Chapter 14
I casually took advantage of the confusion and tried to start a conversation with a brown-haired woman wearing a maid’s uniform.
It was easy to distinguish between a lady-in-waiting and a maid—the difference lay in the sleeve design and the apron.
“The Princess started having episodes again since the day before yesterday.”
“Episodes? Isn’t that dangerous?”
“Well… it’s not the usual kind. She just becomes extremely sensitive and violent.”
“Ah… I see. Does this happen often?”
“That’s the strange part. She had been quiet for years, but suddenly it started again.”
“Hmm.”
Just like the head lady-in-waiting said, could it be related to the missing jewel?
I stroked my chin and narrowed my eyes.
Something definitely smells off in this palace.
“By the way, who are you?”
While I was off guard, the maid I had been talking to looked me up and down.
Even in this chaos, she still had the presence of mind to be wary of a stranger—impressive.
“Uh, well, I’m… um…”
Just as I was trying to come up with a plausible excuse—
“Open the door.”
A man’s unfamiliar voice came from behind me.
The brown-haired maid’s gaze shifted past me toward the source of the voice, and I turned my head as well.
‘Oh… he’s handsome.’
There, a man with black hair, wearing a silk white shirt and black trousers, was walking toward us.
Just like his polished clothes, his face exuded elegance.
Especially his dark violet eyes, contrasting with his pale skin, gave off a luxurious and mysterious aura.
“Y-Your Highness, the Prince! But Her Highness said not to open the door—”
A prince? At the maid’s words, I examined him more closely.
If he was a prince, then he must be related to Crown Prince Shavelian and Third Prince Michael…
‘The vibe is completely different, but their features do seem similar.’
There was a small mole beneath his slightly sharp eyes that subtly drew attention.
At that moment, the man—who had a much sharper presence than the Crown Prince—turned his gaze toward me.
I was startled for a moment, but swallowed it down to avoid showing it.
His gaze slowly moved away, passing over me as he approached the door.
“Terea. Open the door.”
“I told you not to let anyone in!”
Crash—bang!
Something broke inside again.
At this rate, nothing in that room would survive.
“You won’t solve anything like this. Open the door.”
The man continued speaking calmly.
Bang!
Instead of a reply, something slammed against the door.
Judging by the earlier frantic footsteps and the dull impact, it seemed the Princess had thrown herself against the door.
At this rate, her body wouldn’t survive either.
“Bring the key.”
“Here it is!”
A flustered attendant quickly held out his hand.
In it was a golden key, gleaming—perhaps from how sweaty his grip had been.
Click.
The man unlocked the door with practiced ease.
As he opened it, his gaze dropped downward.
Thud.
‘Gasp! What’s that— a hand?’
A hand suddenly protruded through the opened door.
“…Terea.”
It seemed the hand belonged to Princess Terea.
But since I was standing off to the side in the hallway, I couldn’t see inside clearly.
‘What is going on… is she dead?’
Did she smash her head against a wall or something?
Her pale, bloodless hand looked unsettling.
“Your Highness!”
“Help her up!”
But soon, the hand moved—scraping against the floor and curling—confirming she was alive.
The man knelt on one knee and grabbed her arm.
He seemed to be trying to lift her.
“I… I can’t endure this… not like this.”
Her sobbing voice could be faintly heard from inside.
She was speaking to the prince.
“Alright, Terea. Let’s lie down first. We’ll talk after checking your condition.”
His voice was gentle, coaxing.
As if used to this, the corners of his eyes softened slightly.
“Let the royal physician in as soon as he arrives.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The man entered the room, followed by maids and attendants.
The remaining servant ran down the hallway, likely to hurry the physician.
Huh.
If I’m the only one just standing here, that’s weird.
‘But leaving like this feels… unsatisfying.’
As I hesitated, unsure what to do, one of the maids who had gone inside suddenly rushed back out.
“Oh dear, what should we do?”
