"Don't call her that! Lady Runa is not a criminal!! I will report you to Prince Henrie, and you will regret spouting nonsense without any thought!" Thea fiercely barked back at her tormentors.
"What can you possibly do? Do you think Prince Henrie will listen to the words of someone like you? You're nothing more than a low-born commoner. Why don't you return to where you belong and find a job that befits your lowly status?" taunted one maid.
Another maid chimed in, "Take that criminal with you as well. She's a traitor to this kingdom. Prince Henrie is only blinded by her seduction for now, but he will soon see the truth and come to his senses."
In a sudden burst of rage, Thea grabbed the hair of one of the maids and forcefully pulled her to the ground. However, she was outnumbered.
The other maids launched a simultaneous counterattack. One grabbed Thea's hair, another pushed her against the wall, and another relentlessly struck her body.
Overwhelmed by the assault, Thea crouched down, curling into a protective fetal position, shielding her head from the blows.
Thwack!
Out of nowhere, a thick book fell from the second-floor window, striking one of the maids and scratching her cheek in the process. Alarmed by the open window in the library, the maid grew fearful that someone had witnessed their actions. She called for a retreat, and the other maids followed suit.
Thea stood up and picked up the book. There was a word on the cover, but as an illiterate, she couldn't read what it said. She brushed off the dirt from the book and glanced up.
"My Lady..." she whispered.
***
Yohana pondered whether she had made the right decision. If any of the maids discovered that she was the one who threw the book, Thea's harassment could worsen. After tossing the book, she had swiftly taken cover behind the brick wall, hoping that no one had witnessed her actions.
Now seated, she focused on opening the book about Sanctus, attempting to shift her thoughts away from the recent incident.
When the sun was at its peak, Thea visited the library, carrying a basket in her hand. "My Lady, let's have lunch in the garden. I've brought your lunch here," Thea announced, proudly displaying the basket.
Yohana, engrossed in her reading, suddenly became aware of the stiffness in her back from sitting for an extended period. Her neck also felt tense from continuously looking down at the pages without changing positions.
She stretched her body slightly and stood up, clutching four books in her hands. "Sure, let's go!" she agreed.
"Did you find what you were looking for, My Lady?" Thea asked casually, swinging the basket behind her back.
"Maybe. I have to read through the books to see if they hold the answers I seek," Yohana replied, her gaze shifting to the scratches on Thea's arms and neck.
Noticing Yohana's stare, Thea quickly extended her inner shirt to cover the wound on her neck. "What are you looking for, My Lady? Are you trying to prove your parents' innocence?"
Yohana glanced around anxiously. "Hush, Thea! Why are you discussing such a sensitive matter out in the open? What if someone overhears you? You could be accused of supporting the former monarch and face severe consequences."
Pouting, Thea lowered her chin and kicked at the pebbles on the ground as they walked through the garden. "But if I were in your position, I wouldn't let them speak ill of my parents. My parents may be poor, but they are good people. And seeing how kind you are, My Lady, I doubt that you come from wicked parents like they want us to believe."
Yohana bit her lower lip, torn between revealing the truth and maintaining her facade. Because she couldn't disclose the fact that the former monarch wasn't her parents but Runa's, she smiled to hide her inner turmoil.
The image of Thea defending her against the maids flashed in Yohana's mind, reminding her of the loyalty and friendship they shared.
"I'm not as virtuous as you believe, Thea," Yohana confessed, alluding to her past life as an assassin where she had taken many lives.
Inhabiting Runa's body had transformed her perspective, humanizing her victims and instilling a newfound empathy. She took solace in the knowledge that at least two individuals had survived due to this turn of events—the exiled prince and Count Yannik, both of whom had perished in her previous life.
"No, you are, My Lady," Thea insisted, spreading a large towel across the ground for them to sit on. She carefully laid out the bread and jams for their lunch, and lastly, revealed the book she had hidden inside the basket.
She gently slid the book toward Yohana, emphasizing her point, "You are as kind as I believe you to be, My Lady, because no evil person would go out of their way to help a lowly maid like me."
Yohana accepted the Tusshia book that she had thrown out of the window earlier. "How do you know?"
"My Lady, I implore you not to put yourself in danger again. I am but the daughter of a commoner, and if harm were to befall me, no one would be angered." Thea's voice trembled, and she tightly clenched her fists, struggling to hold back her tears.
