Chapter 9

He held me for a long time and only let me go when the sun went down.

Energy drained from my body. Every time I took a step, I trembled and needed support.

It was impossible for commoner maids to touch the Empress's body. So, in return, I had to wait until the maids of noble status come.

I felt like I was about to cry, so I sat down on one side and waited as I tried to organize my thoughts. It was only after about thirty minutes that I was able to return to the Empress's Palace with the help of the maids.

'Isn't there any kiln here...?'

No matter how high of a status a person is, it felt like I was about to cry at the reality of needing someone noble to help me walk.

Seriously, what's wrong with commoners not being able to touch the Empress's body, only in strange places!

Besides...

It was terribly embarrassing.

Since only women who were widely known for their modesty and character were eligible to become the Empress's handmaidens. There are foreign exemptions like the Marquis' Jacques esteemed Madam. So, the reliability of that standard is a bit questionable...

Doesn't that mean that at least the external image of these people is good?

Because of that, I couldn't find myself showing those people myself in this condition. Unlike Raniero, I'm shy because I'm just a normal person.

With my face blushing, I lowered my head and went back to the Empress Palace.

Even though I'm embarrassed like this, Raniero must not be feeling anything at all.

Horrible jerk...

I decided to curse something that I couldn't openly say internally.

Every time I found traces of his passing while receiving a bath, my face burned with embarrassment even more.

After relaxing in the warm water, mixed with spices and sitting on the bed wearing only a silk robe, the feeling of sleepiness immediately flooded me.

I couldn't dry my hair, and of course, I couldn't bite the maids, so I fell asleep.

The next day, there was a significant change in the Empress's Palace.

This was because the Marquis' Jacques esteemed Madam was forced to step down from the head maid position when she became a 'prey' in the hunting game I suggested before. Therefore, I had to choose a new head maid.

However, when I brought it up, a look of burden appeared on all the maids' faces.

As everyone followed the instructions of the esteemed Madam and ignored me, they must have come to the conclusion that they would not be able to face me after that.

When I asked who would like to be the head maid, no one offered to do it.

So, among the maids from the Actilus Empire, Cisen stepped forward with a smile of determination.

"I will take care of Your Majesty the Empress since I am the closest to you."

I widened my eyes.

If I had been in a position where Cisen was, I would have been discouraged. It was surprising that she was able to stand up so proudly in this situation.

On the other hand, I was happy at the same time. If Cisen were the head maid, at least, she wouldn't have to go through the stress of maiming like that again.

I smiled and glanced at the maids, trying not to show my actual feeling.

"I didn't have any other applicants, though fortunately, Cisen took the courage to take on a heavy position. In addition, she knows me best as well, so this would make her job easier."

And so, I made Cisen the maid's chief without asking for the opinions of the other maids.

Cisen, who was now the head maid, told me that the other maids looked a bit bewildered after I fell asleep yesterday.

Of course, the story of the Empress, who had only recently arrived from a faraway foreign kingdom, knew the Emperor's intentions better than the Vice Minister, was like a mysterious ghost story to them.

Obviously, they chatted with each other. Though when they saw Cisen approaching, they immediately shut their mouths.

Meanwhile, Cisen was proud of me, who wisely passed the crisis.

She said, "Princess, no, it has been decided now that the Empress should not touch recklessly. Finally."

She then took my hand and smiled warmly. Seeing her unwavering loyalty to me, I felt a little sorry for her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't take care of you sooner."

"No."

She spoke firmly and patted the back of my hand.

"I was guessing that even Your Majesty couldn't use your power easily. Rather, I am only sorry that I could not stay by your side while they territorialize the precious Empress."

Hearing that, I gazed at Cisen quietly.

She could not have guessed that the Princess she had been loyal to had changed. Well, that's understandable. How can she imagine that her soul has changed to someone else instead?

Thankfully, the degree of my change would be enough to give an environmental excuse.

'I'm sorry for pretending to be your master, Cisen...'

I uttered quietly to myself, looking into Cisen's eyes.

'I might be enough in return, but I'll make sure she doesn't lose her master.'

When I think about it, did Cisen in the original die with Angelica...?

Or, did she end up living alone?

Either way, it seems she couldn't have been very happy.

I sighed and looked around.

The most striking change that occurred when the esteemed Madam of the Marquis of Jacques was overthrown and Cisen took the place of chief maid of honor would be that the maids of my age started talking to me first—even with their trembling, awkward smiles.

"Wh, what color does Your Highness prefer the flowers to be...?"

Their eyes, who tried to understand and worried for my intentions, now contained not exclusion but nervousness and fear.

If I had been a more courageous person, I would have had a casual smile, but unfortunately, I'm the weak type.

