Bad Maids

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Yulia heard from a spy planted in the palace that the King would personally attend the event.
Everyone said it was natural since it was a contest under the pretext of the King's birthday, but Yulia didn't think so.

The King will appear to set up Shatrin's flag.

“Have a safe trip.”

This time, instead of Yulia, Coco decided to follow.
As it was the day Lewicia would declare his support for Shatrin, she decided to avoid being in a position where she could garner attention.

“The fact that I have to tell the kid who hit you to become King…
doesn't make me feel good.”

Lewicia muttered depressingly as he left the palace.
Yulia soothed him, telling him not to care about such things.

After the two of them left the palace, Yulia hurriedly prepared to go out.
While Lewicia and Coco would be shaking the contest venue by using Shatrin, she had other work to attend to.

'I have to prevent the Marquis of Marjoram from coming back to his senses too soon.'

If the route of the slush funds is cut off and the successor is destroyed beyond his control, the Marquis will not be able to pay attention to what happens inside the palace for the time being.

“Welcome!”

Maxwell, who was waiting in front of the carriage in advance, waved his hand at Yulia.

“Now then, shall we try going inside the enemy’s mouth?”

“Is it really possible?”

“Do you know what I have done the most while living in Ortega for the past ten years? Secretly sneaking in and out of the homes of powerful people.”

“The Marjoram mansion is heavily guarded.”

“The more guarded a place, the more vulnerable it is.”

Maxwell boasted.

“The castles of Baikan are surrounded by layers of towers, gates, and walls.
So, Ortega is almost at the level of a fence.
Is it because the country is peaceful, or because it's open? I wonder.”

“It's customary to prefer having a large plot of land rather than tall buildings.”

“Is that so? Anyway, you will be able to enter the Marjoram mansion.
Moreover, underground prisons are the easiest place to break into.
In terms of security, it's the last place to check.” 

Shortly after the boastful words, Yulia was able to enter Marjoram's underground prison.

The two guards, who had received a generous amount of gold coins, took off their armor and slipped away.
Yulia and Maxwell put on the armor, and covered their faces with helmets.

“Shall we go?”

“Yes.”

Yulia followed behind him.

Vasily was confined to a spacious and comfortable prison.
There were also a soft bed and a dining table.

Yulia found him lying there, like a person who had embraced all the agony in the world.

“Vasily.”

Yulia took off her helmet.

“…Yulia?”

'How did you come in here?' Based on his expression, that's what Vasily seemed to be thinking.
It was hard to contain her laugh as she watched that stupid face.

When Yulia involuntarily let out a light laugh, Vasily came closer and grabbed the iron bars like someone who had found hope in the dark.

“Yulia, I missed you so much.”

“You are still as selfish.
People’s eyes aren’t meant to just see what’s in front of them as it is.”

“What?”

“I am telling you to think a little bit deeper about the things you see with your eyes and hear with your ears.
Especially for someone like you who were born with power in your hands, you always have to think.”

“Yulia, what are you talking about after coming all the way here?”

“Something like, 'put yourself in the other person's place'.”

Yulia said in a voice mixed with laughter.
It was a tone that seemed to be admonishing as well as taunting.

Vasily's eyes began to shake little by little.
He finally understood that Yulia's smile was very different from the past.

“You learn this when you are very young, you know.
Morality, ethics, being an upright person…
Oh, it comes out during etiquette, too.
Since you are the son of a marquis, wouldn't you have learned that it is a moral duty expected from nobles?”

“I don’t understand what you are trying to say.
Yulia, I became like this because of you, but…”

“I am telling you…”

The smile instantly disappeared from Yulia's face.

“…to think about what you would do if you were in my place.
From the time we first met until now, think about it once…
if you have a brain.
What if our positions were reversed? Try to think about it!”

“What's…
wrong with you?”

“I don’t even want you to sympathize with me.
It's been a long time since I gave up on that.
But, Vasily, don't you need to at least understand? Why I am doing this, and why I changed like this?”

She knew it was useless to say this.
People don't change easily.
Especially someone who is narrow-minded and selfish like Vasily.

“What…
is so unfair?”

Look at that.
Vasily eventually blamed Yulia.

“Thanks to my family’s support, you were able to study what you wanted, and you lived comfortably.
Kristin used to think of you as a friend when she was little.
It was the same for me!”

'Why are you so cheap?'

Yulia was about to say that, but stayed still instead.
She thought of waiting to see what other nonsense he would spout out.