38. No wonder His Highness is keeping an eye on him.

Kassian, head of the Marion Trading Company and cousin to Grand Duchess Eleonora.

“They say Lord Kassian will be staying at the Detached Palace starting today for business reasons. Her Grace, the Grand Duchess, is quite pleased.”

“…Huh?”

The Marion Company had recently begun supplying goods to the imperial palace, thanks to an arrangement made by Grand Duchess Eleonora. Since the two were cousins, it wasn’t at all strange for Kassian to stay a few days at the Detached Palace.

Yet, Kincaid scoffed openly at Hailey’s explanation.

“The head of a trading company must be extremely free these days.”

Hailey, standing right in front of him, noticed Kincaid’s sudden shift in mood.

“Why is he annoyed again?”

“I have no idea. Maybe something happened between him and that merchant guy.”

Burnett and Hailey exchanged looks and whispered quietly.

Even Burnett, who had been by Kincaid’s side for nearly a decade, couldn’t figure out the recent cause of the Crown Prince’s foul temper.

“Miss Brooke, do you have any guesses?”

“Me?”

“These days, you seem to understand His Highness better than I do.”

Hailey blinked at the absurd suggestion.

Do I really know what goes on in that capricious tyrant’s head?

“What are you two whispering about?”

Kincaid’s sharp voice cut through the air.

“As expected, he’s in a bad mood today.”

“Well, it’s not just today, is it?”

Kincaid’s gaze sharpened as he looked at Burnett and Hailey, who were still whispering. Meeting those piercing red eyes, Hailey calmly spoke up.

“Your Highness, have I perhaps made some sort of mistake?”

Why is he angry?

She added the question carefully — and received an immediate reply.

“I’m not angry.”

Kincaid replied coldly, as if it wasn’t worth discussing. But Hailey shook her head.

As if anyone would believe that.

“You’re definitely angry. There’s a vein bulging on your forehead right now.”

“I wasn’t angry before, but looking at you is making me more and more furious.”

Seriously, what a personality.

Hailey couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince always got so irritated the moment he saw her. Either way, there was no reason to keep standing in front of a tyrant, fuming at her for no apparent reason.

Hailey quickly decided to make her exit.

“Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll be off now—there’s something I need to take care of at the Detached Palace.”

“Something?”

When the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and glared at her, Hailey felt a petty urge rise inside her.

“Someone is waiting for me anxiously. She’s an incredible beauty and has a delightful personality.”

“…”

A moment of silence followed her teasing remark. Burnett, who had unintentionally raised his head, let out a soft groan at the sight of the Crown Prince’s icy expression.

“Do you have any messages for Princess Lysa?”

At Hailey’s playful comment, Kincaid momentarily wore a dazed expression.

“Princess Lysa?”

“Yes, I’m planning to visit her residence shortly.”

“….”

“If there’s nothing you’d like to say, I’ll take my leave.”

Hailey bowed politely and quickly left the bathhouse.

Hmph.

At least someone in this palace likes me. A tsundere princess is way better than a scowling would-be tyrant any day.

“…Your Highness, could it be that the person Miss Brooke is meeting is the head of the Marion Trading Company…?”

Burnett, who was quick to pick up on things, asked cautiously, but he fell silent under Kincaid’s sharp gaze.

“If you say one more word, I’ll make sure you regret it for the rest of your life.”

Was the voice that declared death to traitors ever this cold?

‘That was close; I almost touched a nerve.’

Burnett wisely kept silent and fixed his eyes on the paperwork before him.

“…Hah.”

A short sigh of disbelief escaped Kincaid.

“That cheeky little thing.”

With a voice filled with irritation, he roughly snatched up the documents and began to read.

***

“Princess Lysa, have you been well?”

As Hailey stepped into the room with a lighthearted greeting, Princess Lysa immediately turned her head away with a snap, still holding the book she had been reading.

‘That posture is practically screaming, I’m upset.’

There was nothing Hailey could do about it now. Though the Grand Duchess had instructed her to keep the princess company, Hailey had been run ragged at the Crown Prince’s palace the past few days and had ended up neglecting Lysa.

“Today, I brought something just for you, Your Highness.”

