RETURN OF THE FEMALE KNIGHT

78. What a Wicked Man

Lalisa had no intention of making a move at the moment, but now that the Empress had, she couldn't allow things to remain the same. She slowly rose from her seat, her blood-colored eyes shining.

"The maid who brought the plant looks a little suspicious to me. What do you think of her?"

"I feel the same way."

"Yes. There can be none of the Empress' people here."

I was sure that Jungkook already knew, but there was a mole hiding among us. From now on, many things would change. I was the mistress of this palace.

After a moment's consideration, she opened the door to the parlor, and a maid who she recognized approached and quickly bowed to her.

"Is there anything you wish, Your Highness?"

"Get me Sir Taehyung."

"Ah! Yes, My Lady!"

As expected, the maid seemed to know who Taehyung was. After several visits to the palace, he was the one Lalisa encountered the most among Jungkook's subordinates save for Jimin. Taehyung was one of Jungkook's closest aides and she was familiar with him, making him the right person to speak to once she had just entered the Imperial family.

As Taehyung's neat, white-haired appearance floated in her mind, she calculated her future moves in her head one by one.

'Now, shall we move on?'

*

*

Several minutes passed before Taehyung arrived to the parlor room. As soon as he saw Lalisa's face, he bowed politely.

"Hail to the Crown Princess. Eternal glory to the Ruford Empire."

"We will meet many times in the future, so you can omit such formal greetings between us."

"Oh no. I must follow standards."

While his stubborn tone was similar to Jimin, there was still a distinction in their personalities. Jimin carried an air of indifference to him, while Taehyung was steadfast to convention, and Lalisa knew not to ask him again to skip the formalities. She nodded knowingly and continued.

"I want to meet the people that work in the Crown Prince's palace. I'd like to gather everyone together, and I can think only of you who could do this."

"Ah, is that so?"

He lifted his head proudly. In the past he had looked at Lali with eyes heavy with envy and burden, but his impression of Lalisa was quite admirable.

'The difference in his reaction when I am Jungkook's guard and his wife is enormous.'

Perhaps that was why there was a strange feeling of distance between them. When Lalisa was a knight, Hoseok was the only one who treated her with a kind smile, contrary to his intimidating looks. She suddenly wondered if he was doing well, but she was pressed for other matters.

"I would like you to arrange a place where I can introduce everyone to my head lady-in-waiting."

"Ah..."

Taehyung looked at Taehee standing next to Lalisa with new eyes. The head lady-in-waiting and the head butler always played a large role on their master's side.

Taehee, who had been keeping a quiet position next to Lalisa, politely introduced herself first.

"Hello. I'm Taehee,  the nanny who had looked after Her Highness when she was a child. I'm honored to be the head lady-in-waiting, so please take care of me."