Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: Maid Outfit and Date Strategy
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The princess, now dressed in the maid uniform, didn't take it off right away. Instead, she spent a good while twisting and turning her body every which way, checking the outfit's fit while still wearing it.
She inspected it so meticulously that for a moment, I wondered if I'd given her a top-tier dress worth several gold coins.
"It's not as impressive as I expected."
"Pardon...?"
"This outfit. Truth be told, I had high hopes for it."
"...?"
I tilted my head slightly.
For someone like the princess, who didn't have a voluptuous figure like mine, it was a loose, plain garment that completely hid any feminine curves.
It was so ordinary—bordering on dowdy and unadorned—that it had been selected precisely to conceal her royal status and elegant aura.
A noblewoman eager to flaunt her beauty and grace would only be disappointed by it. And yet, she'd held expectations?
I couldn't comprehend it.
"What do you mean by that?"
"This maid uniform is the very first piece William made himself, isn't it? The first one he ever put on you, too."
"Yes..."
"So I was hoping for some hidden magic or something. But there's nothing—just the rough edges typical of a debut work standing out instead."
"Is that why you asked me to lend you my outfit?"
"Yeah."
"......"
She really had an uncanny knack for pushing in the strangest directions.
I couldn't deny it was leagues better than the young master, who did absolutely nothing, but that didn't stop it from feeling creepy and unsettling.
"So the secret to getting William's attention is just being Emily, huh..."
Unable to find words, I clamped my mouth shut and lowered my gaze quietly. The princess stared sadly at the loose fabric around her chest, tugging the hem downward a bit.
I felt sorry for her, but...
The fact that I had even a slight edge over her filled me with a tiny spark of smugness.
Especially since it was in the realm of a woman's pride—it tickled my heart in the most delightful way.
"It's been ages since I've seen an outfit hang loose on Your Highness."
"Of all the women by William's side, it had to be Emily..."
I fought desperately to keep a smile off my face, stiffening my lips, but the princess and Sera's jealous stares stabbed right at my chest.
"Miss Emily, what's your secret?"
"Secret...?"
"No way you achieved that figure naturally. You must have done something for Duke Howard, right? Even if it's not everything, could you share just a little?"
"...I'm curious too."
"Uh, well..."
Overwhelmed by their gazes—intense enough to sting with desperation—I retreated a step, wearing a troubled expression.
If I'd made any effort for it, I'd have shared every detail gladly. But unfortunately, I'd never worked on building my curves.
During my growth spurt, they'd even gotten in the way of work, so I'd bound them down with cloth at times.
"I didn't really make any effort..."
"If you're about to say you didn't try, spare us the horror."
"......"
I snapped my mouth shut and averted my eyes from Sera.
Watching blankly, Sera twisted her face, clutched her chest, and staggered back into her chair.
"Ugh... Such injustice... This can't be real..."
"A figure like that can't be earned through effort..."
"If Your Highness has any conscience at all, stay quiet...!"
"...Out of nowhere?"
"You're just as deceptive...! No one here but Sir Rachel has the right to speak!"
"Wh-why me all of a sudden...?"
The harsh truth had shredded Sera's heart, it seemed; she lashed out indiscriminately at everyone around her while pathetically groping her own chest.
I could understand feeling down about shortcomings compared to others, but...
This was too pathetic.
"Do men only care about breasts in the end...? Argh..."
"...Just ignore her."
"Yes..."
Any attention to Sera would only make things worse, so we shifted our gazes away from her mutterings.
"Anyway, enough chit-chat. Shall we discuss plans for the eve of the Founding Festival?"
"Yes."
As if on cue, they sat down and steered the conversation back on track.
"That said, what advice are you seeking from a commoner like me, Your Highness? Until last year, I spent most of my time in the master's territory, so I'm not familiar with the Imperial Capital, let alone where the nobles prefer to go."
"Sera knows the capital well, so no worries there. What I want from you is insight into William's tastes.
Normally, a man should lead these plans, but honestly, I doubt William would come up with anything solid. Now that my meddling has turned it into me tagging along on your outing, it's even more crucial."
"That... might be true."
I'd wondered if even the young master would be that irresponsible about meeting a lady, but it was him, after all.
If he managed some half-baked plan at all, that'd be a blessing.
"So we need our own plan to feel secure."
"Understood."
I nodded, rubbing my teacup gently with my fingers as I gathered my thoughts.
"First off... ignore the young master's preferences and go with what Your Highness wants for the venues. He likes quiet, secluded spots, but push hard enough, and he'll go along without fuss."
"Really? William seemed pretty stubborn to me. Won't he insist on bookstores or antique shops even now?"
"He does that alone, but every year around this time, Miss Hayes drags him around the capital like clockwork. He'd grumble, but he always followed wherever she led."
"But Princess Hayes is family. Most people go easier on family."
"That's... true."
It was a glaring blind spot, for sure.
Hard to say from experience since he never mingled outside the family—we had scant info on his reactions to outsiders.
"Still, with the timing, anywhere will do. The capital will be swarming like ants no matter where you pick."
"Hmm... Got it, I'll keep that in mind."
"Yes."
She said she'd consider it, but my first piece of advice clearly didn't sit well.
No helping it—matching his tastes in this season meant "tea time at home" was the only option.
"Next question: Is William conservative?"
"...Are you serious?"
Swallowing a 'Have you lost your mind?', I posed the most politely worded version and stared at the princess with trembling eyes.
Their time together wasn't long, but even in that short span, he'd shown his open-minded side clearly, in my view.
And conservative?
If the young master set the standards for conservative, this world would be a hedonistic hellscape by now.
"I know he's not, but his relationships with women drag on forever. So I wondered if his personality was holding him back..."
"He's extremely lenient about exposure or physical contact.
He just watches for onlookers a lot. Remove that worry, and he's far more forgiving than you'd imagine."
"How far exactly is the limit...?"
Her eyes sparkled shyly at 'more than you'd imagine'.
"Hmm..."
I furrowed my brow and glanced upward slightly.
I wanted to give a straightforward answer, but the benchmark was the young master, of all people.
"Showing legs or hugging is fine, but he'll squirm at interlocking fingers or a hand-kiss."
"That's more than I'd imagine, but... what's with those weird boundaries?"
"Beats me."
Even I found it ridiculous saying it aloud.
Shy about greetings but okay with more intimate stuff?
"Then maybe I should be bolder this time? We've known each other five months now—seems like a good point to advance."
"Hmm..."
Timing-wise, she had a point.
Normal folks would be gearing up to take the next step.
"I recommend doing nothing this time."
But I shook my head, rejecting her idea outright.
"Why? Let a chance slip by?"
"He's trying to be proactive in his own way, but at heart, he's like a prickly hedgehog—super sensitive. Especially since this meetup looks like you'll be crashing midway, he'll be on high alert, wondering 'What stunt is she pulling now?'"
"Fair point..."
I hadn't heard him say it outright, but recalling what I'd observed, his awkward smiles under her proposals spoke volumes.
"Push too hard, and he'll rebuff it. So do nothing this time.
Ditch the scheming. Just do what you enjoy, Princess. End the day with a bright smile and 'I had a great time thanks to you.' That'll hit hardest."
"Do nothing, huh..."
She murmured softly, arms crossed in thought.
"......"
I'd shared all I could, so I held my tongue, waiting quietly for her to mull it over.
Whether she took it seriously was up to her, after all.