NOVEL NEXT Chapter 88
EP.88 The Mad Dog and the Mad Maid (3)
Raniel, the Ashen Mage.
He had eavesdropped on the First Prince and those related to him from the princess. Princess Lruiel whispered everything she had been spying on and investigating for her entire life to Raniel without missing a single detail.
Indeed, the First Prince’s faction was enormous.
There were many who fell under his feet. So many that one might even doubt if the royal palace could function properly without them.
The doubts showed on Raniel’s face.
Seeing his expression, Princess Lruiel smiled bitterly, as if to ask, “Can you really handle this?”
Raniel stroked his chin.
He organized his thoughts and compiled a list of what needed to be done based on the information he had received.
There was much to be cleared away.
A lot meant that it would be cumbersome to deal with everything one by one.
Raniel was the next Master of the Ashen Tower and had been an accomplished commander and knight on the battlefield. He knew well what to do when there was a lot to handle.
‘How bothersome.’
That’s what Raniel thought.
‘It’d be easier to just overturn everything.’
And thus, he concluded.
*
In the past few days, ominous rumors circulated within the Royal Quarters.
Rumors have no legs, yet they travel fast. With the human mouth and ear as allies, the rumors made a quick round through the Royal Quarters.
“Did you hear? Lately, in the Royal Quarters…”
These rumors didn’t just stick around in the Royal Quarters.
“No way, did you hear about her Highness, Princess Lruiel…?”
Inside the royal castle, rumors abound.
It all began within the inner court.
The handmaids who served the First Princess, Lruiel, whispered among themselves. What they whispered was as follows.
“Five court mages were dragged into the princess’s audience room.”
“However, not one mage came out of the Royal Quarters. They all seem to have been taken somewhere.”
“Every night, no, regardless of day or night, screams echo from the underground of the Royal Quarters.”
Rumors compounded into more rumors.
“More court mages have been taken. This time, the number is unusual—ten. They are all being dragged in one after another.”
“Something feels odd. The eyes of the court mages aren’t focused; they look terrified.”
“Goodness, what on earth did they do?”
When one couldn’t even begin to imagine the truth, the rumors inflated rapidly in size. Speculations followed these rumors.
“Could her Highness be going mad?”
“The nickname ‘Mad Dog’ fits all too well…”
“It’s not just the mages who are being captured?”
“What?”
More and more people were being dragged into the Royal Quarters. While many were being pulled in, no one ever came out. What on earth was going on?
“His Majesty hasn’t said a word.”
“It’s customary for His Majesty not to interfere in such matters. What about the First Prince?”
“He remains silent as well. It’s all mysterious.”
There was nothing to clarify.
“The captain of the guard has been dragged away.”
“Over there too? This side has…”
“The head of the beast tamers was taken…”
“Our deputy was also…”
Even amidst the confusion, incidents continued to unfold. At the center of it all stood Princess Lruiel, and beside her was a maid.
“Black hair.”
“Black eyes.”
“They say she’s incredibly strong. Rumor has it she throws adult men around like balls.”
“Not that it matters, but they say her complexion is surprisingly lovely.”
“They say she knows magic.”
“They claimed she subdued a court mage with just one clap?”
“No way, where in the world can you find a maid like that…?”
No one knew the identity of the maid.
An unknown maid guarded the princess’s side. The handmaids of the Royal Quarters whispered in muted tones.
And then.
Thud, thud!
The rumors reached a climax.
“Please, please have mercy!”
“No, please! I’ll do anything! If you let me have just one chance…!”
Someone was dragged out of Princess Lruiel’s audience room. The moment the handmaids saw the face of the person being dragged out, their expressions turned rigid.
Teslute, the court mage.
He was the representative of the court mages, known for his pride and dignity.
“Just once, please, just once!”
Clinging to the door handle of the audience room, he begged, tears streaming down his face. Approaching him was none other than.
“Sir Teslute, I believe you are under some misapprehension.”
It was Princess Lruiel.
She smiled sweetly and reached out. One by one, she peeled Teslute’s fingers away from the door handle.
Snap!
Finally, his last finger slipped off.
Teslute, who lost grip of the handle, fell to the floor. With trembling eyes, he looked up.
At the end of his gaze stood Princess Lruiel.
Slowly, she began to speak.
“It is custom for you to serve as I command. Why do you think they are called court mages? They exist for the royal family, which is why they are court mages.”
As if speaking the most obvious thing in the world, her voice was utterly calm. Before her impressive demeanor, Teslute was left speechless.
“I see you have nothing further to say.”
She gestured.
“Take him away.”
“How many times should we strike him?”
The guard knight asked.
To that question, Lruiel answered briefly.
“Until his bent back straightens.”
Teslute’s complexion turned pale as a sheet.
“Uagh! Uagh! Your Highness, Princess Lruiel! This should not be happening…!”
He screamed as the guard knight dragged him away. The handmaids quickly averted their gaze.
Creek, bang!
Finally, the door to the audience room closed again.
“…”
In the silent corridor, a new rumor began to bloom. The princess had captured the court mage and declared she would deliver a beating until his back straightened…
How could this be?
No one knew the reason behind it.
Only a single maid moved among them, searching for new prey.
2.
“At this point, I’m becoming curious.”
“Pardon?”
“You, what on earth have you accomplished to have such a clean setup?”
“Clean?”
The princess looked at me like I was foolish.
“I heard the research room the court mages were using was completely wrecked. All their illicit activities that they had been hiding are laid out right in front of me.”
She pointed to the documents she had just shown Teslute.
“You brought this.”
“Right?”
“You destroyed the research room of the court mages, and it was you who smashed their secret meeting room too.”
“That was a secret meeting room?”
