Chapter 5
The Emperor probably helped Eugenie without much thought.
As was described many times in the original novel, the male lead was extremely competent, rational, and fair.
He was even generous enough to enact laws protecting his servants.
But for someone on the receiving end, it didn’t feel that way.
From the Emperor’s perspective, that one incident was so trivial that it wasn’t even mentioned in the novel.
Yet for the original Eugenie, it was the spark that ignited a wildfire of first love from which she never escaped.
‘Well, even though she was saved by the male lead…’
Eugenie shrugged as the memory ended.
‘…the part where she refuses to give up on her love and sneaks into the male lead’s bed is just plain comedic.’
In any case, this wasn’t the time to be reminiscing leisurely.
More importantly…
‘If I don’t deal with that maid McRae in time, I’ll regret it more later.’
She had made up her mind.
If she wanted to protect her own neck, she had to.
Eugenie was determined to somehow drive Janet out of the Second Prince’s palace.
* * *
After living at the Second Prince’s palace for a few days, Eugenie noticed something strange.
‘Why does it seem like His Highness is alone most of the time?’
Noah was only seven years old and the Emperor’s one and only half-brother.
Naturally, there should be adults around him.
But aside from Janet, no one even seemed to think of approaching the Second Prince.
In fact—
“His Highness is coming!”
“Move, quickly!”
“Do you want to get into trouble by getting caught by the Second Prince?!”
As soon as the Second Prince’s shadow appeared down the hallway, the maids disappeared in fear.
What’s more, the Second Prince himself seemed uncomfortable with anyone coming near him.
‘Hmm?’
Eugenie, passing by, came to a halt.
Noah was standing by the large living room window, gazing outside with longing in his eyes.
Outside, maids with laundry baskets were chatting warmly.
“So I was thinking, maybe I’ll visit my hometown during the holiday.”
“Really? I’m so jealous!”
Noticing Noah’s gaze, Eugenie hurried over to him.
“Your Highness?”
“Eek!”
Startled, Noah looked up.
Then, scowling, he snapped with deliberately cold eyes.
“Don’t talk to me.”
“Pardon me, but may I ask why?”
“I don’t trust anyone except Janet…!”
He turned sharply and began walking away in a huff.
‘Wait, he said he doesn’t trust anyone except Janet?’
Eugenie, puzzled, quietly followed him.
Noah shot her an irritated glare.
“Why are you following me?!”
“That’s a misunderstanding. It just so happens that we’re heading in the same direction.”
Eugenie shrugged innocently.
Noah puffed up his cheeks in protest but couldn’t argue since their paths did indeed align.
“….”
He turned away and hurried his steps.
Eugenie took the opportunity to ask him a question.
“By the way, Your Highness. May I ask you something?”
“…What.”
“Since I was assigned to the Second Prince’s palace, it seems Your Highness has always been alone.”
Noah’s shoulders tensed, as if her words hit the mark.
“May I ask why you avoid the other maids aside from Maid McRae?”
“…”
But Noah kept his lips tightly sealed.
Eugenie narrowed her eyes slightly.
‘Something’s definitely strange.’
Earlier, Noah had clearly been looking longingly at the maids outside the window.
Those eyes had unmistakably wanted to be included, to belong.
“And just now, Your Highness said you only trust Maid McRae.”
Eugenie pressed on.
“May I know why that is?”
“…That’s…”
Noah started to reply, then suddenly stopped.
A middle-aged maid was approaching from afar.
It was Janet.
“Your Highness!”
Janet came running and quickly picked Noah up into her arms.
Then, she shot a wary look at Eugenie.
‘Honestly, you’d think I was about to eat the prince alive.’
Eugenie clicked her tongue inwardly.
“Shall we go inside, Your Highness?”
Janet asked loudly, making sure Eugenie could hear.
Noah glanced sideways at Eugenie and then clung tightly to Janet’s neck.
“…Mhm.”
Janet walked off proudly, carrying Noah.
‘Definitely suspicious.’
Eugenie frowned as she watched them go.
* * *
Though Janet had rushed in and whisked Noah away the moment she saw him with Eugenie, once the two were out of sight, her attitude changed.
With an obviously annoyed expression, she placed Noah on the sofa.
Then she strode out of the living room.
“Janet, where are you going?”
“Oh, I have something to take care of. You’ll be fine on your own, right?”
She smiled sweetly and left without hesitation.
Noah was left alone in the spacious living room.
‘…Alone again.’
His shoulders drooped sadly.
Janet was always like this.
If Noah so much as tried talking to someone, she would rush over and pull him away—but otherwise, she left him alone all the time.
“….”
Now accustomed to solitude, the young boy silently opened a picture book.
It had an illustration of children playing ball together.
Noah’s eyes dimmed slightly.
‘Mom…’
Back when his mother, Amelia, was still alive…
He often visited the Empress Dowager’s palace—his older brother’s mother.
“I want to play ball.”
Whenever he pouted and begged, his brother would reluctantly take him to the garden.
The Empress Dowager and his mother would watch them with warm smiles.
But…
‘Not anymore.’
Noah’s small fists clenched around the book.
His mother was no longer in the world.
The Empress Dowager had left the palace, citing health reasons.
And his brother…
‘His Majesty the Emperor.’
Now wearing the Emperor’s shining crown, his brother was someone Noah could no longer freely approach.
He had to stop acting like a spoiled child.
Still, someone had approached him first for the first time in a long while.
‘…Wasn’t her name Maid Seiers?’
The other maids always fled from Noah like birds caught in the rain whenever they saw him.
But Eugenie was different.
No matter how harsh Noah acted, she just kept smiling and never avoided him.
“That’s a misunderstanding. We’re just heading the same way.”
Even though her tone was teasing, Noah didn’t mind.
It had been so long since he’d spoken to anyone besides Janet.
Maybe that’s why—
When Janet appeared from afar, his heart sank suddenly.
“May I ask why you avoid the other maids aside from Maid McRae?”
“And just now, Your Highness said you only trust her. Why is that?”
Overlapping those questions were the words Janet always whispered like a spell:
“Remember, Your Highness. I’m the only one who truly cares for you.”
“You wouldn’t want me to leave you too, would you?”
Yes, Maid Seiers would eventually leave him too.
The only one who would always stay by his side was Janet.
Noah closed the picture book and lay down on the sofa.
“…I want to play ball.”
A sigh-like voice escaped the child’s lips.
* * *
Nothing really changed after that day.
Janet still hovered over Noah.
Noah still looked longingly at the other maids, yet remained clinging to Janet’s skirts.
Unable to stand watching anymore, Eugenie clenched her fists.
‘I need to build some influence of my own.’
Honestly, getting close to Noah seemed impossible for now.
Janet had built a fortress around him.
Of course, Janet’s power stemmed from Noah’s affection, so it was natural she was on high alert.
That’s why the person Eugenie decided to target next was—
