The Runaway Maid is Loved by the Archmage - Chapter 19
“What’s taking so long?”
It was the first time the Crown Prince had kept a maid in his private quarters for so long, excluding Roina.
A significant amount of time had passed, and no one knew what was happening inside.
Then, Veronica emerged, looking pale. She moved gracefully, as if nothing was wrong, but her steps were unsteady, as if she were being chased.
Maili rushed to her side.
Veronica left the palace and walked quickly towards the lake. There, she collapsed and began to vomit violently.
Worried, Maili ran to her and tried to stop her from retching. Veronica’s face was streaked with tears.
“Leave me alone!”
“Please calm down! Stop vomiting!”
Maili looked down at Veronica’s feet. She was vomiting blood, just like Roina had.
“What… what happened?”
Veronica swatted Maili’s hand away.
The Crown Prince had put a collar around her neck, a magical artifact that drained her life force. The feeling of her life being drained was horrifying.
She felt disgusted that someone like Maili, whom she had looked down upon, was showing concern for her. She wasn’t that pitiful. She was special.
This was just a small test. It didn’t matter. The Crown Prince had shown her a side of himself that no one else saw. And she was certain he saw her as his future Crown Princess.
‘From now on, you must serve me, Veronica.’
She briefly recalled the Crown Prince’s words, seeing her as a mere chess piece. But Veronica stubbornly pushed the thought away.
As a noblewoman, she had always gotten her way. She wasn’t going to be a victim. She had to become the Crown Princess.
“That’s none of your business, Miss Amasto.”
Veronica looked at Maili coldly, her face pale but determined.
“But you were just vomiting blood. You should see a physician.”
“I said, it’s none of your business.”
Veronica pushed Maili’s hand away. Maili could only watch helplessly.
“Very well, then.”
Saying that, Veronica disappeared, leaving Maili staring in shock for a while. Maili had planned to find her again, but the vanished Veronica did not appear for a long time. It was later that Maili found out that Veronica, feeling unwell, had gone to rest at the Duke’s estate for a while.
****
Maili, exhausted, crouched down. She couldn’t figure out what had happened.
“Ahh-!!”
Her mind was in turmoil, and she disheveled her hair in frustration. It was an old habit she had tried not to let show.
She was sitting in the back yard, the same place where that foolish slave always sat gloomily and ate. After losing track of Veronica, she had come here in hopes of finding something out.
It was a place close to the food waste disposal area, always faintly smelling of garbage, and no one ever came here. It was the only place where Roina could stretch out and rest. Maili’s nose stung for no reason.
Then, something appeared before her eyes that shouldn’t have been there. The basket she had given to Roina, it was lying right where Maili had crouched down. Maili blinked in surprise.
Rustling, she reached into the bushes and pulled out the basket. Inside was only a crumpled piece of paper.
{ – To Maili Amasto, Young Lady of the Marquisate – }
Maili’s eyes widened in shock, and she quickly looked around. She didn’t feel anyone’s presence. Her heart raced as she pressed her hand against her chest. Then, she unfolded the paper, which was too long to be a note but too shabby to be called a letter, and began reading it carefully.
