The gossips all competed to wag their tongues.
Many openly argued that while the Second Imperial Princess’s misfortune was regrettable, it was unreasonable to place the blame on Lord Siorcan.
By rights, they said, the matter should have ended with the punishment of the knight who had served as the Second Imperial Princess’s personal guard.
Above all, the decision completely disregarded the First Imperial Princess’s position.
Though theirs was an engagement born of political interests, the two had shared a bond since childhood.
The official engagement had taken place only three years ago, but in practice they had been promised to one another for well over a decade.
Many criticized the decision to separate them so unilaterally.
And everyone agreed that the Empress’s influence must have played a major role in the Emperor’s excessive judgment. It was an open secret that she was scheming to place her young son upon the throne.
“What do you think will happen between His Highness the Crown Prince and House Siorcan from now on?”
A maid stirring a pot with a ladle glanced over at the healing mage dispatched from the Empress’s Palace.
The middle-aged mage, whose name was Marisen, frequently came and went from the main palace and was well versed in every rumor circulating through the capital.
Finely chopping a bundle of fresh herbs with a knife, she answered indifferently.
“Well... if Lord Siorcan truly breaks off his engagement to the First Imperial Princess and marries the Second Imperial Princess instead, then the solid alliance between those two factions can be considered effectively over.”
“Then House Siorcan might switch sides and support His Highness the Second Imperial Prince?”
Marisen wore a skeptical expression.
“Considering Lord Siorcan’s temperament, I wonder if he would really change his position so easily.”
“Why not? His Highness the Second Imperial Prince is much ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) better than that reckless Crown Prince.”
The healer shot the maid a stern warning at her careless remark.
“You would do well to watch your tongue. Even if only a handful of people come and go here, the Imperial Palace has ears in its very walls.”
The maid pouted.
Yet she seemed frightened by her own words and began glancing nervously around.
Seeing that, Marisen let out a small laugh and resumed her chopping.
Whatever became of the relationship between the Crown Prince and House Siorcan had little to do with her.
She kept her ears open to rumors for the sake of self-preservation, but fundamentally she had little interest in matters beyond her own work.
Marisen placed the rare medicinal herbs she had struggled to acquire into a small pot and worked the bellows.
Before long, mandrago sap began bubbling vigorously, and a rich herbal fragrance spread throughout the kitchen.
Once the herbs had steeped sufficiently, she set the jar by the window to cool.
Then, without warning, a rough voice rang out from outside.
“Is there no one here?”
The maid, who had been sweating profusely while feeding firewood into the furnace, jerked her head up in surprise.
“Were we expecting visitors?”
“I haven’t received any notice...”
Marisen leaned out the window and looked toward the entrance of the detached palace.
A line of figures draped in flowing robes stood among the thick shrubs. At a glance, they did not appear to have been sent from the Empress’s Palace.
Frowning at the ominous feeling creeping over her, Marisen shoved the maid toward the back door.
“I’ll go outside and see who it is. You run to the Empress’s Palace and bring soldiers.”
At present, the detached palace housed only three or four maids, the Second Imperial Princess’s nanny, and Marisen herself.
Because the Second Imperial Princess was exceptionally wary of people, they had not even managed to assign her a proper guard knight.
If those people intended harm, there would be no way for them to stop it.
Knowing that perfectly well, the maid hurried out of the kitchen.
Marisen waited until she was sufficiently far away before crossing the hall and opening the front door.
At the entrance stood two men in military uniforms and three women who appeared to be nobles.
After studying them with wary eyes, Marisen spoke cautiously.
“What brings you here?”
“We have come to see Talia Roem Gwirta.”
The woman standing at the very back stepped forward as she spoke.
The moment Marisen saw her face, she sucked in a sharp breath.
Standing before her was the woman with the highest status in the Empire after the Empress herself.
Marisen immediately bowed her head.
“Greetings, Your Highness the First Imperial Princess.”