Beneath the Surviving Princess's Joyful Facade - Chapter 21

“You think I would do that? Is that what you’ve been worried about all this time?”

Eirik stared at the ceiling, trying to calm his anger, making a mental note to kick his cousin Emmerich in the shins the next time he saw him.

“Miesa, look at me. I have no intention of canceling this marriage. Never.”

“……”

“We have a long life ahead of us, and there’s no need to rush things when we barely know each other.”

Miesa nodded, but Eirik wanted to be sure she understood.

“If you have any other questions or concerns, just ask. There’s nothing I won’t answer.”

“……”

“Have I ever hidden anything from you? You’ve sat on my lap and seen all my documents.”

He chuckled at the memory. “You’ve seen every secret there is to see. What could I possibly hide from you now?”

Every time their eyes met, Miesa nodded. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress.

Eirik brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Now, get some rest. Call me if you need anything.”

She didn’t reply, but her face seemed more at ease. Eirik slowly withdrew his hand, making sure she closed her eyes before getting up from the bed.

After a thorough bath, he returned to find Miesa still lying down, perhaps pretending to sleep. Eirik was exhausted from the day’s events and lay down beside her. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when he turned to see her staring at the ceiling, idly moving her fingers.

“Are you bored?”

Her thin chin nodded slowly.

Eirik asked softly, “Shall I call the maids?”

“Why?”

“Don’t you usually spend time in the workroom? It seems like you have fun there.”

“It’s not fun.”

Eirik raised an eyebrow. “It’s not fun, yet you always go there?”

“The kitchen and laundry are noisy and busy. The workroom is busy, but only for the hands. The mouth isn’t busy.”

Her disjointed speech was hard to follow. “It’s quiet. The maids talk a lot. I hear everything. ‘The Princess always plays in the maid’s quarters of Celia Palace.’ That’s right. I know.”

“So, you go to the maids’ workroom to gather information? Like you did in the palace?”

“Yes.”

Miesa seemed pleased to be understood and continued to chatter without being asked.

“‘Why do you think the royal maids’s necks are still attached?’ ‘Do you know how much Chief Lady-in-Waiting Namirea got from Mrs. Maleca?’ I know everything.”

Eirik was astonished that every action of hers had meaning. “Incredible.”

He squinted his eyes, considering if he could use this to get rid of the royal maids. Meanwhile, Miesa kept babbling.

“‘Do you know why the white-haired butler is saving money? Edil already said she didn’t like the butler.’”

“Wait, wait. Does our butler like Edil? What are you talking about?”

“‘Oh please, do you think Edil would stay single if she wanted to marry that stubborn butler?’”

Eirik found it amusing that Miesa knew more about the household than he did. He gently stroked her disheveled hair. But she was too engrossed in mimicking someone else’s words.

“‘Don’t be ridiculous. Edil likes big, burly men.’”

“…I see. So, the butler isn’t Edil’s type. But burly, huh?”

He had known Edil since childhood and thought she was just too busy with household affairs to marry.

Eirik chuckled and pulled back the blanket to get closer. When Miesa flinched and clutched the blanket tightly, he explained, “I just want to talk closer.”

“‘Welcome, please come.’”

Her eyes were filled with a mix of caution and anticipation. Looking at her face, Eirik asked something he had been curious about,

“Why did Mrs. Maleca give money to the Chief Lady-in-Waiting?”

“……”

No answer. Eirik propped himself on one arm and asked casually, “Did she cause some trouble? Or was she vying for the position to care for you?”

But her tightly closed mouth didn’t open. She clearly wasn’t going to tell him.

“You need to talk so we can get closer. Then, when you’re better, we can even…”

Despite his coaxing, Miesa remained silent. Instead, she offered a cryptic clue.

“Pointy.”

“What?”

“Tomorrow, Pointy Maleca. The three pillars of the palace.”

“The three pillars of the palace are us, Salachez, and Crispin. But Salachez, the king’s maternal family, has been reduced to nothing for years.”

Miesa sighed deeply, exasperated, and repeated snippets of conversations between the maids. There were gaps, but Eirik got the gist.

