Chapter 19: The identity of the maid

As the evening party at the Royal Castle was coming to an end, a shadow of a boy stood in the dimly lit courtyard of the castle.

He has fluffy black hair and rounded blue eyes, a boy with a somehow neutral beauty and is around sixteen years old. He’s looking up at the balcony from the palace yard.

There was a girl within the boy’s sight.

She is a girl with coral-like hair color, beautiful even from a distance.

She stayed there for a while as if waiting for someone else, but eventually she was called by a waiter and left the railing.

The boy stared at the fading sight of her.

A moment later, a man appeared where the girl was standing.

The man then glared at him quietly, as if he had known the boy was there all along despite the darkness and the distance from the balcony.

“~~~~ ……!”

A creepy chill ran down the boy’s back and he reflexively whimpered.

That man’s spicy murderous air is what the boy likes best of all. However, that air of warning disappeared as the man retreated.

“Oh, man. You’re not going to play with me today…..”

The boy looked down and muttered regretfully. It’s probably because of that beautiful girl he saw earlier.

“I miss you, older brother.”

The boy had been grumpy ever since the day she arrived.

It wasn’t necessary for his older brother to forbid him to attend such an evening party. The only regret, however, was that the opportunity to speak to her head-on was distant.

“But I’m making preparations for a proper greeting soon. …you know, sister-in-law.”

The boy whispered in a soft voice.

*****

“Jeez, you are all useless.”

A girl’s voice echoed in the small stone laundry.

The red-haired maid, Diana, looked triumphant over the newcomer-looking maid. Rishe, who was doing the laundry in the midst of the other maids, looked up without stopping her hand.

It’s been three days since Rishe, who lives alone in a detached palace, began to sneak off to do her laundry under the watchful eye of her knights. She got to see the spectacle of an angry Diana and cowering newcomers on a daily basis.

“Can’t you even do your own laundry? I asked you to do the job this morning, and it’s not finished yet by noon. We have already finished cleaning the ground floor one third of that time!”

“So, sorry Diana-san….”

The new maids braced themselves in horror. Among them was Elise, whom Rishe had rescued and woken up the other day.

Rishe took her bubbly hands out of the tub and rinsed them lightly before speaking to Elise and the others.

“I’ll help you. Where’s the rest of the laundry?”

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“…It’s you again.”

Turning around, Diana glared fiercely at Rishe.

“I don’t know which you belong to, but I really envy you. You’re so bored, you can often afford to help people every day.”

She spat as she turned the other side.

“Let’s use these useless recruits alone. Come on Laura, Maya, if you want to be chosen as the Crown Princess’ handmaidens, you can’t just sit around here and do nothing.”

Diana took a sheet of paper out of her apron pocket and looked over the writing.

“Today, it looks like the list from the Royal Villa will be sent. I’m sure you’ll get a better reputation if you carry out your tasks without the chamberlain telling you to do so!”

“Oh, wait for us, Diana!

“The two maids left the laundry area, scrambling after Diana.

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After the door closed, Rishe grinned at Elise and the others.

“Now, let’s get on with it. If you have a big one that takes a lot of time, turn it over this way.”

“Thank you for always helping us….!”

The new maids were both frightened and relieved. Some of the girls were on the verge of tears and bowed their heads to Rishe several times. Rishe turned and washed the sheets with Elise around the tub.

Elise mumbled morosely.

“… I’m sorry, it’s because it’s taking us forever to learn our jobs…”

“It’s only been the fifth day for everyone in the castle, isn’t it?　Everyone’s untrained in the beginning.”

Rishe replied while rubbing the sheets against the washboard.

“In the first place. Elise-san is not at all unfamiliar with washing, right?”

“!”

Elise nodded sheepishly at Rishe’s conjecture.

They’ve all been doing laundry together for the past few days, and She’d noticed that the newcomers gathered here aren’t all incapable of doing the laundry.

The girls recruited in the castle had probably been helping out with household chores and such until now. When they have tasks right in front of them, they are able to move properly.

Nonetheless, what Diana said was also true.

They spend longer time than usual in front of their not-so-much laundry.

(But the reason for that is obvious.)

Rishe asked Elise about one more thing that has been bothering her.

“Have you ever heard of Diana-san’s past?　Like if she came from a wealthy family.”

“Ah, yes. I’ve heard that her father had a number of shops and that Diana was studying then.”

“I’ve heard of that too. As I recall, he got into debt and all of her father’s shops were sold away.”

After listening to the maids, Rishe paused from scrubbing the sheets and pondered.

Inexperienced newcomers are under pressure from their seniors. It’s up to Rishe how to deal with them.

“Um, are you done with that?”

Elise asked me anxiously and smiled.

“It’s fine. Let’s get these laundry out of the way for now.”

****

That afternoon, thirty handmaidens gathered at the Royal Villa in the Royal Palace.

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There were ten members chosen from the handmaidens who originally worked in the castle, and twenty new recruits from the castle grounds. Among them, twenty maid servants for the crown princess will be selected.

When they were told that today was the announcement day of the results of the selection, the girls fidgeted nervously.

“Hey. It has been rumored that the Royal Villa was in a terrible condition due to neglect, but everywhere looks quite shiny, don’t you think?”

“That’s right. I wonder if any of the servants have been here to clean the place up.”

“What kind of person is Rishe-sama do you think? Oh, the thrill of it….”

Some of the chambermaids were having secret conversations with each other, while some searched the grounds for someone.”

“Elise, that girl who always stands up for you is nowhere to be seen.”

“Yes….”

“See, Diana, that cheeky newcomer hasn’t even been shortlisted in the first place.”

With one of her cohorts pointing that out, Diana felt proud of her victory.

“You bet. After all, to serve the Crown Princess, you have to have a certain amount of decorum. Even if that cocky girl were shortlisted, I bet she’ll be removed!”

Her eyes were sparkling with the confidence of someone who’ll surely be chosen.

Before long, a knock sounded in the room where the handmaidens had been ushered.

“Rishe-sama has arrived. Everyone, please bow down.”

At the command of the chamberlain, the handmaidens immediately lowered their heads. Diana also bowed her head in anticipation, with plenty of room to spare.

The sound of shoes echoed as a woman walked steadily before Diana and the others. A fluffy dress was on the edge of her vision and smelled somehow gentle and refreshing.

Even before they could see that figure, they can tell that Crown Princess Rishe is a wonderful woman. Diana and the others felt proud at the thought that she was going to be their Mistress from now on.

However, Laura, who was beside Diana, whispered in a tiny voice.

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“Hey, Diana, don’t you find this scent somewhat familiar?”

“Hmph, don’t talk to me right now.”

It is the unique scent of the Crown Princess. It must be some kind of luxury perfume. Diana thought so, then suddenly backtracked.

“….Soap.”

“Huh? Diana, what did you say?”

“It’s soap. This is the one we use in the laundry, the one we always…”

It was at the same moment that a voice proved her conjecture true.

“Please, everyone, raise your heads up.”

“!”

No, it can’t be!

That can’t be true, but the voice was awfully familiar.

Diana and the others tensed terribly and looked forward in trepidation. Half in prayer and half fraught in fear.

Followed by gasps.

“Ah…”

“I am Riche Ilmgard Wertsner.”

There stood the beautiful girl who had been an eyesore for the past few days.

And also with the gentlest smile on her face.