CATB Chapter 8

Ariel was a princess of the Pellipe Kingdom who was recognized both externally and internally.

The fact that she was overseeing the King's birthday party, superseding even the Queen, showed that she enjoyed considerable trust from the King. Her claim about being busy wasn't false, as it was difficult to see Ariel after she brought me on the first day.

The King's birthday party was approaching in three days.

The day I would first reveal myself completely would also be in three days.

As I was leisurely eating breakfast, the head lady-in-waiting entered my room. Ariel had sent her, and while she was temporarily appointed as head lady-in-waiting of Iris Palace where I was staying, her attitude was insufferably arrogant.

"Princess Ariel has sent attire for Your Highness's birthday party."

Ladies-in-waiting carrying armfuls of dresses followed behind the head lady-in-waiting.

"Please choose whichever pleases you. Princess Ariel is such a gracious person, so I believe it would be proper for Your Highness to show gratitude for Her Highness's consideration."

The eyes of the head lady-in-waiting speaking to me so boldly were filled with pride for Ariel and displeasure toward me. Alexa really must have been a national villain. While the head lady-in-waiting didn't openly disrespect me, she showed her displeasure with me by tormenting Jen and Lily or being negligent in her duties as a lady-in-waiting—things like bringing meals on time or cleaning.

Since she was gradually getting on my nerves, I felt the need to make an example at this point.

In the room were the head lady-in-waiting, three ladies-in-waiting who had brought the dresses, and Jen and Lily.

"What was your name again?"

"Within the royal palace, you must use respectful language, and even to those beneath you, you should show proper courtesy by saying 'you' or using their names rather than 'hey.'"

The head lady-in-waiting's face was full of defiance as she looked directly at me and spoke.

"What kind of manner of speaking is that to a princess!"

Jen exclaimed loudly from behind me in excitement. The head lady-in-waiting didn't even blink.

"For a mere lady-in-waiting to object to the head lady-in-waiting's words, I will discipline you later with punishment for your disloyalty."

The Alexa before her eyes was a scarecrow. And why wouldn't she be? This suddenly appeared second princess was, contrary to the notorious nickname Alexa the Beast, just a provincial eighteen-year-old girl standing before her. Apart from Ariel, neither the King nor Queen paid her any attention. Besides two bean-sized ladies-in-waiting, she had no other attendants, and her belongings were shabby and modest.

In contrast, she herself was an elite lady-in-waiting belonging to the unit under the head lady-in-waiting, the highest position in the royal palace. While it wasn't particularly high rank, head lady-in-waiting Rachel took great pride in working under the head lady-in-waiting and serving Princess Ariel. She had come to care for this provincial princess at Princess Ariel's request.

She had been quite frightened by the monster rumors, but contrary to the rumors about being furry and having glowing red eyes, she was just an ordinary girl. Except that her build was too large to be called a princess and she seemed to have about as much cultivation as the dog droppings from her own yard.

What the head lady-in-waiting disliked most about Alexa wasn't the notorious rumors about Alexa the Beast, but rather her conduct. The despicable woman who stole away lovely Princess Ariel's lover and made him her own fiancé. There was no trace of guilt over stealing her sister's man. She had seen Princess Ariel occasionally meeting with Marquess Berford and shedding tears.

Rage boiled in her blood. To this loyal head lady-in-waiting who had idolized Ariel since childhood, Alexa was a complete object of hatred. To think she had to serve this thing as a princess! She was on the verge of sighing from the pathetic situation.

Meanwhile, Alexa was also on the verge of sighing. While transforming from furry creature to human was certainly a good thing, there was one disadvantage: she could no longer instill the same overwhelming terror in people as before. How tiring. Alexa finally sighed.

"I asked what your name was."

The repeated question was calm. Head lady-in-waiting Rachel glared at Jen before finally answering.

"...It's Rachel."

Alexa stood up from her seat. Seeing her approaching, Rachel momentarily shrank back. Surely nothing would happen. Even if she hit her for being insolent, she would immediately report it to Princess Ariel. Rachel steeled her resolve.

Smack.

No matter how steeled one's resolve, pain was still pain. Alexa was strong. Rachel's right cheek immediately began to swell.

"Who am I?"

"......"

The pain was beyond imagination, leaving Rachel momentarily dazed. She couldn't even remember what had just been asked.

Smack.

Soon she felt sharp pain on her other cheek.

"I asked who I am."

"Lady A-Your Highness!!"

Afraid she might get hit more if her answer was late, Rachel shouted urgently. Her head was filled with fury toward Alexa. The moment she left this room, she would go to Princess Ariel. She would report everything about how she had been treated.

Smack.

Alexa's hand came up again and Rachel's lip finally split.

"You'll regret treating me like this!!!"

"Still can't assess the situation properly."

