Having received a direct water baptism, I was dumbfounded.

I touched the candlestick by moving? But I didn’t move an inch?

And then, I recalled Eloise’s final murmur heard in the carriage.

‘The hidden real villain who makes you the revealed fake villain.’

Ah, so this is the content of the script you wrote.

You continuously treated me kindly, but I frame you and lose my temper. Like an unprecedented ruffian, insisting that I deliberately touched the candle.

Haa…… A rather childish method.

Making my earlier tension about talk of fake villains and real villains seem ridiculous.

“Oh, my goodness. You should have been careful.”

Eloise offered comfort to me, sighing.

She explored me with deep eyes, and facing such an Eloise made me smile bitterly.

I was given two choices.

Either perform according to Eloise’s script. Or embrace Eloise, even if it might disappoint her.

Then I…

“Are you okay? You must have been very startled because of me?”

I coolly chose the second option.

By not using honorifics with Eloise, I affirmed that I never considered myself a maid.

Filled with fake emotions of concern, so that our relationship would appear beautiful.

Yes, this is the best option for now. I’ll just have to bear the reputation of being a careless woman who almost started a fire at the banquet.

It’s not like I got slapped with kimchi, or showered with orange juice.

Eloise stared at me blankly, and I nonchalantly wiped away the water pooling on my chin with the back of my hand.

“Count’s lady, take care of your maid later and let’s go now. It’s time for the debutantes to greet His Majesty the King.”

The ladies urged Eloise with tense faces. This was an important time for them, as they had repeatedly practiced etiquette for this moment.

“Yes, let’s go.”

Finally, Eloise’s answer rang out dejectedly. It seemed like the psychological warfare between us was ending.

With my broad-mindedness forgiving all of Eloise’s theatrics.

But people are…

Looking at the long hem of Eloise’s dress as she turned away, a wicked feeling arose in me.

Eloise’s pristine appearance somehow felt unfair.

I began to convince myself.

Isn’t self-defense originally legal? An act to defend against another’s unjust infringement. An action to protect myself from the threat posed by the other.

So this qualifies as self-defense. I’m personally teaching her not to do this again.

I firmly stepped on the hem of Eloise’s dress as she began to walk briskly.

Timing it perfectly with the moment she would be closest to a servant approaching from the opposite direction.

As expected, the unbalanced Eloise fell toward the servant. Even though that direction was extremely dangerous.

On the silver tray supported by the servant’s hand were glasses containing pomegranate sherbet and Rousillon.

They happened to all be red items.

Crash.

The tall servant poured the contents of the silver tray from above Eloise’s head.

The direction in which Eloise and the servant collided could be said to be entirely calculated by me.

“Oh my.”

“Lady.”

The debutantes in white dresses made a commotion. The maids, including myself, didn’t know what to do.

I knelt in front of the fallen Eloise. Following what I learned from her, I recited the circumstances of the incident in rapid-fire, according to the five Ws and one H.

“Eloise, how did this happen? I warned you from the moment we left today. To be careful because your dress is long. I saw you accidentally step on the hem of your dress while running. I tried to catch you, but I was soaking wet and couldn’t do it. If I had known this would happen, I should have grabbed you quickly, even if I got a little wet.”

Eloise, already with a soulless expression, looked up at me. She seemed unable to even consider whether to get angry or not.

Wasn’t today one of the most important days in Eloise’s life?

The white dress symbolizing chastity, which she was supposed to wear to greet the royal couple.

The red wine and red pomegranate sherbet had ruined her dress completely.

The spare dress she had brought was burned by Eloise herself just a moment ago.

Eloise’s entry into society this time was over. She was already a full twenty years old, too old to postpone until next year.

“You……”

Eloise, having finished assessing the situation, stammered. She’s in a position where she could neither get angry nor forgive.

A lump of frozen pomegranate sherbet slid down Eloise’s face, which was crumpling miserably as if she would burst into tears at any moment.

“Are you okay?”

After comforting Eloise first, I also comforted myself.

I just made my cousin realize that, even if I seem indifferent, I’m more worldly than she thinks. So she should tread more carefully in the future.

