Volume 3 - CH 5

Apparently, it seems certain that there are unpleasant premonitions that are right on the money.

“Did you think that the Hero and you are a good match?”

“Good point. Choosing you won’t do you any good to the Hero. In that respect, our princess has good looks and is more suitable to be with the Hero.”

“Tiana-sama is suited with the Hero. Why don’t you just get out of their way?”

Right now, I’m being verbally abused by three women in an unpopulated hallway.

……Even so, “Tiana-sama” isn’t here, but the only her maidservants who accompanied her.

When I chanced upon them in the hallway, they started to spout sarcastic remarks to me related to Greed-sama──The scene was very much a déjà vu.

However, when I thought of Lavinia-sama, who had been contemptuous of me, had been surprisingly fair. Because she didn’t at least provoke a maid.

Well, I can hardly say with certainty that Tiana-sama started this provocation……

Tiana-sama is a princess from the neighboring kingdom Albatro. She is the younger sister of Crown Prince Lautrich of Albatro, and our country’s princes’──Enwald-sama and Alfred-sama’s consort candidate. She is also the sister-in-law of the Crown Princess Mariage-sama.

Yes, Mariage-sama, who got married at Albatro, returned home to Schwarze, therefore her husband, Lautrich-sama, and his sister, Tiana-sama, are also staying there.

I met them for the first time during the welcoming ceremony; Lautrich-sama and Tiana-sama are a pair of brother and sister who are as good-looking as Mariage-sama, who was once touted as the most beautiful woman in our kingdom.

In particular, Tiana-sama is a very cute person who possessed waist-level glossy, bluish-black hair and a pair of blue eyes. I thought it would be a waste for her to be paired with the mob-faced princes.

However, that was the only time I was impressed.

As soon as the Greed-sama’s party who were invited to the ceremony as state guests was introduced, she exclaimed, “I longed to meet you, my hero!” and tried to hug Greed-sama.

……No, to be precise, she tried to hug Greed-sama but the latter avoided it, and ended up hugging Renas-sama instead.

Of course, it was just an accident, but it was clear to everyone who was there that Tiana-sama had her sights on Greed-sama.

However, Greed-sama already has a fiancée…… I’m reluctant to say that, though.

Anyway, Greed-sama already officially announced his partner, and Tiana-sama seemed to know that.

Nevertheless, she asserted that “something is wrong” and on top of that, she declared, “I will bring you to your senses.”

……At that moment, I felt a sense of crisis and an unpleasant premonition that was far more imminent than being targeted by demon top brass.

And that premonition was too accurate, and now I am in this situation.

“Hey, are you listening!?”

“Err, yes. I’m listening.”

Tiana-sama herself completely ignored my existence. In exchange, her maidservants would find fault at me after figuring out when I would be alone. They may be acting upon her orders, right?

Normally, if the master ignores someone, naturally the servants should follow suit. Of course, they do it out of their loyalty to their master…… But they are inside the castle of another kingdom right now. They are away.

In such a circumstance, do you think that mere servants would take such a risk out of their initiative?

Those who serve the royal family should be well aware that their actions will affect the reputation of their masters and, by extension, their own country.

However, taking such actions……

“……It’s hard to serve in the palace, right?”

After quietly muttering, I watched the three people in front of me.

I don’t know their names because they did not introduce themselves. So for the time being, let’s call them Maid A, Maid B and Maid C in the order of their opening remarks.

Tiana-sama, the master of the impudent maids, is currently having dinner with our princess, Alfred-sama, and Greed-sama and the others.

Originally, Greed-sama and his comrades didn’t plan to join us, but Tiana-sama said she wanted to share a meal with Greed-sama, and with the help of her brother Lautrich-sama, it was realized…… Of course, it was not only Greed-sama, but every one from his party is with them.

Apparently, there was a country-to-country bargain around here.

For Lautrich-sama, it would be a great feat for him if his sister managed to capture the heart of the Hero. He will become more powerful by having a relationship with the Hero than having ties with allies.

