Chapter 125: Chapter 22. A Personal Knight

As usual, Rachel was sorting out official documents in her office, and for a long time there was only the sound of a pen rustling against paper. The girl was very concentrated, and did not immediately notice when someone knocked on the door.

Finally, after a couple of minutes, she took her eyes off the papers and inquired:

— Who is it?

— Your Majesty, I have an urgent message! — The visitor called out in an agitated voice.

It was the voice of the commander of the guard.

— Come in.

The man in armor swiftly swept through the room and kneeled.

— What is it? — Rachel took a bottle of red wine from her locker and poured herself a glass. She rubbed the bridge of her nose tiredly.

— The Crown Princess of the Oberon Empire…» he began awkwardly, evidently afraid of Her Majesty's reaction, «She… Demands an audience with you.

At that moment Rachel's hand trembled, holding her glass.

What the devil? Why did that girl come here again? Last time, Rachel had made it quite clear to her that she had no right to interfere in the affairs of the palace.

Meanwhile, the girl frowned and said at once:

— Tell her to go away.

The commander squinted uncertainly.

— We tried, but… The Crown Princess said she'd wait until you took her in.

Rachel snorted.

— Fine. Then let her stay here until she dies.

— And…» The man lowered his gaze to the floor, «She said she'd be calling for Her Highness in an hour.

— What?» «Rachel was taken aback.

— She said she was going to stand outside her window and scream…

When Rachel heard this, she ruffled her hair irritably.

Maximiliana Windsor… There were too many problems left of her.

Rachel wished she could have killed her so easily, and solved the problem in an instant. If only Leriana hadn't been so careless and made friends with just anyone… Getting rid of some pathetic marquis' daughter wouldn't have been a problem.

Rachel clenched her teeth.

— The hell with her… Open the gate.

If that girl was really going to make a scene here, Rachel was determined to get even with her right now.

— I–I'm listening!

The commander was somewhat surprised by the queen's decision, but immediately rushed to carry out the order. While Rachel herself briefly put her work aside. Without turning her head, she also said:

— You may go.

There was some sound in the corner of the room for the first time in a long time.

— Yes, Your Majesty.

That faintly audible response escaped the lips of the weakened girl, who could barely stand on her feet. The crunch of broken glass came from under her feet, which were almost completely bloodied. Sёarᴄh the NôᴠeFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Camilla Fernandez looked up at the queen, clinging to the wall to keep from falling.

As punishment for her transgression, Rachel punished her in ways the viscount's daughter could not even have expected. That same day, the queen ordered all the shards of crockery left from under the maid's tray to be collected. The servants dumped them in the imperial office and Camilla was forced to stand on them for a whole day. Barefoot and without shutting her eyes.

All this time Rachel just kept working while her secretary in the same place was being punished hard.

No. It wasn't so much painful as terribly humiliating.

Camille could barely contain herself from showing her true emotions. Methods like that… Weren't they like punishing some animal? It was like sticking a puppy's nose in its own puddle.

But even so, given Rachel Cassius's usual methods, this punishment could still be called «light. At least she'd only hurt her legs, not lost them altogether…

Sobbing, the girl picked up the hem of her dress, which was also bloody. The delicate skin was scarred with splinters, and there was virtually no living space on her feet.

Even in her family, no one had ever treated Camilla the way Rachel Cassius had done, just because of one transgression toward the crown princess.

The girl felt a terrible resentment and bitterness. She swallowed a lump in her throat and staggered to the door.

As she grabbed the doorknob, she heard Rachel's soft words:

— It was your fault. Don't think I'm going to feel sorry for you and give you the weekend off. You're going back to work tomorrow.

Camille flinched.

— I–I will, Your Majesty…

— Don't you dare mention anywhere what happened today,» Rachel also ordered, «If you blab… You know what will happen to you.

She was silent for a moment. Of course, she guessed what this was all about. Otherwise, if everyone found out, the crown princess, who was already suspected, would be in even more trouble.

— I understand, Your Majesty…

Camilla nodded weakly and was finally able to go outside. Almost just before the entrance she collided with another girl with scarlet hair when they almost crashed into each other.

— Watch where you're going!

The viscount's daughter contemptuously threw it right in her face, to which Maxie became terribly indignant. What on earth does that girl think she's doing?! Suddenly she herself appeared out of nowhere!

Maxie was about to follow her, but she was stopped by the scarlet footprints on the parquet. The girl had stepped out of the imperial office, so it wasn't hard to guess where exactly she had received these wounds.

