The maid Angelica brought from the Unro Kingdom, Cisen, considered her identity as 'Angelica's' maid, not the maid of the 'Empress.' She dedicated her whole heart and life to her. It was only because she decided to live abroad without even getting married for the sake of Angelica.

Her master wept incessantly the day she decided to marry into the Actilus Empire.

"Ah, Cisen. What an empire! I'm no better than a monkey now. I'll have to do tricks to please the violent Emperor. It can't be this humiliating...It's sad because I was born in a small country where I couldn't even say anything to the Empire!"

She was clever, prideful, and a proud princess. After being depressed for several days, she resigned herself to knowing that there was nothing she could do.

"If I go to Actilus, the people there will be very territorial, right? But, I'm not going to let it slide."

Wiping the tears from her big eyes, Angelica tried to smile.

"They'll show me the treatment worthy of the Empress."

Then, Cisen clenched Angelica's hands together with hers.

"Princess, the place where you're going is within my reach. Please, take me with you." "Cisen..."

At those words, the Princess held Cisen's hand back. "You're the only one I trust. Even if everyone in the world turns their back on me, you have to be on my side." Angelica continued earnestly.

"Even if the laws of the world change, no matter how I change, no matter how you change... May only my trust and your loyalty remain unchanged. Swear to me right now, Cisen! That won't change!"

Cisen struggled to drive out of her mind the image that seemed to be forever unforgettable.

After she came to Actilus and was separated from her princess, whom she met again a few days later as Empress and her handmaiden, Angelica was like a different person from her.

The Princess, who was unbecomingly sensitive and scathing with a round and gentle impression, had completely changed when she came to Actilus. She became much more dull and mellow than when she was in social gatherings. It seemed that her blunt words and stubborn personality had completely gone, and she became timid instead.

It was so perplexing, but Cisen struggled to understand.

Even if the environment has changed, her master has changed too much. Perhaps, acting like a frightened rabbit was a way of survival in the Empire that Angelica had established herself. So, Cisen had been consciously ignoring the changed aspects of the Princess she had served.

'...I swore I wouldn't change.'

Every morning she looked in the mirror, she made up her mind.

It had been several months since she kept her mouth shut about Angelica's incomprehensible behavior and her behavior that was different from before. However, her master's behavior over the past few days has gone too far.

...Leaving her husband and taking an interest in other men, Angelica even sent her to him secretly and exchanged notes with him.

On the day Raniero was so angry, it seemed that she had a secret meeting with the paladin.

Cisen was terribly miserable doing the dishonest thing that Angelica had asked her to do.

The dear princess, who demanded her an oath of allegiance, asked her to do this? No matter how difficult life in the Imperial Palace was, this was not the case. Cisen would have been pleased if she had rather run away.

There was also a limit to shutting her mouth.

In the end, Cisen decided to speak directly to Angelica.

Up until now, Angelica's heart had been Cisen's, so she had nothing to disobey her master. Because of that, the change of heart between Angelica and her also hurt her. Having turned down all of the other maids, they were finally left alone in the Empress's bedroom.

Cisen opened her mouth with difficulty.

"Your Majesty. I have something to tell you."

"...I see what's going on."

Her stomach churned

At those words, she lifted her head, which was dropped because she could not bear to look into Angelica's eyes since earlier. Her mouth was dry.

"Are you worried that I might have had an unclean heart for one of the paladins of Tunia?"

"Your Majesty..."

A short moan escaped Cisen's lips.

Angelica's remarks were too direct. Seeing her reaction, her master shook her head slightly as Cisen carefully selected her words.

"It's not what you think it is."

"However..."

"I'm sorry for making you doubt me. I apologize for making you suffer without knowing why."

Her chestnut-colored eyes became moist. Even though she really tried not to cry, her master's apology brought tears to her eyes. Angelica smiled and lightly tapped her arm, seeing her like that.

Cisen opened her mouth again sadly.

"If it's not unclean, why don't you tell me anything? This has never happened before, Your Majesty..."

"Oh, no... why are you crying..."

Angelica panicked and handed her her own handkerchief. Nevertheless, Cisen only bit her lip without accepting it.

Eventually, a long sigh escaped from her master's mouth.

"It seems that there's nothing I can do. I'll tell you. I don't have that much self-interest in the paladin. I can even make an oath if you want me to."