Chapter 51. Calen Castle, Part XII
She decided so, but she was still worried that the Marquis would not be able to save her. It was her first tears since her mother Stella had died. She thought, 'What should I do if my make-up is removed from my eyes?' But she was also rebellious, 'I don't care, as I might die soon.' she fell asleep, exhausted, and suddenly her employer woke her up.
"Your Highness is the best. Thank you. I didn't really hit her. Trust me."
Killian unexpectedly embraced Julietta, who relaxed and cried. As he hugged her crying body tightly, he touched the thin frame under the thick cotton cloth.
Many times, he patted her back soothingly with a sad heart, and her body in his arms stepped back in surprise, as if realizing something.
"Your, Your Highness, I'm sorry. I must have been out of my mind with joy. Please forgive me."
Killian held Julietta quietly and calmed her down as she was apologizing with a bow, patted her tiny head as she lost her spirits and lowered herself. Surprised by the friendly touch, Julietta looked up, raising her thick glasses, and he smiled at the funny appearance.
'She is so ugly, but why is she so cute?'
Once again, he patted Julietta on the head and heard Oswald calling him from behind.
"Your Highness, let's go. It's been a while." His Highness was hugging a maid in a prison. Oswald shook his head in disbelief.
"Julietta, hang on a little longer. I'll get you out of here before tomorrow." Killian patted her hair one last time and Julietta watched him leave the jail. The cell door was locked again with a rattling sound.
She clung to the bars in her anxious state, and saw the back of her employer walking out under the direction of the knight. Looking at his solid back until she could not see it, she trudged back into the corner and sat back against the wall, muttering to herself, 'He was mean, but he wasn't bad either. He's a good employer, but I'm afraid I can't keep working because the work environment is poor.'
She felt she didn't have to run away as quickly as before, but she was afraid to work in this Calen Castle anymore. This place had put a person in such a trap for no reason was not the right one for her. Julietta decided to hurry up and find another job as soon as the new maid arriving and taking over was finished.
----------As soon as Christine woke up the next day, she heard the unexpected news from her maid.
"Was His Highness's maid put in jail for beating a noblewoman?"
"Yes, Miss. She is a private maid His Highness brought from Austern, and she's a commoner."
"Is she a commoner? Why the hell did he hire such a person? When did that happen?" She asked her maid if that was why he went out in the middle of the dinner.
Penny replied, "I think it was time you stayed in the garden for a short walk instead of coming back with the Marquis."
After the dinner, Christine had broken up with her father, Marquis Anais, and had taken a walk in a garden linked to the main castle. The reason she couldn't have returned to the outer castle was that she would have met the Prince again, and she had seen knights running away.
She had thought it had nothing to do with herself, so she had gone on carelessly.
"How can she beat a noblewoman, even if she is a private maid of His Highness? How could he have kept such a maid beside him?" Christine said as if dumbfounded, and took a sip of the tea Penny poured.
"Miss, I'm afraid His Highness will be in a lot of trouble. It happened on the first day he returned. In particular, she did so to the second daughter of the family of Chaister, who has served the Principality of Bertino since the beginning of the country's foundation. What the hell happened? Did she act out because she didn't know what she had to be afraid as she served His Highness? The actions of a maid show the faces of her master, and the Prince must be in such a bad mood."
Christine looked at Penny, who was constantly chatting, as if she were not that kind of maid.
"Yes. The dignity of His Highness will be damaged if it's just the fault of a maid. Also, I heard Prince Francis and some high-ranking aristocrats of Austern will visit soon to attend the summer hunting, so how noisy will this be?"
Christine, who was still thinking that this could not be happening, said in a dark and damp voice,
"What a flaw to a man so perfect and beautiful! This should not happen."
Christine seemed to have decided to do something and suddenly rose, while Penny looked in surprise. "Miss?"
"I'll see His Highness right now. Tell Count Valerian that I'll see him."
------
"Do you mean Lady Anais has something to say about what happened yesterday?"
Killian was in a good posture without any distractions, even though he sat up all through the night. Valerian replied politely to him, with a feeling the Prince was sharper than yesterday.
"Yes, Your Highness. I was told that she had something to say about the work of the maid that had happened yesterday."
"Is she a witness?" Oswald was in low spirits and straightened himself up.
Judging from the actions of the Prince last night, he seemed to care very much about the imprisoned maid. Of course, he was not sure if it was a matter of affection between a man and a woman, but it was clear that he wasn't thinking of her as an ordinary maid.
Oswald, who valued inner beauty as much as the beauty of the outside, thought there must be a good reason for the Prince's attention.
What was more, the maid's ugliness wasn't as offensive as Adam was. He could do nothing with the huge body, but if he would take off her ugly glasses and trim her stiff hair, her looks would not be that bad. His keen eyes, unmatched in regard to beauty, caught Julietta's straight forehead, narrow jaws, and perfect curved lips.
'Oh, if His Highness hadn't deterred me, I could've checked the eyes beyond those thick glasses.'
Anyway, with some money and effort, it would be easy to make her look like His Highness's concubine. His taste would be placed on the cutting board, but no one would dare to make fun of the man who would be emperor right before him.
Oswald looked at Valerian with sparkling eyes, making plans.
"I don't think so. She asked me in detail about what had happened yesterday." Oswald was irritated when Valerian shook his head, as if she were not.
"I'm so disturbed. Then, what the hell does she want to talk about, seeing His Highness in the morning?" Oswald, who had been plagued by Christine and Viscountess Morbido until Killian arrived at Calen Castle, was unable to give much credit to Lady Anais. The answer to the question was from Killian.
"I'll know when I see her. Bring her in."
After Killian's permission was given, Valerian ordered the knight outside to bring Lady Anais into the outer castle.
After the time for a cup of tea, the knight who had gone to pick up Lady Anais returned.
"Your Highness, have you been at peace all night? As soon as I woke up, I heard something surprising, and rushed here."
Christine had tied her chestnut hair finely and wore a sky-blue dress matching her eyes. She bowed deeply to Killian.
"What about Lady Anais? Did you sleep well? I wonder what made you run to me as soon as you woke up."
Christine, with a slightly pinkish blush on her cheeks despite his casual words, sat down on the sofa under the escort of Valerian.
"It's about your maid. I was really surprised to hear that in the morning." She took a deep breath with her hands on her chest as if it were a real jolt, and then spoke again. "It's nothing but being put in jail for assaulting an aristocrat. It's a great loss to your prestige."
"Thank you for your concern." When Killian frowned, as if she was only here to say such a greeting, Christine hurried on.