4. Omen (4)
4. Omen (4)
"I-I have committed a capital offense."
"Enough. So what is your business? And who are you?"
No matter what, I'm not so corrupted by my origins that I would look down on servants or maids.
I remembered the faces of everyone working in the Imperial Palace.
Though remembering the names of several hundred people would be impossible.
Anyway, the maid before me was someone I'd never seen before.
No matter how much I racked my memory, her face was completely unfamiliar.
"My name is Dorothy. I am the personal maid exclusively assigned to serve Her Highness the Princess, by order of His Majesty the Emperor."
The maid who introduced herself as Dorothy immediately retrieved a letter from her bosom and handed it to me.
I took the letter with one hand while using the other to firmly press down the blanket to cover my body.
Making sure the blanket wouldn't slip, I carefully opened the sealed letter and checked its contents.
—Jaina, the Dorothy before you was originally intended to be your exclusive maid, like my Cassandra when the Crown Prince ascends the throne.
Since Cassandra personally trained her all this time, she will be perfectly capable of assisting you.
However, this is your first time living as a princess too, isn't it? If even a single crack appears in your actions or speech due to your mistake, there will be many snake-like ministers who will grow suspicious of you.
Therefore, for the next few weeks, follow Dorothy's teachings and plans both in appearance and substance.
This is your father's concern, hoping you will perform your role perfectly.—
As soon as I read this letter, I immediately searched for something.
If this were my original room, I would have known its location, but this new room was completely unfamiliar.
As I glanced around near the desk where a mirror should be, Dorothy bowed and reached out her hand.
"Perhaps you are looking for this."
The item Dorothy handed me was Pazhi's Artifact.
Literally an artifact that destroys letters that must not be seen by others.
And it was also a common artifact that most nobles possessed.
"···Hmm."
Indeed.
This might be somewhat useful.
I carefully accepted the artifact Dorothy offered and used it to destroy the letter sent by Imperial Father.
I subtly checked if Dorothy might be curious about the letter's contents, but unexpectedly, she kept her head deeply bowed as if she had not the slightest interest.
In that regard, she was quite smart.
If she had seen even a little of the contents, her life would have been in danger.
It seemed true that she was taught by Cassandra, Imperial Father's closest aide.
Of course it was true, but it showed just how well Cassandra had taught her.
"Well, um. For now."
If possible, I wanted to do it myself, but unfortunately, I didn't want to show my naked body to anyone.
"·····Oh, could you bring me some clothes?"
As I answered with inexplicably flushed cheeks, Dorothy also sensed the awkward atmosphere and silently retrieved clothes from the wardrobe nearby.
####
"C-couldn't I dress myself·····?"
"No, Your Highness. As I am literally your exclusive maid, I cannot leave your side for even a moment unless under special circumstances."
She had been taught too well.
Cassandra was so brilliant that she apparently taught this girl strictly by the book without any shortcuts.
"Or perhaps, do you have a tattoo that must not be discovered·····?"
"Ah, no. It's not that particularly·····."
Certainly, if there was nothing to be ashamed of, it would be natural to receive assistance.
Moreover, weren't we the same gender?
It wasn't strange for women to undress in each other's presence.
Though that was only from appearance - Dorothy wouldn't know I was once a man.
But the problem wasn't the clothes.
I had clearly asked Dorothy to bring me clothes to wear.
Dorothy placed the clothes she brought from the wardrobe on the desk.
Then she took a measuring tape from the drawer and said,
"Since we need to take measurements to make the Princess's clothes anyway, let's complete all the measurements and visual inspection right now."
"······Wh-what did you say?"
Of course I knew.
Even newly hired personnel in this Imperial Palace undergo thorough body inspections before being allowed entry.
To prevent anyone from smuggling in poison or drugs.
"This inspection must be done by tomorrow or the day after anyway. If you prefer, we can postpone it until tomorrow."
No, it's not that I want to postpone it.
I just don't want to do any inspection at all.
After all, I was the Second Prince of the Imperial Palace - how could I not know about the inspection process?
Rather, it's because I know that I'm so reluctant.
"··········Sigh."
"Shall we postpone it?"
Dorothy asked calmly.
"········No. ·····Let's do it now."
