Me, a Princess? My Lord! - Chapter 82

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 82

Heidi tilted her head as she listened to Mabel’s story.

“Do they raise the salary?”

“It’s more about the scraps that fall. I heard she’s very fickle, buying all sorts of things and then throwing them away without using them. They say you can make quite a bit of money selling those items.”

Mabel poured out everything she knew.

“And Princess Anastasia’s power back then was incomparable to what it is now. Among maids, the master’s power becomes their own power. Being a maid in the East Palace came with many privileges.”

“…”

“But now the situation has changed. All the palace maids are desperate to work in the Western Palace. It’s not just because of the good benefits.”

Mabel looked directly into Heidi’s eyes as she spoke.

“The maids working in the palace are actually more political than anyone else. They always look toward wherever there’s a master with greater power. That’s how you get ahead in this world.”

* * *

Fils Street appeared after a 10-minute carriage ride from the back gate of the Royal Palace. It was a place better known by its nickname, “the shadow of the Royal Palace.”

As if all color and light had been stolen by the Royal Palace, the town’s alleys were dark and filthy. All the buildings were old and gave off an ominous atmosphere.

Perhaps that’s why? All those who visited Fils Street were as dark, gloomy, and somehow twisted as those alleys. In the back alleys, all kinds of crimes and illegal activities happened as regularly as meals.

An old tavern located in the most secluded alley among them.

“Impressive. Amazing.”

In its basement was a person who least belonged in this place.

“I thought you’d open your mouths by now… Count Haizen must have really trained you well to keep your mouths shut. I’m curious what his secret is. Did he pay you handsomely?”

It was Princess Anastasia.

Sitting with her legs crossed, she looked at the faces of three men hanging in the air, bound by chains. Blood had rushed to their faces, turning them bright red, and their whites were red from burst blood vessels.

Anastasia spoke while observing the men with curious eyes.

“Bring them down.”

At Anastasia’s words, her attendants loosened the chains binding the men and lowered them. They crawled on the floor in agony.

Anastasia gestured with her chin.

“Remove their gags too. We need to have a conversation.”

“Understood.”

When they removed the gags that had been blocking their mouths, the men coughed violently. Anastasia grimaced in disgust as she watched saliva drip from their mouths onto the floor.

“How filthy!”

Anastasia gestured.

“Splash water on their faces to bring them to their senses.”

Then an attendant, as if he had been waiting, picked up a water bucket and splashed it on the men’s faces. Their eyes seemed to regain focus as if they had suddenly come to their senses.

“P-please spare us!”

“Who said anything about killing you?”

“If you just let us go, we won’t tell anyone. Really!”

Anastasia swept her long hair back as if annoyed.

“Are you stupid? Why can’t you understand what people say? Answer me. Then I’ll let you go.”

Anastasia leaned forward.

“You know about Princess Heidi, don’t you?”

“…I, I.”

“If you’re going to keep denying it like that, I’ll have to hang you up again. If you’re tired of hanging by both feet, would you like to hang by just one foot this time?”

“No! I’ll talk.”

One of the men shook his head while crying. He prostrated himself before Anastasia and spoke.

“It’s true that I don’t know much about Princess Heidi. I have no personal relationship with her at all.”

“Hmm, but?”

“When she used to work at the Haizen Estate in the past, I saw her a few times in passing…”

“Wait.”

Anastasia raised one hand.

“Say that again. You’re saying Heidi, not you, worked at the Haizen Estate?”

“As far as I know, yes.”

“You mean she was the Count’s maid?”

“She served Lady Eloise…”

A gleam appeared in Anastasia’s eyes. Her whole body heated up with excitement.

“Hahaha!”

Anastasia burst into laughter. She felt refreshed as if chronic indigestion had been cured.

“So that’s what it was. No wonder nothing about her past has been revealed. Princess Heidi was actually a maid! The country will be turned upside down.”

Anastasia looked at the men and asked.

“Do you have proof?”

The men exchanged glances and spoke.

“As for proof…”

“Maids move from house to house for work. Didn’t she work for other families?”

“As far as I know, she only worked at the Haizen Estate.”

“Hmm.”

Interest slowly faded from Anastasia’s eyes. Seeing this, one of the men quickly added.

“I remember something.”

Anastasia’s eyes turned to the man.

“What?”

“Her name. The name Princess Heidi originally used.”

The man spoke in a hoarse, cracked voice.

“Heidi Dalton.”

A smile spread across Anastasia’s lips.

“Heidi Dalton.”

“…”

“That name suits her much better than her current grand name. Dalton…”

Anastasia gestured to her attendant who was guarding the door.

“Release them. They gave me the information I wanted, so I should let them go.”

The men’s eyes widened with joy.

“Th-thank you!”

“Today’s events must remain secret until the grave. Understood?”

“Of course! We absolutely won’t tell anyone.”

When they removed the shackles, the men left the basement as quickly as possible on their limping feet. The sound of them pushing and shoving each other as they climbed the stairs could be heard.

Anastasia’s attendant quietly approached and asked.

“Do you really intend to let them go safely?”

Anastasia snorted.

“Are you in your right mind? As if.”

Anastasia stood up and said.

“Deal with them. Cleanly.”

* * *

Heidi ultimately decided to replace all the maids in the Western Palace. It was a conclusion she reached after much deliberation.

“I’m not sure what to do. Whether giving them another chance is the right thing…”

“No. Insulting royalty and breaking security oaths are serious crimes. If judged by principle, they would all go to prison. Even with the utmost leniency, keeping them in the palace is inappropriate.”

“But…”

“It’s my oversight for not examining them carefully. This time I’ll investigate thoroughly and select trustworthy people. It would be good to select lady-in-waiting as well.”

“Lady-in-waiting means selecting from among noble ladies, right?”

“Yes, I’ll compile a list.”

With complicated feelings, Heidi bit her lips.

‘They did wrong, so they should be punished accordingly. That’s right.’

She knew Deshion’s words were correct, but her heart wasn’t at ease.

Once dismissed without a letter of recommendation, it probably wouldn’t be easy to find a new job in the capital city. They would have to go to the countryside or get the worst jobs that everyone avoided.

Then the door opened, and a maid with an unfamiliar face spoke politely.

“Princess, everything is ready. Please come down.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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