I Don't Want To Work! - Chapter 26
CHAPTER 26
“Hello.”
A pleasant voice, neither too high nor too low, resounded.
“I am Liena Saila, who has come as a maid to Her Highness the Second Princess Lottie Pandelion.”
She neatly tied her long brown hair into a single bundle and calmly introduced herself, her blue eyes shining.
Beside her was a 9-year-old boy.
“Thanks to the Princess’s kindness, my son Raven Saila and I are staying in this palace.”
The boy, still somewhat uncertain, stepped forward.
“Pleased to meet you. I’m Raven Saila.”
His large eyes, not accustomed to such occasions, moved restlessly.
“I’ll be staying with all of you from now on. Please take care of me.”
There was a faint round of applause from the gathered servants as a sign of welcome.
“Maid Liena!”
Betty, thrilled to see someone familiar, waved her arms enthusiastically, sending enthusiastic greetings alone.
“Do you know her?”
A maid who was still unsure of who Lady Saila was asked cautiously.
“She’s a good person!”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes! She took care of me when I was young and is very capable!”
“Oh.”
“If she’s capable, then she’s welcome.”
“That’s right, that’s right. That servant from before, was so incompetent. I wanted to smack him on the back of his head.”
The people’s reactions brightened considerably. The applause grew a little louder.
It seemed that there was trust in Betty’s words, as she was also from a common background.
And I too clapped enthusiastically from behind.
‘All right.’
This is it. It’s finally happening!
Not only has the false accusation of regicide been removed, but the palace has also become tidy, and money will flow steadily.
There are good people here too.
“Now I can rest!”
I laughed brightly as I threw myself onto the soft bed.
The cozy bedding enveloped me.
Ah, the best. The best.
As I pulled the blanket up to cover myself and buried half of my face in the pillow, a smile naturally spread across my face.
This is happiness.
Ha, I want to roll around here, read a book, have some snacks, and fall asleep.
“Your Highness. Maid Saila here. May I come in?”
She was in a very good posture.
With a tinge of regret, I got up from the bed.
“Come in.”
As permission was granted, the door opened and Lady Saila, Raven, and Betty entered.
“What’s the matter?”
“We feel we must express our gratitude again. Thank you for helping us with our hats, Your Highness.”
“It’s not such a big deal.”
Lady Saila shook her head at my words.
“You’ve done a great thing. At least for the two of us.”
She smiled, wrapping her arms around her tired son’s shoulders.
“You saved my son, made me a maid, and helped me fulfill my long-held dream. And you’ve allowed us to stay in the palace.”
Lady Saila and Raven were now staying in my palace.
There weren’t just one or two rooms for leisure, so it wasn’t a problem.
‘And since I’m here, Lady Saila can rest assured.’
Raven was still in the process of recovery. Although he had weakened considerably, there was still a risk of the fever blooming again if handled incorrectly.
‘But I’m here.’
Even if the fever flared up again, and the fever got worse, it wouldn’t matter because they had me.
“I can’t thank you enough.”
Lady Saila bowed her head. Then she gently nudged her son while looking at him.
Raven hesitated as he stepped forward.
“Your Highness.”
His voice was still small due to his prolonged illness.
“Thank you for saving me.”
He placed both hands on his abdomen and bowed his waist.
How adorable.
“I will definitely repay you for helping my mother and me, I will be loyal to you!”
Seeing the young boy speaking earnestly, I felt even more pleased.
“Thank you, and please take good care of me from now on.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Raven’s green eyes sparkled.
“I will also be loyal to you, lady Lottie!”
Betty chimed in loudly from behind, fists clenched.
Both of them were adorable.
Lady Saila and I watched Raven and Betty with pleased expressions.
“Oh, Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“There are a few matters I need to report.”
Hasn’t it only been a few hours?
“What’s the matter?”
“It seems you need to have new dresses made.”
Dresses? How bothersome. I’m not going anywhere, so why bother?
“That’s right!”
Betty interjected from behind.
“Your Highness, you only have four dresses. Spring, summer, autumn, winter. Even the most recent one was made last year.”
…I guess I should get new ones.
