Chapter 41
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Princess and the Mage (2)
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“Your Highness, are you awake?”
A bright voice answered the cautious knock.
“Yes, come on in.”
The one who opened the door and stepped inside was Odette, the maid chief of Linea Hall.
She clasped her hands neatly in front of her and bowed toward Princess Celestina, who was sitting up in bed.
“Good morning, Your Highness.”
“Shh, could you keep your voice down just a little?”
The princess gently pressed her index finger to her lips, her eyes brimming with a soft, amused glow.
Odette's gaze shifted to the princess's side.
There was more than just the princess on the bed.
She had spent the night with an outsider—a girl, no less—in a rather scandalous(?) fashion.
“Miss Lunaris was here all along.”
Odette unconsciously pressed a hand to her forehead and let out a soft sigh.
Seeing her fast asleep, still in her maid uniform without even changing, made Odette's head throb.
“I had a feeling when she didn't return last night...”
She hadn't expected her to brazenly claim the royal bed like this.
Of course, Odette was the one who had arranged it.
Sending Lunaris to this room late yesterday afternoon had been somewhat intentional.
All the students were special, but the princess's room—surely it wouldn't have gone unmaintained until so late.
Even if schedules had backed up, they wouldn't entrust cleaning the royal quarters to a temporary intern on disciplinary probation.
Sending Lunaris into a room that was already spotless had been the meddling of a maid who worried about the girl.
There was no political motive, like trying to cozy up to the princess's faction.
She simply couldn't ignore a Linea Hall student suffering alone over friendship troubles.
They kept missing each other, so she had hoped they might at least meet face-to-face once and exchange greetings...
'I never imagined they'd grow this close in just one night.'
Princess Celestina caught Odette's subtle expression and burst into a quiet chuckle.
“Don't be too hard on her, Maid Chief. I was the one who begged her to stay just for the night.”
“I wasn't planning to scold her, Your Highness. It's just...”
Odette's eyes flicked to the rumpled, disheveled maid uniform.
“If you're going to sleep over, at least change into something comfortable. What a sight this is. I do have to give a little warning about that.”
“You're right. She must have been exhausted. You know, the moment her head hit the pillow, she was out.”
“Miss Lunaris does tend to fall asleep the instant she lies down in a bed, anywhere, anytime.”
“Ahaha. That's so like her.”
The princess carefully brushed back Lunaris's ash-gray hair as she slept soundly.
“I wanted to chat a bit before bed, but oh well.”
She poked her cheek lightly with a finger, a hint of disappointment in the gesture, but Lunaris didn't stir an inch.
“Well, watching her sleep isn't so bad.”
Odette murmured in quiet admiration as she watched.
“Miss Lunaris is impressive in her own way. Even I tense up around you, Your Highness, but she claims the royal bed and sleeps like a log...”
She seemed oblivious to tension, a rare glimpse of emotion from the iron-willed maid chief.
Princess Celestina tilted her head in slight surprise.
“Oh? I didn't know you got nervous too, Maid Chief.”
“I'm only human...”
“And I'm a student first, before I'm royalty.”
She gazed out the window at the morning sunlight as she continued.
“Excluding this semester, I've got seven more to go here. Try not to be so formal—treat me comfortably?”
Her voice carried a light elegance and poise.
It was a stark change from before.
Odette watched her quietly for a moment, then smiled faintly.
“Your expression looks much brighter already, Your Highness—just overnight.”
“Does it?”
Princess Celestina's gaze returned to Lunaris.
“Maybe it's because someone took a big load off my shoulders. My heart feels a lot lighter.”
Suddenly, my eyes snapped open.
It wasn't the maid coming to wake me, or Head Raymond firing off spells.
I just woke up naturally.
Normally, I'd be too lazy to even lift my eyelids, rolling around in bed for ages.
Today, my mind was strangely clear.
I slowly sat up, blinking dazedly.
I rubbed the stretched-out sleeve ends and rolled my shoulders and waist.
The usual lingering grogginess, no matter how much I slept, was completely gone today.
I felt light as if I could float away.
No need to even stretch—it was that refreshing.
The only discomfort was the clothes I was wearing.
The fabric prickled at my nape, but surprisingly, it hadn't bothered me while sleeping.
