Chapter 60: Chapter 8. The first ugly Woman of the Empire

That evening Leriana returned to her room later than usual. Maxie made her wait on her until midnight, while she was resting and constantly needed something.As a result, the girl came to the conclusion that Maxie looked more like a capricious child than an heiress of the Windsor family. However, given her permissiveness in this place, this was not surprising.

Without any special premonition, Leriana just walked along the corridor in the usual way. With her appearance in the estate, everything went pretty smoothly, and apart from getting Maxie, nothing beyond outstanding happened.

The girl was already used to this, and did not expect any trick.

But the danger lay in wait for her where she definitely could not have expected. A second before she opened the door to the room, an unknown person threw a bag over her head.

«Ugh…!»

In shock, Leriana wanted to scream and call for help, but she was immediately hit with something heavy and forced to disconnect. Leriana couldn't even see the attacker's face.

She came to her senses only an hour and a half later, finding that she was tied to a chair. The girl found herself in a room with a similar interior, clearly belonging to the servants. But her own things were not here, which indicated that this was another maid's room.

Almost immediately, Leriana also saw four maids surrounding her. The main one, a girl of her age with an eagle face, grinned mockingly.

— Hey! — Leriana shouted indignantly, — What are you doing?!

Zelda looked the girl up and down, and came to the treacherous thought that all the conversations turned out to be true. Leriana Ashford is known as the most beautiful lady of the new generation, rumors about which have spread even outside the empire.

Is that really why the young lady chose her?

Compared to her, Zelda seemed more than plain. No, she was even ugly.

Griselda clenched her fists in anger. At birth, this girl got everything: status, wealth, noble birth and even beauty. And all because they were just born in different families.

It was an injustice that every person in this world faced. So why exactly did the Archduke's daughter get away with it?!

And now, Leriana Ashford was going to take away the only thing that was valuable in her life. The young Lady Maximiliana, for whom Zelda stayed at the estate.

It's impossible to tolerate this anymore.

«You already have everything, so why are you taking my mistress…?!»

In the current situation, it was Griselda who was in a winning position. Having become a hostage of the first knight Oberon, Leriana lost all her connections and advantages, dropping to the level of a servant. Moreover, Ashford was at her mercy right now, and no one would come to her rescue.

Now is the best time to deal with her.

Griselda was going to make Maxie give up on her. No, she will occupy the lowest position in this house.

Looking at the girl's face, more and more plans were maturing in Zelda's head how to punish her.

— …Let go! — Leriana continued to shout, — What do you allow yourself?!

Zelda leaned forward, making sure that their eyes were on the same level. She laughed.

«You'd better not move if you want me to let you live.»

Leriana exhaled indignantly.

— Who are you?

— You don't have to know. Oh, no… — she changed her mind, — I'd rather carve my name on your body so that you'll remember it forever.

The girl faltered.

— What do you want to do?!

While the maids around were edifying what was happening, Zelda was pacing back and forth in the room, and a grin of anticipation did not leave her face.

«You shouldn't have crossed me. But now, it's too late to run.»

Leriana froze in a stupor. Not only had this lunatic kidnapped her, but she was also carrying some nonsense now.

— I don't know what you're talking about! — She said angrily, — This is the first time I've seen you. What could I have done in time?

«You have become the young lady's maid. This is enough to deserve punishment from me.

— Yes, as if I asked…! — Leriana exhaled, — She did it without my consent.

— You say it's not your fault? A lie!

Zelda shouted it so loudly that the girl flinched. She was ready to get angry, but calmed down in time.

«…Even though I can't deprive you of money and status, but… I can take something right now.»

At that moment Griselda took out a pocket knife, which she opened threateningly right in front of Leriana. She was scared for the first time.

Zelda slowly approached and ran her finger over her face, almost leaving a scratch from a sharp nail. She smiled, looking at the graceful features of the Archduke's only daughter.

— You can say goodbye to your pretty face.

— What…?

— Today, you will become more terrible than a cripple. The young mistress will even disdain to look at you.

Leriana swallowed, watching the blade approach her face. Zelda grabbed her chin to keep her from twitching and turning away.

— Get ready to become the first ugly of the empire, Leriana Ashford.

***

Razor Blanche woke up from a terrible nightmare covered in sweat.

Slowly catching his breath, he sat down on the bed, trying to recover. Recently, prophetic dreams did not come to him so often, but every time it happened, the guy was always ready.

Today was just such a day.

Razor suddenly had a dream that something terrible was going to happen to Leriana soon. It was not a pleasant sight, and he woke up more from fear than from the usual awakening.

— no! We need to save her soon!

The second prince got out of bed on wobbly legs, barely remembering that he should put something on before going out into the corridor. Running out, he realized with horror that he did not know exactly where this room was.

In his dream, the maids kidnapped Leriana, intending to disfigure her face. And if you don't do something right now, then it will be too late.

But apart from their appearance, Razor didn't know their names or their position in the house. He had no idea where to find this place in such a huge mansion. He couldn't waste time checking every room in the servants' wing.

Therefore, there was only one way out… to ask for help.

With a heavy heart, Razor realized that without the intervention of someone, their hosts could not do here. He decided to head to the third floor, where Maxie's room was located.

Having quickly covered quite a considerable distance, the prince panted heavily, stopping at the right door. He knocked several times. Razor was going to call her until she came out.

After a couple of minutes, footsteps were heard from inside. Searᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

— Who's there? Do you even know what time it is?

Maxie opened the door herself, and met the gaze of the second prince. She frowned, noticing that it was him.

— What do you want? — the girl asked sharply, — Have you lost all fear, breaking into my house at night?

— It's urgent! — he found that in such a situation there was no time for unnecessary chatter, — Please help!

— What? You…!

Maxie wanted to yell at him for his audacity, but Razor beat her to it.

— Leriana is in danger!

— what?

«Some maids have grabbed her and are holding her!» I'm afraid something bad may happen soon.

Maxie's pupils opened wide.

— You say she was captured? «What is it?» she asked.

— Yes…!

«Who was that?»

— I'm not sure, b-but… In my opinion, one of them, the other maids called Zelda…

Hearing that name, Maxie seemed to get very angry.

Exhaling, there was an exasperation in her expression that Razor had never seen before.

— Zelda, that stupid fool…