Chapter 1.8

Late at night, someone knocked on Hildeltrud’s window.  

Hildeltrud rose from her bed and cautiously approached the window.  

A woman in a black robe greeted her.  

“I am Leah, sent by Master Cain.”  

At her words, Hildeltrud lowered her guard and nodded before opening the window.  

Leah entered the room and handed her a letter from Cain.  

“This is the letter Master sent to you, Lady Hildeltrud.”  

Hildeltrud accepted the letter and read it. It stated that Cain had sent her the person she requested and advised her to make good use of her.  

“And these are the items Master instructed me to deliver to you.”  

“Rings and bracelets, I see.”  

“The ring is an artifact imbued with teleportation magic, and the bracelet is an artifact imbued with illusion magic. The activation conditions are simple. For teleportation, think of the destination; for illusion magic, imagine the appearance you desire.”  

“Thank you.”  

“However, they are consumable items.”  

“Consumable?”  

“Yes. The teleportation magic can be used five times, and the illusion magic can be used three times.”  

“What happens once they’re used up?”  

“Master will need to recharge them with magic.”  

“So they need to be recharged after each use.”  

“Correct.”  

“Well, that’s better than nothing.”  

After securing the artifacts, Hildeltrud looked back at Leah.  

“Are you the person I requested?”  

“Yes. I was assigned by Master to serve you, Lady Hildeltrud.”  

“Good. What’s your name?”  

“Leah.”  

“Leah, please convey my thanks to Master. Come to the Ducal residence tomorrow morning. I’ll be entering the palace then.”  

“Understood, Lady Hildeltrud. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”  

When Hildeltrud nodded, Leah disappeared through the window.  

After locking the window, Hildeltrud hid the artifacts under her bed and lay down to sleep.  

‘Tomorrow is the day I enter the palace.’  

Once she entered the palace, her freedom would be greatly restricted.  

‘I must do my best within those confines.’  

She vowed to crush those who had killed her and lead them to ruin.  

With firm resolve, Hildeltrud closed her eyes.  

***

Early in the morning, the Duke of Astros’ residence was bustling with activity.  

Preparations for Hildeltrud’s entry into the palace were underway.  

Hildeltrud had been getting dressed since dawn.  

She wore a dress specially prepared by Patrick and accessories chosen by Leopold.  

The two men had gifted these items to her after dinner the previous night, which had moved Hildeltrud to tears.  

Standing before the mirror, Hildeltrud was pleased with her appearance.  

“Lady Hildeltrud, you’re all set.”  

“You look stunning.”  

The maids complimented her in unison, and Hildeltrud responded with a smile.  

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to your efforts in dressing me up.”  

“Hehe, it’s nothing.”  

“But where’s Elisabeth?”  

“I’m not sure.”  

“She’ll come eventually.”  

Knowing Elisabeth’s nature, Hildeltrud decided not to worry about her.  

“Lady Hildeltrud, the new maid you hired has arrived.”  

“Let her in.”  

Hildeltrud had already informed the butler about Leah, explaining that she was a maid recommended by an acquaintance.  

“Lady Hildeltrud, I am Leah. It’s an honor to serve you.”  

“Welcome, Leah. I look forward to working with you.”  

“Yes, Lady Hildeltrud.”  

“From now on, Leah will take care of me. You all may leave.”  

The maids bowed and left the room.  

Leah approached Hildeltrud and conveyed Cain’s message.  

“Master said you may visit him anytime if you need assistance.”  

“Please thank him for me. Now, let’s head out.”  

As Hildeltrud left the room, Patrick and Leopold were waiting for her.  

Patrick smiled warmly as he looked at Hildeltrud in the dress he had ordered for her.  

“It suits you well.”  

“Father, thank you so much. And thank you, Brother.”  

The two men smiled awkwardly and extended their hands.  

“Allow me to escort you.”  

“I’ll carry your dress for you.”  

Leopold lifted Hildeltrud’s dress himself. Their kindness made Hildeltrud truly happy.  

As they descended the stairs, Margaret, the nanny, and Elisabeth greeted them.  

Hildeltrud first expressed her gratitude to Margaret.  

“Nanny, thank you for working so hard to pack my belongings overnight.”  

“It’s nothing. It was my duty.”  

“I’ll finish loading the luggage onto the carriage.”  

Margaret directed the servants to load the luggage onto the carriage.  

“Lady Hildeltrud!”  

Elisabeth approached with a delighted expression.  

Since Patrick and Leopold were present, Elisabeth addressed Hildeltrud formally.  

Hildeltrud was momentarily speechless upon seeing Elisabeth.  

“Elisabeth, that dress….”  

Hildeltrud sighed.  

“Elisabeth, you can’t enter the palace wearing that dress.”  

The dress Elisabeth wore was far too beautiful to be considered a maid’s attire. It seemed she had chosen the prettiest dress she owned.  

Hildeltrud spoke firmly.  

“You’d better change. You’re entering the palace as a maid.”  

“What?”  

Elisabeth stammered in surprise.  

“Sorry, I must have forgotten to tell you. You need to wear a maid’s uniform.”  

Although Hildeltrud had deliberately withheld this information, she pretended to have forgotten.  

She gestured to Leah, who stood behind her.  

“Leah, could you help Elisabeth change into a maid’s uniform? There should be one in my room. I must have forgotten to give it to her.”  

“Huh? Lady Hildeltrud, you had one prepared….”  

“Elisabeth, there’s no time. Please hurry and change.”  

