♛
“Thank you so much. I won’t ever forget this grace.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
The only food she brought was sandwiches and milk, but the amount of the food was large.
When I took a big bite of the thick sandwich, a deep emotion flooded me like a wave. Crunchy lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, and ham. Taste faithful to the basics!
“Come to think of it…”
While chewing the sandwich tearfully, Makia, who was still watching me eat, spoke as if she had remembered something.
“I just met a knight in the kitchen.” ᴹᵃᵏᶦᵃ
“Rendle?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
Rendle was the only person in Stella’s Palace that could be called a knight.
‘Was dinner not enough?’ ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
Mayerie giggled thinking so, but her mouth ate the sandwich non-stop, waiting for Makia to continue.
“Yeah. It looked like he had sneaked into the kitchen to feed Miss Mayerie.” ᴹᵃᵏᶦᵃ
“Rendle…?”
Rendle, good boy! That’s why you told me to wait.
“I said it’s okay because I’ll take care of you, but I pretended like I didn’t hear him muttering, ‘Was there someone who would take care of my sister’?”
Makia, it’s too long. I was more moved than when I just ate the sandwich, but my heart sank at the little comments.
“Even if it was suspicious, Rendle would easily accept it.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“Yes. I received suspicious glances, but I told him that I could easily enter the prison because I knew the servant who guards the prison, and he asked me to take good care of you…” ᴹᵃᵏᶦᵃ
Obviously, Rendle was assigned to Stella Palace just today.
You probably haven’t memorized all the geography of the palace yet, and it must be strange for a knight to wander around in the annex where the employees stay.
Some people knew that he was my brother, so in the worst case it could get into Stella’s ears, so it’s good to be careful.
‘Due to the nature of Rendle, whether Makia’s words are real or fake, he would calmly back down and peek at the opportunity.’
As Mayerie agreed with Makia’s explanation, the sandwich she was swallowing got stuck in her throat.
“He gave me money.”
“…!“
It felt like my esophagus was blocked, so I hurriedly pounded on my chest. Makia spoke with a consistent calm expression, regardless of my bewildered appearance.
“I declined.” ᴹᵃᵏᶦᵃ
“Ah, that’s… I see.” After barely swallowing the food, I gave a sighful answer.
Rendle, who was pure and innocent, gave money? I was a little shocked but decided to think of it as being flexible.
When I finished the meal, Makia, who collected the tray, told me about tomorrow’s menu.
“I didn’t have time to prepare your food today, so I brought you a simple meal, but tomorrow I’ll bring warm stew.” ᴹᵃᵏᶦᵃ
“Really! Makia is the best…!” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
As I was full, I suddenly thought of my real problems.
“Ah, Makia. May I ask you a favor?”
“Please speak.”
“Could you take care of Radiata while I’m away?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
Daphne would take good care of her, but I couldn’t help but worry. She was busy, and if Stella or Erica caught her, Radiata may have been bullied.
The only person I could trust in the palace was Makia. Fortunately, she readily accepted.
“Okay. I’ll take care of it as long as I can.” ᴹᵃᵏᶦᵃ
“Thank you.”
After finishing her job, Makia went back coldly. It was a load off my mind. Now that I’ve been able to live for a week without worrying about dying out of starvation. Besides, I was relieved that Daphne and Makia would take care of Radiata.
‘As expected, I simply need to be full to sleep well.’
Unlike the time when I forced myself to sleep to forget my hunger, I quickly fell into slumber.
♛
“Merie…“
A small voice echoed.
“Merie!“
While sleeping, my eyes opened wide at her call. Because there was only one person here to call me by that nickname.
“Lara?“
I glanced over at the cage. Radiata was holding back her tears.
“Merie, are you okay?” ᴿᵃᵈᶦᵃᵗᵃ
“How did you get in here?”
“Daphne knew the attendant, so I sneaked in.” ᴿᵃᵈᶦᵃᵗᵃ
After all, except for Stella, if I had to pick the second most influential person in the palace after the head maid, it would be Daphne, not Erica.
However, she wasn’t noticed.
“Daphne’s watching under the stairs just in case someone comes. When the other guard arrives, we’ll have to leave.”
With teary eyes, Radiata held out a piece of paper wrapped in the width of her skirt.
“I came in a hurry, so I could only bring bread.” ᴿᵃᵈᶦᵃᵗᵃ
“Thank you very much. But it’s too dangerous, so you don’t have to come.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“But…“
There was faint remorse in her teary, dark green eyes. Does she think that I became unfortunate because I befriended her?
I couldn’t pinpoint her thoughts
There wasn’t, but I held Radiata’s hand through the iron bars.
So that her anxiety would disappear even a little.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be out soon.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“How could I not worry?” ᴿᵃᵈᶦᵃᵗᵃ
“It’s not like I’m being tortured.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
Moreover, the meal was settled, so there was no problem.
