Escort, Huh?
I had just finished a hearty lunch in the dining hall and stood up from my seat. Toward me, Cecilia gave an order.
“Luke. Go back to your room right now.”
I returned to the room as instructed. Three maids were waiting in front of my door.
“Oh, Secretary-nim. We were just waiting for you.”
The maids beamed at me with happy faces.
“The person the Emperor sent is you three?”
Out of curiosity, I asked. The maids nodded in unison and said yes. Right after, I noticed the cart they had brought.
“What is that stuff over there?”
I pointed at the cart with my index finger. One maid answered with a smiling face.
“Her Majesty ordered us to prepare items suitable for her special request.”
“Ah. So….”
How much special attention could it have been for her to bring all kinds of makeup tools?
‘I should have just said I’d do it myself…’
Late regret hit me, but the water was already spilled.
“We’ll do our best to dress you up! It’ll be amazing!”
One maid shouted with energy, and the other two grabbed my arms.
“W-what? What are you doing?”
“Of course, we have to start with the bath!”
I was pushed toward the imperial public bath by the maids.
And that was the beginning of the hardships to come.
“Secretary-nim. It’s all done!”
“Finally….”
My mind, which had been halfway out, finally returned.
I could accept the bath.
After that, there wasn’t a single part from head to toe that wasn’t treated. Manicure and skin massage, then makeup on the face…
Of course, it wasn’t full makeup like women do, just enough to make my complexion look more lively.
According to the maids, it was more than I expected.
This wasn’t makeup; it felt like trying to hide something.
At this point, I was half-spirited. I figured whatever they did would turn out fine.
“How is it? Do you like it?”
The maids’ eyes sparkled with anticipation as they looked at me.
I could understand the reaction. They had worked on me for two uninterrupted hours.
…Honestly, I still wondered if it was right to put in so much effort for a man.
‘Still, I don’t have to be bossed around by the maids anymore.’
I reflected on that while looking at the full-length mirror.
“Oh….”
An involuntary exclamation slipped out.
My usual messy black hair was now neatly combed. Every flyaway strand was tamed, and even my mustache was neatly trimmed.
What surprised me most was my complexion looking very bright and lively!
‘I was always so busy with work….’
Could applying a little on the face really change someone’s appearance that much?
“How do you like our makeup technique?”
The maid who asked me had an energetic face. Not just her.
The other two maids also wore proud expressions.
Honestly, if I didn’t praise them after seeing such a result, it would be a hair on my conscience.
“Surprisingly good. It’s like seeing a different person.”
“Hehe. We dressed it to match the tailcoat. Now, shall we try it on?”
I stood up from the stool at the maids’ gesture.
The tailcoat I had bought last time for an outing lay neatly on the bed.
Two maids brought pants and a shirt. They immediately put them on me.
A crisp white shirt, knee-length gray quilted pants, and finally the tailcoat, the climax of the outfit.
The tailcoat was deep blue with gold embroidery on the lower sides. It didn’t stand out too much and gave a clean, refined impression.
That was why I chose it for the tailcoat.
As a secretary, something that didn’t draw too much attention but still maintained dignity. I could get a good price if I resold it later.
“Oh my, Secretary-nim is so handsome!”
“It suits your black hair perfectly!”
“This looks great anywhere!”
The maids showered me with praise. I actually thought, is this true?
Of course there was something like that. Men’s shoulders get puffed up when people around them cheer them on.
And from my perspective, I looked quite stylish today.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
“Not at all. We had fun practicing our skills on a man for the first time in a while.”
The maids were genuinely having fun, laughing non-stop. They greeted me and left the room.
The chatterers had left, and the room fell silent instantly.
I checked the grandfather clock. It was half past four in the afternoon.
“Two and a half hours until the banquet starts….”
What should I do with the remaining time?
I stood up from the stool and walked toward the bookshelf. I walked carefully to avoid messing up my clothes.
‘I could save escape money as salary. But I hadn’t thought about which country to run to.’
This was something I had been thinking about lately.
The problem was that all the empires on the Arsenia Continent had different languages.
So to go to another country, I needed to learn the language first.
“…”
I searched every book on the shelf, but none that I needed were there.
“In that case, I have no choice but to check the palace library.”
Tsk.
It really wasn’t easy to do anything.
I decided to rest until I moved to the banquet hall and sat on the chair. Then someone came to my room.
“Who is it?”
“It’s a maid sent by the Marquis Simonian’s daughter, Celia.”
I opened the door. She bowed lightly at the waist.
“Why did the Marquis send you?”
“The Marquis’s daughter ordered me to wait in front of the door until six o’clock.”
By that time, the makeup would be finished.
And I could guess why she had asked to come an hour earlier than the banquet.