'I'm not that scary...'

To be honest, I don't care if they treated me like a normal person. But, I think it would be a bit too burdensome to do it if they looked at me as if I'm some incredible and difficult person to handle.

'What if I lose my place later on...'

In the end, I responded with an ambiguous smile to the Young Lady maid, who was wearing an awkward smile.

"The yellow is bright, so wouldn't that be nice?"

"I will take your order."

Hearing my clumsy answer, she then bowed deeply.

When she lifted her head again, I could see her eyes twinkling with determination.

It was as if she was thinking, 'The Empress is not someone to look down on. Let's not be deceived even if she looks clumsy.'

'No, I'm not a great person or anything...'

I'm just a novel reader who read everything in Raniero's head from the perspective of a third-person omniscient writer!

Nevertheless, there was no way I could say such a thing, so the misunderstanding only grew bigger and bigger.

That wasn't all.

What I yelled at Marquis Jacques in the audience room spread like an oral tale, and somehow started to gain weight. The image of the Empress, who had not started socializing, began to harden into a 'fiery charisma' or an 'extreme fox' amid the lush rumors.

'Ugh...!'

No, I wanted to run right away and correct the misunderstandings right away, though I also know that if I step out and deny it here, it will only hurt me.

'I just don't want to offend the Emperor!'

To be honest, the shouting there was close to outputting a mouth-wrenching sound instead of Raniero!

Anyway, as a result of that, fantasies about me were inflated...

Somehow, I was recognized as a very cold-blooded and temperamental Empress.

It seems that I have not been able to win the favor of outsiders due to his strong image of a stranger yet.

'No. This is all a misunderstanding. I'm not like that at all...'

Such a cry could only be made in my mind.

On the surface, what can I do?

After the esteemed Madam of Marquis Jacques was captured, I had no choice but to do the things that were slowly being assigned to me.

Thanks to Angelica's habits and memories left in this body, I was able to carry out the work of the Empress without any sense of incongruity.

My head is spinning a little better than in my previous life. Angelica, fortunately, seemed to have been the blunt type. Ha... because she's such a woman, she must have been able to demand her succession from the Emperor.

But, at the same time, I knew.

Some of Angelica's abilities either fell asleep or fell apart as I fused into her body.

For instance, now, my work performance seems to be a bit inferior compared to the original Angelica. I could tell that Cisen was trying to encourage me by saying, 'You haven't been acclimatized to the Actilus Empire yet.'

People who assigned me the work expected a first-grade quality, although in reality, my ability was barely a third-grade or so...

I can do it if I stay up all night. Still, I'm not very good at it and I'm just doing it to get it done...

'I wish I had someone who could help me. Haa—'

Even though Cisen was capable, though as anyone mentioned, she is still not used to the situations of the Actilus Empire yet.

Meanwhile, the maids under me are also already having a hard time with me and being wary of me at the same time...

Taking a deep breath, I stared at the plan of landscaping the garden before going out to supervise the actual measurements.

Since it was a saloon of some kind, I had to plan a ball. Now that I was a new member of the Imperial Palace, I have to welcome guests and say hello to the nobles.

All of that must end before the most important event of Actilus, the Haji Festival.

The symbol of the war god, Actilla was the sun. So, the summer solstice, when the sun would be the longest, was the most important day for Actilus, who worship Actilla.

It is said that on this day, nobles from all over the Empire gather together to hold a ceremony and have dinner together. Because of that, I had to prepare for this summer solstice, too.

'Of course, it's something I must do but...'

The schedule was too tight.

With only half of Angelica's ability, I was on the verge of being overworked.

'Oh, my God. I'm too busy... being entrusted so much with the Empress's job...!'

In the midst of this, after Raniero pushed me like a beast that day, I couldn't even see his nose after that. Either because he forgot me or lost interest...

'God, not Actilla! I would be very happy if that's the case!'

It was a ray of light in this harsh world for me.

If I had had to meet Raniero, I might have collapsed and died because I really didn't sleep enough...

It was at the moment when I was hurried to leave the garden after surveying.

As I was thinking of going back to the Empress's Palace and getting a massage and closing my eyes for a while, outside the main gate of the Empress's Palace, someone's imprint could be seen.

It was a woman with long, beautiful silver hair.

Although she looked slightly disheveled, her shoulders and back were upright and her figure was graceful.

Her eyes and my eyes met suddenly as she was standing in front of the closed iron door, holding her hands neatly.

One of the maids following me behind me quickly blocked my view.

"Why don't we go back and take a rest..."

Meanwhile, because I was a little less flamboyant from the constant overwork, I asked in a blank voice.

"Who is that person?"

The shoulder of the handmaiden who stood in front of me stiffened.