Rather, “I’m more worried about Lara, who’ll be left alone.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“Merie…” ᴿᵃᵈᶦᵃᵗᵃ
Her pupils shook slightly.
‘I’m sure Radiata was nervous, too, right?’
It was the other day that she was dragged from the wedding hall.
However, since she’s alone again after being separated from the person she has barely gotten close to, she would be anxious because she has nowhere to turn.
I held her hand tightly and spoke. “If you don’t know something, ask Daphne. Oh, there’s a maid named Makia. She’s close to me. If anything happens when Daphne’s not around, go to that girl.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
Mayerie explained Makia’s description in detail.
“I…“
Radiata tried to say something, but she ended up saying nothing.
“Thank you for the bread! Good night, Lara.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
I deliberately spoke in a cheerful voice to change the gloomy atmosphere.
“Yes. Merie, sweet dreams.”
Radiata seemed to have some lingering feelings, but she reluctantly nodded because there wasn’t much time and went back.
‘Now I don’t feel sleepy.’
When Radiata suddenly appeared I awoke from drowsiness. I didn’t expect her to come to prison because she was worried about me, who she had only met for two days.
Ren was also unexpected. The fact that there was someone who worried about me somehow cheered me up.
In this state, I thought I would be able to survive even a month!
However, under the condition that Makia provides food. I tried to erase my unpleasant thoughts and go back to sleep, but I heard a new sound of footsteps.
Judging from the heavy sound, it looked like a man. Among the people who would come now, the men could only be Rendle or Grandiel.
But Rendle already asked Makia, so he probably didn’t, and Grandiel would be outside the Imperial Palace.
As the footsteps drew closer, a black silhouette appeared in the darkness.
“There are a lot of visitors to the prison.”
The person who appeared in the dark was Ellex.
Do you mean you were watching all the time that there were a lot of visitors?
I don’t know if he saw people entering the prison nearby, or if he even heard the conversation, but asking here could spark some suspicion.
‘I’m glad Makia didn’t mention Grandiel’s name.’
Even if this guy heard the conversation, it would be difficult to guess the ‘master’ Makia spoke of. Even if I wait a week to see who releases me.
‘I should ask Makia tomorrow if I could be released from prison in a way that’s not related to Grandiel.’
I wasn’t very worried about that part. Grandiel was like Deus Ex Machina, so it would work out somehow.
However, another problem occurred. The fact that a person might think that someone’s behind Makia’s back.
Anyway, Ellex already asked if I’m acquainted with Grandiel earlier.
I didn’t go into detail, but it was enough to make him suspicious. I changed the subject to divert Ellex’s attention.
“What brings you to such a shabby place?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
I almost changed the adjective part automatically. I thought to be careful with my words and glanced at Ellex over the cage.
I also brought up the main subject of whether he was curious about the other visitors anymore.
“Let’s continue the conversation we had during the day.” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
I’m talking about a story that ended in a blur because of Grandiel. I nodded and asked a question that came to mind.
“But how did the Duke get in?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“I knocked out the watchman and came in.” ᴱˡˡᵉˣ
He said something similar to Makia.
Fainting twice a day made me feel sorry for that guard. I just hope he won’t get bruises on his neck.
While I was mourning for the guard, Ellex rummaged through his arms and pulled out a little pouch. I took the pouch he gave me in a trance.
“It’s the five golds I promised.” ᴱˡˡᵉˣ
As I looked down at the pouch, I felt sorry.
Of course, it was five times the salary of the court maid and the amount was difficult to earn from doing general tasks, but it was because Ellex’s line, which he said would give ten times more, lingered in my ears.
‘I was only able to say 5 gold because of my civic instinct, so I should have hailed loudly and bargained.’
Unfortunately, the train has already left. In the first place, Ellex was not the type to bargain.
Without being greedy for the sense of not being able to eat, Mayerie received the light pouch and reached out to Ellex.
He naturally placed his hand over mine.
“No, why are you putting your hands over mine?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“Then?” ᴱˡˡᵉˣ
Seeing my bewildered expression, Ellex asked back seemingly not understanding what I meant.
“What about the contract?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“A contract?” ᴱˡˡᵉˣ
It seemed to have written like ‘Why do we need that?’ on Ellex’s face. I insisted on the need for a contract, blaming myself.
“How could I trust the Duke and make a deal? We don’t trust each other, but won’t we be able to deal with peace of mind by signing a contract?” ᴹᵃʸᵉʳᶦᵉ
“You don’t trust me?” ᴱˡˡᵉˣ
“Yes.” Mayerie answered immediately.
I could also understand that Ellex was dumbfounded. He must be confident that he’s the only Duke of the Empire, and that he could be trusted even if we didn’t have a contract.
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