Princess – Part 09
“And another thing. I don’t like how you’ve been talking about Aria. You keep referring to her like she’s something to be bought, a mere commodity. Aria is not an object.”
“She’s an Infernal Blade. Treating her as an object is only natural.”
“She has a will of her own. She thinks like a person, she gets hungry, she sleeps, laughs, and cries, just like anyone else. She’s my friend, and I won’t tolerate any disrespect toward her.”
Charlotte’s face flushed red, her fists trembling on her lap. Being insulted to her face was nothing short of humiliating for her. But Cecily didn’t care.
Turning toward Housman and Hannibal, Cecily demanded, “Why aren’t they being judged properly? What they did as representatives of the Empire is a crime under continental law. They should be detained right now.”
“Calm down, Cecily. We can’t just do that,” Hannibal said bitterly. “I agree, what these girls did was criminal. If I could, I’d tie them up myself.”
“Then—”
“But it’s not that simple. If the city formally prosecutes a member of the imperial family, it would give the Militant Nation and the Crowd Powers an excuse to attack the Empire. It could destabilize relations between nations, and that’s a risk we can’t take.”
It had been forty-four years since the end of the Valbanill War. While peace prevailed on the surface, tensions simmered beneath. The fact that information was tightly controlled between countries, as mandated by continental law, hinted at the fragile balance of power.
“But ignoring crimes risks destabilizing everything.”
“No.” Hannibal’s deep voice made Cecily straighten up. “Cecily, you’re just as out of touch yourself,” he said gently. “There’s a deeper balance at play here. You’ll come to understand it in time. For now, please stand down.”
Deeper balance? Cecily blinked, thrown off by Hannibal’s cryptic words. His grave expression left no room for further questions, so she reluctantly fell silent. His sternness unsettled her.
“I’ll be frank,” Housman said, breaking the silence. “I’m having trouble believing you, Miss Charlotte E. Firobisher.”
Charlotte shot him a sharp glare. “What do you mean by that?”
“The nations of this continent enforce secrecy by law. We don’t have access to accurate maps, population figures, or any real information. What we do know comes from the limited accounts of travelers. We live on this continent, yet we don’t even know its true shape. So, I have no idea how many members of the imperial family exist, or who they are. For all I know, you might not even be royalty.”
“How dare you question Lady Charlotte!” Doris snapped.
“Prove it,” Housman said, silencing Doris with a single glance. “I find it hard to believe the Empire would do something like this without official sanction. So, prove it. Are you really part of the imperial family?”
Silence fell. After a moment, Charlotte reached into her coat and pulled out a small sword, sheathed in a scabbard bearing an intricate crown motif.
“This is a treasured sword bestowed upon those of the E lineage. It should prove my identity.”
“May I borrow it for a moment? I need to verify its authenticity with the Empire. It might take some time, but once we confirm it, we’ll decide how to proceed.”
“That’s fine.”
Charlotte’s three guards rose, but she nodded at them reassuringly.
“I trust the Emperor will assist us. Let’s have faith in him. I feel bad for causing trouble, though.”
The girls appeared ready to voice their concerns but ultimately fell silent.
“Verifying with the Empire will take some time,” Charlotte said.
“It’s a five-day journey by horse to the Empire’s borders, and even longer to reach the Imperial City. In the meantime, we’ll arrange accommodations for you. However, we’ll need to hold onto the four Infernal Blades for now.”
Charlotte brought her hand to her mouth thoughtfully. “I have no objections to relinquishing the Infernal Blades. That’s only fair. As for accommodations, we’ll stay at that knight’s house.” Her gaze shifted toward Cecily.
“Me?!” Cecily exclaimed. “A-Are you serious? Why my house?”
“You’re a knight, which makes you a noble, right? You must live comfortably enough. We wouldn’t have any complaints. Or do you expect royalty to stay in a shabby inn?”
Charlotte clearly misunderstood the situation. While knights serving a nation often hailed from noble families, the Knight Guard of the Independent Trade City was primarily composed of citizens recruited through public applications. House Campbell had once been a noble family, but their current lifestyle was no different from that of ordinary citizens.