“I knew something was up, but I didn’t realize it was like this. I thought Mrs. Maleca was just going to report to the palace.”

He shook his head. “If she mentioned a pillar, it’s likely Crispin. We’ll have to keep an eye on both sides.”

Miesa seemed relieved and smiled widely. Finding it endearing, Eirik kissed her round forehead. As he pulled away, her slender fingers crept up to scratch where his lips had been.

“Don’t scratch. Oh, it looks like your nails need trimming.”

He took her hand to check her nails, and her fingers curled shyly. He found it amusing that she could be so bold in demanding intimacy but so shy about something as simple as a nail trim.

Miesa’s expressions were clumsy but also surprisingly confident.

Was it because he was the only one she’d ever shared her secrets with? Even though Miesa’s expressions around Eirik often turned into distorted smiles and sulky faces, they still surfaced unexpectedly. She remained adept at hiding her emotions with a strange smile in front of others.

Eirik found it impossible to take his eyes off her unpredictable reactions. Having always been expected to act precisely according to etiquette and tradition, her unpredictability was a fresh contrast.

The next morning, the couple’s bedroom was filled with a stream of maids. Among them were Mrs. Maleca from the royal palace, Edil from the Margrave estate, and Gella, dressed in an ill-fitting dress. Edil was the first to speak.

“I reported to the royal court yesterday. I waited for the report to be drafted and brought back a copy.”

Mrs. Maleca’s sour expression indicated that the report had been delivered accurately. It was clear why Margravine Cladnier cherished Edil for her competence.

Eirik crossed to the dressing room, where a valet helped him prepare for the day. When he returned, a tense standoff was unfolding in the bedroom.

“How can you apply that ointment to the princess without knowing its ingredients?” Mrs. Maleca challenged.

“What do you mean? Are you suggesting I would bring something harmful to the young madam?” Gella retorted.

To prove her point, Gella scooped a large dollop of the ointment and swallowed it theatrically.

“See? It’s not harmful at all. If you’re so worried, Mrs. Maleca, why don’t you take a bite yourself?”

The royal maid and even the formidable Edil were left speechless.

Eirik, reassured that Gella wouldn’t be easily intimidated, strode over to Miesa, who was gnawing on the bed linen.

“Rest well. I’ll be back soon,” he said gently.

The commotion in the room ceased as he spoke. After briefly explaining when he would return, Eirik headed to the training grounds.

After overseeing the knights’ training, Eirik returned to his study and summoned a few of his most discreet knights. He assigned them to shadow Mrs. Maleca and to plant a spy in the Crispin household. Then, he called for his cousin, Emmerich.

Emmerich, clueless about why he was summoned, was tasked with overseeing the knights’ training. He couldn’t hide his displeasure, but Eirik paid him no mind and promptly dismissed him.

Turning to his right-hand man, Cullen, Eirik issued another order. “Fetch Edil. And don’t let my mother know.”

A short while later, Edil entered the study, a troubled look on her face.

“What is it? A servant told me to come quietly.”

“It seems it won’t be difficult to expel those two maids. However, if their replacements are just like them, it will be pointless. I’ll need your help.”

“My help?” Edil looked hesitant.

Given her experience in the capital, maintaining connections with various houses and gathering information, Edil was better suited to manage the royal maids’ affairs than Eirik, who had spent the last twelve years on the battlefield. Still, she hesitated.

“Wouldn’t it be better if the Margravine herself took action?” she suggested.

“I’ve already received my mother’s permission to borrow you,” Eirik replied calmly. “And you must ensure that none of what you discover reaches her ears.”

Edil thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. The young lord wouldn’t issue a frivolous order.

“Let’s start by investigating the bribe Mrs. Maleca gave the Chief Lady-in-Waiting. Who can you approach as intermediaries?”

“It’s difficult to contact the Chief Lady-in-Waiting directly. However, Viscountess Manere, her right hand, is troubled by her younger brother. If we can help with that, she might even offer up her private quarters.”

“Good. What trouble has her younger brother caused?”

After listening to Edil’s explanation, Eirik gave further instructions to Edil and Cullen. It was a promising start.