Alexa grabbed Rachel's hair. The other ladies-in-waiting looked at Alexa with terror-stricken eyes. Those weren't slaps with a woman's strength. Being hit like that with pot-lid-sized hands would make them faint. Rachel, who kept spouting off while being hit, actually seemed admirable.

"If Princess Ariel finds out..."

Dragged out of the room by her hair while being held, Rachel gritted her teeth and spat out.

"Educating a lady-in-waiting who doesn't even know her proper master is rightfully the master's job."

Alexa flung away the hair she had been gripping. Rachel tumbled headfirst to the floor.

"This isn't a situation for Ariel to get involved in."

Before long, all the servants of Iris Palace had come outside and were watching this situation while holding their breath.

"Who am I?"

"......"

Alexa's cold voice echoed over Rachel, who couldn't continue speaking.

"Lily, you tell me."

"Alexandra de Peliazen Dwight, the Second Princess of the Pellipe Kingdom!"

Slowly but more clearly than ever, Lily pronounced Alexa's name.

A shiver ran through the servants.

Alexa had just clearly established her ambiguous position within Iris Palace.

'I am a princess and your master is me.'

If they ignored this implicit fact, they would end up like Rachel sprawled over there.

"Alexa the Beast."

Someone muttered unconsciously and quickly covered their mouth again.

Everyone thought the same thing. The rumors weren't wrong.

Alexa the Beast—her appearance might have changed, but she was still fierce and cruel.

"From today, I dismiss head lady-in-waiting Rachel and appoint Lily to that position. Rachel is demoted to apprentice lady-in-waiting and will have three months of salary reduction."

Alexa's voice was power itself.

An dignity that none could violate and an intimidating presence that inspired fear.

That was not something a princess should possess. That belonged to an emperor.

Knight Ezenhar, who was in charge of guarding Iris Palace, witnessed all of this and thought:

If Alexa hadn't been a princess, bloodshed would have swept through the palace.

In the dark night, lights came on in Laila Palace where Ariel resided.

"Princess Ariel!!! Sob... Lady Alexa did this to me..."

A look of irritation flashed across and disappeared from the fine features of Ariel, who was sitting at a table in silk pajamas.

Her gaze fell on the bruised face of the girl prostrated before her.

"You must have been in great pain. What happened?"

As soon as the gentle voice reached Rachel, the girl began pouring out her grievances.

"She beat me like this, calling me insolent. I was just sob saying that she should be grateful for the consideration Princess Ariel showed her... and suddenly sob, she asked for my name..."

"Asked for your name?"

"When I said Your Highness... she said I was a lady-in-waiting who didn't know her proper master... and did this to me... like this..."

'Master...'

Ariel's jade-like fingers drummed on the table.

"Alexa has changed quite a bit."

"Lady Alexa made me like this. Three teeth are gone and the physician said my cheekbone is fractured. Princess... sob... for me to be so wrongfully... Alexa the Beast..."

At the words that soon spilled from Rachel's mouth, Ariel's gaze, which had been looking down pitifully, froze coldly.

"How insolent."

"Princess Ariel?"

"Very insolent words to say about your master. Rachel, didn't I ask you to serve Alexa well?"

Unlike her cold stare, her voice remained warm. Rachel simply thought she had come at the wrong time when Ariel was in a bad mood.

"But Alexa is a shameless monster who stole the Princess's man! Seeing how much you cried, Princess, I can never forgive Alexa!!!"

Rachel was a foolish but deeply loyal girl.

Ariel sighed.

"Princess?"

Was it her imagination that the warm princess she knew seemed to have changed a little?

"To cause such needless trouble, Rachel, you really are a tiresome child."

Ariel's jade-like hand made a quick gesture.

"Princess? Prin... kek... gasp..."

Thick fingers choked Rachel's neck from behind, and after brief struggling, the light of life disappeared from the bruised girl's eyes. With a thud, the girl's body slumped to the floor.

"Such a needless thing to do..."

Her gesture of drinking tea showed no trace whatsoever of the aftermath of the death that had just occurred.

"How shall we dispose of the body?"

The head lady-in-waiting's low voice asked her.

"Handle it yourself. Cut it up and feed it to the crows or sell it off."

"Yes, Princess."

"How is Alexa doing?"

"She's still in the process of choosing dresses. A lady-in-waiting named Lily has been promoted to head lady-in-waiting."

"From among the ones I sent?"

"Yes. She seemed pleased with them."

A satisfied smile spread across Ariel's face at those words.

She looked down at the tea that was still warm.

Apple mint tea—Alexa's favorite tea.

She carefully caressed the rim of the teacup.

Her movements were seductive, as if she were caressing something.

Ariel tilted her head.

Her silk-like hair cascaded down her side in waves.

"Why does she keep trying to escape from my grasp?"

Her touch continued to circle the teacup.

Ariel's fingers gently traced the rim of the cup.