’s confinement is a kind of prophecy fulfillment. They believe what Prince Brayton, son of the prophetess empress, is going through is a kind of trial by the devil.”

Trial by the devil. A snicker of laughter escaped.

Seeing Esika like that, Lady Merhin put on a serious expression.

“It’s not a laughing matter. They are truly serious. Since I started working with Her Highness the Crown Princess, the key figures have been avoiding associating with me so I can’t dig deeper… but I hear talk going around about needing to kill the witch.”

“And that witch would be me.”

“Your Highness the Crown Princess…”

Lady Merhin looked at Esika with truly worried eyes.

But Esika merely unwrapped a candy with a relaxed expression.

And put the sweet thing in her mouth.

She was well aware of the remnants of the Empress’s faction through Duchess Hyzen’s notes.

There were those who pretended otherwise outwardly but were actually loyal to the Empress, and now even they would be made to show their faces toward the stake.

“I’ll prepare for a witch hunt soon.”

“You know. That’s why I’m saying this, but the upcoming hunting festival…”

“It will be a festival.”

Could a school of sardines be a match for a shark?

That gathering will become a kind of fishing ground.

The Empress’s first mistake was catching Esika’s eye, and her second mistake was thinking she could swallow her with her own size.

In her past life, she was only defeated like that because she was a slave to futile love.

“Don’t be afraid, Lady Merhin. Everything will be fine.”

Lady Merhin’s eyes wavered at Esika’s words.

“But it’s too dangerous…”

“Let’s talk about that later. Today I have someone special to introduce.”

Esika cut off the worried Lady Merhin’s words.

It was understandable that she was worried, not knowing everything about Esika, but at this rate it seemed she would keep clinging and asking her not to go to the hunting festival.

And there was also a guest she had brought briefly for today.

“…Please come in, Princess.”

At Esika’s words, Princess Astia entered, parting the curtains.

Lady Merhin, who had been sitting, hurriedly stood up and lowered her gaze.

The noble princess of Turessian, Princess Astia.

Known to have died in the war 20 years ago, but she had actually gone missing, and recently returned to the imperial palace.

And she was known to be the Empress’s person.

She had even contributed to the Crown Princess unjustly receiving orders for self-reflection.

“I am honored to meet Your Highness the noble Princess.”

Merhin greeted with a very tense expression, showing signs of bewilderment.

It was understandable, for if a person of the Empress was here, wouldn’t she have heard the conversation just now?

But the princess who quickly approached in front of Lady Merhin took her hands and made her raise her gaze.

“…”

Lady Merhin, meeting the princess’s eyes, blinked with wide eyes.

This was certainly… a face she had seen somewhere before. Where was it?

“It seems you don’t remember me. Well, even Alhemitz and Lady Palmania didn’t remember me. Perhaps because I was just an unremarkable maid with an unmemorable face.”

“Maid… you say maid? Ah, could it be?!”

Now Lady Merhin seemed to remember Princess Astia’s face.

“Back then when Her Highness the Crown Princess cheered on our love…”

Astia nodded with a bright smile.

Lady Merhin stared blankly at her for a while as if she had been hit on the head.

Then she looked back and forth between her and Esika.

Now she seemed to understand what Esika had said once.

That a sister-in-law may not be a welcome presence, but it’s different if she’s on your side.

“Oh my…”

Lady Merhin raised her hand to cover her mouth.

She felt not just awe but even fear towards Esika.

Astia, who was thought to be the Empress’s person, was actually the Crown Princess’s person and had a deep connection.

Had she calculated and predicted even this would happen?

Moreover, wasn’t that even before Esika got divorced?

“I know what you’re thinking, but back then I didn’t know she would become my husband’s sister.”

Esika whispered in her ear as if guessing Lady Merhin’s thoughts.

Lady Merhin flinched.

“I heard that Lady Merhin supplied the milk for my child.”

Astia’s eyes wavered gratefully as she held Lady Merhin’s hands tightly.

At those words, Lady Merhin was a bit flustered before remembering something.

Esika had asked Lady Merhin if she could produce milk in a different way.

