episode_0158

The banquet that continued deep into the night only announced its end just before reaching midnight, granting attendees the right to return home.

Of course, even so, it wasn’t possible to return home immediately, so after greeting Elizabeth or Her Highness the Imperial Crown Princess, and exchanging greetings with nobles who were acquainted with my parents, only then was I able to board the carriage.

“Sigh…”

The time indicated by the pocket watch I looked at with a sigh was 1:10.

It had been a long time since I had stayed up this late without being scolded, so my feelings were complex.

“You worked hard until late.”

As I was looking at the watch with a complex expression, Emily, who was sitting quietly beside me, spoke carefully, and began gently tapping the back of my neck.

Though it felt cool and good, I shook my head, gently held Emily’s wrist, and carefully lowered it.

“No, you suffered more, you must have felt pressured among the nobles.”

“This time, everyone wasn’t interested in me, so it wasn’t that uncomfortable, rather, the boredom seemed more agonizing.”

“Really?”

It was fortunate if she wasn’t uncomfortable.

Trying to read the room among the shrewd people all day long is quite stressful.

If His Imperial Majesty hadn’t deliberately pushed me today, because of the war of nerves from morning till night, I would have had stomach cramps.

And I would have collapsed in the carriage as is.

“Hoo…”

As I let out a deep breath, I put my weight on the carriage seat.

I wouldn’t say it’s the most comfortable, but because I had been standing for most of the time, even this hard chair feels like heaven now.

As fatigue washed over me, I felt my body becoming listless.

“Young Master.”

“Mm…”

Opening my eyes halfway, and staring blankly at the carriage ceiling, Emily gently held my hand and called me.

Wondering what she was going to say next, I tilted my head slightly and looked at Emily.

“Excuse me, but could I use another day of leave tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow? That is, uh…”

Perhaps because it was past midnight, I was confused whether the ‘tomorrow’ Emily was talking about was ‘today’ or the actual next day.

“Are you talking about after you wake up? Or are you talking about tomorrow by date?”

“After I wake up, so that would be midday today.”

“Hmm…”

Midday today…

I slowly blinked my eyes, and tried to recall what day of the week today was.

“Today’s a weekday, though?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Eh… It’s okay to use it, but what’s the reason?”

As it was rare for Emily to use leave on a weekday, a slightly curt voice flowed from between my lips.

“We have an outing with the Young Master in a few days, don’t we? It’s not just any time, but the day before the Holy Day, don’t you think preparations might be needed?”

“Ah~”

My mood suddenly brightened significantly.

And since even on a weekday, for about one day, I could just take the butler or Ann with me.

“Then I should let you go, do you need money? You’re going out because of me, so I should contribute a bit.”

“No, you don’t need to do that.”

“Still…”

“Don’t take out your wallet, even if you force it on me, I’ll return it without using it?”

“Aing…”

Before I even put my hand in my pocket to take out money, my wrist was caught by Emily, and I couldn’t even take out my pocket, let alone money.

Other servants would gratefully accept if offered, but I don’t know why she stubbornly refuses.

Does she feel bad because it seems like I’m giving charity?

“Wouldn’t it be better to get properly dressed up if you’re going to anyway? If you have a lot of money, your options increase, don’t they?”

“In the first place, I can’t enter stores that require a lot of money, and even if it’s for preparation, there’s not much to buy.”

“Hmm…”

I thought, ‘Then shouldn’t I just go with you?’, but, well… maybe she wants to save the sight of her properly dressed up for the pleasure of the day itself, so I swallowed my words forcefully.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how you’ll look.”

“Don’t expect too much.”

“No, I’m going to expect a tremendous amount? I’m even going to flutter excitedly, wondering if a celestial maiden is going to appear?”

“Even if you’re disappointed then, I won’t know, okay?”

“Saying that makes me look forward to it even more, I wonder if I shouldn’t even prepare a camera.”

“Ugh…”

Looking at me who was already getting overly optimistic, Emily shook her head as if frustrated, narrowed her eyes, pouted her lips, and mumbled.

“If you keep doing that, I won’t dress up at all, okay?”

“That’s fine as it is, too…”

However Emily dressed up, as long as she didn’t appear with a shaved head, anything was fine.

It would be fine if she appeared looking gloomy and haggard, and it would also be fine if she appeared bright and cheerful.

Or, if she changed her hairstyle, it would be fine if she came out with a bob cut or a bob style, and it would also be fine if she came with her hair in slightly rustic pigtails.

However a beauty dresses up, that is plausibility, fashion, and beauty.

“So, I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“Ugh…”

Emily, who slightly distorted her face, let out a small groan, and then sharply turned her head the other way.

“… Do as you please.”

And after replying in a curt voice, she firmly closed her mouth.

__

I told the Young Master that preparation was needed and obtained leave, but to my sincere regret, a slight lie was hidden in these words.

That preparation is needed is true, but the one who needs preparation is not me.

