275 A Chilly Gaze So Frighteningly Cold (1/2)

On the way to Violet Plum Courtyard, Leon ended up finding a nearby palace maid to escort him there. It could not be helped.

With the unjustified prejudice, the palace maids have against him, walking into Violet Plum Courtyard with a sleeping Lily in his hand would be like stirring the hornet's nest.

Along the way, the palace maid would peek at Leon from the corner of her eye from time to time. She did not feel the same repulsion, the older palace maids had for the prince.

She felt there was something wrong with her senior maids' way of thinking. It should be a great thing if the prince fancied them. Why were they disgusted instead?

Perhaps, this was the difference in views between the traditional and newer generation—No, nobles and commoners? Or simply the taken and the single?

”You're were one of the girls saved from the underground auction back then, weren't you? How is your current life working out for you? Do you like it?” Leon spoke. The palace maid's subtle glances did not escape his notice.

The palace maid was overjoyed. Although the memory of nearly being auctioned off into slavery was not a pleasant one, being remembered by the prince was a great honor.

”Thank you for saving Sherry back then, Your Highness. Sherry will never forget the kindness your Highness has bestowed upon us and allowed us to work in the Royal Palace. Life… Life has been good, Your Highness.” The palace maid, Sherry said softly with her head lowered.

Noticing something slightly off about Sherry's subtle action, Leon frowned slightly. There was a slight hesitation and her smile seemed more forced towards the last part of her words.

”Are there some difficulties in the palace that you are not telling me about?”

”I-It's nothing, Your Highness.” Sherry panicked slightly.

Her panic made Leon furrow his brows. He gave Sherry a deep look noticed some bruising and swelling on her face. Although the palace had tried to hide it under her bangs, nothing can be hidden from Leon's divine sense.

”Where did you get that bruise?”

”Ah? I... I just tripped and hit my head earlier today, Your Highness. Please don't ask anymore.” Sherry averted her eyes and bit her lips.

Seeing her like this, Leon did not try to pry any further. He no longer needed to. He had a realization that admitting these young ladies into the palace might not have been a good thing, that is if they did not have any backing.

Maids who can work in the royal palace are all women who came from reputable families. As such, palace maids were different to maids from noble households. Leon had neglected this detail.

A palace maid was also referred to as a lady-in-waiting. They work in the palace to find their future husbands amongst the members of the palace with status.

As such, in ordinary circumstances, royalties would not wilfully punish them if they did not step out of line or commit any crime worthy of punishment. At least, that was how it was in the past.

”We are here, Your Highness.” Sherry declared softly.

Leon nodded and took a step forward, but then he suddenly paused.

”Which room does Lily's mother stay in? What about Lily?”

”Senior Maid Lily and her mother both live in the same room to the furthest left.”

It did not take long for Leon's pupils to contract when he stepped inside Violet Plum Courtyard. He had swept the courtyard with his divine sense to confirm the location of Lily's room and found her sickly mother in bed.

However, there was also something else going on in the courtyard that made his mood soured immediately.

There were several palace maids gathered inside of a room on the right side instead of attending to their daily chores around the palace. Normally, a palace maid was very busy every day. There were simply too many chores to keep such a large palace clean every day.

A gathering of palace maids in their living quarters was also not a problem, even slacking off a bit did not bother Leon. The Outer Palace had too many spare courtyards filled unoccupied living quarters it was silly.

What DID bother him was that the palace maids were separated into two groups, the senior maids and the new maids.

The new maids were surrounded by the senior maids as they were thrashed and condemned with harsh words. It did not take a genius to guess that the new maids were being bullied by the senior maids.

At this point, even if Leon did not know how Sherry got her bruises, he could already see why through the images his divine sense was feeding him.

”Follow me,” Leon said with a low tone. He walked in the direction of the rooms on the right side.

Sherry was confused, but kindly reminded, ”Eh? Senior Lily and her mother's room is in the far-left room, Your Highness.”

”I know. There's something else to take care of first.”

…

Inside the third room of Violet Plum Courtyard.