Episode 21
The two of them came almost every day lately to nag at me.
They must’ve heard from Ponente that I spilled juice on a maid’s uniform again.
I’m dealing with assassins in the most peaceful way I can think of, yet all I get is nagging. So unfair.
When I nodded with an indifferent expression, the two approached me.
I sat on the sofa, gently swinging my feet, waiting for the lecture to begin.
But Ottilie and Luxor exchanged glances instead of speaking right away.
As I yawned from boredom, Ottilie sat beside me.
What. Why is she acting like this?
When I scooted away, she grabbed my hand this time.
“Ria. You shouldn’t bully people.”
“I know. You’ve been saying the same thing for days.”
“Then why do you keep tormenting the court people?”
“I have a reason.”
“Can you tell Mom and Dad?”
“No.”
Ottilie drew in a breath, as if trying not to cry.
Luxor quietly approached and placed a hand on her shoulder. Ottilie covered his hand with hers.
The two of them looked so solemn—like people steeling themselves to face an upcoming tragedy together.
Not that I intended to tell them anything.
“It’s something the two of you couldn’t handle.”
“Ria.”
“Soon, I won’t have to mess with people anymore anyway. So don’t worry.”
“How can we not worry? We’re your family.”
I mean, I can’t exactly say we’re not family, because we made a promise.
…Wait. Kynesia gave up first, so maybe it doesn’t matter anymore?
Should I just say it?
“Actually—”
Luxor and Ottilie’s watery gazes converged on me all at once.
The pressure made my half-opened mouth close again.
I just made the emperor shut up. What a talent.
“Never mind.”
A sigh escaped me. I slouched in my seat, and the two exchanged glances again.
They must have decided to retreat.
“You must not be in the mood to talk today.”
“We’ll always be ready to listen. Come anytime.”
“And please try solving things without bullying people, if possible.”
I’m not bullying—just making excuses to chase them away.
But if they keep visiting me every day, that’s annoying. I need a different method.
“Okay.”
“Ria, Mom and Dad really mean it. Anytime—”
“You already said that.”
I waved them away and flopped back on the sofa.
It’s not that I dislike kind and upright people. But being surrounded by only those types is exhausting. My head throbbed as I massaged my temples, then got up.
I need money for what’s coming next, so a walk to the vault wouldn’t hurt.
As I stepped outside, Dora flinched.
“Princess, where are you going?”
“Mhm.”
She hesitated, unsure whether she should follow.
Even after rumors spread that I’ve become unruly, she was the only one who didn’t avoid me. She did start getting jumpier though.
Which is why I’m avoiding her. If she keeps lingering around me while looking uneasy, it feels like she’s planning something.
“Don’t follow.”
“Yes, Princess.”
I left her behind, crossed the garden, and slipped behind the building.
The underground entrance I was heading to was already slightly open.
What idiot would…
I strode toward the entrance. Grass had grown around the doorway—meaning the door had been left open for quite a while.
At least ten days.
I looked around, then descended the stairs.
I tapped the wall rhythmically, opening the hidden passage. As the lights automatically lit up, I noticed immediately that some were missing.
Someone was definitely here.
I approached the section where a mana stone had been removed.
The locks had been pried open with something sharp—thin scratches everywhere.
Don’t tell me the vault was robbed?
Panicking, I quickly muttered the unpleasant spell and opened the vault door.
Inside, everything was exactly where I left it.
Then who was it?
People in the palace believe the underground prison is dangerous. Plus, rumors spread that I’d already taken all the jewels, so no one would’ve attempted to go in.
Meaning it must have been someone from outside.
The envoys wouldn’t know about the vault. Even if they heard rumors, they couldn’t find the hidden passage.
Then who?
Only two people know where the vault is—Pelion and Raphael.
Raphael being alive is impossible. If Pelion were alive and came here, he would’ve noticed someone opened the vault.
And knowing him, he would’ve confronted them immediately.
