Had she hit her head and lost her memory while still inside the carriage?

Her unreserved demeanor, as though she had completely forgotten the bruise on her cheek from those brutal hands, aroused an unexpected suspicion.

Just then, Gareth and MacGilton returned carrying a dress, diverting the two women’s doubtful gazes.

“Here is your dress…… Ugh!”

As Gareth approached Mokyeong, she abruptly covered her mouth and whipped her head away.

“Urgh!”

At that moment, a sudden gust of wind lifted the hem of Mokyeong’s skirt as she stood there.

The poisonous energy and impurities expelled from her body over the past three days had thoroughly permeated her clothing, causing a terrible stench to spread throughout the area in an instant.

“What in the world is that smell……? Urgh!”

Gareth and MacGilton simultaneously pinched their noses shut.

Their faces contorted horribly at the stench, unable to believe it could possibly be coming from someone whose complexion had become so clear and radiant.

“How dramatic. What are you doing? Bring me the clothes.”

The source of the odor herself remained perfectly composed.

Still holding the dress, Gareth hesitated for some time, unable to bring herself any closer. Eventually, she practically threw it onto the ground.

“My apologies, Your Highness. My stomach suddenly feels…… far too unsettled for me to attend you. Urgh!”

Before Gareth had finished speaking, she covered her mouth and ran off. After glancing around nervously, MacGilton hurried after her.

Mokyeong watched the two women retreat before letting out an incredulous laugh.

Admittedly, the smell was dreadful.

This was because three days’ worth of poisonous energy had been expelled from her body all at once.

However, when she was training in poison arts at the Tang Clan, she had lived with a stench ten times worse than this. Back then, no one had dared come within ten paces of her, so this was comparatively mild.

Moreover, Mokyeong had bathed in a nearby stream the previous night.

Consequently, the odor merely clung to her clothing, yet everyone was reacting as though it were a catastrophe.

‘The people of this world have remarkably delicate noses. Good grief.’

Mokyeong clicked her tongue and bent down to pick up the dress, but then stopped.

After all, they were all just pawns of someone else.

Why should she make things easier for them by doing it herself?

Realizing that she could simply order another maid to help her, Mokyeong raised her head.

At that exact moment, everyone averted their gaze in perfect unison, as though they had planned it beforehand.

Ruger suddenly found the sky fascinating, tilting her head all the way back, while Cayeman turned away and began rearranging the already immaculate luggage carriage.

Even the knights, whom Mokyeong had never intended to summon, busied themselves grooming their immaculate horses. Only the elderly knight in charge of the procession stood his ground, fidgeting helplessly and turning red.

Their behavior made their contempt for the ‘Princess Consort’ they were supposed to serve painfully clear.

‘How can they perform their duties when they are this fainthearted? They would flee in horror if they ever encountered someone from the Beggars’ Sect.’

The corners of Mokyeong’s mouth turned up slightly.

Just then, quiet footsteps approached.

It was Halo.

The young maid, the only one to stay when everyone else turned away, came up to Mokyeong and quietly bowed her head.

She then made a subtle gesture whose meaning was nevertheless unmistakable.

I will attend to you.

Mokyeong looked down at her silently for a moment.

Despite being unable to speak, Halo expressed herself clearly. Unlike the others, she neither pinched her nose nor showed the slightest hesitation.

“Will you help me?”

Halo nodded.

When Mokyeong turned toward the carriage to indicate her permission, Halo picked up the dress and silently followed her.

***

Inside the carriage, the young maid quickly and efficiently began to remove Mokyeong’s foul-smelling dress.

Mokyeong watched her in silence.

While the others had retched at the mere sight of her, Halo showed no such reaction.

She neither frowned nor pursed her lips to hold her breath. She simply performed her duties without a word.

Although she seemed quite young, there was nothing clumsy or wasteful about her movements.

She was calm and practiced, as though she had spent many years caring for someone.

However, it was not just her skillful movements that caught Mokyeong’s attention.

It was also the way her eyes constantly surveyed their surroundings, her nearly soundless footsteps and her never making a single unnecessary movement.

Mokyeong’s gaze lingered briefly on Halo’s face.

