Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“You’re late.”

Daphne heard it as soon as she arrived at the carriage.

“As far as I know, it’s been a long time since the king announced your departure. I didn’t know you’d be this anxious.”

The maid, who tied her black hair together, stared at Daphne without hiding her annoyance and contempt.

She  was one of the maids sent  by the emperor.

“There’s a lot to teach you in the future.”

‘Ha.’

Daphne laughed inwardly.

There was still time before departure because she had told the attendant to  remind  her early.

Even if she were to be really late, it was because of Alan who  had caught her.

No.

Even if Daphne was late, the maid should not have shown this type of attitude.

Wasn’t she being sent  to get married to Archduke Bertrand?

‘She’s not even trying to hide her annoyance because I am just a common princess and a human being who is supposed to die soon.’

What a fool.

There was someone who stepped up before Daphne, who was trying to step forward.

“What rudeness is this?”

Count Corman frowned and continued.

“There was just a little delay because His Highness Alan was saying goodbye to Her Highness. And what do you mean late? Isn’t it still early to leave?”

The prince’s name, a clock that shows exactly the right time, and Count Corman,  was not someone to be  treated lightly by a maid.

Tsk.

The maid still clicked her tongue openly.

“I see. His Majesty the Emperor told me to pay attention to the education of the Princess, so please excuse me.”

That was the end.

There was no apology.

The maid turned around and got into a carriage that was several times more luxurious than Daphne’s.

It was a bonus that she laughed at Daphne before she boarded.

Daphne stopped the Count from calling the maid.

“I’m okay. Well, don’t get too mad.”

While saying that, Daphne’s gaze was fixed on the chariot that her maidservant was riding on.

“I will go now. Thank you so much for even coming to see me off, Count.”

Daphne laughed and the count’s face darkened again.

“The Count.”

Daphne, who had climbed onto her pedestal to get into her carriage, suddenly turned around.

“My brother, Alan, seems like a good person, right?”

“Ah… That’s right. His Majesty the Prince is a good man. Good luck with other tedious tasks. But a little while ago, hmm.”

The count’s eyes narrowed as if reflecting on what had happened earlier.

“Your brother must have been busy.”

Daphne lightly passed it on as if it was nothing.

But for the Count, the previous work would not have been easy.

Wasn’t he the only one who had his head bowed as if crushed by guilt?

“Still, my brother  has expected me to live and die like this, and he also opposed my adoption.”

Said Daphne  while smiling brightly.

“He wasn’t able to take good care of me because he was busy, but that’s enough for me!”

“…”

The count had no answer to Daphne’s words. But this was enough.

‘It’s done.’

Now the count will begin to doubt Alan.

Whenever Alan shows the aspect of a good person, he will reflect on what happened today and observe him.

And the count’s gaze will secretly spread among the nobles.

Count Corman was still quite influential among the nobles.

‘The seeds were planted well.’

She has to harvest well when she needs it.

“Then goodbye, Count.”

“Please take care of yourself. Send me a letter if you need anything.”

The count added that she should take care of herself several times as if he  was  sending his  own  daughter away.

After saying her goodbyes , Daphne got on the wagon.

“Your Highness is here.”

Mariel, who was in the carriage in advance, nodded.

I sat down and now waited for the carriage to depart, and something was wrong with Mariel.

The back of the hand seen between the hem of the robe was strangely red.

“What is this?”

It was like someone had hit her on the back of her hand…

No way.

“Mariel.”

“Yes, yes?”

Mariel quickly raised her head.

“Did other maids hit you?””

There was no answer.

She just bowed her head and hurriedly covered her hand with the hem of her robe.

Her appearance confirmed Daphne that…

‘She got hit.’

Still, they seemed to have vented their anger out at Mariel instead of Daphne, for they couldn’t directly touch a member of a royal family. So, they went after the maid directly under Daphne’s control.

In addition, Mariel was not on good terms with other maids because she was from a lower status family.

‘I feel dirty.’

Leaning against the carriage wall, Daphne squinted her eyes.

Considering what Mariel has done to her so far, this was nothing.

However, it was a problem that other maids arbitrarily touched Mariel.

It was no different from looking down on Daphne.

‘If they are crossing the line now, there’s no telling what they’ll do later.’

‘Shall we set an example before we arrive?’

“I think.”

Daphne tapped her foot.

