With all the commotion over the assassin, people in the royal palace began traveling in groups.
Following behind the guard, Leona spent the entire walk thinking about her next move.
Never mind achieving a perfect clearance, even the second clearance method was giving her a headache. As for the third method, it was quite strange—it wasn't that she didn't want to consider it, but just as Anna had said, she truly had no desire to harm Anna.
Although she didn't know why, that was simply the reality.
Leona strongly suspected it might be because of this body.
“This is far enough. There isn't much distance left, and I can walk back myself,” Leona said, looking at the corridor ahead.
With Anna's help, she had already mastered the palace routes. Not far ahead was Milan's room.
The guard nodded. After all, Milan was the head maid, so taking any more steps forward might spark unwanted gossip.
Still, given the assassination situation, he watched Leona until she walked out of the corridor.
Unfortunately, the moment Leona stepped out of the corridor, that damn headache flared up again.
It so happened that several maids were passing by. Although the head maid's room was private, its location was not far from the other maids' quarters, making it completely normal to run into a few maids.
However, this situation was hardly convenient for Leona.
Left with no choice, Leona pulled out the key ring the Princess had prepared for her. It held a long string of keys; since the Princess could move about freely at night, keys to almost every room in the palace were on it.
Except for the Queen's bedchamber, which was why Leona hadn't chosen to go to the Queen's quarters in the first place.
After finding the key to Milan's room, Leona inserted it and gave a firm twist, unlocking the door easily.
She quickly shut the door, transformed back into her original appearance, and pulled out the cloak wrapped around her waist to put it on.
By the time she finished, her forehead was covered in beads of sweat, and she collapsed in a heap right in front of the door.
“What a hassle. If I don't find a cure for these headaches, I'll probably go crazy here without this cloak.”
Leona muttered softly.
After resting for half an hour.
Just as Leona got up to walk out the door, several footsteps approached in quick succession.
Forcing a bitter smile, she looked around, left with no choice but to crawl under the bed again.
If she could, she really wanted to praise the carpenter who designed the palace beds.
Whether it was the Princess's bed or Milan's bed, both served as excellent hiding spots for her.
Soon, two voices sounded from outside.
“Head Maid, why did you suggest Croll go serve Her Highness the Princess? Isn't she the daughter of a disgraced official?”
“Miya, don't let appearances blind your eyes. Sometimes the truth isn't what you see. Stop talking about this. The Princess's wedding day is in a few days, so everything must be properly prepared. Did you get that?”
“I got it. But will Her Highness really like the Prince of the Glaze Kingdom? Will she truly be happy once she marries over there?”
A silence followed.
“That is not something for us to consider.”
Milan spoke these words very softly; Leona could only hear the first half.
The door creaked open, and Leona could clearly see a long skirt trailing on the floor as it moved slowly to the side of the bed, then toward the wardrobe, as if reaching for something.
She tried her best to control herself and not make a sound.
Immediately after, a shocking sight unfolded before her.
Milan began shedding her clothes. As the garments slid to the floor, a pair of slender, fair legs was revealed.
Although Leona wasn't very tall, that wasn't what shocked her—it was the bloodstains on the clothes.
There wasn't much blood, likely just splatter from being caught near the action, but she certainly hadn't done something like an assassination; otherwise, she wouldn't have come back so brazenly to change clothes.
As for what had actually happened, Leona had no idea.
However, their conversation just now had mentioned Croll. Could it be related to Croll?
After changing her clothes, Milan squatted down to pick up the blood-stained garments.
This gave Leona quite a fright. If Milan glanced just a little lower, she would spot a peeping tom hidden under the bed.
Fortunately, Milan didn't have the habit of looking under beds.
Once Milan sorted everything out and tied her headscarf, she pushed open the door to leave, casting a suspicious glance back inside.
Did she leave the door unlocked when she went out?
“Hurry along, Head Maid! The spring cleaning isn't finished yet.”
Before Milan could ponder further, Miya took her by the hand and spoke.
Locking the door behind her once more, Milan left together with Miya.
After waiting a while and confirming there was no movement, Leona crawled back out from under the bed.
Clutching her numb hands, Leona held a small pout.
“That was way too close.”
She sighed, and seeing that it was getting late, she planned to head back first to her sanctuary—the Princess's bedchamber.
She would make further plans after taking a rest.
At the very least, within these nine days, she had to find an opportunity to enter the Queen's room to search for the Magic Mirror.
...
Inside the Princess's bedchamber.
【Croll failed to protect the Princess. I deserve to die.】
Reading Croll's thoughts, Anna didn't know whether to call Croll foolish or loyal.
She raised her hand intending to touch Croll's bandaged arm, but Croll reflexively took a step back to dodge.
“Your Highness, I am the daughter of a disgraced official. This is improper.”
“Who dares call you the daughter of a traitor?” Anna said in annoyance. “You saved my life today, which makes you a hero.”
It seemed that after last night's action, the assassins had realized the best time and place to assassinate the Princess was during the day.
Just moments ago, two assassins had attacked the Princess. Their movement skills were formidable; even the two guards at the door could barely hold them off.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, Croll stepped up, displaying the grand demeanor of a knight and taking both assassins' lives on the spot with just a single short blade.
Milan's decision had been correct.
Just then, a knock sounded from outside the door.
【The moment something happened to the Princess, His Majesty the King didn't even come to express his concern. Instead, he's actually demanding the Princess go discuss the marriage alliance.】
Hearing the inner voice from outside the door, Anna fidgeted with her skirt, a faint trace of sorrow showing in her eyes.
“Come in,” she responded softly.
“Your Highness.”
“Did Father send for me to discuss the political marriage?” Before the maid could speak, Anna preempted her.
“Yes, Your Highness. His Majesty wants you to go see him after lunch,” the maid said with her head bowed.
“I understand. You may leave,” Anna nodded.
Receiving her instructions, the maid withdrew from the room.
After exchanging a few words with Croll, Croll dutifully stood guard outside the door.
Now, not a single guard outside said a word.
【Croll must protect the Princess no matter what.】
Looking toward the door, Anna didn't know whether she should feel worried or happy.
A faint ringing of a bell came from beneath the bed, making Anna leap up from her bed.
After subconsciously glancing around, she slowly crawled under the bed and entered the secret passage.
Inside the secret passage, Leona sat quietly on the ground, drawing on the dirt with a twig as if mapping out some sort of diagram.
Leona had the most complex mind of anyone she had ever met.
【The guards are fewest here; the Queen's meal delivery route goes from here to here...】
【Clear the instance as quickly as possible; I want to go back.】
【Don't flee anymore; lead them... out of the darkness.】
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