Hailey offered the basket she’d brought to Lysa.

“I heard the desserts from the Crown Prince’s palace are famous. I happened to be near the kitchen, so I picked up some cookies.”

Chocolate cookies—Princess Lysa’s absolute favorite snack. But…

“What, do you think I’m some little kid you can bribe with snacks?”

Lysa pouted in protest.

Thud.

She finally closed the book she’d been reading and stared straight at Hailey, letting out her frustration at last.

“You’re supposed to be my future personal maid, aren’t you being a bit too neglectful?”

“I sincerely apologize, Your Highness. The truth is, I’ve been temporarily assigned to the Crown Prince’s palace lately and have been incredibly busy.”

So busy I barely even have time to sleep, Hailey added with a hint of exaggeration.

Lysa stared at her.

“You like the Crown Prince more than me, don’t you?”

The completely unexpected question threw Hailey off.

Do I like the Crown Prince more than her…?

Even Hailey, who was usually quick with her words, was left speechless by the innocent, childlike question from the twelve-year-old princess.

“Uh… well, you see…”

As Hailey struggled to answer, Lysa’s face began to fall. Thinking she couldn’t let things continue like this, Hailey quickly replied:

“Of course, I like you more, Your Highness.”

“…”

“You’re prettier, sweeter, cuter, and kinder than the Crown Prince.”

The one with the bad personality is someone else entirely. You’re just an adorable tsundere, but that tyrant of a prince? His personality really is the worst.

‘You need to compare things that are actually comparable.’

No sooner had Hailey finished speaking than Lysa’s face turned bright red.

“Who are you calling cute and sweet?”

“You, Your Highness!”

Hailey answered without hesitation, leaving Lysa momentarily speechless.

“Are you sure your eyes are okay?”

The tsundere princess mumbled under her breath, Where exactly am I cute…?

Hailey, feigning exaggerated offense, shot back playfully:

“To me, Your Highness is the cutest and kindest person in the entire palace!”

And also the most pitiful, she added silently—but that was something she would never say aloud.

Lysa, lips still pouting from the unexpected praise, shyly lowered her head.

“I need to get back to the Crown Prince’s palace now. I’ll come again when I can.”

“…If it’s too hard for you…”

Lysa started hesitantly, glancing at Hailey as she continued cautiously:

“I could ask Mother to let you come back to the Detached Palace.”

Hailey smiled brightly at the princess’s careful suggestion.

“Don’t worry about me, Princess Lysa. I’m a very capable person.”

So far, only one person in this world had ever dared call her incompetent.

“I don’t run away from the tasks in front of me.”

In fact, this whole mess had given her the perfect excuse to dig up information on Lady Vernette. A chance to turn the tide, really.

“I’ll finish my work quickly and return to the Detached Palace. Until then, please bear with it a little, even if it’s lonely.”

That comment made Lysa flare up.

“Who says I’m lonely? I do perfectly fine without a mere apprentice maid like you!”

Her words were sharply defiant, completely at odds with her earlier demeanor—but Hailey just smiled.

“Well then, I’ll be off, Your Highness. I’ll bring more delicious treats next time I come.”

As Hailey gave her farewell, Lysa quietly watched her go… then nodded her head vigorously.

“I’ll be waiting.”

***

In the Crown Prince’s palace, the head maid, Marilyn, examined the neatly folded napkins on the tray with a sharp eye.

“Wash and organize the napkins used at the table. Don’t forget to iron them so there are no creases.”

That had been her instruction late last night. And sure enough, the apprentice maid—reputed even in the Detached Palace for her skills—had washed and perfectly ironed every one of those countless napkins.

“You’ve done it very thoroughly. That must have taken quite some effort.”

At the head maid’s praise, Hailey bowed her head respectfully.

“I only did what the maids at the Detached Palace taught me.”

“You have meticulous hands and a quick wit. You know how to flatter your superiors and lift their spirits.”

Marilyn said this with a meaningful tone, her eyes boring into Hailey’s face.

“No wonder His Highness the Crown Prince has taken notice of you.”

Sigh… That’s a very polished way of saying he marked me from the first moment.

“Have you been practicing serving tea?”