If I acted shy and avoided it here, I'd only attract suspicion.
I needed to mentally reframe this to not be conscious of Dorothy.
We were clearly both women, and Dorothy was literally just conducting an inspection without any ulterior motives.
Besides, having ulterior motives toward the Princess was forbidden anyway.
Since things had come to this, I steeled my resolve and slowly rose from the bed.
Though most of my body was covered by the blanket, it was impossible to conceal all the volume.
"Your Highness, the blanket·····,"
"Ah, I know···!"
There was no choice.
Having come this far, I couldn't postpone it.
Finally, as I released the tension from my hands,
-Thump.
"·····Eek."
The blanket that had barely been covering my body fell powerlessly toward the floor.
"·····Wow."
But out of some semblance of pride.
I barely managed to cover my chest area and lower abdomen with both arms.
"Y-you are extremely beautiful, Your Highness."
"Ugh, ugh. Don't say strange things···, qu-quickly finish···!"
Was it because I was embarrassed?
My voice naturally became soft and trembled.
Simultaneously, unable to withstand the admiring gaze from before me, I turned my head away to avoid Dorothy's eyes.
Dorothy, who had slowly walked toward me, raised her hand but paused momentarily.
"·····Your Highness."
"·····Wh-why are you calling me."
"·····If you keep your hands like that, I cannot take your measurements."
"Keuk···!"
At Dorothy's irrefutable words, I reluctantly lowered my arms with a feeling of humiliation.
Thus, my pale pink nipples, which I was seeing for the first time too, were exposed.
Slowly, Dorothy's measuring tape began approaching my chest.
And finally, when the tape moved from my back, past the side of my breast, and the characteristically cold sensation of the tape touched my nipple—
"·····Hya?!"
An strange sound escaped my mouth unbidden, and I instinctively covered my mouth with my hand.
But unlike my embarrassed self, Dorothy remained focused on her task.
"9, 98cm·····, isn't this, too large·····."
"C-cough, hmm! Just finish measuring quickly."
"Ah, yes!"
She then moved the tape down to under my bust and began measuring again.
After under the bust came the waist, then hips, buttocks, and finally everything between the buttocks and thighs was measured before it ended.
"I-it's finished, right? Quickly give me my clothes····."
Naturally, as soon as the tape left my body, I covered myself with my arms again.
Just as I was about to get dressed, the words that came from Dorothy were somewhat shocking.
"Ah, um, well·····, you need to remain in that state for the next inspection too."
"N-next one too like this····?"
"Yes, yess. Please spread your arms."
I wondered what kind of inspection required me to remain naked, but I somewhat understood Dorothy's words.
It must be a physical inspection.
Meaning, checking for wounds somewhere, or the location of scars or moles.
Having heard about that inspection too, I couldn't really make any particular excuses.
"H-honestly, this is difficult for me too. Please hurry···."
"Under, stood···."
Dorothy slowly approached me.
At such close distance, our eyes would naturally meet, so I had no choice but to tightly close my eyes.
Dorothy started by lifting my hair and began carefully examining behind my ears, the back of my neck, and my collarbone.
Next were both arms, and then she meticulously inspected even my armpits.
"·····You have remarkably little body hair."
"········."
Even if I didn't react, it wouldn't matter, but for some reason I felt slightly angry.
While I was feeling this shame and humiliation, Dorothy was too calm while looking at my body.
So contrary to my intention, I unknowingly showed a bit of irritation.
"H-how dare you evaluate my body."
"Ah, no! I will hurry!"
"········Hmph."
Startled by my words, Dorothy quickly continued the inspection.
Almost teasingly, she grasped and spread my breasts to check between them.
She even lifted my breasts to inspect underneath them.
From there, it began to get gradually difficult.
Not physically, but mentally.
Dorothy's hands moved past my lower back, toward my lower abdomen, and checked everything down to my legs.
Every single space between my toes, one by one.
But I had underestimated the inspection too much.
If I had known that this feeling of my spirit being whittled away would happen with just this much, I would have certainly regretted it.
I thought it was all over since she had checked even between my toes.
But the 'real' inspection was just beginning.
"Your Highness, this is the final inspection. Please grasp and spread your buttocks."
"··········Huh?"