I was just about to look towards the maids standing behind Elda, signaling to drag her out, when my eyes fell on a young maid. She, upon meeting my eyes, was immediately startled and looked down at the floor. That movement was strange, as if in the midst of this commotion, fear of me suddenly arose in her. Or is it not so…
“Wait, you're standing there.”
Unable to hold back that strange feeling, I called her back without thinking.
“Y-yes?”
She replied in an indifferent, quiet voice.
From my spine spread a cold feeling that cannot be described in words. It gave me chills, like I'd just been struck by lightning.
Unable to ignore that gas, I quickly put on my cloak and called a servant standing outside the door to enter.
“Investigate her.”
The servant looked confused and bewildered when he did not immediately understand the instructions.
“Can't you hear it?”
I glared and shouted. Finally, he slowly approached and held the maid's arm.
"Sire!"
I might be mistaken, thinking I'm being unreasonable. But the feeling running down my spine was not wrong.
If this hunch is wrong... just pretend to be as crazy as they think, as if I were the ungovernable master.
The maid looked around awkwardly, then began to search the maid.
“Check to see if there are hidden pockets inside the apron.”
Even I find this crazy. But my instincts told me there was something there.
“T-this!”
The servant groped around and found a small bracelet. The sparkling jewelry fell to the floor, everyone was shocked. The maid's deceitful behavior is clearly evident.
The necklace with teardrop-shaped pearls wasn't too precious, but it wasn't something a maid would normally hide in an apron.
Maybe, as they allege, this is my jewelry that Delfina stole. No, that's definitely it now.
The servant quickly picked it up and gave it to me.
“Delfina touched the jewelry, so why did this appear in your bag?”
I held the bracelet and questioned her, the maid bowed her head, trembling.
“T-that is…”
She couldn't speak, she just cried, the other maids were also silent.
With clear evidence, it is difficult for them to escape responsibility.
“Take everyone for questioning.”
In the end, except for Delfina, the remaining maids were dragged away by the knights. Only Delfina knelt on the floor, looking around to survey the situation. When our eyes met, she bowed deeply.
“Your Majesty, thank you very much.”
Theft is a serious crime and must be punished severely. The fate of the maids who were just taken away is certainly not very bright.
They intended to use me to frame Delfina. If I hadn't realized this plot, it would have been Delfina who would have been dragged away.
I sighed, no thanks needed. I was about to say it, but in the end I just waved my hand. Delfina bowed many times, thanked me and then left.
After the commotion, my head hurt like hell. I realized I really needed someone, someone I could trust.
"Lace."
That thought disappeared when Cesar grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled gently.
"What's up?"
Our eyes met. His crooked smile is adorable, but at the same time makes me feel nervous. I rubbed the bruise on his cheek, his red eyes followed every movement of my hand.
It's just a look, but why are my ribs under my skin aching?
You must have experienced many situations like this. To him, everything seemed confusing and helpless. He can only cry, cry, and growl.
I also couldn't help but think about my situation. In this situation, you are the only person I can rely on.
“Maybe I have to change things.”
You and I are in the same boat now.
I can handle those servants who dare to defy their masters. But servants use violence against their masters? Unacceptable.
For Cesar's sake, and also for my own sake, it was necessary to change the whole thing, bringing in trustworthy people.
To discuss that…
“Perhaps we should discuss it with the Queen.”
At that moment, a knock on the door rang out. I signaled, Mercedes quickly walked in, with a few maids, bringing water to wash her face and a change of clothes.
"Your Majesty, because I couldn't see Cesar, I came here. Luckily, I found you here."
“Ah, Mrs. Aronzo.”
“Call me Mercedes.”
“Yes, Mercedes.”
A feeling of embarrassment creeps in. Before that, Cesar and I sat on the bed, he hugged my waist tightly and didn't let go.
Even though nothing happened last night, being seen like that by others makes me uncomfortable. I wanted to pull Cesar away a bit, but he held me tightly and didn't move.
Mercedes reminded the maids to avoid making noise. I took a deep breath, trying to adjust my robe.
“Ce-Cesar.”
Under Mercedes' gaze, I awkwardly rearranged the falling hem of my shirt. Even though we are married, this intimacy still makes me embarrassed. Perhaps, to outsiders, it would be an ostentatious and trivial act.
Mercedes smiled, seeming to understand my mood.
"You handled it well just now. It's just that the maid's room was too much."
With the chaos this morning, Mercedes probably had it all figured out. I express my sincere feelings:
"Very surprising. Are the maids here always like this?"
She smiled softly, imagining the chaos. If it were the Flores family, no one would have dared to dream of this scene.
“They probably thought they were relying on the power of Countess Elvira's wife.”
Indeed. Thinking back to their attitude this morning, it was clear that they did not consider me their master.
I slowly stroked Cesar's curly hair.
“Just looking at the way they treat you is enough to understand…”
“Yes…”
She and I both smiled bitterly. Then I finished my thoughts:
"Mercedes. I couldn't ask for help yesterday because I was busy. As you know, I came to this palace without a trusted maid from my family. I have no support."
Mercedes' eyes showed indescribable emotions.
“Your Majesty…”
“Before I have a maid, can you help me?”
She bowed her head and replied:
"It's an honor. Even though my strength is small, I will do my best to support Your Majesty."
“Just having Mercedes by my side to help me is already a great strength.”
So Mercedes temporarily took on the role of my maid. Because she couldn't accept her husband's child-raiser as a servant, there was no other way.
Given the situation, I came to the palace without a trusted maid, which was completely unusual. There is no place in this marriage that is normal anymore.
At the very least, I need one more ally.
“Thank you so much, Mercedes.”
We talked for a long time. She knows the situation of the palace well because she has been here for a long time.
“Even though we expelled the maids, the same thing could happen again.”
I want to know if I have the right to appoint a new maid, so that I have someone trustworthy around me.
"That... must be discussed with the Queen. Right now, Countess Elvira's wife also asked me to convey a message to Her Majesty."
That was the last time Count Elvira mentioned the meeting with the Queen, scheduled to take place this afternoon.
“The Queen will arrange a meeting with me soon.”
"Newlywed royals will meet their superiors after the wedding night. The previous queen also met the Queen Mother like that."
Mercedes said, this meeting will be a place to negotiate power and personnel in the palace.
“If the Queen grants me the ‘Dream of Thanh Viem’…”