Chapter 49: Kaela’s Flashback 2
by fnovelpia
“Anes, come quickly!”
Kaela, brimming with excitement, dashed ahead without forgetting to glance back at the maid following her.
Urging her attendant to hurry, Kaela grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
“Hehe, you’re as lively as ever today, my lady.”
After the agreement between Anes and Robelia, Kaela was finally able to spend her weekends as she pleased, taking time to rest.
At first, she was unsure of what to do with her newfound freedom, often sitting at her desk agonizing over it.
But now, she had grown accustomed to planning her own activities.
One of the things she had always wanted to do—and had now become a weekly routine—was having picnics in the imperial palace gardens.
“Anes, what’s this flower?”
A small, unassuming yellow flower suddenly caught her eye.
Looking at it reminded her of the golden jasmine Anes had carefully nurtured in a vase.
“Ah, this is a marigold.”
“A marigold?”
As Kaela settled down to examine the flower, Anes smiled and set down a massive iron object in a corner of the garden.
Thud!
It was no ordinary item a maid would carry—a giant iron shield, hollowed out like a basket, filled with picnic essentials like a blanket and snacks.
With practiced ease, Anes began setting up their spot.
By now, Kaela was so used to the sight that it no longer fazed her. But the first time she had seen Anes wield that shield, it had been nothing short of bizarre.
*
One day, she had read a scary storybook on her day off.
Anes, noticing, had asked with concern, “My lady, will you be alright sleeping alone tonight?”
“Hmph! I’m not scared at all! I can sleep by myself just fine!”
But despite her bravado, sleep wouldn’t come.
She lay awake, staring into the darkness.
Rustle.
That was when she heard it—a faint sound outside her window.
A noise so subtle she wouldn’t have noticed if she’d been asleep.
Was it just her heightened nerves making ordinary sounds seem louder? Or was it something truly out of place?
Yet, fear kept her from investigating.
The sound persisted, growing more suspicious.
This is the fifth floor.
The imperial princess’s chambers were at the very top of the palace. How could such a noise reach here?
Finally convinced of an intruder’s presence, she belatedly called out for the person closest to her.
“A-Anes! Anes!”
Her sudden cry seemed to startle the intruder, who moved hastily.
Definitely not her imagination.
Before she could react, a masked man shattered the window and lunged at her, dagger in hand.
Too late.
Anes’s room was on the fourth floor. Even if she rushed up, would she make it in time? And even if she did, could she stop the intruder?
Cowering in the farthest corner of the room, Kaela trembled in terror.
Is this how I die?
Just as the thought crossed her mind—
Crash!
The door flew off its hinges, slamming into the intruder.
Standing in the doorway was her loyal maid, but unlike any version of her Kaela had ever seen.
“Anes!”
“My lady! Are you alright?”
In her hands was a massive iron shield.
Holding it defensively, Anes stepped forward, shielding Kaela behind her.
With the poise of a seasoned warrior, she glared at the intruder.
Despite the commotion, the palace remained eerily silent.
Had the guards been subdued? Or were they in on it?
If reinforcements were coming, they had to deal with this man quickly.
No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than Anes closed the distance in a blur.
The sheer speed at which she moved, despite the shield’s weight, was staggering.
The intruder barely twisted out of the way in time.
“You—?!”
His face twisted in anger at nearly being struck by a mere maid.
In an instant, he flung daggers from all directions, but Anes deflected them effortlessly before swinging her shield like a blunt weapon.
Clang! Clang! Thud!
After just a few exchanges, the intruder realized his mistake.
This woman is no ordinary maid.
But retreat was impossible now.
His only hope was to hold out until backup arrived.
His eyes flicked toward the door.
“Not alone after all, huh?”
Anes’s voice was cold as she pressed her advantage, forcing him to drop his weapon.
“Gah—!”
Pinned under the shield’s edge, he lost all control of his body.
Just then, three more intruders burst through the door.
