3)
“You... Are you!!”
The butler shouted as she lunged at Rachel.
“It was you! You bastard...!”
She wanted to hit her on the cheek again, but this time her hand didn't even touch Rachel's hair.
Rachel quickly grabbed her wrist in mid air.
“The butler.”
Her low voice made the woman step back trembling.
“One time is enough to put up with such insolence.”
Rachel smiled, showing her teeth.
“Don't you agree with me?”
It was a sharp, cold smile, like the fangs of a bird of prey. The butler saw that smile and stepped back, holding her wrist.
“So, the butler.”
Rachel continued in a cheerful tone, as if she were offering a service:
“The way out this way.”
Once again, her guidance was very polite... to the point of cold.
***
“Countess.”
Countess Velen Katerina left the palace of the Third Prince, accompanied by her knight.
The knight behind her spoke with great respect:
“What are we going to do about the butler?”
Feline smiled behind her fan:
“Leave her. For someone like her, returning to her previous situation is a punishment worse than death.”
She did not want to create a complicated incident, and perhaps that woman might benefit her later.
“Those desperate wretches are capable of doing anything.”
“But, make sure she keeps her mouth shut.”
I ordered strictly:
“This matter must not reach the ears of the Second Empress, the Empress, or any of the nobles.”
If word got out, not only her reputation would be tarnished, but even the reputation of the Second Empress who relied on her would be tarnished.
Velen sighed wearily:
“This is why stupid people are more annoying than cunning people.”
“Should we put someone else in the Third Prince’s Palace?”
Felin laughed sarcastically:
“Another person? No need. This cowardly child, called the Third Prince, is no longer dangerous. He has nothing but his imperial blood.”
Then I remembered:
“By the way, did you find that maid?”
The knight lowered his head:
“Sorry ma’am, we couldn’t find her.”
Velen frowned. The unknown maid who sent the ledger to her palace via a guard. She left him a short note saying that she could no longer bear the butler's betrayal.
But she never revealed herself.
“If she wanted compensation, she would appear in front of me. Then why hide her identity?”
“Should we broaden the scope of the search?”
"Hmph, are you going to search the entire palace? Forget it. You're not the only maid with black hair."
She got into her carriage and ordered:
“To the palace. There is no need to meet the Second Empress now. I will see her at a banquet in two days.”
She smiled coldly:
“Some news must be told at the right moment in order to seem trivial.”
The carriage left the palace as if nothing had happened.
***
“This doesn't make sense at all.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why me? Why would someone like me hire a butler?!”
Catherine, the new butler of the Third Prince's Palace, was shouting, raising her hands.
“I'm just a little baron's daughter!”
One of the maids said to her:
“Didn’t His Highness tell you himself? He said you were the maid he trusted most.”
“He even said he liked the fish soup I made.”
Another added with a smile:
“The Empress herself heard about the previous big scandal, and was impressed by your loyalty to the Prince.”
The news of the former senior's corruption spread quickly until it reached the Empress' suite.
Since Countess Felin is the right-hand woman of the Second Empress, the Empress would naturally seize the opportunity and plant someone loyal to her in the Third Prince's Palace.
“But why did she choose Catherine in particular?” Rachel thought, looking at her in wonder.
Meanwhile, Catherine asked:
“Nanny, when are you going to return the maid uniform you borrowed from me?”
“Ah…” Rachel suddenly remembered.
“Actually… I lost it.”
"Huh? Lost it?"
Catherine sighed as she stared at her dress, with a look of pity.
“Anyway, it is no longer fit for a butler to wear it. I will buy a new dress when I receive my first salary.”
But she added with a smile:
“At least there is one benefit to me becoming a butler. The annoying women have gone away themselves.”
Most of the main palace maids left voluntarily for fear of being involved in the previous major scandal. Thus, the annex's maids (who were always exploited) moved directly to work in the palace.
The palace finally returned to a calm it had never known before.
“They look like they're really having fun.” Rachel thought, watching Prince Edun and his sister playing in the garden in the spring sun.
But when she raised her hand to her hair, she felt black soot still stuck in it.
“Even a week after that day... the effects of the fire are still there.”
Catherine's voice interrupted her:
"Nanny! Can you hear me?"
"Yes."
“So what did I say?”
“Actually, I didn't hear.”
She sighed and said shyly:
“I heard news from the servants of the Emperor’s Pavilion… They say that the most famous person on the continent now resides in the Emperor’s own palace