“There still isn’t enough money, even with the discovery of the gold mine?”
“The kingdom of Subartu has made moves to try to claim the gold. It will take time to mine and refine it before adding funds to the kingdom’s budget.”
“I see. Then use my personal budget for charity.”
“I’m afraid that’s beyond my authority, Your Highness.”
“I am granting you permission. It’s unacceptable there are people in this kingdom struggling to feed themselves. I want you to use my budget to ensure the poor can at least survive the winter.”
“Very well. I will consult with the prime minister.”
“If he refuses, bring the matter back to me,” she said.
“As you wish.”
She’s very determined, I thought.
I didn’t know many royals personally, but during my time as an operative, I had learned about the personalities and preferences of various dignitaries. Some viewed commoners as less than human, but Princess Delphine clearly wasn’t like that. She was completely prepared to become the queen of Ashbury, just as she’d been trained to.
Her expression remained stern even after the meeting ended.
“Kate, is the idea that royalty wields great power just an illusion? I can’t even freely provide bread to my starving people. And simply using my own personal funds requires the prime minister’s approval! It’s vexing,” she said.
“I understand your frustration.”
“Ever since I had my children, I haven’t been able to bear the thought of any child going hungry. But what can I do? Charity work is all I can think of, despite the fact I know it won’t solve the systemic issues causing these problems.”
I couldn’t help myself from speaking out of turn. “Princess Delphine, please forgive my impertinence. Though I am but a humble citizen, I must say this: I believe someone with a heart as pure as yours should be at the top of this kingdom. A nation run solely by shrewd opportunists is no place to safely raise children.”
She stepped closer to me and gently took my hand. She had a delicate floral fragrance.
“Thank you, Kate. I know you must have lived in a world far broader than mine. Although we’ll only be together for two short months, if you notice any faults in my knowledge or experience, please don’t hesitate to point them out. I want to know more about my people.”
“Of course.”
“I’m counting on you.”
Lunch was a quiet affair, with only Princess Delphine and Lady Beatrice dining together.
As I discretely listened in, it became clear to me why Lord Cedric was utterly smitten with Lady Beatrice. It was nice to see such a lovely marriage.
Lady Beatrice told Delphine about Lord Cedric’s recent activities.
“Princess Delphine, it seems Cedric’s friend, Lord Bahr, has decided to settle in the capital. With him here, Cedric says he will also be staying for some time.”
“Will you be planning to stay as well?”
“Yes, that’s the idea.”
“How delightful!”
Hmm, so Gunther Bahr really had captured Lord Cedric’s interest. And Lord Bahr would be staying in the capital, no less. If he visited the castle, I needed to be very cautious. Since I had danced with him at the ball, there was no doubt that he would remember my face.
“Kate, Lord Cedric has an immense appreciation for martial arts, you know.”
“Is that so?”
Oh, trust me. I am intimately aware of how far his fascination goes… After all, I was the one who broke two of his ribs a few years ago.
That afternoon, I was in Princess Delphine’s dressing room, listening to Elly explain the details of a dress.
“Kate, this is the dress you’ll be wearing for the Saint Floren Festival. Go ahead and try it on.”
“All right.”
I quickly changed into it and let Elly inspect me. She walked around me once, then nodded with satisfaction. “Yes, there’s no need for alterations. The fit is perfect—just as I expected from one of their people. You and Princess Delphine have almost identical figures.”
“Mike will bring the blond wig, so from a distance, no one should be able to tell us apart,” I said.
“Your voice is deeper, though. Will that be an issue? The crown princess always gives a speech to ring in the Saint Floren Festival.”
I imitated Princess Delphine’s voice to reassure Elly. “Don’t worry, Elly. That’s what a body double is for. Mimicking the voice and mannerisms is part of the job.”
“Goodness!” Elly looked like she’d just witnessed something terrifying.
“What do you think?”
“I’m shocked. If I closed my eyes, I would’ve thought Princess Delphine herself was speaking! You’re on a completely different level compared with the previous doubles.”
“I’m honored.”
“I have chills…”
“Thank you.”
I changed back into my maid’s uniform and noticed that Elly was walking slightly farther away from me than she had been earlier.
She’s genuinely frightened of me, I thought. I addressed her in my natural voice to ease the tension. “How long have you been serving Princess Delphine, Elly?”
“Since she was ten years old. Even at that age, she was already so mature—perhaps because she was groomed from birth to marry Prince Conrad.”
“Ten years old…”
“She was expected to excel at everything and behave like royalty even as a child. I doubt she ever had a moment’s rest. But enduring that sort of life is what made her into the person she is today.”
“I’m sure you were of great emotional support to her.”
“Maybe. You know, the first time I ever saw Princess Delphine lose her composure and cry was when I collapsed after drinking poisoned soup.”
“Wait—you personally test her food and not a taster?”
“Yes, I do, but just Her Highness’s meals. Thankfully, I survived because I’ve built up a resistance to poisons. Oh, and before I forget—someone else will be on duty from nine PM to two AM tonight, so make sure to get some rest.”
“Thank you.”
I’ve got plenty I need to investigate during that time.
When nine PM rolled around, I switched shifts with another maid and began moving through the castle. There was a surprising number of guards in the royal family’s personal quarters, probably due to the recent poisoning attempt.
First, I headed to the kitchen.
Since the cooks were still working, I didn’t go inside but instead confirmed the route the food took from the kitchen to the royal dining room.
Every door along the way where someone could potentially hide was in view of the guards. There wasn’t a single place where poison could be slipped in without their notice. I needed to ask Mike if the kitchen had always been this secure or if it had been reinforced recently in response to the poisoning incidents.