Chapter 2.
“Is something the matter?”
When I looked back, she asked abruptly, as if springing a surprise attack.
“How do you remove candle wax stains from a marble floor?”
“…Pardon?”
Why is she asking this all of a sudden? Does she not know?
I recalled erasing traces after infiltrating the imperial palace and answered.
“Let the oil harden, then carefully scrape it off with a knife or a scraping tool. For any remaining residue, use a cloth soaked in hot water with a bit of ash rubbed into it to wipe it away.”
“……!”
At my answer, the interviewer’s eyes widened. For some reason, her cheeks seemed to flush slightly.
She asked again.
“Then, how do you remove dust and stains from a tapestry that has been hanging for a long time?”
“Gently tap it with a soft brush to remove dust, then carefully clean any stains with a mixture of vinegar and water.”
“Gasp! Th-then… How about removing rust and tarnish from a metal candlestick?!”
“First, remove the candle wax with hot water. Then, use a mixture of salt and vinegar to remove the rust, and finish by wiping it with a soft cloth.”
“…Perfect!”
The interviewer, looking moved, covered her mouth with both hands, sprang to her feet, and started clapping.
“Pass, you pass!”
“Pardon?”
“I’ve never seen an interviewee as perfect as you. You could start working right now without any issue.”
“…Me?”
“I’ve seen many interviewees who were confident about cleaning. But you’re the first person I’ve met who is so knowledgeable about cleaning the high-end decorations found throughout the imperial palace.”
“Is that so?”
“I’m curious. How exactly do you know these cleaning methods?”
Well, that’s…
‘For erasing traces after infiltration, uncovering an opponent’s secrets, or concealing items that could be evidence.’
…I probably shouldn’t say that.
Just then, the two other interviewees sitting in their chairs shouted, sounding indignant.
“Wait a moment! You’re not planning to hire that person with the head injury, are you?”
“Give us a chance too! This is unfair!”
“Hmm, is that so? Alright.”
With that, the interviewer pushed her glasses up and asked them.
“Let’s start with an easy question. How do you clean the decorative armor displayed in the imperial hall?”
“……”
“Can’t you answer this one either? Then, an easier question. How should you clean glassware and stained glass without causing damage?”
“……”
The two women pressed their lips tightly together.
Seeing this, the interviewer, who had crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes as if she had expected this.
“See? You can’t even answer such simple questions. How could I possibly hire you?”
“…But.”
One of the interviewees asked cautiously.
“How many people would know how to clean decorative armor and glassware? You said they were easy, but they seem quite difficult.”
“Is that so?”
The interviewer, lifting her chin, looked back at me.
“Then, shall Miss Logy give it a try?”
“Remove dust from the armor’s surface with a soft brush. For rusted parts, scrub with vinegar and salt, then wipe dry with a cloth, and…”
“Ah, that’s enough. It’s already perfect. We can stop there.”
She let out a sigh.
“Since you couldn’t answer even when given the chance, I will proceed with hiring Miss Logy…”
“No, wait! Hold on a moment!”
Before she could even finish, the other woman shot up from her seat and yelled.
“Are you really going to hire her?”
“What seems to be the problem now?”
“She has a head injury and doesn’t remember what she was doing or where she is, yet she remembers cleaning methods perfectly. Don’t you find that strange?”
“However, since she entered the imperial palace, it means her identity has been verified. And memory usually returns with time…”
“Hah, is that so? I didn’t know the famously meticulous Head Maid, Vesti, would hire someone with a head injury for the imperial palace.”
“…What did you say?”
Vesti, who had pushed up her glasses, widened her eyes. The remaining interviewee also sprang up from her seat.
“Y-yes, that’s right. You’re not showing favoritism as an interviewer towards Miss Logy, are you? If that’s the case, I’ll immediately report it to <The Dynasty Newspaper>, the gossip paper famous for its vicious and cruel journalists…”
“Wait a moment.”
Vesti shook her head from side to side and raised one hand.
