Chapter 09
The numbers Serden saw in Evelyn’s room were the shift times of the Crown Prince’s Guard and the Royal Guard.
That information reached the Crown Prince’s palace, the Crown Princess’s palace, the Empress’s palace, and even the Emperor’s palace.
How far were these people spreading their hands?
It felt like I could see the dense spiderwebs covering this royal city.
‘Why did Evelyn have this?’
That question remained unanswered. It only took two hours to figure out the numbers, but why Evelyn had them was still unknown.
When asking the servants at the Crown Princess’s palace, all they said was that they had been on a treasure hunt for several days.
And Roselina…?
Serden had gladly given Roselina some time for tea, and during that time, she evaluated Evelyn.
‘She really is like a child. She likes to play. She doesn’t suit the position of the Crown Princess… but I think she is a good person.’
Serden rubbed his lips with his finger.
‘Hello, ugly man!’
‘I like candy. You’re bad! Go away! This is mine!’
Serden recalled Evelyn as he had seen her. Her tone and actions were clearly childlike.
Besides, drooling and falling off the bed were things only a child would do. The problem was the strangeness hidden inside that.
Something felt off. A weird uneasiness, like an itch at the back of the head that couldn’t be described.
Was it just his suspicious nature, or did Evelyn really have something she was hiding?
When he stood up quickly, Mortega followed.
“…I remember there’s an outside schedule the day after tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Highness. The Merchant Union is newly established, and you must attend the launch ceremony.”
It was a newly rising power. People who knew how to handle money had invested what they earned through merchants into real estate, then used that to enter high society.
Even without a title, they surpassed the haughty standards of high-class nobles.
This meant they had a lot of wealth.
Now, the newly rising ‘bourgeois’ were establishing a union, drawing public attention. At the center was the Rochester merchants, run by a young and stylish man.
There were even rumors that anyone partnering with Cloche Rochester would earn money.
Unlike before, nobility without money wasn’t respected. Nobles eager to earn followed Rochester.
And behind Rochester’s merchants, there was a secret backer.
“Have Evelyn attend that place as well.”
“Eh?”
Mortega’s eyes widened.
“B-But, Your Highness…!”
“Tell the Crown Prince’s maids to prepare. And before returning to Roselina today, have them stop by me. Understood?”
Mortega stared at Serden helplessly.
Serden smirked.
‘I’m curious how she will react in an unfamiliar environment.’
He wanted to see how Evelyn would behave among those sly nobles. The more embarrassed she was, the more her true self would show.
That morning.
The unexpected visitor made my mood sour. His arrogant face, looking down at me. And the way he acted like the master of the Crown Princess’s palace.
Cherina and Rozy watched him nervously. As if the guest was higher than me.
It was Augustine Spellman. Young Master Spellman.
And Evelyn’s younger brother.
“Still living like a decent person, huh. Evelyn, I always told you, you should be grateful to be born into our family.”
I wondered how I could hit that mouth and make it count. I just glared at Augustine’s lips, thinking that.
“Fortunately, you’re getting plump, so you’re doing well. Cherina, Rozy.”
He gestured at them. They cautiously approached him.
Then—smack!
Augustine slapped Cherina and Rozy’s cheeks. Even with me there, he didn’t hold back. But he seemed to want me to see it all. His eyes had a strange sense of victory when he looked at me.
I pretended to be scared, hunching my body. Augustine smirked and turned his head.
“Y-Young Master…”
“Do you dare obey Spellman’s orders? Surely you got the shift times and were told to report them properly?”
He didn’t care about my presence. I guess that meant I wasn’t a threat.
“W-We did exactly as we were told! Really, Young Master!”
Augustine slapped their cheeks again.
“I told you not to talk back.”
He sighed deeply and clenched his teeth.
“You haven’t received anything, so you’re acting like this? Then it’s your fault for not guarding properly. Is it my fault?”
“N-No.”
Cherina and Rozy bowed their swollen faces.
“This time, we’ll change the method.”
He put two things on the table that looked like small nests.
“Hang these on a tree and put the notes inside. Understood?”
“Y-Yes, Young Master!”
Cherina and Rozy ran out like fleeing, and Augustine slowly turned his head, smiling.
“Not crying today?”
This little brat…
I could guess how life at Spellman had been for Evelyn. They scared her like this, tormenting her without touching her, while picking at her sensitive side.
He pinched her thighs hard, scratched and pinched her hands.
“Kuhhng…”
“As expected. Evelyn, see? If you don’t obey, you get hit like that. Sharing cookies well with the Empress, right?”
I shook my head vigorously.
“Th-The cookies are… mine…”
Then the tears fell.
“Why? I told you to do as you were told. You’ll disappoint Father. Do you want to disappoint Father? Or do you want to be hit by me?”
Wow, this was such a nasty little brat. This was why the Spellmans were called a villainous family.
If not for Spellman, Serden wouldn’t have become such a… such a…
I paused. The Serden I knew so far didn’t seem naturally good.
At least he hadn’t become the villain yet.
“I don’t want to. You’re scary.”
“What?”
I hesitated with my lips, eyes wide. This was my palace. I wouldn’t let him run wild here again. Tears fell as I shouted.
The Crown Prince was here anyway. I didn’t have to deal with Augustine. The world’s top villain was right here.
“I-I’ll tell him everything!”
“What?”
“Se-Serden… I’ll tell Husband everything! That you hit me! That you hit Cherina and Rozy! You’re bad!”
I shouted and ran out of the room. Augustine chased me, holding my wrist, eyes wide in shock.
His arrogant expression from hitting Cherina and Rozy was long gone. He was clearly flustered, even stumbling. I didn’t miss the chance and shoved him hard.
“Ugh!!”
“I’m going to Husband! Husband gives candy and yummy things! You’re bad! I’ll tell everything!”
I ran down the hall, dodging the pushed Augustine. I could hear his panicked voice from behind.
“E-Evelyn! Catch her now!”
The maids stared at me in shock, but I pushed them aside and ran. I didn’t know if Serden would help me, but he wouldn’t just ignore me, right?
“Huff, huff… Why is she so fast!”
“Gah… After playing outside for days… Miss! Your Highness! I’ll give you something delicious! Please!!”
At Spellman, Augustine’s or the Duke’s words might have been law. But here, my word was law. This damn place.