They looked nothing alike.

Their eyes, noses and mouths were all different.

Nevertheless, Mokyeong could not stop seeing another person’s face superimposed over hers.

Soye.

Mokyeong was reminded of her younger sister, whom she had left behind in the Central Plains, by Halo’s quiet demeanor. For someone her age, she revealed remarkably little emotion.

Even when demonic energy was corrupting her body and turning it black, Soye had been more concerned about her elder sister than herself.

‘She survived.’

She had to have survived.

Mokyeong looked away, deliberately refusing to touch the faint emotion rising within her chest.

There was nothing she could do at present.

No matter how much she worried about the world she had already left behind, she had no means of reaching it. She could only believe that Soye remained alive.

A short while later, Halo unfolded the fresh dress. Mokyeong extended her arms and asked indifferently,

“You were called Halo, right?”

Halo briefly stopped moving before resuming her work. She answered with a nod.

“Have you worked as a maid for long?”

This time, Halo raised two fingers.

It meant two years.

“Can you truly not speak?”

Halo nodded again.

“Show me your tongue.”

For the first time, Halo’s hands came to a complete stop.

After a brief pause, she raised her head and looked at Mokyeong.

Her gaze seemed to be assessing or weighing something.

Mokyeong did not rush her.

A moment later, Halo slowly stuck out her tongue.

Mokyeong examined it before narrowing her eyes.

Hmm.

The corners of her lips shifted almost imperceptibly, but that was all.

Without saying anything, Mokyeong raised her arms so that Halo could dress her more easily.

Lowering her gaze, Halo silently resumed helping her.

***

By the time Mokyeong had changed into clean clothes, breakfast had been prepared.

Gareth and MacGilton, who had fled earlier, had returned at some point and were now helping with the meal as though nothing had happened.

Mokyeong sat down on a rock in the sunshine and accepted the stew that Halo brought her.

Judging by its savory aroma, it seemed that they had added plenty of meat, as she had requested.

However, when she stirred it expectantly with her spoon, she found no solid food in the bowl.

“What is this? Why is there no meat?”

At Mokyeong’s bewildered murmur, Halo lowered her head helplessly.

Mokyeong lightly patted her shoulder, assuring her that it was not her fault, then looked toward Gareth, who stood beside the pot.

That troublesome maid again.

“Hmm, did I cook it for too long? All the meat must have dissolved.”

Gareth muttered to herself as she filled Cayeman’s bowl with broth, looking awkward.

Although the bowl was full, it contained no more solid ingredients than Mokyeong’s.

Cayeman cast a suspicious glance at the pot, but there was a line of knights waiting behind her, so she had no choice but to take her bowl and step aside.

“Brandon.”

Gareth called out the next knight’s name, clearly delighted.

The two of them exchanged a smile, as if they were alone in the world.

After ensuring that nobody was watching, Gareth dipped the ladle deep into the pot and scooped up a generous helping of meat that had been pressed against the bottom. He placed it in Brandon’s bowl.

“Eat well. You will need your strength for the important task ahead.”

She winked and quickly covered the meat with broth before anyone could notice. Grinning from ear to ear, Brandon hurried toward a secluded spot.

Watching them, Mokyeong suppressed a hollow laugh.

‘Just look at those shameless fools.’

Their behaviour was so brazen and infuriating that she laughed before becoming angry.

Six days had passed since they left the imperial palace.

They had now left the capital completely and entered neighbouring territory. According to the others, Bactus Castle was only another day or two away.

They had travelled far enough.

‘……Should I put them in their place now?’

Did they dare to play games with meat?

Not just any ingredient, but meat?

That was too offensive to be overlooked with fond amusement.

They should be disciplined before they carry out their scheme.

The people assigned to accompany the troublesome Princess Consort into confinement were bound to be unimpressive.

Her internal energy had not yet fully recovered and her martial arts skills were poor. Nevertheless, momentum was half the battle.

Although she was far below her former level, she was still capable of teaching this group a lesson.

Just as she planted a hand on her knee and began to rise, she heard someone shout,

“You there!”

A deep, commanding voice addressed Gareth before Mokyeong could respond.

“Are you tampering with our supplies and food?”