Chapter 36 - A Healer

At the same time, enraged women burned with envy as they glared at Irene and Marie from the Atrichen palace windows. “What’s this? Is she looking at us as if she’s gotten everything? How annoying,” they spat. Irene’s intentions or the truth of last night’s events was of little matter—everything she did was viewed through a distorted lens. In their eyes, her graceful walk appeared to be a victorious saunter and her deportment exuded a winner’s confidence. They saw arrogance in Irene for having secured the treasure they all wanted to get their hands on. Among the envious crowd, the one who reacted the harshest was the princess of Netine, a region located to the west of Perkan.

“Look at her,” the princess sneered. “Lara, are you ready?”

“Yes, princess.”

When Irene entered the building, the princess purposefully stumbled in the hallway and bumped her shoulder against Irene. As if the pain was unbearable, the princess swallowed a groan, grabbed her shoulder, and cried, “Oh! Ugh!” However, rather than garnering sympathy, her actions came across as overly dramatic due to Irene’s lack of reaction.

When the princess’s pretend show of pain seemed to drag on longer than expected, the princess’s handmaiden stepped in and screamed, “Watch where you’re going, huh? Our dear princess was hurt! What if the princess injured herself? She’s Netine’s precious princess! She’s different from you, a mere knight.”

Immediately, Marie protested, “She’s the one who bumped into my lady first, and…” However, before she could continue, Irene raised a hand to cut her off.

“My apologies. The hallway is dark today and I didn’t pay enough attention,” Irene said calmly.

“How dare you show such discourtesy! To hold your head up so high when you’re nothing but the daughter of a count! She is Netine’s princess! Make sure you show proper deference!”

“I don’t believe I’m supposed to hear that from you,” Irene replied coldly, as she peered at the handmaiden with a sharp gaze. Due to their height difference, it unavoidably appeared as if Irene was looking down on them.

“E-excuse me? I beg your pardon! I’m serving my princess, so we are…”

“It’s said that, in essence, the conduct of a subordinate resembles that of their superior. Shouldn’t she know when to step in for herself?”

“Y-You dare insult my princess…”

“Lara, I don’t think it’s the appropriate place for you to step in,” the princess interjected. With a slight frown and a click of the tongue, she added, “Since the other person has already offered an apology, you should accept it, no? Control your behavior.”

“But princess…”

Turning from the handmaiden to the princess, Irene said, “I intended to express due courtesy to the princess once you had regained your composure.”

“Yes, I know. There’s no need to concern yourself with the lower ones acting out of turn. I’ll consider it as having received your apology.” She plastered an insincere smile on her face, even as her fists remained visibly clenched. Since Irene had already pointed out that a subordinate’s conduct was a reflection on their superior, her hand was forced. Any display of anger on her part now would be no different from her spitting in her own face.

“Then, please excuse me,” Irene said, offering a half-curtsy. Out of habit, she’d almost shown the manners of a knight, but luckily she caught herself in time and expressed the manners befitting a lady instead.

“No, rather, excuse me. Please pay my handmaiden no heed. She’s simply overzealous in her loyalty towards me.”

“How could I criticize anyone for their loyalty? It’s fine.”

“Oh my! How kind of you. It’s no wonder that you caught the eye of the crown prince.”

“It must’ve been on a whim. It’s unlikely there’ll be another chance.”

“How humble.”

“The princess of Netine is a beauty—it’s far more logical that you should have many more chances than me.”

“Hah, there’s no need to sell yourself short… Anyhow, I’m feeling weary, so you’ll have to excuse me as I retire to my room first.”

“Very well,” Irene nodded.

Whipping her head around, the Netine princess swiftly fled the scene. As she made her escape, she inwardly seethed, ‘I… I was born more noble than her!’