The Princess’s Mansion isn’t as extravagant when compared to the royal buildings nearby.
Granted, it’s beautifully decorated along with the garden, but it feels like they tried to fill the interior with effort, limited by the building’s constraints.
Anyway, it didn’t suit Elise at all.
It felt more like I was borrowing someone else’s room than Elise’s own.
As if she sensed my thoughts, Elise smiled and answered before I could even ask.
“It used to be my older sister’s place.”
She seemed like she had more to say, but that was where she stopped. This was an unusual reaction for her, so I didn’t pry further.
The door creaked open with a thud, and in walked Tana, looking glum, alongside the composed Bertia.
“There’s nothing abnormal. She’s definitely a chaste virgin.”
“T-That shouldn’t be reported when Daniel isn’t around!”
Tana’s face turned as red as molten lava from Bertia’s straightforward report, but Bertia showed no reaction whatsoever.
Feeling a bit like I was shouting at a wall, Tana glanced at me, her mood drooping.
Phew, time to show a model of a mannerly man.
“Don’t worry, I figured as much.”
“You jerk! How can Eve like a guy like him?!”
It was a witty remark in my mind, but it did not land.
Tana exploded in frustration, then suddenly realized who she was in front of, shutting her mouth as if struck.
“Oh, so now you’re being polite?”
“Um, I’m sorry for what I said earlier.”
“It’s alright, it was amusing.”
If we recalled what Tana had said to Elise up until now, she’d be facing a capital charge for royal defamation.
Her own lawyer might as well scream, “Are you insane?”
If it were May, the judge would have rushed over during the trial and smashed her head with the gavel for how harshly she spoke to Elise.
“Yeah, it’s fine. What did you call her again? Crazy girl, weirdo, masochistic… But it’s true; it’s the girl’s fault for not behaving properly.”
“Hey! Hey!”
Tana shouted, flustered, wondering how I could say such things with a straight face.
Tsk, Elise wrapped her arms around herself, wearing an ecstatic expression.
“Daniel, I did tell you to be careful, right?”
“…Sorry, I’ve been out of touch for a while.”
Bertia sighed, giving me a scolding look. I had momentarily forgotten how to approach the rare Elise I hadn’t seen in so long.
“Be careful. It seems to have gotten more serious since we last met.”
Has it really gotten worse?
It’s not a joke; I genuinely don’t want to approach her anymore. Our princess is once again reminding me that it’s inner character, not outer appearances, that matters.
“Uh…”
“Yeah, what is it?”
Elise raised her hand slightly, smiling as she asked for understanding.
“Can I change my underwear? It got a little wet.”
“…!”
I nearly spewed out some vulgarities.
Actually, I did.
Bertia quickly covered my mouth with both hands, pleading, “Please! Please!” but if she hadn’t, the entire mansion would have echoed my scream.
As I started looking around for something to smash, Elise slipped away into her own room.
I calmed down slightly when she vanished from sight, but the shock stayed.
“That girl is really the princess of this country? Shouldn’t we start a rebellion?”
“…This is the princess’s mansion.”
“As if that matters!”
I kept mumbling in disbelief while Tana, sitting next to me, scolded, “You’re not exactly normal, planning a rebellion in a princess’s mansion.” So, I finally shut up.
After a while, Elise came back with a refreshed expression, which contrasted with my growing unease, so I jumped straight back to the topic.
“The reason I requested a maid from the Mayas family is because of Oliver.”
“Yeah, I’ve already heard. The current king’s health is declining, and the first prince Oliver is going to take power soon.”
Bertia took a sip of tea, adding to the conversation. The flavor of the tea was so excellent that I looked at Bertia in surprise, and she gave a satisfied smile.
“Yes, that’s right. Tana from the branch family is a little lacking, but they don’t seem to care since it’s just to test the Mayas family.”
Sighing, Elise only rubbed the handle of her teacup, not drinking. She looked quite frail now, probably because she hadn’t been eating well lately due to Oliver.
“There’s one thing I’m curious about. Why do you support Oliver?”
“……”
“Based on your deliberate provocation against the Mayas family and Tana at Aios Academy, I sensed you wanted something from me. But why are you forced to support him?”
The third princess, Elise, was originally a shadowy princess, not often seen. Everyone already knew she had talents in many areas, but she had never mentioned, nor shown interest in, royal power or politics.
Thus, she was a flower blooming alone in a muddy field.
For her to support Prince Oliver, directly or indirectly, may not seem beneficial, but the potential impact was significant.
The silent princess had decided to break her silence.
“It’s to protect my second brother and sister.”
“……”
“Do you know about our eldest sister?”
