“What’s wrong with that? Even though I gave my all for Ivanstein, all I got in return was pressure from the head maid trying to fire me. Now that I’m following the princess, I’m even getting extra income like this, right?”

Lin showed the maids the sparkling bracelet on her wrist. It was a gift from the princess, who had said it would suit Lin well among the accessories assigned to her.

Working as a servant or maid for a noble guaranteed a more affluent life than ordinary citizens. But what was even more attractive was the money and goods bestowed by the master when they were in a good mood. If one served well, there was an opportunity to receive enough money and goods to live comfortably for life.

However, no matter how good the treatment, salary, or welfare at the Ivanstein ducal family was, it was difficult to get such separate gifts from the master like this. Not only was it not in Genoa’s nature, but there was no one who could freely give away Ivanstein’s property to maids or servants.

Nevertheless, those who liked to be treated well still lingered around the Ivanstein mansion due to the more honorable and stringent work procedures compared to other noble families.

Now that an opportunity had arisen to receive and keep separate gifts in a ducal residence like this, everyone couldn’t help but covet Lin’s position. So Lin was on high alert, her eyes narrowed to triangles, guarding against others approaching the princess.

“So wake up, all of you! Do you think the princess doesn’t see through your obvious intentions that I can clearly see?”

“Ha! Fine, serve her all by yourself! You’ll be even busier from now on, let’s see how well you can serve without our help!”

The maids eventually snorted and moved away from Lin. Lin stuck out her tongue at their backs and giggled. Just then, a soft voice filled with laughter was heard from behind Lin.

“Is it fun?”

“Princess!”

Lin jumped in surprise and turned around. Seeing the princess she had just been talking about right in front of her, Lin’s cheeks turned slightly red as if embarrassed.

“Did you hear everything?”

“Yes, how could I not when you’re fighting so loudly in front of the door like this.”

“Oh my. You could have at least made some noise.”

Lin scratched the back of her head and then said in a careful voice.

“Were you displeased?”

“Of course not.”

Mel smiled kindly at Lin and glanced at the group of maids moving away in the distance.

If it were the real princess Amelia, she would have surely felt great displeasure at Lin’s behavior and punished her. But Mel was different. She had often seen loyal maids who seemed like they would pretend to die if ordered to do so in front, gossiping about their master behind their backs.

From Mel’s position of having to act as a fake princess, the fewer eyes observing her, the better. At least Lin firmly believed she was the princess, so even some careless aspects were considered as the princess’s unique personality, allowing Mel to feel much more comfortable than before.

“I only need you, Lin.”

“That’s a grateful thing to say, but it’s a bit burdensome if you say it too much.”

“Oh? But you like it.”

“……That’s right.”

Lin and Mel looked at each other and grinned. Other servants and maids who had been listening to their conversation from afar exchanged glances and eventually shook their heads and left.

Only then could Mel take a breath and examine the gifts that had come in for her.

“Many useful things have come in, but…… I won’t be able to use most of them.”

“Why? So many precious things have come in. They’ll be useful when you go out later.”

“Because there’s no such thing as a gift without strings attached in this world.”

At Mel’s words, Lin made a subtle face and said.

“If I were the princess, I would have thought the world existed for me.”

Mel let out a small laugh at Lin’s words.

It was exactly the same thought Mel once had about Amelia, the real princess of Reibritton. Amelia, who had a temperament of doing whatever she wanted and having to have everything she desired.

“Are you envious of me?”

“Of course. If I could have even half of the gifts piled up here, it would be enough for my family to live on for a lifetime.”

At Lin’s answer, Mel fell into thought for a moment.

Mel had never once thought of envying such an Amelia. She knew all too well that everything Amelia enjoyed was given to her by the King of Reibritton to use her as the most expensive card possible.

Just as the gifts piled in front of Mel now were choking her, Amelia too had only enjoyed rights that came with a price.

“I envy you, Lin.”

At Mel’s words, Lin made a face as if she had no idea what that meant. But Lin probably didn’t know how much Mel envied her for having a free status and being able to spend time with her family.

Perhaps such sincerity showed on Mel’s face, as Lin made a strange expression and said,

“If all these gifts here were mine, I might have believed you.”

“I’ll give them all to you.”

“……Princess, that was a joke.”

“I’m not joking though.”

“You are joking. A very bad one at that.”

Lin chuckled and started organizing the gifts again. Mel, who had sincerely wanted to pass all these gifts to Lin, smacked her lips in disappointment.

She couldn’t use these gifts. Depending on which of these gifts she wore and used, the nobles would think the princess would do something for them. And that wasn’t what Genoa, the Duke of Ivanstein, wanted.

“Gasp, Princess. Here, the imperial emblem, it’s the imperial emblem!”

Lin pulled out a card with the imperial emblem shining brightly from among the pile of gifts. It had been tucked among the flower bouquets, and it seemed she had carelessly passed over it at first and only discovered it now.

“The First Prince Rihast has sent flowers and a card!”

Lin handed the card to Mel in an excited voice. While Lin had lightly ignored all the other cards among the gifts, this was one she couldn’t ignore.

“Let’s see.”

Mel took the card, trying not to let Lin notice her trembling breath. This was the big fish that Genoa had been waiting for. The evidence that First Prince Rihast had been caught and was flapping on the fishing line Genoa had cast was now in Mel’s hand.

[I deeply regret the responsibility for the situation where you have suffered due to your country’s circumstances. I sincerely wish for the princess’s quick recovery.
— Rihast de Raon, First Prince of the Raon Empire]

A small smile spread across Mel’s lips as she confirmed the card. Mel fluttered the card in her hand and said,

“Lin, could you call one maid over here?”

“What?”

Lin tilted her head at Mel’s instruction. After all, Mel had just said she only needed Lin. But looking at Lin like that, Mel added with a bright smile,

“I’d prefer someone with a bit of a loose tongue.”

* * *

Genoa returned to the ducal residence in an unusually good mood. Although he had been tied up in the imperial palace for several days, he didn’t feel fatigued.

The strange sense of stability that came from being able to sleep whenever he wanted did affect his mood, but what had the biggest impact was a small rumor that reached Genoa’s ears as he was preparing to return to the ducal residence.

“I heard that the Princess of Reibritton was greatly pleased to receive comfort from His Highness the First Prince.”

“They say she rejected all the gifts sent by others, but only accepted the flowers sent by the First Prince.”

“I heard that an errand boy who frequents the Ivanstein ducal residence saw the princess walking in the garden with her arms full of flowers?”

“Does she like flowers? Or was it the sender she liked?”

If the nobles’ whispers at the end of the memorial service were loud enough for Genoa to hear, it meant the rumor had spread to a satisfactory extent. With luck, this might be covered in social gazettes before the princess makes her debut in society.

If that happens, the moment the princess appears in society, the nobles of the Raon Empire will focus on the First Prince. If the First Prince was someone who could meet Genoa’s expectations, he planned to use that attention. Though it’s uncertain whether the First Prince could do that.