The day after Oryn’s death, I decided to check on my personal chef. I mean come on, she’s my subordinate, it’s only natural for a princess like me to look how a grieving subordinate was doing. I am not that heartless.

What? Have I ever been heartless?

Can’t remember when I was one. Hm Hm.

Think of this as an act of compassion for the broken and grieving. I shall be taking care of my dear subordinate, only for a short while though. What? Do you think people would want you to stay with them the whole day considering that way they were feeling?

Some may find that annoying, you know. And what do you want me to talk about the whole day? Really, I’m impressed by people that always had something to talk about the whole day. How are you doing that?

That’s like… one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. Don’t your throats ever hurt?

Hehe, people with high social skills, am I right?

Me? Don’t tell me you think I have a high social skill. Pfft.

Me? Who was raised in an environment without much of an opportunity to socialize? If you think I have high social skills, better redo your evaluation of me.

My purpose was to eliminate targets, not woo them. So never would I have any top tier social skills.

But I can’t say otherwise of other batches though. Some others were raised in a different environment and handled by a different administrator. There were two different professors you see. Where I came from was formed earlier than the other one. That said, the later one was firstly on the experimental stages to determine the effect of it on the subjects and how they would grow out to be.

In the end, data suggests that the first program, where I came from, had better performance than the other. Although, there was not that much of a gap in terms of skills with the second, but later on the second program would be considered a failure. That was because there had been a few defectors from it.

The organization still hadn’t stopped that program yet though. The skills of the subjects were almost on par with the first program, but the emotional side of the second program was undesirable, perhaps the little merit it had saved it.

But, it should be shut down later down the line.

Hell, the later program even managed to steal me from the other, but I had already graduated way before that. It’s just that the professor in charge wanted to integrate me into his program.

And my first superior was utterly displeased by it.

I didn’t really care much where I would end up, just that I’ll do whatever was ordered. However, I was still terrified of the professor who basically raised me.

It was much preferable now that I won’t get to see him ever again. I don’t know what would happen if we saw each other again face to face.

Back to the present, Mera and I have arrived at the kitchen. I only had Mera to accompany me today because Vernon was currently with the King. By the way, I have already told Vernon my discovery about Oryn, and he was the one to convey to my Father about it.

I have no idea about their reactions, nor if they believed it. Well, they better believe it, if not, well shit.

“Allow me, milady.”

Mera said and she walked in front of me to open the door. The people inside looked towards me and gently bowed, although there was one person that was left behind. The girl, Allie, weakly bowed her head as I entered.

“Allie…”

She looked terrible, she had eyebags under her eyes, as though she didn’t sleep much and cried most of the night. Her hair was a little unkempt, her eyes were almost devoid of light.

“Everyone, please take a seat and relax,” I said.

As they sat down, I walked towards Allie and sat in front of her. She flinched when I reached out for her hand and held them gently.

“You seemed… to care about him…” I reluctantly said to her.

“I…” She looked down. “I loved him…”

And the grand reveal. Both Ceruos and Tenil had expressions of shock after they heard Allie’s words. It would appear that they never knew, perhaps they just both assumed that Allie and Oryn were just friends, and not that close since the two of them never saw them interact with each other, nor intimately.

Therefore, this revelation and confirmation from Allie’s mouth herself was of great surprise for them. I already had an idea of what their relationship was, so it didn’t come as much as a surprise. However, I acted surprised for the sake of it. As for Mera, I couldn’t see her, but she must be a bit surprised that Allie confirmed it, since Mera wasn’t fully convinced that Allie had that kind of relationship with Oryn, even though she saw them firsthand.

Well, refusal of belief from a single maybe? Funny.

“... Oh…” I said quietly. “I see.”

“What did he do, your highness? That he had to die… despite being a… traitor…” her eyes averted away when she said that last word.

I analyzed her closely.

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“He…. he tried to kill me… so it must be done.”

I confirmed it to her once again.

She lowered her eyes.

“I see… I… I never thought he would do something like that… they wouldn’t even let me see him...”

She clenched her fists with a pained expression.

“Allie,” I put my hand on her cheek and forced her to look at me as I gave her a worried gaze. “Given your relationship with him, you will also be investigated, but… do not falter…”

“Y-Yes, your highness.”

I faintly smiled.

“Take care, okay?”

She nodded her head.

“Um, your highness, I have something to ask.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“I… may I accept the offer of having my own kitchen?”

All of us were surprised as shown on our faces. Whether mine is fake or not, it’s up to you to guess.

“Of course. But, may I ask why you changed your mind?”

“I think it’s time for a change of pace…”

Huh. Was this one of those moments that say ‘it’s a new beginning’? Hm, maybe she’s gonna cut her hair next.

“I understand… I will get on it.”

“Thank you, your highness.”

***

A short while later after my interaction with Allie, I left the kitchen and Vernon was there to greet me.

“Your highness.”

“Vernon, I thought we won’t get to see each other for now.”

“Yes, but it would seem my efforts were not that much needed when there are others to assist with everything. Therefore, I asked the king to allow me to guard you.”

That’s interesting, Vernon himself asked to guard me. I don’t know his entire thought process to what led him to do that, but maybe he’s starting to like me. I’m not trying to steal servants from Father, okay?

Hey, at least that’s another meatshield, I’m not one to complain.

That aside, now that Vernon was here, I should be able to get out of the palace now. They didn’t allow me to get out of the palace for the chance of some danger outside.

