Chapter 85

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When Ellea, who had hastily left the palace, returned, Borence and her Jane hurried to her.

“Where did you in such a hurry? Princess, what the hell happened? Your clothes…”

The two were greatly surprised when they saw Ellea’s messy hair and dress.

“Jane.”

It was only then that Jane found an unusual expression in the voice of Ellea, who firmly cut their words.

She could tell right away that it was serious. So she looked at Ellea with nervousness. It wasn’t a short time they had been together, but it was the first time Ellea was this angry.

She even doubted if Ellea was the Princess she had known. Borence seemed to feel the same way.

“Where’s Marie?”

“Marie? She’s probably still working in her area.”

“Bring her right now. Right before my eyes.”

“Yes, I will bring her right away.”

At Ellea’s command, Jane hurried out of the palace to pick up Marie.

Borence, who was standing next to her, recalled Ellea had gone to the stable earlier and immediately recognized that the recent incident had to do with Marie.

‘What did she do?’

She knew Ellea, who knew everything about Marie, hadn’t done anything to Marie because she was watching her. 

‘A strange wind will blow in the palace.’

Not long after, Jane entered the palace with Marie. Looking at Marie’s expression, she seemed to have no idea what was going on.

“I brought Marie, Princess.”

“Did you call me?”

Jane cautiously stood next to Borence, and Marie looked at Ellea with a blank face.

Ellea stared at her, and then approached her.

“Princess….”

But Marie could not finish her words.

Smack!

Marie’s head turned to the side as Ellea raised her hand and struck her hard on her face.

At the complete unexpected situation, Borence and Jane, as well as the other servants, looked at Ellea in amazement.

Surprisingly, only the sound of taking a deep breath was heard, and the palace was enveloped in silence.

What surprised them even more was Ellea. She had always smiled and let it go even if a servant made a mistake and never was physical with the servants. 

Marie, who was surprised, with her cheek hurt for a while, turned red with the strong hit.

Ellea, who had raised her hand, looked at Marie without moving. 

Marie, who had grasped the situation late, put her hand on her swollen cheek and looked at Ellea with trembling eyes.

“Oh, Princess. Suddenly, what is this……” 

But this time too, she couldn’t finish her words. As if she would not accept any excuses, Ellea kicked Marie in the shin with the shoes she was wearing.

“Ahhhh!” 

This time, she couldn’t stand the force and Marie fell down as if collapsed. When she felt a greater pain than before, she raised her head to ask something. However, as she looked into her eyes with that determination, she couldn’t even move her lips.

Marie was sure. Ellea could kill herself at any moment without hesitation. 

All of a sudden, her body started to tremble, regardless of her will. 

“The first one was for hurting Heris, and the kick was a punishment for my injury. Compared to what I’ve been through, I think this is nothing.

“Why are you doing this…?”

“Are you really asking because you don’t know?”

“What?” 

“From now on, you must be careful with every word that comes out of your mouth. Next time your tongue will be cut off.”

The cold voice and cruel words she heard from Ellea for the first time made Marie start to cry.

This was only the beginning. Because what Ellea had just said was serious, without a single lie.

She barely controlled her mind and told Marie.

“I heard from the horseman. You told him to cause an accident on the day of the riding competition.”

“How do you…. .”

It was then that Marie understood the situation. She shook her head, thinking that she had to live.

“It wasn’t me. I don’t know anything about it!”

“You don’t know?”

“No. I don’t even know what the Princess is talking about right now. I’m innocent.

Marie didn’t want to admit it. And Ellea didn’t need her confession in the first place.

“Then tell me where you were at that time.”

“Of course I was doing my job in the palace.”

“Then some of the people here must have seen you.”

At Ellea’s question, Marie couldn’t open her mouth this time. She thought she would never be found out, and she didn’t even care until now.

‘What should I do?’

Then Borence approached and informed Ellea.

“Princess, the knights have arrived.”

“Tell them to come in and take her.”

Just in time, the knights arrived. Marie grabbed the hem of Ellea’s dress as she heard the word ‘knight’.

“I didn’t do it! Please believe me. I was framed!”

Marie knelt on her knees in front of Ellea and even showed her tears, pleading for her injustice.

Ella looked down at her like that, lowered her body and spoke in a voice only she could hear.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t know who you work for?”

She knew what Ella meant, and Marie froze in her tears.

“Did you think I didn’t know who ordered you to watch me?”

“Well, that’s… .”

“Don’t expect to live. I can prevent that somehow. Feel once and for all the power of the Imperial Princess, whom you have ignored so much.”

After finishing everything she had to say, Ellea stood up without any regrets. Then she approached the knights who were waiting for her.

“I don’t know if I showed you something you shouldn’t see, Sir Kenley.”

“No. We will escort the maid.”

“Then take her.”

Marie resisted to the end, but she could not shake off the power of the knights. She shouted as she was dragged away.