“Thank you for making time, even using your precious leave.”

A private room in a luxurious coffee house.

Her Highness Princess Elizabeth warmly greeted me as I entered behind Lady Sera.

On a weekday, the reason I used leave that I usually didn’t use was to help Her Highness the Princess prepare for the meeting the day before the Holy Day.

The goal was naturally to make the relationship between Her Highness the Princess and the Young Master a little closer.

Although it was painful that I had to make the relationship between the Young Master and someone else, not me, closer, because I also had something to gain through a small sacrifice and concession, I showed a gentle smile towards Her Highness the Princess while soothing my feelings.

“No, it was leave I wasn’t going to use anyway, please don’t worry about it too much.”

“Alright… First, let’s sit down and talk.”

“Yes.”

Pointing to the chair opposite her with her hand, to Her Highness the Princess who was inviting me to sit, I slightly bowed my head, straightened my skirt, and settled myself on the chair.

“Have you prepared the item I requested?”

“Of course.”

As soon as my rear touched the chair, Her Highness the Princess got straight to the point.

With a confident smile, I placed the basket on the table, and opened the lid to show.

The hidden contents were revealed to the world, and Her Highness the Princess stretched her neck slightly upwards and confirmed the item inside the box.

“There’s nothing wrong with the item, but… still, I need to check if it suits me, don’t I?”

After examining the contents with serious eyes, Her Highness the Princess, who had mumbled softly, then stood up from her seat, looked at Sera and me in turn, and opened her mouth.

“Emily, I’m sorry to ask for something like this as soon as you’ve sat down, but could you help me change clothes?”

“Yes.”

Since it was a request I had already expected, I willingly nodded my head, and lifted my rear that had been on the chair for less than 5 minutes.

_

“It’s all done.”

“Thank you.”

Her Highness the Princess’s change of clothes was able to finish quickly, because the dress Her Highness the Princess was wearing was of a simple kind, and the clothes she was about to change into were of an even simpler kind than that.

“Please check it in the mirror once.”

“Hmm…”

When Lady Sera slightly turned the large mirror, which she had prepared in the room beforehand, towards Her Highness the Princess, Her Highness the Princess narrowed her eyes and carefully looked at herself reflected in the mirror.

“Ugh…”

Her Highness the Princess, who thoroughly checked her appearance by turning her body this way and that, perhaps because the current clothes felt awkward, or perhaps because she was embarrassed to be wearing servant’s attire, with a blush on her face, wore a shy expression, and let out a groan full of shame.

Even while doing so, her eyes couldn’t stay still restlessly, and her hands kept fiddling with her apron, and couldn’t stay still.

“It seems a bit strange… Don’t you think I should wear different clothes? How about changing clothes even now…?”

Unlike her usual appearance, which was haughty, dignified, and noble, she showed the freshness and shyness that a girl in her prime might show.

At that appearance, I was reminded again of the fact, which I had momentarily forgotten, that Her Highness the Princess was 17 years old, two years younger than me.

“Indeed, I think it’s good that I didn’t go back on it, only by going to this extent do I feel like a youthful girl, not a noble and elegant imperial family member.”

“Although I have served Your Highness for several years, I think this is the first time I’ve seen such a refreshing and cute Your Highness.”

“Ugh…”

As Lady Sera and I didn’t spare any praise for her perfect image transformation, Her Highness the Princess, feeling embarrassed, bowed her head even lower, and unnecessarily roughly clutched her apron.

“I’m embarrassed… kill me…”

“Your Highness, why are you acting like a princess of a ruined nation over something like this, you suit it perfectly, so act confidently.”

“Haa… Easier said than done…”

Her Highness the Princess, as if tired, wore a gloomy expression, and bit her lower lip.

“We will mainly travel by carriage, and since it’s winter, it will be covered by an overcoat, so please don’t worry too much.”

“And it suits you perfectly.”

“It’s not a matter of whether it suits me or not, if it’s covered anyway, there’s no point in wearing it! This isn’t clothes I’m wearing to show William.”

“Your Highness, you’ll eventually take off your overcoat indoors, so disguise is important anyway, because there are eyes watching indoors as well.”

“And that is the clothing the Young Master likes the most.”

“Why on earth?”

“Well…‘

Her Highness the Princess asked for the reason, frowning, but unfortunately, that was a part I didn’t know well either.

I only vaguely understood that something beyond the clothes’ beauty had resonated with the Young Master’s heart.

It’s not that I didn’t ask for the reason, but the more I heard, the more complicated my mind became, so I gave up on trying to understand.

”Really…! Why does that person like things like this…“

Her Highness the Princess’s shoulders, having lightly grumbled, slumped down.

That a person who is one of the most noble people, a Princess, would wear servant’s clothes to look good for a man…

”……“

While feeling a little sorry for such a Princess, the fact that she could act as her heart commanded to that extent felt enviable.