Chapter 88

EP.88 Mad Dog and the Mad Maid (3)

Ashen Mage, Laniel.

She eavesdropped on the princess about the people related to the First Prince. Princess Lyluel whispered everything she had spied on and investigated throughout her life to Laniel without a single omission.

Indeed, the faction of the First Prince was enormous.

Many people were under his control. So many that it even raised doubts about whether the palace could function properly without them.

Her doubts were reflected in her expression.

Seeing Laniel's expression, Princess Lyluel smiled bitterly. Her smile seemed to ask, "Can you handle this?"

Laniel stroked her chin.

She organized her thoughts and, based on the information she had heard, began to plan her next steps.

There was a lot to clean up.

A lot means it would be cumbersome to clean up each one individually.

Laniel was the next head of the Ashen Tower and a capable commander and knight on the battlefield. She knew how to handle a large amount of work.

'This is troublesome.'

Laniel thought.

'It would be easier to just tear everything down.'

She came to this conclusion.

* * *

For the past few days, ominous rumors have been circulating in the secondary palace.

Rumors spread quickly, using people's mouths and ears as their path, and they quickly circled the secondary palace.

"Well, these days in the secondary palace..."

Rumors are loud and don't want to stay in the secondary palace alone.

"No, Princess Lyluel..."

Rumors spread within the royal palace.

It started in the Inner Court.

The maids who served the First Princess, Lyluel, whispered. The content of their whispers was as follows:

"Five court mages were dragged into the princess's audience chamber."

"But, no mage came out of the secondary palace. They were all taken somewhere."

"Every night, or rather, without distinction between day and night, screams can be heard from the basement of the secondary palace."

Rumors piled on top of rumors.

"More court mages were dragged away. This time, the number was extraordinary. Ten. They were dragged in one after another."

"Something is strange. The court mages' eyes are unfocused. They seem to be trembling with fear."

"Well, what on earth did they do?"

When no one could even guess.

When no one knew the reason, the rumors grew even faster. Speculations followed the rumors.

"Has the princess gone mad?"

"The nickname 'Mad Dog' truly fits..."

"It's not just the mages who are being taken, right?"

"What?"

People keep being dragged to the secondary palace. Many are dragged in, but no one comes out. What is going on?

"His Majesty has nothing to say."

"His Majesty does not interfere in such matters. What about the First Prince?"

"He is also silent. It's a mystery."

Nothing is known.

"The captain of the royal guard was dragged away."

"That side too? This side was...?"

"We were...?"

"Our...?"

Even as the situation remained unclear, events continued to unfold. At the center of these events was Princess Lyluel. And by her side was a maid.

"Black hair."

"Black eyes."

"Her strength is incredibly powerful. They say she throws adult men around like toys."

"It's not important, but they say she is very beautiful."

"She can use magic."

"They say she subdued a court mage with a single clap?"

"No, is there such a maid in the world...?"

No one knew the maid's true identity.

An unknown maid guarded the princess. The maids of the secondary palace whispered in low voices.

And.

"Please, please have mercy!"

The rumors reached their peak.

"No, no! If you want, I'll crawl! If you want, I'll lick! If you give me one chance, just one chance..."

Someone was dragged out of Princess Lyluel's audience chamber. The moment the person's face was seen, the maids' faces hardened.

Court Mage, Teslute.

A representative of the court mages, known for his pride and dignity.

"Just once, please, just once!"

Holding onto the door handle, he pleaded, tears and snot streaming down his face. Then, someone approached him.

"Sir Teslute, it seems you are misunderstanding something."

Princess Lyluel.

She smiled and reached out, peeling Teslute's fingers off the door handle one by one.

Click.

Finally, the last finger fell.

Teslute, having lost his grip on the door handle, fell to the floor. He looked up with trembling eyes.

At the end of his gaze was Princess Lyluel.

She slowly opened her mouth.

"Originally, it is the role of the court mages to crawl and lick when ordered. Why are they called 'court' mages? Because they exist for the royal family."

She spoke as if stating the obvious, her voice calm and composed. In front of her confident attitude, Teslute was at a loss for words.

"You have nothing more to say, I see."

She gestured.

"Take him away."

"How many lashes should we give him?"

The guard asked.

To which Lyluel replied briefly.

"Whip him until his back straightens."

Teslute's face turned pale.

"Ahh, aaaaah! Princess Lyluel! This, this is unacceptable...!"

He screamed as he was dragged away by the guard. The maids quickly averted their gaze.

Creak, thud.

Finally, the door to the audience chamber closed.

"......"

In the silent corridor, a new rumor began to spread. The princess had captured the court mage and was going to beat him until his back straightened...

How could this happen?

No one knew the reason.

Only the maid, passing through them, moved to find new prey.

2.

"At this point, I'm getting curious."

"Yes?"

"You, what exactly have you been doing to handle things so cleanly?"

"Cleanly?"

The princess looked at me with a bewildered expression.

"I heard that the research lab where the court mages stayed was completely destroyed. Now, the corruption they had hidden so well is laid out before me."

She pointed to the documents she had just shown to Teslute.

"You brought these."

"Yes?"

"You also destroyed the research lab and the secret meeting room of the court mages."

"That was a secret meeting room?"