Chapter 1. Demons of the Winter Palace

I hurriedly tidied my hair and boarded the carriage where Cassian was waiting.

Seeing me like that, he smirked, which somehow irritated me more.

In fact, even without Cassian’s actions, I couldn’t have been in a good mood today.

‘It’s really a place I don’t want to go to.’

Cassian Artez was an utterly unpleasant person, but there was a very slight redeeming point.

That he saw people for who they were, at least?

Cassian seemed to judge people based on whether he could use them or not.

So, what mattered to him was whether I could do the job I was assigned to or not.

The fact that I came from a humble baron family buried in debt or that I hadn’t even had a debutante ball wasn’t even worth causing a ripple in his thoughts.

‘But the place we’re going to now is….’

I let out a deep sigh without realizing it.

At the sound, Cassian, who was busy sorting through documents inside the carriage, glanced at me and then indifferently returned to his papers.

“Open that.”

“Yes?”

“We’ve arrived. Don’t dawdle too much.”

He threw out some cryptic words and then jumped out without waiting for me to disembark.

Thinking I should get down quickly, I obediently opened the box Cassian pointed at.

He had a tyrant-like nature that hated it when his orders weren’t followed immediately.

It was big enough for documents, so I thought it might be additional papers, and I opened it.

‘…What is this?’

A new form of bullying?

Inside the box was a neatly designed hair ornament.

One that perfectly matched my usual hairstyle.

Was he telling me to wear it? It seemed like it, but….

My hands trembled as I looked at the ornament.

Just a few months ago, I had to frantically study all sorts of luxury goods circulating in the capital.

‘I had to forcibly seize assets from those who dodged taxes and claimed poverty.’

And this hair ornament was among the top five most expensive items among the seized goods.

I put on the hair ornament, showing the gloom on my face.

In a place full of people who whispered as soon as they saw me.

Cassian Artez, that man, was using my head as a declaration of war!

*

“Even though I told you not to dawdle.”

It’s only been 1 minute and 20 seconds.

I looked at Cassian with a bit of dissatisfaction, then quickly turned my head, hearing a low chuckle from above.

“Not bad.”

Of course, judging by the sharp gazes already pouring onto me.

I sighed deeply inside.

This place was none other than the ceremonial hall, where the state and imperial ceremonies were conducted.

The high-nosed elder nobles occupied the main positions, and they loved the pomp and privilege of being nobles.

They were so old-fashioned that there were still no female nobles among the members of this ceremonial hall.

‘Isn’t she ashamed, not even showing properly in society yet being the prince’s assistant. It’s truly the end of times.’

‘The Saliche Baron family must really be out of line. How can they let their grown daughter run around so recklessly?’

‘Look at her wearing clothes that commoners would wear. Even though she comes from a humble family from a remote territory, wouldn’t it be better to just sell the title?’

For the past year, the whispers I heard whenever I encountered them due to Cassian’s work still lingered in my ears.

To those already conservative people, I was undoubtedly a protruding stone they wanted to chisel away.

But today, we were here for an ‘audit’ of the ceremonial hall, so how could their gazes be kind?

Even in front of the prince, they were having a cultured conversation.

“Look at that, wearing that precious hair ornament that was seized so viciously!”

“Goodness, is she trying to threaten us? A mere baron’s daughter?!”

“Indeed, why does the prince allow such impudent acts! I wonder if that shabby thing has affected the prince’s thinking.”

“Exactly. Ever since Miss Saliche arrived, the prince has been at odds with the nobles instead of being amicable.”

Cassian Artez was like this even before I came!

This was truly an unjust accusation.

Of course, the person who wouldn’t lose to anyone in the empire when it came to having a thick face,

“Isn’t it fun, Rose?”

spoke to me as if he was having a great time.

“You’d better start working soon, Your Highness.”

Of course, I replied with the intention of not wanting to delay my after-work hours even a little.

“That’s my Rose.”

Cassian laughed cheerfully at my response and then addressed the nobles of the ceremonial hall.

“Then let’s begin the audit.”

The looks from the nobles in the ceremonial hall became piercingly sharp.

Ugh….

It was truly a morning that called for an iced Americano with about four extra shots.

*

Cassian Artez, within 20 minutes of arriving at the ceremonial hall, had thoroughly exposed their flaws and embezzlement with pre-investigated data and then briskly walked towards the ceremonial hall’s archives without hesitation.

“No matter if you are the prince, this is too much disrespect towards us!”

The elderly head of the ceremonial hall shouted, his face turning red and blue at the disaster named Cassian, whom he met for the first time in his life.

“Open it.”

Of course, Cassian pretended not to hear such cries and instructed his servant.

They were at a distance where he could claim he didn’t hear it if he wanted to.

“This cannot be allowed!”

Once again, the desperate cry of the ceremonial hall’s head echoed.

So now, the servant was in a state of panic in front of the ceremonial hall’s archives, unable to do anything.

Cassian looked at the servant for a moment, sighed, and spoke to me.

“Rose, open it.”

“It seems faster for Your Highness to open it yourself.”

“That can’t be, Rose. You must open this archive. That’s the only way the ornament I placed on your head has meaning.”

“…Pardon?”

Cassian gave a distasteful smile at my question.

My heart pounded.

With excitement.

With a really certain premonition that he was preparing something to trouble me!

“I thought you’d be able to relieve some stress.”

“What do you mean by that, Your Highness?”

When I looked at him with full disbelief, Cassian smiled beautifully and said to me,

“My dear Rose, are you doubting me now?”

“Pardon?”

It seems like you just used a creepy term of endearment, Your Highness.

Besides, this is the ceremonial hall¹in Korean history, a department that was responsible for translating documents related to foreign affairs!

You also didn’t want to get involved with them, which is why you’ve been putting off dealing with this place!

You want me to take all the blame for that grudge?!

With a face that didn’t intentionally hide his emotions, Cassian laughed softly and whispered affectionately to me.

“Five times.”

“……”

“I’m asking if you doubted that I wouldn’t pay at least that much for entrusting these bothersome things to my precious Rose.”

Clank.

My actions were faster than my answer.

“Ro, Roselita Saliche! Are you ignoring the words of this ceremonial hall head right now?”

The head of the ceremonial hall shouted in a shrill voice.

So I,

Bang–!

forcefully opened the door to the archives and turned to face them.

Then I greeted them with a business smile polished under Cassian.

“I’m sorry, but as His Highness’s assistant, I only follow His Highness’s words.”

“Can’t you step aside immediately, Miss Saliche!”

“Starting at 9:45 this morning, this archive is subject to an audit by the Second Prince’s Palace. Complaints will only be accepted in formal documents. Please understand that it may take about five business days for processing and response.”

“Can’t you hear me?!”

“From now on, this place is off-limits without permission from either myself or His Highness the Second Prince, Mr. Head of the Ceremonial Hall.”

Beyond my voice, amplified by five times, Cassian entered the archives with a satisfied expression.

“This, this, what…!! Is this not an action without law or courtesy! This is tyranny! Miss Saliche, you are mistaken!”

I wasn’t scared anymore from hearing this so often.

It might be a little annoying, but since becoming Cassian’s assistant, I had been trained in various ways, so I wasn’t afraid at all.

With an unbroken smile, I guided the head of the ceremonial hall in a bright tone.

“Thank you for your concern, Sir. If I realize my mistake, I will surely seek your guidance.”

After that, I didn’t forget to give a polite ninety-degree bow before following Cassian and slamming the archive door shut.

“Those, those…! Demons of the Winter Palace!!”

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  in Korean history, a department that was responsible for translating documents related to foreign affairs