On the contrary, His Majesty and the Prime Minister are in trouble. Their connection with the Hero who they thought they could link to me will be taken away.

In that case, it would have been okay for them to decline, but because the wishes of the state guests could not be refused flatly, they invited every member of the Hero’s party as a last resort. If there are a lot of people, Tiana-sama will not be left alone with Greed-sama.

I’m sure that Renas-sama and Milly-sama are talking lively around this time as if they were supporting Greed-sama, who hardly speaks.

“Wh-What? Why don’t you say something?”

Probably because I’m staring at her too much. The Maid A who has dark hair and reddish-brown eyes said, frightened.

“Yeah, why don’t you argue a little?”

This time, it was the blonde and blue-eyed Maid B. It seems there is a scratch on the tip of her nose hidden by makeup, and the area around it is red.

“Can’t retaliate because what we’re saying is true?”

The last statement was said by Maid C, who had brown hair and green eyes. Her left ankle is bandaged and she drags her left foot as if it was sprained.

……It really was that, right?

I smiled and asked.

“Misses, how did you got those injuries?”

Immediately, the maids became speechless.

Hmm, they can’t explain it, huh? They may say that they stayed in the castle in another kingdom to take care of the Lord and got injured early on when they came or that they lacked awareness as a maid.

“The three of you were not injured when you stopped me yesterday, right?”

Smiling, I pressed for an answer.

……That’s right. Them finding fault at me, this was not the first time. They surrounded me the same way yesterday and said the same thing.

I already knew the cause of their injuries. They got it the same way as Lavinia-sama. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to witness what happened to them.

“Th-Th-Th-This, the tea suddenly spilled and I got burned……”

“I just happened to stumble in the hallway……!”

“I just fell down the stairs!”

Each of them revealed their excuses. I nodded at them inwardly.

In other words, when she was carrying tea, the boiling water suddenly splashed and she got burned, while the other one stumbled in the hallway where there should be nothing and hit her face, and the other fell down the stairs and sprained her leg.

……Good job, spirit-san!

I praised them in my heart and gave them a thumbs-up.

“It’s a pity. Yet, it is strange for the three of you to be injured on the same day.”

Of course, there is no such coincidence. Even so, I think I have a pretty good personality. But did they think that I will continue to put up with them?

During that time with Lavinia-sama, who has a higher status than myself, I endured her tirades, thinking that my actions would affect the princess. Even when they surrounded me yesterday, I knew that they were guests from another kingdom, so I kept silent without retaliating. However, these people are maids like me. I’m sorry but I will not put up with their verbal abuse the second time. Even if it is at the order of their master, their words and attitude show that they are delighted to follow it.

…...I don’t have to hesitate to deal with such kind of people, right?

All right, the counterattack commences!

“If you are in that situation, you will not be able to take care of Princess Tiana. If you don’t mind, why don’t you consult the Princess and the other maids and have some of our maids attend to the princess?”

Translation: It’s too lame for the maids to get injured altogether. We will take over on the caring of your princess, so why don’t you all retire?

“Th-That’s ridiculous!”

Maid A said in a panic.

“This is nothing! Please don’t worry!”

Of course, she would be thinking, I don’t want anyone to take the important job of caring for my master. I continued with a pensive look.

“But one of your magicians is sick and is lying all day, right?”

“Well, that……”

The three shared a troubled expression.

Tiana-sama and her company brought more people than just the maids. They also brought their elite knights and magicians. It is natural because they are royals. And their injuries can only be easily healed by having the magicians cast unto them some healing magic, but seeing that they weren’t healed even after a day, it seems that the information Belinda got was correct.

It seems that one of the Albatro magicians became sick and became immediately bedridden after entering this castle. Another magician is busy filling his role, and he can’t help them out.

“Our-Our injuries will heal soon!”

It was the Maid C who replied in a loud voice. She seems to be the most inconvenienced because of her sprain. I look at her with warm, tender eyes.

“You’re right, but isn’t it difficult to work with that foot? It’s also quite possible to get injured again.”

