The Princess' Harem
Chapter 38: Lady Lindsay’s Provocations

Chapter 38: Lady Lindsay’s Provocations

Viana took a deep breath, her mind restless with thoughts of the events foretold for two years ahead. "There’s still time..." she whispered softly to herself, standing up and heading toward the prayer hall to perform her first ritual as a maiden.

As a maiden, her duties included safeguarding sacred items for the rituals while also performing daily prayers. She entrusted the task of organizing these items to Sina, knowing she would carry it out with care and diligence.

Joel and Reyes, however, were outside the temple grounds, uninvolved in the ceremonial preparation and without any connection to the upcoming rituals.

When Viana arrived at the prayer hall, she saw several priests already present, diligently preparing for the maiden’s first ritual. Lady Lindsay was also there, accompanied by her personal servant, her posture radiating a quiet confidence mixed with an air of mischief.

Viana aimed to avoid unnecessary conflict, walking carefully toward the prayer area without saying a word. Her hope for peace was quickly shattered when Lindsay noticed her presence.

"So, the great Princess Viana graces us with her presence. How... generous," Lindsay said with a thin smile.

Viana ignored her, adjusting her simple white robe. Gracefully, she stood beside Lindsay, clasping her hands together at her chest in readiness for prayer.

"Just focus on the prayer, Lady Lindsay," she whispered firmly, loud enough for Lindsay to hear.

Instead of backing down, Lindsay smirked, and replied in a tone laced with mockery, "Oh, I’m all about focus. Are you ready to show us how it’s done?"

Viana kept her gaze on the altar, refraining from reacting to Lindsay’s provocation. But Lindsay was far from done.

"What, are you too busy being royal to notice us lowly folk?" Lindsay continued with a sarcastic tone.

The princess closed her eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Then, she replied with steady composure, "Or maybe I just prefer not to engage with hostility."

Lindsay raised her eyebrow mockingly, "Oh, how noble! The silent princess saves the day."

"Sometimes ignoring nonsense is the best response," Viana retorted quietly, maintaining her poise.

Scoffing, Lindsay shifted closer to the princess. "Right. Because that’ll impress the gods," she said with biting sarcasm.

Determined not to let herself be provoked further, Viana focused fully on her prayer, determined to carry out her duties. After all, this task was part of the transparent paper she had received, and she hoped its reward would be one of the trusts she desperately needed.

However, Lindsay was relentless in her attempts to unnerve the princess. Fueled by her father’s disparaging remarks about her older sister, Olivia, Lindsay was keen to prove she was smarter and more capable than her sister.

When one of the temple guards asked them to arrange the candles for the prayer, Lindsay leaned toward Viana and whispered, loud enough for others to overhear, "Careful, Princess, wouldn’t want you to mess it up. Wouldn’t that be tragic?"

Viana paused briefly, registering Lindsay’s words, but chose to remain silent, continuing to arrange the candles methodically.

The priests exchanged awkward glances but sighed in relief as they saw Viana calmly reading the prayers, unaffected by Lindsay’s taunts, making the Lady frowned.

After the prayer session ended, Viana moved to her next duty, pouring sacred water into the ceremonial basin. Lindsay, pouring her portion carelessly, continued her provocations.

"Interesting how you handle that, Princess. Looks like even you can do mundane tasks. I almost thought royalty didn’t do actual work," Lindsay said with a smirk.

Viana looked at Lindsay briefly, then calmly set down the jar she was holding and said, "Sacred duties are not mundane tasks. If you don’t understand that, I suggest you stay silent."

Lindsay chuckled as if amused. "Oh, I understand, Princess. I just enjoy watching you play the part."

Despite Lindsay’s constant provocations and unpleasant attitude, Viana maintained her composure and carried out her duties diligently. She knew this wouldn’t be easy, especially since the Duke Callissto’s family had always sought to undermine her.

She was determined not to let the ceremony be disrupted, haunted by the prophecy of the two unfilled wine calices. Becoming one of the maidens this year was her hope to alter the fate that had been written.

Thankfully, the two maidens were never assigned to the same wing of the temple. Viana was placed in the temple’s right wing, while Lindsay was stationed in the left, reducing their encounters to a minimum.

Each day, Lindsay worked hard to show everyone, especially the female priests, that she was kind-hearted and that Viana wasn’t as noble as they believed.

"Good morning. May I help you?" said the black-haired, blue-eyed girl warmly as she smiled at the female priests carrying baskets of medicinal plants into the temple.

Her tone was friendly and attentive, causing the female priests to pause briefly before returning her smile.

"Ah, thank you, Lady Lindsay. But we’re already used to this," replied one of the female priests with a kind smile. Despite their response, Lindsay took one of the baskets without hesitation and carried it inside with them.

Lindsay’s approachable and helpful nature made the female priests gradually feel comfortable around her. They started sharing stories about their daily tasks, venting about the burden of their work, and Lindsay listened intently.

She even cracked jokes occasionally, making them laugh. In no time, Lindsay earned their attention and sympathy, becoming known as a friendly and helpful figure.

This was in stark contrast to Viana, the princess who consistently maintained her grace and poise. Although Viana executed her duties with utmost dedication, her formal demeanor made some female priests feel a certain distance from her.

It wasn’t uncommon for them to compare Lindsay’s warmth to Viana’s composed nature, even becoming influenced by Lindsay’s remarks, which often portrayed her as more caring and approachable.

"Princess Viana is certainly beautiful and elegant, but look at Lindsay, she sincerely tries to help us," whispered one of the female priests to her companion as they watched Lindsay assist them in gathering prayer scrolls.