"Oh, my~ Fancy meeting you here, Lady Kathrina," Maria purred, gliding through the grand hall, her gaze settling on Kathrina.
The amusement that once graced her face during their last encounter was nowhere in sight.
Her eyes were dark.
Dangerously so.
Behind Kathrina stood her maid—haggard and worn. Though her face had been meticulously painted with layers of makeup, it did little to conceal the exhaustion etched into her features. The faint traces of sleepless nights, the barely masked eye bags… she had been through hell serving her mistress in the past few months.
"Likewise," Kathrina responded, her gaze sweeping over the opulent hallway, gilded chandeliers casting a golden glow upon the polished marble floor. "I simply couldn't stay still any longer, considering the entrance examination starts in just ten days."
Her voice was measured, but her next words carried an unmistakable edge as she locked eyes with Maria. "Where is Yuriel?"
