# 17
---
He looked at me with a complicated face for a moment and then answered.
“Okay, Your Highness.”
After the team leader got off the carriage, I stretched my body, leaning on the seat.
Now that we've got things sorted here, it's time to prepare for the next step.
* * *
On the way back on horseback -
Etheus remembered the image of Catherine Elmore, whom he had met in the forest.
Her stance while holding her bow on the tree was like that of the most skilled archer after long training.
A rare skill even among the ranks of the revolutionaries.
'Catherine Elmore... 'Has she had such talent all this time?'
He vaguely remembered his academy days.
There was a time when girls learned the basics of f-defense. …
laugh -
Katherine was leaning arrogantly and laughing at the girls who were training hard.
“If they were too poor to employ guards, perhaps, but what necessity would there be for an aristocrat to learn such menial skills? Ha-ha-ha!”
Her laughter was rude, but her bad reputation was so well known that no one could confront her.
At that time, everyone thought she was just an arrogant, trivial girl.
'It seemed like she was hiding her skills.'
As Catherine quipped, thin, weak aristocrats would not benefit much from learning f-defense.
Even trained warriors find it difficult to confront an armed attack.
Most efficient is to hire armed guards if you have the money.
In a situation where even the guards could not stand, Catherine Elmore showed amazing skill with her bow, taking down several armed men.
Coldly and with an evil face.
His eyes narrowed when he remembered her intense gaze.
“Ethi...”
Her voice echoing in his ear made his eyelids tremble.
Catherine descends lightly from the tree. …
A fruity scent wafted out of her as she approached. …
Then she extends her hand towards his face. …
Etheus raised his hand and touched his light wound.
Just a scratch from a tree branch that he didn't notice as he broke through the bush.
“What monster did this to you?”
Those lips that do not hesitate to say the harshest words. …
She still says harsh words, but... …
“What crazy person would hurt a beautiful face like that!”
'Beautiful?'
Why do her harsh words no longer affect him as they did before?
“It's none of my business, of course...”
Although she quickly turned into sarcasm as usual, that moment... …
Her violet eyes, which looked like they were about to cry, were still stuck in his mind.
Although he knew that this might also be an act, it had been a long time since he felt anyone's interest in him.
'How ridiculous.'
He smiled mockingly at himf for his rush to grab her wrist and his desire to know her truth, then he swallowed the bitterness he felt.
A gentle breeze played with his black hair again.
One of the soldiers accompanying him looked at him in surprise and asked.
“Your Highness, when did you hurt your cheek?”
A half smile appeared on Etheus's lips before he responded calmly.
“Nothing important...”
* * *
After crossing Doberton Road, our procession reached the palace.
The underground palace prisons were spacious enough to accommodate all the prisoners.
I won't release any of them easily.
All of them will be evidence proving Vadelmon's crimes.
“Oh... oh...”
Some of them were suffering from the wounds of my arrows as they were dragged away.
There is no room for pity here.
Whoever tries to kill must endure the pain.
After completing their mission, the men of the prospectors group quickly withdrew.
While the servants and maids were hiding their fear of seeing this number of prisoners.
'They look terrified, understandably.'
I decided to calm them down a little.
“How big are the losses among our ranks?”
“The vehicle needs repair, but we have other vehicles. Two of the guards were injured.”
As I entered the palace, I said to Hirose, crossing my arms.
“Provide doctors and sufficient medicines, and triple their salaries until they recover.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
In the past, he would have objected to these expenses, but now he is accustomed to my new method of reward and punishment.
“As for the two fugitives...”
I was traveling with a minimum of four guards.
Fear is understandable under attack, but abandoning their duty deserves punishment.
“Separate them, and l their debts to the collection institution.”
They could at least pretend to fight.
If they had, they would have been like the other servants, paying their debts and leaving the palace safely after I left.
But they preferred to escape.
“There is no reason to support cowards who fled, abandoning their comrades.”
“As you wish, ma’am.”
Hirose's eyes lit up as if he was anticipating this decision.
As I entered the palace, the nervous maids bowed.
They look much better than they did when I took over the body.
“Did we have visitors?”
“Yes, ma’am, two distant relatives of the Elmores have come to inspect the palace.”
“And what did you do?”
“Ah...we delayed them, but they threatened not to leave us in peace and then they left.”
She laughed sarcastically.
They came to inspect the property they would share after my expected death.
“Dirty sons of hyenas.”
The maids bowed down when they heard my insults.
“Don’t worry, they will get down on their knees in front of me before they can bother you.”
Their shoulders trembled at my confident voice.
“The prisoners also won't stay long, so don't be upset, just take care of the food.”
They slowly raised their heads, their faces more relaxed now.
“Yes, ma'am.”
“Prepare the interrogation room while I take a shower.”
She left Hirose and headed to the bathroom while the maids whispered in amazement.
“Did we hear correctly? The princess said ‘don’t worry’?”
Srrrrsh —
Warm water dripped from the newly installed shower head.
Unlike modern shower systems, maids are busy heating water somewhere.
But today the water is warmer and more regular.
They seem to be working hard.
Anyway, the water relaxed my body tension.
'Did Etheus return safely?'
I remembered the moment I touched his skin under his wound, and I felt my lips become dry.
'He was injured because of me. …’
Seeing my beautiful boy in pain because of me was a lover like me's worst nightmare.
I tried to shake my mood.
'It's not a serious injury, there's no need to be depressed.'
I have work to do, I have to focus.
After showering, the maids prepared my clothes.
Soft, warm, and fragrant.
After putting it on, she headed to the cell where Hirose put the prisoner.
Moaning sounds fill the space as I walk deeper.
* * *
The infamous Elmore dungeon.
“Ah...”
The prisoner was trembling and in torn clothes.
Hirose, with his white shirt and glasses, looks different from normal.
“Madam has arrived.”
He bowed and said gently.
“We were exchanging greetings before you arrived.”
‘Greetings?’ With the whip in his hand?
When he tried to hand me the whip, the trembling prisoner screamed.
"I will confess everything! Just don't make me suffer those terrible things he described!"