Chapter 7✨

Several days after the altercation with the bandits, the coach train

finally arrived in the imperial capital of Galkhein.

"Oh my," Rishe murmured as they passed through the gates.

White stone buildings stood in straight rows, lining clean, orderly streets. The first stories all appeared to be shops, while the second-floor windows were festooned with flowers. Everywhere she looked were smiling faces, citizens turned out to witness their prince's return over the smooth brick roads. Overlooking it all was the towering magnificence of the imperial palace.

"The capital is the seat of power in Galkhein," Arnold explained.

"Several key trade routes converge here."

Rishe nodded, suddenly anxious to be out of the coach. More and

more people were gathering to watch their progress, some carrying shopping bags in both arms or holding hands with children. Many of them waved, as if greeting someone dear to them.

Happy citizens and clean, orderly streets meant wealth. Galkhein was

well-off. Rishe couldn't help but grin at an adorable little girl watching them roll by with sparkling eyes. When she saw Rishe's smile, she blushed and leapt up in the air, laughing with delight.

The coach made its way through the city before passing through the castle gates. Lines of disciplined knights flanked the road, ready to greet the crown prince and his fiancée.

Arnold stepped out of the coach, holding out his hand to Rishe. She took it reflexively as she alighted. A prince would be expected to help any lady out of carriage, never mind his own consort, yet for some reason the knights looked a bit disturbed.

Rishe shot them back of look of innocent confusion.

"Our long journey is at last at its end, Your Highness, Lady Rishe." Oliver emerged from the ranks of the knights, bowing. He shot Arnold a curious glance. "How novel to see you taking the hand of your fiancée."

Ah! Rishe realized that she herself had willingly broken the condition that she had imposed. Arnold had offered his hand, but she was the one who accepted.

Arnold gave a little laugh of triumph. Rishe felt a rush of frustration

at being tricked

Oliver stared at them before leaning in to whisper in Arnold's ear.

Arnold let out a breath of annoyance.

"Is something the matter?" Rishe asked.

"I sent orders ahead to have a detached wing of the palace prepared for us, but it seems the preparations are behind schedule. I'm sorry, but you'll need to stay in a guest room in the main palace for a few days."

"Oh, I don't mind if the wing isn't ready," Rishe said. "We can head

over there now."

"It hasn't been used in quite a while. It'll be covered in dust."

"I said that I didn't mind if it was a mess, remember? But there's no need for you to put yourself out. By all means, stay in the main palace for as long as you need." Rishe had spent a life as a maid-dust didn't scare her.

"Besides, I'm a hostage, after all."

"You could at least attempt to sound distressed," Arnold said with the

slightest trace of petulance.

Rishe, who had a huge grin spreading over her face and her chest

puffed out with pride, didn't respond.

***

The detached wing turned out to be just a separate palace in the distant corner of the grounds—a scant four stories tall and, as advertised, absolutely swimming in dust.

Not so bad, though. Rishe had pictured decay and clutter, but it was

mostly just bare. Bare and musty, but not rotten or falling apart

"You can do whatever you want with this place. I'll be occupied over

the next few days, but feel free to use the guest apartments in the main palace if you get tired of choking to death," Arnold said before he left.

According to Oliver, work had piled up while the prince was away, and it wasn't just a few things that could be dispensed with over a few days working around the clock.

Emperor Arnold Hein... He's just a crown prince right now, but I still wish I knew what's going on in his head. For now, I'll just focus on what I can do. Like make this place livable.

She changed into her plainest dress and rolled up her sleeves. The knights who'd remained to serve as her guard kept watch over her as she went from window to window, throwing them all open.

In a stroke of luck, the weather was good, and the detached wing was

well placed to soak up the sun. The lack of any creature comforts made it look ascetic and drab, but once it was furnished, Rishe had no doubt it would be lovely.

Leaving the top floors to air out, Rishe found the stairs to the basement. She pushed the heavy wooden doors open, and mice skittered over her feet. The knights yelped as Rishe descended into the darkness.

"L-Lady Rishe, why are you going down here?"

"Cleaning supplies are usually kept in the basement. See?" The knights followed her gaze to a duster, broom, dustpan, and pile of fresh cloths. She filled a bucket with water and went to work, rolling up a handkerchief to cover her mouth as she swept dust down from high on the walls. Then she swept up all the dust on the floor.

It's always satisfying to tackle a place this filthy.

She corralled the dust bunnies until they were piled up like snow in the center of the hall, and then she swept them out the open door. Once the floors were free of debris, she attacked them with the cloth.

"Lady Rishe, is there anything we can do to help?

Rishe was grateful for the knight's offer, but she shook her head.

"Your job is to guard me, not do my housekeeping."

"This is quite the place to clean on your own, detached though it may

be," the knight said hesitantly. "It's not too late to move into the guest chambers instead."

"That's all right. I like the place already."

