Episode 5
Bellavita blinked her lashes, her gaze heavy with superiority.
“This is a medicinal herb that was obtained with great difficulty. It’s a rare evergreen that blooms only on the snowy peaks of the Selucia Mountains.”
It resembled a lily, boasting a pale, beautiful glow.
“This is the rare evergreen?”
When I asked in surprise, Bellavita’s smile deepened.
“Is this your first time seeing a fine herb? Well, I suppose someone like you would never have the chance to see something so precious.”
“Woooow… Is it very valuable?”
“Of course. Even a B-grade sells for 200 gold per stem. And this one is A-grade quality.”
A soft radiance spread from the flower in the Empress’s hand.
“It is the noblest among the rare. Just like me.”
“Waaah…! As expected of Lady Bellavita!”
I hurried her along.
“But how expensive is it? Could you buy chocolate with this?”
“Pfft! With this, you could buy a thousand chocolates.”
“I seeee…”
I fixed the image of the evergreen firmly in my eyes before turning away.
Step.
Step.
‘Rare? And expensive?’
I couldn’t suppress the smile that escaped me.
It felt like my feet were floating above the carpet.
‘So it’s worth that much money.’
If that level of glow counted as A-grade, then I knew something SSS-grade.
Namely—
‘The weeds that used to grow in my front yard.’
And my old house still hadn’t been discovered.
‘Now I’m rich.’
“Head Maid! Who are these older sisters?”
When I returned to my room, there were uninvited guests inside.
Pretending to be surprised, I widened my eyes and grabbed the hem of the head maid’s skirt.
“They are attendants assigned to serve Lady Tie.”
“Waaah…! Really? They’re my big sisters?”
Why bother.
I slowly looked them over.
“It’s a pleasure, Lady Tie! I’m Anna, your personal attendant starting today. Please take good care of me!”
The woman on the left was Anna—a bright, lively blonde maid.
“It is an honor to serve you. My name is Jess. If you need anything, please let me know.”
The woman on the right was Jess.
Brown hair, few words, calm voice and expression.
‘Is she the Crown Prince’s person?’
There was only one reason to assign a personal attendant to a child companion.
Surveillance.
The head maid was currently a close aide of the Second Empress.
From what I’d learned, she had offered quite a number of bribes to the Second Empress.
The attendants who now held positions throughout the palace were all relatives of her faction.
Just from the way the head maid stood on Anna’s side and exchanged glances with her, it was obvious.
‘On the other hand, she doesn’t seem interested in Jess at all.’
The situation was clear enough.
‘The Second Empress assigned a new spy to monitor me, since I’m watching the Crown Prince.’
And the Crown Prince, having realized that, assigned his own spy to me.
‘What a nuisance. I’ve gained two burdens.’
I stepped forward and stared up at them.
“Eek! How can you be so doll-like? From now on, Anna will stay by your side and protect you!”
Anna beamed and hugged me.
Jess, meanwhile, quietly followed behind us.
“My lady! I’ll brush your hair. Come here.”
Anna excitedly let down my hair and brushed it strand by strand.
‘Not bad.’
I munched on cookies indifferently while she brushed.
With a child’s hands, it wasn’t easy to hold such a large brush.
Just as I was admiring the growing shine, my eyes met Jess’s reflection in the mirror.
“What are you doing, Jess? Don’t just stand there getting in the way—move aside! Or go bring the iron to heat my hair.”
“Understood.”
“So frustrating, honestly.”
Anna shot Jess a glare as she left.
Then Anna met my eyes in the mirror and smiled brightly.
“I’m sorry. I got upset because of Jess. She’s so slow. You understand, right?”
I stared at Anna.
“Actually, I wanted to be assigned to the Second Empress’s palace, but I ended up here. It feels like exile, doesn’t it?”
She smiled sweetly while stroking my hair.
“Still, I’m relieved to serve someone as cute as you. I was a bit worried…”
“Mmm. Okay.”
