The Evil Empress Adores Me

Above all else, the empress entrusted me with all the matters related to the Crown Prince’s palace, right?

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I’m going to have to make a cool Crown Prince’s palace that goes well with summer!

I quickly walked out of the Empress Palace.

Making my way to the Crown Palace, I widened my eyes in surprise.

“Oh, that cat!”

There was a large yellow cat perched on the wall that surrounded the Crown Palace.

It was a familiar cat.

Watching it groan in a sleepy stupor as the sunlight covered its whole body was oddly satisfying.

“Meow, long time no see.”

To my delight, I gave the cat a small greeting.

Actually, I’ve seen this cat since I was little.

The story went something like this.

One day, a mother cat and her litter relaxed near the palace for some time before leaving… …

‘The problem is, when they went away, they left the weakest kitten behind.’

From the mother cat’s point of view, it must have been difficult to protect all her kittens.

Anyway, the weak kitten was left alone like that and one by one, people who came and went to the palace started feeding the cat.

In the end, the kitten settled down near the palace.

“Me-eow.”

The cat opened its eyes, gazing down at me from atop the wall before yawning loudly.

I smiled happily without realizing it.

“Aww, it’s so cute…”

The cat jumped off the wall, landing on all fours, and soon began brushing its body adorably against my leg.

I hurriedly rummaged through my pockets.

Is there anything I can give you? Something like snacks!

“…… Oh, I’m sorry.”

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After a while, I looked into the cat’s eyes and apologized.

Sadly, in my pocket, there was only dust and a few chocolate wrappers leftover from the day before.

Then the cat meowed! With great finesse, it climbed up the wall, pouncing with ease.

I stared at the cat with astonished eyes.

Amazing, really!

“That cat.
Did I mention that it’s a cat raised by the crown palace?”

At that moment, the maid who spoke previously and was walking towards the palace, pointed her finger at the cat.

I pricked up my ears.

“It’s not exactly raising them, but they come and go as they please and occasionally get snacks along the way.”

Another maid who was walking with the first maid, shrugged lightly.

The maid who first brought it up, openly expressed her disappointment at the yellow cat.

“You were so cute when you were younger, now that you’ve gotten bigger, you’re just not that cute anymore.”

“I wish I could be a baby forever……”

The maids had their brief friendly exchange before entering the palace.

Hmm, what if?

I tilted my head at the cat.

It still looks cute enough to me.

Getting up, I proceeded to wave goodbye to the cat.

“I’ll bring you snacks next time.”

“….”

 Just like that I said my farewells and started walking towards my destination, however.

When I glanced back, the cat that previously made eye contact with me, was now stretching its body while yawning.

‘Even an adult cat can be cute, I guess.’

Nodding my head a couple of times, I walked faster.

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In order to visit both the palace and the laundromat within the morning, I had to work diligently.

After stopping by the palace and asking for new curtains and blankets, I hummed to myself as I headed to the laundromat.

But unfortunately, my pleasant feeling didn’t last very long.

“Don’t you think there’s too much laundry coming in from the Crown Prince’s palace?”

Huh?

At the sound of a voice that was painfully reminiscent, I reflexively paused on the spot, listening to every word.

Three or three maids were standing together and talking loudly.

“I mean, it’s hard work, but why this much?” said one maid.

“… … No, isn’t that a little bit?” Charlize said to herself.

I squinted my eyes without realizing it, just analyzing the conversation before me.

Why are they gossiping about the Crown Prince’s palace like that when there’s work to do?

“On the contrary, I haven’t spent any work at the Crown Prince’s Palace so far, so it’s been comfortable, hasn’t it?” thought Charlize.

Of course, I understand that the work itself is difficult, but that’s a bit… ….

“If you haven’t heard yet, the new maid working at the Crown palace came from the Education Center!” exclaimed the other maid.

“So you’re saying because of that maid, our workload has increased tremendously?”

