'What is this fool doing? Can't she see she is worsening Princess Yunjin's mood by apologizing like this? This maid will get herself killed at this rate. Will the nanny help her out-'
Sui looked at the nanny and the harsh expression on that old face.
One look was enough to tell Sui what fate awaited this poor maid.
"First, you make a mistake, then apologize to the wrong person! Tsk. It looks like the maids lack even more manners than I initially anticipated. Nanny, what do you have to say about all this?"
The princess asked in a bored voice, and the nanny knew she needed to navigate this question carefully.
Ultimately, the decision was far more straightforward than the nanny was thinking about.
It was the life of one maid against multiple maids, so the poor maid who had only been following orders thus far would be a sacrifice.
"Princess Yunjin, I apologize for this mishap. I will correct his maid's mistake and punish her for her crimes."
The nanny quickly took hold of the situation before it could get out of hand.
She could tell that the princess was about to do something unforgivable.
One might think that the nanny was overreacting, but she had a reason to be this concerned.
Her influence over the princess's palace and its staff was based on the trust that the nanny would protect them in case anything happened or the princess snapped.
So far, the nanny has done an excellent job of it, so no one had any doubt about her position.
But this minor incident had the potential to change a lot for the nanny.
The princess looked at the nanny with a thoughtful expression, and the nanny calmed down a little/
'Since the princess has not taken any actions yet, I can lightly punish the maid and make it seem like I did punish her. This way, the maid's faith in me-'
The princess moved, and she took out her sword.
Everyone froze at that action, even Duke Victor and the other guards.
"Yunjin, are you going to kill this maid? If so, then make sure it's not too messy. I don't think other maids would enjoy cleaning up the blood from the floors."
The duke was tense and alert when he warned the princess, but he did not stop her.
"Don't worry! I am not going to kill this girl this time. Recently, someone taught me an amusing way to punish someone. Would you like to know what it is?"
The princess asked, but she did not wait for a confirmation before continuing.
"The method is to inflict a wound that will forever remind the person of the mistake they made. Sui recently demonstrated this method by blinding a village leader who offended me. So, what should I take from this maid to remind her of her mistakes?"
Everyone turned to look at Sui once the princess finished speaking.
Their gaze looked at Sui with a clear indication that said, 'It was all her fault.'
And this time, Sui did not feel like denying her connection with this tragedy.
"P-Princess, please forgive me! I was just following orders. Princess, please-"
The girl pleaded, but it was too late by that point.
With a slash of her sword, the princess had already cut off all the maid's hair and left her face with a big scar on her right cheek.
It was considered disgraceful for nobles to have marks on their faces, especially if they were females.
This single action ensured that the servant would never be able to find a respectful match in her life.
"Wow! That was harsh, even for you, Yunjin. You are usually softer on females and first-time offenders. Did something trigger your mood?"
Duke Victor was the only one brave enough to speak under such a tense air. He looked at the princess with clear eyes and waited for an answer.
The princess turned her sword toward the duke next, but he looked uncaring about her actions.
"Keep your mouth shut if you want to live. My sword will be more than happy to taste your blood next."
The princess threatened, causing the duke to go on the defensive.
"No, I'm good. I should also take my leave now. I've left notes regarding your case on your table. Read them before you leave."
Duke Victor quickly exited the princess's palace, and it almost looked as if he was running away from her.
The tense silence prevailed again, but the princess was the one who broke it this time.
"Sui, quickly follow me. We are heading to my office now. Nanny, I will trust you to take care of this mess for me. I better not see such a mistake happening next time."
The nanny was busy glaring daggers at Sui, so she was shocked by the sudden address of the princess.
It flustered the nanny, and she quickly turned toward the princess with a startled expression.
"P-Princess, please do not take this incident to heart. Please go and come back safely."
The princess finally made her way out, and all the maids breathed a sigh of relief.
Being in the princess's presence was a privilege and a nightmare at the same time. The princess could change her mood at any time and cause an incident.
"N-Nanny, what do I do now? M-My hair and my face! What do I tell my family? No respectable man will marry me now. Y-You will not fire me, right?"
The nanny felt terrible for this maid who had gotten hurt because she followed her orders.
It was a lousy truth about this world, but a woman was judged on her pedigree and face.
And this maid only had one of the things going for her.
Moreover, the nanny knew that this maid had a poor family that would not be able to survive if this maid was fired from the imperial palace.
'But if I don't fire her over this, then it would raise the rumor about me favoring certain maids. Moreover, it might make the princess think that I am responsible for today's case. No! I cannot let this happen. I need to make this maid disappear right now.'
The nanny had an idea.
"My dear! Don't worry too much. For now, come with me and we will find a solution to this problem together."