Chapter 4 – The Blood of Aden (Part 1)

Seia Aden quietly returned to the Crown Princess’s palace.

She only removed her robe after turning into the hallway.

The darkened hallway was pitch-black. Seia lifted a candle to light her path.

Now she just had to go back to her bedroom and fall asleep as if nothing had happened.

In the morning, the maids would come to wake her up.

Along with the news that Kyle Hellis had escaped from the underground prison.

Feeling slightly relieved, Seia let out a small sigh.

At that moment, she heard the sound of small footsteps from somewhere.

Seia turned around in surprise.

“Who’s there?”

Seia shouted loudly.

But only her voice echoed through the hallway.

Seia held the candle and stared into the darkness.

But nothing moved.

Feeling tense again, Seia quickened her pace and entered her bedroom.

‘I definitely heard a sound.’

Seia thought.

She felt certain that there was someone else in the hallway with her.

‘Who would follow me at this hour without even lighting a candle?’

Seia thought about the underground prison.

She reassured herself that her nerves were on edge because of her visit there.

Nevertheless, she did not forget to firmly lock the door to her bedroom.

As Seia removed her wig, her purple hair spread out like a dream.

With a restless feeling, Seia got into bed.

***

Francis was a low-ranking knight from the Haisen mercenaries and didn’t know much about Kyle Hellis.

All he knew was that Kyle Hellis, being of illegitimate birth, was a threat to Tristan.

In other words, he didn’t know much about the infamy Kyle had earned in the North.

That’s why he volunteered for this task.

When Francis and his gang received the key and descended to the underground prison, they couldn’t see anything.

All the torches that lit up the pillars were extinguished.

Even though they were mercenaries who didn’t panic easily, they weren’t prepared for this situation.

“What’s going on?”

One of them said urgently.

“Make a torch, now!”

Francis shouted.

In the state of complete darkness, one of the knights bent down to pick up a piece of wood.

As he groped around to grab something, he heard breathing near his ear.

“W-what’s that!”

With a scream, the man fell.

“Where is it! Which direction!”

The fact that they couldn’t even tell how he died added to their fear.

A battle in a forest without any light.

For Kyle, who roamed the North as if it were his home, this was nothing.

This place was a stage for someone who could fight with their eyes closed, relying solely on their senses.

Kyle could easily take down the knights who were flailing their swords around in the darkness.

‘There’s a beast in the darkness.’

Francis thought.

He could almost hear a growl in his hallucination.

And the sound of the wind slicing right in front of him was the last thing Francis felt.

As the dawn broke, the face of the beast in the darkness gradually emerged in the dim light.

Black, sleek hair and gray eyes that shone like well-honed blades.

Kyle’s figure was reflected in the eyes of the dead.

***

Seia stayed awake all night, only to fall asleep in the middle as if she had fainted.

But even then, she didn’t sleep deeply and woke up at the slightest noise.

At the sound of a click, Seia sprang up.

Soon, the door gently opened.

“Rey?”

Seia asked, and Rey appeared from behind the door.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

A sudden thought crossed Seia’s mind.

“Was it you last night too?”

Seia asked.

Rey closed the door and hurried to Seia.

“What do you mean, Your Highness? Did someone come last night?”

“On my way back from the underground prison last night, I heard footsteps in the hallway.”

Rey’s expression hardened.

“I’m not sure. I might have been sensitive.”

Seia added.

Rey seemed to have an idea.

“What is it? Speak, Rey.”

“I’m not certain yet, Your Highness. Let me investigate a bit more.”

Seeing Rey’s serious face, Seia didn’t press further.

“The Prince must have escaped by now.”

Seia said.

Rey slowly nodded.

“The news will spread in a few hours.”

“The Crown Prince will choose to keep it quiet.”

Seia could foresee Tristan’s move.

He had two options.

One was to announce that Kyle Hellis, the assassin of the former Emperor Catheon, had escaped and put him on the wanted list.

The second was to fake Kyle’s death in the underground prison.

‘He wouldn’t want a noisy problem right after ascending to the throne.’

Since he originally planned to kill Kyle, it would be easier to proceed with the plan and declare him dead.

Then he would secretly send people to clean up the aftermath.

‘That will be my opportunity.’

Seia made eye contact with herself in the mirror.

“Since I’m already up, let’s get ready early today.”

At Seia’s words, Rey looked up.