“At least three dresses for each season, several formal dresses for official occasions, indoor clothes, pajamas, shoes, coats, cloaks, and dresses with tasharean lace. It’s said that astolian silk made from the stems of flowers is currently in fashion. How about making dresses and indoor clothes with astolian silk, Your Highness?”
I widened my eyes and froze, and Betty did the same.
Blink, blink.
Our eyes opened and closed simultaneously.
Raven, seeing this, tried to match our pace by earnestly closing his eyes next to us.
No, we need to keep them open now.
If you keep your eyes closed, she’s already completed half of it.
Lady Saila smiled.
“Would it be alright if I take care of this, Your Highness?”
“U-uh, yes.”
Living a life far removed from fashion and trends and suddenly being confronted with it was unsettling.
Lady Saila quickly wrote something in her notebook.
It was probably a list of things to buy.
“The tailor knows someone I would like.”
“Lady Saila seems to be much more knowledgeable about trends than I expected.”
“Of course.”
The lady grinned.
“People working in the palace must not fall behind in trends. During the busiest times, I used to stop by the tailor’s shop every day off to check.”
Even after retiring from being a maid due to her marriage to Count Saila, it seemed natural for her to pay attention to such matters.
“That’s why you don’t need to worry too much about the upcoming festival, Your Highness. I’m here.”
Festival?
“Right, there’s a festival.”
Betty clapped her hands.
“I apologize for not mentioning it earlier, Lady Lottie, due to my negligence in preparing. But with Maid Liena here this time…”
“Betty, you should address her as Your Highness the Princess, not just ‘Lady Lottie.'”
“Yes…”
When Lady Saila pointed out the title, Betty deflated. Her cheeks puffed out.
“Isn’t Lady Lottie okay, too?”
“It’s fine in private, but in public, not only Betty but also Your Highness will be embarrassed.”
Firm. But not incorrect. I looked at Betty with a sad expression.
“It can’t be fixed suddenly. But let’s try to fix it.”
“Yes.”
Betty nodded her head. But her face still looked deflated.
“And if you’re curious about hairstyles or makeup techniques, I’ll teach you.”
“Really?”
The lady’s following words made her eyes sparkle.
“I want to learn how to braid my hair into two strands and let it hang down. I’ve seen it a lot before.”
“A hairstyle that’s been popular for a long time. I can teach you. For now, at least verbally.”
“Excuse me.”
I raised my hand quietly. Both Betty and Lady Saila’s gazes turned to me.
“So, who will explain to me what the festival is?”
“Ah.”
“Right.”
Both of them nodded simultaneously.
“The festival is an important national event held in late spring. It’s a prayer for prosperity and peace for the year. The event only lasts a day, but the holiday lasts for about three days.”
“It’s held at the Temple of Detmé! It’s relatively close to the palace, so I like it.”
Lady Saila and Betty explained one after the other, and they both had the same thought.
“I don’t want to go.”
It’s a national event and all, but it’s bothersome.
What’s more? It is held at the temple?
‘Do the gods want me to make nectar? Is that why they’re sharpening their knives and telling me to crawl into their lair?’
Still, well, if it’s just the Temple of Detmé, it should be okay, but I’d rather avoid the gods as much as possible.
“No.”
“No!”
I pouted my lips.
“As I said, it’s an important national event. The nobles must attend. All nobles must attend the national event.”
Wait a minute, all nobles?
“Does that mean the Empress Consort and the First Prince and First Princess will come?”
At my words, Liena nodded.
“Her Majesty the Empress Consort has probably planned her provincial scheduled to end before the festival.”
“….”
“And even though it was a small war, it’s the festival after the end of the war, so they will attend.”
“Wow.”
Betty beamed.
“Our Lady Lottie, no, Your Highness. This time, even Her Majesty the Empress Consort, Prince Leonard, and Princess Stella will be there. You’ll see them all, won’t you?”
“On top of that, it’s not just a first meeting with high-ranking nobles. We need to be thoroughly prepared.”
Betty and Lady Saila were enthusiastic, and I grinned from behind.
It sounds like they’re telling me to crawl into hell.
Would it be possible to collapse against the wall now and not go?
Huh?