Chapter 09
Leaving the worried kitchen staff behind, I walked down the hallway toward the internal treasury.
“Why are they working in my annex kitchen while even giving up their wages?”
I asked Rena casually, not expecting much—
But she answered right away.
“They’re all people you saved, Princess.”
“…Me?”
“Yes. Everyone in the palace knew about it back then. It’s already been… wow, four years.”
Melissa? Doing something like that?
“That is, except for my friend Soneeti. The others all used to work in the Emperor’s direct secretariat.”
The Emperor’s secretariat?
How did they end up in the kitchen?
Seeing my confusion, Rena explained further.
“There was a scandal about the Emperor’s secret funds. People said the leak came from the secretariat staff…”
“Illegal slush fund accusations?”
“Oh! Yes. It ended as just suspicion, but the Elders were furious for a while.”
Something clicked.
There was something like this in the webtoon.
Back when the Emperor was still sane—
The Second Prince, the real mastermind, fabricated the scandal to delay the First Prince’s appointment as Crown Prince.
The fake evidence was convincing.
The Emperor was pushed into a corner.
And under pressure from the Elders, he had no choice but to delay the appointment.
After that, as the Emperor went mad, he refused to name a successor at all.
And the worst part—
He believed the Elders were behind the incident.
From then on, the relationship between the imperial family and the Elders completely collapsed.
Then the Emperor’s condition worsened rapidly.
“Thinking about how you tearfully begged the Emperor to spare them… it still makes me emotional…”
“Right. So I saved them. But what about Soneeti? Why is she in my kitchen?”
“Her father worked in the secretariat. He passed away from illness.”
As we walked, Rena stopped in front of a door.
“Here we are, Princess! Ah… it’s lunchtime, so the treasury head might not be here.”
She looked troubled.
I shrugged.
“That’s why we came now.”
“…Pardon?”
How would I know if the treasury head was involved?
If I wanted to dig everything out, it was easier while they were gone.
I nodded toward the door.
Rena quickly opened it.
“…Princess Grenita?”
As expected, most desks were empty.
But one man remained.
A thin, middle-aged man with round glasses looked up from his desk.
“You seem to be lost. I’ll call a servant—”
“The Princess is exactly where she intends to be, Baron Paul.”
Rena stepped in, since he hadn’t even greeted me properly.
Still—
The man casually walked up to me, coat draped over his arm, clearly annoyed.
“It’s lunchtime. Please return after two.”
“The Princess only wishes to review the annex’s monthly funds and staff wages. If you could provide the documents—”
Rena spoke carefully, but—
“The documents of the internal treasury require the head’s approval.”
“…Even for the Princess’s own funds?”
“That’s the rule.”
He glanced at me and smirked.
“And even if you saw them… would you understand them? You’d need someone to explain.”
“Are you mocking—!”
“As you can see, there’s no one here.”
“I’m here.”
“I need to go eat.”
Rena was speechless.
Baron Paul clicked his tongue in annoyance.
He didn’t even look at me properly.
“Rena.”
“Yes, Princess!”
At my call, she quickly stepped aside.
“Greetings, Princess.”
“Baron Paul.”
Only then did he bow—reluctantly.
“I wish to review the annex’s funds and staff wages.”
“As I said, you need the head’s approval.”
“Ha.”
He stopped at my clear mocking tone.
What a joke.
If someone refuses to show financial records, there’s only one reason—
They’re hiding something.
“Baron Paul, rules are fine… but think a little further.”
In a hierarchical society, a servant acting arrogantly toward their master never ends well.
Even if that master is someone like Melissa.
“What do you think the purpose of the internal treasury is?”
“…What?”
“Why separate it from the external treasury?”
“….”
“It’s obviously less important, isn’t it?”
Whether true or not didn’t matter.
I was provoking him.
“There is no institution in the Empire that is more or less important!”
“Pretending not to know?”
His face turned red.
“Then what is its purpose?”
“To support the imperial family and maintain its dignity.”
“And the imperial family belongs to whom?”
“To His Majesty the Emperor.”
“And I am his only daughter.”
“…Yes.”
He nodded awkwardly.
“Yet you’re telling me I need permission to see my own household accounts.”
“That’s—!”
“Would you say the same to the Emperor?”
“…!”
“Your view of His Majesty is quite clear.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
He waved his hands urgently.
“To insult the Emperor in the imperial palace… how bold.”
I pretended to wipe imaginary tears.
“I suppose I have no choice but to report you to the guards.”
“Princess!”
“According to the rules, of course. I’m sure you understand.”
“You’re twisting my words!”
“Am I? I only heard what you said.”
His voice rose.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“But you said it. And now it’s not? I’m confused.”
“Princess!”
“You know I’m not very bright.”
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
“…And what exactly can you do?”
“What?”
“Who would believe you? You’ll just get scolded by the Emperor for causing trouble.”
“Wow…”
That actually impressed me.
Was he really speaking like this to a princess?
“Stop being stubborn and leave.”
He stepped forward aggressively and pointed a finger in my face.
If I were another noble lady, this would have been threatening.
He couldn’t win with logic—
So he tried to use force.
As I stayed silent, he stepped even closer.
Just as Rena was about to intervene—
I smiled coldly.
“Fine. If you won’t move, I’ll show you what I can do.”
He hesitated.
“You’d better hand over the documents.”
“Tch…!”
I didn’t expect him to listen.
People like this always resort to force.
“I told you, I won’t give them!”
“Then I’ll take them myself.”
“You—!”
He grabbed my wrist roughly and started dragging me toward the door.