“I see. Then, let’s get out of the palace for a while, Vernon.”

“Understood. But may I ask for what purpose?”

I began walking and responded to his question.

“Oh, just going to talk to someone.”

I was not heading for the front door but the side one. Doing so would only be very conspicuous for me, so I prefer to lower the attention I would be getting.

I greeted a few knights which came my way in an adorable manner. At least be kind to people. Making them hate me would only hurt me, would you protect wholeheartedly someone that was mean and rude to you? I won’t.

Now doing something due to a sense of duty is different to wholeheartedness. You can carry out your duty and protect someone you should protect, but whether consciously or not, one tends not to give their all, you know, them really pushing it.

However, if they put their heart to it, they will put more strength into it, even if it was all in vain. Besides, who the fuck makes friends with their enemy that had put them through some shit? And who the fucks likes being nice and saves someone that was mean to them because of a subjective reason?

It’s way better to save an asshole if there’s a good objective reason than saving them because of emotions or some other bullshit — like saving them because it’s the right thing to do — bleeeh, makes me puke.

It’s stupid. Then by some miracle, the bad guy just suddenly became a good guy or some shit like that because a good guy saved them, and they became friends. Utterly absurd. Most definitely not realistic.

If someone wrote that in fiction, I swear I’ll smack my head.

As I walked, I recalled something I wanted to ask Vernon.

“So, how did Father take the information I discovered?”

“About Oryn?” Vernon looked around for a moment. “In disbelief, I too cannot believe it… But, his ears were cut, so His Majesty decided to assume that he was indeed one… Is the information true, your highness?”

“What? Do I look like I lied? How mean of you Vernon.”

I sulkily looked at him with a pout.

“Ah, my apologies, I am just confused as to how you arrived at that conclusion, or what information supported that.”

“Mm, well, I asked him.”

“Asked him? When?”

“Before he tried to kill me, he was surprised and unable to respond. But judging from his reaction and expression, I seemed to have hit the bullseye. The way his ears were, I am certain of this.”

“I see… For him to be that strong, perhaps this goes to prove he is one of the myths.”

“How many knew of this?”

“Only the royal family and a few servants.”

“I suppose that’s good.”

After I exited the palace, I went down the same path I used last time until I saw a familiar man standing beneath a shade of a tree. It was surprising that he would still be positioned in the same place. Or perhaps he just went here on his own volition.

Furthermore, there were no commoner guards around and so he was alone.

He smirked when he saw me approaching him, I returned a sweet smile.

“Your highness, I imagined you would look for me today. And I am overjoyed that it is as I expected, I am truly blessed today that my eyes have been graced by your beautiful presence,” he said as he genuflected.

Wow. The flattery and flowery words. Others might have felt good upon receiving those compliments without thinking deeply about it, but from the way I saw it, it looked like he wasn’t fully serious about it and only said those pleasantries because it was comical for him.

“I, I heard what you did… I deeply thank you…”

“Don’t mention it, your highness. I knew the moment you shared it with me that you wouldn’t want anyone else to know,” he quietly said that only us could hear.

I nodded my head. “Please stand, we’re too conspicuous here.”

He followed what I said, then I moved closer to the tree and closer to Rogan.

“Your highness, I should say, I find it quite surprising that Prince’s Estevan’s assistant was the traitor… he looked a bit devastated about it.”

“Hm… I am worried about Brother also, but I cannot do anything about it. Time will heal him, or he will heal his own self.”

I grasped my other elbow as though saddened about it.

“That aside, I must have put some problems on your shoulders, I apologize. Even my brother and father spoke with you.”

“Nothing I can’t handle, though the talk with his Majesty was a bit scary. Good thing I didn’t spit it out. Prince Estevan was also a bit scary.”

“Yes… so, have you perhaps noticed something strange on your part?”

“None. Could it be described as fortunate or unfortunate?”

“Both I suppose. Fortunately since this could mean that there was indeed no one, but unfortunately at the same time that the opposition is still able to hide. However, now that the infiltrator Oryn is out, the prospect of their being another infiltrator is low.”

Commonly, there should be only one infiltrator that is always dispatched. Well, should. A chance of another one or two still exists. However, if Oryn was non-human, then there being another was under 10 percent.

But what if it’s human?

“That’s what her highness has surmised, huh…” he stared at me for a moment.

“What?”

“Um, nothing, your highness. I just find you a bit scary.”

“Do you find most things scary?”

He chuckled. “Yeah, maybe I do.”

I faintly smiled. “Vernon, has Oryn’s room been searched?”

“... Yes, but we found nothing of value yet.”

“Have you moved or taken anything?”

“As far as I know, no.”

“I see. In that case, after dinner, stay with me,” I said to my two servants before turning to Rogan. “Also you, Sir Rogan, please meet me later at the schedule I mentioned, we shall await you at my room.”

Rogan had been involved in this too, so I believe it would be great if I invite him. Plus, if he comes to like me more, I’ll have another meat shield. One’s trust and devotion must be cultivated. Rogan’s an elite knight, it wouldn’t be bad to have him as an asset.

This doesn’t mean that he’s safe from being a traitor, even though him being one was extremely low. Well, let’s just see where this will take us.

Rogan smirked upon hearing my words.

“Oh? What will be the purpose, if I may ask?”

“We’ll take a look at Oryn’s room.”