Resetting Lady - Chapter 221
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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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Of course, he didn’t think it would be his own child. There must have been someone else. The child’s father. But to so brazenly drag her into the palace and embrace her like that.
A hollow laugh escaped him.
“What will you do?”
Baron Ain asked Guiz. Guiz looked over his collection. What would be good?
“Tomorrow, deliver this knife and poison to Karen Hyer.”
“What shall I tell her?”
“Tell her to kill Louis immediately when I give the command.”
“Will she succeed?”
“It doesn’t matter much if she fails.”
Guiz grinned as he imagined Karen’s expression. If she succeeded, he would be rid of a troublesome matter. Kill Louis, and send Karen, who committed the crime, to the execution block as well.
Everyone would find it plausible that a pregnant mistress had gone mad with ambition for the throne. When would be a good time? Guiz began calculating the timing.
“If she doesn’t do as ordered, tell her she’ll receive her family’s eyes and tongues as gifts… Say something like that.”
“I’ll convey that message.”
Ain tucked those items into his coat with a slightly hardened expression.
“Wait, there’s one more thing you need to do.”
“Yes?”
Baron Ain stopped his departing steps.
“Go to Lord Hyer now with my knights. You’re acquainted, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but…”
“Pluck out his eyes and tongue, and bring me his severed head.”
Whether she succeeds or fails, I need to see that woman scream. Before she goes to the execution block.
“Understood.”
Baron Ain bowed his waist.
“And you saw too, didn’t you?”
Prince Guiz turned around. There stood a pale priest quietly.
“All women are the same. But if things end well, I’ll give you a chance to handle that at least once.”
“…Yes.”
Dulan answered in a low voice.
* * *
The space provided to Karen was not just one room.
Royalty of the crown princess level are usually assigned not just one room but several areas. Seven rooms and one hall, one drawing room, an art studio, and even a music room with instruments. A four-story palace building was the crown princess’s portion.
When the owner disappeared and some time passed, such spaces were generally lent to other nobles during social seasons or used as storage for artworks.
But the dead crown princess’s quarters remained empty. Wasting such a large space right next to the crown prince’s palace was no ordinary matter. Because everyone avoided it.
“They say ghosts appear.”
“They say the dead crown princess wanders around crying.”
“They say screaming sounds are heard.”
These weren’t mere rumors. Servants kept disappearing or being found dead. No matter how careful they were, ominous incidents continued to occur, so the servants minimized their time managing the area and tried not to go near it if possible.
The Palace of the Crown Princess, directly adjacent to Prince Guiz’s palace, was gloomy and dark, unlike the crown prince’s palace which was a place of debauchery, corruption, and luxury. Until Prince Guiz had Karen Hyer stay there. Karen sighed as she looked at the maid.
“Couldn’t you at least bring wash water on time?”
“I’m, I’m sorry… Miss… Hyer.”
The maid glanced around nervously as she placed the silver tray with water before her. The glamorous woman named Karen Hyer had secured the seat next to Prince Guiz and lived fearlessly, adorning her entire body with all sorts of precious items.
‘With just one of those, I could live comfortably for life.’
The maid rolled her eyes but couldn’t dare think of taking anything.
Because Prince Guiz was frightening. Servants who failed to handle their duties properly around Prince Guiz met terrible fates. This was a fact everyone knew.
Prince Guiz was by far the most demanding among the difficult royalty. Even Baron Ain and other nobles who catered to Prince Guiz often sighed at his pickiness and locked themselves in rooms, chain-smoking, so it went without saying for the servants.
Prince Guiz hated even seeing the cleaners. He was incredibly demanding, and above all, his moods changed by the hour.
Guiz would order a fire lit because it was cold, then when they lit it, he’d throw a teacup at their face asking if they meant to roast him alive. When their face became bloody, he’d kick them for tormenting him with their unsightly appearance.
In the morning, Guiz would call a prostitute and give her diamonds, then at night applaud while watching her run away being chased by dogs. Those who survived like that were the lucky ones. Sometimes, they would simply disappear without a sound.
So the servants learned to exist as if present yet absent to avoid offending him, never to do tasks they weren’t ordered to do even if it killed them, and to do what they were ordered even if it killed them.
“If the wash water is too cold, I’ll add more hot water.”
“No, this is fine. Don’t sprinkle flower petals anymore. They get in the way when washing.”
