The Dahlia Palace became livelier than usual. The kitchen is in full blast. Servants moved back and forth, holding several trays of food. It was as though they were preparing for a feast.

Well, they are. After locking herself in her room for over two weeks, their precious lady finally graced them with her presence. Several maids burst into tears when they saw their lady walk out of her room for the first time. When they saw her face, it was still as beautiful as ever. They were relieved. Although she seemed thinner than before, her glowing face told them she was in good health.

Soon everyone in the residence found out, including the old chef of the Dhalia palace, who quickly organized a feast to celebrate the return of their only jewel. Although they were still careful to keep their distance, afraid they would stimulate her. They were content to watch her from afar.

“My lady, the kitchen prepared this for you.” Iris placed a chocolate cake filled with a lot of strawberries on top of the low table.

There was a glint of amusement in Ingrid’s eyes as she looked at the cake. This was the third time that the kitchen sent them food this morning.

The old chef knew how little she had been eating the past few weeks and made sure to give her a light meal. But after getting used to rarely eating, she did not manage to finish it, even though it was delicious. An hour later, she was given her first snack. A freshly baked cookie that melts right through the mouth. She managed to eat a whole cookie, which made the old chef happy.

Another hour has passed since then, and this is her third snack.

“Should I put some more, my lady?” Iris asked when she noticed Ingrid watching her put a tiny piece of cake on a platter. “That old man said to only give you a little. But you can have more if you want.”

“No, that would be enough. Thank you.”

Ingrid felt warm in her heart. They knew she didn’t have that much appetite yet. But they still made an effort to cheer her up by preparing her favorite food while trying not to pressure her too much to eat. By just looking at the dishes, she could tell how relieved and happy they were to see her again.

Iris watched as Ingrid began eating the bite-size cake. She’s been hiding in the darkness for so long that she almost forgot how beautiful she is.

It doesn’t sense at all. Despite not receiving sunlight and often having a lack of sleep for a long time, she did not appear sickly at all. Her cheeks even have a pinkish glow on them!

The universe is unfair. How could they pour all the beauty in the world into a single person?

“My lady!”

Their eyes turned in the direction of the voice, and they saw Lily running towards them, her face filled with tears. But before Lily could reach Ingrid, Iris stood and blocked her way. Lily staggered after bumping into Iris's giant frame and almost fell.

“What was that for?” Lily angrily asked while holding her hurt forehead.

“When did you become so tactless? You knew what Lady Ingrid went through these past two weeks. You know better than to come running towards her like a hyperactive dog,” Iris scolded her, making sure to lower her voice to avoid being heard by Ingrid.

Lily looked at Iris indignantly. “How dare a one-month-old maid like you scold me? Can't I be excited to see my mistress? Why are you acting as if I did something grave?”

“It’s not grave?” Iris scoffed. “If Lady Ingrid ended up getting overwhelmed by your presence and started locking herself in her room again, would you take responsibility?”

“Look here," Lily said, placing her hands on her hips. "I have been with Lady Ingrid the longest time. The lady and I grew up together. She is more used to my presence than a month-old maid who thinks she’s special just because she’s the only one who can accompany the lady these two weeks. Know. your. place.”

“Are you two fighting again?”

Lily and Iris glared at each other and looked away with a hump.

Ingrid shook her head, amused. It seems that they still don’t get along.

“Lily, why don’t you join us?”

Lily gave Iris a triumphant look and flipped her hair against Iris's face. She sat beside Ingrid and hugged her waist like a child.

“My lady, I missed you! You’ve lost a lot of weight!”

Iris pursed her lips. Ingrid loves Lily. The way she looked at Lily was like that of a doting older sister. If she finds out that the woman she treasures like a sister stabbed her in the back, how devastated would she be?

It seems that the best course of action is still to get rid of Lily in silence and make it look like an accident. She can’t let Lady Ingrid revert to how she was these past two weeks.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Iris! Why are you just standing there? Come and join us.”

Iris plastered a smile on her face and walked towards them. She will do everything in her power to protect her highness, even if it means betraying her trust.

///\

It was early in the evening. Ingrid was heading back to her room after having her dinner. Behind her were Iris and Lily, who are still not on speaking terms.

Lily was about to step forward to open the bedroom door for Ingrid, but Iris beat her to eat. Ingrid saw them glaring at each other, but she pretended not to see. It’s exhausting being their referee sometimes.

As Ingrid entered her room, the pouch on the bedside was the first thing that caught her eye. Her footstep halted. Yes, there is still that. A lot of things had happened that she had forgotten all about.

“Lily, Iris, you may leave now. I would like to be alone.”

Lily and Iris looked at each other, confused by her sudden command. Doesn't she need help to get out of her clothes?

“Well then, I’ll be right outside, my lady, if you ever need me,” Iris tactfully said with a bow. She retreated from Ingrid’s room while pulling Lily away with her.

Ingrid took a deep breath as the door closed and began to approach the bedside table. She could feel her heart ramming in her chest. The closer she got, the heavier her footstep became. Numerous thoughts ran through her mind. That person knew about her special constitution. What if that pouch contains a threat? But he did say it was something that would make her know who he was. So what could it be?

