NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24 - Imperial Palace
Scene 024: Imperial Palace
By the time Wendy opened her eyes, the sun had already begun to set.
“Huh?!”
Oh no! What about her work for today?
She had never overslept like this before!
Internally screaming, Wendy hurriedly yanked off her pajamas. There was no time—or had there ever been time to spare in the first place?
Wendy froze as she reached for her uniform. Without thinking, she’d almost grabbed the regular maid’s uniform, the one she had worn just until recently. She quickly grabbed the personal maid uniform hanging beside it instead.
The role of personal maid.
A servant who stands closest to the noble and is given the highest respect. In short, the most trusted aide.
Not long ago, Wendy had been the youngest maid in this mansion. Her sudden promotion to the rank of personal maid was nothing short of a miracle. Gossip, she knew, was inevitable. The role of exclusive maid gave her authority over the other servants in the household. It was only natural that there would be murmurs since Wendy had risen to this position, bypassing her seniors.
And she was right. There was a lot of… talk.
“That’s how things are, Wendy. You’ve become his plaything, huh?”
“Huh? A plaything for who?”
“Wendy, if things get tough, you have to talk to us, okay? We’re all on your side.”
“Huh? Uh… thanks… everyone?”
“Oh, poor Wendy. How could they do this to you…”
“Uh… unnie?”
Fully dressed, Wendy bolted out of her room. She sprinted down the long hallway of the Ruelberta mansion.
Looking back, it all felt like one unbelievable event after another. She had become the Count’s personal maid. She’d been accepted into the empire’s top magic academy and had discovered she was of the hero’s bloodline. And she had even discovered that the infamous Count had a surprisingly kind side.
It all felt like a dream. Maybe that’s why she let her guard down.
Yesterday, after finishing her exam, she’d felt an overwhelming drowsiness take over. The moment she returned to the mansion, she’d collapsed into bed. She never imagined she’d sleep this deeply.
Wendy kept running. Being late as the Count’s personal maid? Unforgivable.
She stopped in front of the Count’s office. This was where she worked. Catching her breath, she knocked on the door.
“Ex-excuse me!”
When she opened the door, she saw that no one was inside. It was strange—the Count should have been here.
Wendy was about to dash back out when she ran into a senior maid at the doorway.
“Julie, unnie?”
“Wendy?”
“Where’s the Count?”
“Huh? Oh… he’s probably at the training ground…”
“Th-thanks!”
Wendy ran again.
She didn’t hear Julie’s voice behind her saying, “Wait, Wendy, today you…”
As she left the mansion, the sun was nearly gone. She had to hurry. Wendy kicked off her cumbersome shoes. Being from the countryside, she was used to running barefoot. She ran and ran. Until she spotted a figure in the distance.
The figure soon rounded out into the shape of a plump man. It was her master, Tristan Luelberta. He was wiping off his sweat at the side of the training ground.
Wendy skidded to a stop in front of him. She bowed her head and spoke.
“Hah… Count, sir… I’m sorry… hah… for being late…”
“Wendy.”
“I-I overslept… I’m really sorry…”
“Wendy.”
“I’m your personal maid… ha… this is inexcusable…”
“Look up and listen, foolish girl.”
Only then did Wendy cautiously lift her head. Tristan was looking down at her.
And with an expression that said the girl in front of him was the biggest fool in the world, he said:
“Today’s your day off.”
“…What?”
*****
Darkness descended upon the audience chamber. The only light came from magic-lit lamps, casting a bright glow from the ceiling that illuminated the face of the girl seated on the central throne. An unexpected visitor stood before her.
“It’s been a while, Mondri.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The old man kneeling before her was Mondri Cremonte, the president of Mekhael University.
“So… what brings you here at such a late hour?”
Mondri slowly raised his head. The girl on the throne was wearing a silver stag mask, her legs crossed elegantly as she waited for his answer. She was Empress Lucy Mekhael, the ruler of the empire.
After a while, the words that finally came from Mondri’s mouth piqued their interest.
“A hero has appeared.”
“Oh…? But wasn’t that just a legend?”
“I thought so too, until now… but it seems the legend is true.”
“What’s your proof?” Lucy’s sharp gaze seemed to pierce through him.
“I saw it with my own eyes. I saw that person use magic from all elements.”
“Magic from all elements… If that’s true, then that person must be the hero.”
Lucy rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought.
“So… the hero’s appearance means this world is in danger, doesn’t it?”
“Yes. It could mean the Demon King has returned.”
Lucy let out a sigh.
The Demon King. A figure who, like the hero, had existed only in legends.
“… So, peace can’t last forever, can it?”
The Mekhael Empire, an island nation, had enjoyed long-standing peace. Yet Lucy wondered if they’d grown too complacent. She had never imagined the Demon King would return during her reign.
“Where is the hero now?”
“With the Count of Ruelberta.”
At the mention of the count, Lucy furrowed her brow beneath the mask. “Ruelberta… You mean Count Tristan?”
“Yes. The hero is his servant.”
“The hero… a servant to a noble family?”
Lucy tilted her head slightly in confusion, prompting Mondri to explain further.
“It seems the hero was unaware of his true identity. He had been working as a servant for the count’s family and only recently realized who he is.”
“So only that one person has noticed now?”
“Yes… but Count Ruelberta has known all along that that person was the hero.”
Mondri’s hostility toward Count Tristan was evident.
“So… the count deliberately concealed it? Is that what you’re saying?” Lucy asked.
“Yes.”
“But why? There’s no reason for him to do that.”
“I’m not entirely sure myself. But with Ruelberta… I have no doubt he’s up to something.”
Ruelberta… Lucy repeated the name in her mind. Perhaps the most powerful figure in the empire. His wealth had long surpassed that of the Imperial treasury, and generations of emperors had failed to contain his influence. The Imperial family’s authority had steadily diminished as a result.
To Lucy, Ruelberta’s growing influence was even more concerning than the hero’s arrival.
Ruelberta couldn’t be allowed to run wild any longer. Lucy had resolved to put an end to it.
“Very well, Mondri. Thank you for informing me. But let’s not jump to conclusions. We don’t want to stir up unnecessary panic among the people.”
“I understand… Thank you for granting me this late audience. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Mm.”
As Mondri left the audience chamber, Lucy softly called out, “Marco.”
“Yes.” A deep voice responded. A large figure stepped forward from the shadows behind the throne.
Lucy gave her order to the man. “Confirm Mondri’s claims. If you find that the count has any ulterior motives…”
She removed her mask, her cold gaze shifting to the massive Ruelberta mansion beyond the window. The mansion, as large as the Imperial palace itself, seemed to challenge the authority of the Imperial family.
“Show him personally what the authority of the imperial family truly means.”