She probably wanted to do a final inspection of the hall before the banquet started.
“Ha.”
Still better than paperwork, so I thought it was good.
* * *
I arrived at Flora’s door at exactly six. I knocked, and a bright voice came from inside.
“Come out now!”
The door opened with a bang, and I could see Flora.
“You’re right on time, Luke. But….”
Flora’s eyes stayed on me with her mouth wide open.
Was something stuck on my face?
Or had my mustache grown out?
“It’s not the usual Luke.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Of course! Your appearance looks much more alive now that you’re made up. Can’t you keep coming to work like this?”
“Ah. That’s… a bit difficult.”
Having makeup done for two hours every morning.
Just thinking about it was terrifying. Sleeping longer would be better.
“Hehe. I’m joking. Getting made up isn’t normal. But you really look great today.”
“Thank you for the praise, Marquis Simonian’s daughter.”
“Now it’s Luke’s turn.”
Flora stood in front of me with both hands neatly on her lower abdomen.
Her pink hair, usually tied in twin tails, was now loose. Seeing her different look, I got a fresh impression.
How to put it… she looked more mature.
Her fair skin with makeup looked even livelier and whiter. Plus, today’s sky-blue crinoline dress added to her mature beauty.
“You look so mature today, Marquis’s daughter. And beautiful. You could be the banquet’s star.”
“Hehe. Thank you for the compliment. But I won’t be the banquet’s star. I believe you know why.”
Flora winked with one eye.
Ah, so the host of this banquet was Cecilia.
“By the way, it’s about time for Mullea to show up….”
As the saying goes, the tiger comes when you call its name. Right after Flora spoke, Mullea appeared in the hallway.
“Mullea. Come quickly.”
Flora waved her hands busily,
“Mullea, keep your dignity.”
Mullea approached with a dignified walk even though Flora urged her. She greeted me with a bow.
Mullea was wearing a purple bustle dress that matched her eyes today. Her hair was neat as usual, and she had lighter makeup than Flora.
From her, unlike Flora, a gentle atmosphere flowed.
“You look so elegant and refined, Count Fordward’s daughter.”
Last time I didn’t say anything about her dress. But this time too, I spoke first to avoid being rude.
Mullea stared at me blankly, then moved her lips.
“Thank you. Secretary-nim looks very handsome today too.”
“Today you both compliment each other? It’s a good sight.”
Flora nodded satisfied.
“Now let’s head to the banquet hall. We have to do a final inspection before the banquet starts.”
So that’s why she had ordered us here by six… my instincts were too accurate, and I felt a bit sad.
* * *
The three of us took a carriage to the banquet hall. The palace grounds were so vast that it took at least twenty minutes to walk.
The knights guarding the entrance bowed as soon as they saw us.
“You’ve worked hard.”
Flora replied to their greeting with a fresh voice.
Since there was still time before the banquet, no guests were visible. Instead, pages, stewards, and maids moved busily preparing food and drinks.
‘The place is really wide….’
If I had to say how wide, it would be about two soccer fields.
The floor was luxurious red wool, and four giant chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Was the tyrannical Cecilia enjoying banquets here almost every day after becoming the tyrant?
While lost in thought, Flora’s voice came to my ear.
“Luke. We have to check the table arrangement, final inspection of facilities, and band rehearsal, etc. No big deal, right?”
“That’s right.”
It was definitely better than reading documents.
Mullea standing next to me also nodded.
“Let’s walk around together.”
I and Mullea accepted Flora’s suggestion.
The three of us walked around checking tables, tablecloths, food, and drinks. We asked the band to play a rehearsal.
“How is it?”
After the music ended, Flora asked my opinion.
Fortunately, it was a song I had heard before, so I could evaluate it.
“It’s okay.”
“That’s enough.”
Mullea agreed with me.
The last place we inspected before the banquet was the waiting room Cecilia would enter before the hall.
There was only one throne there, and no other furniture.
“That’s all for the inspection! Now you can rest a little until the banquet starts.”
“It really wasn’t anything special.”
Flora smiled lightly, lifting the corner of her mouth.
“By the way, I suddenly thought of something. Can I hear it? Luke, and Mullea.”
Mullea and I looked at Flora at the same time.
“When everyone gathers in the banquet hall, our Empress will enter. If I enter alone, it might look odd, right?”
Nothing wrong with it.
“So, how about Luke escorting the Empress? Just up to the stage we saw when we came.”
“M-me? Suddenly a big task?”
I asked in surprise, but Flora was unfazed.
“If you ask the Empress and she approves, you’ll escort her.”
No, that’s too sudden…
I opened my mouth wide as Flora approached. She murmured in a straight voice.
“Be the Empress’s support, Luke.”