Although it was an odd method, they were able to produce powder as Esika said, and delivered it to someone.

It was a man from the Maroon Plains.

“Could it be that the baby drinking that milk was…”

“Yes, it was our baby. The doctor said the child had a congenital condition unable to digest certain components of breast milk and cow’s milk. He told the frightening story that if the child kept drinking milk, toxins would build up in the brain and organs, leading to death.”

Astia continued speaking, recalling the situation at the time.

“While pretending to feed the child the medicine from Her Majesty the Empress, I threw it away and only fed the milk supplied by Lady Merhin. The baby is growing healthier and is now big enough to eat normal food.”

“Oh my, that’s such a relief!”

Lady Merhin’s eyes sparkled at hearing that the milk she supplied had saved the princess’s baby.

Although she had to go through a complicated process to fulfill Esika’s order, hearing that the baby had become healthy made her feel like she had done well.

“It’s all thanks to Lady Merhin. I really wanted to thank you.”

“I’m the one who should be grateful for being of help to Your Highness the Princess!”

Esika listened to their conversation with the corners of her mouth raised.

In the magic world, for babies who can’t digest milk, they feed them ground boiled beans with added sugars and oils.

It was a method not yet developed here, as such symptoms in babies were rare in this place.

Princess Astia was shaken for a while by her child’s illness, but now she is fully her own person.

“And you seem to misunderstand, but I’m not the Empress’s person. It was all just part of the plan.”

Astia’s lips moved.

“There was poison mixed in the medicine the Empress recently sent for my baby, and I became even more unable to forgive her.”

Knowing that fact, Astia was grateful that she had sided with Esika.

“Oh my goodness! How can someone wearing the mask of a human do such a thing?”

Esika was calm even after hearing those words from the princess because it was within the range of her expectations.

The Empress only thought of killing Astia’s baby and divorcing her, to use her for a marriage to expand her own influence.

“I will return what I received.”

Astia’s eyes were shining darkly, filled with anger that had built up from that incident.

“Well, now that we’ve confirmed each other’s faces as allies.”

Esika, who had been observing their reunion with a relaxed expression, smiled brightly.

“Let’s plan our next move.”

Esika spoke looking at the princess.

“Your role will be very important this time too, Your Highness the Princess.”

**

Esika went to a weapon shop to prepare for tomorrow’s hunting festival.

Of course, she was in disguise. She couldn’t go wearing a flowing dress.

When Esika entered the weapon shop after a long time, the owner’s eyes widened in recognition.

“W-Welcome!”

When Esika had taken a sword before, she had shown her skills to some mercenaries.

The owner couldn’t help but be nervous, remembering that impressive scene.

“H-How have you been? Your complexion looks even bet-”

“I need a small throwing knife.”

“Yes? Yes!”

“And is simple engraving possible?”

Esika got straight to the point.

“By engraving, what do you mean?”

“Just carve a small groove along the blade of the dagger. In a way that gradually becomes shallower from the handle to the tip of the dagger. The visible groove should be shallow, you could even say it’s a dagger with holes.”

Esika raised her finger and drew the shape she envisioned on the owner’s desk.

“Ah, that much should be possible right away.”

The owner nodded readily at the simple engraving.

Of course, although simple, it required skill.

If the engraving went wrong even slightly, it might not be usable for its purpose, so thorough preparation was necessary.

While waiting for the engraving, Esika looked around at the items in the weapon shop.

“That’s new.”

She turned her head at the sudden words.

“I’ve seen many who shoot poison with crossbows.”

The young man, dressed as a traveling nobleman might, was looking at a sword in the display case.

He had bright blonde hair, blue-green eyes, and was a tall, handsome man.

And there was a crescent moon and small star-shaped tattoo on his neck.

“But a dagger… is interesting.”

Esika twitched her eyebrows.

The young man slowly turned his head to meet Esika’s eyes.

“You must be very skilled with swords, my lady.”

Though his smile was full of goodwill and admiration, Esika slightly furrowed her brow, feeling somehow uneasy.