Maggie has continued her volunteer work for the family and spends Fridays and weekends caring for the tea factory until Henry turns twenty and takes over the company. Despite the fact that her father is bankrupt, it was a difficult job.
Even though the tea business was operating, it was losing money because people bought tea from higher aristocrats. It was difficult to pay for Henry's medicines and treatment after the loss of business, so it was up to her to send money while her father had to close down and flee to the capital in search of work. It was a difficult time for the Cunninghams when they were forced to close their business and put on hold until the baron returned. Maggie was now the head and had to spend her earnings on the family and mostly for the medications for Henry, even though it was not enough.
Maggie assisted the orphanage in creating a petting zoo for the children as there was less entertainment for the children and a farm nearby. The farm donated some animals to be kept at the zoo for the enjoyment of the children. Maggie, who was skilled in carpentry, would create a play area for the rabbits and another for the ponies that the children would enjoy. Maggie did the majority of the work because her father was elderly. Maggie sighs with relief after finishing and being paid by the church.
"So, I'm now stuffed! But I'm sure these will eventually benefit Henry. As a result, I must cherish my people!" Maggie sighed as she said this.
"Thank you for your work, Maggie," the father said as he handed out coins to each tailor in the boutique. Maggie was overjoyed when she received her bag, but she was also disappointed because the money was insufficient to cover Henry's medications.
"Thank you, father," Maggie said.
"I'm sorry if I can't assist you with your brother's medication," the priest apologized.
"It's more than enough, only God's blessing can heal him from sickness," Maggie said, "but it saddens me that even though we're building this zoo, the orphanage is moving to another town."
"True my child, you were a good helper and also a holy person than the priestess of the kingdom, I hope you get a miracle in making money for your brother," the priest said.
"I hope so," Maggie said as she hugged the priest, and some children who saw her ran away, saying they would miss their big sister.
"Good bless," the priest said as he walked away with the children, and Maggie sighed as she packed her belongings. As she walks, she begins to think about her family, particularly her uncured brother.
Henry needed a hospital, and he also needed to go to school. Since Maggie had no intention of ever marrying, she believed that making her family happy would be more than enough to keep them from going bankrupt, as the money earned from selling to the ladies would provide them with sufficient resources.
People who met her admired her and would offer assistance and send money to her, for which she is completely indebted. She realizes that in order to work hard for bread and water, she must bear and live rather than be the queen. She gets to her feet and yells:
"I—! I'm going to—! Live—! Here—! Forever—!"
Everyone who passes by looks at her, and she suddenly smiles with embarrassment and runs away. As she walks to the city market, she stops near a tavern for a drink and orders some soup to relieve stress. As she lay down, she overheard the men conversing and learned that the priestess had given birth to a boy but had died as a result of childbirth. Maggie was troubled when she learned that the priestess had died of poison, which she knew the Empress had done.
As she continued to hear the conversation while eating her meal, the men beside her spoke, she learned that the prince loved the priestess and had been engaged to her since childhood, but later brought in a mistress, just as the old king had done with Cosette, which really irritated her. Maggie, enraged, pays for the meal and storms off, refusing to learn anything about the kingdom. She wishes for the kingdom to fall.
She still thought about Kreronanda after a few months, but she didn't want to know what they were up to. But, even though the kingdom was not hers, she was curious about what might happen. Questions were raised about her, but after a few days, an announcement was made that the empress died at the hands of the prince after the prince investigated the murder of the priestess and executed her on the spot. His insanity drove him to attack neighboring countries, and he became Kreonanda's tyrant.
Maggie is relieved that the people for whom she sought vengeance are no longer alive, but she is concerned about what the new king will bring to the kingdom. She realizes why she should think about it as she thinks.
"No, I'm no longer the queen, and I'm no longer Candence. I'm Maggie, and I was born away from my family and later reunited with them. We're poor, but we're a good family. I may not get enough money for myself and my family, but this will satisfy our hunger."
When she gets home from work, she sees her mother running towards her.
