Chapter 4. Let’s do this thing 

While the nobles were well aware of Anelope’s circumstances, the commoners were not. They were unaware of the intricate relationships between nobles and royals, as well as the power struggles that took place among them. 

All they knew was that His Highness the Crown Prince had become Emperor and the Princess had been made Grand Duke – little more than that. 

They had no idea that the princess, now a grand duke in name only, had few options: unable to marry a respectable nobleman because of the Emperor’s watchful eyes, she could only marry greedy lower nobles or fallen aristocrats, or grow old and die alone in her mansion. 

They were unaware of these things, for ignorance was their reality. 

This ignorance extended to Anelope’s knights as well. They firmly believed that Anelope would eventually marry a respectable nobleman or a dashing prince from a foreign land. After all, she was part of the exalted “royal family”.

To the commoners, the royals-let alone the nobles-were figures as distant and revered as the heavens themselves. They believed this without question, at least until they overheard the maids’ gossip.

“Did you hear? It’s the Albert Barony this time.”

“Oh, I heard, all right. It’s upsetting, really. Isn’t the Albert Barony practically crumbling?”

“They say the man is over forty years old.”

“My goodness! What do they think of Her Highness proposing marriage from such a family?”

“Exactly! It’s a relief that Her Highness knows how to turn them down, but every time a proposal comes from a collapsing family, it makes my blood boil.”

By this time, the knights had finished their lunch and were resting in their quarters. The chatter continued from behind the annex. Someone opened a window, and the voices grew louder and clearer.

“They look down on them completely, because the Grand Duchy is only a title and no substance.”

“Oh, how disgusting! Our Highness is such a wonderful person!”

“Let’s pretend this laundry is Baron Albert and give him a good beating!”

“Great idea. I’ll give him a good beating.”

The knights, being commoners, weren’t very smart. Unlike the maids, who had spent years working in various noble households before ending up in the Grand Duchy of Beseten, the knights were ignorant of the dynamics of noble society and the flow of power.

They couldn’t make sense of the maids’ gossip.

How could a baron in his forties dare to propose marriage to a princess?

Faced with incomprehensible talk, they could only shake their heads in confusion.

“Hey, did you hear?”

One of the knights spoke. The others, who had tried not to show their curiosity, nodded in agreement.

“What are they talking about?”

“I don’t know.”

“How could a baron in his forties propose marriage to the grand duke?”

“I have no idea…”

“Does anyone know?”

“…”

Something felt wrong. All 15 knights sensed it, but none of them could put their finger on it. Even if they racked their brains, they couldn’t figure it out. Unfortunately, Anelope’s knights were not the sharpest of individuals.

“Should we ask them?”

The knights nodded in unison, as if they had all agreed beforehand. They left the annex and approached the maids, who were vigorously beating the laundry. They greeted them with impeccable courtesy.

“Hello, ma’am.”

Of course, even though they were both commoners, there was a hierarchy between maids and knights. Knights had a slightly higher rank, and when they approached with a friendly smile, it was only a matter of time before the maids’ faces turned red.

“Well, we were just wondering about something…”

And their tongues quickly loosened. To be precise, it wasn’t just lightheartedness – it was their trust in the knights as Her Highness’ closest companions, combined with the knights’ handsome faces, that made them willing to share.

Had it been a matter of disparaging Anelope, they would have held their tongues. But the knights really asked in all sincerity, “Why do such fools keep flocking to Anelope?” It wasn’t a difficult question for the maids to answer, so they readily explained.

The maids explained that Her Highness could not marry the prominent nobles of the capital or foreign princes of high rank, as it was necessary to demonstrate that she had no ambitions for power. Instead, she was confined to her estate, given only the empty title of Grand Duke, avoided social gatherings and lived quietly away from the public eye.

“Does that mean that Her Highness must either marry one of those old men or live out her life alone?”

“Hmm… probably, yes. There’s no reason for young and successful noblemen to get close to Her Highness.”

“That’s true. Worse, they risk falling out of the Emperor’s favour if they do.”

The knights’ faces darkened. The future they had envisioned for Anelope was very different from the grim reality that loomed over them.

—

Since the incident with the underwear, Anelope, still upset, had stopped visiting the Knights’ training grounds. It had been five days since she had last been seen.

“Her Highness hasn’t come by…”

“Maybe it’s for the best. It’s cold outside and she might catch a cold coming and going like this.”

“Still…”

“She must be really upset.”

Anelope had even gone so far as to buy some rather daring underwear as a last resort, but the lack of effect left her shocked and locked in her room, refusing to come out.

The knights, of course, had no idea.

That is, until they encountered the maids again, who had come out to do the laundry.

“Her Highness is hardly eating these days. I’m worried.”

“So am I. When I go into her room to clean, she just starts crying and says, “Am I really that unattractive?” It breaks my heart.”

“Who the hell made our Grand Duchess cry?”

“Just let me catch him. I’ll beat him to a pulp like this laundry.”

The maids, unaware that the so-called “culprits” were none other than Anelope’s own knights, continued to beat the laundry with relentless determination.

Thwack, thwack, thwack.

The harsh sound of the laundry being beaten echoed through the knights’ quarters. The knights swallowed nervously and exchanged uneasy glances.

‘They’re not talking about us, are they?’

‘No way. It can’t be.’

‘It’s impossible… right?’

As they tried to enjoy their break, each loud thud seemed to gnaw at their consciences, making them feel as if they were the ones being beaten. The feeling of unease grew with each blow.

“By the way, has Her Highness been in contact with a man lately?” a knight whispered hesitantly.

Thwack!

The sound outside seemed to answer louder than words, making the knights jump and shift uncomfortably in their seats.

“Huh, right? Weren’t all those marriage proposals she got from old geezers?”

Thwack.

“Who could refuse Her Highness?”

Thwack, thwack.

The maids chatted energetically as they beat the laundry. Meanwhile, there was a heavy silence in the knights’ quarters. No one dared speak.