There Is No Place For Fakes

On the same day, in the residence of the Princess in the Western Palace.

The maid, Emilie, caught a glimpse of Princess Ellencia humming a tune. The Princess seemed to be in an unusually good mood today.

The Nanny lying on the bed spoke irritably, “Your Highness, that melody is too frivolous! It sounds like a song that only commoners would sing. You should sing like a Princess, even when you’re just humming.”

“Okay, I got it!” replied Ellencia, even brushing off the nursemaid’s nonsensical criticism lightly. She usually couldn’t hide her stress, even when she laughed.

Emilie bit her nails.

‘I should have been there yesterday!’

Yesterday, the Princess seemed to be whispering something close to another maid. Because of the errands given by the nursemaid, Emily had no choice but to leave her post.

This can’t go on like this.

‘I need to bring some useful information for Miss Philomel quickly!’

‘If I can’t prove my worth, I don’t know where I will end up.‘

At first, Emily also thought about sticking with Ellencia. She hesitated several times whether to tell the Princess the truth that she was being blackmailed by Miss Philomel. However, as she watched Ellencia closely, she began to have doubts.

There was something strange about the Princess, whom she thought was kind and innocent. Her icy expression and actions were different from her kind words.

It happened when the Princess offered to give the nursemaid a back massage.

“Ah, Your Highness, it hurts so much!”

“What can I do? Endure it a little more. They say you need to press harder when it hurts to get better,” Ellencia’s voice was full of concern, but Emilie saw her smiling as she heard the nursemaid’s painful scream.

At that moment, Emilie felt a chill down her spine.

The Princess was a different person behind those kind words and angelic voice.

Both Miss Philomel and the Princess were scary opponents for Emilie.

Then it would have been easier to side with Miss Philomel, who already knew Emily’s weakness. Blowing all of her weaknesses to Princess Elencia too, would only increase the number of people who know her weaknesses. Besides, for some reason, it seemed like Miss Philomel was more trustworthy.

It was a moment when Emily was scrutinizing Ellencia, then her eyes lit up when the princess’s tutors arrived. The history teacher placed the pile of textbooks on the desk.

“Your Highness, as I said, we will begin with the formal lessons from today.”

The grace period given to Ellencia for adapting to her life in the palace was over. From today, Elensia would receive formal education in etiquette, politics and history. 

The history teacher looked at the textbooks and asked hesitantly, “But can you really start with the advanced course?”

The Princess answered confidently, “Of course! I have to catch up with Philomel quickly. If Philomel can do it, then so can I!”

“Hmm. Let’s begin.”

However, the Princess’s bold momentum didn’t last long.

Ellencia nervously rubbed her forehead. “Is this really what Philomel studied?” 

“Yes, it is,” replied the history teacher. 

“I don’t understand this part.” 

“Well, I briefly explained it in the previous class,” said the teacher. 

“How do you remember all of that?” Ellencia asked sharply. 

“Haven’t you reviewed it since then?” The Princess fell silent. 

The history teacher let out a small sigh and muttered to herself, “Miss Philomel always thoroughly prepares for her classes, including reviewing the material.” 

Ellencia suddenly stood up and left the study room, looking quite upset. As a result, she almost collided with Emilie, who was entering the room under the guise of preparing refreshments. 

“Your Highness! Where are you going?” Emilie quickly put down the tray and followed the princess. 

“The bathroom! Don’t follow me!” The bathroom door slammed shut. 

A moment later, the door opened, and the Princess emerged, with her usual smile back on her face. Then, something amazing happened. 

The astonished teacher exclaimed with widened eyes, “My goodness! The Princess is a genius! Did you memorize all of that already?”

“If I have to do it, I will do it,” she said with confidence, answering everything perfectly unlike in the previous class where she stuttered.

The satisfied teacher left, saying that she would report this to the Emperor, and the Princess followed him.

Only Emily remained in the room.

However, as she was clearing up the scattered textbooks, she noticed something under the chair where Elensia had been sitting. 

“And this is the object that Emilie discovered,” Philomel said, placing a small bottle on the table.