A tough fight lay ahead.
Yet Anes showed no fear.
Instead, she calmly tore away the restrictive parts of her maid dress for better mobility and faced them head-on.
Her composed demeanor eased Kaela’s panic.
“My lady, a shield shines brightest when protecting someone, don’t you think?”
So cool. Cooler than any knight.
Still trembling, Kaela stared in awe at Anes’s back.
That small childhood incident.
The outcome, of course, was Anes overpowering the intruders with ease—hence why Kaela was still alive and well.
Rumors later suggested the first prince was behind it, but without a confession, nothing could be proven. All they could do was tighten security.
After swiftly resolving the situation, Anes comforted Kaela and even changed her bedsheets.
“Shall I stay with you tonight?”
Despite the late-night chaos, Anes showed no sign of fatigue, still putting Kaela first.
“Okay.”
Kaela quickly snuggled up beside her.
Sorry, Mother, she thought guiltily, but sometimes she wished Anes was her mother.
That was how much she adored her.
And so, she wanted to know more about her.
“Where are you from, Anes? The west, where all the great knights come from? Or the north, with its warriors who fight barbarians?”
A woman wielding such a heavy shield with ease couldn’t be ordinary.
Was she from the west?
The empire’s western region, dominated by nobles, was known for producing exceptional knights who became pillars of the realm.
But her mother had once mentioned Anes came from the north.
Was she a soldier who had fought against the northern barbarians?
Either way, it was awe-inspiring.
Kaela’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Anes.
“Ah, well…”
Anes looked flustered—a rare sight.
Did I ask something awkward?
Kaela wouldn’t have minded if she were a commoner, but the answer Anes gave was far more unexpected than she could’ve imagined.
“I’m from a northern ethnic tribe, my lady.”
“Oh.”
She should’ve controlled her expression. But at the time, she was too young to think of that.
Belatedly, she flapped her hands, trying to convey that it didn’t matter.
Her ever-understanding maid simply smiled and hugged her tightly, humming an unfamiliar but soothing lullaby.
See See-la. See-la Laminovoso.
The stars are always by your side,
Even if you lose your way in the deep night, I will always be here with you.
Close your eyes, and like the stars rising in the sky,
I will always watch over you.
See See-la. See-la Laminovoso.
The melody eased the tension from Kaela’s body.
But unlike usual, the lyrics barely registered.
I don’t want her to hate me.
For the first time, she regretted her mistake. How could she make up for it?
She’d heard gifts could mend relationships. Would that help?
What should she give?
Then she remembered the jewel she always carried.
Her mother had called it a “proof of her identity”—a treasure that could be remade if lost, but never to be given to anyone outside the family.
But Anes was like family. So it’d be fine, right?
She fashioned the jewel into a necklace.
“Anes, close your eyes for a second!”
“My lady? Why?”
Though puzzled, Anes obeyed.
Kaela dragged a chair over, climbed onto it, and draped the necklace around Anes’s neck.
“Oh my, what’s this? It’s beautiful. Like the color of your eyes.”
Anes’s reaction was pure delight.
Seeing her so happy filled Kaela with joy.
This was the first time she understood the happiness of giving a gift to someone she loved.
“Such a lovely gift… How can I repay you?”
“Repay? I hadn’t thought about it.”
There wasn’t much she lacked.
Despite her mother’s strict control, as a princess, she could get almost anything she wanted with a word.
But then—
“Oh! Then promise me one thing!”
“A promise? What kind?”
“Promise you’ll stay by my side forever!”
A childish demand, but a heartfelt wish.
At first, Anes looked troubled, but then she crouched to Kaela’s eye level and nodded.
That happy memory.
From that day on, Kaela vowed never to judge others by their origins.
This change in values profoundly shaped her future.
Merchants, artisans, and others of low status but great skill began to rally behind her.
This became the foundation of the formidable faction that would later allow her to stand against the legitimate first prince.
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