CPIHY~09

Chapter 9

Midsummer morning.

Even at the hour when the sun shone brightest, the Crown Princess’s chambers remained as quiet as ever.

More precisely, the room was filled only with the faint clatter of dishes being cleared and the rustle of linens being tidied at the bedside.

The Crown Princess, Verian, gazed silently at the maids moving about in their tasks before turning her eyes toward the sky through the window beside the table, lost in thought.

This tranquil atmosphere, repeated for several days, was becoming familiar—when a set of unfamiliar footsteps entered the room.

“Good day, Your Highness. From today onward, I will serve you. I am Rael Bendiz.”

The figure stepped in with a neat appearance and a large bag, offering her greeting.

It was the day my second maid joined the household.

Rael Bendiz.

Unlike Meisha, whom I had personally brought in, she had applied directly to the palace, the wife of the Viscount Bendiz.

I had seen her at society gatherings before, but up close, her striking appearance and upright posture clearly reflected the privileged life she had been raised in.

“Yes, Mrs. Bendiz. I look forward to working with you.”

I nodded, and her green eyes flickered briefly to the floor.

“Um… could you just call me Rael? I’m not used to being called ‘Mrs.’ yet.”

She said it lightly, smiling faintly, though her eyes seemed unfocused, almost like those of someone who had lost their defenses.

“…Very well, Rael.”

I felt a slight concern for her, but after all, she was just another maid, someone I didn’t need to worry over.

And she probably thought the same of me.

So I didn’t intend to pay her much attention.

But she turned out to be a little different from what I expected.

“If you stay cooped up in the palace all the time, it isn’t good for your health. How about taking a walk today? The sunlight is lovely.”

Her concern for me was unexpectedly genuine.

“And I don’t think that outfit suits your presence. Something simpler would be better.”

She was direct, almost assertive.

“Honestly, I don’t understand the confidence of those who speak carelessly before Your Highness, ignoring the dangers of the palace.”

“Uh… yes. Let’s go.”

She instinctively sided with me.

“You didn’t have to do that intentionally.”

“I needed to. There will be fewer palace events ahead, so even more reason.”

“…You’re right. Alright, let’s go inside; it’s getting late.”

“Yes, have a good evening, Your Highness.”

“You too, Rael.”

In no time, she had become someone endlessly bright by my side.

I couldn’t help but be drawn to her. She was unlike anyone else; I wanted to know her better.

The very next day, news of the Viscount Bendiz’s corruption and shady dealings spread like wildfire.

The scale of his influence shook the entire capital.

Though he was imprisoned in the palace for his crimes, the one who suffered the scrutiny and whispers of society was Rael, his wife—who had done nothing wrong.

Yet she bore no resentment.

“Rael, that—”

“I’m sorry. For being your maid, and causing you any trouble, Your Highness.”

She apologized to me first.

“I’m fine, Your Highness. I didn’t love him, and there’s no child to care for.”

Even when asked, she showed no distress, no anger. She appeared genuinely fine—and foolishly, I believed it.

If it weren’t for the muffled sobs I heard from her room that night, I might never have known the truth.

“Sniff… uh…”

The sound seemed to get caught on something, as though she were holding it back with her own hands.

The faint sound at midnight felt deafening to me, making the small lantern in my hand tremble.

How could I have missed it? How could I have done nothing?

If I had shown a little more attention to Rael earlier, I might have noticed. Or at least, I wouldn’t have just stood there without offering a single word of comfort.

That night, I stayed rooted in place until her cries subsided.

And I vowed, I would never repeat the mistake of inaction.

“So… I’ll help you.”

This time, I wanted to be the one to help her.

Rael’s eyes trembled for a moment before she let out a quiet, resigned sigh.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“…Are you pretending not to know?”

She turned her head sharply, exhaling.

“You really don’t know. The engagement with the Viscount, what can you possibly do to help?”

“It’s not the engagement itself, but helping to break it. You don’t want it, do you?”

Rael flinched, her fingertips tensing.