The yellow liquid, about half-full, shimmered inside the bottle.

All four of her rich acquaintances gathered around the table in her room.

Lexion, who examined the bottle closely, said, “She was a more useful servant than I thought.”

Philomel agreed. Emilie showed unexpected usefulness, stealing the Princess’s belongings boldly, but then again she had stolen Philomel’s jewelry too, so she showed potential in that area.

Jeremiah tapped the table. “If we put all the stories together, this must be a drug that enhances intelligence. Or maybe memory?”

Lexion offered his opinion, “That’s likely, but it’s too early to come to a conclusion. Moreover, I roughly know about intelligence-boosting potions, but I’ve never seen this color before.”

Philemon said, “I smelled it earlier, and it smelled like lemon.”

This shocked Cadin, “How could you smell it? You have to be careful with magic potions!”

“I just smelled it. That’s all…” Philemon replied.

“When I was young, I sneaked into Le Guin’s laboratory and drank a magical potion that looked delicious, but my body turned into a frog. You have to be careful,” Cardin warned.

Lexion also reminisced, “I had an experience like that too. Jeremiah nearly stepped on Cardin seventeen times.”

Cardin affectionately put his arm around Jeremiah’s shoulder, “Haha! This guy has a clumsy side.”

“Get lost. I’ll kill you,” 

Looking at how Jeremiah coldly struck Cardin’s arm, Philomel was convinced.

“That was definitely not a mistake.” 

At that moment, Le Guin, who had been silent until then, caught their attention.

“Le Guin, why are you like that? Is there something bothering you?” 

He opened his mouth, which had been fixed on the glass bottle for a long time.

“I sense Estellion from there.” 

Estellion was Le Guin’s unique magical power.

The three brothers’ expressions changed at his words.

Lexion nudged his father.

“Are you sure?” 

“Uh-huh. Are you sure? It’s similar, but I’m not sure if it’s certain…” 

“Is it one of the potions you made before, Le Guin? Magic items often carry the maker’s magical power.” 

“I never made anything like that.” 

“Did you make it and forget about it? Think about it carefully.” 

“Am I suffering from dementia?” 

Jeremiah frowned.

“We have to handle it even more carefully.” 

At that moment, Philomel raised her hand and asked a question.

“Is there any way to find out what kind of effect this potion has?” 

Lexion, who was clenching his jaw, replied.

“If it’s a medicine that helps intelligence, there might be some use in animal testing… But it’s best for a person to try it and give their opinion.” Le Guin made a frightening sound. “Let’s just catch a passerby and make them try it.” 

“That’s not right. What if the medicine is dangerous? What crime would that person have committed?” Philomel’s words disappointed everyone a little.

Le Guin pointed to Cardin. “Hey, you drink it. You like to eat anything.”

“I hate medicine that Le Guin might have made!”

The other two seemed to agree. In the end, Philomel brought back the glass bottle. “I’ll just drink it.”

“What? No!” Everyone opposed in unison.

“The one who said it might be dangerous is me.”

“Philomel, just let Cardin drink it.” 

Philomel reassured the three opposing brothers. 

“It’s okay. Ellencia wouldn’t have drank anything dangerous herself. And this is something I started. You’re just helping me. I have to do it.” 

Pop. And the moment she pulled the cork out to drink it.

“Give it here.”

Le Guin snatched the medicine bottle from Philomel’s hand.

‘Is he trying to take it instead of me?’

A warm feeling started to spread throughout Philomel’s chest, but the warmth disappeared as if it had been washed away at Le Guin’s next action. 

Instead of taking it himself, Le Guin stuffed the bottle into Cardin’s mouth.

“OOOOW!”

Cardin writhed in agony, but the contents of the bottle quickly entered his mouth.

Le Guin the cruel father held the back of Cardin’s head and didn’t let go until he had forced every last drop into his mouth.

“Well, that didn’t work.”

Lexion said this without even pretending to stop his father.

“If I had said to drink it, he should have drunk it earlier.”

Jeremiah openly giggled.

‘…They’re scary people.’

Philomel decided not to get too close to them beyond a certain level.