Before I could come to my senses, I felt the cold, damp air clinging to my skin. A terrible yet familiar feeling crept up my spine. The moment I unconsciously opened my eyes, I saw Lady Esmaine’s eyes filled with hostility.

At that moment, Amy realized. Ah, this is a dream of my past life, from back then.

‘They say you’re a witch who has the Crown Prince wrapped around your finger?’

Lady Esmaine glared with piercing eyes.

‘You misunderstand.’

‘What misunderstanding? The Crown Prince himself said he was waiting for you.’

Amy grumbled under her breath.

‘What a fool, I told him not to say anything…’

‘What did you just say?’

Amy pretended not to hear and changed the subject.

‘It’s just a childhood crush. Haven’t you been meeting with His Highness more often lately?’

At Amy’s soothing tone, Lady Esmaine lifted her chin haughtily.

‘That’s right. And unless something unexpected happens, I will be the Crown Princess.’

‘Then why are you…’

‘You’re a nuisance. I have no intention of living in the same palace as a woman he fancies.’

Who knew Lady Esmaine’s cold words could be so welcome! Amy exclaimed joyfully.

‘I’ll gladly leave.’

‘Who said you’d be allowed to leave on your own?’

The lady sneered. With a wave of her hand, Amy’s feet were suddenly bound together. As Amy groaned, trying to endure the pain, a foolish goat-like voice was heard from behind.

‘Is this the one?’

‘Baron Dollion, what brings you here?’

Amy realized that Baron Dollion, Lady Esmaine’s younger brother and the future Duke of Esmaine, had come to the prison.

Baron Dollion was small and frail, with a persistent personality. Rumors were rife that he was so fascinated by strange ancient superstitions that he was poking holes in the ducal family’s fortune.

Moreover, he had secretly liked Amy since childhood and would always approach her and flirt at parties.

The moment he looked at Amy with a grinning face, his already battered-looking face crumpled even more.

‘Sister, it’s not her.’

‘What?’

‘This is the maid I told you about. The one who exchanged glances with me.’

Even amidst the terrible pain, Amy felt dizzy. Are you crazy? As if I’d exchange glances with you?

Lady Esmaine seemed to think the same, as she lightly dismissed her brother.

‘What are you talking about, you lunatic.’

Then, as is typical of someone with no ability but an excess of pride, Baron Dollion flew into a rage. Suddenly, a sibling quarrel broke out in front of Amy’s prison cell.

Meanwhile, Amy fell into deep contemplation.

She stood at a crossroads: should she compromise her conscience and claim to be the maid who exchanged glances with Baron Dollion, or should she maintain her integrity by denying it and forfeit her life?

But before she could make up her mind, their fight came to an end. Lady Esmaine seemed to have won. The moment Amy turned her eyes to the loser, seeing his face looking even more like a wild boar than usual, she made a belated choice.

It would be better to just forfeit her life.

Amy was the type of person who could forgive a man for being poor, but not for being ugly.

Lady Esmaine fanned herself gently and said,

‘The Crown Prince said this. That you toyed with his heart.’

‘!’

Amy cursed inwardly. That idiot who’s more than two and a half times as stupid as he should be, how dare he say such things?

‘I have never done anything to deserve such an outrageous statement.’

Determined to die with dignity, she responded with refinement. But her refinement was soon shattered. Because Lady Esmaine sneered and said the following:

‘You think I arranged this? The order came from Her Majesty the Empress, but with the Crown Prince’s tacit approval. He said he would punish you.’

‘!’

Amy felt like she could vomit blood from the injustice and frustration.

Good heavens, after working her fingers to the bone to make that pitiful excuse for a human being shine, he shows no gratitude and what? Toying? Punishment?

Lady Esmaine glared at Amy with a look that could devour her.

‘I heard you had a secret meeting with His Highness at the spring banquet. And when I confronted him at the Crown Prince’s palace the next day, what did he say? Did he tell me not to make false accusations?’

‘You’re still making false accusations now. Is that your hobby?’

Amy felt dejected. Of course, Amy did not have a secret meeting with the Crown Prince during the spring banquet.

It seemed that someone was meeting him secretly. Finding it strange that there was something she didn’t know about, she quickly searched her memories and recalled that the Crown Prince had been acting suspiciously around that time.

She had assumed it was because he was upset due to the Empress’s scolding, so Amy had generously given him a day of free time.

What an ungrateful bastard.

Although she didn’t love him, the Crown Prince, whom she had raised(?) with all her heart like a younger brother, had sold her out just to cover up his secret meeting with another lover.

Amy cried out in anguish.

