Kristin ran without stopping.

As she approached the rear gate, a group of palace guards noticed her and found her actions suspicious. It was early evening, and the palace maids were usually busy with their tasks at this time.

Seeing Kristin heading toward the rear gate, one guard stepped forward to block her path, raising his hand.

“Hey, you!”

He unsheathed his sword with a menacing expression, advancing toward her.
Kristin froze momentarily, watching the guard’s approach. Her tension grew as the guards slowly surrounded her. She instinctively clutched the pocket watch pendant around her neck, prepared to use it if necessary.

Before the situation could escalate further, Selena Scarlet appeared from a distance. Recognizing Kristin, she calmly addressed the guards.

“What’s going on here? Why are you stopping a maid from leaving the palace?”

The guard, glancing at Kristin with suspicion, hesitated before responding.

“Well, it’s unusual for maids to leave the palace at this hour. Even if they do, they usually provide a reason—”

“And?” Selena cut him off, her tone sharp.

“Pardon?”

Selena, known for her typically kind demeanor, now spoke with an edge that unsettled the guard. His attempt to explain faltered under her cold gaze.

“This maid is one I brought in a few days ago. I was supposed to meet her here today. She mentioned she had an errand outside the palace this afternoon.”

“Even so, it seems suspicious for her to be heading to the rear gate rather than the main—”

The guard trailed off, still eyeing Kristin with doubt. Keeping her head bowed to avoid recognition, Kristin said nothing and stared at the ground.

Seeing this, Selena Scarlet spoke to the guards in a soft tone.

“Are you suspecting this maid? She was just going to accompany me to my home because I thought she might be stopped if she left at this time. I visited the palace today to meet with Princess Rebella.”

“Eh? If that’s the case…”

“I know the situation looks suspicious, but who wouldn’t be startled if such a frightening expression was directed at them? Moreover, if someone working in the palace guard looks at a powerless common maid with such a sharp gaze, who would want to work in the palace? Your actions are dishonoring the palace as a whole.”

Selena Scarlet had never been fond of the palace guards. Since her childhood, she had witnessed the guards using their power to over-search commoners entering the palace, unnecessarily displaying their swords. She wanted to warn them this time. How they treated Kristin was enough to show how they had acted in the past.

Even if it was to keep a lookout, there was no need to treat everyone in such a manner. Ultimately, they would easily be deceived by a neighboring kingdom’s princess they thought was a trusted ally.

“Those working in the palace guard should treat the empire’s citizens kindly. That’s not why they were given spears and shields. Also, I’ve heard that the Marquis of Winston Zenon’s mansion was searched recklessly. Is that true? I heard the garden and the house were left in a mess.”

This incident had already spread as rumors among the staff who had worked at the mansion. Afterward, Marquis Zenon stated in the newspapers, declaring his son Winston Zenon was innocent, and everyone in the empire had heard about it. But Selena Scarlet knew that the search by the guards had ruined even the newspaper offices where the Marquis’s article had been published.

“Next time, I hope you’ll be more careful.”

“But we were acting under the Emperor’s orders…”

“And? Even if the Emperor ordered the search, it seems the misuse of power lies with the guards. Or perhaps I’ve misunderstood?”

When Selena Scarlet spoke clearly, the guard had no further words and lowered his head in shame.

“Now, please go. Didn’t you mention there was something at home? I’ll have a carriage called for you. Go on.”

Selena Scarlet deliberately smiled at the guards as she spoke.

She led Kristin to the carriage she had already arranged at the back gate. Once Kristin was in the carriage, they headed for Duke Raphael’s villa to meet with the Jamie brothers.

At the villa, Kristin handed them a note warning that Emperor Lucas Aedon would be in danger the day after tomorrow and said:

“Please take care of this. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll make sure you’re properly rewarded.”

“Understood.”

—

The time is near.

Princess Rebella hummed a tune in her room, eagerly awaiting the soldiers who would soon arrive by boat. However, there was one thing on her mind. She couldn’t stop thinking about Selena Scarlet, who had sent her a special maid, and the maid, Lianna, who had suddenly disappeared the night before yesterday.

Despite this, Rebella had seen many maids who worked for only a day or two and then left, so she decided not to worry too much about it.

After all, once she took control of the Union Empire, she could search through it at will.

Knock knock—

“Yes. Come in.”

It was Princess Rebella’s assistant.

The assistant smiled at her and nodded.

This meant the soldiers disguised as nobles had finally arrived at the Union Empire’s palace, although it would take a bit more time to reach the location.

Princess Rebella, thinking of the imminent opportunity to kidnap the unsuspecting Emperor Lucas Aedon, couldn’t help but smile. The thought of completing this task made her feel good.

“Princess, please remain here and wait slowly. Pretend you don’t know anything, and we will return to escort you once everything is ready. I will tell His Majesty you wish to speak with him in the office. He will likely come without suspicion. You should rest in your room to avoid any distressing situations. Once everything is over, I will return to escort you.”

“Good. You’re doing a great job. The day I rule the Union Empire is finally coming. Now the Praga Empire is no longer a problem. My father will have to recognize me. He must admit I’m better than my powerless brothers.”

“Of course. We’ll be overjoyed if you become Emperor, Your Highness. You, the capable Princess Rebella, will surely become the Emperor.”

“Haha, that’s right. Good. Now, go ahead. Today is a special day, so I must finish getting ready.”

After speaking to her assistant, Princess Rebella walked over to her vanity, and the assistant closed the door behind them, taking a few hidden swords from the room.

“As expected, a smart person is essential.”

Princess Rebella glanced at the clock. With the belief that everything would be over in about 30 minutes to an hour, she relaxed, applying some powder and lipstick to her vanity.

—

Minutes passed—ten, twenty, thirty—and still, there was no word.

“What’s going on? Why haven’t they come yet? This is taking longer than expected.”

Princess Rebella opened the door to check outside, but the quiet emptiness only added to her growing confusion.

“It must be my imagination. The task may be taking longer than expected. I’ll wait a bit longer.”

An hour passed, but her assistants still hadn’t returned.

“What is going on?”

As she left her room in confusion, a familiar deep voice reached her ears.

“Princess Rebella, how have you been?”

Seeing Duke Raphael Rodney blocking her path with his sword, Princess Rebella could only collapse in place.

“How did you… get here?”

Duke Raphael Rodney, flanked by his assistants, gave the order.

“Seize Princess Rebella.”

As soon as he spoke, the assistants used magical restraints to bind Princess Rebella’s hands. Kristin’s letter was then shown to her.

“You’ve accomplished quite a lot until now, haven’t you?”

Princess Rebella, reading the contents of the letter, was shocked. It contained the details of her conversation with her assistants.

At that moment, she realized that the maid sent by Selena Scarlet was not just an ordinary commoner maid.

“No, you….”
Princess Rebella shouted, attempting to free herself from the magical restraints, but the answer came back with Emperor Lucas Aedon’s furious voice.

“Did you deceive me?”

“What? No, that’s not it.”

“Empress Leli Aedon kept warning me as well. Without Lady Kristin and Duke Raphael helping me, the Union Empire would have foolishly become a vassal of the Praga Empire. How pathetic… I deeply regret it.”

“Your Majesty, what should we do with Princess Rebella?”

When Duke Raphael asked the Emperor, Lucas Aedon answered immediately.

“Matters between empires cannot be resolved easily. She will be tried.”

—