“What’s wrong?”
“The Prince is looking for a specific incense, but we don’t have it in this palace. It’s not something commonly used these days, so why he suddenly wants it…”
“Then what will you do?”
“I’ll check other palaces. They might ask for someone, so could you stay here and wait?”
“Uh… sure.”
The maid was so flustered she didn’t even question who I was.
Well, lucky me.
“Please hurry back.”
“Alright. Thank you. Uh… what was your name?”
“Rosha.”
“Right, Rosha! I’m counting on you!”
I waved at the maid as she hurried away.
I guess I’ll just wait until someone asks me to bring something or call someone.
I glanced around and quietly moved closer to the door.
Maybe I could overhear something.
“Let go! I have to go!”
“Terea!”
“…They called me!”
Fragments of voices reached me.
Not everything—only when they raised their voices.
“Sniff… sob…”
Soon, intermittent crying followed.
‘Sounds complicated.’
For a prince to personally come and calm her down—it must be serious.
“Open the door!”
From afar, the royal physician came running down the hallway, shouting toward me.
“Oh—yes!”
I quickly opened the door.
In that brief moment through the gap, I saw Princess Terea for the first time.
‘She’s beautiful.’
Her long golden hair stood out.
Even curled up and wiping tears, her elegance couldn’t be hidden.
Even that brief glimpse left a strong impression.
“The royal physician has arrived!”
But that beauty shattered in just three seconds.
At the announcement, the Princess suddenly glared wildly and threw a cushion toward the door.
That thing was flying straight at my face.
Whoosh.
I dodged it effortlessly.
‘Heh, this level is nothing for my reflexes.’
Feeling smug, I looked forward—
Only to find everyone staring at me.
‘Uh-oh…?’
That wasn’t good.
‘I dodged it too well.’
I cleared my throat awkwardly and gently pushed the physician forward.
Go in. I’ll close the door.
“Alright.”
Thud.
I successfully shut the door naturally.
“Phew.”
The cushion I dodged lay on the hallway floor.
It must have bounced off the wall.
Come to think of it, the Princess must be quite strong.
Throwing a soft cushion that far isn’t easy.
“She doesn’t seem physically ill…”
I picked up the cushion.
Leaving it on the floor felt wrong.
From just that brief glance, I couldn’t tell whether she had the jewel or not.
To find out properly, I’d have to stay by her side 24 hours—or search her room.
‘Should I sneak in as a weasel?’
Honestly, I didn’t like being in weasel form.
Partly because I had memories of being human in my past life.
And partly because I always felt weaker as an animal.
No matter how people claim to live harmoniously with animals, the weak are never treated equally by the strong.
‘There’s no reason for them to.’
Even if an animal is killed or injured, it’s treated far more lightly than if it were a human.
Thinking like this… maybe that childhood trauma still lingers.
“Sigh… I’ll come back tomorrow.”
If I linger here, they might realize I don’t belong to this palace.
My assigned task was probably over anyway.
‘I’ll check again tomorrow.’
Hopefully, things will have calmed down by then.
“Top-grade beef, you say?”
“Yes. They’ve been complaining about only getting chicken and fish.”
“A weasel… being picky?”
“It’s not being picky.”
“So it’s complaining about side dishes?”
“Anyway, it’s about time it gets some beef.”
I shamelessly demanded meat from Dixon, the Crown Prince’s palace chef.
To be honest, I’m not even in weasel form during the day—I just felt like eating beef for once.
“Well, I’ll be… you really do live long enough to see everything.”
With his large build, friendly face, and rough tone, people might misunderstand—but Dixon was only in his early thirties.
I learned that while discussing the weasel’s diet.
“It’s the Crown Prince’s weasel, after all. Of course it’s special!”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
More importantly, Dixon had a rather simple side to him.
Special, my foot.
What status does an animal have? What rank?
“Please take better care of its meals. If the food’s bad, it gets cranky.”
