TWFLLYM Ch 78

The Vanished Cat's Eye (1)

Kalart ignored her sideways glance. The realization struck her a moment later.

Ah, the Head Maid only glares at me.

Kalart clearly didn't understand why he should care about the Head Maid's presence at all.

[Roserikta] "I have much work to do, Your Highness. I should get up now."

[Kalart] "If you must."

He gently pinched the tip of her nose before letting go.

The Head Maid's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets as she watched.

When Roserikta opened her mouth in surprise, Kalart leaned in and lightly bit her lower lip.

Anyone could see the deep affection in his actions, no matter the angle.

As if he couldn't resist her loveliness, the Prince left several kisses on her lips, where small teeth marks remained. Even a blind person would recognize the absolute happiness radiating from his face.

[Kalart] "I will see you later."

He turned with a light step and left the bedroom.

[Aldwin] "Wait a moment. I will send water for your wash."

Her voice carried the distinct sound of grinding teeth.

Oh dear. Why do I feel so guilty every time I see her?

[Roserikta] "Thank you…… Madam."

Aldwin stared at her with eyes full of both rage and resentment. She let out a long sigh and left the room.

---

[Lafitte] "It seems we have failed."

The Chamberlain and the Head Maid stole a moment from their busy schedules to meet.

A cooling tea sat before them. The Chamberlain sighed while the Head Maid busily dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

[Lafitte] "His Highness already announced the relationship. He acknowledged it before rumors could even spread through society, leaving us no room to find fault."

[Aldwin] "How could this happen……"

[Lafitte] "We no longer have a reason to oppose them. For some reason, the entire Royal Guard supports the cat maid. Even the Imperial Physician has joined her side. Furthermore……"

He touched on the most important point.

[Lafitte] "Above all else…… His Highness is happy. Genuinely."

The Chamberlain was not blind. Serving the Prince every day, he couldn't miss that joyful expression.

The Prince, once cold and expressionless, now wore a constant smile. For the first time, the old official realized just how often his master could smile.

[Aldwin] "But still! His Highness is dating a commoner with no background! How can this make sense!"

The Head Maid protested. The Chamberlain looked ready to cry along with her.

[Lafitte] "It seems there is nothing left for us to do. We must accept it. Even if it breaks this old servant's heart, I must endure it if it makes His Highness happy, right?"

[Aldwin] "What about His Majesty the Emperor? Surely he will not accept this?"

[Lafitte] "I sent dozens of letters filled with my tears to Shana Castle, but not a single reply came. He doesn't even seem to read them."

[Aldwin] "Ah, His Majesty is so indifferent to his son's education! If this continues, His Highness might……!"

Something might go wrong!

The Head Maid silenced herself before she could shout. The image of the Prince, looking blissfully happy after sleeping on the floor, flickered in her mind.

Her logic screamed that the Prince must not date a mere commoner. She feared it would lead to ruin. However, her heart offered a timid counter-argument.

What exactly would go wrong?

It was not as if no Imperial member had ever dated a commoner. Of course, people talked. But Kalart was twenty-eight and had never dated anyone; that was the more serious problem.

No. The cat maid is still a problem.

Unpleasant rumors followed her like a tail, claiming she was a witch. Yes, the issue was not that she was a commoner, but that she was a witch.

But do witches really exist?

Witches vanished hundreds of years ago. What were the odds the cat maid was one?

[Lafitte] "What might happen to His Highness, Madam?"

Aldwin shook her head vigorously. A problem had to exist in the relationship between the Crown Prince and the cat maid. Only then would she have a reason to oppose them.

Yes, there had to be a problem. It was impossible for there not to be one.

[Aldwin] "There is only one way left."

[Lafitte] "What is it?"

[Aldwin] "We must turn the rumors into reality."

[Lafitte] "The rumors……?"

[Aldwin] "The cat maid must become a witch. That is the only way to change the Prince's mind."

[Lafitte] "Ah……"

The Chamberlain wiped his wrinkled forehead out of habit.

[Lafitte] "Must we go that far? If this ends up harming His Highness……"

[Aldwin] "No man in his right mind would stay with a witch! His Highness is more brilliant and noble than anyone, so he will surely turn away!"

The Head Maid cut him off firmly.

[Aldwin] "This is our last move. Baron, you must secretly find evidence that the cat maid is a witch. My maids and I will handle the rumors."

She steeled her heart.

[Aldwin] "This is all to protect the dignity of the Imperial Family. Please, don't lose your nerve. If we don't protect the Prince, who will?"

[Lafitte] "I suppose…… you are right."

[Aldwin] "Then I will trust you."

The Head Maid rose, her eyes burning with the spirit of battle.

Soon, instructions passed from mouth to mouth among the maids to spread the rumor that the Prince's lover was a witch.

---

[Elona] "That is what they say."

The news reached Roserikta's ears. Elona could never keep quiet about such things.

[Elona] "Honestly. What a waste of effort. The Head Maid will grow old before her time. They say useless work brings white hair."

[Roserikta] "Oh dear."

She expressed her pity while simmering laughter mushrooms.

She decided to make syrup because she didn't want the freshly picked mushrooms to go to waste. Clobellina hated this specific task; she claimed the smell was disgusting to a cat's nose.

The cat had disappeared long ago, using that excuse. Roserikta suspected Clobellina was currently lingering near the Imperial Secretary's snack cupboard.

If left alone too long, the cat might overeat, so Roserikta needed to finish quickly and find her.

[Elona] "What do you use this for?"

Elona helped with the work in Clobellina's place. Mostly, she just took over stirring the syrup whenever Roserikta's arm grew tired.

