Miya was an employee working in the Lestir Castle. She was just 20 years old and has been ordered to work as lady-in-waiting while Psychke stays here.

‘I don’t like it.’

Miya puffed her cheeks out, recalling the scene she had just witnessed in the front door.

‘How could he be like that in just a few months?’

Even before going down to the capital, her Master looked at the Silkisia with the same expression of detest. However, when he returned, how did he change?

‘There must be something the Princess did to him!’

It wasn’t just Miya who speculated things but all the employees.

‘The Duke is human, and it’s possible to fall in love with someone!’ says Paw, admitting that the Duke kas fallen in love with Psychke.

“I don’t believe it,” Miya replied, “He must have taken some kind of love potion somewhere!” and she suspected Psychke.

And Miya was the latter.

‘Let’s see. I will definitely find out!’

She will definitely find out why the duke has changed so strangely!

With that promise, Miya pushed the door of her door as hard as she could.

Bang!

“Hello! I am the princess’s lady-in-waiting! Please call me Miya!”

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

Psychke, who was tidying up her belongings, received a warm greeting.

Verndia said that he would send her maid as soon as she left, but she didn’t expect to send one right away.

“Is there anything I can do to help you?”

Miya stood in front of Psychke’s package. Miya’s thought was to find out why the Duke has changed strangely but for Psychke, she saw her a very friendly lady-in-waiting.

So, she pointed to a small package on the table and commanded calmly.

“Could you sort that out? You can put it on my desk where I can see it.”

Miya’s expression became strange when Shiki confirmed that she was in her small package.

‘At her age, she shouldn’t be playing with dolls.’

Still, she diligently organized small-sized items such as doll beds, tea utensils, tables, and clothes.

After Miya sorted everything, Pyschke turned to her.

“You worked hard. I have something more to tell you…”

Unlike the Lestir manor in the capital, she had heard that the northern castle also housed nobles from other families.

Not wanting too many people to know, Psychke decided to confide her secret of growing smaller every twelve hours to only one of her lady-in-waiting.

‘She must be trustworthy since she is the lady-in-waiting assigned by the duke.’

Still, she decided to get a confirmation answer once more, just in case.

She sat down at her desk and clutched the brooch artifact to her chest.

“Can you promise not to tell anyone?”

“Sure!”

Miya’s eyes were twinkling, thinking she’d get information.

She has to the information right. Maybe she was trying to trick the duke into something weird to buy his favor!

However,

“… What?”

In the situation that followed, Miya doubted her eyes.

After taking off her brooch, the princess became the size of her palm.

Psychke, unaware of Miya’s thoughts, explained carefully on her desk.

“It’s like a curse that comes back every twelve hours—”

“The doll speaks.”

Miya’s face blanked out. She seemed strangely reminded of her face, like someone who fell in love with something cute.

Psychke, who was taken aback by the reaction, exclaimed in surprise.

“Nose, nosebleed! You have a nosebleed!”

Miya wiped her nose with her arm. And it was a real nosebleed.

In her haste, Psychke hurriedly pulled the handkerchief she was using as a blanket from the doll’s bed.

“Please use this.”

“Insane…”

She was very cute walking around dragging a handkerchief which was bigger than her body. That one was already enough to know why the Duke had changed to strangely. That’s enough to admit that the duke has changed strangely.

Grasping her heart, Miya threw her to her knees.

After that day, her words that Psychke had played a trick on Verndia had disappeared.

It was because of Miya, saying, ‘The princess has a certain charm that the duke would fall for!’ and she stirred up the employees in the north.

* *

[I was depressed when dad told me to go to the north to scout monsters, but I was so happy that the princess was coming.]

One morning, not long after she came to the North while Psychke was enjoying tea time with Croa, whom she met after a long time.

Croa in the form of a crow sat on the armrest of the sofa where Psychke was sitting and clacking eagerly.

[But the humans keep saying that the princess is coming to steal the Duke, that she came to seduce my dad, what the hell!]

Yum, yum, yum. Croa swallowed the chunk of cookie in her beak.

Small crumbs of cookies fell onto the sofa.

[That’s why I said that Princess is not that kind of girl. But they said dad also seduced the Princess.]

“And what did you say?”

[They couldn’t understand me. I don’t want the other humans to know I’m Su-in, so I just said it like this. Good job, right?]

“Yeah, good job.”

[Hehe].

As if to be stroked, Croa held out his head. Psychke did as she wished. The warm and soft touch of the black feathers made her smile.

It was then.

“Princess, Princess! It’s still during tea time, right? Thank god!”

Miya, who came running briskly, handed out beautifully arranged sweets.

It seemed as if it was running from the kitchen far away, breathing heavily.

“It’s a snack made from fruit only in the North. Try it!”

Psychke stared blankly at her panting lady-in-waiting.

Then I reluctantly picked up one with an awkward hand gesture, seeing the bright eyes as if shouting, ‘Try it quickly!’.

“Thank you.”

After lightly biting into it, the savory taste spreads in her mouth with a crisp sound.