Hildeltrud cut her off, and Leah grabbed Elisabeth’s arm.  

“Let’s go. We need to hurry.”  

Elisabeth sighed deeply, glanced at Hildeltrud, and nodded.  

“I’ll change.”  

Seeing Elisabeth bow politely in front of Patrick and Leopold, Hildeltrud smirked.  

After Elisabeth left, Leopold commented, 

“She’s becoming more immature by the day.”  

“Don’t say that, Brother.”  

“You’re too lenient with her.”  

“She’s my one and only precious friend.”  

Leopold sighed at Hildeltrud’s words.  

“Sister, you are too kind for your own good. Can you endure life in the imperial palace?”  

“I’ll try my best. Don’t worry.”  

This time, Patrick placed his hand on Hildeltrud’s shoulder.  

“Hildeltrud, if life in the palace becomes too hard, tell us anytime, alright?”  

“Yes, Father.”  

Soon, Elisabeth returned with Leah, now dressed in a maid’s uniform.  

“Well, I’m off now.”  

Hildeltrud hugged Patrick and Leopold one last time before climbing into the carriage.  

When Elisabeth tried to sit next to her, Leah stopped her.  

“Maids sit here.”  

“What?”  

Leah pointed to the carriage behind them, and Elisabeth frowned.  

Hildeltrud shook her head firmly.  

“Elisabeth, ride in the back.”  

She then shut the carriage door.  

“I can’t ride in such a shabby carriage. It’s too uncomfortable.”  

“Sorry, it’s the protocol. There’s no other choice.”  

When Hildeltrud reminded her that maids couldn’t ride in the same carriage as their masters upon entering the imperial palace, Elisabeth reluctantly turned away.  

Hildeltrud looked at Elisabeth’s crestfallen face with pity. If she didn’t console her now, Elisabeth might begin to suspect her.  

“Elisabeth, once we enter the palace, many things will change. I’m really sorry, but could you endure this for me?”  

When Hildeltrud spoke gently, Elisabeth’s expression softened.  

“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking. I didn’t consider the imperial protocol. I’ll be careful.”  

“Thank you, Elisabeth. To make up for it, I’ll give you this.”  

Through the carriage window, Hildeltrud handed Elisabeth a piece of jewelry—a ruby ring.  

“This is….”  

“You’ve wanted this for a long time, haven’t you?”  

Elisabeth’s face lit up instantly.  

“Thank you, Hildeltrud! I’ll do my best!”  

Elisabeth’s joy at receiving the ring made Hildeltrud smirk.  

“Then, let’s get going now.”  

“Yes.”  

Elisabeth boarded the maid’s carriage without further protest.  

Hildeltrud, escorted by knights, headed toward the imperial palace. Inside the carriage, she clenched the hem of her dress tightly, steeling her resolve.  

‘This is just the beginning.’  

At last, she was taking her first steps toward revenge.  

Hildeltrud checked the ring and bracelet she had ordered from Cain in her bag. These artifacts would prove to be extremely useful.  

After hiding the two items back in her bag, Hildeltrud gazed at the Ducal residence growing distant.  

The thought of not being able to see her family for a while saddened her, but she firmly resolved to protect her family and her household.  

She vowed never again to lose everything.  

***

Mirabelle Palace.  

This was the palace where the future Crown Princess, upon entering the imperial palace, would reside.  

At Mirabelle Palace, the future Crown Princess would learn the laws and etiquette of the imperial family, as well as the virtues and refinement required of a woman of the imperial household.  

After the formal wedding, she would then move to a newly bestowed palace to reside.  

Currently, the palace was bustling with preparations to welcome the future Crown Princess.  

Isabel, the Empress, personally accompanied her maids to decorate Mirabelle Palace. Since this was the woman who would marry her only son, she could not afford to be negligent.  

“I don’t like the color of these curtains. They look vulgar. Don’t we have another color?”  

“We have sky blue and peach prepared.”  

“Our daughter-in-law is pure and graceful, so peach would be better. Change it to peach.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

From start to finish, Isabel personally gave instructions to decorate Mirabelle Palace.  

“Hurry up. She will arrive soon.”  

“Mother.”  

Just as the preparations were in full swing, Edgar arrived.  

“Oh, Edgar, come in.”  

Looking around the palace, Edgar exclaimed in admiration.  

“Mother, your taste is truly remarkable. This palace suits Lady Hildeltrud perfectly.”  

“Of course. She’s about to become my daughter-in-law, so I must put in the effort, don’t you think?”  

With a gentle smile, Isabel patted Edgar’s shoulder.  

“She will arrive soon, so you’d better prepare yourself.”  

“I suppose I should.”  

Edgar turned around, his heart racing with excitement.  

Soon, the owner of Mirabelle Palace would arrive.  

Just thinking about the graceful Lady Hildeltrud made Edgar’s heart flutter.  

The thought of holding her in his arms made him unconsciously lick his lips. He could already feel his body heating up.  

And watching this scene from afar was someone else.  

Sitting on the roof of a palace with a clear view of Mirabelle Palace, Kiserian gazed at the beautifully adorned palace with a conflicted expression.  

“She’s really coming.”  

Would Hildeltrud know?  

How terrifying and cruel the imperial palace truly was.  

Kiserian was deeply worried about whether she could endure this place.  

Although he had assigned Leah, his most trusted subordinate, to her, he still couldn’t shake his unease.  

“I pray you survive and endure.”  

Kiserian sent his heartfelt wishes into the wind, hoping they would reach her.