"Your Majesty. I have something to tell you." The light green haired servant Bell Duncan whom rarely spoke to me suddenly approached me bravely and in an hour before the Winter Blossom Ball started. She, who dared to asked me to stay in such situation was a person who knew enough that I was sensitive at the moment.
"If it's not urgent tell me after the party," I said. Bell agreed and nodded but she looked like it's important. I told the other maids off and brought Bell to a changing room. "What it is?" I asked. "Please watch out for Emily Nikita," she answered. "Why?" I asked again. "I got a fact that she has a relationship with the 2nd Princess," she said. My eyebrows frown since I couldn't believed what Bell just said, it could be Bell wanted to frame Emily, but Bell continued. "I planted a spy without Catherine and Emily knowing. I got the fact from her." "It could be possible that the spy lied," I said. Bell looked nervous, hesitated but she revealed that the spy she put was her own sister, Sophia Duncan. "Since when did you put her as a spy in the 2nd Princess' palace? I heard that your sister works as a pharmacist in the next country." "...It's just after I became Your Majesty's maid," she said with eyes looking down. "Are you the one who sent her deliberately to the 2nd Princess' palace?" I asked. Bell nodded. "Why?" Then Bell explained when I spoke about high risk high return, that everything would be a loss if no one dare to bet for some risks. She said that if she helped me to be the Empress of this country, I would rewarded her as the richest person in the country and I nodded saying I remembered the deal. Bell continued her words, "That's why you need to know your enemy if you want to win. My younger sister will watch every moves of the 2nd Princess under the order of the Her Majesty Poinsettia."
After she finished speaking, there was a moment of silence. For the first time, I could felt how it was to have someone on my side, which made me happy. "I'm very proud of you." Bell smiled wide with joy. "However, next time, I want you to tell me everything in advance." "Yes Your Majesty!" Bell bowed her head full of satisfaction and happiness. I took of a brooch made of a famous ore only found in the warm southern country of Kalanchoe and gave it to her. "It's yours. Take it, trade it for gold coins and pay your little sister as my grateful." "Thank you, Your Majesty." Bell bowed her head once again.
After that, I started to hear about Emily's behaviors through Bell. In case I had other traitors, I put some people in secret that confirm the same reports as Bell. "Emily, that kid must be really scared. Even after witnessing how those people were dying, I'd probably run to a new master." "I heard that 1st Princess was just an insane beast and I think she could never ascend to the Empress' position." "She's a true beast, indeed."
Lobelia heard that I was already aware of the leak of the dress design, since I spoke out in front of the three maids in my room. Lobelia was more elegant and beautiful as a young teen , so wearing the same dress perhaps made me shine even more. So even if the 2nd Princess took my dress design, I'd wore that dress. Of course it's a secret that I made a new dress. She was said to be the most beautiful and noble woman in the palace, but then she would wore the same dress to embarrassed the 1st Princess. "I think the situation is getting more and more interesting. I need to think a perfect punishment for the traitor."
"Your Majesty, it's time." Catherine was waiting for me, I told Bell to wait for me in the ballroom with Emily. I threw off the dresses that were made for me and Catherine looked at me confusedly. "What? Did you think I am really going to the party wearing the same dress as the 2nd Princess?" I asked her. "Oh, no.. But, it would have been better if you had spoken in advance when you had prepared," Catherine said. I took the secret dress I had requested. "I wanted to surprise you. Thanks to this, it did not even go into the traitor's ears." At the moment, Catherine's eyes quivered, she must had known something about the traitor. "Did you know?" I asked. "Forgive me. It's something I should have taken care of, but I only had a bad feeling so I couldn't report it to Your Majesty," Catherine explained.
The party has started, Catherine was very busy since she was alone helping me getting dressed. While helping, she confessed everything she knew that I already knew. About how Emily boasted she could marry the Duke of Oncidium right away, and a few days ago Emily wore a necklace made of a precious gemstone and showing off in front of the other maids. Though Catherine's hands movements were careful and smooth but it could be heard that she was frustrated annoyed about Emily. "You must have been so desperate about marrying the Duke so bad," she uttered in her annoyed tone. "I wish Your Majesty think twice about granting her wish. She often said that she couldn't believe Your Majesty could granted her wish." After done getting me dressed, Catherine looked at me astonished. "I'm glad that I don't have to wear the same dress as the 2nd Princess," I said as I looked myself on the mirror. "Since she's beloved by the empire, public opinion will be directed right to the 1st Princess," Catherine smiled proudly. "I know. I can't be swept away by the false stories of foolish people who don't know my dignity yet," I exclaimed.
Dressed in a red dress with a distinctive shape reminiscent of a huge rose that spreads more and more as I turn around. "What do you think?" I smiled at Catherine. "It's very beautiful. It's a design that you've never seen before in an empire or anywhere else in the world," Catherine replied as she smiled. "Sir Noah is waiting for an escort, so I have to hurry. Do you know? Sir Noah is going to play a role as important as me. Nothing is wrong or misplaced, right?"
"Yes Her Majesty the Princess. You'll be the attention for this party. Shall we go?"