She continued, "However, the other maids come from noble houses, even if they are lesser-known ones. What if their families joined forces to attack or slander you? Prince Henrie has only just begun to restore your reputation. My Lady, how could I bear to see you endure further injustice because of me?"
"Thea, I understand your worries, and I appreciate your loyalty. But you must know that I couldn't bear to see you being mistreated like that. You deserve respect and kindness just as much as anyone else," Yohana reassured her.
Thea's eyes welled up with tears once again, but this time they were tears of gratitude. She leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "My Lady, you have shown me more kindness than anyone else in this palace. You've treated me as an equal, despite our differences in status. I will always be grateful to you."
***
Yohana had patiently waited for Fabian to finish his meeting, as Thea had informed her. Thea took the books back to Yohana's room, leaving her alone on the bench to await Fabian's arrival. When Fabian finally appeared, a wide smile spread across Yohana's face.
As much as she wanted to embrace him, Yohana resisted the urge, knowing that such a display could spark unfavorable rumors throughout the palace. After all, Runa was the former princess who was now engaged, and it wouldn't be appropriate to hug a handsome man from a prominent duchy.
"You're hurt," Fabian observed, noticing the cut on Yohana's hand from the fall. He reached into his pocket, searching for something. "Hm?"
"What is it?" Yohana inquired.
"I wanted to give you my handkerchief to clean the dirt from the cut and prevent infection, but I can't seem to find it." Fabian turned around and searched more thoroughly.
"Are you certain you didn't simply forget it?"
"No, I'm certain I had it with me. Strange. Where could I have lost it?" Fabian pondered to himself but ultimately decided that it wasn't important at the moment. Moreover, Yohana had already wiped the cut with her own dress, effectively cleaning the dirt away.
They both took a seat on the bench.
"Now, where should we begin?" Fabian asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Yohana proceeded to share how she had been killed and had awakened in Runa's body. She didn't mention her past job; it was something that she needed more strength to talk about. She explained her research into the phenomenon and mentioned Sabina, who had recommended the four books to her.
"Tusshia?" Fabian repeated, savoring the unfamiliar word on his lips.
"You haven't heard of it?" Yohana inquired.
Fabian shook his head. "No, but I will delve deeper into it," he assured her, making a promise to explore the subject further.
"Thank you."
"How are you coping, Yohana? Is life as Lady Runa challenging? And what about the unexpected marriage? Was that part of your plan?" Fabian asked with concern.
"I'm managing well. It takes some adjustments, but I'll be fine," Yohana responded.
"However, it's certainly not easy. Runa had numerous enemies, more than I could have ever imagined. I've narrowly escaped death on countless occasions. Even my former employer wanted her dead. I wonder what she did to accumulate so many enemies."
"It's highly possible that those who orchestrated the downfall of the Schauenstein family are involved since they wouldn't want any Schauenstein to reclaim the throne," Fabian suggested.
Yohana carefully mentioned, "You mean the Siegfried family?"
"I feel bad for doubting my own friend, but we can never be too cautious. What about Henrie? Do you believe he is genuinely interested in you, or rather, in Runa? The engagement happened quite hastily, shortly after your arrival at the palace. Have you noticed anything suspicious?"
Yohana pondered for a moment, recalling her interactions with the crown prince. Intuitively, she sensed no ulterior motives behind his actions, but rather a genuine affection for Runa.
"It appears that Henrie developed strong feelings for Runa while she was held captive in the palace. He even claimed to have facilitated her escape," Yohana informed him.
He frowned. "Is that so?"
Yohana recalled the close relationship between the Siegfried and Reinhard families, as well as their connection to the Schauenstein family. She even remembered Fabian and Henrie's close bond during their childhood in the Reinhard Duchy.
"Are you still close with Henrie?" Yohana asked.
Fabian's voice grew solemn. "We are still friends, but our paths have diverged as we have become caught up in our own responsibilities and duties."
"That's a pity. I remember how happy you were when you played together," Yohana reminisced, reflecting on their past.
"You're mistaken. I was happiest when I was with my family," Fabian corrected gently, touching Yohana's chin affectionately.
"Duke Fabian, we must depart soon," a well-groomed man approached and bowed.
Yohana's attention was immediately drawn to the title 'Duke'. She asked the question hesitantly, fearing the answer that she already anticipated. "You're a duke now? What about father?"
Fabian's response confirmed her fears. "Father is no longer with us."