For the One Who Hates Me - Chapter 9

The old carriage stopped in front of the imperial palace’s main building. The waiting palace staff murmured amongst themselves. The emperor who had left on horseback had returned in a carriage, and it seemed he had brought back the princess consort who had run away.

A servant opened the door, and Karl stepped out first. Aura followed, holding his hand. She was wrapped in a fur cloak identical to Karl’s.

Karl asked his aide, Theo, “Was there any trouble in the palace?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty,” Aura called out to Karl. Everyone’s eyes instantly turned to her. Karl looked at her as well. It was the first time she had ever called him “Your Majesty.”

“I have a request.” Her use of formal language seemed to acknowledge the presence of onlookers.

“…Speak.”

“I’d like to change the people in my room, if that would be alright.”

At her words, Karl glanced at Tasha, who was standing in the corner. Tasha couldn’t hide her disappointment that Aura had returned. For Karl, Tasha held a special meaning—or at least she seemed to. Everyone thought of Tasha as Karl’s mother.

Aura had presented him with a choice: allow her to dismiss Tasha and establish her own authority, or stop her and save Tasha’s dignity.

Karl let out a small laugh and turned away, as if to say the request was trivial.

“Do as you wish.”

“I will.”

“I’m tired.” Karl, accompanied by Theo and Josh, entered the main building. The crowd’s attention now shifted between Aura and Tasha.

Aura slowly approached Tasha. Tasha’s gaze lingered on the collar of Aura’s dress, peeking out from beneath the fur cloak. The dress had the traditional Zenia pattern embroidered on it.

Aura smiled and said to Tasha, “I think it’s best if you leave my room now.”

Being forced out of the future empress’s room meant being dismissed from the position of head maid.

The next day, Tasha quietly stepped down from her position as head maid and was reassigned to the emperor’s room. She had nothing to do there, but it was the only way for her to save face.

Meanwhile, unexpected items arrived at the princess consort’s room. Aura’s books, dresses, and jewelry from Zenia. Theo, who had led the servants, greeted Aura respectfully.

“I officially introduce myself. I am Theo Silla, His Majesty the Emperor’s aide.”

“It’s a pleasure to work with you, Theo.”

Aura didn’t show it, but she had already heard rumors about Theo. The Silla family was a prestigious lineage that had produced excellent knights for generations. Theo had served Karl as a knight, but his intelligence and quick wit had earned him the position of chief aide. He seemed much more refined than Josh. However, his politeness was tinged with suspicion toward Aura. He hadn’t yet decided whether she would be a boon or a detriment to his master.

Regardless, Aura had no desire to ingratiate herself with Karl’s subordinate. They would all find out eventually that she and Karl were not destined to benefit each other.

Aura looked at the items the servants had placed on the floor and asked, “Where were all these kept?”

“His Majesty the Emperor was keeping them in a separate place. Please check if everything is here.”

Theo skillfully avoided giving a direct answer. He wasn’t going to reveal the location where so many items were stored.

Aura didn’t press the matter and opened a jewelry box. She ran her fingers over the jewelry she hadn’t seen in a long time. ‘I thought I had lost them forever.’

Most of the jewelry was from Zenia. She had always been frugal, so most were gifts or special purchases. Each piece held its own memories. But now, they were just funds to be used without any sentimental attachment.

Aura snapped the jewelry box shut.

“Please tell His Majesty the Emperor that I am very grateful, Theo.”

That afternoon, Aura sought out a maid. She was the one who had managed the north tower for the past three years.

Her confinement had been a nightmare, and her meals were something she never wanted to remember. Food was delivered once a day through a small slot in the iron door. It was often half-rotten, and Aura frequently suffered from stomach pains.

What saved her was a painkiller slipped under the plate. The maid had given it to her without the guards knowing.

The maid who had been summoned entered the princess consort’s room.

“Y-You called for me?”

“I’d like to see your hands.”

“Pardon?”

“Your hands.”

“Ah… yes.”

The maid awkwardly held out her hands. They were calloused and her nails were short. It was the same hands Aura had seen through the food slot.

Aura finally looked at the maid’s face. She had a round face with many freckles. Her bright orange hair was hidden under a dirty headscarf.

‘So that’s what she looked like.’

The maid didn’t know what to do under Aura’s gaze and bowed her head even lower.

“What’s your name?”

“Mina Sonet.”

“Sonet. I haven’t heard that family name before.”

“N-No, you wouldn’t have. My hometown is very rural…”

“Right. I suppose so.” Aura opened the jewelry box on the table and took out a green ring. “Take this. You went through a lot of trouble taking care of me.”