“Huh, they… … are they talking about me?” muttered Charlize, softly to herself.

Charlize shrugged her shoulders, refusing to let their statements get to her.

But right then.

“Oh, you mean Charlize, that girl?” said an anonymous voice.

A voice with momentum intervened as if it had caught up with the number of cases.

No, who could that be?

I opened my eyes wide.

It’s Becky!

Both maids turned to face Becky.

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“Oh, the maid’s name is Charlize?” asked the maid.

“Increasing our work for no reason…… It’s really annoying!”

“It’s still hard work though.” retorted Charlize under her breath.

The maids then proceeded to add to each other’s word, one complaint after the other.

While enjoying the full attention she received, Becky crookedly crossed her arms.

“She was always like that.
Always annoying people to no end.”

“What are you talking about?” said Charlize internally.

“I still haven’t been promoted to an official maid because of her.
The promotion was just around the corner!”

Becky pounded her chest in frustration and unhappiness, something that had built up within her since that day.
Her eyes expressed both bitterness and resentment.

I was speechless.

“I tried my best not to get fired from the imperial palace, yet this is how I end up?” voiced Becky in an indignant tone.

“And how many apprentice maids had to move from the education center to the laundromat?” asked Becky rhetorically.

It may have seemed absurd but there was a hint of sadness in her tone as Becky spoke to the maids.

“It’s all because of Charlize!” yelled Becky.

“Oh my gosh, I can’t… …”

“Just who does that maid think she is? Wrapping us around her finger like playthings…”

“How many people suffered because of that maid, seriously?”

The maids looked at Becky with a truly sad expression on their faces.

Becky however looked back at the maids, with anger in her eyes.

“It’s been like that ever since! Everywhere I go, I’m told she was a young child, that I deserved this cruel fate, it was either gold or jade.
Nonsense! What about me? Don’t I deserve at the very least some human decency, fair treatment, or recognition?”

“Did you treat her nicely?” asked one maid.

“Of course! But it was no use being nice to her.
She thought she was superior and became prideful, raising her little nose at me.”

Becky said sternly, twisting her hair as if she had become the heroine of misery.

“Even the maids in the Empress’s Palace were transferred to the laundromat because of her!”

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“That’s right!” yelled the maids in agreement.
Anger and resentment boiled in the atmosphere, mixing together in a wicked concoction.

“I think I heard that too!” shouted the other maid.

The maids agreed with Becky’s words.

I hid in the corner of the laundromat and ever so discreetly, took a peek every now and then at the maids.

So, this is how it feels to be made public enemy number one.

“I can’t go outside just yet, can I?” thought Charlize, remaining as silent as possible.

“Well, to be honest, it’s true that the Empress does care for her now, but… …”

Becky shrugged her shoulders, indifferent to the concern of the Empress, instead of fearing the Empress, she felt nothing but rage washing over her.

An old desire swelled up within her, instilling her with a renewed purpose to make things even with Charlize.

“How long do you think she’ll love her?” said Becky in a spiteful tone.

“… … What?”

My mouth ran dry from all the saliva I swallowed in fear.

What are you going on about now?”said Charlize under her breath.

“I may have been humiliated, trampled upon by that little troublemaker of a child.
But she’ll grow up, little by little and when she does-“

Becky’s eyes gleamed with malice.

“How long until the empress tires of her, disposing of her altogether?”

Becky said so in a disturbingly calm voice as if she spoke an undeniable fact, confident that time itself would play into her favor.
All she needed to do was wait patiently till that day.

I just froze on the spot.

“Could it really be true…… the fact that I’m young, is that why the Empress is nice to me?”

I hated myself for thinking this way, even though the Empress assured me that she would never cast me away, I still continued thinking pessimistic thoughts.

Since I’m young, I’m still at an age where I can be immature.

Because people are usually tolerant of young children.

If that’s the case… ….

‘… … If I’m no longer a child, will the Empress not love me anymore?’