‘I gave my loyalty hoping you would become (the great Emperor who would guarantee my solid and abundant future)!’

She had been so devoted that she even ignored the Second Prince who followed her around pretending not to, focusing all her energy on the Crown Prince’s well-being and development. Amy recalled the brass hairpin that the Second Prince had once placed in her hair with his small hands. It was still dangling in her disheveled hair even now.

‘If I had known it would come to this, I should have stuck with the Second Prince.’

She lamented, beating her chest, but it was already far too late.

Thinking of the Second Prince made Amy’s heart flutter.

The Second Prince was quite strange. Amy swore she had never been kind to him or given him any affection. But whenever he saw her, he would run up and greet her cheerfully.

Amy knew that he had gone through a lonely and deprived upbringing after losing his mother, the Empress Consort. But considering it none of her business, she had shamelessly exchanged greetings with him. Could it be that he liked that indifference?

Then suddenly she thought.

‘Come to think of it… didn’t the Second Prince give me some jewel yesterday?’

She had encountered him while passing through the palace garden, and he had rushed over to give her a jewel the size of a pinky nail, insisting she take it. Thinking it was nothing special as it was dull in color and lusterless, she had carelessly stuffed it into her pocket, only to be kidnapped shortly after, so it should still be in her pocket.

‘By the way, what should I do with that jewel…?’

If she died like this, it would be a waste to be buried with it. Amy wriggled her hips, trying to feel the outline of the jewel that should be in the inner pocket of her dress with her rope-bound hands. She thought it might be better to leave it as a keepsake to the guard who had been her conversation partner while she was imprisoned.

At that moment, perhaps suspecting she was up to something suspicious, Baron Dollion rushed over and pushed her. As her body tipped and fell, something flew out of her pocket and rolled across the prison floor.

Thump, thump, thump…

What stopped on the floor was the jewel given by the Second Prince and a silver coin.

‘Ah, that was there too.’

Amy’s eyes fixed on the silver coin. It was the lucky coin she had obtained when she ran away from her family to the palace as a child. She hadn’t particularly believed in it, but somehow she had kept it until now. Amy smiled weakly.

‘I guess you’ll be buried with me too.’

Meanwhile, Baron Dollion, who had been staring blankly at the objects, suddenly opened his eyes wide.

‘What is this!!’

He turned pale and lunged towards the jewel. Amy started in shock and scooted back on her bottom. She didn’t want to come into contact with the wild boar.

‘W-why is this here…’

Baron Dollion paid no attention to whether Amy was disgusted by him or not. His attention was entirely fixed on the jewel. He picked it up with trembling hands and gazed at it with ecstatic eyes.

‘What’s that to make such a fuss about?’

Lady Esmaine grumbled, covering her mouth with her fan. Judging by her furrowed brow, she seemed displeased with her brother’s undignified behavior.

Baron Dollion shouted, spitting as he spoke:

‘T-this is an extremely rare magic stone from the South…!’

Then he closed his mouth and suddenly turned to look at Amy. His button-like eyes blazed. Amy inwardly recoiled and quickly averted her gaze. With his eyes bulging like that, he resembled not only a wild boar but also a toad. It was a terrifying hybrid.

Baron Dollion pressed Amy:

‘You, where did you get this?’

‘Why do you ask?’

Do you think I’ll answer you nicely? Amy replied impertinently, with a sneer on her lips. At this, Baron Dollion, with veins popping on his forehead, growled while shaking his fist:

‘Do you think I’m joking? How could a mere maid like you possibly possess something like this? It would be best for you to honestly tell me where you got it.’

Aha, so that small jewel must be something truly extraordinary. Amy wondered why the Second Prince had given such a thing to her, but she was determined not to reveal anything to them.

She said brazenly:

‘I found it.’

‘…What did you say?’

Amy stared at the toad-like face and emphasized each word:

‘I. Found. It.’

If she said she received it from the Second Prince, it was obvious what these brutes would do to the poor Second Prince. Amy was selfish, but not so wicked as to betray the kindness shown to her.

So she decided. Since she was going to die anyway, she would take the secret to her grave.

She said flippantly:

‘Where did I find it? Was it in the stables? By the pond? Or perhaps in the privy?’

Realizing that she was mocking him, Baron Dollion’s face turned beet red.

‘Y-you crazy wench!’

Slap! A thick hand flew to her cheek. Amy, ruthlessly thrown to the floor, coughed up blood and laughed. If they thought she would change her mind just because her legs were broken and she was beaten, they were greatly mistaken. Her eyes shone fiercely.

‘You still…!’

As the baron, unable to contain his anger, raised his leg, Amy tightly shut her eyes.