Chapter 24
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: The Imperial Palace
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Wha?!
By the time Wendy opened her eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.
She was doomed!
What about todays work!?
She had never overslept like this, not even once!
Wendy, screaming internally, hastily threw off her pajamas.
There was no time.
No, she wasnt even sure if shed had any time to begin with
Wendy paused as she reached for her maid uniform.
She had almost grabbed the regular maid outfit shed worn until recently, without thinking.
She switched to the exclusive maid uniform hanging beside it.
Exclusive maid.
A servant who stands closest to her lordship and receives the highest treatment.
In a word, the innermost confidant.
Until recently, Wendy had been the youngest maid in the mansion.
Her overnight promotion to exclusive maid was nothing short of a lightning rise.
So Wendy had expected there to be a lot of talk around her.
An exclusive maid held a high position, able to command the other servants in the mansion.
It was only natural that there would be backlash since she had leapfrogged her seniors for the spot.
And Wendys prediction was spot on.
There really was a lot of talk.
-I see. So youve been made our bullet shield, Wendy Thats it, right?
-Excuse me? Bullet shield?
-Wendy, if anythings tough, you tell us right away, okay? Were all on your side.
-Excuse me? Y-Yes Thank you all?
-Sniff What are we going to do with our poor little Wendy
-Sis?
Fully dressed, Wendy bolted out of her room.
She sprinted down the long corridor of the Ruelverta mansion at full speed.
Thinking about it, it was a string of unbelievable events.
She had become the Counts exclusive maid.
She had passed the entrance exam for the empires top magic academy.
She had learned she carried the heros bloodline.
Even that infamous Count had a good side to him, after all.
It felt like a dream.
Had she let her guard down because of that?
Yesterday, after taking her exam, exhaustion and drowsiness had overwhelmed her.
The moment she got back to the mansion, she had passed out right then and there last evening.
She hadnt expected to sleep so deeply.
Wendy ran.
The Counts exclusive maid, late?!
She had no face to show him like this.
Wendy stopped at the Counts office.
Her workplace, too.
She caught her breath and knocked on the door.
Ex-Excuse meee!
She threw open the door energetically and stepped inside, but no one was there.
It was past noon.
The time when the Count should be in his office.
Wendy was about to dash out again when she ran into a senior maid right outside the door.
Julie sis?
Wendy?
Wheres the Count?
Huh? Oh, uh Probably at the training grounds
Th-Thank youuu!
Wendy ran.
Julies voice calling from behindWait, Wendy, today youdidnt even register.
By the time she exited the mansion, the sun was nearly set.
She had to hurry.
Wendy kicked off her cumbersome shoes.
Being from the countryside, she was used to going barefoot.
She kept running.
All the way until she spotted a figure in the distance on the training grounds.
The figure rounded out into the shape of a plump man.
Her master, Tristan Ruelverta.
He stood at one edge of the training grounds, wiping away sweat.
Wendy, still running, skidded to a halt in front of him.
She bowed her head and said,
Haa M-My Lord Cooount Im so, so sorryyy haa for being laaate
Wendy.
I-I overslept Im so sorryyy
Wendy.
Im your ex-exclusive maid and haa this makes me totally unqualifieddd
Lift your head and listen to me, you foolish girl.
Only then did Wendy cautiously raise her head.
Tristan was looking down at her.
With an expression saying the girl before him looked like the worlds biggest fool, he said,
Today was your day off.
Huhhh??
Darkness had fallen over the audience chamber.
The girl seated on the central throne was receiving a sudden visitor.
Its been ages, Mondri.
Yes, Your Majesty.
The old man kneeling before her was Mondri Cremont, president of Meikahel University.
So what brings you here at such a late hour?
The chamber was lit by mana lamps.
The bright light from the ceiling illuminated her face.
Mondri slowly raised his head.
The girl on the throne wore a mask.
It was none other than a silver deer.
The girl in the silver deer mask crossed her legs seductively.
Empress Lucy Meikahel, ruler of the empire, awaited Mondris reply.
The words that soon came from Mondris mouth were more than enough to pique her interest.
The hero has appeared.
Oh? But wasnt that just a legend?
I thought so too until now but it seems the legend is fact.
Evidence?
Lucy gazed at Mondri with eyes that seemed to pierce everything.
I saw it with my own eyes. Him using all-attribute magic.
All-attribute magic If thats true, then he can only be the hero.
Lucy rested her chin on her hand, lost in thought on the throne for a moment.
Certainly the heros appearance signals that this world has fallen into danger.
Indeed. The Demon King may have been resurrected.
Demon King.
Like the hero, a being passed down only in legends.
Lucy sighed.
So even eternal peace isnt possible, after all.
The Meikahel Empire had enjoyed peace for long ages thanks to its island geography.
Had the long peace made them complacent?
Lucy had never imagined the Demon King would revive in her reign.
Where is the hero now?
With Count Ruelverta.
The moment she heard that name, Lucys brow twitched.
But with the mask on, no one noticed.
Ruelverta You mean Count Tristan?
Yes. The hero is his servant.
Huh?
The hero a servant in a noble house?
What was this nonsense?
As Lucy tilted her head in confusion, Mondri added an explanation.
The hero seemed completely unaware of his own identity. Hed been working as a servant in the Counts household until he only recently realized the truth.
A late awakening, then.
Yes But Count Ruelverta already knew his servant was the hero.
Mondri made no effort to hide his hostility toward Count Tristan.
Lucy asked him in return.
.
....
The Count deliberately kept it hidden is that what youre saying?
Yes.
Why? Theres no reason for him to do that.
I dont know that far. But with a Ruelverta hes surely up to something.
Ruelverta
Lucy mulled over the name.
Perhaps the most powerful name in the empire.
His immense wealth had long surpassed the imperial treasury.
Past emperors had feared his power, trying to placate or check him, but all had failed.
As a result, the imperial authority had waned with each generation.
In a way, the name Ruelverta concerned Lucy more than the heros appearance.
The Ruelverta family could no longer be allowed to run rampant
That was her resolve.
Understood, Mondri. Thank you for informing me. But refrain from baseless speculation. I dont want to cause confusion among the imperial citizens with unfounded rumors.
Understood Thank you for seeing me so late. Ill take my leave.
Mm.
Once she confirmed Mondri had left the audience chamber, Lucy murmured softly.
Marco.
Yes.
A deep male voice responded to her.
A massive figure emerged from behind the throne.
Lucy commanded the man who appeared.
Go verify it yourself. Whether Mondris words are true. And if you judge that the Count harbors other intentions
Lucy removed her mask.
She gazed coldly at the window of the audience chamber.
More precisely, at the Ruelverta mansion beyond it, as vast as the imperial palace itself.
Staring at its blasphemous size, as if challenging imperial authority head-on.
Show him yourself what imperial authority truly is.