Or rather, it will be the case with what’s happening right now. Because her injury is a warning in a sense. If the situation will escalate even more, they will face terrible situations such as what happened with Lavinia-sama. Probably at the level where they will be fired.

……Yes, I want to settle it here not only for myself but also for them.

With those thoughts in mind, I smiled at them and rained them with sarcastic rants.

“I would like to remind you that in the first place, your job is to take care of your princess, not to surround maids from the other kingdom and find fault with them. At this rate, your reputation will be damaged and may even affect Princess Tiana. Before that happens, I suggest that you go back to your proper jobs, okay? Especially if you want to keep your job as the princess’s maids.”

I will say what I want to say!

……If the other people’s status is the same as mine, then I can say it, though.

“Wha-……”

I was only listening yesterday and now I suddenly argued, so the three widened their eyes in shock.

However, when they understood the content of my words, they seemed to feel annoyed. Maybe they felt upset because it was three-vs-one. Each of them started their diatribe.

“Why are you being arrogant!?”

“Yes, when you are just a mere maid!”

“Don’t make yourself important just because you’re the Hero’s fiancee!”

By the way, the remarks were also made in the order of Maid A, B, and C.

“I don’t remember making myself important. Also, aren’t you also maids yourselves?”

Those unintentionally said words added fuel to the fire. Maid A, whose face was burning red with anger, pointed her finger at me and said.

“Our princess will soon capture the heart of the Hero. When that happens, you will be discarded!”

When I heard her words, I felt my chest squeeze tightly to the point of pain.

Huuuh? ……I wonder what is happening to me? [T/N: ^_^ ]

But right after that, I heard a humming sound next to my ears, which distracted me and made me fail to grasp the true nature of the pain in my chest.

The wind buzzed and blows around Maid A.

“Huh? Huh?”

She also felt bewildered. Because the wind was blowing around her, making the hem and sleeves of her maid clothes began to flutter violently.

……After all, that is happening again, right?

The spirits must be trying to do something. Should I stop it?

“Wh-What is this!?”

While I was hesitating, the scream of Maid A reverberated in the hallway. Because her body began to float in the air.

In front of the stunned maids B and C, the body of Maid A rose and floated.

“No, someone, let me down!”

She fluttered her limbs in a state of panic, but she continued to ascend.

Maids B and C did not try to help her and they took a few steps backward out of fear.

Maid A, who was abandoned by her unsympathetic colleagues, soon rose to about the height of my back.

Worried that she might hit the ceiling if she continues to ascend higher, her progress suddenly stopped. And then……

──Whoosh.

“Kyaaaaa!”

Maid A’s body somersaulted in the air, making a sound.

She rolled around twice, and when everyone thought that she finally stopped moving, she started somersaulting backward again.

“Nooo! Stooop!”

Watching her repeatedly roll forward and backward, I screamed.

What a spectacular acrobatics . . . Oh, shoot! The spirits are undoubtedly playing with her, right?

For some reason, I can imagine them snickering at her poor state.

But I wonder how should I bring this under control. Being splashed by hot water or stumbling in the hallway can be passed as an accident, but this time, even these maids can surmise that there is an obvious extraneous force, right?

It would be a problem if someone in the castle witnessed us and have the magicians investigate the incident in detail . . . but if I command them to stop, they would find out that I caused their misfortunes.

As I was weighing my options, a dignified voice suddenly echoed in the hallway.

“That’s enough.”

At that command, the Maid A stopped rolling midair.

Snapping out of our predicament, the maids and I were horrified when we recognized Mariage-sama, who was accompanied by two maids.

I was distracted by the acrobatics of Maid A that I didn’t realize that she was approaching us.

“Mariage-sama!” [T/N: /Ma-ri-a-juu/]

“Your Royal Highness!”

At the same time that I bowed down in acquiescence, a voice similar to a squeal leaked from the three maids. Well, I can understand their state of panic. It is a big deal that they surrounded me and gave me a hard time.

However, Mariage-sama seemed to have all the insights. She looked at Maid A, who was floating in the air, and then at Maid B and C, frowned beautifully and said.