I kicked it open, so it just burst open.
“…Anyway, you must have wreaked real havoc. But I see no trace of it left. How did you manage that?”
“Hmm…”
“I expected you would leave some clues, so I prepared many sentences to reply to that. But it seems there’s no need.”
I almost said, ‘It just worked out,’ but I paused and stroked my chin. From my experience, the phrase ‘it just worked out’ tends to annoy others a bit and creates a lot of discomfort.
‘Skebal, that skull-headed jerk was practically dead from twisting his insides.’
But I couldn’t speak like that in front of the princess, so I decided to explain as specifically as possible.
“I burned it.”
“What?”
“If there was someone watching, I’d knock them out. If I left footprints or traces, I’d burn those too.”
“…You set fire in the royal palace?”
“Come on, not that much.”
I shrugged.
“Just a bit of scorched walls? It’s a size I could easily explain away as a small mishap during an experiment.”
“…You knocked out witnesses, did you?”
“See this over here? If you press or shake it, your vision goes all blurry for a moment, and when that happens…”
“…”
I rambled on, and the princess fell silent.
The bewilderment was evident in her gaze towards me.
“You…”
“Yeah?”
“No, I see it now…”
Her tone suggested she had a lot to say but chose not to. I just tilted my head in confusion.
‘Did I do something wrong?’
It didn’t seem like I did anything wrong.
I merely did what was necessary.
3.
Two full days had passed since Raniel had rampaged.
When the morning of the third day finally arrived, the corridors of the Royal Quarters were bustling with people.
– Your Highness…!
Sure, there were various reasons for visiting the princess’s quarters, but these individuals didn’t gather early in the morning just to ask how Princess Lruiel was doing.
– Your Highness, Princess Lruiel…!
– Please, please grant us an audience…!
Please have mercy!
Just give us a chance; that information is all wrong.
Such voices echoed through the corridor of the Royal Quarters. Be they highborn or lowborn, those whose lives were at stake were crying out.
The counsel that had been hidden came to be in the princess’s hands for some reason.
Somehow, she was fully aware of the secret experiments they had conducted. She even knew how they had handled their failures, every detail.
All of it had transpired in just two days.
A letter arriving at their respective departments had chilled their hearts. That was the reason they had all converged at the Royal Quarters.
– Your Highness, please.
Those exposed, those with their weaknesses laid bare, and those whose lives were now forfeit held their pride in silence as they crowded the Royal Quarters.
– Please, have mercy!
Despite their pleas, the door remained shut. The mad dog that should have been barking seemed to have lost the will to even think about barking. This became an even greater fear for them.
Please have mercy!
Only their voices echoed in the corridor of the Royal Quarters.
*
“This soundproof barrier is remarkably effective.”
“I’m glad to hear you’re pleased.”
Lruiel set up a chessboard.
Sitting across from her was Raniel. For the past few days, they had played chess for leisure.
“Let’s continue.”
Lruiel’s expression was far from bright.
The patterns starting from her nape had already spread to her chest.
Cold sweat rolled down her cleavage, but Lruiel showed no sign of it. She spoke with a voice that was no different from her usual tone.
“Your rampage bore fruit.”
She said quietly.
“Professor, thanks to your chaos, my brother lost many pieces. Those gathering outside my quarters since dawn serve as proof.”
Lruiel chuckled softly.
Those who were originally under the protection of the First Prince weeping outside the Royal Quarters implied they had also been abandoned.
“Since the corruption has been laid bare, if my brother tries to shield them, he will surely suffer significant damage. Though, my brother isn’t the type to falter easily. So, he might brush it off and support them, but…”
With a swift move, she advanced a piece.
A black pawn was placed right before a white pawn, a clear indication of disregard.
“My brother isn’t someone who would stand for that. He easily discards anything to protect himself.”
The discarded pawn got devoured.
“Professor.”
“Yes?”
“I believe that my brother should not become king.”
“If not him, who do you find suitable?”
“I’m not asking you to question this, am I?”
With a soft chuckle, she smiled.
“Of course, it must be the one child you’re well aware of sitting upon the throne. For that to happen, I’d be willing to sacrifice my own life.”
That being the last of Lruiel’s words, she took a breath.
“Hmm…”
Lruiel let out a long sigh.
Cold sweat had gathered on her forehead. Raniel, sensing it was now difficult for her to continue playing, began to tidy up the board.
Lruiel didn’t stop him.
Dizzy, she made her way to the bed. Laying on the bed, she turned her head slightly to glance at Raniel.
“Professor.”
“I’m listening.”
“Thanks to you, I had fun.”
“…”
“I can’t remember the last time I felt so at ease and satisfied.”
With narrow eyes, Raniel watched her.
The spell consuming her was nearing its end. The curse gnawing at her body was only a breath away from liberation.
‘…Yet, she maintains her composure.’
Such mental strength was astonishing.
It was not to be outshone even by the knights on the battlefield.
Clack.
As he arranged the chess pieces, Raniel sat down on a chair beside the princess’s bed. Laying sideways, the princess’s gaze met his.
Her pale golden eyes followed his blue ones.
“I shall.”
Then, slowly.
Very slowly, Lruiel opened her mouth.
“I will trust you.”
Even amid the pain eating away at her body, her eyes remained steadfast. Her voice, too, was unwavering.
“I don’t rely on the judgments of others; I trust you wholly on my own.”
She smiled.
It was the usual mischievous smile.
“My trust is fairly heavy.”
So then.
“Guard me. For I will trust you.”
With that last statement, Lruiel closed her eyes.
Outside was noisy, but within the room, silence crept in.
In that silence, Raniel opened his eyes slightly.
The short yet extended three days were coming to an end.