Letting the woman's chatter pass through one ear and out the other, Talia forced herself upright.
A prickling pain climbed through her bones.
Rage surged inside her.
What had that promise about letting her walk without difficulty been worth?
Her ruined leg could barely support her own weight.
Grinding her teeth together, Talia dragged her aching leg behind the privacy screen.
She staggered into the marble bath, and the nanny poured warm water over her body.
Submerged in the lukewarm water, Talia looked down at her leg.
The reddish scar resembled a bloated earthworm.
As she absently traced it with her fingertips, the nanny smacked her sharply across the back.
A wave of misery rose within her.
But Talia silently withdrew her hand.
She was afraid the nanny might become angry and leave the room altogether.
“Now then, I'll rinse your hair. Lean your head back.”
Talia obeyed, resting her head against the edge of the tub.
The nanny tipped a large pitcher, pouring lukewarm water over her hair.
At last, when every trace of soap had been washed away, Talia staggered out of the bath.
The nanny brought over a large towel and carefully dried her body before dressing her in fresh undergarments and a new petticoat.
“There. The rest will be handled by the head maid.”
Having completed her work, the nanny departed with a relieved expression.
The head maid soon returned with her attendants.
Talia silently endured the woman's gaze as it swept over her from head to toe, as though assigning a score.
After circling around her several times, the woman finally clapped her hands.
“Pin up her hair and dress her in the garments we prepared. I'll choose the jewelry myself.”
Immediately, dozens of fingers began moving busily around her.
Talia endured it in silence, feeling as though she were being tortured while they handled her like a doll.
Three or four maids repeatedly dressed and undressed her in various garments, while the others worked on her hair, dividing the long strands that reached her waist into multiple braids before coiling them upward.
The head maid observed every step with a critical expression.
Only after a long while did she finally nod.
“That will do.”
The maids who had ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) been adjusting Talia's clothes immediately stepped back.
Talia looked up at the head maid with exhausted eyes.
The woman draped a pearl-colored silk cape over her shoulders before turning toward the door.
“It is time.”
After a moment's hesitation, Talia left the room.
She wanted to walk as naturally as possible, but her numbed leg refused to obey.
With every uneven step, she could feel the soldiers' eyes fixed upon her.
She wanted to crush every last one of those eyes.
Suppressing her humiliation, she left the detached palace.
A carriage waited before the garden.
Beside it stood an unfamiliar man clad in armor.
Had the previous knight resigned?
The face of the man who had irritated her throughout the journey briefly crossed her mind.
Soon, however, she found she no longer cared.
The Imperial Guard knights assigned to her changed with the seasons anyway.
It was about time for another replacement.
Talia boarded the carriage with a detached expression.
The head maid climbed in after her and finally spoke in a stern voice.
“Today, His Majesty intends to discuss something important. Please refrain from any behavior that might be considered disrespectful.”
“What important thing?”