“Excuses are not necessary. I could hear your voices even when I was still far from here…… Troublesome girls.”

The last sentence was said with a bitter smile. As if on cue, the middle-aged maid who was waiting behind Mariage-sama stepped forward and bowed to Mariage-sama.

“Please forgive me, Your Royal Highness. It is due to my incompetence as their supervisor. To behave like this towards someone in another kingdom, who is also the fiancee of the Hero……”

“He-Head Maid-sama……”

The maids turned pale and trembled. It seems that this person is the Head Maid of Albatro.

“Perhaps, that child must have ordered them.”

Mariage-sama could only sigh. Even her sigh looked beautiful or is it just an optical illusion?

“But you know what? Sometimes it is necessary to admonish your master. It’s like what Aria said. Why can’t you understand that your actions will eventually reflect to Princess Tiana?

“Yo-Your Royal Highness……?”

“Wh-What do you mean?”

Confused, Maids B and C asked. I’m surprised that they don’t really know.

Mariage-sama squinted her eyes and answered.

“If you serve in the castle, you should know this. There is no place in the castle that is out of the reach of people’s eyes and ears. Your actions will surely be known to everyone and will affect the reputation of Princess Tiana. You should be even more careful if you are inside the castle of another kingdom.”

The words somewhat carried a pitiful sound.

It’s exactly what Mariage-sama says. This is a hallway even if it is unpopulated.

The voices may echo far, and there are many rooms across the walls. If there are people inside, they may hear it, right?

That’s why I was silent even when I was verbally attacked the other day. It’s because I truly don’t know who might eavesdrop.

“Besides, Aria is more than just a maid. She is the fiancée of the Hero. Insulting her is the same as insulting the Hero. That’s why you are now receiving the retaliation.”

Mariage-sama looked up at Maid A, who is floating in midair and is white as sheet.

Then she turned to me and said.

“Aria, I’m sorry, but could you please put her down?”

“……You knew?”

When I asked her in a panic, Mariage-sama laughed softly.

I can't use magic, but I can feel the magical power.

“I can’t use magic, but I can feel the magical power. However, this phenomenon does not seem to be due to magical power. If so, this is the power of the spirits. And it is widely known that the spirits follow the Hero…… Aria, do you have the protection of the spirits?”

As expected of a talented woman like Mariage-sama. She’s very keen, even making the Prime Minister laud her as the “most outstanding student”.

“Yes. You’re right.”

I nodded at her suggestion and upon looking at the floating Maid A, I said.

“Excuse me, but I beg you to let her go.”

Immediately after that, the body of Maid A fell on the floor.

“Kyaaaa!”

Falling with her buttocks first, Maid A rolled on the floor in pain.

Hey, she’s not a thing so please don’t suddenly drop her!

“No-No way, these wounds……”

“It was the spirits that protect her……?”

Maids B and C said, looking at me in fear. It seems that they already noticed it.

However, I did not seem to realize that it’s like I am confessing that this was not the first time that I was talked down to.

You two, the Head Maid is scowling so much, you know?

“Thank you, Aria. And I apologize for my the actions of sister-in-law and these maids.”

“Ma-Mariage-sama, that…… please don’t do it.”

I said in a hurry.

Having the Crown Princess of the neighboring kingdom bow to me is scary! If my own Head Maid knew about this, there’s going to be a sermon session while kneeling on the floor!

The maids who saw it also agreed.

“Don’t, Your Royal Highness!”

“That’s right, Your Royal Highness, there’s no need.”

“The Royal Highness bowing to such a person-”

The Head Maid rebutted them.

“Shut up! You still don’t understand the significance of the matter, you gels!”

“I-I’m so sorry!”

Watching their exchange with a bitter smile, Mariage-sama asked me.

“Aria, doesn’t the Hero always watch over you through the spirits?”

“Yes, he does.”

“Then, does he know these series of events?”

“……Yes, maybe. Greed-sama can know it through the spirits as if he had seen and heard everything.”