Mariel, who raised her head, blinked.

“I need an etiquette education.”

Right?

~*~

The Emperor hates Archduke Bertrand.

The fact that he had the only autonomy in the empire, and yet he also had the right to inherit the throne.

So he was also a stumbling block for the 2nd prince Claire, whom he wanted to establish as the next  emperor.

‘So he sent the bride.’

The reason for the bride’s existence was extremely simple.

Surveillance and justification.

If they notice anything strange while monitoring…

‘You will die there.’

If the bride sent by the emperor dies, the story is different.

Under the pretext of investigation, the emperor will open the gates of the Grand Duchy , and once the gates are opened, it will be war.

It was a good plan.

Not bad.

‘If only he would succeed.’

Daphne chuckled.

The emperor twice failed this classic and difficult-to-fail plan.

It was because of her in a previous life, and also because of a landslide in the original.

Count Corman’s young daughter, on her way down to Bertrand, was engulfed in a landslide and was unable to reach the destination.

What would she do if she had only prepared an escort against thieves and monsters?

It was useless in the face of natural disasters.

“Your Majesty the Princess.”

Said Mariel as she got into her carriage.

“I got it. As your Highness said, it passes under Parmesan Trail.”

“As expected.”

It goes like the original.

Daphne was lost in thought while ignoring Mariel, who was curious about how she  knew it.

‘In the original work, the exact location of the landslide was not described.’

It was simply written that there was a landslide.

But she knew exactly where and when landslides occurred on the Parmesan Trail.

‘It’s a good thing I investigated it because it’s related to the original work.’

Daphne smiled and knocked on the wagon window.

“What’s wrong?”

Just in time, the person Daphne was looking for  a reply .

He was the commander of the Knights of this group.

“If you called me, you should tell me.”

The head of the knight responded without removing the expression that he was annoyed.

“My maid told me that we’re going to the Parmesan Trail. Is that right?”

“That’s right.”

In response to the annoyed answer, Mariel was behind Daphne and said, “You jerk…”

“It’s no different, but in the village we visited earlier, it has been raining a lot from  the past few days and the mountain trails are said to be dangerous.”

“What does that mean?”

The commander of the knight distorted his face.

“I’m saying let’s go back even if it takes some time. There’s no reason to take a dangerous path.”

“Ha!”

The commander of the knight, who laughed loudly, turned to Daphne.

He looked angry.

“I don’t think Your Highness knows because you have only lived in the imperial palace. I’m from this area.”

Biting his teeth tightly, the commander of the knight recited it low.

“I haven’t heard of dangers in more than 20 years, let alone landslides. However, it is absurd to change the schedule after listening to the common people. And it’s not anyone else but…”

The man hurriedly stopped talking, but he knew everything about what would come after that.

‘After hearing the orders of a commoner like me?’

That’s what it is.

‘Yeah, I knew it was going to come out like this.’

Daphne sneered inwardly.

She had already asked Count Corman to complete the investigation of the knights and maids.

The knights commander often ignored commoners, and he was a man who looked down on women and children who had to be protected.

She didn’t even have a decent position, so for her to even give orders that goes against his words and plan, how annoyed he must’ve been  due to  her.

“…In any case, there is no change of plan. Do not violate my authority.”

The commander gritted his teeth and muttered.

Daphne asked, fiddling with her hair.

“Sir, did you know that with authority comes responsibility?”

“I know that very well, Your Majesty.”

After answering in a sarcastic tone, the knight hurriedly turned around.

“I, I…!!”

Unbearable, Mariel jumped up.

“Isn’t that too rude?”

Her breathing was scrambled from intense anger.

“Leave it alone. Because he said he would be responsible if there was an accident.”

Speaking calmly, Daphne pulled the curtain halfway up the window and stuck out her head.

A woman who had been hidden from view by the curtain caught her eye.

Upon departure, she was a dark-haired maid who did something rude to her.

“Did you hear that too?”

Daphne’s question was answered by the maid immediately.

“I didn’t hear anything. I just got here.”

“Lies.”

The maid’s face hardened.

“You were here from the beginning. Don’t think I’ve never seen you.”

“…”

The maid stared at Daphne. She changed her words in an instant.

“Yes, I heard.”

Liars can be shameless.

Daphne raised the corners of her lips.

“You are a witness then, okay?”

‘I’ll send a bundle of those two together.’