9: The bunny ran away

'Does this slave not have any shame? Just because I did not order her to get off the bed does not mean she gets to stay there. I must order this bed to be burned once she's dismissed.'

The nanny made an offended expression while looking at the bed Sui occupied.

Since the bed once belonged to the princess, it was always kept nice and tidy. It must also be kept pure, which it no longer was.

The nanny glared at Sui, trying to convey her thoughts to the younger slave and make her leave.

Her stubborn look worked because Sui's expression did not take long to change.

"H-Headmam, can I go back to my room now? I am thankful for the princess's hospitality."

The slave bowed low, quickly realizing why the head maid looked angry.

Bowing put pressure on Sui's wounds, but she did her best not to flinch and show weakness in front of the old lady.

'At least the slave is intelligent enough to know she made a mistake. I guess I can overlook a mistake or two from her.'

The nanny nodded her head in approval at Sui's behavior. She also took it as a sigh that Sui was all right now and could head back to work.

"Good! So, you do know your place. Go, take your leave now."

Sui's face flushed at the embarrassing remark, but she could not rebut this.

After all, she had overstayed her welcome without realizing it. She quietly made her way out, keeping her head down.

She kept her face bowed all the while, not daring to pick it up for even a second until she was safe once more.

Once out of the princess's palace, Sui pulled her face up and whipped her forehead.

Brown liquid coated her hand, making Sui instantly panic.

Her make-up was coming undone because of all the sweating she did. 

Since bathing time had passed, Sui could not count on finding any nearby bathing water. So, she took clothes, make-up, and a hand mirror and quietly walked toward the hidden path she often used.

The river bank inside the cave was empty when Sui reached it, and she relaxed while submerging her body into the water.

'I hope no one comes looking around for me today. I don't know what punishment I will get for not showing up for work yesterday. Does anyone even keep tabs on me?'

Since Sui was not paid, she doubted anyone cared to remember her, much less look for her.

It was a good and bad thing, depending on the situation.

And right now, it was a good thing.

...

As soon as Sui was gone, the nanny got to work.

First, she opened the windows and aired the room out. Then, she picked up all the clothes and other items in the room and sorted them into washable and replaceable ones.

Anything touched by the slave needed to be replaced, or it would taint Princess Yunjin.

The head maid was so busy doing all this that she did not notice the princess entering her room. 

Nor did she notice the presence of sharp eyes looking around the room.

She only noticed that someone else was in the room when the princess stood behind her, and the nanny felt the sharp edge of the blade pricking her neck.

"Nanny, I remember asking you to take care of my bunny. So where did the bunny go?"

Imperial Princess Yunjin was a lot of things, but being flexible was not one of them.

When she was angry, she needed a way to release it. Otherwise, she would explode and take someone with her.

The nanny knew this and how to divert the princess's anger from herself.

"I apologize, princess. But the young lady you brought back managed to escape when I went to finish my work. I can order her to return if she wants me to."

The nanny kept her head down and pinned the blame on the slave.

Anyone could tell that no one was at fault here, but the way the nanny had spoken made it seem that the slave was to blame.

There was a 7/10 chance that the princess would get mad at the salve and a 3/10 chance that she would lose interest.

The nanny welcomed any of the outcomes.

'As long as I do not get into trouble, what happens doesn't matter. I should look up and check how the princess is doing…'

The nanny made the mistake of looking up at the princess's face.

A chilling smile on the princess's face made the nanny flinch in terror. But if she looked away, she was guilty.

"So, my injured little bunny decided to run away as soon as she woke again? And no one decided to stop her when they saw her? Is that what happened, nanny?"

The princess sounded friendly, but the nanny felt terrified.

This was the same voice the princess often used before she cleaved people's heads off.

'I cannot let that slave be seen on Princess Yunjin's side. Princess Yunjin must appear cold and ruthless, but most importantly, she must remain regal and noble. I will not let anything tarnish her reputation.'

The nanny was firm in her decision as she kept her head down.

The princess also kept quiet, her expression neutral, before a smile appeared on the princess's face.

"Since my bunny is gone, I must accept that she ran away."

The princess turned around, and the nanny's worry turned into relief.

That emotion did not last even a minute before being replaced with caution and suspicion when the nanny saw the young imperial opening her robes to

"P-Princess, what are you doing? T-That headpiece…. don't tell me…you will not visit the Imperial Harem today! You cannot go there. You just killed one of the concubines two days ago, and the tension is running high…."

The nanny stopped speaking as soon as she felt the bloodlust rising in the air.

"Nanny, you better watch your words. I am not as clueless as I act."

The room became cold, and the nanny felt her blood run cold. 

The next second, the princess smiled harmlessly, pretending nothing had happened.

"Also, since you made my bunny run away, you will help me find her, right?"

The princess asked, but anyone could tell this was an order, not a question.