“Remove all gold accessories – they’re too flashy.”

When Hari returned to her room after drying her clothes, an unfamiliar scene greeted her eyes. The servants busily followed Achilleon’s orders without even glancing at Hari, who stood frozen at the doorway. Several sets of clothes were already spread out like shed skins on the bed and table.

“What is this…”

The voices of Achilleon and Huliya, who had settled in Hari’s space as if they owned it, mixed with the chaotic footsteps.

“But Your Highness, all of Prince Antor’s women will be wearing gold daffodil ornaments. Shouldn’t we match the rank somewhat to avoid gossip in social circles?”

Achilleon’s gaze crossed the room to reach Hari.

“What is all this?”

“Clothes for you to wear at the festival.”

Fifteen sets of clothes were prepared under Achilleon’s direction, completely disregarding Hari’s preferences.

As she repeatedly endured having her clothes pulled down, undergarments and bare skin exposed, and withstanding the scrutinizing gazes of onlookers, Hari’s shoulders gradually hunched. This unprecedented humiliating situation was overwhelming. If she had returned without washing off the musty smell at the well, she might have faced an even more terrible ordeal.

“I could change in…”

“Huliya, try on the next outfit.”

Hari tried to back away while covering her chest with her arms, but the maids dragged her back into place. It was amusing to see her blushing and struggling among the maids who moved mechanically as though they were packaging goods.

“Your Highness, the fitting is complete. How does it look?”

Hari’s dazzlingly white body was revealed under the bright light. For a moment, all eyes in the room were drawn to her. The peplos with its armhole slits and side slits beautifully emphasized the lines of her legs and body’s curves. Though the only decoration was a brooch at the chest, it didn’t look plain. Rather, it drew more attention in contrast to the typically elaborate styles of the palace.

The maids held their breath. Though she was only wearing festival attire, the woman standing straight under the light exuded a subtle dignity. More befitting of a royal family member than actual royalty. Achilleon couldn’t help but let out a laugh.

Selina’s expression would be worth seeing.

After this brief assessment, Achilleon spoke while watching Hari fidget with the gold brooch on her chest.

“The dress isn’t bad, but is that necessary? Such decoration is too good for a slave.”

“Yes, then…”

Even in that brief moment, Hari’s mind was working as she swallowed hard. If she could keep this brooch, it would be a great help. Hari spoke up when Huliya approached to undo her shoulder straps.

“Wouldn’t this level of decoration be sufficient proof that I’m receiving Your Highness’s favor?”

Hari clutched her skirt hem nervously.

“I’ve heard that even small actions in treating one’s servants can affect a ruler’s reputation. I’m concerned that if someone looks down on me, it might reflect poorly on the Third Prince.”

“Just days ago you were threatening to run to Antor and confess everything, and now you’re worried about my reputation.”

“Your Highness is the only one I can depend on. I know this well. While everyone else treated me like a test subject, you didn’t.”

“Sticking with someone like Antor would just get you dissected. My brother can’t rest until he’s taken apart anything unusual.”

“Yes, without Your Highness’s mercy, I would have been beheaded long ago.”

A crooked smile appeared on his lips. Though trembling with clasped hands, she flattered him without sugar-coating her words. Curious about the woman’s intentions, Achilleon willingly granted her poorly excused request.

“Huliya. Have that dress with the brooch tailored.”

“Yes, I’ll have it prepared according to the young lady’s measurements.”

Hari bowed respectfully as she carefully received the fabric with the brooch.

So her aim wasn’t the dress but that piece of gold after all. She seems to covet the ornaments. Whether undoing shoulder straps or lifting skirts, he could give her such trinkets freely if she acted properly befitting a slave. However, seeing the woman’s uncharacteristically dignified behavior made even such thoughts feel sinful.

Achilleon continued his base thoughts with a somewhat cold heart. To him, Margharita was not a princess but a slave. A possessed object, a woman worth just that much.

“…I’ll take my leave now. I have work to do. Please rest comfortably.”

