Two-Faced Princess - Chapter 289

“Your Highness’s brother is trash,” Evangeline said. A winged monkey, which had been watching Paris just a moment ago, now sat on her arm.

“Ruben has returned,” Apollonia remarked, eyeing the winged monkey. She had been learning about the creatures Evangeline was raising — their names and characteristics. The small male, covered in green fur when not camouflaged, was an adorable winged monkey. Evangeline had bred him from the most intelligent parents. Though he was still young, he was smart, agile, and adept at scouting. It was rumored that he could even steal if the situation called for it.

“How is Cael doing?”

“He’s recovering well. His injuries have healed. However, he’s a bit tied up with meetings with the nobles.” After the war, Caelion, celebrated as the hero of the empire and a guest of the royal family, had shifted from his residence in the palace to a smaller mansion outside. Soldiers returning from Mt. Bamel accompanied him. He had once stayed in the palace, frequently visiting Apollonia, but now his responsibilities involved liaising with the nobles. This also served as a precaution against potential assassination attempts.

Evangeline, having moved with him to the mansion as his maidservant, commuted between the palace and mansion almost daily. Many of the creatures that inhabited her old room in the palace resisted relocation, and the palace lacked anyone with the skills to capture and transfer them forcibly.

In the first few days after the palace was vacated, its corridors were plagued every night by noisy bats and winged monkeys that flew about hunting for food. Some of these creatures even attacked maids who were transporting food, resulting in minor disturbances.

Apollonia, entrusted with overseeing the palace’s domestic affairs, directed the head servant to assign Evangeline the responsibility of the creatures’ meals as she traveled between the mansion and the palace. This move swiftly brought tranquility.

“Don’t the creatures mind shuttling back and forth like this?”

“At first, they were bewildered when I asked them to stay in the palace, but now, with my frequent visits, they’ve adjusted.”

This arrangement had been Evangeline’s suggestion from the start. Regular visits to the palace gave her the chance to stay updated with Apollonia.

“What did the letter say?” Apollonia inquired, offering a snack. Both Evangeline and Ruben reached for it, but Ruben was quicker.

“Oh! Please save the next one for me!”

Evangeline’s attention seemed diverted from Apollonia’s initial question. She appeared almost mournful, watching the snack disintegrate in the winged monkey’s mouth. She had never been particularly enthusiastic about food, but ever since her frequent visits to Apollonia’s palace, her tastes had elevated. The treats Apollonia provided were far superior to what Evangeline was accustomed to.

“Evangeline…”

When Apollonia spoke as if warning her, she flinched and straightened her posture in surprise. Since the incident on Mt. Bamel, Apollonia had called her by name. It signified a sense of familiarity but also implied that she was under Apollonia’s authority.

“Ah, um, so…”

Evangeline coughed and jabbed Ruben’s side. The creature had stuffed a snack into both cheeks and was moving his fingers restlessly. He was using sign language.

“If you want ‘Amoreta,’ gather sincerity.”

“What?”

“He’s smart, but he’s still a bit clumsy. He gets confused with the spelling. He’s the child of the one attached to the duchess, but he hasn’t quite caught up to his mother yet,” Evangeline, who was interpreting, said.

“The original message probably was ‘If you want Amoleta, show sincerity.’ The recipient is certainly Duke Fortrus. I’ve heard he’s been lost in contemplation lately, looking at a painting resembling Amoleta in his mansion. He has hung that portrait between a golden deer antler he obtained from hunting and a stuffed tiger.”

Evangeline said, making a face of disgust.

“Selling Amoleta… to gain Duke Fortrus’s influence?”

“I said he’s trash, didn’t I? If they immediately stop giving Amoleta the medicine, her original eyes would return before the coronation. They seem to be biding their time,” Evangeline said, reaching out with a wrapped snack. Ruben whined, waving his hand. He seemed to challenge who would be faster.

“…Idiotic.”

“Huh?”

Evangeline, who was once again outpaced by the winged monkey, looked as if asking if she was the one being referred to.

“Paris, I mean. There won’t be another fool like him in the world. How can he not know the value of what he holds?” Apollonia said with a sarcastic smile, touching her temple. Paris had always been like that. From a young age, he had everything that Apollonia couldn’t have – status, power, even the love of their father, but he never understood its value.

“He’s impulsive and shallow, ungrateful and disloyal. But…”

Evangeline said, seemingly having a lot to say about Paris’s character.

“We can’t dismiss the value of Duke Fortrus’s support, right? What happens if he truly supports the crown prince?”

She asked, shaking her body eagerly. Familiar with her antics, Apollonia responded without getting distracted.

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