A Maid Debut, of Sorts
"Yaaawn..."
Following Sylvia's directions, I trudged through the subterranean tunnels of the headquarters until I emerged into the daylight behind a secluded waterfall. There, waiting for me, sat an eerily well-prepared carriage.
It had been an abrupt departure, but Sylvia had already packed my luggage, and the path from the underground base straight out past the falls was a simple, continuous tunnel, so the journey out went off without a hitch. Once I climbed aboard, the carriage rattled into motion. With nothing to do and no one else inside the cabin, sitting in silence soon gave way to heavy eyelids, and before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep.
"Hwaaaawn... mnya..."
"Have you finally awakened?"
"...Gah?!"
I snapped out of my nap mid-stretch, the massive yawn cut short as the carriage door swung open to reveal a woman I had never seen before. Still groggy enough that I hadn't even realized the carriage had come to a halt, I gave a startled jolt and stared at her in utter bewilderment.
"Wh-who are you...?" I mumbled, stumbling over my words.
"We have arrived at the Imperial Palace."
"Ah."
"You are Miss Serena, correct?"
"Yes, that's me. Serena, from the Assassins' Guild headquarters. How should I address you?"
Mentioning the Imperial Palace, knowing my name—piecing those clues together made it obvious she was on the Emperor's payroll. The Guild Master had said the contract came directly from the Emperor, so she was likely serving as his proxy. Her hair was a rich brown rather than the dazzling gold characteristic of imperial blood, which meant she wasn't royalty herself.
"You may address me as the Head Maid."
"Uh... oh..."
The Head Maid. I nodded in understanding. Her dignified, composed demeanor matched her title to a tee. She looked remarkably young for someone holding the rank of Head Maid, but the quiet authority in her presence fit the role perfectly.
"Let us step outside first. The carriage is hardly the place for an extended conversation."
"Okay."
"Please, hand me your luggage. It appears rather heavy for you to carry, Miss Serena."
"Uh... it's really fine. I don't mind carrying it. I'm actually pretty strong, you know, despite how I look."
I politely declined as she eyed the bag sitting on the seat beside me. And I wasn't bluffing—I really was strong. Sure, on the outside I looked like a dainty, fragile little girl, but the stat points accumulated from leveling up made my physical strength completely disproportionate to my frame. While it wasn't earth-shattering superhuman might, it was certainly far beyond what any tiny girl had any right possessing. Among ordinary folk, I would easily rank as exceptionally strong.
"Is that so? Then let us alight."
"Okay."
Following her lead, I stepped down from the carriage. The moment my boots touched the pavement, my breath caught. Spread before my eyes was the colossal, breathtaking expanse of the Imperial Palace.
It was the glittering spectacle I remembered glimpsing in the game's promotional trailers. While the walls weren't literally made of solid gold, the pristine white masonry, the gilded filigree, and the architectural brilliance screamed luxury. Its sheer scale and opulence practically proclaimed, Allow us to demonstrate the meaning of true wealth. To someone who had lived in the modern world, this made even the grandest historic European palaces look quaint by comparison. For the first time in a while, it truly hit home that I was living inside a video game.
"This is the detached palace where Her Imperial Highness, the Third Princess, resides. Within the palace grounds, the maids and knights commonly refer to it as the Hwanggeum-ok—the Golden Jade Pavilion."
"It really is blindingly bright. I feel like my eyes might start hurting if I stare too long."
"His Imperial Majesty took special care in its construction. Aside from the main imperial palace itself, this detached palace is among the most magnificent estates in the realm."
"Ooh..."
To be honest, I had assumed this was the main palace building. But the Head Maid's words completely overturned that assumption. This massive complex was just the detached residence for the Third Princess? Wasn't a third princess relatively low in the imperial hierarchy? If I remembered correctly, there were three princesses and two princes in total. Did imperial households dote on the youngest child too? Well, considering the Emperor himself had gone out of his way to hire an operative from a lethal assassin guild to serve as her maid, perhaps that really was the case.
Mulling over these thoughts, I followed the Head Maid into the Third Princess's detached palace, the Hwanggeum-ok. The interior was every bit as breathtakingly extravagant as the outside, and while I desperately wanted to stop and gawk at everything, I kept my pace and stayed right behind her.
"Until Her Imperial Highness departs for the Academy, your primary duty will be to build a rapport with her."
"When does the Academy term start?"
"One week from tomorrow—on the first day of March."
"Ah, I see..."
The entrance ceremony was on March first. Today was the twenty-first, so starting tomorrow, that left exactly one week. I pondered what she meant by 'building rapport,' but nothing concrete came to mind. Afterward, she gave me a brief rundown regarding my enrollment alongside the princess, though most of it was information the Guild Master had already covered.
"Now then, please unpack your belongings. You will be staying in this room until you depart for the Academy."
"Really?"
"Yes. While you are technically employed as a maid, you are hardly an ordinary servant, are you?"
"Ah..."
