Evelyn continued to think, staring at the information panel. Edrick thought she was staring at him, but surprisingly, he didn't feel as annoyed as before. Cassy cleared her throat, seeing Evelyn distracted. Evelyn snapped out of it and shifted her gaze away from the panel and it disappears.
Evelyn: "Ah, hi, Roddick. Please, take a seat."
Edrick: "Please don't call me that, Your Highness."
Edrick sat down on the couch opposite Evelyn. She smiled calmly, still relaxed.
Evelyn: "Come on, just think of it as a nickname."
Edrick: "No need. I don't like being called anything other than my name."
Edrick said, his face stern. Evelyn listened intently, as if taking his words seriously. She needed slightly as if she understood his point. Then she smiled at Edrick.
Evelyn: "Understood, Nick."
Edrick: "It's not Nick... E.D.R.I.C.K. Edrick."
Edrick nearly shouted but controlled himself and said politely.
Evelyn: "Yeah, I know, Rick."
Edrick: "..."
Evelyn looked as if she hadn't even been listening to him. Edrick stopped explaining, too tired to keep arguing.
Evelyn: "So, what brings you here?"
Edrick: "What, can't I even come to see my fiancée?"
Evelyn: "Of course, you can."
Edrick: "This palace has changed quite a lot than before."
Evelyn: "I know, right."
Cassy brought some snacks and placed them on the table before Edrick. Evelyn began reading her book again without paying much attention. Edrick, seeing Evelyn's behavior, grew a little frustrated.
Edrick: "Is this how you treat a guest?"
Evelyn: "You came to see me, right? You've already seen, and now shouldn't you be going back."
Evelyn said carelessly, still focused on her book. Edrick was confused. How could a person change so much?
Edrick (thoughts): "She's so indifferent. She wouldn't even have spoken to me in such a cold, distant way before."
Suddenly, Edrick came to his senses and stood up abruptly.
Edrick (thoughts):) "What's wrong with me? Why do I feel sad about it? Ah..."
He shook his head and looked at Evelyn, who was still engrossed in her book. He bowed slightly, placing a hand on his chest.
Edrick: "I should take my leave for today, Your Highness."
Evelyn: "Yeah, sure."
Edrick stared at Evelyn for a moment, then left the room. Evelyn slowly lifted her head from her book and looked in his direction. She wondered what had gotten into Edrick today. After a while, she refocused entirely on her reading.
Time passed by quitely within the Black Rose Palace. the air within the Black Rose Palace was calm, as though the building itself had fallen into slumber.
Moonlight streamed gently through the tall windows, casting pale silver patterns across the polished floors. All was still, save for the quiet footsteps of a handful of servants who moved like shadows—silent, precise, and swift.
Within Evelyn's chamber, the atmosphere was anything but idle. The young princess, draped in an elegant nightgown of pale ivory, sat poised on her couch, legs tucked beneath her. The flickering light of candles bathed her features in soft glow.
Cassy stood nearby, arms crossed, her gaze sharp but unreadable. She had noticed the subtle changes in the palace recently—small things that only someone observant would catch.
The five girls entered quietly, each moving with a practiced grace that no longer bore signs of hesitation. One by one, they stood before Evelyn, each awaiting their turn. Cassy, stationed at the side, said nothing. She merely watched.
Evelyn glanced at them and then gently nodded.
Evelyn: "Go ahead."
Lily stepped forward first, her cyan hair tied in a simple braid. Her expression was composed.
Lily: "I kept watch around the east wing and the kitchen areas. There's nothing unusual with the maids or the kitchen staff. However… one of the guards from the night patrol—Sir Hauser—was lingering longer than necessary. I pretended to drop a tray and caught his reflection in the glass. He seemed… watchful. Too watchful."
Evelyn: "And did he see you?"
Lily: "No, Your Highness. I moved before he noticed I was observing."
Evelyn nodded, thoughtful.
Evelyn: "Good work."
Lily stepped back, her sister Lora coming forward next. They looked nearly identical, but Lora's energy was more reserved.
Lora: "I monitored the laundry room and servant quarters. One of the junior maids, Flora, has been asking unusual questions. She pretends to be interested in idle gossip, but always turns the subject to the Princess—asking where you spend your time, who you speak with, even your moods."
Evelyn: "Did you confront her?"
Lora shook her head.
Lora: "No. I pretended to be clueless and responded vaguely, as you instructed."
Evelyn: "Good."
Lora stepped back beside Lily, Cassy raised an eyebrow. These girls, whom she had assumed were just timid little servants, were carrying out their tasks with remarkable precision.
Next came Ella, her reddish-brown hair pinned up in a neat bun.
Ella: "I watched over some servants and supply rooms. There was nothing unusual during the day, but during the evening I noticed one of the servant boy sneaking out a wrapped package. It was too small for food or tools. I followed him discreetly and found he handed it to someone at the back gate—someone cloaked."
Evelyn: "Did you identify the person?"
Ella: "No, Your Highness. The angle was too poor. But I recognized the guard on duty who let them pass. I've memorized his face."
Evelyn's expression didn't change, but her fingers briefly tapped the armrest in thought.
Evelyn: "Noted. We will act on it later."
As Ella returned to her place, Melinda, the cook, moved forward. Unlike the others, her presence was more grounded, calm like a still lake.
Melinda: "The kitchens remain mostly neutral. No one dares breathe a word of gossip where heat and knives dwell. However, I did overhear a conversation between a maid and the head gardener. They were whispering about 'the new imperial mage.'"
Evelyn tilted her head.
Evelyn: "And how is that relevant?"
Melinda: "Because the one speaking was a maid named Jena. She's not usually present during kitchen hours, yet lately, she's been showing up often. The way she used the phrase 'new imperial mage' didn't sound literal—it was too deliberate, too repeated. I suspect they're using it as some kind of code to exchange information."
Cassy's gaze flickered with interest, but she stayed silent.
Evelyn's expression turned thoughtful, unreadable.
Evelyn: "Keep observing her. Quietly."
Melinda bowed.
Melinda: "Yes, Your Highness."