“Want me to show you what real shame is?”

It’s a dirty and inhumane method, but that’s typically how those in power propagandize. Subjugating and exposing. That is the way of Hitais, which worships force.

“You should be grateful I didn’t strip you and make you kneel here, Hari.”

Achilleon’s eyes narrowed as he watched the woman holding back tears. Her neck was damp with sweat from the struggle. It mixed with the scent of plums to create a sweet smell. Inhaling Margharita’s body scent that had grown stronger in the wind, Achilleon dropped his handkerchief.

“Know your place properly.”

The fluttering handkerchief fell like trash onto the grass. With that simple gesture, he turned away without hesitation.

“……”

Hari glared at Achilleon’s retreating back.

Plop, a raindrop fell from the gray clouded sky. The commotion of priests running with torches soon mixed with the waterfall-like sound of intensifying rain. Hari didn’t pick up the handkerchief.

I must never become that man’s prey.

To erase that strange and terrible sensation, Hari rubbed her lips with the back of her hand, again and again.

* * *

“What happened, Miss Hari? I was so surprised when you suddenly disappeared. I was so worried when you didn’t come back no matter how long I waited.”

She ran into Selina in the annex corridor. A dark expectation flickered in her quick scanning eyes.

“Did you give the plums to His Highness? How was it, was he pleased?”

Her pretense of concern while knowing exactly what would happen was disgusting. However, Hari responded with an unperturbed smile.

“Yes, the prince was very pleased.”

“Really? But why have you become so thin in such a short time? Are you sick?”

“There were some things that happened. Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh my, what things? Ah, I heard something about a commotion at the temple… Actually, I came to apologize about that. I swear I didn’t know there were regulations prohibiting outsiders from entering the temple. I’m really, really sorry, Miss Hari!”

“I know your last offering visit was three years ago. It’s understandable that you wouldn’t pay much attention to the rules if you don’t visit often.”

“That’s right! I don’t know the rules well and I’m not interested either. I’m too busy attending social gatherings. I hate the solemn and heavy atmosphere like in the temple. Besides, the family elders take care of the offerings anyway, so there’s no need for me to go along.”

She proudly declared her lack of faith and ignorance of even the basic protocols that Hitais citizens should know.

There’s no way she didn’t know. She knew and pushed me into the temple without batting an eye.

Selina, who had been twirling her hair, shrugged her shoulders primly.

“Anyway, forget about that, you said Lord Achilleon was pleased? You must have properly told him that I sent you, right?”

“Things were hectic, so I couldn’t mention it.”

“How could you forget the most important fact? Hmm. Well, fine. Good work, you can go now.”

She showed not a hint of guilt toward Hari who nearly died because of her. Then, as if something suddenly occurred to her, Selina’s face turned serious as she grabbed Hari’s arm.

“I really didn’t know. I swear I didn’t mean to put you in danger. But everything turned out fine, right?”

Her behavior suggested she was worried about incurring Achilleon’s anger.

‘Horrible person.’

Everything about her made Hari want to vomit. But Hari hid her disgust behind a practiced smile.

“Of course, don’t worry.”

* * *

“Hela, I can’t calm down. You don’t think that woman will tattle to Lord Achilleon? About me ordering her!”

“Miss, why do you need to be concerned? Just be brazen about it. Say you never ordered such a thing. Say that cunning wench is being crafty!”

To Selina who was pacing back and forth while stomping her feet, her maid Hela spoke sweetly.

“Right. She’s just a slave. There’s no reason to be anxious. Hela, bring that.”

However, once Selina became anxious, she rarely calmed down, and this time too she ordered for the ‘medicine.’ Having learned over the years that medicine was the only thing that could calm an agitated Selina, Hela moved according to orders despite her disapproval.

Only after inhaling the liquid with its pleasant floral scent did Selina’s mood improve.

“Nothing works as well as this, I tell you.”

Her pleasantly beating heart started pounding several times harder when she heard the voice she’d been dreaming of.

“Miss Karnos.”