Yes, I definitely engaged in a legal activity. Of course, the final comfort I’m about to utter is an expression of my wickedness.

I wiped the red sherbet flowing down Eloise’s face with my hand. Then I murmured just one sentence.

“Oh, my goodness. You should have been careful.”

***

The people gathered around Eloise scattered like grains of sand.

The debutantes left to perform the ceremony, and some maids took Eloise somewhere. They probably intended to wash her and tidy her appearance.

Eloise’s entry into society was postponed, but they still needed to send her home looking dignified.

As everyone was leaving, a maid approached me and whispered. She seemed unable to leave me, soaking wet, alone in the banquet hall.

“Do you see that? The black door. When you open that door, there are stairs. When you climb the stairs, a small space appears. It’s a place known only to maids who frequently visit here. We often go there when we need a break.”

Following the maid’s words, I opened the black door. I was soaked with water and had no way to return home.

I had come in Eloise’s carriage, but how would I go back?

I decided to take a short rest and think.

“Ah!”

As soon as I entered through the door, I remembered the application form. Since I had it in my bosom, I wondered if the application form had been ruined.

I quickly felt inside my chemise. A half-wet application form caught my hand.

“What should I do.”

I carefully unfolded the application form while climbing the stairs. First, I needed to go up there and dry this.

I raised my fingers holding the application form and walked with cat-like steps.

The second-floor space I arrived at was, as the maid described, only large enough for two or three people to sit.

I hadn’t examined it carefully because I was focused on the application form, but entering this enclosed space finally gave me a sense of relief.

If I could just spread out the wet application form in a safe place, I would feel truly at ease.

“Eek.”

But soon a faint sound escaped from me. Someone was occupying the space that hadn’t been visible when looking up from the bottom of the stairs.

In this attic-like space with a low ceiling, a robust man leaned against one of the walls.

With one leg stretched out and the other raised in a triangle shape with his long arm resting on it, his well-dressed appearance suggested he was a nobleman of considerably high status.

“It’s been a while.”

I was too surprised to respond.

“Or not? Has it been three days?”

He was Crown Prince Frederick who had visited Ruargo Castle three days ago.

“Sit down. You’ll hurt your head.”

The space containing only the Crown Prince and me was dark, small, and low. Even I, not particularly tall, had to bend at the waist due to the height.

“I apologize. I thought no one was here. The maids said they sometimes rest here.”

“I understand, so please sit down. You can’t go back out looking like that anyway.”

The Crown Prince grumbled sullenly as he turned his gaze to the opposite side.

The left side where he had raised his knee was entirely made of windows, making it perfect for resting his gaze.

The banquet hall on the first floor was clearly visible, offering plenty to observe. The Crown Prince was calmly watching the scene in the banquet hall.

I didn’t want to be a nuisance to such a Crown Prince.

I felt sorry for my bedraggled appearance that, as he said, couldn’t just disappear from here.

I gently pressed myself against the corner opposite the Crown Prince. Our positions were such that we would face each other if we just turned our heads.

But shortly after.

My head quickly turned toward the Crown Prince. My eyes carefully examined the banquet hall reflected in the window.

Having suddenly realized something, I felt a chill. Oh no.

How long had the Crown Prince been here? Could he have seen everything happening in the banquet hall? All my childishly terrible actions and wicked footwork?

“What’s wrong?”

The Crown Prince spoke to me, perhaps bothered by my rustling. I reflexively answered and immediately regretted it.

“This place provides an excellent view of the banquet hall.”

Did I feel the Crown Prince’s eyes examining me thoroughly, or was it a solid misconception? Yes, perhaps it was just the keen misunderstanding of someone feeling guilty.

“Yes, it’s a good view. That’s why I’m here. I hate banquets, but I never know when His Majesty might look for me. If the Queen calls for me, I want to go down immediately.”

“I see…… You must have seen everything everyone was doing.”

“Hmm. I saw a lot today. Sir Roy flirting with a lady, Sir Valens approaching the owner of a coveted land. From here, you can see what everyone dreams of. You learn what they currently desire most.”

At the Crown Prince’s candid answer, I kept my mouth firmly shut. My neck burned with embarrassment, making it impossible to speak.