Shadow Queen

Chapter 12

Even without knowing that she was completely deceived by Elena’s performance.

“As I said before, we have a banquet for the birthday of Duke Rosette, who is the founding contributor to the Empire and the first owner of Duke in ten days. Until then, be a perfect princess.”

“Yes, I’ll try.”

While suffering from Leabrick’s nagging under the guise of advice, the carriage crossed the empire’s millennium capital to reach the mansion. As it crossed the garden, she could see a gothic-style mansion. It was not long before the door of the carriage opened.

“Welcome, princess.”

The butler, servants, and maidens standing on this row each greeted her in one voice.

“…”

Elena raised her chin haughtily and looked at them one by one. No one dared to raise their heads at the authoritative gaze that made their hairs stand. Rather than simply grabbing the weight, the presence of a metaphorical presence overwhelmed the air.

“Veronica!”

She could hear the excited voice of Grand Duke Friedrich in the mansion. Leaving the mansion with a quick walk, he welcomed Elena with open arms. She managed to hold back her laughter from the pretentious performance.

“It wasn’t easy to treat, and I’m so glad you came back so healthy.”

“Thanks to your concern.”

Grand Duke Friedrich laughed loudly as Elena responded appropriately.

“How can that be to my concern? It’s thanks to Goddess Gaia. Come on, don’t stand like this. Let’s go inside.”

“Yes, father.”

Elena and Grand Duke Friedrich, who directed a friendly father-daughter relationship that they had been reunited for the first time in years, moved the venue to the drawing room. Leabrick followed quietly and sat down. Savoring the deep-boiled tea of the East, the three began their own conversation.

“… You have changed a lot. I can see it in your appearance.”

Grand Duke Friedrich was surprised by the atmosphere of Elena that changed from the first meeting. It wasn’t simply because of the resemblance of a face, but because of the dignity of a noble born from the beginning.

“I still have a long way to go to meet father’s expectations.”

“I’m proud of you. Again, you’re like my own daughter. The grand house is your home, so enjoy it.”

“I will, Father.”

Elena responded in a gentle tone and showed submissiveness. In just a month, Grand Duke Friedrich was satisfied when she threw off her vulgarity and gave birth to a noble.

“It’s okay to say hello, but you must have been tired from coming a long way, take a rest.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

When Elena stood up from the sofa, Leabrick did not forget her advice.

“You remember the inside structure of the house, right? Go to your room.”

“Of course, don’t worry, Liv.”

Elena, who smiled reassuringly, was polite and left the drawing room. Grand Duke Friedrich, who was watching the scene, opened his mouth after a while.

“As expected, you don’t disappoint me. Don’t you think she’s a decent little aristocrat?”

“It’s just an appearance. There’s no foundation, so even a little conversation will reveal everything.”

Grand Duke Friedrich was impressed by Leabrick’s concern.

“Then isn’t it a big deal? It’ll be his birthday soon.”

“I’m going to use the sickness as an excuse to block contact with the aristocrats as much as possible.”

“I see. You’ll do well on your own.”

Grand Duke Friedrich sat languidly and answered back. He trusted Leabrick so much that he wouldn’t say anything once he trusted her to something and left it.

“More than that, Your Excellency, the movement toward the palace is unusual.”

“They must be poking around like rutting puppies again. Tell me the details.”

In-depth conversations have been exchanged over the handling of accumulated agendas. Since most of them are directly related to the actions of the Grand Duke, none of them were not important.

At that time, Elena left the drawing room, and the maids stood in a line and bowed their heads. She lowered her eyes and checked, and all four of them were familiar faces.

‘Jane, Misa, Lunarin, and…’

Elena’s eyes, which had been moving from each name in her memory, were drawn to the freckled girl standing at the end.

‘Anne.’

Elena’s eyes over Anne became cold. Anne, who has yet to take off from her girlhood, was the maid Elena gave her heart to in her previous life. Although she may be young, she was quick to sense and acted like a tongue in her mouth, always satisfying Elena.

‘Out of everyone, I didn’t expect you to betray me.’

As she found out later, Anne was a spy planted by Leabrick. As soon as she was kidnapped by gunmen who had been ordered by the Grand Duke, Elena saw it clearly. Anne, who cold-heartedly turned a blind eye to her, asking for help. Only then did she realize that Anne was not her own person. Presumably, it was Anne who stayed around her and monitored every move and reported it to Leabrick.

Standing in front of Anne reminded her of that feeling again.

‘Look forward to it. I’ll make you feel the same despair I felt.’

Elena, who issued a warning that she couldn’t speak, stared at her silently. Anne, who was burdened with her gaze and silence, opened her mouth carefully.

