In the end, I ended up by Calix’s side 24 hours a day.

“Are you insane?”

“I’m too much in my right mind, so don’t worry.”

Ruel grabbed the back of his neck and looked at me. His expression suggested I should say something.

“Your Highness, no matter what, tearing down the wall of my room is a bit….. Especially when those rumors are burning more fiercely than before these days…..”

“Then swear you won’t go outside the imperial city on your own again.”

“Your Highness, oppressing my freedom like this is a bit much.”

I looked at Calix with a serious expression. Bringing up freedom to someone from a democratic country is crossing the line. Yes, indeed. Absolutely.

Even if it’s Calix, this is unacceptable.

“Then what do you want me to do? Just watch as you run around putting yourself in danger? What if something goes wrong?”

At Calix’s words, Ruel couldn’t stand it anymore and shouted with irritation he had never shown before.

“Who are you trying to torment?”

He glared at Calix with veins popping on his neck.

“Are you planning to deliberately add fuel to the rumors? Why don’t you just dismiss Rose from her maid position and appoint her as the Crown Princess!”

I stared at Ruel with my mouth wide open. Calix did the same.

“Anyway, Rose comes from a noble family, and with the current state of affairs, who would care whether she is Your Highness’s mistress or not! Since things have come to this, just appoint her as Crown Princess!”

Ruel continued glaring at Calix, his heavy breathing revealing undiminished anger.

I buried my face in both hands.

‘It’s over.’

He usually seems oblivious, but he’s surprisingly perceptive about this matter.

Well, when Calix shows interest in me and all the palace staff know about it, it would be strange if he didn’t know.

I slightly raised my head to look at Calix.

He was staring at Ruel with a shocked face, stiff as a wooden doll.

He couldn’t even make excuses to deny it.

‘Calix likes me.’

It was a reaction that even a passing kindergartener could understand.

Finally, I sighed and spoke seriously.

“Please say something that makes sense, my lord. What Crown Princess appointment in this situation? It would damage His Highness’s reputation that we’ve just managed to improve.”

“Then, when are you planning to do it?”

At Ruel’s question, I thought for a moment.

Crown Princess…

“I’m only 19, what marriage? And in my world, the average marriage age is 28.”

I didn’t want to think about such complicated matters when I wasn’t even at the age for marriage yet.

What’s wrong with people here, jumping straight to marriage?

Do they just get married as soon as they fall in love?

“Then what are you planning to do? Even if you try to use the rumor about dating Aaron again, it’s obvious no one will believe it anymore.”

“Currently, His Highness’s reputation is unprecedentedly good. But if the rumors about us dating become true, how will the First Prince’s faction respond?”

At my words, Ruel bit his lip, clearly annoyed.

“Legally, there’s no problem, Rose.”

“If they want to find fault, they’ll find a way. Besides, the Estanya family was one of the major nobles of Levelon before Posnia was founded. This will definitely become an issue.”

It was something that happened so long ago that few people would remember, but if someone dug into it, it would definitely become a problem.

400 years ago, the Estanya family was a major noble family in Levelon, and they pretended to submit to Posnia, betraying Levelon to summon me.

And in the end, they really summoned me for Morisias’s resurrection.

I sighed with complicated feelings and looked at Calix, who remained silent.

“Your Highness, please say something.”

But Calix, with a half-dazed face, muttered something foolish.

“Why… 28 years old?”

I met eyes with Ruel.

I buried my face in both hands, and fortunately, Ruel said what I wanted to say.

“Your Highness, are you insane?”

***

Calix was broken. Calix, who was nothing without his charisma, had completely lost it!

“It’s because of you, my lord.”

“…How is it my fault?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

It was quite a novel experience.

To think that the great Calix Posman would lose his mind because of me.

It sounded somewhat like an exaggeration, but thinking about it, there were plenty of reasons for Calix to like me.

After all, I’ve saved his life several times.

“For now, since you don’t seem interested in talking to me, my lord, please handle this yourself.”

I sighed deeply.

After that day, Calix kept watching my reactions even during meetings to scout nobles for the new faction.