Looking at it, and leaving behind the still buzzing servants, she entered the palace.

****

Shortly thereafter, news of Marie’s arrest swept through the Imperial Palace. Naturally, the incident at the riding competition was also known.

But that was only the outward appearance, and what was hidden behind it was not revealed. Who was behind Marie?

Naturally, Shanil was also told that Marie and the horseman were identified as culprits and had been arrested.

“So what did they say?”

“The horseman said it was done by the maid, and the maid said she was not the culprit.”

It was Terban’s aide who was reporting to Shanil. He had come to inform her of the progress of the matter in secret.

“What is Terban’s reaction?”

“It’s almost certain with the testimony of the horseman. After investigating the horse’s body, the real cause of death was revealed, and the exchange of the horse’s bodies was discovered.”

“Didn’t Marie say anything else?”

“No, she is currently in denial.”

“Okay, leave.”

Shanil, who was left alone after the aide had left, leaned back on the sofa and sighed.

“It’s stupid. I even told you how to do it, but you got caught.”

She clicked her tongue in disappointment. Marie was confident she would be able to do her job properly, but now she was caught.

Shanil had met Marie secretly before the riding competition.

Marie was already ready to hear any orders, so she moved thoroughly as Shanil instructed her.

When she changed her plan in the middle and changed her target to Heris, she thought it would be better.

If Heris got hurt, Ellea, who was by her side, would be framed and held responsible.

However, an unexpected problem arose. It was Ellea who saved Heris with her own body.

What’s more, Ellea was seriously injured and doubts about her completely disappeared.

Shanil bit her well-groomed nails nervously.

It was only a matter of time before she was found out if Marie mentioned her name from being scared. She had to come up with a way somehow.

Then Reina came in. As soon as she entered, she bowed down.

“It’s unlike you to fail like this.”

“I’m sorry, Lady Shanil. I never thought that the Princess would be there.”

“Lift your head.”

As soon as Reina raised her head, Shanil’s teacup, which flew at a terrifyingly high speed, smashed into her head.

Luckily her head didn’t break, but the hot tea began to wet Reina’s head.

Although it was painful and hot, she stood upright in that posture without even moving. 

“Don’t let me down again, Reina. If you don’t want to go back to that hell again.”

At Shanil’s last words, Reina’s eyes shook for the first time. But she nodded her head, capturing the emotion.

“I will keep that in mind.”

Of course, Shanil thought that everything would turn to black ash, but with the appearance of Ellea, her plan was thwarted.

“I wish the Princess had died.”

“What are you going to do now?”

“There is only one way left.”

Shanil wasn’t completely unprepared for this situation. Soon she gave Reina another secret order.

***

In her prison cell, her well-groomed hair tangled, Marie sat leaning against the cold wall with her knees curled up.

This dark place felt so frightening that she just wanted to get out quickly. And in her heart remained only her wrath against Ellea, who made her this way.

“If I leave here, I will never let you have peace. You’ll see.”

And she looked at her leg covered by her maid’s robe.

The place where she had been hit hard by Ellea had a blue bruise before she knew it, and she still felt the pain. The same was true for her cheek.

‘If you think that I will die like this, you are mistaken.’

She still had a way out of this situation.

“I don’t die easily.”

As Marie was looking for a way to live, a person came to her prison where she was confined.

“Here you are.”

Having found a woman in a robe, Marie limped her injured leg and walked over to her cell door.

“Are you the one sent by Lady Shanil?”

“Yes. Are you alright?”

“Please get me out sooner. I was just doing what Lady Shanil told me to do.”

Reina was busy trying to appease Marie.

“Of course, Lady Shanil knows it well.”

“Then hurry up… .”

“Anyway, Lady Shanil is moving right now.”

Marie was relieved to hear that Shanil was working on her release.

“By the way, you didn’t say anything about Lady Shanil , did you?”

At Reina’s words, Marie hurriedly shook her head. She kept that secret unconditionally. That way, Shanil would help her too.

“I never said anything about Lady Shanil. Please believe me.”

“Of course I do. Very well done.”

“Then…… ”

“Now we can go ahead with our plan.”

Before Marie could feel any joy, Reina spoke to someone else.

At that moment, strong men armed in black opened the prison door and entered.

Marie’s arms were grabbed without even having time to escape, and one man began to press her cheeks and pour a mysterious liquid between her lips.

After confirming that Marie had swallowed it all and they let go of her. Marie couldn’t hide her shock.

“What are you doing now…ack!”

Marie’s protest did not last to the end. Blood gushed out of her mouth as she began to cough violently.

After seeing the blood, Marie looked around and then collapsed. Finally, Reina confirmed that Marie was completely out of breath, and said to the men, 

“Let’s move fast. Don’t leave any traces behind.”

As if nothing had happened, the traces in the prison were completely erased.

Reina, who finished everything, also hurriedly escaped the prison. Leaving behind Marie’s cold body.