She sat on her bed and reached for the pouch. She took another deep breath before untangling the gold-colored rope tied around it. With trembling hands, she reached for its content.

Her brows furrowed when she touched something cold and hard. She began feeling it with her hand and realized that it was a circular object the size of her palm. Brimming with curiosity, she took it out.

Ingrid’s head tilted, confused, when she saw that it was an emblem with a symbol that seemed to be poorly drawn. After looking at it for some time, she finally made sense of the drawing. It was a lone rose sitting on top of numerous rose vines filled with thorns that looked like nonsensical scribbles at first glance. Just what kind of family would use such a ridiculous crest?

Disappointed, she was about to stuff the emblem back into the pouch when it suddenly glowed blue. Then, from it, an excited voice suddenly spoke, “Lady Ingrid! You finally opened it!”

Ingrid almost dropped the emblem in surprise. That familiar voice—she can never forget it.

“Who-whose Lady Ingrid?” She made her voice sound bigger in an attempt to trick him.

“Are you sick, my lady? Your voice seemed a bit different.” Naz’s voice sounded worried.

Ingrid’s eyes twitched. “I’m not Lady Ingrid,” she insisted. How is he even sure that she is indeed her?

“That can’t be true. The medallion can only be activated by Lady Ingrid.”

"Lies! As if such a thing exists!"

"I would never lie to you, my lady!" Naz exclaimed. He sounds like he is being wronged. "I swear to the Rose that if what I said was a lie, then I would die this instant!"

Ingrid's eyes went wide when the circular emblem in her hand suddenly glowed red.

"Why did it suddenly glow red?"

"Because I swore an oath on the Rose. Every member of the Prickly Rose is connected to the emblem you are holding. A swear on the Rose is binding. If we go back on our oath, we will receive the repercussion."

Ingrid fell silent for a moment.

"You're lying to me, aren't you? You're just trying to trick me into believing you."

"My lady can test it out. Just say I swear on the rose and state what you wanted to swear and the consequence if you fail to fulfill your oath."

Ingrid hesitated. That annoying crown prince had been teasing her so much that she could no longer trust the words of any man.

She sighed. Well, it's still worth trying.

"I swear to the Rose that if my next word is a lie, I will fall on my bed," she said, and distanced herself from the edge of the bed.

"I...do not miss the crown prince." She uttered the last words almost in a whisper.

Ingrid waited for a moment for something to happen. But nothing.

"See, you were lying to me!" She exclaimed with fury.

"Why don't you say the opposite, my lady?"

"What do you mean? Are you implying that I..." Ingrid couldn't finish her sentence. The thought of it was just ridiculous!

"No, my lady! I'm not implying anything. But perhaps it would work?"

"You..." Ingrid sighed. This is absurd. Why is she even letting this stranger sway her thoughts?

"My lady?..."

"I swear to the Rose that if the next word I say is a lie, I will fall out of bed."

She clenched the emblem tighter. "I..." Why did it suddenly become hard to speak?

"I don't miss the crown prince," she uttered in an inaudible whisper.

Ingrid waited a second...a minute... "You sca~aack!"

She fell to the floor with a loud thud.

"My lady, are you alright?" Naz and Iris, who is standing guard, asked in unison.

"Forgive me, my lady, I'm coming in!'

Ingrid gasped and put the emblem back in the pouch. She quickly hid it under her pillow and sat like an obedient child, her back straighter than usual.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Iris asked while scanning her surroundings with vigilant eyes. "Just now, why did my lady scream?"

"Ugh, it's...because my book!" she blurted and grabbed the book from her bedside table. "The book I was reading fell and missed my toe by an inch. I was extremely startled!"

Iris scanned the room once again. Sensing no threat, she sighed in relief.

"Please be careful, my lady. I will be outside if you need anything."

"Yes, thank you."

Ingrid watched Iris leave. The moment she saw Iris close the door behind her, she quickly took the pouch from under the pillow and fished out the emblem.

"Who exactly are you?"

“I am Naz, my lady,” Naz replied.

“I know. I remember that girl Rebecca who was with you calling you that.” Ingrid rolled her eyes.

“You gave me that name.”

Ingrid froze. Her brows creased. She gave him his name? How can that be?

"How...why...did I give you that name?"

"Because I lost mine."

Ingrid fell silent.

"It happened in Serus. I was escaping from the royal soldiers who were trying to catch me. You found me hiding under the garden bushes and saved me."

A familiar fear crept into Ingrid’s heart at the mention of that dreaded place. She swallowed.

"That time, I was on the verge of death. You gave me a drop of your blood to heal me. That’s how I knew your blood had healing powers.”

Ingrid's breathing hitched, and her hand shook. She seems to have a vague recollection of it. A boy with eyes as desperate as hers before she lost all hope—his body full of ghastly wounds that made her skin crawl.

Ingrid held her head when it suddenly ached. The more she tried to recall her memory of that boy, the more her head hurt until it became unbearable.

"I'm sorry," she said as she tried to regulate her breathing. "I can't remember."

There was a long pause on the other side.

“It doesn’t matter," Naz said with a voice full of resolve. "Even if I am the only one who remembers, I will still fulfill the promise that we made.”