The day turned cold in an instant. Veldam Castle was very strong and large, but it was not enough to keep out the early winter chill. Malyn awoke to find that the tip of her nose had grown cold. The chill reminded her of Alaya, the winter goddess who was said to wield a sharper blade than any other.

Malyn slowly pulled the blanket over her. The exposed shoulder soon warmed in the cold room, and the warmth that reached her toes felt pleasant.

Still, Malyn spoke sharply without even opening her eyes.

“It’s cold. Add more wood to the fire.”

The presence in the room seemed to flinch. Still, Malyn could feel someone quietly watching her, so she slowly opened her eyes. In front of her was a woman with strangely twisted straw-coloured hair, sitting in an awkward pose.

It was Layla.

“It seems you didn’t hear what I said.”

“Ah.”

At Malyn’s words, Layla quickly stood up. Observing Malyn’s reaction, she slowly approached the fireplace. With unsteady movements, she picked up the poker, stirring the ashes to uncover the glowing embers beneath. She then took a log from the nearby pile and placed it on the fire.

Thud.

As expected, the embers burst with the ashes.

“Ah!”

Layla covered her face in panic, but it was too late. The ash rose in a cloud and enveloped her, leaving her in a pitiful state. Tsk, tsk. Lying in bed, watching the whole scene, Malyn clicked her tongue in despair. How could someone be so incompetent, day after day?

It had been a month and a half since Layla had entered Veldam. Her role as maid remained as clumsy as ever.

After all, she had lived as a princess for over twenty years. Although Dion was a small kingdom, Layla always had three or four maids to look after her. She lived a life where everything beyond eating, sleeping and basic needs was taken care of by others.

When is she ever going to get better at styling her hair?

Her awkwardly twisted hair was another mark of her inexperience. Upon entering Veldam Castle, Princess Layla had taken on the attire of Veldam’s maids. Unlike in Dion, Veldam’s maids braided their hair, pinned it up, secured it with a net, and covered it with a veil. Unaccustomed to braiding her own hair, Layla always ended up with stray strands sticking out in every direction. This was hardly surprising, given that a simple maid’s room had no mirror.

“Ah…”

Whether Malyn was lost in thought or not, Layla looked around at herself and the now ash-covered surroundings with a confused expression on her face. She hastily reached out her hands, but trying to pick up the ashes with her bare hands was futile – it only made her hands dirty. Watching Layla’s pitiful attempt, Malyn finally sighed, tossed her own hair back and sat up.

“How long do you think it’ll take you to clean up like this?”

The cotton blanket, supposedly filled with goose feathers, was indeed warm and comfortable. Malyn, the blanket draped haphazardly over her n*ked body, walked barefoot to stand behind Layla. Layla, crouched in front of the fireplace, turned abruptly, her face flushed.

“S-sorry…”

Her tone was strange – neither formal nor casual. Malyn raised an eyebrow and replied.

“What do you think I would have said to you at a moment like this?”

“I have committed an unforgivable sin.”

Layla was no fool. She was well aware of her position. She bowed low in front of Malyn, her head banging against the ground twice, her entire body covered in ash. Malyn looked down at Layla’s crouched form, expressionless. She stretched out her bare foot and wedged it between Layla’s forehead and the floor. Layla’s warm forehead pressed against the cold top of Malyn’s foot, and Malyn found the sensation rather uncomfortable.

Layla, who was about to hit her head on the floor for the third time, jumped at the soft sensation on her forehead and looked up. Malyn smiled weakly.

“Instead of apologizing, call another maid to clean up.”

“…I will do that.”

“And prepare my bathwater.”

“Yes.”

Layla rose carefully to her knees and replied. Malyn watched her for a moment, then turned to crawl into bed. It was to warm her feet, which had already grown cold.

* * *

Malyn dipped her feet into the warm water, finding the temperature just right. The white stone bathtub, engraved with the image of a fierce lion, was a perfect fit for her once she stepped in. If the taller Princess Layla had used it, the Veldam maids would have needed either a larger tub or to help her bathe awkwardly with her knees bent.

“How is it?”

“It’s fine.”

“Would you like me to add some fragrant oil?”

“No, thank you.”

The King of Veldam had given her three maids: Ann, Anessa and Nadia. Of the three, Anessa was particularly warm to Malyn, and was now testing the temperature of the bath water with her hand.

“But we have received some fine flower oil from the south…”

“I don’t like it.”

Sitting in the tub, Malyn replied curtly, rolling her eyes to look at Anessa. Her red, frizzy hair was skilfully twisted and pinned into a net, while Layla, standing silently nearby, looked pathetic by comparison.

“You may not be aware of this, but do you know? I am a concubine’s daughter.”

“Yes…”

“Maybe that’s why I don’t get along well with luxurious things. Flower oil—just the thought of it makes me want to sneeze. I told Ann, but it seems you all didn’t communicate that amongst yourselves.”

Anessa’s expression grew awkward. Malyn glanced at Layla again. Though Malyn twisted her own story as an excuse, Layla’s expression remained remarkably unchanged. For someone so clumsy in her movements, her control over her expressions was almost amusing.

“I wasn’t raised as delicately as you might think. Just look at my hands.”

Malyn lifted her fingers from the water, revealing cracked fingertips and split nails. She had gained these marks from her time wandering in the mountains before arriving in Veldam, as she’d boasted to the maids. Yet even beyond that, the calluses on her hands were unmistakable. Because of this, some in Veldam had begun to believe that Dion was even more barren than they’d imagined—a kingdom where even the princess might have to fetch water from the well on occasion. And, naturally, this impression was all thanks to Malyn.

“But as you are a noble lady, please understand our wish to serve you properly.”

Anessa replied softly, her tone carrying a playful charm. After briefly dipping her hands in the warm water to warm them, she began to massage Malyn’s shoulders. Malyn tilted her head slightly, enjoying Anessa’s skillful touch, though only for a brief moment.

“I’d like to assist you with your bath today…”

Anessa began, but Malyn dismissed her. Anessa looked at Malyn and Layla alternately, her eyes filled with disappointment. Malyn always dismissed everyone who entered during her bath, leaving only Layla.

It made sense that a foreign princess from another place wouldn’t trust Veldam’s maids, but her insistence on always keeping only her own maid around seemed excessive.

Especially considering that, in Anessa’s opinion, the princess’s maid was terribly incompetent. Layla might have been a young noblewoman in Dion, but even so, her mistakes had been numerous—easily more than ten just in front of Anessa. It was clear she wouldn’t be able to attend to a bath properly either.

“I’m not comfortable showing my body to others. You’re still unfamiliar to me.”

Malyn understood exactly how Anessa felt; she herself preferred having someone skilled assist her. However, there was something she valued even more than Anessa’s capable hands. With a tilt of her chin, Malyn dismissed her.