It was the voice that called her name with hot moans while pressing against her flesh in her fantasies every day.

“Your Highness?”

With her attention completely focused on Hari, she foolishly failed to notice even the presence of the man she loved. Hela quickly hid the medicine bottle behind her back and blushed shyly.

“What a surprise to see you here. What brings Your Highness to this place?”

Achilleon cast his gaze toward the corridor where Hari had disappeared. But Selina didn’t notice as she was busy smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress.

“The east annex has been under my jurisdiction. It’s been over five years, didn’t you know?”

Even his indifferent tone that ignored formalities was charming. His boyish smile with one corner of his mouth slightly raised was just as she remembered. Selina’s heart pounded wildly.

Hitais’s beloved youngest prince. As the aging king increasingly postponed state affairs, real power tilted toward Antor, but Selina couldn’t care less about power.

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you.”

“The timing isn’t good.”

Ah, is that so. Selina mumbled vaguely. Since she had neither interest nor business in palace affairs, it was difficult to continue the conversation. However, not wanting to appear foolish in front of the man she liked, she casually asked if he wasn’t busy.

“We’re investigating the ambush during the naval battle at Oinox. The interrogations have been going on for days, Duke Karnos would know well.”

“My father?”

Achilleon gave a dry laugh.

“More importantly, is it true that Miss Karnos sent my servant into the temple?”

It was a curt question that lightly dismissed her curiosity.

“I just mentioned that since Your Highness seemed tired lately, you might like it if your favorite fruit was offered. She has a duty to please Your Highness, after all. She went in on her own.”

“If Miss Selina’s father would curb his greed, I wouldn’t have to be tired.”

Selina tilted her head at his meaningful words.

“Pardon? But my father likes Your Highness so much. He even hinted at me to make sure to invite you to dinner next time.”

“Is that so.”

Unlike the thoroughly flushed Selina, Achilleon was as dry as though he were scoured by sandy winds.

“Then I’d like to hear your opinion on this situation. Let me warn you one more thing – don’t cross the line, Miss Karnos.”

“What do you mean? When did I ever…”

“It means that I am the only one who can command my people. Did you think I wouldn’t know what you did in a palace where even walls have eyes and ears?”

Selina, who had been standing with her mouth agape, flinched at his sharp gaze.

“If you’re talking about Miss Hari, this is a misunderstanding, Your Highness!”

She tried to grab Achilleon as he coldly passed by, but couldn’t. For a moment, the scene before her eyes split into four. Staggering, Selina flailed her arms while waiting for the medicine’s side effects to subside.

“No. That’s not it… I didn’t order her to do it. How cruel of you to leave without giving me a chance to clear up this misunderstanding. Why do you… Is it because of Father? What did Father do wrong?”

She mumbled dazedly.

“There’s no way Your Highness would think badly of me. I’m his fiancée.”

Perhaps because of the medicine, her mood didn’t sink endlessly. Suddenly, Selina frowned as she realized which direction he had gone. It was the passage that concubine had left through.

“Miss, it’s getting late, we should return now.”

Despite Hela’s earnest call, Selina didn’t budge. Her gaze, which hadn’t left until Achilleon’s footsteps completely faded away, slowly, darkly sank.

* * *

“I’ll give you a chance.”

Hari frowned at the voice falling from above. It was Achilleon.

“If you tell me honestly, I’ll get you out of this. This manual labor.”

Hari, who had been sitting at the holy water basin scooping water, straightened her upper body. She couldn’t avoid punishment for trespassing into the temple orchard without permission. By principle, she should have been beaten with clubs or had her wrists cut off and been thrown out, so ending with this level of punishment was thanks to Achilleon’s intervention.

“Just a few words will do. That situation then, in detail from your own mouth.”

Hari swallowed a sigh while rubbing her sore arms. She knew Achilleon visited the temple every morning to perform ritual mass. These past days, she had been getting up at dawn to carry holy water to each mass hall and hiding behind pillars until the princes’ procession passed by, not wanting to encounter the uncomfortable person. But all that had been in vain as they met like this.