"Mother, what happened, and why are you panting?" she inquired
"Come quickly, your father is here, and he has some news," the mother said.
She noticed the baron sitting with Henry and sipping his tea as they entered the study hall. Everyone was present, and she appeared perplexed.
"Yes, Baron, Maggie has arrived!" As she entered the room, the baroness said
"Maggie, Maggie... There you are You are—!" said the baron
"What exactly is it, Father? When did you arrive?" Maggie was curious.
"My, you look tired; how are you doing?" the baron inquires.
"I am, after you left, I pay for Henry's medication, but it is still difficult to earn," she replied.
The baron embraced her "Maggie, don't forget that you're still the Baron's daughter! You should be more humble and start acting as a noble and meet girls, leave the money to the man's job. I'll try my best to earn for the family and for Henry's medication...!"
"Pardon me, Father, for I've run out of modesty..." She hugs him back, remembering her father's comfort and reflecting on her first life, when her father didn't care, but now she is happy because the baron cares. Maggie wiped the tears from her eyes as she reflected on her previous lives.
"Thank God," the baron said as he walked away from her, "this calls for a celebration."
"Yes," the baroness replied.
After their meal, they went to the dining room and had a full roast beef prepared by the baroness. The family gathered and talked extensively. Maggie rubbed Henry's back after he fell asleep, and when she heard a knock, she saw her mother calling her.
"What exactly is it, mother?" Maggie inquires.
"The baron wants to speak with you," the baroness said as they entered the study, where the baron was sitting on the sofa.
"Did you call me, Father?"
"Yes, I need to talk about something; could you please sit for a moment?"
As she sat, she noticed her mother, who was also seated next to the baron. "Mother and Father, what happened?"
"Ah, right! There's something very important I need to discuss with you! You must be knowing that the empress is dead and the prince has been crowned" said the baron
"And you're aware that the newly appointed Emperor has a child, right?"
"Yes, father," Maggie replied, "but what does it have to do with us?"
As the baron and baroness exchange glances, "I see that we are almost out of money, and it is very difficult to pay for Henry," said the baroness.
"I know that, but I'm trying to earn more," Maggie explained.
"Yes, we know that child, but I heard that the church's father is planning to close the orphanage and relocate to a nearby town because he was assigned to that particular church."
"Yes, it will be difficult for me to find work."
"You already know that the Emperor's son doesn't have a mother after she died, and the emperor and newly appointed empress care less for the prince," the baron says as he pours the tea and makes her drink.
"What a heartless bastard," Maggie exclaimed.
"As I was saying, since there is no one to care for the boy, the castle has put a vacancy and I have recommended you to be a personal maid for the prince at the royal palace!" says the baron.
"What !........" Maggie spit out her tea while sipping it.
"My, you, becoming a palace maid, as well as your experience as a volunteer at the orphanage, would be a huge help because you have experience caring for children, and you are not serving a duke or any higher rank, but a royal maid for the emperor. That is the most honorable thing that could happen to a baron's daughter! "said the baroness upbeat
"—Huuuuuuuuuuuh?!"
Maggie's father knew that even within their territory, she didn't like hearing about the empire and would always ignore or be ignored. Maggie, the Cunningham family's silent and sweet lady of the house, was brought up, but there was a huge scream.
However, there was a difference in the content of their screams this time. Maggie's mother was ecstatic, while her mother was in shock.
"No way, no how—!!! I've decided never to set foot in the royal capital again, let alone work at the royal palace—!!!"
"But, but, you can make a lot of money as a maid! Maggie, I've kept Henry's illness a secret all this time, but it's serious. He won't be here for long unless he undergoes surgery in the royal capital." The baron stated
"—you're a lying" Maggie said as she fell helplessly to the ground—fortunately, she landed on the carpet.
" Maggie, good heavens, what happened?" said the baroness as she found an unconscious Maggie, "Fast bring some water, she is in shook"
As the baron ran to get water, Maggie lay in shock and was in another world as now the nightmare she wanted to get out has finally arrived.