Chapter 188 : Chapter 188

Chapter 188: Staying Behind (2)

Cellos ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Abalan quickened his steps toward his castle while feeling a filthy emotion he could not quite describe.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍faces of the people gathered around that small light in the darkness would not easily leave his head.

His ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍heart felt unsettled, as if it were unpleasant, and yet on the other hand, it also felt strangely buoyant.

Cellos ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not know that this was the sensation of feeling uplifted.

He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had never once been praised for his ability since birth, and he did not think he would feel good just because some bugs had praised him a little.

He ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍concluded that all of this was because the servants had been laughable.

Yes, that was it.

For them to be so startled and nearly fall over just because he had lit a single candle.

“Maybe because they worked under the powerless 7th Prince, they’re surprised by even such trivial things.”

Cellos, who had muttered words belittling the 7th Prince out of habit, briefly stopped.

The fact that there was no longer any sarcasm to return even when he said things like this felt unfamiliar, and he also felt his pride wounded by the fact that he had flinched a little just because he had spoken ill of a dead man.

No, there was still no certainty that the bastard was dead, so it was still too early to call him a dead man.

Cellos turned toward Anna, who had followed behind him in silence.

Anna, who had been struggling under the weight of Ran’s books, flinched in surprise and watched Cellos’s expression.

“Did you bring everything nearby?”

“Yes. A-anything with e-east in the title......”

Anna’s voice shrank as she answered Cellos, who stepped into his room.

At Anna’s answer, Cellos furrowed his brow suspiciously.

“Can you even read?”

“Y-yes. A l-little......”

The words “I can read” that followed were too quiet to even be heard.

“Damn it. Can’t the things that worked under the 7th Prince even answer properly?”

Unfortunately, Cellos was not considerate enough to take into account the circumstances of a child terrified out of her wits.

“I-I-I-I’m sorry.”

And that did nothing to help Anna relax.

Rather, seeing Anna’s symptoms grow worse, Cellos irritably raised his hand, then slowly lowered his arm again.

It was not because he pitied the trembling Anna.

It was because the sight of Anna, who looked as if she might faint again, brought up one unpleasant memory.

-You knew she was so frightened she was about to faint.

Recalling the calm yet reproachful voice of Ran Abalan, who had stupidly burned to death, Cellos clicked his tongue.

Even at that small tongue-clicking sound, Anna flinched in surprise, but Cellos ignored it and opened the book placed at the top of the stack in the child’s arms.

It looked far dirtier than it had in the dark room.

Since the eastern country had already been ruined long ago, it seemed the books about it were also old and worn out.

Cellos continued flipping through the books, even while shaking his hands as if touching something filthy.

“Hey, do you know why that bastard told you to look for these?”

“N-no. I don’t know. I-I’m sorry.”

Anna, who had calmed down enough to only stammer once, answered.

“O-only, the 7th Prince’s mother......”

“I know about that bastard’s mother too!”

Cellos raised his voice.

He knew very well about Ran Abalan’s mother.

He knew very well that he himself had desperately searched for anything Ran lacked compared to him and compared it.

Ability, environment, treatment...... and mother.

Ran Abalan, who fell below him in every regard, was both the existence that barely filled Cellos’s bottomed-out self-esteem, and the shadow that hid his powerless and shameful self.

As long as Ran Abalan existed, his own lack of power was not exposed.

Though the bastard had become a little strange recently, Cellos, who had still gained peace of mind just from his existence, could not endure the fact that he had disappeared.

It felt as if he had been dropped into the middle of a battlefield without any armament.

His nerves sharpened again.

“Damn it. There’s no way that bastard died so absurdly. He must have left something behind, didn’t he?!”

Cellos, who had been flipping through the book this way and that, stopped his hand.

[They have a peculiar tradition of calling one falcon each to mourn when a royal family member passes away.]

Cellos, who had found the content he had been looking for, nearly buried his face in the book.

[Their method of mourning death is simple, but the inferior history and culture unique to them, hidden within that brevity, makes the entire process special.]

Thinking the idle chatter was long, Cellos quickly read down the page.

[It is said that when a king or queen dies, they call a peregrine falcon, and when a prince or princess dies, they call a black falcon. Judging from this, their obsession with animals is barbaric and, at the same time, mysterious......]

He lifted his eyes from the page and turned his gaze to the sky outside the window.

“These people aren’t all dead yet, are they?”

“Y-yes?”

At Cellos’s mutter, Anna stammered and asked back.

Then she immediately remembered that such behavior was not permitted to her.

“N-no, that’s right, Your Highness. I heard that some of that clan still remains in the east.”

Cellos, who had been preparing to shout at Anna again, swallowed his breath emptily at the child’s quick answer.

Cellos looked down at Anna as she rolled her eyes while sweating coldly, then opened his mouth.

“Get out now.”

There was nothing more to obtain from this young and dim-looking maid.

He had never expected anything more than the role of a porter in the first place.

That meant Anna’s worry, as she had followed Cellos while trembling over what punishment she might receive, had been pointless, but Anna was simply grateful.

