Straw kept staring at the princess, who had not noticed her yet, mostly because Straw was hidden behind a bush. The leaves brushed against her arms and cheek, damp with morning dew, and she barely dared to breathe. The scent of crushed grass mixed with the heavy metallic smell of blood drifting through the garden. The scene before her was bloody and brutal, but right now that was not her biggest concern. First, she needed to find a way to leave before her one night stand noticed her, because only God knew what would become of her if she did.
Her heart beat so loudly she was sure it would give her away. Each second stretched painfully long as she watched the princess stand there, sword still in hand, blood clinging to her like a second skin. Straw swallowed hard and slowly shifted her weight, careful not to make a sound. The palace grounds were far too quiet, the kind of silence that made every movement feel like a crime.
"What are you staring at?"
"Haha!" Straw jumped as a voice spoke from behind her. Her body reacted before her mind did, shoulders jerking, breath leaving her in a sharp gasp. She turned quickly and saw the so called king standing there.
For a brief moment, she forgot how to speak.
"Mr. King… I mean, King…" Straw said, glancing between him and the bloody princess in the garden. Her eyes kept flicking back to the sword, the blood, the body on the ground that nobody seemed to care about anymore. Her mind raced. If the princess was like that, then what kind of person was the king? A berserker?
The king tilted his head slightly, watching her reaction as if it amused him.
"Won't you ask how I found you?" the king said.
Straw let out a tired breath she did not realize she had been holding. The shock was wearing off, replaced by exhaustion and disbelief.
"I don't know," Straw replied tiredly. "Maybe through an elevator or something."
The king raised a brow, clearly not understanding what an elevator was, but he did not question it.
"I followed you. You did not come out of the room, so I opened it and you were not there. Then I looked at the window and followed," the king explained. His tone was strange, almost casual, like he was talking about a morning walk rather than chasing someone through palace grounds. Straw studied him carefully. Should a king behave like this? "Oh. Found my little sister. Be…"
"Please, King," Straw pleaded quickly, her voice dropping. "Let me go first. Then you can notify your sister after."
Her hands came together unconsciously, fingers twisting into each other. She did not want to be here when the princess noticed her. She did not want to be anywhere near that bloody scene.
But the king did not listen. He simply lifted his hand and waved toward the garden, his voice carrying easily across the space.
"Berryanna."
Berryanna, who had killed someone only moments ago, turned toward them. Her movements were smooth, almost elegant, as if she had not just ended a life. Her face was still splattered with blood, some of it already drying along her jaw and cheek.
Straw felt her stomach twist.
"What are you doing outside, brother? You should be resting in your room," Berryanna said as she walked closer, still holding the sword, completely ignoring the headless body on the ground. The blade caught the light as she moved, red streaks shining against the steel. The king glanced at the corpse briefly, then dismissed it from his mind, his attention shifting fully to his sister.
"Look who I found in your room," the king said. "She claims a maid brought her there. What is she to you, sister?"
As he spoke, the king grabbed Straw, who had been hiding behind him the entire time, and pulled her forward so Berryanna could see her clearly. Straw stumbled a step, heart slamming against her ribs as she was dragged into the open.
"H-Hello…" Straw waved shyly.
The wave felt ridiculous the moment she did it. Her hand trembled in the air, fingers stiff, as if politeness could somehow save her.
The moment Berryanna saw her, she turned away sharply, presenting her back to both Straw and the king. The movement was so sudden it left Straw blinking in confusion.
"Is there a problem, little sister?" the king asked calmly as he released Straw and stepped toward Berryanna. "Why are you turning away from me?"
Straw stood there, completely confused, watching the interaction. She did not understand what was happening, only that the tension in the air had changed. Berryanna's shoulders were tense, her grip on the sword tightening.
"Get her out," Berryanna said in a low voice.
The words were quiet, but they carried weight. Straw felt them hit her chest like a blow.
Then Berryanna turned her sharp gaze toward the two maids nearby. "Are you all deaf? Get her out of my sight. Now."
The maids flinched. Their faces drained of color as they rushed forward without hesitation. One grabbed Straw's arm, the other her shoulder, their hands firm and urgent. Straw barely had time to react before her feet were moving against her will, sandals scraping against the stone path.
She looked back once, just once, catching a glimpse of Berryanna standing there, back straight, sword lowered slightly but still dripping.
"Please leave the palace," Maid A whispered harshly once they reached the main entrance gate. Her grip tightened as if Straw might try to run back. "You are lucky the princess did not cut off your head."
Straw swallowed and yanked her arm slightly, more out of frustration than strength.
"How did you even end up in the princess's room?" Maid B said with disgust. Her eyes narrowed, looking Straw up and down. "No one enters the princess's roo. You must have gone there to steal. The princess should have beheaded you for that."
Straw felt irritation spark, cutting through her fear.
"Hey, hey, hey," Straw snapped back. "I am not one of those female leads in dramas who gets bullied for nothing. Don't think I will take it quietly. The princess and I spent the night together."
The words hung in the air.Both maids froze.
"That's impossible," Maid A said, looking confused. "Why would you spend the night with the princess? What were you two doing?"
"Scissoring."
The response came easily, deadpan, fueled by exhaustion and annoyance.
"What?" Maid B gasped. Her eyes widened. "What were you doing with a scissor?"
"And why would a scissor even be in the princess's room?" Maid A added, genuinely baffled now.
Straw stared at the completely confused maids, her mouth falling open slightly. She let out a slow breath, shaking her head as if this entire conversation was too much effort. Then she raised her hands and joined them together in demonstration, moving them slowly, deliberately.
The realization did not come.Instead, the maids simply stared harder. Before either could say anything else, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"Sister, there you are. Where have you been all night?"
Straw turned to see Duke Pine approaching her. Relief washed over her so suddenly her knees almost felt weak. She immediately left the maids and walked toward him, not caring if it looked rude.
Seeing his sister with the palace maids made Pine think she had succeeded in the plan. His expression brightened a bit, eyes scanning her quickly.
"Straw, did you meet the king?" Pine asked.
"Y yes," Straw admitted.
Her voice came out quieter than she expected.
"Wow. Unbelievable. Wait, did you spend the night with him?" Pine asked eagerly, leaning forward just a little.
"No, I did not."
Pine blinked, clearly disappointed.
"Then where were you last night?"
"I was… um," Straw hesitated, trying to find the right words. Her mind raced, searching for something that would not get her killed, exiled, or executed on the spot.
Before she could explain, the two maids spoke for her.
"She was in the princess's room," one of them said. "Claiming to be scissoring."