“Stop speaking nonsense. Why would I oppose it? He comes from a respectable family and is a diligent palace official.”

Her words were firm, but I could sense the weight of her suppressed emotion.

“It’s not him you dislike. It’s the engagement and marriage—the choices that would make you abandon everything you want—that you hate.”

“…That’s…”

Finally, Rael met my gaze. Her eyelids trembled.

“I’ll help you. I can help.”

Even I felt uneasy saying it. Was I touching on a place that still hurt her?

“How?” she asked.

“Since all the decisions about marriage come from Lady Porhan, we just need to sway her. Make her oppose the Viscount first.”

“That’s impossible. Do you think I haven’t considered it? I investigated him completely, and… there was nothing. It was astonishing that someone like that even existed.”

Her eyes glistened red as she spoke. I took a step closer.

“No, there is a way. You just haven’t found it yet. I can find it. Trust me.”

I knew the details of his past misdeeds. All that was needed was to retrace them.

“How can I trust you? How did you even know about my engagement? Were you sent to exploit my weakness from the start?”

First, Rael’s trust needed to be earned.

She seemed about to argue further, but then I placed a single sheet of paper before her, and she fell silent.

“These are just his minor offenses. Not enough to do any real damage.”

I listed what I remembered of his misdeeds.

“I heard from an informant. They told me about you.”

“An informant?”

Of course, that was a lie.

“You know as well as I do that meetings with informants don’t look good. Now, you have leverage over me too.”

“Why go to such lengths? We barely know each other.”

Her face flushed slightly, still wary.

“Don’t look at me suspiciously. I have a favor to ask of you too.”

“A favor?”

I revealed the other reason I had come to her.

“I want to return to society. But there’s so much I don’t know. Help me adapt to society. That’s all I ask.”

Rael said nothing.

“It’s okay if it takes time. I’ll wait for your answer.”

‘That’s enough.’

I didn’t expect her to accept immediately.

As I turned to leave, she spoke a single, decisive word.

“Alright.”

I spun back to meet her gaze. She remained calm and composed.

“But let’s write a contract. I still can’t trust you completely.”

I smiled and took her hand.

“Of course.”

3:00 p.m.

The sun leaned gently, casting a lazy, peaceful light.

I sat at the tea table, savoring a rare moment of rest.

‘I met with Rael, finished all my extra work.’

Soon, the pace of society life would pick up, but for now, I allowed myself a small respite, basking in the sun with limbs loosely stretched.

The light touched my face pleasantly, and my feet swung lightly back and forth.

“This feels… nice.”

I realized that rest, which I had once so disliked, now felt gentle and soothing.

Drowsy, on the verge of sleep, I barely closed my eyes.

“Miss!”

Startled by Meisha bursting in without knocking, I jerked upright.

“Jeez! Meisha, no knocking… what—”

I began scolding her lack of manners but stopped, realizing there could be only one reason she appeared in such a flurry.

“I’m sorry, Miss,” Meisha whispered, glancing nervously at me.

I took a deep breath and asked carefully.

“…Tell me later. So, what is it?”

“It’s… the Crown Prince, Your Highness—”

Of course.

It had arrived. His engagement proposal.

“The Crown Prince has invited you to the palace.”

“What?”

My voice shot up, echoing to the ceiling.

At first, I thought I had misheard.

“The Crown Prince is inviting you, Miss, to the palace. Just you, tomorrow.”

It wasn’t a mistake.

‘What on earth…? I have to meet him?’

Strange. The proposal should have arrived first, yet now he wanted to summon me to the palace.

We had never met in person before the engagement ceremony. All conversations, the proposal, and even the preparations had been conducted entirely through letters.

‘Then why now?’

“Shall we prepare a dress, Miss?”

Meisha, seeing me frozen, finally broke the silence.

‘Do I even go?’

There was no excuse to avoid it. If this is how it is, facing him directly to refuse isn’t such a bad idea.

‘It might be escapism, but if I avoid this, he’ll contact me again.’

“Prepare it, Meisha.”

Let’s see what he wants to say.