Chapter 28

“What’s going on? It’s supposed to be class time right now.”

I was surprised to suddenly run into the Princess in the middle of class, but when she pulled me into a secluded spot, she gave me a once-over and nodded.

“Well, you’re not bad.”

“If you could explain, that would be appreciated.”

“Oh, right. I thought I hadn’t given you a proper reward.”

“Excuse me?”

Suddenly? Sure, but I wasn’t really expecting a reward for what I had done, so I was a bit puzzled. When I tilted my head in confusion, the Princess gave a bright smile.

“Even so, I wouldn’t run you into the ground without a reward.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course! Come on, follow me. I have something you’ll need.”

“…Um.”

Something felt off, but despite my reservations, I obediently followed the Princess. Come to think of it, I only noticed high-status people around me. Of course, Yulia was still a commoner, but after her divine power was fully validated, she would certainly rise to the rank of Count or Marquis.

Women rarely receive titles, so she’d likely become the most popular bride in the Empire, but what was Yulia thinking? Without a doubt, apart from the Princess and Lilian, she would be the most sought-after bride.

Thinking about that, was I surrounded by top-tier brides? The criteria for brides in modern and medieval contexts are different, so I couldn’t really judge properly. But, since I’d be handling all the household chores anyway, did it really even matter?

No, what am I thinking? I shouldn’t be considering marriage as a premise! Shaking my head, I regained my focus and continued to follow the Princess. After a short walk, we arrived at the dormitory where the Princess stayed. Was there some kind of reward inside? Perhaps it was something hard to carry? I speculated as we entered the Princess’s room.

Sure enough, since it was the Princess’s residence, it was spacious and lavish. Although the Princess was generally simple, she didn’t scrimp on displaying her dignity. It was only natural for someone of her status. One could say the mindset was different.

As I blankly took in the room, a well-packaged box was thrust into my hands. Turning my gaze, I saw the Princess looking at me with her characteristic gentle smile.

“Here, take this.”

“Uh… what is it?”

It appeared to be quite substantial, wrapped in a large box. However, it wasn’t that heavy for its size. Of course, a fragile Princess wouldn’t be able to carry it around herself.

“Can I open it?”

“Hmm, I’d prefer if you checked it out.”

“Then I won’t refuse. Umm… this is…?”

As I unwrapped the box, I found clothes inside. They were similar to the maid outfits I usually wore, but they felt significantly heavier. Confused, I unfolded the clothing, and the Princess scratched her cheek.

“Well, to put it simply, that’s a maid outfit woven from fairy fabric.”

“…You made a maid outfit out of that expensive and rare material?”

“Explaining it would be somewhat complicated, but it was something stored as a treasure of the royal family. I brought it this time.”

Fairy fabric. It was made by very few fairies that had (almost) gone extinct, spreading their magical power to create the fabric. In other words, it was practically an OOPArts. The fairies that could handle magic were all gone, and even the remaining ones hardly breed, making them nearly extinct.

Fairy fabric, by its nature, contained magical power and was sturdier than most metals. It was significantly tougher than the iron armor commonly worn by knights. Plus, it had excellent elasticity and adjusted the fit according to the wearer’s body for a comfortable experience.

Considering such an incredible item, the royal family probably wouldn’t possess many of them… If my expression wasn’t fixed, I might have been more vocal about my excitement.

If it was stored as a royal treasure, it must have been created quite some time ago, yet it felt freshly made. While it might be a bit heavy for an average woman, that was trivial for me.

Plus, if it was made from fairy fabric, I imagined many women wouldn’t mind the weight. Fairy fabric held that kind of value.

“You’ll be protecting me going forward, right? Last time I saw you in some strange outfit, but this should be better than that.”

“Um, that was just for fun, though.”

“What?!”

“Well, I’ll wear this properly. My expression might be deadpan, but I’m actually very happy right now.”

“I thought as much without you saying. Somehow, I feel like I can read your expression better since I’ve seen you often.”

“Hmm….”

Am I that easy to read? I fiddled with my lips using my fingers, but I didn’t think it was accurate. As I pondered in silence, the Princess burst out laughing.

“Ahaha! Don’t worry, it seems like only those close to you can sense it.”

“Is that so?”

Am I close with the Princess? I considered myself to be, but I was a bit happy to know she thought the same.

“By the way, it seems like you have some worries.”

“…How did you know that?”

“Well, I saw you walking around the campus like that, looking all dazed. What’s on your mind? You can tell this Princess.”

“Um….”

Should I be saying this to the Princess? As I fell into thought, the Princess spread her arms wide with a benevolent smile. Indeed, her large, and I mean enormous, chest could qualify her to be a mother.

“Since we’re close, don’t hold back.”

“I want to be in a relationship.”

“…Um, that’s an unexpected concern.”

The Princess’s expression slightly faltered when I expressed my dilemma. After all, she probably had never been in a relationship either. When I cast her a skeptical glance, the Princess narrowed her eyes and smiled. Seeing that emotionless smile sent a slight chill down my spine. Yikes.

“But why do you want a relationship?”

“Because I’ve never experienced love before.”

“Love doesn’t come rushing in, does it? Just because you haven’t had any so far doesn’t mean you won’t in the future….”

The Princess trailed off while eyeing me from head to toe. I felt a bit uneasy about that.

“Are you saying this after seeing my hair and eye colors?”

“Why, your eye color is the same as mine! Is it a mockery of the royal family?”

This Princess is saying some serious stuff. I was momentarily flustered but regained my composure and spoke softly.

“…The royal family’s eye color is a brilliant ruby, while mine is a dull reddish-black.”

“What’s wrong with that? The reason you feel hesitant is because both your hair and eye colors clash, right?”

“That’s true.”

Nodding in agreement as a sign of confirmation, the Princess pointed her finger up.

“Have you thought about dyeing your hair?”

“Dyeing products are so expensive that even commoners can’t afford them.”

The only dye available today is produced by aging alchemists, and it was ridiculously pricey. Old nobles buy it for a fortune. Of course, being an alchemist’s potion, it doesn’t damage hair, but it’s not something a maid like me could even think of buying.

“Shall I get you one?”

“No, do you know how much dye costs?”

“Well, I remember it being roughly the price of a full carriage load.”

My head shook as I saw the Princess casually speak. Normally, she’s sharp and precise, but in these matters, she’s definitely acting like a true Princess.

“If you have that kind of money, why not help the slums instead?”

“Sorry, but there are no slums in the capital.”

“…Then, how about donating to the needy?”

“The needy? There’s one right in front of me.”

Ugh, is that how lowly I am? I mean, I’ve saved up my maid salary and I’m not facing humiliation everywhere. But from the perspective of a royal family, I’m probably just a scruffy maid. That thought made me a little angry. Should I just accept it? I wouldn’t be the type to dip into the treasury anyway since it’ll be purchased out of personal assets.

“Well, don’t be too averse to it. It’s a reward for helping me.”

“Doesn’t that make me sound like a mercenary?”

“A mercenary? Just call it my personal problem solver.”

Being the Princess’s personal problem solver doesn’t sound too bad.

“Hm, speaking of which, a boyfriend.”

Seeing the Princess genuinely contemplate this made me feel grateful. While she was friendlier than other nobles towards commoners, devoting herself to my concerns was undoubtedly due to how close we had become.

So, while watching the pensive Princess, I was about to give a vague answer, thinking it might not matter. But then the Princess’s furrowed brow suddenly relaxed, and looking up at me with a full smile, she said:

“How about dating me?”

“…Excuse me?”