episode_0017

“That’s just in time. I was just in need of some help.”

“… Yes?”

Lara tilts her head with an expression that clearly shows her annoyance.

Of course, her feelings were none of Luke’s business.

“From today, you will be helping the princess take a bath.”

“Would you like a bath?”

“Yes.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Yes?”

I was dizzy at the question of the three consecutive suspensions.

But the confusion didn’t last long.

“Didn’t you say you’re a dedicated maid? It’s your duty to keep your maid clean.”

People who ask questions like this in the academy have become so prevalent that they quickly become immune to it.

“But why is the tutor giving me orders?”

When I point out her attitude, Lara starts nitpicking again.

Now I see, I get it.

“No one asked to be the princess’s maid?”

“… … ”

Lara flinches.

He looks at me as if asking how I knew.

It’s obvious.

Which maid would want to be in charge of a youngest princess who is treated poorly?

At best, an unlucky maid will have won the lottery.

That’s why he acts like that.

“Help me take a bath.”

Finally, Elin, who couldn’t stand to watch anymore, stepped forward.

“If you’re my exclusive maid, you have to listen to me, right?”

Elin glances at Luke.

I was so touched that I quickly ran over to him and patted his head.

“Yes. All servants assigned to the Princess must follow the Princess’ orders.”

As expected, the class on dealing with subordinates wasn’t taught for nothing.

If it had been the old, weak Elin, she would have frozen and said nothing.

I looked at the maid who was biting her lip in amazement at her growth.

“… … How on earth did I get treated like this.”

“Oh my. How can you say such disrespectful things when you hold such a glorious position?”

He walked over and pushed in the bathing supplies that Elin had never used before.

“I’ll explain it only once, so listen carefully. This is like this, that is like that… .”

Every time I explained to Elin, my speaking speed increased.

Lara’s eyes were spinning as she listened to the explanation.

Luke finished his explanation quickly and tapped Lara on the shoulder.

“Then, please finish your bath before I come back.”

“… Where are you going?”

“I will go see the Duke.”

He spoke lightly, as if he were going for a walk.

But the weight of the words was not light at all.

widely.

Ellen grabbed Luke’s wrist.

“Teacher.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything that will get you fired.”

“But… .”

“Isn’t it possible that I would cause trouble without thinking?”

“… … ”

“Your Majesty?”

Why is there no answer?

Was that all the trust we had?

“Anyway, be careful.”

Ellen never said she believed him.

It was strangely disappointing, but that was something I had to prove through my own actions.

He turned around and approached Lara.

“I hope that won’t happen, but I’ll give you a warning.”

And he whispered so only she could hear.

“Princess Elin is a very precious person.”

Lara’s body froze at the cold voice that pierced her ear.

Like a mouse encountering a snake.

I had to listen to Luke without being able to move.

“So don’t ever think about treating it carelessly. If you do, something pretty boring will happen.”

Luke took a step back and smiled.

But the cold, golden eyes seemed to freeze the blood vessels.

“… … Yes.”

Lara nodded without realizing it.

* * * * *

“Then I’ll be off.”

The room Luke left curiously.

The cold air that made it seem like the temperature had dropped significantly disappeared.

Now all that remained were Elin and her personal maid, Lara.

“… … ”

“… … ”

The atmosphere in the room was very uncomfortable.

Of course.

“Haa… Really.”

How many people would feel comfortable being with someone who sighs deeply every three seconds?

“Even if I’m unlucky, why is that guy with me? ”

Now, Lara is screaming, pulling out her hair.

In Luke’s room, brown hair falls in patters.

For some reason, I feel awkward when I see that sight.

“… Get out.”

“What did you say?”

“Let’s get out of here.”

So I took the lead and left Luke’s room.

Lara, who had no reason to be left alone, naturally followed.

Elin’s room right next door.

Ellen took off her pajamas.

Lara’s mouth, which had been grumbling continuously, stopped.

Of course, it wasn’t because I was impressed by the body of a 12-year-old… no, now 13-year-old.

“… … ”

“What are you doing?”

“Yes, yes?”

“He said he would take a bath for me.”

“Ah… That, that.”

Lara’s gaze turned to Elin’s wounds.

Arms, back, waist, calves… .

In fact, it means that I saw all the parts that were covered by clothes.

“I didn’t know it would be this bad… … .”

Lara was originally an ordinary maid who worked at Bertain.

Of course, I also heard rumors about the youngest princess.

A dullard who is ignored by both his parents and siblings.

A lazy person who just sits in a corner of the room and doesn’t make any effort.

A piece of trash that even servants ignore.

That was Elin’s current address within Bertain.

But even if all the rumors are true… … isn’t this too much?

“What are you doing, not coming in?”

“… Ah.”

Lara came to her senses when she heard Elin’s voice, who had already gone into the bathroom.

“… There must be a reason why it turned out like that.”

It was too severe for a sign of corporal punishment, but I tried to ignore it.

Bertain, the central figure among the five great dukes of the empire.

Because such a great duke would never have beaten a child for no reason.

Rather, I felt more at ease thinking that Ellen had made a big mistake.

Lara patted her cheek and went into the bathroom.

“Whew… .”

Elin, who had already filled the bathtub with water, was completely submerged in it.

“Come out, Your Majesty.”

Lara gestured, her rude attitude softening a bit from before.

“I know it’s annoying for the princess too, so let’s finish this quickly.”