“I think there’s a misunderstanding. The position I’m trying to fill isn’t one that should arouse suspicions of favoritism.”
“What? It’s a maid position in the imperial palace. How could it not be considered a privilege?”
“Because… the maid selected from this interview will…”
Ahem. Vesti cleared her throat and spoke.
“…be assigned to the Crown Prince’s Palace.”
“……!”
At those words, the two women’s jaws dropped.
But only for a moment. Soon, the two gathered their belongings haphazardly, stood up, and bowed.
“Goodbye. The interview was… enjoyable.”
“Please call us for the next interview. Well then, take care.”
“……?”
Weren’t they just spluttering about favoritism and reporting a moment ago? Why are they acting like that all of a sudden?
‘But, the Crown Prince?’
To my knowledge, the Iblis Empire had no Crown Prince.
The Emperor had long been without a child from the Empress, and he wasn’t considering adoption either.
‘Did he have a son? Or did he adopt?’
Just then, something in the room caught my eye.
A large flag symbolizing the empire.
A black eagle with wings spread wide, its purple eyes staring straight ahead.
Behind it, a sky where the sun was setting.
‘Wait.’
Goosebumps rose all over my body. I slowly walked over and spread the flag out fully.
Then, the words written below the eagle became clearly visible.
‘Castium Empire’.
Is this… the imperial palace of the Castium Empire?
The very empire where, after ten years of training, I became an ‘Arc’ and was brainwashed to kill following the will of the guardian deity, Esca.
Where I ultimately succeeded in assassinating the Emperor, alongside Alec and Theo.
‘The imperial palace of that Castium Empire…?’
My hands began to tremble. As I slowly blinked, my reflection became visible in the glass window behind the flag.
My confused golden eyes and my silver hair, grown long enough to reach my waist, were reflected.
‘This is…’
My eyes widened on their own.
Because this was my appearance before I entered the Lumiel Orphanage.
I naturally had silver hair, having taken after my mother.
But after entering the Lumiel Orphanage, my hair had turned black due to the side effects of drugs.
‘But for it to return to silver… It’s as if time has been reversed.’
I was confused. It seemed like I needed to sort things out at this point.
So, my current situation is…
1. After being betrayed and killed by Alec and Theo, I was reborn one year later.
2. I have the appearance I had before entering the Lumiel Orphanage.
3. I am about to be assigned to the Crown Prince’s Palace of the very empire I was supposed to assassinate in my previous life. (Important)
Then, what should I do from now on?
If this were my previous life, living as an ‘Arc,’ I would have had to immediately look for an opportunity to assassinate the Empress and the Crown Prince.
Being assigned as a maid to the Crown Prince’s Palace would have been a stroke of luck.
I could stay by his side and assassinate him when he let his guard down.
‘But I am not the Logy of the past anymore.’
I no longer had any reason to kill the Crown Prince and the Empress.
Nor did I want to.
‘In this life, I don’t want to kill, and I don’t want to die.’
In the research institute, human life was treated as no more valuable than a fly’s.
It was standard practice to order the death of a child you’d shared a blanket with just the day before, and breaking the rules meant immediate execution.
After spending ten years there, I too became desensitized to death. But…
Ironically, the moment I witnessed the death of the Emperor—whom Ruin had so strongly emphasized was Satan—I realized belatedly.
They were not Satan, and every human life is precious.
‘So, in this life…’
I must get revenge.
On Ruin and my former comrades who killed and betrayed me, along with countless others.
And I must stop it.
The ‘Arc Project’ that has begun once again.
Therefore…
‘I will protect him. The Crown Prince.’
Protecting the Crown Prince means I won’t have to get blood on my hands, and I’ll also be able to meet Alec and Theo when they come to kill him.
After that, I must return to the Iblis Empire and stop the Arc Project.
‘Alec… Theo…’
I clenched my fists tightly and made a resolution.
Alexion, Theodore.
You, who betrayed the long-built friendship between us. You, who betrayed and killed me.
I will never forgive you.
