You must be very shy (3)

"What do we do, Princess? These are the only clothes you can change into," Rosalyn said, her crimson lips curling into a twisted smile.

Though she feigned regret, her eyes gleamed with delight. The other handmaids beside her giggled, waving the dress around as though putting it on display.

Calling it a dress was generous—it was more like a rag.

The maids grew even more animated when Aristine remained silent, their chatter growing louder.

"It's so dirty! What can we possibly do?"

"It's not like we can offer the high and noble princess my old, humble clothing."

"Ah, but our dear princess seems to enjoy wearing things like this, so I suppose it doesn't matter."

"I guess you're right. Look at what she's wearing now—I don't think she even notices how it smells."

"The princess has been wearing that the entire time, so maybe she actually prefers it."

Rosalyn snatched the dress from the other maid's hands and tossed it onto the floor. They stomped on it with their shoes, but the garment was already so filthy with dirt and dust that the abuse barely registered.

Aristine glanced down at the scene.

'So this is all they could come up with.'

A chuckle escaped her lips.

'I knew it—they're playing it safe.'

Without hesitation, Aristine snatched the dress from the maids' grasp and turned away.

"What the…"

"Unbelievable."

They had run their mouths, yet they didn't feel satisfied.

Aristine ended up wearing the dirty outfit they'd pushed on her, but somehow, it felt as though they were the ones who looked more ridiculous.

After climbing back into the carriage, Aristine drew the curtains and peeled off her suffocating dress.

The only garment they had prepared for her for this arranged marriage was the one she was taking off now.

After enduring the rough carriage ride, it was now so tattered that its original form was unrecognizable. The delicate material had worn thin quickly, rendering it unwearable.

Aristine picked up the dress the maids had trampled underfoot and slipped it on. Both outfits were equally filthy, but this one was far more comfortable than the stifling gown she'd discarded.

The maids had sarcastically remarked that she might prefer it—and in a way, they weren't entirely wrong.

'To think the worst they could manage was stepping on the dress.'

They were clearly frightened, though they wouldn't admit it to themselves.

'It was a good thing I retaliated.'

Initially, Aristine had planned to remain quiet until she reached Irugo. But when she saw them attempting to pour boiling water on her, she changed her mind.

She realized she needed to put a stop to the maids' harassment. If she had simply avoided the water, incidents like that would have continued throughout the journey.

'The Monarch's Sight doesn't always work when I need it, so if I hadn't acted, I might have ended up burned.'

Her response—ensuring the maid scalded herself—had a profound psychological impact.

The princess hadn't intentionally caused the spill; the maid had simply made a clumsy mistake.

The princess couldn't defy them.

She had merely made a few remarks, yet they were now treating her with unconscious caution.

'It's scary.'

The maid who had tried to pour boiling water on Aristine now bore burns across half her face. Though the injury wasn't severe enough to leave permanent damage, for now, a massive blister swelled on her cheek, making it puff up like a red balloon.

Every time the other maids looked at her disfigured face, they flinched subconsciously. These were people who had never considered the possibility of being hurt while tormenting others.

For the first time, they realized: 'I could be hurt.' Naturally, they became more hesitant to bully Aristine.

'And that's why they resorted to this petty act of spite.'

Compared to pouring boiling water, stomping on someone's clothes seemed almost harmless.

But none of this affected Aristine. After being locked away for so long, something as trivial as her outfit barely registered on her radar.

'That said, I really didn't know I'd only brought the dress I was wearing.'

Aristine, who had spent years in confinement, owned nothing but old, shabby clothing. Even if the maids hadn't trampled the dress, her attire was already inappropriate for a bride-to-be traveling in a wedding carriage.

And this wasn't just any marriage—it was a political alliance between two nations.

It was likely the emperor's order to provide her with only one dress.

'I can see exactly what the emperor is thinking.'

He wanted her to arrive in Irugo looking as wretched and pitiful as possible.

There would be a dazzling carriage, luxurious wedding gifts, guards in shining armor, and elegant maids. And amidst all that splendor—a princess who looked like a rat dragged out of the sewers.

'Such trash is fitting for you barbarians—that's the message, isn't it?'

While the princess appeared disheveled, the lavish entourage and extravagant gifts were meant to flaunt Silvanus' national power. By extension, Aristine's sorry state was intended to mock Irugo.

Unlike Irugo, which genuinely sought peace, the emperor merely wanted to buy time before launching another war. He had no qualms about being rude, nor did he care how Aristine would be treated once she arrived in Irugo.

'No wonder I thought my send-off was overly extravagant.'

She vaguely assumed Irugo must have requested numerous wedding gifts. Well, some of those requests were probably legitimate.

'His Majesty the Emperor can be so naïve.'

Did he truly believe everything would unfold according to his plans?

To him, his foolish daughter—who had failed to awaken the Monarch's Sight, who had been confined since childhood, and who supposedly knew nothing of the world—was a disposable pawn to use and discard as he pleased.

'If I really wanted to, I'm sure I could get proper clothes and wash up.'

Aristine flopped down onto the seat with a sigh.

'But let's play along with this farce until we arrive.'

Retaliating against such minor offenses wasn't worth the effort.

Only when it happened at unexpected times was it truly entertaining.