As soon as Huliya left, Hari followed, as if she was avoiding being left alone with him. Though the moment was brief, Margharita’s scent filled the room. Growing stronger and lasting longer as time passed.

Frowning, Achilleon walked past the servants clearing away the clothes. He bent down to pick up the clothes heavily imbued with Hari’s scent. Then without hesitation, he threw them in the trash.

* * *

“Um… My lady. Shall we go in now?”

A maid carefully asked Selina, who had been wandering the garden for an hour already. Selina, who had been staring into space with a somewhat dazed expression, firmly shook her head.

“No, Father told me to take good care of them, so I must tend to the seeds regularly.”

“But…”

Unable to say that too much water might cause them to rot, the maid just rolled her eyes anxiously.

“I’ll go in soon. So don’t worry and go ahead first. Oh, Hela. I need to write a letter to Achilleon, could you prepare a well-trimmed quill and paper?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Selina smiled kindly. She only put down the gushing watering can when the ground where the sacred fruit seeds were planted had already become muddy.

Selina rose with hasty movements while waiting for the dirt to dry. Though she tried to maintain her usual calm expression, Hela, who had served her for a long time, noticed the change in atmosphere. The two walked until there were no eyes watching. When they finally reached the deserted backyard, Selina suddenly bit her thumb until it bled.

“Ah, my lady!”

“Hela. Does this make any sense? Achilleon brought a woman! What becomes of me who has only looked at him for over ten years!”

Anxiety replaced her gentle smile that had been washed away. Selina harshly pushed away Hela who was trying to press cloth to her finger.

“He brought that girl! Someone who wouldn’t even look at me…!”

Her trembling eyes were stained with sorrow.

Selina Karnos. As the only daughter of the Karnos family, she could have anything she wanted. Except for one thing—Achilleon, her desperate one-sided love. Selina took great pride in her carefully cultivated appearance. Though somewhat lacking in literary knowledge due to her intolerance for boredom, and ignorant of refined speech, she prided herself that no woman in Hitais’s social circles took better care of her figure than she did.

That effort was entirely for Achilleon’s sake.

“This is all wrong, Hela.”

It was love at first sight. It must have been when she was twelve, on her first visit to the stadium. Like most ancient noble families, Duke Karnos forbade his young daughter from setting foot in the arena full of shirtless, muscular men. However, the willful Selina ignored her father’s control and sneaked into the stadium, where she saw the handsome, well-built boy.

The boy with fresh good looks and a firmly developed physique was Hitais’s Third Prince Achilleon. Selina, who fell completely for fifteen-year-old Achilleon, begged her father to marry her into the royal family. She cried and threw tantrums, offered bribes, and went on hunger strikes until she got her way. Even for Duke Karnos, arranging a royal marriage wasn’t easy. But Selina finally achieved what she wanted. The problem was that there had been no progress in the engagement made six years ago….

“My lady, your skirt is getting dirty. Please get up.”

“I knew he didn’t love me. But if he didn’t love me, who else would he have feelings for?”

She thought if he wasn’t moved by someone as beautiful as her, it would be the same for anyone else. Though she couldn’t get his attention, she thought he was hers. Shocked that such an Achilleon had brought a priestess from a defeated nation, Selina almost became bedridden. Even her most precious jewelry box held no interest.

Well, it wasn’t that she was jealous of that woman. Though her face was quite pretty, she was just an orphan with nothing to her name.

Lost in thought, Selina shook her head.

“It must be just a brief deviation.”

“You speak wisely. The Third Prince has never been involved in any scandals with women. Unlike Prince Antor, he’s suffered from frequent deployments.”

“He might have given in to impulse after abstaining for so long.”

“That must be it.”

“If that’s the case, he should come to me. I’m his fiancée!”

Just when she seemed to have calmed down, Selina became upset again, and Hela gently added:

“Who are you, my lady? You’re the precious daughter of the Karnos family. You’re of such noble birth that he can’t simply take you even if desire strikes. There are proper formalities and procedures before becoming husband and wife. How could he treat you carelessly like some slave girl with lice?”