Chapter 9

Early dawn.

Ruby’s steps toward Blossom Palace were livelier than the day before.

The reason was simple. The night prior, she had been reassigned as the personal maid of Almond Chamber, the long-empty room beside His Highness the Crown Prince’s own.

Right before the shift change yesterday, a written message had arrived for the maids of Blossom Palace, known as the Owls.

It announced that a maid was needed for Almond Chamber.

Whenever such announcements came to the Owls, the message always included one more piece of information, the level of difficulty.

It served as a reminder to consider one’s ability and resolve before applying.

The difficulty for Almond Chamber was not particularly high.

[Medium]

But then, another tag followed.

[Danger]

That meant the work itself was not difficult, but there might be times when one’s life was on the line.

Ruby had applied as soon as she heard it.

After all, the pay for missions labeled [Danger] was incomparable to any other.

And if she truly died during the mission?

Even if it was a meaningless death, her surviving family would be guaranteed a prosperous life.

For a low-ranked Owl like Ruby, that was reason enough.

Anyway.

Perhaps because of the [Danger] tag, there had not been many applicants.

Thanks to that, Ruby was accepted immediately after she applied.

Before entering Almond Chamber, she reviewed the instructions once more.

[Medium]

• Report in detail to Lady Watch, the head maid, about who approached Almond Chamber and what conversations took place.
• Any items received as bribes are recognized as personal property.

[Danger]

• Pledge loyalty to the master of Almond Chamber.
• If [Danger] and [Medium] conflict, [Danger] takes precedence.

She folded the instruction sheet neatly and tucked it into her clothes, then opened the door to Almond Chamber.

Having arrived early in the morning, Ruby opened the windows to let in fresh air and wiped away the dust that had settled overnight.

She had also prepared wash water, but since she had not been granted permission to enter the bedroom the night before, she could only wait in the sitting room.

‘By the way, who exactly is the owner of Almond Chamber?’

All Ruby knew about Asha was that she would be serving her from now on.

Among those occupying rooms on the third floor of Blossom Palace, the area where the Crown Prince handled key state affairs, she was the only woman.

And it was not just any room. It held the same rank and prestige as Prince Jerold’s Rooster Chamber.

Ruby tried recalling the woman she had seen briefly the day before to guess her identity, but it was not easy.

Light brown hair and deep brown eyes were far too common.

The fabric of her dress and lace were not of a quality high enough to identify her family, and her jewelry was plain as well.

Could she be a woman with special talent, brought in because His Highness favored gifted people?

Then why was this mission marked [Danger]?

Was she someone targeted by assassins?

Had she been brought here to the palace for safety?

If things went badly, would Ruby have to die in her place?

The thought of death did not frighten her.

What truly scared her was poverty.

If she were to die during duty, it might even be a blessing.

Her younger siblings would all be able to graduate from the academy, and they would never have to worry about food again.

‘And I would finally be at peace.’

Yes.

In truth, Ruby had come to Almond Chamber to die.

But things did not go the way she expected.

If Asha had only been a talented woman brought in for her abilities, the Crown Prince would not have personally visited Almond Chamber before dawn.

And yet, His Highness had.

He had even spoken politely to the disheveled woman who emerged from the bedroom.

“Did you sleep well? I hope the new room wasn’t uncomfortable.”

The Crown Prince never used honorifics with his subordinates.

Nor did he ever speak with warmth in his voice.

Ruby realized it instantly.

This woman was no ordinary guest or talent.

She was much closer to being the Crown Princess candidate.

No.

Not just close. She definitely was.

If she were merely a candidate, His Highness would never have given her an entire chamber like Almond.

‘So that’s why there was a clause about bribes.’

A Crown Princess candidate would attract many who wanted to curry favor with her.

Perhaps she could pay for all her siblings’ schooling with bribes alone.

Ruby had to fight to suppress the smile threatening to appear.

Just when she thought her harsh life might finally end, an opportunity for the kind of success that came once in a lifetime had appeared.

If this woman became Crown Princess and then Empress, and Ruby managed to stay by her side…

Her future would be secure forever.

The thought filled her with a bright, reckless hope.

Maybe she could finally live happily and comfortably, just once in her life.

If she could only become the maid this woman trusted most.

* * *

While Ruby’s eyes shone with hope as she thought of Asha, the Saintess herself had no idea what her new maid was thinking.

She sat across from the Crown Prince, shaking her head.

“I went to bed right after washing up yesterday. When I checked, it was exactly eleven. I slept soundly till morning.”

A maid came over and placed a clean glass cup in front of her, pouring warm tea that steamed gently in the cool morning air.

Asha stared at it for a moment, waiting.

She thought another question would follow, but the silence stretched.

‘…?’

She blinked, rolled her eyes slightly, then took a careful sip of her tea.

It was surprisingly good, more to her taste than she expected.

Meanwhile, Alesto was quietly taken aback by the unexpected sense of joy that crept up on him.

How strange that something so small, her sharing a simple detail of her morning without him asking, could feel so pleasant.

If he wanted to know about her daily routine, he could easily find out.

He could ask a maid at what time she slept.

He could even order a report on her habits and schedule.

But that was not what he wanted.

What pleased him was that she had volunteered the information herself, unprompted.

Yes.

He liked that.

Even last night, when she had asked what time was considered early, she had seemed so untainted, like untouched snow.

The thought stirred something possessive inside him.

If she truly was that pure, untouched by anyone, then maybe, with time, he could slowly color her world in his own shade.

As that faint desire began to grow, he felt an unease within himself.

He reminded himself of his goal.

He wanted the Saintess by his side to make use of her abilities and to guide them as he saw fit.

Not for selfish pleasure.

He looked down at her. She blinked her wide eyes and yawned softly, and he realized something.

‘The problem is that she’s too beautiful.’

It was not just an idle thought. The Saintess was the kind of beauty anyone would call breathtaking.

People often said his mother, Empress Onisia, possessed divine beauty.

But to him, the Saintess was at least two hundred times more beautiful.

It was not a matter of perception but fact.

‘I need to keep my head straight.’

He cut off the seed of desire before it could take root.

Once his thoughts cleared, another question arose.

Why had she tried to run away last night?

The first thing that came to mind was family.

After all, when she left the temple for the palace, she had not once mentioned them with concern.

And then, the image of Marquis Cedric Dalbert crossed his mind.

‘The way she looked at him that day was strange.’

Of course, Alesto already knew from Jerold’s report that there had been no personal connection between them.

They had only met that day for an arranged introduction.

Before that, they had never lived in the same area or exchanged even a single letter.

But there was one thing he could not overlook.

The Saintess possessed the power to turn back time, and that power had already manifested.

Just because Cedric did not remember her did not mean she had never met him.

It was entirely possible that she had known him long before.