Chapter 9

“I mean it. Ante is the one who controls the budget in this palace. I followed her orders.”

Valk bowed down to the ten year old prince. He was even bawling it tears.

According to him, Ante was the one managing the budget in the palace all along. That was shocking news.

Of course, the budget provided wasn’t as much as the other palaces but a lot of money was supplied to Mirthy’s palace.

‘What?’

When I found out this information, I was astonished.

How could she?

I was fine if she just beat me or locked me up. How could she just take my money? I need to collect that money to run away!

“Ante stole Mirthy’s money…”

As I whispered to Euphil, he nodded.

He whispered again.

“Don’t worry Mirthy, I’ll get it back.”

The sum of money stolen by Ante was enough to buy a house. It was even enough to buy a luxurious house with fancy furniture inside.

“Please, I beg you. I have children to feed.”

One guard came out and begged Euphil. Despite of this, his eyes were still cold.

“You left this little child in the dark. Yet, you think your children would be safe?”

“Please, it’s all my fault. I won’t make any excuses.”

Valk was in tears and it seemed like he was regretting it like he did before. I also knew the reason why he didn’t wish to see me lately.

“Euvil.”

I grabbed Euphil’s clothes. He looked at me.

“Valgu is my friend. Valgu warmed my room.”

“The Chief Guard stole the wood from you…”

“That’s correct. After I met the princess, I couldn’t do it after I saw her smile.”

“Then why didn’t you stop that maid.”

“I have stolen some of budget money before.”

“That means I can cut your throat.”

How could he naturally say such violent words?

I grabbed his clothes. No! Valk is my friend! But it was silent.

I was surprised as each one of the guards came out to Euphil to confess their sins.

‘They must have bought at least two houses with the money!’

But what Euphil was angry about, were my bruises.

“I’ll let you down on the floor for a second.”

After he put me down, he walked to Ante.

As he approached her, Ante shivered in fear. Ante closed her eyes. The guards forced her to kneel.

“Your crime of stealing the royal family’s property…”

A cold voice came out of his lips. He pointed at two guards with his fingers. They stood right behind Ante.

“The crime of deceiving the royal family for your greed…”

As he spoke out each word, the guards were pressing Ante down on the ground. As she was starting to face down, she bit her lip. There were tears falling from her face.

“And lastly…”

There’s still something left?

She did commit many crimes. I was wiping my sweat on my hands on the ground. I trusted Euphil would get back all of my money.

“The crime of harming a member of the royal family.”

The last crime.

Since I was just a one year old baby, she beat me, hated me, insulted me, and deceived me. This upset feeling was overwhelming when I heard the last thing he said.

I could endure the pain.

Now, someone was punishing her for causing me pain. As if I am someone special, he came closely to me and rubbed my belly. He looked as if he was regretting something.

At that time, Ante raised her head and glared at us.

“I’ve never tried to hurt her. She isn’t even a member of the royal family. She was abandoned.”

“Shut up!”

The guard behind who was pressing her neck shouted.

How dare she protest!

The guards were astonished as her words could have any one of them beheaded if they were to say that.

Euphil smiled coldly. His smile was frightening.

“Does that include me?”

He was right. He was also abandoned.

He had the right to execute everyone. Only then, Ante knew she had made a mistake.

“Lock her in the basement prison in the North.”

The North Prison. It was built like a maze and no one cared about that prison. Ante turned pale as she heard the order.

“Just kill me instead!”

“If you have watched your language I would have. Take her.”

“Yes, your highness!”

As the guards took Ante away, she kept screaming. She only became quiet after the guard hit her in the neck. I also remained silent.

The basement prison in the North. The place where many nobles died after Euphil launched a coup d’etat in the novel.

Like how the Minotaur was locked in the maze, the palace had a dark prison similar to it. It was the basement prison in the North of the castle.

It was originally made for an escape route for the royal family but after a noble who tried to escape died in the maze, no one knew the way out.