“W-We haven’t even confirmed that you’re royalty, and I haven’t forgiven you for—”
Hannibal cut her off before she could continue. “I’ll cover the expenses.” He coldly dismissed his subordinate.
Cecily looked up at him pitifully. “This is absurd.”
She glanced around for support, her eyes landing on Luke. To her annoyance, he was wearing a grin, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Charlotte stood up enthusiastically. “Thanks, knight.”
“Thanks, Cecily,” Doris said, giving her shoulder a friendly pat, while Margot and Penelope chimed in with “I could really use a bath” and “Thank you for having us,” respectively. Aria puffed up her cheeks in irritation.
“Lead the way. I’m hungry, and I want to eat.”
Cecily let out a heavy sigh.
“You’re gonna regret it,” she muttered.
The Campbell residence stood in a corner of the Third District’s residential area. Its walls, woven from branches and plastered with straw and clay, were common in the rural Seventh District, but the Campbell home combined this rustic style with wooden construction.
A family of servants lived under the Campbell roof. They had faithfully served House Campbell for generations, even before they lost their noble status, following them when they moved to the then-undeveloped Independent Trade City. Although the current master was no longer a noble but an ordinary citizen, the servants’ devotion had not wavered.
“There’s a saying in the Atkins family.”
Her name was Fio Atkins. At twenty-seven, with chestnut hair tied back and dressed in a simple apron, Fio had continued serving the Campbells even after her parents passed away.
After learning about the situation from Cecily, Fio studied the four haughty visitors who clearly found the hospitality beneath them.
“He who does not work…” Her eyes narrowed darkly. “…shall die.”
Silence.
The four guests, who had been grumbling about the house’s shabby appearance and small entrance, froze. Cecily pressed a hand to her forehead.
Charlotte blinked in disbelief. “Wh-What?”
“If you don’t want to die, work.”
Fio’s tone left no room for argument. She grabbed Charlotte by the scruff of her neck and dragged her into the back room. Doris and the others, too stunned to react, quickly scurried after their mistress. The door slammed shut behind them, followed by muffled shouts that quickly died down. An unsettling quiet spread over the house.
Five minutes later, the group emerged, and Cecily couldn’t hold back her laughter. Charlotte and the girls looked utterly dazed, like they had no idea what had just happened.
“The next thing I knew, I was in this outfit. There was no use resisting.”
Their attire had been swapped for apron dresses identical to Fio’s, each fitting perfectly. Cecily glanced at Fio, and she smirked in response. Even her employer found her a little terrifying.
“This is outrageous!” Doris, the first to regain her senses, snapped at Fio. “Us working is one thing, but you’re seriously going to make Lady Charlotte act like a servant? She’s an imperial hei—”
Thwack!
Doris was slapped so hard her face seemed to distort and was lifted off her feet. She spun midair, crashed headfirst into the floor, and rolled to the wall, where she lay motionless.
Charlotte, Margot, and Penelope turned pale, their mouths opening and closing in shock.
Fio cracked her neck. “Expecting free lodging is a bit much, don’t you think? My loyalty lies solely with the Campbells. I owe you nothing. You’ll work like your lives depend on it.” She cast a glance at Cecily. “And how dare you hurt my little sister? While you’re in this house, don’t expect me to go easy on you.” Her voice was deep and menacing.
Charlotte and the girls trembled as they clung to one another.
“I warned you,” Cecily sighed.
Part of her found the whole situation quite satisfying. Their one-sided negotiation had been infuriating, and now they were getting exactly what they deserved.
“Hey, Cecily. Where’s Aria? I don’t see her around.”
“Hmm? Oh, she said she had some business to take care of at the government office.”
Cecily paused, tilting her head. What kind of business could Aria, an Infernal Blade, possibly have at the government office? Though she had expanded her social circle since coming to the city, it was hard to imagine her striking up friendships with any of the bureaucrats.
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