“Understood.”
Compared to Prince Guiz, this red-haired lady who clearly pointed out her wants and complaints was a very comfortable master. But the problem was her status. Guiz had given her the crown princess’s quarters but hadn’t granted her any official position yet.
‘How should we treat her?’
That was the common concern of the servants.
If Prince Guiz treated her like a crown princess, then not commoners but lower nobles should be serving her. But for that, they would need to give her husband a title and bestow upon her a duchess-level title.
However, Karen was still unmarried, and no one knew how far Guiz would elevate her. The seat beside him was one where someone could be endlessly cherished then disappear one day. Despite such an unstable position, the person in question merely adorned herself indifferently and sighed.
“The cosmetics I requested?”
“They say they’ll arrive tomorrow. Shall I call someone to help with your grooming?”
“Yes.”
Karen closed her eyes. The careful touches of the maids moved over her body. They weren’t actually confident whether it was right for them to serve Karen. Even though Karen herself wasn’t a demanding master, they had no choice but to be cautious because of Prince Guiz backing her.
“Did the head maid say anything?”
“She was angry that a mistress dares to use the Palace of the Crown Princess.”
“That’s it? She didn’t say what to do?”
“Um… What do we do?”
“We have to stay quiet. You be careful too.”
“Okay.”
If she’s a mistress Prince Guiz will favor for a long time, it’s easier to prostrate unconditionally. No, if she’s that level of mistress, they should immediately request noble maids from the main palace instead of themselves. Because she might consider having them nearby as being disrespected.
But the head maid firmly refused that request.
“How can I make daughters of baron families serve a woman without any title!”
The head maid despised the future king’s young mistress. The more a mistress who wasn’t even a queen expanded her influence, the more her own authority diminished. Seeing that she didn’t even have an official title yet, the head maid’s feeling that she wouldn’t last long beside the crown prince also played a part in her decision.
The king was old but stubbornly refused to pass the throne to the crown prince, the crown prince’s son was young, and there were no women in the royal palace except the old king’s mistress. This made Karen Hyer’s appearance draw much attention. How far would Prince Guiz elevate her?
How should she be treated? Was she royalty, a mistress, or a prostitute who would soon be cast out?
Tense gazes were exchanged and everyone’s minds raced. Everyone was trying to predict her future.
Crash!
“No, this must not be, Your Highness!”
The quiet days didn’t last long.
The maids of the Palace of the Crown Princess were horrified to see someone who shouldn’t come here. Someone no one wanted to come here. It was Prince Louis.
“Do you dare to block me?”
Prince Louis looked at the maids blocking his path with an incredulous expression. The knights behind him also had fierce expressions, but to the maids, Guiz was more frightening than Louis’s anger.
“Forgive us, Your Highness. But the person residing in this room is…”
“Someone who could become my mother.”
“No, no, Your Highness! How… how dare…”
“Can you take responsibility for those words now?”
“…Your Highness! But we… we will be severely… questioned by Prince Guiz…”
The maids in charge of the Palace of the Crown Princess kept their heads down, restlessly trying to stop Prince Louis. But those words were decisive. Louis looked down at them with an astounded expression for mentioning Prince Guiz, then turned to the knights beside him.
“So now they’re blocking me because dealing with the consequences later would be troublesome? What do you gentlemen think?”
The knights answered with glaring eyes instead of Louis.
“You must deal with them sternly.”
“This is unacceptable. Palace protocol is sacred, yet they are breaking protocol for their own safety. It is national law that no one can block the path of royalty.”
“No, no!”
“What should be done to those who interfere when nobles offer counsel to royalty?”
“There is no provision. Summary punishment is possible.”
“…!”
The maids’ faces turned pale.
Originally, they weren’t even permitted to speak to royalty. Because Prince Louis was so young and had a gentle nature unlike Guiz, they hadn’t realized this until now. But now Prince Louis showed an unprecedentedly sharp attitude, apparently quite bothered by Karen Hyer’s existence.
“I’ll forgive the current rudeness. But your work is what you must do. Don’t try to place that responsibility on me. Don’t try to exploit my generosity.”
“…We, we’ll withdraw.”
Only then did the maids realize that the mistress’s existence could lead to anxiety about Louis’s succession rights.
“I’m going to see that woman.”
Crown Prince Louis’s cold face resembled that of his father.
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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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