Sylvia, who wanted the private maid seat that would follow him to Austern, not a maid who had to look at him from far away every time he visited Calen Castle, agreed with Pamela, who wanted to plant her right-hand girl by the Prince, and so Julietta was falsely accused.

Pamela had a smile of satisfaction after looking at Sylvia. Even if she could not kick out Sir Albert, who nitpicked on her for no reason in all cases, with this much blame, she thought she might be able to decrease the faith of His Highness in him more and more by taking this opportunity. If Sylvia was in the eyes of the Prince, or even if not, she might have a chance to advance the retirement of old Albert if she won his trust as an individual maid.

Pamela waited for this to reach the Prince's ear, and calculated when it would be most effective for her to visit the Prince.

"Your Highness, you've been well to be patient. I was very glad that you remembered my advice. Prince Francis is expected to arrive in a few days. I ask you to give me a favor, lest Lady Anais give Prince Francis any room."

Killian spoke cynically to Adam, who nagged as soon as he finished the dinner and moved to the Oval Office. "It's a good thing that even the Count seems to be in a good mood."

"Your Highness, if you want to make me feel better, you can get engaged to Lady Anais and climb on the seat of the Crown Prince at this time."

Despite Killian's sarcastic remarks, Oswald stepped in to soften the mood as Adam was still smiling, "Well, now, I'd like to finish talking about earlier this afternoon. You're saying we should get rid of the front wall of the new jewelry store and make it gla.s.s, right?"

"That's right. The stores are in the capitals of each country. First, we'll set up one at Austern and Vicern, here at Ricaren, and then we'll watch the sales trend and open the rest."

"If we're going to recruit workmen, find out the sites, and set up the buildings, we can't open them until next year."

"As soon as the hunting compet.i.tion is over next week, split up and find the sites first. Valerian, stay here and find out, Oswald in Vicern, and Adam in Austern."

"It's going to be hard to spend the summer in Bertino; there are so many things to do this year," Adam said to the Prince.

"But I'm really glad we'll be able to make it easy when the Magic Square is restored in a couple of months."

At Valerian's words, Oswald agreed enthusiastically, "That's a relief! This Oswald, who should be leading the Austern's trends, was supposed to be in Bertino for half a year; so that's what the costumes of the Imperial Castle look like. Do you know how surprised I was when I went to His Majesty's birthday banquet this spring? They were still hanging those ridiculous heavy wrinkle decorations that were popular last spring. Even the prim people in Vicern won't keep that loyalty to one fas.h.i.+on.

"Yes, I'm very happy to hear that. I don't have to suffer any more from the Marquis, who thinks he's bored every day." He nodded as if he were really lucky to see Oswald tearing down ribbon-shaped cravats in a fit of excitement. Adam was smiling, accepting Valerian's words, and suddenly Albert came in with an urgent knock.

"Your, Your Highness." Albert opened the door and came in, bewildered as to how to report on what had been reported by a knight.

The maid, who he seemed to like, was suddenly taken to the underground prison, and his heart was trembling at the mere thought of the Prince's anger. He was even more embarra.s.sed because she did not put on airs like Jeff, and despite her ugly appearance, was not frivolous or condescending in her belief in her status as a maid of the Prince, unlike the charges stipulated.

While Albert hesitated and was at a loss for what to do, he was completely unaware of the plot that had entangled a girl who was only a maid, and Killian urged him, "What the h.e.l.l is going on? Has Prince Francis arrived already?"

"No, Your Highness. Julietta is in the underground prison right now, accused of a.s.saulting an aristocrat."

"What do you mean by that?" Killian frowned at Albert's words. "Julietta is not such a maid to hit a woman. Moreover, did she hit a n.o.blewoman? What nonsense is that?"

At the silver eyes darkened with evidence of discomfort, Albert raised his hands as if to calm him down and quickly relayed the rest of the report.

"This is what... The beaten woman is Sylvia Chaister, the second daughter of Viscount Chaister. The maid testified that Julietta a.s.saulted her. Others were not there, and the person who was. .h.i.t pointed at Julietta right away, and she was taken to the underground prison, where she was confined."