CH 31

"Is it because you became the maid of honor of the royal family? Now, you don't need me anymore? To be honest, you wouldn't have become this successful without me."

"Are you saying this is all thanks to you?"

"I didn’t say that."

"Don't play with words when you have no talent for it. You're just a failure who didn't have the courage nor the will to go through tough situations."

"Let me ask one thing."

Vasily raised his trembling eyes, and looked at Yulia. He looked quite desperate.

"Yulia, did you even love me?"

"What do you think?"

"You were only using me, right? Because I'm naive, you seduced me, and tried to get money out of me. Because if you stay by my side, you could enjoy the life of a noble you so desperately longed for, so..."

"Go on."

"I'm sorry. I must have been out of my mind. I didn't mean to say this... Yulia, it's not too late. Come back to me. I am still the same. I only have you."

Vasily was in a state of confusion. This is probably a huge crisis in his life that he has never imagined.

'That's right, I'd like to put myself in your shoes too.' Thinking this, Yulia took a step closer to Vasily.

"Princess Shatrin has declared that she would cut off all relationship with your family. The Marquis had to do his best to settle it, but he didn't even show his face in the palace because he was dealing with more important matters."

"My father? Why?"

"Vasily, you probably won’t become a marquis."

It's a cruel punishment. It was like abandoning a young master who had no worries because the future was all set in the middle of the battlefield of life.

"From now on, Kristin will take your place."

"No."

Vasily didn't seem to fully accept that fact yet.

Then, it's time to bring him down from the dreamland in his fairytale to reality. She will give a mirror to the monster who had lived his life thinking he was an angel.

"You will be abandoned. Like collateral vassals, you will have to bow your head to Kristin for the rest of your life, and crawl while following her orders. Since your marriage to the Princess was canceled, you will be sold off to another woman. And after that, you will be forgotten forever."

"No, that's impossible!"

"You have to live like that in order to remain a Marjoram. Come to your senses, Vasily."

This was advice. At least, Yulia thought so.

"I won't live like that. It doesn't matter even if I don't become a marquis! But, I won't live that way. I... I haven't..."

'...done anything yet. If I were you, I would flap my wings like crazy trying to get out of this cage.'

A sharp light hovered in Yulia's eyes.

"Yulia, get me out of here."

Vasily begged, hanging on the bars. His knuckles were white. Fear and desperation were felt on his pale face, which had not seen the light of day for a while.

"If you managed to come in secretly, doesn't that mean that you can sneak out as well? Yes, you're smart, so you'll find a way somehow... Yulia."

"Tell me."

"Please, get me out. I'm going to run away from my family. I will no longer live as my father's tool. That's my only way out."

"Don't talk nonsense. You can't live a day outside of this mansion. Frankly speaking, have you ever made money or accomplished anything with your own hands? You will come back home crying as soon as you get out of here."

"Don't look down on me."

"You're wrong. I am not looking down on you. You are just insignificant to me."

"You... okay, I get it. You can criticize me as much as you want. Just, help me this time. If you get me out of here, I will never show up in front of you, and bother you again."

"Really?"

Yulia asked as if she had been waiting. Her reaction was quick, like someone who was only waiting for these words.

Vasily nodded with a hurt face.

"Yes... never..."

She looked like she had finally done the cleaning that she had been putting off, so Maxwell, who had been following her, chuckled.

"Can you really let that bastard go away like that? Won't he come back in two days and tell on you, saying that you helped him escape?"

"It doesn't matter. I can just shake it off by saying that it's not true. Moreover, it's something that the Marquis of Marjoram will have to reflect on. People say that the dungeon of the Marquis family is a place where anybody can come and go."

"I am not anybody, though."

Maxwell shrugged. Knowing that it would have been impossible without his ability, Yulia slightly bowed her head to express her gratitude.

"Thank you for accepting my ridiculous request."

"Then, can I brag about this to Babaslov?"