Corpses  of those who died would disappear in the prison. Someone says it’s because they were eaten by the people locked in there.

I shivered.

Euphil was too kind to me. He even hugged me.

“Other maids and guards are to be fired. All of you shall pay the twice the amount you have stolen from the royal family.”

“Your highness!”

“You should be thankful.”

“Th…Thank you. Thank you.”

Paying twice the amount of the money they stole sure wasn’t a light punishment. Some tried to complain, but they had to shut their mouth as they heard what Euphil announced.

They knew they should pay for the sins. He sent a guard to bring one of his people from his palace.

“The Chief Guard Valk should take care of the Princess Palace. Next time, I won’t forgive you.”

I was astonished to hear his last words.

‘I thought he wouldn’t forgive him!’

As I grabbed his hands tight, he held my hands without looking at me. It was a small revolution that took place in my palace when I was about six years old.

Until then, I didn’t know what Euphil exactly did in order to punish all my guards and maids. He used all the budget in his palace to repair mine.

“Wow!”

I was bouncing on top of the new bed. New maids were grinning while seeing me jump. They were from Euphil’s palace.

“Hmm, do I have to seduce the maids?’

At first I thought like this, but I soon knew it was no use. The moment they saw me, the maids ran toward me and hugged me.

“Oh my god! How could they do this to such an adorable princess?”

They must have heard of the affair. As I tilted my head, the maids were moved by my charm and hugged me even harder.

“Hello, Princess Mirthy. I am you maid, Orjet.”

Orjet, the maid from the princess’s palace? I thought maybe I’ve seen her name in the book or somewhere, but I guess I was wrong.

In other words, I knew nothing about her. But it wasn’t bad.

In the original story, Mirthy was hated by all the maids in the palace, but it seemed the future changed a bit.

‘Also…’

All of the furniture was absolutely brilliant. The fancy bed was covered with gold and the pillows were stuffed full. I was bouncing on it and noticed the maid was looking at me.

‘I might be punished.’

Unlike my thought, Orzet just looked at me happily. Many things changed after Euphil came to my rescue. No, everything changed. My palace used to have nothing but dust.

Now, there are savory aromas all over the palace.

The best part was that there were always snacks like Jam cakes and macaroons that I used to eat in the prince’s palace in my kitchen.

“It’s lucky that the prince visited the palace.”

I also nodded. But after a few days, he stayed in my palace. But one thing that was bad, Euphil never came by anymore.

“Hmm… is Euvil busy?”

“Prince Euphil? Hmm..I don’t know.”

I stopped bouncing on the bed and went inside the bed. Orjet, who was thinking while looking at a far distance came inside and placed the blanket over me.

“You know, my mother would always place the blanket like this.”

The blanket cozily covered me up to my neck.

“If you pull the blanket to your neck, it feels good. You can fall asleep easily.”

That made sense. As I was already feeling happy, I thought a feather blanket was the best.

Today’s meal was made of calf meat and it was sliced thin. This way, it  was easy for a 5 years old kid to eat. They also served me with soft white bread. They also told me it isn’t good if I eat too much though.

As they also served veggies, I ate them and now I felt drowsy.

“Hmm, how was your mother like, Orjet?”

My head was buried in the pillow. Orjet said:

“She was like an angel, my princess.”

She patted my head. I was starting to feel warm.

“She was very kind.”

“Hehe.”

“Why do you laugh?”

“Orjet is also kind.”

I rubbed my head on Orjet’s hand as I’ve never felt such kindness. I stopped acting cute since Orjet seemed to be overwhelmed with my charm. Maybe my face was too effective for her.

“Thank you, my princess. I will always be kind to you.”

“Okaaay….”

“What do you do when you go to sleep? Should I read you a fairy tale?”

“Yes!”

“Which tale do you like?”

“I like the fairy of water!”

The fairy of water. That fairy always reminded me of Euphil. Orjet started reading the tale of fairy of water. Her calm voice made me sleepy.

The fairy was alone in the water. She was beautiful but lonely.