Chapter 43
Haon was extremely uncomfortable at the moment.
First of all, her shoes were far too small and high. Decorative shoes like these had no stretch at all—they were stiff, and all the adornments at the front pinched her feet tightly.
She even missed the complaints she had about the stiff shoes she wore as a maid. At least those had low heels, making them perfect for work.
On top of that, it had been a while since she last wore high heels, so she simply could not get used to the height. It felt like the first time she had worn those killer heels she bought to celebrate turning twenty.
Her soles felt as if they would tear, her toes were pressed down by gravity, and her heels seemed about to be pierced by the heel itself.
Next came the corset, which constricted her ribs. At first, she thought she could endure it, but the tightness soon became unbearable, making even breathing difficult.
Her shallow breaths, barely filling the upper chest, were the best she could manage.
Listing all the accessories and dress features that prioritized style over comfort would be endless and pointless.
“Princess, I truly respect you. I give a standing ovation to all the ladies of this era.”
Haon silently applauded in her mind, tears welling up.
Yet, these physical discomforts weren’t the main source of her unease.
They were secondary compared to the mental discomfort she felt.
Haon was trapped between Princess Pireone and Prince Di, forced to watch their back-and-forth, glancing once at the princess, then at the prince.
If it had been a simple, casual conversation, she could have enjoyed observing them. But the content of their discussion was ambiguous.
“Haon is really talented. She knows so many entertaining songs.”
“Do you like singing too, Princess?”
“I like Haon’s singing.”
Haon laughed awkwardly.
Princess Pireone repeatedly brought Haon into the conversation, and each time, Prince Di would redirect the conversation back to the princess.
“Doesn’t Haon’s dress suit her well?”
“You look lovely too, Princess.”
Princess Pireone smiled gently and modestly. Secretly, she nudged Haon’s side with her elbow.
Haon turned her head, pretending not to notice. Though the princess continued to push, Haon kept silent.
Princess Pireone eagerly tried to present Haon to Prince Di, but the prince steadfastly focused only on the princess. It was a strangely twisted triangle dynamic.
Finally, unable to hold back, Princess Pireone asked Prince Di for permission.
“Prince Di, may we step away for a moment?”
“If you come back afterward.”
“Of course.”
The princess responded kindly, but the hand pulling Haon’s arm was anything but gentle.
“We’ll be back soon.”
Princess Pireone led Haon to the powder room. Once inside, she turned around, her smile fading.
She stared seriously at Haon.
“Haon, you’re acting strangely today.”
“You’re the one acting strange, Princess.”
Haon finally exhaled, relieved.
“Why are you doing this?”
Her excitement barely contained, Haon lowered her voice to prevent any sound from escaping.
When Haon finally spoke properly, Princess Pireone nodded in satisfaction.
“Yes, that’s it. Can’t you approach Prince Di with this kind of spirit as usual? Are you nervous because it’s someone you like?”
“I don’t like Prince Di!”
Haon protested, feeling wronged.
But her words didn’t reach the princess, who simply shook her head and patted Haon’s shoulder.
“Haon, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Even as a maid, it’s natural to like a prince.”
“I’m not embarrassed.”
“I know. You must be flustered that your feelings are so obvious. Sorry, I have a keen eye.”
Haon was speechless. Facing Princess Pireone’s confident and perfectly wrong assumptions, she didn’t know how to respond.
The princess seemed to think Haon’s silence meant she had been caught off guard.
“Princess, your premise is all wrong.”
“I see. The social barrier may feel intimidating. But I speak easily because I’m already a princess.”
Princess Pireone nodded as if understanding everything, yet completely misinterpreted Haon’s words.
“That’s why you need this kind of opportunity.”
“This kind of opportunity?”
“You can step out of your maid uniform and stand shoulder to shoulder with other ladies, facing Prince Di. He won’t see you as a maid. If you make your appeal now, even when you return to your uniform, he will notice you.”
The princess’s eyes sparkled with determination and hope.
“My goodness…”
Haon held her forehead.
Seriously, Princess Pireone was genuine—earnest to the core.
She held Haon’s shoulders firmly, looking her straight in the eyes, as if infusing courage into her.
“Haon, relax and just be yourself. With your usual confident self, Prince Di won’t be able to resist.”
The princess clenched her fists in encouragement.
“Remember, I’m on your side.”
Her words were heartwarming and empowering—if only the situation weren’t so complicated.
“I’ll keep the atmosphere favorable so you can get along better with Prince Di. Once you’re ready, come out.”
Haon perked up. That was good news.
“So, you’ll stay with Prince Di all this time?”
“Yes. I’ll make sure other ladies don’t approach, so don’t worry.”
Princess Pireone responded eagerly.
“Then go ahead and join Prince Di.”
Haon gave the princess a push.
Princess Pireone winked and stealthily returned to Prince Di.
Peeking through the powder room door, Haon confirmed the princess and the prince talking, then closed the door.
“This is maddening. Why would she misunderstand everything like this?”
She had tried to help Princess Pireone get close to Prince Di, yet mentioning him too often in front of the princess caused a strange misunderstanding.
“I can’t let it look like I’m here to steal the male lead!”
A classic scenario: the protagonist’s actions accidentally end up between the hero and another heroine.
Prince Di was certainly handsome, but Haon had no intention of breaking Princess Pireone’s affection.
“I want our princess to be happy.”
At least Haon felt relieved that the princess wanted to stay close to Prince Di for her sake.
“If they spend more time together, their relationship might progress.”
Haon tried to see the situation positively.
“Sometimes, trying to help only makes you closer to the other person, creating complications.”
Perhaps, in this way, she could act as Cupid for Princess Pireone and Prince Di—not impossible, though unlikely.
Fortunately, Prince Di seemed genuinely interested in the princess. Even when the three were together, his gaze remained firmly on Princess Pireone.
“As long as Princess Pireone doesn’t try to involve me, it should be fine.”
Haon made up her mind.
Go.
She would have to take a carriage back to the palace eventually, but at least until the tea party ended, she could hide.
The powder room had doors leading both to the reception area and the garden. Without hesitation, Haon slipped out through the garden door.
Knee-high bushes lined the garden path like a fence. Haon crouched low, hiding behind the shrubs.
“I still need to keep an eye on the princess.”
Just in case Princess Pireone came looking for her.
Haon positioned herself to observe the princess and Prince Di from a spot with a view of the reception room.
“This dress is ridiculously uncomfortable.”
The petticoat she wore underneath made bending her knees even harder.
Haon crouched awkwardly behind the bushes, back bent and knees half-flexed.
She could see the princess and Prince Di from a distance. Princess Pireone kept looking around, seemingly searching for Haon.
While observing the reception room, a soft male voice called out:
“Which noble family is the lady from?”
Haon froze, a chill running down her spine.
Damn it. How many people had they invited that there were nobles everywhere she turned? There was nowhere to hide.
She straightened her back with a creak and slowly turned.
“Ahaha, well, I…”
Haon forced a smile.
Her jaw dropped when she saw the face of the man behind her.
“Uh… what are you doing here?”