At any rate, he was letting her go peacefully, so there was no reason not to be.

“Yes......! Thank you!”

Anna answered without stammering for the first time and bowed her head.

Watching the child bow and retreat backward, Cellos opened his mouth impulsively.

“Hey.”

“Y-yes?”

“Was that true earlier?”

At the sudden question, Anna rolled her eyes.

Cellos’s expression had suddenly changed after the people had committed the rudeness of surrounding him.

So the point of the question had to be one of two things.

Whether it truly was the first time they had seen an Imperial Family member use Manis, or whether she had sincerely thought the light made by the 8th Prince was pretty.

She could not understand why he was suddenly asking such a thing, so she did not know how to answer.

Was it right to beg forgiveness after all?

She had no certainty, but she also did not have the nerve to hesitate any longer before Cellos, so Anna hurriedly opened her mouth.

“I apologize o-once again. E-everyone had never seen such a small and pretty light before...... so we lost our senses and watched...... No, of course, I don’t mean that we dared to watch the 8th Prince......”

The longer she spoke, the more her excuses somehow seemed to tangle.

It was the moment Anna squeezed her eyes shut, afraid to check Cellos’s expression.

Knock knock.

As if it were a lie, someone knocked on the door.

***

Cellos pushed Anna aside and grabbed the door tightly.

He sensed Anna, who had barely avoided falling, looking at him with a flustered expression, but he did not care about that.

He had given the order not to let anyone in until he gave a separate command.

There was only one person who could order someone to knock on his door while ignoring that, and there was only one person who would come to find him at this hour.

Cellos broke into a cold sweat as he thought of his cold and beautiful mother.

It was rare for the Empress to come directly to him without calling for him.

He looked at the books and papers scattered messily across his floor, and at Anna, who stood there hesitantly.

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and clean those up!”

Cellos ordered Anna.

Anna felt wronged, having been told to get out and then scolded for standing there, but she obeyed his order without talking back.

It was partly because it was an order, but also because Cellos looked far too urgent.

Still mistakenly believing that Ran and Cellos had been on good terms, Anna felt a small gratitude toward the 8th Prince in her own childlike way.

Because Cellos was also the only Imperial Family member who had personally visited Ran’s castle after he died.

Though she did not know who on earth had come to visit, Anna first fully displayed the experience she had gained while working as the 7th Prince’s maid in order to help him out of his predicament.

She quickly gathered the books and pushed them beneath the sofa in the middle of Cellos’s room, and beneath the bed.

The child straightened the bedsheets and carpet so that not a single piece of paper stuck out.

Her hand movements were quick and neat.

“I-it’s all done.”

At the same time Anna spoke while panting, a sound came from outside the door.

“Your Highness, Her Majesty, the Empress has come.”

Even though Cellos had expected the visitor’s identity, he jumped in surprise as much as Anna did.

Now that the room was clean, there was only one thing left to clean up.

Cellos, growing urgent, pointed outside the window.

“Hey, you! Now jump out the window.”

It was an ignorant and cruel order.

It was the moment Anna’s goodwill toward Cellos weakened greatly.

“Fr-from here?”

Anna looked out the window in panic.

Looking again did not change anything.

If she fell, she would die instantly.

Anna’s mind went blank as she repeatedly grabbed and released the window frame, then soon shook her head.

“P-please withdraw that order.”

Perhaps because this was the first time she had so openly refused an order, fire lit in Cellos’s eyes.

“Are you saying you won’t listen to me?”

“I-if I fall from here, I’ll r-really die......!”

“Who said to die? I’m just telling you to jump outside. If you’re lucky, you’ll just break an arm.”

Cellos, excluding the possibility that if she were unlucky, her neck might break cleanly, grabbed Anna’s shoulders.

He was clearly going to graciously lift her up himself and throw her.

Anna trembled with fear while working her head.

“Y-Your Highness, I’m a maid. E-even if I’m here, I’ll j-just look like someone working.”

Anna desperately pointed at the maid uniform she was wearing.

Since the child’s words seemed right again, Cellos hesitated for a moment over his choice.

It was an infinitely good opportunity for Anna.

Because that brief moment saved her life.

Thanks to the Empress, who could no longer wait for Cellos, opening the door and bursting in.

Click.

A beautiful middle-aged woman appeared through the hastily opened door.

Cellos threw Anna again this time too.

Thanks to that, Anna, who had unnaturally dropped to the floor, was able to greet the Empress with her head bowed as she was.

The Empress’s eyes swept in order over the room, Cellos, and Anna, who was kneeling on the floor.

“E-Empress, what brings you here at this hour?”

“What is that?”

The Empress ignored Cellos’s words and asked.

Cellos, realizing that “that” meant Anna, who was curled up like a pill bug, glared at Anna, who had not obeyed his order.

“......A maid cleaning the room.”

“Cleaning?”

The Empress asked back while looking at Anna’s hands, which did not hold a single cleaning tool.

“Yes. She was cleaning the window.”

Anna curled her head further inward, regretting whether perhaps it would have been better to jump out the window after all.