[Roserikta] "Um…… It is mainly used to treat depression. It works if you take it regularly and follow the dosage."

[Elona] "Really? Even though it forces people to laugh?"

[Roserikta] "People say you laugh because you are happy, but the opposite is also true. You feel happy because you laugh."

[Elona] "Aha."

She smiled brightly as she stirred with the wooden spoon.

[Elona] "If I had known about this before, I would have urged the Prince to take it. He never laughed back then. Well, not anymore. Now, he smiles every time I see him. He must like you very much, Lady Roserikta."

The words made Roserikta blush.

[Roserikta] "If His Highness is happy, I am happy too. Ah, you can stop stirring now."

[Elona] "Oh, really? Is it done?"

[Roserikta] "Yes. We must stop here and let it cool. Then I will mix in the other ingredients."

[Elona] "Wow. It takes a lot of work. I guess that makes sense since it is medicine."

Human hands were much more useful than cat paws. With Elona's help, the messy area quickly became clean.

[Roserikta] "Cooling takes a while. It needs to sit under the moonlight overnight to cool properly."

[Elona] "Aha."

She tried to memorize the recipe like an eager witch apprentice.

[Elona] "What do we do now?"

[Roserikta] "Ah, we'll go catch Clobell. His Highness taught her something bad."

[Elona] "Oh no. What is it?"

[Roserikta] "He told her about the Imperial Secretary's snack cupboard."

[Elona] "Goodness, goodness."

Elona clicked her tongue.

[Elona] "Even if you have children, the Prince must not handle the parenting. I thought he would be cold and strict, but he is not like that at all."

[Roserikta] "There are many good nannies and teachers in the palace, so it should be fine, right?"

[Elona] "Oh, you never know. It is useless if the Prince insists on interfering with everything. Anyway, when you two have children, they must at least inherit your skin……"

[Roserikta] "No, wait."

She wondered why Elona suddenly brought up parenting. She stopped her friend.

Parenting? It was only the second day of their relationship.

The people in the palace seemed incredibly impatient. Elona seemed more rushed than the man who asked to sleep together after just one day of dating.

[Roserikta] "That is a long way off."

Above all, Roserikta had no intention of bearing the Prince's child. Did these people know what it meant for a witch to bear a human's child? That was something that must never happen.

[Elona] "Well…… that is true, but looking at the Prince, it doesn't seem like a distant future……"

[Roserikta] "No."

She cut her off.

[Roserikta] "That will not happen. A witch will not become the Crown Princess, after all."

[Elona] "There is no law saying you can't……"

[Roserikta] "No. It is not like that. So, please don't say such things again."

Elona nodded, looking a bit discouraged by her firm tone.

[Elona] "Oh, um…… Yes. I will be careful in the future, Lady Roserikta."

[Roserikta] "Thank you."

She removed the apron she wore over her new dress. Speaking of which, she wondered how long Kalart would keep sending a new dress every day.

[Roserikta] "Shall we go? Do you know where the Secretary might hide his snacks?"

[Elona] "I think I know. Just follow me."

[Roserikta] "I feel reassured."

They were about to leave the room.

Knock, knock.

Someone tapped on the closed door.

[Arad] "Lady Elona?"

Elona's face lit up immediately.

[Elona] "Sir Arad!"

She flung the door open.

[Arad] "Lady Elona!"

The lovers embraced. They threw their arms around each other as if they had been separated for years, though it had only been a few days. They looked so desperate for one another that Roserikta wondered if they had been apart for three years.

Only after a long greeting could Arad talk about his visit to the jeweler. However, the news was not what they expected.

[Elona] "What? What did you say?"

[Elona] "No, how can that be? Did Sir Heily really say that?"

[Arad] "It is the truth."

He answered with his shoulders slumped. There was a reason his return took several days.

In short, Heily's Jewelry—the largest in the capital—had no moonstones.

[Arad] "So, I took a letter of introduction from Sir Heily and visited every jeweler nearby. But every single one of them said they couldn't find a moonstone."

[Elona] "Goodness. Does that make sense?"

Moonstones were not rare gems. Usually, colorful gems like garnets or opals were more popular. Furthermore, moonstones were difficult to cut because of the pattern in the center that resembled a cat's eye.

Still, the supply was usually steady, and jewelers handled them often. It made no sense for them to vanish all at once.

[Arad] "I might have to go to the mines myself. Sir Heily promised to find one somehow, but there is still no word."

Dread hung heavy on his face.

[Arad] "Could this be…… the work of the Black Witch?"

[Roserikta] "I can't say for sure."

She shook her head with concern.

[Roserikta] "According to the crows, the Black Witch fled south. She was desperate enough to steal a human carriage. I doubt she has the strength to return to the capital and mess with moonstones."

[Arad] "Then why did the moonstones disappear? Could this really happen without the Black Witch's involvement?"

[Roserikta] "I don't know."

[Elona] "We must investigate. I should go to the jeweler."

[Elona] "Wait, instead of that, summon Sir Heily to the palace. Would that not be easier? Better than Lady Roserikta going out."

[Roserikta] "I could just make a quick trip."

[Elona] "You must inform the Prince first. If he allows it, the Royal Guard and the Chamberlain will coordinate the schedule."

[Roserikta] "Ah. I see."

The task of simply flying out on a broom suddenly became complicated.

[Roserikta] "Since the Prince needs to know, let us go speak to him. How can we see him?"

[Arad] "He should be in his study now. I will go ask."

[Roserikta] "Let us go together. We should save time."

If the Black Witch was moving, they had to act immediately.