The drawing room fell into a heavy silence as the maid's sudden confession hung in the air. Archduchess Windsor stared, frozen at the maid. Opposite her frozen state was Rose, who remained calm with her amused smile.
Earlier, before the Archduchess's arrival, Vance had reported to her about holding a laundry maid held captive in secret.
The laundry maid worked in the empress's palace, and the same maid was responsible for how one of her handkerchiefs had suddenly gone missing.
The Empress owned two kinds of handkerchiefs—one bearing the symbol of the imperial family and the other with the symbol of House Cortez. The handkerchief that had gone missing was the one bearing the Cortez symbol, the same one that Heir Windsor had inexplicably come to possess.
"This maid's actions can explain how Heir Windsor obtained one of your majesty's handkerchief.'' Vance had concluded. "Your Majesty should punish this servant for being a step too late."