“Th-Thank you.”

Mina didn’t even look at the ring and held out her hands. Aura placed the ring in her trembling hands.

“I’m no longer in the tower, so you must not have anything to do there. What are you doing now?”

“I’m feeding the horses in the stables.”

Taking care of the horses was one of the lowest positions for a maid. It seemed she had no powerful backing.

“That’s good. Mina, I’m going to make you the head maid.”

“…Pardon?”

Mina finally lifted her head. Her round eyes were wide and surprisingly cute.

“H-Head maid? M-Me? I… I can’t do that.”

“Why not? It’s better than feeding horses, isn’t it?”

“P-Please, rescind the order. I did something wrong. Please forgive me.” Mina fell to her knees, begging.

“Haa…” A sigh escaped Aura’s lips. She knew why Mina was so scared. The palace was filled with rumors about her. They all said Aura had gone mad from her long confinement. They said she had tried to drown the head maid and gouge out another maid’s eye.

“Raise your head, Mina.”

Mina shakily raised her head. Tears streamed down her cheeks, showing how terrified she was.

“When I was confined, why did you help me?”

“Well… my grandmother was from Zenia. I just couldn’t leave you like that…”

Maybe it was because of what she said, but Aura felt a hint of a Zenia aura from Mina.

“I-I have three younger siblings. My parents passed away early, so I’m all they have. If something happens to me, my siblings will be in great trouble. Please, please… just let me go…”

“This is getting us nowhere.” Aura shook her head and opened the jewelry box again. She placed three rings in front of Mina. “These are for your siblings. They’re worth more than what you earn feeding horses.”

It wasn’t just a little more. They were things she couldn’t buy even if she worked her whole life. Mina stared at Aura. In her eyes, Aura looked like both a demon and an angel.

“Your siblings… What are they doing?”

“My twin younger siblings are too young and my aunt is taking care of them, and my older brother is studying magic at a school in the countryside.”

“Magic?” Aura’s eyes lit up.

“…Yes, that’s right.”

“How old is he?”

“He’s nineteen. He’s a bit childish, but he’s a brilliant student. That’s why I’m trying to pay for his education no matter what.”

‘A brilliant student who’s studying magic.’

“How about this? There’s a magic department at the Imperial Academy. Commoners can enroll. I’ll write a letter of recommendation for him so he can come to the capital and study.”

Mina swallowed hard. The Imperial Academy. It was an opportunity her brother would never have again.

Aura held out her hand. “Mina. I’m the person you saved. If you show me your loyalty… I’ll make sure your siblings can live comfortably.”

The promise to take care of her siblings stopped Mina’s tears. The owner of this white hand didn’t seem as crazy as the rumors suggested. Although she didn’t seem like a normal person either.

Mina pressed her lips together, then gathered the rings. She took Aura’s hand and bowed her head. “I will be completely loyal to you, Princess Consort.”

Aura smiled and helped Mina to her feet. She liked the determined glint in Mina’s eyes.

“The coronation is in a week. There’s a lot to do. I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“From now on, you’ll prepare a bath for me morning and night. Instead of water, fill the tub with a mixture of flour, honey, and plant oil. And for every bath, prepare the fresh meat of a young calf.” This was a beauty treatment of the Zenia royal family. It was such an unfamiliar combination in Kasa that Mina repeated it to herself over and over again.

“Also, my meals will consist mainly of olives and meat, accompanied by a thick grape juice. It’s the fastest way to gain weight.”

“Yes, I will prepare everything.”

“You may go.”

“And Mina.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Bring your brother to me as soon as he is enrolled in the academy.”

Mina flinched at the request to bring her brother, but she bowed respectfully and left the room.

It was a better outcome than she had hoped for. A loyal head maid and a student studying magic. If she could use Mina’s brother properly, she might be able to find a way to break the seal on the Pin. If the magicians could regain their magic, Zenia could rise again, and Aura would somehow be able to leave the Kasa imperial palace.

‘Of course, I’ll have to get through the coronation first.’

Aura looked in the mirror. Her face was still pale and her bones were gaunt. If she went to the coronation like this, she would surely be a laughingstock.

‘Just one more week…’

She encouraged herself. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

Three days later, Theo entered the emperor’s office. He discreetly placed something on Karl’s desk, where Karl was working.

“What is it?”

“The receipts for the expenses the princess consort has made over the past three days.”

Karl glanced at the receipts without a thought. One of his eyebrows went up slightly. The receipts showed a truly staggering amount.

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