Chapter 77
Katie was sensitive to the presence of others. However, she was rather indifferent to their gazes.
During her time at the Dawn Palace, Katie had been subjected to all kinds of looks.
Jealousy, envy, and resentment stemming from Damian’s courtship. Even the teasing glances Arnin had sent her way. If she had bothered to react to every single one, she would’ve died from sheer frustration long before being dismissed.
But after moving to Helion’s palace, she was freed from those stares. Though she had faced considerable hostility at first, that was no longer the case. The credit went to the numerous duels she had fought to prove her skill.
Yes. That was what she had thought—until a few days ago, when all this started.
“…This is insane.”
Katie glared irritably at the window. From the third-floor window high above her head, servants were peeking out and snickering.
In their hands were large buckets—the same buckets that had been filled with filthy black sewage just moments ago.
Though she had dodged quickly, she couldn’t stop a few droplets from splashing onto her clothes. And of course, since her uniform was white, the stains stood out even more.
Today, it was sewage. Yesterday, it had been a flowerpot. At this rate, she could almost look forward to what would come falling down tomorrow.
“Oh dear. My apologies. My hand slipped.”
“Hey, why are you apologizing? What’s the big deal if some sewage splashes on her filthy body?”
Katie shot a fierce glare toward the window. The maids giggled for a while before turning away with feigned indifference.
This harassment had started after Katie returned to daytime duty.
Katie was politically clueless. But she wasn’t so oblivious that she couldn’t figure out why they were deliberately repeating these “accidents.”
“So it wasn’t my skills that kept them quiet all this time—it was Helion’s favor.”
Cheche had tried to keep the servants’ mouths shut, but whispers had still spread among them.
‘They say Dame Katie has been permanently assigned to His Highness’ night shifts.’
‘Strange noises come from the bedroom at night.’
In the palace, favor was power. While Katie served during the night shifts, the knights and servants had refrained from mistreating her—if only out of fear of Helion’s displeasure.
But the night shifts had ended. And that meant Helion’s favor had ended too.
The fall of someone once placed above them was always a welcome sight. People pounced on Katie as if they’d been waiting for this moment.
The servants repeated their “accidents” on purpose, and the knights openly ostracized her. The training grounds turned icy the moment she stepped in, and wooden swords came flying at her for no reason.
Of course, Katie didn’t take it lying down. Not a single thrown practice sword had ever hit her.
But just because her body was fine didn’t mean her mind was.
‘It wasn’t even this bad at Damian’s palace.’
Just entering and leaving the crown prince’s bedroom had suddenly made her public enemy number one. She must have grown too accustomed to the false peace where no one dared to pick a fight. This isolation felt unbearably lonely now.
“What did I even do to them? Did they all have a crush on Helion or something?”
Katie let out a hollow laugh. It was a ridiculous guess, but not entirely unfounded.
The maids were the most enthusiastic in their harassment. The ones who would blush and brighten whenever Helion passed by were especially vicious.
Maybe it was just the atmosphere. Bullying worked like that—once someone set the tone, the rest had no choice but to follow.
At Damian’s palace, it had been Arnin. Here… she wasn’t sure. Everyone was so uniformly nasty that it was hard to pinpoint a ringleader.
“At least if his favor had actually cooled, I wouldn’t feel so wronged.”
Katie sighed, exhaustion plain on her face. She had never received Helion’s favor to begin with.
Lust wasn’t a favor. Whatever existed between Helion and her was too dry to deserve the word ‘affection.’
Fine, even if she conceded and called it favor—it didn’t change how unfair this was.
Contrary to her expectation that he’d grow bored after penetration, Helion was still burning with desire.
In the middle of serious work, he’d suddenly drop his pants and pleasure himself. It wasn’t that his urges had vanished—just that he’d been too busy to deal with them.
Either way, she couldn’t report for duty like this. Katie turned back the way she came.
Perhaps because the sun was still blazing, the path to the dormitory was quiet.
If she kept walking straight along this path, she’d eventually reach Damian’s palace. Maybe it was the unfair treatment after so long—suddenly, she missed Wayne.
By the time she returned to the dormitory, changed into spare clothes, and came back, she was a full ten minutes late for her shift.
Helion, buried in documents, flicked an indifferent glance her way.
“Dame Katie, ever so diligent, arriving late? Might as well expect the sun to rise in the west.”
“My apologies, Your Highness.”
Katie quickly saluted and moved to her usual post—behind Helion, where she’d see only his back. But today was different.
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