Rishe remained steadfast in her refusal for one reason: readying guest chambers was an awful chore. The palace maids would be expected to work overnight to prepare them, even if the guests were only staying a single night. No speck of dust or strand of hair could remain. Certainly no wrinkled sheets. Rishe knew how exhausting and rigorous a maid's job was, how nerve-racking.

She refused to put the poor dears through such an ordeal for just a few days' stay. From the sound of things, the palace wasn't equipped with many housemaids. No doubt they already had their hands full.

"Besides, take a look." She held out her arms wide, gesturing to her sparkling clean floor. The knights stared at the bright room in admiration.

"Cleaning a place with your own hands makes living there that much more satisfying, you see."

The knights smiled their awkward but good-natured agreement.

Rishe worked tirelessly, and before long, the chambers where she would spend the night were ready. The knights offered to carry in the bed, which she allowed.

While they brought in furniture, Rishe started cleaning another room.

She had run out of clean water, so she quietly slipped out to the well without informing the knights. It wasn't quite fair to them, but these were the palace grounds. Surely she didn't need to be chaperoned everywhere.

Besides, they're guards in name only. They're clearly just here to report my movements to Arnold Hein, Rishe reflected as she walked through a courtyard full of flowers, bucket in hand. Iridescent butterflies cavorted playfully around her feet. He doesn't seem in a hurry to introduce me to the king. Although if I'm just a hostage, that doesn't surprise me.

She hoped she got to meet the current emperor at least once. The future Arnold's violent conquest only began after he killed the man and made himself emperor, after all.

I wonder what happened to Arnold Hein after I died in my past life.

Did he reign supreme after winning his war? Or did some country manage to put a stop to his conquest? Whatever the case, I absolutely cannot allow him to start a conflict this time. Being the empress of a wartime nation sounds like so much work! The very thought is unacceptable!

Perhaps they could divorce, but Rishe had a feeling that if Arnold decided to discard her in the middle of a war, she would fail in her mission to make it past the age of twenty. Better to avoid the situation all together.

Wait. When she thought about it, the cause of every single one of

Rishe's deaths was Arnold and his war. I died fighting. I died of an infectious disease I caught while treating battlefield injuries. I died when Galkhein's army invaded...

Looking at her six lives, all of them had ended in more or less the

same way.

Rishe found herself crouched on the ground, cradling her head in her

hands. Maybe we should get a divorce right now. But it wasn't in Rishe's nature to take back her decisions once she'd made them.

If I leave, I'll probably just die in some war-related disaster again. If

I can't live apart from him, I should take this opportunity to learn everything that I can.

Rishe didn't know the cause of her repeating lives, but there was no

guarantee that the loops were infinite. She had to operate under the possibility that this life could be her last. This required some thought, but standing around seething with anxiety wouldn't help.

Right now I'll focus on cleaning. Once the bath is here, I'll scrub off

all the dust and travel exhaustion. And then I can finally relax!

Brimming with new determination, she stood up and headed for the

well. She was forestalled by the sound of jeering giggles.

"Aww, look at the new girl, trying so hard," said one voice.

"All the enthusiasm in the world won't make a difference," said

another. "We're going to be the crown princess's maids, not you."

The first added, "Hey, are you even listening? Stop wasting your

time!"

Rishe heard a weak scream, followed by a thump, like a body hitting the ground. She broke into a run, finding a blonde girl sprawled in the dirt, surrounded by four other women.

"Are you all right?" Rishe hurried over to help the girl up. Her maid's uniform—a loose navy-blue dress with a white apron—was smeared with mud. The others were dressed identically.

"Who are you?" one of the girls snapped at Rishe. She had a mop of

blazing-red hair. "Another newbie?"

An understandable mistake. Rishe's dress was simple, free of ornamentation, and her hair was bound back in a ponytail to keep it out of the way. She was dust-streaked, sweaty, and carrying a bucket in her arms.

Telling them who I am will be more trouble than it's worth. Her

silence only angered the girls more.

"Are you one of the crown princess's maids? They've been snatching up every new girl. Those pretty hands of yours don't look like they've ever held a broom," said one of them.

"Unfortunately for you, we've been working here three years, and

we'll be the ones to serve Prince Arnold as the maids of his palace."

"Can you stand? Oh, good, it looks like you're not injured." Rishe

helped the girl up out of the dirt.

"Hey, don't ignore us!" the redheaded maid shouted. "You've got some nerve. If you want to make it here, you'll know your place! I doubt the two of you will last a week!"

Rishe didn't respond, her attention snagging on something else. The redhead was carrying curtains, probably to bring them to the wash. Rishe stared at them so hard the maid began to shift uncomfortably. "What's your problem?"

"You should wait to wash those," Rishe said.

The girl glared daggers at her. "Excuse me? Are you telling me it's too late in the day? You really are an amateur! The light lasts longer in the spring, you know. And it's hot today. There'll be plenty of-"

"It's going to rain, is all."

The maids exchanged glances. "How can you be so sure?"

"Look at the clouds amassing. The butterflies and the bees are flying

low. The moisture in the air will make the drying take longer."

"What?"

To be continued...

💖💖💖