“Do you think I’ll stay still? Do you think I’m going to just be treated like this!”

A person in an imperial lady-in-waiting uniform was being dragged by the Bertrand knights.

Daphne watched the scene from a distance.

Behind her stood Mariel and Edia, both dressed in the same lady-in-waiting attire.

“Rachel?! What are you doing?”

It was Rachel who reached out to the bell in the middle first. There was not the slightest hesitation. As soon as Daphne finished speaking, she reached out her hand.

Edia was shocked to see Rachel like that.

At the same time, the lingering hesitation disappeared.

Edia threw a stone at her fingertips. While Rachel, who was hit by a stone, faltered, she picked up the bell first and shook it wildly. The winner was Edia.

“Edia.”

“Yes, Milady.”

Edia answered immediately. It was politeness that she couldn’t even imagine before.

“Send a letter to Count Brighton. You can still send a letter to the mansion and have it received.”

Still.

Edia bit her lip. It meant that the mansion was going to be passed over soon.

She always made fun of Mariel, who sold her mansion and lived in a small house, but now she was on the verge of being in the same position.

“Yes, I understand. But why am I contacting my father?”

“Can’t you lend a lot of money without any collateral?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

“And you have to meet the count himself for this kind of thing.”

Actually, she was aiming for something else.

Daphne grinned inwardly. She was thinking of robbing Count Brighton as well as Count Hins.

No, you have to eat more. They are guilty of committing a crime.

‘And if only House Brighton lives, surely House Theodore would hang on to Brighton until it completely collapses.’

Isn’t it so? They invested in the same business and went bankrupt together, but only the Brighton County was revived.

‘It’s the only way to stop the enemies.’

Does she really need to relax?

Daphne hummed softly.

Questions came to mind in Edia’s head when she saw Daphne like that.

‘I betrayed Rachel, but will the lady really help me?’

“I’m helping you.”

Edia was startled by Daphne’s words.

“There’s a lot more I can do for you. So you just keep your word that you will obey my orders unconditionally.”

Or I can make things even worse.

“Yes, yes!”

Edia hurriedly lowered her head. She didn’t know why, but the child in front of her now seemed really able to do it.

“Then what shall I do now?”

“Stay in the castle and help with chores. Just like you’ve done so far. And report to the emperor as I tell you.”

She will cover the emperor’s eyes by mixing the truth with fiction in moderation.

‘If you do this, you’ll feel safe for a while.’

Later, the emperor would send someone down for confirmation, but at least until then, she bought time.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good. Then go up to your room right now and send a letter first. The sooner Count Brighton comes, the better.”

Edia nodded and ran up to the room.

‘Good.’

All the urgent matters were roughly dealt with.

‘I saved Zegman and covered the emperor’s eyes. I’m done with the hot spring.’

What else is left to do?

While she was thinking, she noticed Mariel’s dark face.

‘What’s wrong with her?’

Daphne’s head tilted to the side.

She was sure Edia and Rachel gave her a lick of an apology, but she didn’t think she’d feel bad because she heard an apology.

“Mariel.”

“Oh, yes! Milady!”

It was an answer that showed that she was completely absent-minded.

“What’s the matter?”

“That.”

Mariel, who hesitated for a while, shook her head.

“It’s nothing.”

“Yes, sure.”

Daphne passed over it with a grain of salt. However, unlike Daphne, Mariel’s mind was complicated.

‘I didn’t feel bad.’

Mariel recalled the series of events yesterday and today.

When the same thing happened as a child, she felt like she was really going to faint.

In fact, the incident accounted for a large part of Mariel’s departure from her hometown and her coming as a lady-in-waiting to the imperial palace.

‘I did.’

It was the same situation, but the results were completely different.

She didn’t know how, but one of the earrings came out of Rachel and Edia’s room.

Since then, Daphne has overturned the two in the same way they did.

And even though she hung on to live, she was able to get two people’s apologies.

‘I thought I’d never get it.’

It was a good thing. It wasn’t a bad thing, no matter how you look at it.

Nevertheless, Mariel’s mind was complicated.

‘I was definitely nice.’

It’s a little embarrassing to say this herself, but really, Mariel was nice when she was young.

She was also a fool who couldn’t say anything properly.

But being beaten and oppressed by poverty, two people, and others.

“Have you been pretending to be sick all this time? I shouldn’t have saved you.”

