Led by Duke Genoa Ivanstein, the nobles of the empire had no intention of treating the Kingdom of Reibritton as a vassal state.

“They intended to swallow the entire Kingdom of Reibritton whole.”

The Kingdom of Reibritton, beautiful with its golden fields. For the Raon Empire, it was a good opportunity worth enduring a bit of dishonor. It was good not to give up the best human resources, and it was also appropriate for dispersing the overflowing population. And it was also suitable for granting new territories to nobles who had rendered meritorious service.

Considering even the taxes that could be collected when the kingdom’s people became imperial citizens, the nobles of the empire belatedly realized that it was almost regrettable that they had only been drooling over Reibritton until now.

“There’s nothing better than this to appease the nobles who are probably staring with bloodshot eyes and drooling right now.”

He spoke as if he were an owner excited about the thought of feeding and playing an interesting game with a puppy. All of this seemed to be just a matter of interest to Genoa.

“Have you been educated about the empire’s succession structure?”

At Genoa’s question, Mel secretly swallowed. Since the Kingdom of Reibritton was adjacent to the empire, the princess naturally learned about the imperial family as basic knowledge.

“Of course.”

Fortunately, Mel was the maid who attended education with the princess and took beatings in her place. The princess, who disliked boring things, had Mel attend most of the education in her stead. So she was able to familiarize herself with most of the educational content.

“I know that the First Prince is His Majesty’s eldest son and has more experience, but in fact, the Second Prince is more likely to take the throne.”

“That’s right.”

Genoa turned his head again and continued walking as he spoke.

“Everyone thinks that the Second Prince will ascend to the next throne, to the extent that even the princess knows. But suddenly, I became curious about the First Prince’s thoughts as well.”

“Do you want the First Prince to become emperor, Duke?”

“Well…”

No one knew what was really on Genoa’s mind as he answered in a meaningful voice. Mel could only tell that he was trying to do something related to the throne using her position as the princess of Reibritton. What the purpose was, probably only Genoa Ivanstein himself knew.

“Act as if you’re going to put Reibritton in the First Prince’s mouth. That way, I’ll be able to see the First Prince’s pure intentions.”

“Are you telling me to approach the First Prince?”

“It would be even better if it looked like seduction.”

“……!”

Genoa smiled dangerously at her astonishment. She realized that his words were not a joke but serious when she discovered that his eyes were not smiling.

“The princess of Reibritton is desperate to survive.”

Genoa’s voice was as soft as if he were singing.

“I want those words to be sweetly whispered in my ears, princess.”

Does she really have a choice? From the princess’s standpoint, it was a matter of enduring tremendous insult. Surely all kinds of scandals along with vulgar modifiers and rumors would follow her.

But,

“If you guarantee the freedom you promised me, I’ll try.”

Such things might be frightening to the real princess, but not to Mel. After all, if she found her freedom, she wouldn’t even turn her head towards the empire, so what did dishonor matter?

Genoa was finally satisfied with Mel’s words, which were filled with determination.

“Good.”

While talking with him, Mel arrived in front of Genoa’s office. In front were the servants and maids of the Ivanstein ducal family, as well as the butler and head maid she had never seen before.

First, the butler approached and asked.

“I heard you had a headache, did you see the doctor?”

“He just left.”

“What was the doctor’s opinion?”

“Overwork.”

“…Sigh.”

The butler didn’t hide his troubled expression as he sighed. The others, including the butler, seemed unaware of what had happened between Genoa and Mel.

“I’ve arranged the documents you need to process on the desk as you requested, but don’t you think it would be better to take some rest?”

Mel glanced at the butler who was speaking casually to Genoa. With light brown hair neatly combed up and dressed cleanly in a butler’s uniform with sharp angles, he was not the one who used to be at the Ivanstein mansion before. The previous duke’s butler was a frail old man, but the current butler was a young man who looked very young and robust.

‘The butler has changed. The head maid is also a new face.’

The head maid standing next to the butler was also an unfamiliar face. She seemed to have felt Mel’s gaze but never once looked this way. Her tightly pursed lips, thick jawline, and blunt angular eyes looked fierce at first glance.

Unlike the young butler, the middle-aged head maid approached and interrupted while the butler was talking to Genoa about various things.

“Shall I prepare your meal in your room as usual?”

“Later. I need to talk with the princess now.”

“Ah…”

The head maid’s sharp gaze fell on Mel. She slowly looked Mel up and down, then bowed her head.

Genoa didn’t notice, but Mel felt a subtle wariness that was only directed at her. Unaware of this, Genoa casually asked the head maid.

“Come to think of it, the princess was preparing her own meal yesterday. Didn’t I assign a maid to her? I can’t remember.”

“Ah…”

The head maid trailed off for a moment, glancing at Mel. Then, looking back at Genoa, she answered in a calm voice.

“I’ll check on that.”

With the head maid’s final words, Genoa opened the office door and escorted Mel.

“This way.”

“Yes.”

Several gazes flew at the back of Mel’s head as she entered the office. Genoa didn’t seem to care, as if it was natural, but Mel, who had lived her entire life being mindful of others, knew that those gazes were not very friendly.

The reason why the servants and maids of the Ivanstein mansion were not friendly towards Mel could be seen just by observing the head maid’s attitude. That woman was probably at the center of it all.

When Mel was a maid to the princess in Reibritton, she was bullied by the maids under the leadership of the royal head maid. When the princess learned that the maids were actively bullying Mel, she would giggle and enjoy it, encouraging them further.

‘If I could win that person’s favor, life in this mansion might be a little easier.’

Even if Mel were to enter the imperial social circles as the princess of Reibritton, the head maid’s attitude probably wouldn’t change. The Ivanstein ducal family was a special place that differed from the imperial social circles.

Moreover, Genoa didn’t care at all about Mel’s position within the mansion. Mel couldn’t appeal to Genoa about such trivial matters, so she had no choice but to endure.

Mel entered the office, consoling her regrets. Genoa seated her on the sofa and then brought a few documents from his desk.

“The princess will soon make her debut in the imperial social circles.”

Genoa placed the documents on the table and smiled slightly, curling the corners of his mouth gently.

“I’m already looking forward to seeing how the princess will entertain me there.”

“The imperial nobles won’t accept me.”

“You just need to shake up Reibritton. It won’t be too difficult since it will be handed over to the empire anyway.”

The sound of his fingers tapping the documents was cheerful.

“Why, have you come to hate it now?”

Tap, the fingers tapping the documents stopped. Genoa’s eyes gleamed coldly as he sank deep into the sofa. Unlike the gently raised corners of his mouth, his eyes were chillingly calm. An enormous pressure leaked from Genoa.

But what scared Mel even more was Genoa’s attitude of testing her, knowing full well that she could never refuse. He was enjoying putting Mel on the test stand and watching her reactions constantly.

Genoa continued in a casual voice.

“I heard that the King and Crown Prince of Reibritton confiscated the private property of the kingdom’s people and damaged private lands as they fled.”

“……!”

Mel’s fingertips turned cold at the unexpected news about the King of Reibritton. Her heart began to beat irregularly. She tried to hide her tension by hiding her hands under the hem of her dress.

The King and Crown Prince were indeed alive. And this was clearly a threat.

Noticing Mel’s uneasy appearance, Genoa added.

“Don’t worry. Although not as much as the princess, both of them have their uses.”

Mel’s anxiety started from worrying that this thin fake identity might be exposed because of them. But Genoa, unaware of this, would think she was a princess worried about her father and brother.