Of course.
The first princess of the Frisia Kingdom, Ilina de Frisia.
The saint of the royal family, a shooting star that grants wishes.
And.
“She was the girl whom the gods loved and embraced too early.”
She had only been 19 at the time.
Even in a little mountain village, the entire kingdom mourned her death.
People praised that the gods took her because she was too beautiful, pure, and transparent for this world, unable to be tainted.
“She was said to have died of illness, but that’s not the whole truth.”
The story that Elise started to unravel was something one could vanish without a trace for merely uttering.
*
*
Sigh.
My sigh burst out strongly from the pressure of the clothes squeezing my body. I never imagined I would wear such clothes in my life.
“Wow, it looks good on you!”
“I, Master, Master?”
“Princess, you’re drooling.”
Since it looks like I have to stay at Elise’s mansion for a while, I’ve become her servant.
Even as a servant, the royal attire was strict, with a bow tie starting from a white shirt to a black vest.
I had never even once worn such clothes through my whole life, including my past life, so the collar was constantly feeling tight.
“This outfit should’ve been seen by Eve! She would have loved it. Daniel, take this back when you return. Wear it once.”
“Stop with the nonsense.”
Tana, dressed as a maid like me, was excitedly flapping her hands. Despite the attention on me, Tana’s own outfit was quite a sight that would stir the hearts of many men.
“Okay, Daniel, you stay here, and Tana will follow me to learn about being a maid.”
“Ah, yes! Understood!”
At Bertia’s orders, Tana stiffened up like a rookie and stood at attention, but…
“No need to, so don’t.”
I halted Bertia, who was trying to drag Tana.
Both looked at me in confusion as if wondering what I was saying, but I firmly replied again.
“She’s going back to the academy with me. So, there’s no need to learn maid duties.”
Honestly, I felt uncomfortable at Tana’s comment about ‘taking this back later.’
Wasn’t she suggesting she’d stay here?
That bothered me a lot.
“Daniel? But…”
“……”
Tana kept glancing between me and Bertia, unsure of how to act, while Bertia naturally averted her gaze to her mistress.
Elise took a sip of her now-cold tea, smiling in satisfaction, and said, “Of course. Tana isn’t my maid; she’s a friend from the academy. Since it’s just for a bit, there’s no need to teach her.”
“Understood. I’m sorry, Lady Tana.”
Bertia quickly rephrased her address and bowed neatly, while Tana waved her hands, insisting it was fine.
“However, just in case, I’ll teach you the basics. You may meet someone else besides us.”
Bertia added that for disguise, leading Tana away.
“Seems you’re ready.”
Elise looked up at me, her lip corners still upward.
Not having Tana as a maid didn’t just mean I was protecting her.
It was a declaration of my will to defy Prince Oliver’s wishes and withdraw Elise’s support.
“I can’t hand the nation over to a guy who would assassinate his sister just because she’s better than him.”
“That’s right.”
Silently, but with grace, Elise lifted her dress slightly, bowing formally to me.
“To you, who will save the royal family, I extend my early gratitude.”
“I haven’t even started yet.”
“Whew, but I believe Master is capable.”
“…I told you not to call me that.”
Honestly, it only takes a little opening for her to wiggle her way in.
Elise sat back down and took a bite of the treats she hadn’t touched until now, asking me,
“By the way, you seem particularly relaxed around Tana Krista compared to the other kids.”
“……”
“Your childhood friend Rin, the subordinate May, or the ever-present Eve. You seemed far more comfortable with her.”
I almost blurted out that I felt burdened receiving confessions from them, but caught myself just in time.
It’s true that I feel more at ease with Tana compared to the others. When I’m with her, I genuinely feel like I’m hanging out with a close friend rather than just a Sherpa from the Forest of the Demon Realm.
This was also because I had spent the most time with her at the academy besides Rin and Ares.
But more importantly, being with her felt more like just friends without any romantic emotions.
Hayun was similar, but she was not as expressive as Tana, which calmed me down a bit.
“She’s fun—a bright kid like colored paint.”
Due to the many crazies around, Tana is genuinely a cheerful child. Before being bullied, she was someone with many friends.
“Colored paint?”
“Yeah, shining in various colors. Just looking at her makes me feel great.”
I realized I might have accidentally revealed too much, then thought,
“Hey! You too, don’t just slack off on your own!”
“……”
“Huh? Is your expression still tight? I’m the maid! You’re the servant! Don’t you know the class difference?”
Looking at Elise, who was chuckling, I asked.
“Since she’s like colored paint, we should dissolve her in water. Got any buckets lying around?”
Let’s just splash some water at her!