Is it recorded somewhere or something?
I stuffed two pouches of gold coins in my pocket and left.
There were scratch marks around the entrance wall too—the same as around the mana stone slots.
Someone who knew the vault location tried to open it.
They’re cursed, then.
Pelion’s spell is permanent. Whoever touched the vault must be suffering from nightmares right now.
The farther they get from the vault, the nightmares lessen. Get close, and they’ll have terrifying hallucinations.
They won’t be coming near here again.
My money is safe.
Relieved, I returned to my room.
“What’s wrong with those two?”
At some point, Kynesia stopped visiting Iraneria. And Iraneria stopped calling for Kynesia.
Even when they ran into each other at meals, they sat apart.
Obviously, they didn’t talk.
Concerned about the sudden awkwardness between the two siblings, Ponente and Floretta put their heads together.
“I don’t know… Did they fight?”
“You go ask.”
“N-no way! Ria is scary lately.”
“Then go ask Kynesia!”
Floretta’s eyes widened, then she nodded with determination.
She headed straight to Kynesia’s room. But once she arrived, she couldn’t bring herself to knock.
After circling the hallway in anxiety, she finally knocked and cracked the door open.
“Kynesha? Are you in here?”
“Yes, Lola. Come in.”
Closing the door carefully, Floretta scanned the room. Seeing no one else, she shuffled over to Kynesia.
Kynesia set down her quill and turned toward her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Not wrong, exactly… Ponente…”
“Ponente?”
“Told me to ask something.”
Kynesia nodded for her to continue.
“Did you… fight with Ria?”
“……”
Kynesia gave an awkward smile.
Floretta hadn’t expected that answer. Her eyes widened in shock.
She debated whether to ask more, then pulled a small chair over and sat in front of her.
“Can I ask why?”
Kynesia still didn’t answer.
Floretta fidgeted with her hands before speaking carefully.
“You know… I think Ria’s been hearing a lot of bad things lately. So I’m worried.”
“Bad things?”
“Mhm. The maids said the youngest princess’s personality is becoming like her name…”
“Pfft.”
Kynesia laughed before she could stop herself.
Floretta brightened, scooting closer and chattering again.
“And she’s been at the training grounds a lot. I heard she’s learning to beat people up professionally. Ria’s not a bad kid.”
“Hm…”
“And the servants avoid her now. Some say she went into the imperial vault without permission and got cursed, so she became like… this.”
“Maybe she did.”
Being trapped in a child’s body is a curse too, in its own way.
Her voice took on a cynical tone, and Floretta’s eyes widened, filling with tears.
“Is that true? Then what do we do? Should we take her to the temple? Should we tell our parents?”
“Lola, don’t worry. I was just saying.”
“But she’s really strange lately. She is Ria, but at the same time she’s not. Like… it feels like Ria, but she acts like someone completely different. If she felt like someone else, I could understand it. But she feels like Ria.”
Floretta rambled, distressed.
Kynesia didn’t understand even half of what she said.
But she wasn’t surprised. Floretta was always quirky, and when anxious, her words became incoherent.
The only thing to do now was calm her down.
Kynesia gently stroked her sister’s arm and patted her back.
“It’s okay, Flora. Ria will be fine. Just relax.”
“O-okay…”
“Inhale… exhale. There you go.”
“Hff… ha… hff… ha…”
Once she calmed down, her cheeks flushed red.
“Thank you, Kynesha.”
“And about Ria—”
A loud knock interrupted her.
It wasn’t the kind of knock requesting permission to enter.
It was sharp, firm—like a warning.
Three knocks, evenly spaced.
Before Kynesia could ask who it was, knights burst in.
“Princess Kynesia. Please come with us.”
“What’s going on?”
“Princess Irenaria has collapsed after ingesting poison.”
Kynesia shot to her feet.
The knight spoke again.
“And a servant identified you as the culprit.”