By the time Maxie had recovered from her slight stupor, Camilla had already disappeared around the corner. She exhaled irritably and decided not to waste any more time.

She went inside, remembering to lock the door behind her.

— Hey, what was that? — Maxie inquired, «Her Majesty's in a bad mood, and in honor of that you decided to try people?

— Shut up,» Rachel growled, «What do you want?

Maxie had been right to think that Cassius didn't care about the social status, gender, or age of her «potential victims.» She could brutalize anyone, regardless of whether the person in front of her was a seasoned knight or a very frail lady.

The girl sighed heavily as she sat down in her chair without prior permission.

— It doesn't matter what else you try to threaten me with. I still won't stand by when someone close to me is in trouble.

Rachel frowned.

— I don't know what you mean.

— Even some commoners know, and you don't? — Maxie grinned,» Leriana's reputation is going to hell. Only a blind man wouldn't notice that.

Rachel maintained a brief, tense silence.

— If that's all you care about, you can go back. I'm perfectly capable of handling everything myself.

— You will…! — she snorted,» If that's true, why hasn't the rat who spreads slander still been punished?

— …

— You know exactly who it is, don't you! — Maxie did not retreat.

— Even if I know, right now it's useless,» replied Rachel nonchalantly.

— What do you mean by that?

She glared at her irritably.

— At a time like this, one false move can turn ordinary gossip into a mass uprising. If you want Leriana to be cursed by the people of her own state, you can «drop the bomb» right now.

Maxie snorted.

— If anyone hates this country more than anyone else, it's you. But somehow it still doesn't keep you from sleeping well,» she remarked.

— I'm used to it,» said Rachel nonchalantly. «But Leriana… Even an idiot like you must realize that such a sudden change in attitude won't just go away.

Maxie really knew what she meant. All her life, the Archduke's only daughter had been cherished and nurtured by everyone around her. And then suddenly, because of one situation, people suddenly turned against her. It was like throwing a piece of fresh carcass to the vultures.

For the inhabitants of the palace, this was commonplace. For centuries, for the sake of power, the people here have plotted and hated each other. The violent struggle for a place in the sun was commonplace anywhere.

But Leriana… Though she pretended to be all right, she was completely unprepared for it.

Rachel was aware that, for her own well-being: she could not take unnecessary risks right now.

Even without words Maxie knew what she was thinking. And so she made an unexpected suggestion:

— If you really want to protect Leriana, make me her personal knight.

— What?! — Rachel was involuntarily taken aback.

— It's better for everyone,» she summed up reasonably, «It's obvious that these clumsy guards aren't up to the job.

Rachel frowned. The Cassius family's famous mercenaries could hardly be called «clumsy.» Still, she was right somewhere.

Maxie was almost voicing her own thoughts out loud:

— These people are only protecting Leriana because you told them to. In other words, they have no real motivation. I, on the other hand… Ahem… I'll take my job with all my heart.

Rachel raised an eyebrow.

— Don't expect me to really buy it,» she cut him off flatly.

— Oh, come on,» Maxie snapped back, «I really did come to offer my help. Besides, I'm not stupid enough to try to get Leriana out of the palace from under your nose.

— Oh, really? — She grinned. «Quite the opposite, if you ask me.

— The lives of my cousins are in your hands. I have no time for jokes.

At that moment Maxie really seemed serious, and she could hardly fool her in any cunning way. After all, like almost all other people — Rachel saw through the Marquis's daughter.

Since the girl didn't answer for a long time, Maxie decided to add:

— Besides, ahem… If it so happens that Leriana remains a widow, she will have someone to take care of her.

The last words were obviously unnecessary. Rachel was angry.

— If any of us are going to die first, it's you…! — The statement from her lips sounded far from an empty threat.

Maxie hastened to put a lid on the situation.

— Well, you know… All sorts of situations happen! — She looked weakly justified, «You have to be prepared for anything.

— …

— I–It's…

— Say straight out that you came here to die today.

Maxie waved her hands.

— All right, all right! Forget it! I just want to know the answer to my question.

Rachel sighed tensely.

This girl still seemed very suspicious to her. Moreover, the longer they were around each other, the more annoyed she became.

But at the same time… In this situation, the Windsor heiress was surprisingly one of the few who could be trusted with Lerian's safety. At least because she was unlikely to have motive to harm her.

After she thought about it, Rachel suddenly grinned icily:

— I'd like to see a rough girl like you get away with it.

— What…? — Maxie asked again in surprise.

— If one hair falls from her head… You'll pay for it with your life.