Chapter 03
I quickly fixed my hair and climbed into the carriage where Cassian was already waiting.
He looked up, gave me a small smirk, and that alone was enough to make my blood boil.
Not that I would’ve been in a good mood today anyway—
“Because we’re heading to the place I least wanted to go.”
Cassian Artez was an arrogant, infuriating man in every sense. But to be fair, he had one redeeming quality:
He actually judged people by their usefulness, not their titles.
To him, the only thing that mattered was whether someone could do their job well or not.
He didn’t care that I was from a poor baron’s family drowning in debt, or that I never had a proper debutante ball. Those things meant absolutely nothing to him.
But the problem was—
“Where we’re going today…”
A deep sigh slipped out before I could stop it.
Cassian, who’d been flipping through documents across from me, glanced up briefly at the sound, then looked away again.
“Open that box.”
“…Sorry?”
“Ah, we’re here. Don’t dawdle.”
Without waiting for me, he stepped out of the carriage.
I blinked, then obediently opened the box he’d pointed to—because Cassian hated it when his orders weren’t followed immediately.
It was about the size of a document case, so I assumed it was more paperwork.
Instead, inside was…
“What the…?”
A delicate, elegant hair ornament.
And not just any ornament—it matched my usual hairstyle perfectly.
Was he… telling me to wear it? Probably.
But as soon as I saw it, my hand started trembling.
Just a few months ago, I’d had to study luxury items like crazy because—
“We had to seize property from nobles evading taxes and pretending to be broke.”
And this particular hair ornament was one of the top five most expensive confiscated items.
I let out a long, miserable sigh and pinned it into my hair.
So that was it, huh?
Cassian Artez was using my head as a political statement.
In a place full of people who already whispered behind my back every time I showed up.
***
“Didn’t I tell you not to dawdle?”
It had barely been a minute and twenty seconds.
I shot him a look full of silent complaints, then quickly turned away when I heard a low chuckle above me.
“Not bad.”
Of course it wasn’t—judging by the sharp stares already aimed my way.
I sighed again, this time even deeper.
We were standing at the Ceremonial Hall, the place that oversaw all state and imperial ceremonies.
The members here were all old, snobbish nobles—people who practically worshiped tradition and their own sense of superiority.
How old-fashioned were they?
Let’s just say there wasn’t a single female member in the entire Ceremonial Hall.
***
“How shameful. She’s barely even been presented in society, yet she dares to serve as the prince’s aide?”
“The Salice family really has no sense of propriety. Letting a grown daughter run around like that—scandalous!”
“Look at her. Dressed like a commoner! Even for a backwater baron’s daughter, this is pathetic. They should just sell off their title already!”
Their voices echoed in my head even before anyone spoke, because I’d heard the same gossip for a year now.
To them, I was a blemish—a rock that stuck out and needed to be hammered down.
And today, of all days, we were here to conduct an audit of their department.
So, naturally, their glares could have burned holes through steel.
Even now, in front of the prince himself, they whispered among each other like children.
“Look at that! She’s wearing the confiscated luxury ornament so proudly!”
“Is she trying to threaten us? A baron’s daughter?!”
“Why does the prince let her do such things?! Don’t tell me he’s gone mad because of that shabby little girl.”
“Exactly! Ever since Miss Salice came along, the prince’s relations with the noble families have worsened!”
Completely unfair.
Cassian had always been like this—cold, confrontational, and relentless.
This wasn’t my fault at all!
But of course, the devil himself was smiling like he was having the time of his life.
“Having fun, Rose?”
“…You should probably start working now, Your Highness.”
I replied briskly—because the sooner we finished, the sooner I could go home.
“Ah, that’s my Rose.”
Cassian laughed cheerfully, then turned to the nobles.
“Well then, let’s begin the audit.”
The nobles’ eyes sharpened like blades.
Ugh.
I could really use a quadruple-shot iced Americano right about now.
***
Within twenty minutes of arriving, Cassian had already ripped apart their accounts using the data he’d prepared beforehand.
The old head of the Ceremonial Hall was red with anger.
“Your Highness, this is outrageous! Such disrespect cannot be tolerated!”
Cassian ignored him completely and said calmly to his servant,
“Open the archive.”
The old man’s voice cracked. “You cannot do that!”
But Cassian pretended not to hear and gestured again.
The servant hesitated. They were far enough away that Cassian could pretend he hadn’t heard if needed.
“Stop this madness!”
The old nobles came rushing over—well, as quickly as people could while still trying to look “dignified.”
Cassian sighed, glancing between them and the frozen servant.
Then he looked at me.
“Rose, open it.”
“With respect, Your Highness, it would be faster if you did it yourself.”
“Nonsense, Rose. You have to open it.”
He smiled faintly.
“That way, the ornament I placed on your head will have real meaning.”
“…Excuse me?”
That smile… that horrible smile.
My heart started pounding—not from excitement, but from a very specific kind of dread.
“He’s about to make me do something troublesome again, isn’t he?”
Cassian tilted his head and said sweetly,
“I thought this would help you relieve stress.”
“What… do you mean, Your Highness?”
When I gave him my best deadpan glare, Cassian smiled like a saint.
“My lovely Rose—are you doubting me right now?”
“…What?”
Lovely Rose? Seriously? In front of these people?
He hated these nobles so much he’d been putting off this audit for months.
And now he was making me the face of it?!
Cassian leaned closer, voice smooth as silk.
“Five times.”
“…What?”
“I’ll pay you five times your normal rate for handling this little annoyance. Surely you didn’t think I’d make my precious Rose do it for free?”
Click.
My hand moved before I even thought.
***
“M-Miss Rozelita Salice! How dare you defy the words of the Ceremonial Hall’s director?!”
The old man’s shrill voice echoed—right as I swung the archive doors open with a loud BANG!
Then I turned to them with my best polished professional smile—the one I’d perfected after working under Cassian for over a year.
“I’m sorry, but I only follow the orders of His Highness the Second Prince.”
“Step aside at once, Miss Salice!”
“As of 9:45 a.m. today, this archive is officially under investigation by the Second Prince’s Office.
All complaints must be submitted in writing, with a processing time of approximately five business days.”
“Are you ignoring me?!”
“From this moment forward, access to this area is prohibited without permission from myself or His Highness.”
My voice carried through the hall—backed by the power of five times the pay.
Cassian’s lips curved into a satisfied smile as he strode past me into the archive.
“Th-this is madness! You dare act without decency or respect for the law! Miss Salice, you are making a grave mistake!”
I’d heard that kind of line too many times to care anymore.
Maybe a little annoying, but after working under Cassian, I’d built up immunity to noble tantrums.
So I smiled politely and said,
“Thank you for your concern, Director. If I realize my mistake, I’ll be sure to come to you for enlightenment.”
Then I bowed exactly ninety degrees, as perfectly as I could—
—and slammed the archive doors shut behind us.
From outside came a furious shout:
“You… you devils of the Winter Palace!!”
I smirked to myself.
He wasn’t entirely wrong.