The bed had enveloped me perfectly, masking even that annoyance.
It was truly perfect sleep.
Come to think of it, these clothes—maid uniform.
As wakefulness returned, yesterday's memories trickled back.
Ah... right. I'm on disciplinary probation.
My head whipped toward the window.
Outside was bright—too bright.
...What time is it?
People were supposed to wake me in the middle of the night(?), so why this late...
Then, a small laugh came from beside me.
“You're awake, Lunaris?”
I slowly turned toward the voice.
There sat a girl at the small table, elegantly sipping tea.
Midday sunlight filtered softly down, shattering into sparkles atop her golden hair.
None other than Princess Celestina.
“Good morning.”
The princess smiled at me with crinkled eyes.
The fragile girl from last night, who had soaked my clothes with tears, was gone.
In her place was a warm, gentle princess.
The ideal 'princess senior' from my memories stood before me.
“G-Good morning, Your Highness.”
My face right now—probably the dumbest expression in the world.
“Last night was good, right?”
“Yeah, it was. The bed was amazing.”
I'd closed my eyes, and suddenly the sun was up—a magical experience.
“Soft yet supportive enough to keep you from sinking in completely, helping maintain good posture...”
“Mm-hmm, and?”
“Falling asleep instantly meant no time to savor the comfort, so a slight deduction there, but that just means perfect rest...”
If only I'd had my favorite pillow, it would've been flawless.
No—even just changing out of these uncomfortable clothes for pajamas would've made it perfect.
“If I had to score it, I'd say 95 out of 100.”
“Not a perfect 100?”
“That's the point of docking one zero. It transcends my standards by a mile.”
The princess burst into laughter at my rambling monologue.
“So, aside from the bed, nothing else was good?”
Aside from the bed?
What else could there be to praise? Aromatherapy? Optimal mana density? Something I didn't know about?
I tilted my head blankly, and her eyes widened round.
“Oh my, you don't remember a single thing?”
“We... just slept, didn't we?”
“That's mean, Lunaris. You shook up my heart like that yesterday... and then played with me. Boo-hoo.”
Wow, every line is devastating.
Anyone overhearing would think I'd pounced on the princess.
“Hee-hee. Just kidding, kidding. Nothing happened. We really just held hands and slept.”
“...Please don't say things that could cause misunderstandings.”
The princess set down her teacup with a grin and rose from her seat.
“Now that you're up, want to come somewhere with me?”
“Where to?”
She stepped closer, leaning down to meet my eyes.
Her mystical violet irises reflected me fully.
“I told you. I'd help out with your maid duties.”
“Lunaris, be my personal maid.”
The place Princess Celestina took me was right in front of Maid Chief Odette.
“I'm not sure what you mean all of a sudden...”
Her impeccably polite response was aimed at the princess, but her sharp gaze pierced me.
Her eyes alone conveyed her message clearly.
How did you sweet-talk the princess?
But I hadn't done anything.
With nothing to hide or know, I just yawned lazily.
“Exactly as I said, Maid Chief. The academy rules allow royals or nobles to assign a dedicated maid from the dorm staff for maintaining dignity, right?”
“That's true, there is such a rule. That's why I offered to assign one when you first arrived at Linea Hall...”
“And I said no need. But now I do.”
Trouble crossed Odette's face.
“Since it's for maintaining dignity, the principle is to assign a senior maid or above.”
She glanced at me as she continued.
“Not to have another student—who's not even an apprentice, just wearing a maid uniform for a two-week disciplinary stint—serve in that role.”
“As far as I know, the rule just says 'maid.'”
“...”
“Am I wrong?”
To reiterate, today's princess was incredibly assertive.
“Having someone lacking basic maid training as your dedicated servant might harm your dignity instead, Your Highness.”
“That's my responsibility to handle.”
In the end, Odette bowed helplessly.
“Understood, Your Highness. However.”
Her piercing gaze fixed on me again.
“I can't let her follow you looking like that. Will you give her time to freshen up?”
“Of course.”
The princess nodded with a bright smile.
She had known it would go her way, exuding calm confidence.
“I'll have another cup of tea while I wait.”
“Rather than tea, wouldn't a meal be better? It might take a while.”
The princess shook her head at Odette's suggestion.
“It's fine. I want to eat with Lunaris.”