Of course, it wasn’t rude because it was ‘a little’ toned down.

Ellen never said she was annoying.

In fact, it was Lara herself who was the nuisance.

“Sup, just now… … .”

Luke went over and showed me the order in which I should use my bath products.

But what do you know?

I just picked up whatever I could get my hands on.

“I’ll wash your hair starting from the head.”

Lara wasn’t feeling very well today.

The reason, of course, is that she became Elin’s exclusive maid.

Originally, being a servant to a nobleman was a fairly high position.

Even Elin is the princess of Bertain.

Lara’s salary also increased considerably.

But then what do you do?

-You, really? You really became my exclusive maid?

-Oh my…what should I do, really… .

All the maids who were close to Lara felt sorry for her.

-They say that if you get involved with Princess Elin, you’ll quit right away… .

-Is there anything you don’t like?

And then we kept our distance.

Lara soon foresaw what her situation would be like.

All of the surrounding maids leave Lara.

A life of gradual isolation, taking care of the abandoned princess.

It was no different from being demoted in exchange for a small raise in salary.

Even if the family heard rumors about Elin, they wouldn’t be proud of Lara.

It was just bad luck that it turned out like this.

That fact was so bitter that I even forgot Luke’s grim warning.

The arrows of resentment were directed straight at Elin.

“Ugh… .”

Elin grew up enduring all the negativity in her life.

Even though it was the first time I saw her, I couldn’t help but feel Lara’s impure feelings.

“… It hurts.”

It was because the fingers that were running through my hair right away were too rough.

“Please be patient.”

Lara continued to shake Elin’s small head nonchalantly.

“… … ”

Ellen thought as she felt motion sickness in the bathroom.

Yeah. That’s how I was originally treated.

Even if I was in pain, I had to endure it, and even if I was suffering, I couldn’t show it.

As I’ve been spending a lot of time with Luke lately, I’ve been unconsciously saying out loud that I’m sick.

If it were Luke, he would have apologized and looked after the condition.

No, if it was Luke in the first place, there would be no reason to hurt Elin.

“I’ll rinse it.”

For a moment, it seemed as if Lara’s hand had lifted from Elin’s head.

Choaaaak-

Cold water poured over Elin’s head.

“Ugh… .”

Soapy water got into my eyes.

As I rubbed my sore eyes, Lara’s teasing voice continued.

“I’m sorry. I should have waited a little longer. I was in a hurry.”

He didn’t seem sorry at all.

“I’ll wash your body for you soon.”

Lara began to apply soap to Elin’s body, seemingly oblivious to her trembling figure.

“Ugh… .”

A rough and rugged touch, devoid of any delicacy.

The wound will be clearly visible.

Lara washed Elin’s body thoroughly as if she was washing something.

“읏… .”

Elin gritted her teeth and held back the sound from escaping.

Even if you say you’re sick, it won’t get any better.

“Haaak… !”

Still, I couldn’t hold back a scream when those rough hands touched my calf.

A hot wound that was made in the morning stings even when exposed to air.

There is no way I could bear the pain of being touched by such inconsiderate hands.

“… Are you okay?”

“Ugh… .”

Even Lara, who was intentionally venting her anger, was so surprised that she stopped.

“… Get out.”

“Yes?”

“I know how to use bath products. Get out.”

“Yes, yes… .”

Lara washed her hands quietly and left.

Ellen roughly wiped off the soapy water and went back into the bathtub.

The warm water had already cooled down.

“… … ”

Elin was looking at the floating rabbit doll while wrapping her sore calves.

-Your Majesty, please come out slowly so I can clean your room!

There was no answer, but soon after, a rustling sound was heard.

What on earth are you planning to do this time, suddenly cleaning up?

Bubble bubble.

Elin, who had her mouth soaked in bath water, blew air.

Then he slowly got up and started washing his body.

I didn’t want to be with the exclusive maid, but if I stayed like this I’d catch a cold.

I didn’t want to be indebted to Luke again.

Shoo-

After washing my body, making sure not to touch the wound as much as possible, I came out of the bathroom.

Of course, Luke wasn’t there to dry my hair.

He went to confront his father about the new wound on his calf.

Instead, the first thing Ellen discovered was…

“Whew.”

“… … What are you doing?”

It was Lara who came into the room, shaking off her hands.

“Huh? Oh, I cleaned the room because it seemed a little dirty.”

Yeah, it’s nice that some of the dust in the room has disappeared.

But that wasn’t what mattered now.

“Where did everything that was here go?”

Ellen pointed to the bed.

There was nothing on the bed but a pillow and a blanket.

“Oh, a doll? It’s so old that I just threw it away.”

“… What?”

I thought I misheard.

I couldn’t believe it.

I looked around.

A rabbit doll that has been with me my whole life.

The stuffed rabbit that Luke had recently repaired and made even more precious was nowhere to be seen.

“That… Why on earth would you do that?”

I could tolerate everything else.

It’s like looking at yourself like a bug.

Even deliberately pouring cold water on your head and touching your wounds to relieve stress.

But I threw away the rabbit doll.

The thought of throwing away my most precious possession without a word touched something deep inside me.

My stomach was boiling and my forehead was getting hotter.

“Now, isn’t it time for you, Princess, to graduate from doll-like things?”

Lara’s words that decorate the ending.

Stop.

“… … ha.”

Something snapped in my head.