Malyn had learned to read by glancing over others’ shoulders while working as a maid at an inn. She could easily write simple things like “One silver coin for a room” or “Two copper coins for horse feed,” even with her eyes closed. But when it came to phrases like “dragon’s flame,” “knight’s iron sword,” or “the golden throne on which the king sat,” she still struggled. Because of this, the books Malyn chose from the library were mostly fairy tales and folktales. There were books on etiquette for young nobles, too, but she quickly lost interest in those—they were far too dull.

Fortunately, the story of the knight slaying a dragon had illustrations, making it easier for Malyn to follow. All the books in the Veldam library were expensive and luxurious, with illustrations painted in gold leaf and colors made from crushed gemstones. Naturally, illustrated pages were rare.

So Malyn couldn’t understand why the king had chosen the knight to protect the princess. There was a whole paragraph of unfamiliar words on the newly opened page – that was why she hadn’t read any further. No matter how hard she tried, there were too many words she didn’t know, making it impossible to understand the rest from context alone.

Malyn opened the book on the table and looked around. She was alone in the library. To keep her struggles with reading a secret, she always came here alone, never wanting Anessa, Ann or any of the other maids to find out.

Layla was an exception. The thought of Layla discovering her struggles was even more unbearable than with Anessa, Ann or Nadia. Layla already knew better than anyone else that Malyn wasn’t really a princess, just a maid – someone picked up off the streets. But for some reason, her opinion still mattered more.

Malyn stared at the book for a long time, frowning in frustration, before finally sighing and closing it. It seemed that the story of the Thorn Princess was beyond her for the time being. She’d thought she’d finally found a book with lots of illustrations, but here it was.

Still, she didn’t feel like leaving the library just yet. Malyn’s days at Veldam Castle were mostly peaceful, and she enjoyed the moments when she had nothing to do.

Such times had never existed for her before coming to Veldam. When she opened her eyes in the morning, her immediate concern was always where her next meal would come from. At the inn, she worked all day until her fingertips cracked and bled, sneaking some of the oil used in the kitchen to rub on her hands, only to get scolded. And that was on the better days, when she had a stable job. Sleeping in the streets was another story—worrying not just about the next meal but whether she would wake up at all the next day. It was a life where the future was never guaranteed.

And so, this peaceful time was precious to her. Malyn closed the book, stood up slowly, and walked over to the window. The library’s glass was remarkably clear, and she enjoyed gazing at the view beyond.

The scene wasn’t particularly special. Just below the south-facing windows lay the stables, housing the ten prized horses that the King of Veldam rode, in a building more luxurious than most. Knights patrolled in pairs, while stable hands sliced through the hay meant for the horses, the rustling sounds echoing as they worked.

And amidst all that activity, she spotted a familiar head of golden hair.

Malyn squinted, trying to get a better look.

‘Ah, I see.’

It was Princess Layla. It seemed that as soon as Malyn had told her to go about her business, Layla had gone to see Paradi—the horse Malyn had ridden when they first entered Veldam Castle. Paradi was now housed in the king’s stables alongside his other prized horses. A fine breed and a strong mare, Paradi had caught the attention of the stable hands, who managed the king’s horses and seemed hopeful she’d get along well with the stallions. Naturally, Paradi had snorted at the idea, showing little interest.

Princess Layla was awkwardly glancing around, clearly self-conscious. It was obvious to anyone watching that she was out of place. How could anyone believe she was just casually visiting the stables? Malyn clicked her tongue in annoyance. The stables weren’t a place where women usually ventured.

Slowly, Malyn turned a small latch on one of the glass windows, allowing it to open just slightly—enough for two fingers to slip through. It wasn’t meant for viewing, so a small opening was sufficient.

And, as expected—

A knight stepped out, noticed Layla looking around, and placed his hand on her bottom. Layla’s face turned red with anger, almost black, and without a word, she slapped the knight’s hand away. The knight let out an exaggerated “Oh!” as he deliberately fell backward. The noise from his armor was incredibly loud, and with a heavy crash, the surrounding objects fell over along with him.

“Well, look at this girl!”

Malyn narrowed her eyes. She had seen this kind of behavior before. If a woman looked innocent, men like these would try to touch her. If she reacted with shock and pushed them away, they’d retreat and create a scene. There was no difference between these knights and the thugs on the streets. The knight immediately stood up, his face red with embarrassment and anger, and he glared at Layla threateningly.

“How dare you push me, girl?”

“That was because of you!”

This was unexpected. Usually, in these situations, maids would just apologise, knowing they couldn’t stand up to a knight, and endure a few rounds of harassment. But Layla was standing up to him. At this rate, she was going to get hit. Without noticing, Malyn pressed her forehead against the window. Startled by the cold, she quickly pulled her head back.

“What have I done? What have I done?” 

The knight’s tone became harsher. It was almost laughable – he was a full handspan shorter than Layla. Layla stood tall and firm like a pointed spike, while the armoured knight looked more like a round ball. Layla looked down at him and protested.

“Didn’t you harass me first?”

“How dare you speak to me like that?”

“…I…”

Layla hesitated, and Malyn clicked her tongue in annoyance. Even if a knight had once been a commoner, being knighted gave them a noble status that placed them above servants. When Layla had entered Veldam Castle, it had been explained that she was originally of noble birth, but generally a knight had a higher rank than a maid – unless the maid came from a particularly distinguished household.

And a princess’s maid, brought as collateral in an arranged marriage, carried little weight.

“What are you going to say?”

Malyn could see the mocking smile forming on the knight’s face. Layla hesitated, then straightened her shoulders.

“I… am the princess’s maid.”

The knight scoffed at this insignificant explanation.

“A princess? What princess of Veldam Castle? Let’s see… you’re the maid of the princess who came as collateral, aren’t you? Haha! Don’t make me laugh. Just because you’re the princess’s maid, do you think you can push the king’s knights around? Let’s see how important this princess is that even her maid thinks so highly of herself!”

The knight pointed his finger at Layla and stepped towards her as she stepped back.

From her vantage point at the window, Malyn could see the tips of Layla’s ears, bright red with anger. Even at moments like this, Layla could not hide her emotions. She seemed to be having a hard time adjusting to the role of a maid. Malyn barely managed to stifle a disbelieving laugh as she turned away. When an inexperienced princess wanted to live as a maid, such challenges were inevitable.