Also, as his cynical nature and sharp demeanor intensified, rumors spread among the staff that the crazy Crown Prince had returned.

I didn’t understand why he was acting this way now, after being so obvious all along, but he seemed to need some time alone.

“Then what is Rose doing?”

Ruel asked, sounding somewhat aggrieved. I felt a bit dumbfounded.

“I’m originally a chambermaid, my lord. Shouldn’t I just clean His Highness’s chambers?”

At my words, Ruel seemed at a loss for words, his mouth half-open in a daze.

“I had forgotten.”

Yes, I’m sure you did.

From the first day, I did more work than necessary just to survive, so he probably forgot.

Who would think of me as a chambermaid?

Those who should know already know.

I’m the one who appointed Milla as the head maid, and ultimately, I’m the real power in the Crown Prince’s palace.

‘This is what they call the power behind the throne…!’

Of course, all decisions are ultimately Calix’s, but still.

I’m more impressive than I thought.

“Anyway, I plan to stay quiet and safe as His Highness requested. Until His Highness returns to a state where serious conversation is possible.”

Ruel sighed deeply.

“…Are you sure? I know you have outstanding talent for solving incidents, but if you sneak out of the palace again this time, His Highness might tear down the walls of your room. He’s the type who would do it if he says he will.”

At Ruel’s words, I imagined Calix tearing down my room’s walls with a cold expression.

Ugh, no matter how cute his recent behavior might be, Calix’s personality was clearly awful.

“I’m someone who knows the value and importance of privacy protection. I plan to behave, so you don’t need to worry, my lord.”

Of course, just because I say I’ll behave doesn’t mean accidents won’t happen at all.

“…Wow. What is this?”

After parting with Ruel, I went down to the dining hall for a meal after what felt like a million years, and someone put something in my hand and quickly disappeared. When I looked at it, it was a very suspicious-looking note.

“Rooooose~!”

Before I could examine what it was, I heard a voice and pressed my forehead.

It seemed Aaron was on lunch duty today, as the orange-haired man I hadn’t seen in quite a while spotted me and came running over with a ladle, acting impulsively.

“Hmm? What’s that in your hand?”

At Aaron’s question, I looked around to see who had handed me this note.

And I made eye contact with someone.

A face I hadn’t seen before. A new employee?

‘I will be waiting.’

The servant with the unfamiliar face whispered with lip movements and quietly disappeared.

Honestly, I was dumbfounded. What was the point of secretly giving me this note?

“Well, I wonder what this is… Aaron, have you seen Milla anywhere? I suddenly have something to ask her.”

“Why do you look for Milla first when you see me?”

Aaron pouted and gave me a look of disappointment.

“Because I think Teiron will come looking for you within 10 seconds.”

At that, Aaron looked back at the kitchen with a startled face. There was Teiron, who had completely shaved his beard and looked quite neat, glaring at Aaron with his characteristically fierce expression.

“Aaron Crimson! Slacking off again!”

“Eek! I’ll come back in 10 minutes.”

“What 10 minutes? Do you think I don’t know you’ve been slacking off for 30 minutes!”

I sighed deeply and watched Teiron and Aaron performing their tag game.

Seeing that they had the spirit to act like this even in this situation, it seemed that the Crown Prince’s palace was indeed a better place to live than others.

After all, Calix himself was financially well-off and had become a bit more mild-tempered than before.

No risk of salary cuts, unlike other palaces, he lets everyone take a day off once a week without fail, and he’s created work hours and break times.

Even I would develop loyalty that wasn’t there before.

Anyway, I sat down and quietly looked at the note between my fingers.

They say even a dog isn’t disturbed while eating, so why would someone choose this moment to pass a suspicious note through a suspicious person?

‘Are they stupid?’

Since it was well past lunchtime and there weren’t many people around, I immediately unfolded the note and read it.

[The First Prince is looking for you. Please come to the separate palace.]

Who is this? Who would act as a spy in the sacred Crown Prince’s palace… especially in this situation?

‘After all the hard work I did to clean house…!’

I immediately stood up.

An iron hammer was the answer for troublemakers.

I would show them exactly what abuse of power meant.