“D-Dear esteemed servants of the Crown Prince’s palace!”

“No, Milla. More confidently, more boldly!”

“Rose, do we really have to do this?”

Milla said to me with a tearful face.

“We need to touch people’s hearts, you know? We have to squeeze out as much emotion as possible to make them follow His Highness the Crown Prince.”

I stomped my feet and checked the speech again.

To think there would be a case where a liberal arts background would be helpful in this world.

‘Of course, it’s not like I majored in politics or anything…’

Anyway, I tried hard to recall my faint memories from high school Korean language classes.

The most important conditions when writing a speech! Understand the background situation, grasp where you’re speaking, and keep it uncomplicated!

There were many other points, but considering the era of this place, those three seemed the most important.

“Have confidence!”

My most important goal was to secure the loyalty of the servants towards Calix.

Calix didn’t seem to understand what I was doing at all, but he’ll soon find out.

It’s a rule that when the people right below him show loyalty, others can’t look down on him.

“But Rose, is His Highness the Crown Prince really such a good person? Why are you working so hard?”

Milla glanced at me and shrugged her shoulders.

“His Highness the Crown Prince used to be an arrogant person who mercilessly killed those who opposed his opinions. Even if they tried to harm His Highness, it’s a bit…”

I was momentarily lost for words at Milla’s statement.

Well, that could be true.

Even if he’s been quite docile lately, it doesn’t erase the fact that Calix had acted arrogantly before.

“I can’t guarantee anything else, but I can confidently say that he treats his own people extremely well. Look at me.”

That’s how Calix had been from what I’ve seen so far.

Just look at how he treats me, and you’ll get your answer, right?

“Hmm… That’s true.”

Milla pursed her lips and tilted her head as if pondering.

“But isn’t that because it’s you, Rose?”

Then she squinted her eyes and poked my arm.

“Rose, are you really not involved with His Highness?”

“What kind of starfish twist dance talk is that, Milla?”

I gaped at Milla in disbelief.

“Why, it’s strange. Even when you were injured that time, he gave you an excessive amount of potion and even called the imperial doctor to treat you.”

Milla chuckled mischievously, and I grabbed my arms, gritting my teeth at the goosebumps that rose.

“That’s because I’m extremely useful!”

“But Rose, you used to be bad at your job.”

“The me from before wasn’t me, Milla. And the rumor about His Highness liking me is just a baseless rumor! How could you say that too?”

I clicked my tongue and shook my head.

It’s the end of days, truly the end of days.

Thanks to this, I could briefly imagine becoming the female protagonist.

‘I can’t go anywhere with this.’

I gritted my teeth and let out a silent scream.

Even though I had discovered Calix’s human side and fallen for him, this didn’t seem quite right.

“Rose?”

“I just imagined it, and it’s a bit… you know.”

Milla looked at me with an incomprehensible expression.

“Why? To put it bluntly, if His Highness ascends to the emperor’s throne as the rumors say, wouldn’t that be good for you, rising in status? And Rose, you’re not even a commoner, you’re a noble.”

I looked at Milla with a stiff expression.

“Milla, realistically, I don’t think there’s anything for me to gain by rising to such a position.”

Then I said with a resolute face.

“And although His Highness is handsome, he’s not my type.”

“Oh. You even consider your preferences in front of His Highness? You’re amazing, Rose!”

“Of course, His Highness is handsome, but I look at personality, Milla.”

I nodded.

Mm-hmm, personality is the most important.

“Then is Aaron’s personality good? Isn’t it just his face that’s good?”

“…I’m not really dating Aaron, Milla.”

“Eh. They say that’s how it starts before you know it.”

I decided to just give up on the conversation.

Milla seemed to like the new topic that had strayed far from the original, and was grinning widely. Continuing this conversation would only put me at a disadvantage.

“Hmm, I think Aaron’s not bad, even if he’s a bit strange.”

As I stared blankly at Milla, she whispered to me carefully.

“I heard from the kitchen staff, you know, Aaron…”

I gaped.

I didn’t bother to dwell on what Milla had said.

But I felt like I had learned something I didn’t want to know.

Damn it.

***

My plan was going very well.

Usually, people working in the imperial palace lived somewhat disconnected from the outside, so romance news was always a hot topic.

‘Who’s dating who!’

‘Who and who?’

‘You know, that orange-haired guy in the kitchen and the Crown Prince’s bedchamber maid!’

People kept talking endlessly, seemingly surprised that I, who had always been a hot potato, was involved in a scandal with a servant other than Calix.

It seemed to have reached Calix’s ears as well.

I was heading to the office, feeling quite triumphant, to boast about my achievements to Calix.

“Rose, can we talk for a moment?”

“Lord Ruel?”

I was startled by the sudden appearance of the silver head and looked at Ruel.

He quickly looked around, and after confirming that no one was around, he quietly led me to a corner.

“Why… are you doing this?”

To my question, Ruel sighed briefly and asked with a serious face.

“Have you given up on that magician from Desart?”

“Pardon?”

I frowned, momentarily dumbfounded.

‘What is he talking about?’

Seeing my sharp gaze, Ruel continued, looking a bit flustered.

“You know, that magician who you fell in love at first sight with.”

“…Ah!”

I raised my head abruptly at Ruel’s words.

Is he talking about the lie I made up as an excuse in Desart? All of a sudden?

“But why are you asking about that now…?”

Ruel, with a very tense face, stared at me for a long time. Soon, he carefully opened his mouth.

“Do you no longer like that magician?”

“My lord?”

I couldn’t help but frown at the incomprehensible question.

What is he trying to do with me?

And that too, holding up someone who’s on their way to work.

“Well… actually, I think I was just momentarily crazy that day. I have a bit of a fantasy about magicians in general.”

I rolled my eyes in confusion and gave a rough excuse.

Ruel, seemingly unsatisfied with this, pressed on.

“Still, changing your mind so suddenly is a bit…”

“My lord, did you eat something wrong? What’s the matter with you?”

Ruel looked like he was about to cry. After staring at me for a while, he bit his lip and said.

“The thing is, the news of Rose’s relationship has spread throughout the Crown Prince’s palace. Are you aware of this?”

“Yes, I am aware, but what about it?”

What’s the problem? I was the one who spread it, you know?

As I tilted my head and looked at him, he seemed to be at a loss for words and took a deep breath.

“Ah… I see. You are aware.”

Then he roughly ran his hand through his hair.

It felt like he was trying to choose his words carefully.

For me, I had no idea why he was acting like this.

“Is there a problem, perhaps?”

At those words, Ruel laughed awkwardly.

“It’s… nothing.”

His face didn’t look like it was nothing.

He clearly had an expression that something was wrong.

Ruel turned his back on me, looking like he was carrying a heavy burden of worry.

Since Ruel was also heading to the office, and I had to go that way too, I naturally followed behind him.

“Ow!”

Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, and I ended up bumping my nose into his back.

Since Ruel always wore armor even in the palace, it hurt like hell.

I glared at him with an annoyed look. Ruel turned around quickly and said with a somewhat dazed expression.

“How about breaking up with that kitchen servant, Rose?”

And then I was dazed too.

What’s wrong with this person?