The Runaway Maid is Loved by the Archmage - Chapter 15
These days, Maili seemed like she had lost her soul.
Working in the imperial palace was undoubtedly an honor, but lately, her belief that this was a noble and glorious opportunity had started to waver. The Crown Prince, whom she had once thought of as beautiful and elegant, was beginning to appear increasingly vile to her. She must have eaten something terribly wrong for such thoughts to arise.
“Roina, Roina, where on earth are you, and what are you doing?”
Because of her tangled thoughts, Maili had been making too many mistakes lately. Seeing her distracted state, the Crown Prince had finally granted her a day off, expressing his concern. She let out a heavy sigh as she trudged along. Her dream of catching the Crown Prince’s eye, becoming the Crown Princess, and eventually the empress of the nation had long since lost its luster.
Though she didn’t want to admit it, her recent concerns revolved solely around Roina’s safety.
“Leaving the imperial palace… Could she be getting bullied somewhere again? That fool can’t even look after herself properly. Or could she have been kidnapped by some dark mage?!”
She found herself repeatedly ruining her perfectly styled hair in an uncharacteristically improper display of frustration.
She hadn’t realized it while Roina was around, but now that she was gone without a word, it was driving her mad. If she had known this would happen, she would have at least tried to have a proper conversation with her.
“Where on earth could that slave have gone?”
At that moment, a voice reached Maili’s ears. It was about Roina. The voice came from the slight crack of an ajar door to the waiting room. Without realizing it, she strained to listen. The thought that eavesdropping was unbecoming of a noblewoman didn’t even cross her mind.
“Since His Highness, the Crown Prince showed her a bit of favor, she probably got above herself and ran away.”
“Oh my, do you really think so? Working in the imperial palace is the highest honor. What could possibly be so difficult about it? Besides, you know, don’t you?”
The reason why there were so many young women working in the Crown Prince’s palace.
One of the maids spoke in a hushed tone. The Crown Prince’s maids were essentially candidates for the position of Crown Princess. Among them, having a slave-born woman, so out of place among these elegant swans, was something that many disregarded or outright wanted to get rid of.
Her very existence in such a position, where her origins could never be treated equally, was considered an insult to them.
“Perhaps His Highness merely sent her back to where she belongs.”
A mature, composed voice interjected among them. It belonged to a woman with chestnut-colored hair neatly combed down—Veronica. Her tone carried a peculiar certainty.
Maili furrowed her brows. What was that? Did she know something?
“His Highness is wise and must have handled it well. Let us not waste our energy on unnecessary matters and focus on our work,” Veronica said, her voice calm and resolute.
It was a strange word—handling.
“It’s not a word suited to be used for a person.” That was what Maili thought. Well, there weren’t many here who looked at Roina as a fellow human being anyway. Even the lower-ranking workers, like the stable hands, were the same.
‘But Roina isn’t just some ordinary slave.’
It upset her. Maili thought that unconsciously.
Click, clack, click, clack.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps approaching the door could be heard. Maili quickly slipped behind a pillar in the hallway. She had always thought that the lack of petticoats with the maid uniforms made them unflattering, but a skirt without the extra volume was convenient in moments like this.
Veronica disappeared down the hallway with her characteristic dignified stride. She was heading in a direction different from where most other maids would go. Maili lifted her chin with feigned confidence and followed behind Veronica at a brisk pace.
There was no concrete evidence, but she was convinced—Veronica knew something.
Veronica moved without hesitation. Her steps were clear and purposeful. Maili maintained a distance just close enough to follow without being discovered.
And then—
“This is…”
Veronica stopped in front of a certain place and tilted her chin upward with haughty confidence. The arrogance of someone who believed themselves chosen radiated from her demeanor. After a moment, permission to enter came from inside, and Veronica stepped into the room.
“The Crown Prince’s office?”
Maili was stunned. Why on earth was Veronica entering the Crown Prince’s private space?
