Lucas was speechless by Diana’s frankness. Diana walked towards the end of the maze, which she seemed so familiar already, leaving Lucas behind.
Diana’s purpose for attending the banquet had already been fulfilled. Meanwhile, Lucas had almost reached the limit of his patience. He could give up or kill Diana. In any case, however, he would not be able to expect Diana as a well-behaved Crown Princess.
“Yes, I won’t give you a chance,” Diana muttered to herself.
“You did great too.”
She may feel uncomfortable now, but Diana had no regrets nor was she sorry. On the contrary, compared to the difficult years she had gone through, it was nothing less than charity.
“I’ll be happy.”
It was a waste of time for both of them to spend a lot of time wrestling with frivolous emotions, always being driven by the self-centered Lucas. She knew by experience that it had no meaning.
“To be happy, I’m here.”
Diana did not know how she was transmigrated into the book, which rendered her helpless and clueless. The ending of the book is still undivulged. But despite that, she believed there was a reason for everything. And just like everyone’s life, the end is untold.
“For me, it’s my life.”
Diana thought Empress Diana’s life was glum but now was a chance to change the situation. In fact, contrary to the contents of the book, Carl’s property was entirely in her hands, and she dared to break ties with Trisha. And most of all, she had Edwin to support her.
Also, remembering how pitiful she was in her previous life outside the book, now was an opportunity. For the first time, the choice to be happy was there. And for that alone, Diana could fix her eyes straight ahead to her goal.
***
Behind the splendid banquet hall, attendants and maids were busy shuffling. Among them was Trisha. However, she could not feel any discomfort from the restless environment due to her duties as a maid.
Trisha received the busiest work but she couldn’t refuse it. Besides, it was rather an advantage. Diana would attend the banquet today, so they had a chance to meet.
“Hey, is the silver tray still not ready yet?”
“I should serve the fruits first.”
Still, it was a big shame for Trisha that she was a maid. But she could not afford to question that. She could have done more than this if she had had a chance to meet Diana.
“Lack of roast duck!”
“No, start with champagne.”
“No, fruits first!”
The kitchen was like a battlefield. Trisha had to snatch her chance from this war.
“I’ll take it, fruit!”
Trisha stepped out. Her appearance, which had been finely groomed in the morning with her hair kept, was well-qualified to serve food in the banquet hall. The chief maid who commanded the maids looked up and down Trisha and nodded in approval.
“Put the fruits on the original table and return the empty silver tray right away.”
“You know how the banquet’s maid moves like a shadow.”
“Yes.”
The main characters of the banquet were the guests only. The rest had to work busily behind it. Before the guests of the dinner felt insufficient, they had to fill up food and wine, and they should never be seen by those who enjoy the banquet. The word “shadow” was just right to describe the maids.
“It’s decorated by the chef, never mess it up,” the maid reminded Trisha.
“Yes.”
Trisha managed to lift the heavy silver plate. The maid had a slightly displeased look on her face, but there was no other way to send it out from this battlefield-like kitchen.
“Come on, serve it, and come back.”
But the maid was not aware that it would be the last command she could give to Trisha.
***
Trisha looked around. The silver platter over her shoulder chilled her bones. As a seventeen-year-old, the court’s work was too much even for adults. Nevertheless, there was a reason why Trisha abandoned her pride and came here.
“Where are you?”
Nervous, Trisha muttered to herself. When she took a peek a little earlier, she didn’t see Diana near the podium. Trisha was forced to put the fruit in place and pick up the empty silver platter.
“I can ‘t…”
If she didn’t get a chance now, she couldn’t be sure she could return to the banquet hall. Then, her hard work would be in vain.
“Ah!”
Finally, Diana was caught in the sight of Trisha. She was alone on her way back from the garden. It was a bit darker than usual. Trisha hurried to Diana in the yard.
“Wait.”
Just as Trisha was about to go out into the garden, an eerie voice rang in her ear. Glancing back with an ominous feeling, a fully armed guard was staring at Trisha over the helmet.
“Where are you going?”
“Oh, I… Wait a minute…”
“Nobody can enter the garden.”
Trisha was nervous and put the silver tray next to him.
“I am an imperial maid, and most of all, I am the Crown Princess’s best friend, Diana Carl. It’s my job to be her friend now.”
“What?”
Unlike the whispering Trisha, the guardsman spoke loudly, garnering some attention on them.
“How dare you undermine the dignity of the one who will be the Crown Princess!”