“But my lady, is it true you’re not really the merchant guild leader’s daughter?”
Anna whispered as if her lips were itching to speak.
There was more than curiosity in her eyes.
“I heard Her Majesty adopted you into the family. But judging by your appearance, I can’t tell.”
Her eyes twisted mockingly. The corner of her mouth crooked upward.
“You don’t look like an abandoned child at all.”
I looked at Anna as she kept babbling.
“Well, you know, children who live on the streets usually smell, and their breath stinks. I was raised in comfort since I was little, so I wouldn’t know—”
“Anna.”
I placed the brush back into her hand.
“Mmm, Anna, the thing that should be moving isn’t your mouth. It’s this. My hair.”
“Huh? Ah… yes. Of course.”
With an awkward expression, she resumed brushing.
“But my lady. Did you just call my mouth a snout?”
“Did Tie?”
I tilted my head with an innocent expression, and Anna blinked in confusion.
“…Never mind. I must’ve misheard.”
With a troubled look, Anna braided my hair.
I stared at the mirror. Pale face, large golden eyes. Light gold hair.
Braided on both sides with pink ribbons—it was quite cute, even to me.
I’d never worn such elaborate styling before, but I liked it.
I should’ve lived like this instead of dressing like a shabby warrior.
“Anyway, my lady, you’ll have to tell Her Majesty that Anna is competent. That I assisted you wisely. Understood?”
“Mmm. I’ll see how you do.”
“Pardon?”
I flashed a smile at Anna’s wide eyes and hopped down from the chair.
‘Why are all the chairs adult-sized? Even the Crown Prince is a child.’
“My lady!”
Anna stepped in front of me, her face angry.
“I’m truly desperate. So please don’t treat this like a child’s game!”
“Hm.”
“You were turned away by His Highness, weren’t you? I can request an audience with him. So let’s help each other.”
“How?”
“You know what the Second Empress wants.”
Anna’s eyes flashed.
I knew.
She wanted the Crown Prince dead and to take the throne.
“The Empress’s due date isn’t far off. The Crown Prince will try to hold his Awakening Ceremony before then.”
“He’ll hold it?”
“Yes. His Majesty passed away suddenly at such a young age. If he’s to inherit the throne, there’s no other way.”
I tapped my cheek thoughtfully.
‘The Awakening Ceremony.’
We had that in my time as well.
Usually, when a royal or noble succeeded their house, they would manifest the power within their body as proof of their qualifications and to win allies.
‘Huo니스 was a magic swordsman.’
The Crown Prince closely resembled the first Huo니스.
The eyes are the window to the heart.
In other words, the total potential power within someone corresponds to the clarity in their gaze.
Kazen Huo니스 had eyes as deep violet as amethyst.
‘At that level, he’ll probably be able to coat his blade in thick aura during the Awakening Ceremony.’
The ceremony draws out even future power to display one’s maximum potential.
‘He must be very anxious.’
Crown Prince Kazen was thirteen.
Even if the situation was urgent, it wasn’t the usual age to undergo the Awakening Ceremony. His body wouldn’t be able to handle it.
‘He could die if something goes wrong.’
So that’s why they assigned attendants.
From the Crown Prince’s perspective, it was to prevent me from making any suspicious moves before the ceremony.
From the Empress’s side, it was to monitor the spy assigned by the Crown Prince and interfere if needed.
‘She must be nervous. The Crown Prince will manifest overwhelming power—enough to sweep Bellavita from her position.’
Now it made sense.
“I’ll only brush past you for a short time anyway,” Anna continued persuading me. “Once I become a trusted aide of the Second Empress and gain connections through her, my business will succeed. That’s all I need.”
She pressed down on my shoulders as if coaxing a child and smiled at me through the mirror.
The eyes reflected in it—
“After all, once your role as companion ends, you’ll just be sent back to the orphanage.”
That was contempt.