“I’m Anne…”

Anne, who was introducing herself, closed her lips vaguely. This is because Elena’s gaze, staring at her, was too cold. Anne held her breath. As they were maids who lived by their eyes, they felt something was wrong.

“I don’t remember allowing you to speak?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Again? I don’t know if you can attend to me because you don’t have that much learning ability.”

Anne, who was embarrassed, quickly shut her mouth up.

She didn’t know how to deal with her, and she felt affirmed beforehand. Elena didn’t think she would feel better even if she slapped her cheek considering the betrayal she felt at that time.

‘Let’s stop.’

Elena lowered her hand that kept going up. There is no need to buy Leabrick’s suspicion by doing more than necessary. The good is to be kept. You should not cross the line and walk a tightrope. At this point, the princess who returned will be considered to have caught the discipline of the things below. As Elena turned around, she felt Anne’s nervousness slightly eased.

As she walked along the corridor, the maids followed Elena. She arrived across the hall in front of Veronica’s room on the floor.

“What are you staring at? Open the door.”

Anne, whose shoulders were shaken by her cold tone, ran out quickly and opened the door. Elena, who walked through the wide open marble door, scattered was familiar furniture, curtains, carpets, decorations, and paintings. An unbearable discomfort struck her at the moment.

‘You want me to use what Veronica used?’

It was disgusting and horrifying just to think about it. In her past life, she used these things without knowing what’s going on, but not anymore. Elena turned and walked in front of the closet. When she stood up and chinned, Anne, who was nervous, quickly opened the closet door. There were lots of dresses hanging inside.

“Take it all out.”

“What?”

“Do I have to say it twice? Take them all out.”

The nervous maids rushed out the dresses and piled them on a carpet in the middle of the room. Since there were nearly 20 dresses, it was so thick that it reached their waists.

“Take off those double-cheeked curtains, too. Get rid of that ugly painting.”

The maids obeyed at random. They were wondering why, but they couldn’t dare ask in case they would offend the owner and swallowed it.

“Burn them up right now.”

“B-but… Yes, I will follow.”

The oldest maid, Lunarin, tried to say something but swallowed it quickly. Working for another noble family, she entered the palace about four months ago. Experience shows that the more volatile the owner is, the more he or she talks, the more he or she gets angry.

“Anne, tell the butler to find the dressmaker who made my dress and the best carpenter in the capital. Right now.”

“Yes? Yes!”

Anne was about to turn around in a hurry.

“I’m not done talking to you yet?”

“Oh! I-I’m sorry.”

Anne was troubled by Elena’s cold behavior.

“Give this word to the butler, too. Bring in all the dresses, embroidered curtains, and carpets in the shops before sunset.”

“Yes, I’ll tell him.”

As Anne hurried out of the room, Elena moved to the reception room on the second floor as if she had nothing to do. Since it was such a large house, there were more than a hundred rooms, and among them, Elena liked the reception room on the second floor, which was connected to the terrace and had a view of patronage.

Elena sat on the terrace and savored the black tea and cookies that Lunarin had served.

“In the future, the tea will be earl grey, and the first tea water will be discarded. Don’t make the cookies too sweet. Make them moist or the taste will drop.”

“Yes, miss.”

Elena’s eyes were directed at the well-kept sponsorship.

“The lilies in the sponsorship, they’re very unobtrusive. There’s a lot of lively flowers like tulips and daisies.”

“……I heard you like lilies. Did I get it wrong?”

“Once. But tastes change. Do I have to tell you everything?”

“N-no. I’ll correct it. I’ll pass on what you’re saying to the gardener.”

“Yes.”

Elena picked up a teacup and enjoyed the mellow scent. This is why age and experience cannot be ignored. It was the same before, but even if she didn’t say it twice, Lunarin moved because she knew what she meant.

‘Anne will get hit sooner or later.’

Anne was young and quick-witted, so she was quick to learn. And unlike the high-minded Lunarin, she was sharp and good at flattery, so she liked Elena. At the time of the entrance to the palace, it was reasonable to know how much she would have been trusted just by the appointment of Anne, not the elder, as Lunarin, who was a direct maid as chief of staff.

‘I’m going to have to have a reliable maid of honor soon.’

In Elena’s mind, there was a maid with revenge in mind from the very beginning.

“The enemy is my friend.”

Just three years later, the empire was overturned. A maid dared to attempt the assassination of Grand Duke Friedrich, and even Leabrick could not cope with how detailed the plan was. Although the assassination was unsuccessful, it would be worthwhile to have the guts to plan and attempt an assassination.