“Then I’ll call the maids to the Crown Princess’s palace, Your Highness.”

***

Rey intended to send a messenger to call the maids earlier than usual.

Lady Natalie Cavondish, who always entered the palace early, would probably be ready to leave by the time the messenger arrived.

Therefore, Rey thought it would be better to send a faster messenger to Agnes Sion and Elena Constance.

As Rey hurried to the back gate where the messengers were waiting, he noticed knights standing near the Crown Prince’s palace.

‘It’s not yet time for the Crown Prince to wake up.’

The fact that several knights stood in front of the door, guarding it, meant there was a guest.

Rey squinted his eyes.

‘If I could just find out who it is, it could help the Crown Princess.’

Rey slowed his steps and deliberately walked slowly past the Crown Prince’s palace.

Just as he was about to pass completely, the door suddenly opened.

Rey quickly hid behind a pillar.

“Then I shall take my leave, Your Highness.”

At the familiar voice, Rey watched the door.

Walking out between the guards was none other than…….

“Elena Constance?”

Rey whispered softly.

Elena walked down the hallway with her head bowed.

Rey, who had been hiding behind the pillar for a moment, followed Elena.

“Miss Constance.”

As soon as they turned a corner and were alone, Rey called out to Elena.

Elena hesitated for a moment but then ignored him and kept walking.

“The Crown Princess is looking for you.”

At those words, Elena stopped.

She could ignore a mere maid’s words, but not those of the Crown Princess.

Elena slowly turned around.

“The other maids haven’t entered the palace yet.”

Her voice was filled with both confusion and sharpness.

“No, not yet.”

Rey continued without hesitation.

“The Crown Princess will be curious why you were coming out of the Crown Prince’s quarters at a time when no one else has entered the palace.”

“How dare you!”

Elena shouted.

But Rey maintained a polite smile and raised his head without fear.

“Then I will escort you to the Crown Princess’s palace.”

As Rey started walking, Elena glared at him with murderous intent but had no choice but to follow.

“You were following the Crown Princess last night.”

Rey said calmly.

“What?”

Elena’s face turned pale.

But Rey continued without looking back.

“You entered the dressing room in advance without being called to eavesdrop on the conversation.”

“Are you accusing me?”

Elena grabbed Rey’s shoulder and turned him around.

“And just now, you were going to report to the Crown Prince about where the Crown Princess went last night, weren’t you?”

“You’re courting death!”

Elena shouted with a flushed face.

“You don’t seem to fear death.”

Elena raised her hand to slap Rey.

For a lady from a powerful family like Constance, killing a maid without anyone noticing was nothing, but Rey was an official maid of the Imperial Palace.

Rey did not avoid her eyes.

“I was already a dead person 10 years ago.”

There was no fear in Rey’s eyes, and this fact made Elena feel fear instead.

“Sacrificing my life for the master who kept me alive is nothing.”

As Elena’s hand stopped in mid-air, Rey took a step closer to her.

“But if anyone harms the Crown Princess, I will surely take them to the afterlife with me.”

Elena was momentarily speechless.

“Go and confess your sins to the Crown Princess.”

Rey continued without blinking.

“And pray that she shows mercy.”

“I did nothing!”

Elena screamed.

“Then tell her I am falsely accusing you.”

Rey added and continued walking towards the Crown Princess’s palace.

Elena Constance, her face flushed with humiliation and shame, was now trembling with fear rather than anger.

Elena impulsively turned and started running towards the Crown Prince’s palace.

Rey sighed as if she had expected it.

Elena was thinking of running to Tristan and confessing Rey’s insolence.

‘The Crown Prince will take care of a mere maid.’

Since it was the Crown Prince who planted her as a spy in the Crown Princess’s palace, she believed he would handle this issue.

“The Crown Prince will think you have failed.”

Rey said to Elena’s back.

“He will think you were reckless and got caught by a mere sewing maid.”

Elena stopped and turned to look at Rey.

“If you confess, you will only be discarded.”

Rey walked leisurely towards Elena.

It was as if the roles of noble and servant had been reversed.

Elena’s eyes wavered.

Rey’s words were not wrong.

Tristan would deny ever planting a spy in the Crown Princess’s palace and might even frame Elena as a traitor.

“But the Crown Princess is different.”

Rey said calmly.

“If you prove your usefulness, she won’t discard you so easily.”