She was doing the same to Daphne.

‘There’s no excuse.’

Her actions were wrong. It was bad. It was an act that shouldn’t have been done.

In fact, she often thought of this even at the imperial palace.

Is this okay? Am I allowed to do this?

However, self-justification soon followed.

Since she was suffering too, she raised her head with a twisted mind that she wanted to give back as much as she suffered.

‘I shouldn’t have done that!’

She was, indeed, a bad person.

It took her a long time to admit this.

Mariel closed her eyes tightly.

‘I have to apologize.’

She was truly sorry that her actions have been wrong, and she would leave if she wanted.

That’s how she had to apologize.

‘It would be dangerous if I left Milady now.’

There was nothing to protect herself.

Even though all the debts were paid off, there were still many people who had a grudge against her because of her father, especially now that Rachel looked into it properly.

No matter how bankruptcy is declared, it will take months for a family to completely go bankrupt.

She didn’t know what would happen to her in the meantime.

It was scary. To be honest, she was really scared.

It was to the point where she even cried when she thought of the mercenaries who were still in the mansion and making a mess.

‘Still…’

Let’s be honest and say you’re sorry.

And let’s sell the house and return even a little bit of the budget that came from the lady, even if you do something else.

That was the right thing to do.

“I—Milady.”

When Mariel cautiously called Daphne, Daphne, who was in thought, looked back.

“Why?”

“I—That. That.”

“Hmm? It’s a bit strange.”

Daphne tilted her head again. Because of Mariel’s personality, she’s not the kind of person to stack things up inside.

“It’s been like this for a while. Don’t be frustrated and speak up. Is something wrong?”

“There is something I really want to tell you.”

“What is it?”

Mariel’s eyes widened as she stuttered and tried to tell her inner feelings.

Rachel was running behind Daphne.

“Seize her!!”

Somehow she shook off the knights’ hands, and Rachel’s half-eyed self held a fist-sized stone.

“You, you!! You ruined my life!”

Now Rachel could only see Daphne. It would have been the same even if Edia was here.

Everything was ruined because of that commoner from the start!

“Even if I die, I can’t go alone!”

Rachel swung her arm directly at Daphne. It’d be dangerous if it hit her head. It was so dangerous that she was sure to die.

Thump!

It was Mariel who fell on the white snowfield with a dull blow.

Daphne was too taken aback to blink.

“Argh!”

Rachel was immediately subdued by the knights who came running. Judging from the clear teeth marks on the knight’s hand, it seemed that she bit and shook off the hand.

“Milady, are you all right?”

The knight asked. But Daphne could not speak.

She was just looking at Mariel, who collapsed in the snow.

‘Why did you?’

She was certain. Mariel cannot betray her. However, if she had a chance to leave, she was not a child to miss the opportunity.

‘If I die, you will be free.’

Now, if Rachel kills or seriously injures her, Mariel can stick to the emperor.

She can inform the emperor of her condition and expect warmth.

The emperor will completely eliminate Rachel, who tried to ruin his plan along with the reward.

Then what you’ve done so far will disappear, you’ll have money, and you’ll have no threats.

‘Why did you protect me?’

Mariel, who collapsed, pursed her lips. She was calling out to her.

“I—am.”

A voice that was so small that it was hard to hear if you didn’t listen with concentration that was scattered.

“I’m sorry. I until now, Milady.”

“……”

“I v-vented my anger on you. I shouldn’t have done t-that.”

I’m really, really sorry.

It’s okay if you don’t forgive me. You don’t have to answer right away. Please tell me when Milady’s heart is relieved.

Tears dripped down. Every time that happened, Mariel’s breath subsided little by little.

“Are you a fool?”

Daphne whispered softly.

“This could be your will, but it’s unbelievable you said that. Plus, you missed your only chance to escape.”

Mariel had no answer.

She just stared at Daphne through her dimming vision.

Daphne took a deep breath.

“I don’t forgive you.”

She knew Mariel was serious.

However, wasn’t it too painful to forget the past with just one apology?

Mariel blinked with difficulty, saying she understood.

“Nonetheless.”

Daphne said, looking down at Mariel slowly closing her eyes.

“I promise you one thing.”

I don’t forgive you.

I don’t even believe you.

“Nonetheless, I won’t abandon you first.”

Mariel smiled, as if that was enough.