Returning to the room, I tried to organize in my head what had just happened, but it all seemed impossible to process.
The events had unfolded at a speed that was simply too hard to keep up with.
“Would it be alright if I went out for a short walk?”
I asked the maid who had been assigned to me. I thought that a bit of walking might help sort out the confusion in my mind.
“There’s really no need to ask me. Please feel free to go.”
The maid responded, then rose from her seat and followed me toward the door.
So, it seemed that as my dedicated attendant, she intended to follow me wherever I went.
“You don’t have to follow me. I’ll just be taking a simple walk around and then I’ll come back. Or is it not allowed to walk alone?”
“No, there is no such rule. Since guards protect the forbidden areas of the palace, there shouldn’t be any issues. But… are you really alright? The palace is so vast that newcomers often get lost…”
“It’s fine. I’m not going far. I’ll just stroll around this area for a short while. You can take a break while I’m gone.”
“…Understood.”
With a slight bow, the maid stayed behind as I exited the room.
Although it was considerate of her to worry, I felt she was being a little excessive. Even if it were the royal palace, and even if the layout could be confusing, it’s just a building. Surely no one would get lost.
“…Where am I?”
Yes, turns out it was me who got lost!
Seriously, though, without exaggeration, the structure was as complex as a maze, just as the maid had warned. The hallways repeated the same layout, making it nearly impossible to distinguish the ones I had passed already.
Plus, the palace was so vast that before I knew it, I had wandered far enough to lose any sense of direction.
There were occasional doors, but who knows if someone was inside, so I hesitated to open them randomly to check.
Had I encountered anyone, I could have asked for directions, but for some reason, the regular staff that usually passed by were nowhere to be seen.
As I stood there deliberating on what to do next, I noticed something moving at the edge of my vision.
Thinking I’d finally found someone I could ask for directions, I turned my head—only to see a four-legged creature moving rather nonchalantly.
“Meow?”
Although somewhat distant, it was clear the animal was a black cat.
Perhaps because black cats were similar, but this one bore an uncanny resemblance to Meow, the cat I had befriended at the Academy.
In the quiet hallway, the cat must have heard my voice, as it perked its ears and turned its head toward me.
Instinctively, I took a step forward to get a better look, and the cat reacted by quickly darting away.
Without realizing it, I instinctively began chasing after it.
Not that I meant anything by it—it’s just that when something right in front of you suddenly runs away, the urge to chase it kicks in without much thought.
Anyway, rounding a corner where the cat disappeared, I followed closely behind, but by the time I turned the corner myself, the cat was nowhere in sight.
“Huff, huff…”
Instead of the cat, I found a girl standing a few steps ahead, catching her breath.
“Eh? Boss?”
“Meow! Oh, no, it wasn’t… I mean… Alicia?”
I was truly surprised by the unexpected appearance.
I hadn’t anticipated encountering Presia here at all.
But on further reflection, I remembered that she had mentioned visiting the palace due to a summons from the Emperor just before the vacation started.
I hadn’t paid attention to the exact timing, so it slipped my mind.
“Wow! I didn’t expect to run into you here, Boss. It feels like it’s been a month, and meeting you here so randomly is pretty great.”
“Huff… huff… I… I’m glad to see you too.”
Presia responded while catching her breath, her brow glistening with sweat.
“Ah, Boss, did you happen to see a black cat pass by?”
“What? Why do you suddenly bring up a cat?”
“Not for any particular reason. I just spotted one from afar that looked a lot like the one I played with often at the Academy.”
“Huh… surely not. How could a cat from Academy Ference be here at the palace? It’s such a long distance. You must have mistaken it for something else, Alicia.”
“Probably, right?”
Of course, there was no way the cat from the Academy could have suddenly appeared at the palace. It was just common sense.
Yet… the more I thought about it, the more that black cat from before felt like Meow.
Could I already be missing Meow after only a month without seeing her face?
“Hmm… Still, it looked so much like Meow…”
“Kyaa!”
“Are you alright?”
Presia suddenly let out a startled hiccup. Considering how out of breath she had been earlier and the sweat, I began to worry if she was unwell.
“I-I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.”
But as she insisted she was fine, another bead of sweat rolled down her neck.
Despite her reassurance, I couldn’t help but worry about her wellbeing.
“I’m not sure why you’re overexerting yourself, but you should rest in your room.”
Thus, I took her hand and guided her, leading her back forcefully yet gently.
“E-Elicia?”
“The Boss might say it’s fine, but it’s not. Unless His Majesty summoned you, you should just go back to your room and rest.”
“Just a moment!”
Though Presia resisted by grabbing my arm and pulling back, I had no intention of stopping.
This time, I wouldn’t back down.
Considering Presia’s typically low stamina, it was best to take care of her health while she’s still able.
It would be better to avoid regrets from her collapsing later by being strict, even if it meant incurring her mild disapproval.
“No, judging from how tired you looked earlier, walking itself might be too much for you right now. Just let me carry you.”
With that, I picked her up effortlessly and placed her on my back.
Thankfully, after being carried, Presia calmed down and stopped struggling, wrapping her small arms around my neck.
She still seemed to have something to say, however, as she leaned close to my ear and spoke.
“Um… Alicia?”
“Um… Yes?”
Her voice reached my ear, along with a light breath that tickled me, causing me to emit a strange sound inadvertently.
Fortunately, Presia didn’t seem to notice my odd reaction.
“Actually, my room is the other way…”
Ah, right. I was lost.
“Yes, here we are.”
Following Presia’s directions, pointing over my shoulder, we finally arrived at her room. I crouched slightly to lower her height and let her use her hand to open the door.
After entering her room, I saw a maid in the space.
She must have been assigned to serve Presia here in the palace, just like me.
“Oh my!”
“Hello.”
Since I was carrying Presia, I only nodded as a greeting.
Though I’m now titled as a baroness, old habits die hard, so it was inevitable for me to instinctively greet the maid.
What the other nobles think of me is irrelevant when none are around, and even if they were, I don’t concern myself with their opinions either.
“Miss Presia, what is the matter? Are you feeling unwell?”
“I happened to meet her in the hall, and Presia seemed a bit unwell. Could you bring a warm drink to her bedroom?”
“Oh my, she was perfectly well when she left the room earlier. What happened…? Please wait a moment, I’ll bring it right away.”
With an exaggerated tone, the maid quickly moved to prepare the drink.
In the meantime, I brought Presia to her bedroom.
“Here we go!”
I gently placed Presia on the bed, and she slowly released her hold on my neck.
Testing her forehead with my hand, it was unclear whether she had a fever or not.
If checking by hand was unreliable, perhaps comparing foreheads would do.
I carefully brushed her bangs aside with one hand, then leaned in closer.
“Hold on… I’m not ready yet…”
For some reason, Presia appeared flustered, flailing her hands as I approached, though she didn’t try to push me away. This allowed me to quickly press my forehead against hers.
Even after doing so, it was difficult to determine if she had a fever using this method.
I suppose those fever-checking scenes from novels are just fiction.
Reluctantly lifting my head, I tried again by placing my palm on her forehead.
“Ah.”
This time, I could clearly feel the heat emanating from her.
And now I noticed her flushed face, confirming that something was indeed wrong.
“You do have a fever. Don’t leave your room today, just take a good rest.”
“…”
While Presia usually speaks softly, she always responds. But now, she remained quiet.
Instead, she wore a pout as if she were upset about being forcibly brought back.
Next time, I’ll bring some snacks she likes to cheer her up.
Still, I hope she doesn’t hate me too much. All my actions were only for her wellbeing, after all.