"To onlookers, it will simply appear that you are receiving preferential treatment because you are the personal attendant chosen to accompany Her Highness to the Academy."
"Well, I don't really mind either way."
Even if it was only for a week, knowing I had such a spacious room all to myself put me in high spirits. My quarters back at headquarters had been cramped—barely large enough to fit a single bed, a vanity, a small wardrobe, and a nightstand. This room, on the other hand, was only slightly smaller than a standard studio apartment. For a single occupant, it was undeniably lavish.
"Furthermore, I have prepared your attire. You are expected to wear this at all times, both here at the detached palace and at the Academy."
"..."
As I slowly unpacked and surveyed the room, the Head Maid spoke and opened the wardrobe, revealing an ornate maid uniform. I visibly flinched at the sight. A whole month had passed since I became Serena, but an outfit like that was entirely new territory. Back at headquarters, I had worn nothing but basic shirts and trousers. I had never put on anything so overtly feminine—or more accurately, I had never worn a skirt in my life.
"It's... a maid uniform, isn't it?"
"Indeed. However, despite being a maid uniform, it has been tailored so as not to restrict your movements."
"...Um, would it be alright if I asked how I'm supposed to put it on?"
"Pardon?"
I blurted out the question as she explained the garment. Because, well... I genuinely had no clue. It didn't look anything like a standard shirt and trousers; it was essentially a dress. Having lived as a guy for over twenty years, I had never crossdressed or engaged in anything remotely similar, so naturally, I was completely lost.
"I've never worn clothes like that before."
"...Ah, that is certainly understandable. In that case, allow me to dress you for this first time. Would that be acceptable?"
"Uh... yes, please."
Accepting her offer was the only sensible choice. I was about to serve as the personal maid to an imperial princess; getting on her bad side just because I couldn't properly put on my uniform would be an absolute disaster. Especially given Cecilia's reputation for having a less-than-pleasant temperament.
"First, please remove your current clothes. You may leave your undergarments on."
"...Yes, ma'am."
Necessary as it was, that didn't stop the blush from heating my cheeks. Regardless of the fact that I had turned into a girl, my soul was still that of a man. Trapped in a female body or not, mentally I was still a guy, so stripping down in front of a woman was inherently embarrassing.
Once I peeled off my clothes down to my underwear, the Head Maid guided me into the outfit with gentle, practiced hands. She slipped the black one-piece dress over my head, smoothing it down before pulling up the zipper along my back. Next came the quintessential white frilled apron, secured snugly around my waist with a crisp sash. To finish it off, she crowned my head with a classic maid headband.
Normally, stockings and other accessories would accompany the ensemble, but since this was merely a preliminary lesson on how to wear it, she kept the attire relatively simplified.
Standing there in the full getup, the only thought crossing my mind was... Well, I guess this is my maid debut. It didn't instill any profound urge to perform domestic chores; it simply felt like I was wearing a maid costume.
"...Um. Does it suit me?"
"It does. Yet, at the same time, you hardly look like someone here to perform maid duties."
"Why?"
"Your features are far too striking. You resemble a highborn young lady who borrowed a maid's uniform to play pretend."
"...Hmm."
To be fair, she wasn't wrong. Even to my own eyes, the reflection in the full-length mirror looked extraordinarily pretty, yet slightly out of place. Was it because she was too pretty? A girl with silver hair, crimson eyes, and porcelain-white skin hardly fit the mold of a humble housemaid. Based purely on appearances, anyone would assume she hailed from a prestigious noble house. Even without a speck of makeup, the long lashes, flawless skin, and delicate features stood out effortlessly.
"...By the way, it's way more comfortable than I expected! With the dress and the apron, I thought it'd be stiff and awkward, but it's really easy to move around in. Thank you."
"Not at all. You are here to serve Her Imperial Highness. Assisting you in this manner is merely part of my duties as Head Maid."
"Hehehe..."
After a bit more polite small talk, the gentle Head Maid took her leave, leaving me alone in my new quarters. My actual duties as a maid would supposedly begin tomorrow. Anticipation and anxiety churned in equal measure—though if I were being honest, the strongest feeling at the moment was sheer curiosity to see Cecilia in the flesh, given how stunning she looked in the game's official illustrations.
"...Guess I'll have some blood first."
Between the detached palace's staggering grandeur and the looming reality of serving Cecilia tomorrow, my head was spinning. I decided to pull a Blood Pack from the luggage Sylvia and Hannah had packed for me. Slipping the straw in, I took a long sip. Yep, as delicious as ever.
"Wait... will drinking blood in front of the princess be a problem?"
I wasn't just working for her; I was going to be sharing a living space with an imperial princess. Would it really be fine to whip out a Blood Pack and slurp away like it was a juice pouch? Looks like I had just found something important to ask the Head Maid later.
"...And having to share a dormitory room with a girl is another problem entirely."
Sure, my physical body was female now. But at the end of the day, I had lived as a man for over two decades. There was simply no way I wouldn't be self-conscious about it.