I don’t know if he is watching or listening to this exchange in real-time, but I’m sure the spirits will report to him.

“So that’s how it is.”

Mariage-sama looked at the three of them.

“The Hero knows all your treatments and insults to her.”

Upon hearing that, the three women turned pale.

“Your injuries were retaliation by the Hero. But I’m glad that was all it is. Did you know that when a kingdom wanted to harm a hero from several generations ago faced the wrath of the goddess and the spirits? Natural disasters occurred one after another, crops died without bearing fruit, famine struck, and eventually, they were destroyed. Being accompanied by the spirits also means being accompanied by nature. Are you going to destroy Albatro?”

Suddenly, the kingdom extinction flag appears──!!

As expected of Greed-sama, but he won’t go that far, perhaps!

……or so I thought, but Mariage-sama seemed to be thinking about something, so I stayed silent.

“No-No matter what, to that extent……”

Maid A said as she rubbed her butt. However, Mariage-sama shook her head.

“Perhaps, the Hero already knew that you were ordered by Princess Tiana. She is a princess of Albatro. She has a responsibility to the kingdom. What assurance do you have that the wrath of the Hero will not affect the kingdom when she used her position as a princess to insult Aria?”

“Yo-You . . . you mean……”

Suddenly, it became a grandiose story and the maids trembled. Well, that’s pretty obvious. They were told that a kingdom could be destroyed because they insulted me.

“Think of this as a sign of your good fortune and never do this again.”

“Y-Yes.”

“Apologize to Aria properly. You don’t want to be known that Albatro’s maids can’t even apologize, right?”

When Mariage-sama admonished them, the pale maids nodded then bowed to me, saying, “I’m sorry.”

“Aria, these girls seem to be remorseful. Will you forgive them?”

Mariage-sama said with a gentle smile.

Seeing the gleam in her eyes, I realized the intention of Mariage-sama and nodded.

“Yes, since they did not hurt me.”

Rather, it was the contemptuous maids who were actually harmed.

“Thank you, Aria…… Head Maid, I entrust you these girls.”

Mariage-sama instructed and looked at the Head Maid of Albatro. The Head Maid nodded and said to the maids.

“Come, let’s go. Even if you were forgiven, you cannot escape the punishment.”

“Yes……”

Then, together with the pale maids, the Head Maid left us. After bowing not only to Mariage-sama but also to me.

……As expected of a Head Maid of a kingdom. Even those three were trembling just by looking at her. I’m sure they will get an earful from now on.

Anyway, after the Head Maid and the three maids left, it was only Mariage-sama and me, and the maid, who was originally a maid of this castle and my senpai, who accompanied Mariage-sama to Albatro on her marriage.

Then Mariage-sama said in a clear and beautiful, amused voice.

“Hearing those things we said, they won’t deal with you in the future anymore.”

Her eyes were shining mischievously.

“……If I’m not mistaken, you deliberately exaggerated, didn’t you, Mariage-sama?”

I asked in a wry smile. Albatro being destroyed by the Hero as a form of revenge is an overstatement, so it seems like she wanted to discourage them after all. Them . . . or Tiana-sama, rather.

In order for them not to provoke the maid again, she exaggerated the horror of “the revenge of the Hero”. When she hears this story from the maids, Tiana-sama won’t be able to attack me easily.

On the other hand, the reason why I said that I “forgive them” is to calm the wrath of the spirits. If I forgive them, both the Hero and the spirits will have no choice but to bring the conflict into a close…… She is a smart person, as always.

Mariage-sama said that she is really amused.

“You are smart, Aria. I wish she has even one tenth of your wisdom.”

This person who laughed gracefully after saying that is the daughter of His Majesty the King and the treasured student of the Prime Minister.

Beautiful, kind, and noble, as well as strong and wise──a perfect princess.

“Well.”

With her eyes shining with delight, she smiled at me.

“Now that there are no more interlopers, why don’t you come with me, Aria? I have something to tell you.”

──In the end, another unpleasant premonition is right on the money.