"Of course."

Maxwell grinned, and held out his arm. Yulia smiled like a child and approached him, crossing their arms.

"By the way, why don't you kill him?"

Maxwell was really curious about that. He couldn't understand why she would handle things in such a complicated way when it could be easily solved by killing him.

How should she explain it? Yulia, who was thinking about how to respond, said as if singing.

"Killing is too easy. Whereas revenge is a carefully crafted warning.”

"Ah... I see. You want Vasily to get a taste of what it's like to be in your shoes."

People who are quick to understand are so nice to talk to. Yulia nodded happily.

*****

"I support Shatrin."

The moment Lewicia said that, the tumultuous contest hall became quiet as if time had stopped.

Shatrin, the King, and the first Prince all stared intently at Lewicia.

"Second Prince, what did you just say?", the King asked.

Lewicia thought of Yulia, the mysterious maid who brought him to this point. Had Yulia been here, he thought that she would have told him not to bother trying to explain, and to say the following words.

"I, the second Prince Lewicia, will support the heir to the throne, Shatrin Ortega."

For a long time, the King's gaze lingered on Lewicia, who appeared empty-handed after being told to bring a gift and threw out these words.

"Take a look at Kristin Marjoram. She looks like she is going to faint at any time."

Coco said happily. As she said, after Lewicia's declaration of support for Shatrin, Kristin was eagerly explaining something with a pale face next to the first Prince.

"Its a little... unexpected."

Lewicia murmured.

The King did not openly rejoice, or complimented him with words. He just told Lewicia that he understood, and respected his decision.

However, after that, he called Shatrin and exchanged a few words with her. Then, the Princess approached Lewicia with a bright face.

"I thought you hated me, Lewicia?"

"It's true that I didn't like you."

"Start liking me from now on. I will do my best to do the same."

"Is it that easy?"

"What is so difficult about it? My enemy is your enemy. That's why you chose me. That alone is enough."

As expected. Shatrin was a royal who bore incredibly strong grudges. Just because she didn't like Marjoram, she changed her mind so easily.

Lewicia nodded with a confused face.

"Lewicia? We'll be siblings who get along well in the future, but I can't be the only one to receive a present. Tell me if there is anything you want. If it's in my power, I will help you however I can."

Lewicia, who wanted to say, 'I don't want anything from you, and I'm uncomfortable today, so please, just go away', thought of Yulia again.

A calm face that never showed anger even with swollen cheeks and bloody lips.

Come to think of it, there was something that Lewicia wanted from Shatrin.

"Apologize to my maid of honor."

"What?"

"The maid of honor you hit twice after breaking into my palace."

Shatrin looked at Lewicia as if she hadn't expected this.

"That commoner? Is it someone you care about?"

"Yes."

"I see. I will apologize."

Shatrin didn't even hesitate.

"It was my fault. That maid of honor did nothing wrong after all, I just lost my mind. It’s a bit funny to apologize verbally after hitting someone, so why don’t I send her some presents?"

Shatrin beckoned, and the maids who followed her approached and listened.

"There is a commoner maid of honor in Lewicia's palace. Send her some presents. Very fancy ones. Enough to forget that I hit her."

"Yes, Your Highness."

He was telling her to go and apologize in person, but Shatrin decided to send her expensive gifts instead. Lewicia wanted to point out that fact as well, but swallowed his words with difficulty as Coco shook her head slightly.

"Thank you, Lewicia."

Shatrin finally said with a smile.

"You seem afraid to fight, but I am not. I'll make sure you don't regret choosing me."

"Please, do so."

Because the nobles who had been hovering around gathered at once, and began to congratulate Shatrin, it was unclear whether those words had reached Shatrin's ears.

Shatrin's honor, which had fallen to the bottom because of Vasily, who had unilaterally declared that he would break off the engagement, reached a higher position than before thanks to Lewicia's declaration of support.