It’s delicious, really delicious, but…

‘This lady-in-waiting, why does she treat me so well?’

She wondered why she liked her to the point where it was burdensome.

Didn’t Croa do the same, even before she came, bad rumors were biting her tail?

‘I heard that those rumors disappeared after the day I came.’

I thought they would swear out of earshot because they have a certain dignity. She thought she’d spread gossip, however, whenever they met, they not only greeted her sincerely, but also gave her a look of wonder and admiration.

‘A charm that even the duke will fall for….’

‘Hmm…’

‘Why?’

Psychke did not know what Miya had spread to the employees.

So, she didn’t even know why they reacted the way she did.

In the meantime, a certain hypothesis came to mind, and Psychke sent Croa out and instructed Miya to come closer.

Then she lowered her voice to ask.

“Have you ever been threatened by the duke? Like, if you don’t serve me well, he’d kick you out?”

“Pardon? No.”

The expression on her face that she didn’t know what she was talking about didn’t seem real.

She couldn’t believe that it was just her own accord to serve her with pure will?

“May I come in?”

Smart.

The duke appeared as he promised when he said he’d come if she calls for him.

Psychke quickly went and opened the door.

“What were you doing? Were you thinking about me?”

“Yes.”

“…!”

Psychke always said no when he asked with the same question. He was flustered when she answered ‘Yes’ for the first time.

In the meantime, Miya walked out of her room.

As soon as Miya left, Verndia asked coyly with his anticipatory voice.

“May I ask what you were thinking about me?”

“The employees treated me so well, I thought the duke was threatening them.”

“… It’s too bad that you see me as a blackmailer.”

Verndia, who squinted one eye at her saying it was unfair, grabbed Psychke’s wrist. He sat down on the long sofa and casually laid down on her lap.

She smelled a faint bergamot scent from him.

“I never said anything like that. Seeing the princess in person, they must have thought that she was a good person.”

“Really?”

Psychke, who blushed slightly, laughed.

She couldn’t believe how long she’d known him, looking at her favorably, but she was happy anyway.

Verndia, who was staring up at her like that, turned his body over and settled down comfortably.

He was lying on his side, his fine black hair hanging beautifully over her dress.

Psychke unconsciously reached out her hand to caress it.

‘His complexion doesn’t look good.’

He said he didn’t have time to sleep because he returned to the north later than expected.

Apparently, he didn’t get a good night’s sleep yesterday.

“Can you spar with me today?”

“Of course.”

His cold hands wrapped around her wrists. His hands were usually warm but why were they so cold today? Did he go outside?

“I have to.”

He said as if he had promised and closed his eyes. He put Psychke’s hand over his eye and pressed it hard.

His long, dark eyelashes were pressed against her palm and disheveled.

“Ha…”

He let out a long breath, like a man weary of his exhaustion.

If he feels unwell, wouldn’t it be better if he rests today? She hesitantly parted her lips.

“We can do it later if you’re tired.”

“I am not tired.”

“Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“I’ll be busy soon, so I’m just resting for a while.”

Verndia, who used her hand to rub his eyelids, opened his eyes.

He then looked up at her as he gazed at the ceiling.

Somehow embarrassed by the gaze straight up from below, Psychke averted her eyes.

Verndia saw her cross earrings dangling from her earlobes.

She looked at the silvery hair that covered the earring, the slightly flushed cheeks, the pink lips, the tall nose, and the clear and lovely eyes.

And she muttered languidly.

“Always pretty.”

“You mean the earrings?”

“No.”

He smiled lightly and stretched out his hand.

His long fingers moved from the cold metal earring to her warm lobe.

Psychke’s face gradually turned red as he touched her lightly as if playful.

“What do you have to say, Princess? Why doesn’t she ever tell me I am good looking?”

“….”

“Do you dislike my face?”

Psychke withdrew her gaze from him for a moment. And he said without even breathing.

“You are handsome.”

“I know that too. Is it to the Princess liking?”

“…”

“Why are you not answering me?”

Her blue eyes swept to the clock, and it was time they agreed to duel. She steadfastly avoided the stare that she felt beneath her.

“Shall we go out? Time’s up. I’ll change my clothes.”

“That is not an answer.”

“Stop and get up. My legs are numb.”

“I won’t stand up until you answer. Does the princess like my face?”

Psychke glanced down at him.

Judging from the atmosphere, it seemed like he really wouldn’t stand up if she does not answer him.

So she held back her embarrassment and whispered very quietly.

“Yes.”

“I can’t hear you.”

Unsatisfied with the small voice, Verndia sighed, saying that he would not be able to get up.

“My ears are not getting better these days.”

“Yes.”

“What do you mean yes?”

“…”

“Oh, I’m going to take a nap.”

Verndia closed his eyes as if he was serious.

Oh, he really was such a mean man.

Psychke closed her eyes tightly, deciding that there was nothing she could do about it.

Then she mumbled barely in a nervous voice.

“… Listen to me.”

(TN: Haha, Verndia getting what he wants.)