Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince

“I always thought that your opinions were nothing but foolish nonsense, but… It crossed my mind that maybe it wouldn’t be bad to dream of a brand new kingdom.”

With a lighter expression, Leona continued.
In turn, Schubert just looked at her as though he had seen a ghost.

“I thought I’d manage to convince everyone else first before you of all people…”

Perhaps because he was talking to a comrade from the same knight order, but Shubert started speaking more casually again, just like how he spoke the first time we met.

But what was more surprising than his change in demeanor was how Leona and Schubert regarded the other.
They seemed to know each other well enough.

I watched them with interest, amazed by the unexpected duo.

They both bowed to the other.

There was an awkward air between them, like they weren’t really all that close, but they weren’t on hostile terms.
Rather, it seemed like they respected each other.

“Miss Artius, I’m sorry for asking this, but I hope you don’t use your magic against the other knights.”

Leona murmured as she looked around.
Then, she pulled out a longsword.
The somewhat relaxed look in her eyes suddenly changed and became sharp.

Still, the royal knights outnumbered us, and overwhelmingly so.

And Schubert and Leona didn’t have the luxury of continuing to chat at a time like this.

Leona knew this better than anyone else.
Nodding towards Schubert, she raised her sword.

“Why don’t you join us, Baron?”

Hearing this suggestion, Schubert blinked in confusion for a moment, but one corner of his lips soon tugged up.

“…If you thought I wouldn’t, then you’re wrong.”

With a mischievous expression on his face, he raised his own sword.
Back-to-back with Leona, Schubert swung his weapon.

“People kept comparing me to you, so I was wondering just how strong you really are.”

After she murmured this softly, Leona started moving quickly.
I stopped trying to hear what they were saying from then on.
I didn’t want to be stuck in the crossfire.

And I think I know what this moment meant to Leona.

“We’ll go outside and seize the Royal Palace.”

With an invisibility spell still cast over them, the mages flew over the plethora of knights.

“How about Rosé, what are you going to do…?”

Next to me, Blanc asked.

“If I can’t attack the knights, then…”

The only one left would be the knight commander.
Still though, I didn’t want to get involved with Liam’s battle.
That might be rather rude to him.

I came here with a single purpose, and I’m already done doing that.
But it wouldn’t be good to just stand here.

While looking around to see if there’s something I can do, I found one knight who was sneaking up behind Liam, trying to hit him on the back of his head.

No, wait, if you’re going down the cowardly path, then I’d have to do something to stop it.

Hitting someone on the back of their head is nothing but despicable.
I waved my wand right away.

For someone who clearly cast aside their morals, maybe one electric shock would be fine…?

“Electricity.”

As I uttered the incantation of the spell I had cast earlier, electricity shot out of the end of my wand.

“Hu-ihh…”

After letting out a strange noise, two people collapsed right then and there.
Liam tapped the knight commander’s head.
His eyes were rolled over.

…Is he dead?

Is my magic that strong?

“Look! I told you so! Rosé’s magic is strooong!”

I vaguely heard Blanc’s proud voice, but I was rushing to Liam’s side.

“Are they still alive?”

After checking their breathing, Liam muttered.

“Well, they’re not exactly dead, but…”

The moment I cast a spell, my ‘Hide’ invisibility spell disappeared.
Liam stared back at me with a look of disbelief.

“They’re wearing armor that’s resistant to magic, but your attack still did a number on them.”

“I think it’s because of Blanc.”

“I’m thinking the same thing.”

Liam agreed so quickly that it flustered me.

No, I mean, even if I proclaim that I’m strong, where exactly is that power coming from? Blanc’s power was my power, and my power was his.

As a contractor, I should be more appreciative towards Blanc’s mana.

It didn’t seem like the men would be getting up any time soon.
Since there was no one in command of the knights anymore, it’s natural that they wouldn’t be able to move efficiently.

“Now that the commander has fallen…”

Liam was about to say something to me, but then at that moment.

“A mage!”

A sudden commotion broke out amidst the knights.
They were already breaking apart.

Liam’s brows became furrowed as he looked back at me.
He hid me behind him then spoke.

“The knights normally try to get rid of the mages first.”

Liam’s voice reached my ears at the same time the knights began to rush towards me.

“Run!”

I waved the wand and cast a spell that would help me get out of there.

However, I was surrounded in an instant.
Despite fighting Liam’s knights, they were more focused on capturing me right then.
They were all of the same mind.

A defense spell this time? No, I don’t know any defense spells! I mean, I know one spell, but I can’t use it because I didn’t memorize the magic circle!

The knights were in a frenzy, making me doubt just how long I’d be able to last.

“Freeze.”

But in the end, my concerns were of no use.
Even amidst the clamoring crowd, that voice just now was clearly Albert’s.

The surrounding knights froze in an instant.

Even though they were all wearing armor that was resistant to magic, they were helpless in the face of overwhelming power.

“Rosé.”

Through the knights, Albert crossed the distance between us in an instant.
He ran towards me with a rather urgent expression, and in the wind, his gray hair was left disheveled.

Brought upon by agitation, this rare unkempt appearance shocked me.

“Prince.”

As soon as I called him as well, Albert laughed, and the sight of him was like looking at a flower in full bloom.

I saw Leona behind Albert, her eyes growing wide.

She didn’t seem to have entertained the notion that my feelings were requited.

“Prince, I didn’t get hurt anywhere.
Mercy put on a defensive spell on me.”

Albert grimaced and reached out to me.

“That’s what you say, but there’s a wound on your neck.”

His thumb brushed over the wound.
It was a very thin cut, but it looked like this was enough to bother him.

I breathed in.
I could feel the sharp gazes pointed at me.

It’s the first time that Albert was showing this much concern towards me in front of other people.

A looming shadow was cast over his deep gaze.
His hand, which was hovering over the wound on my neck, seemed to draw a circle before it was moved away.

He slowly averted his eyes from me.
He took not one step away from me, but he addressed Liam.

“Good work, Liam.”

“I am honored, sire.”

“Everyone’s contributions are significant.
The Royal Palace has been seized, and things are going smoothly.
You can be at ease for the moment.”

The knights bowed cordially towards Albert.
The sight of that many knights bowing to just one person in this dungeon—it was amazing to see.

Unphased by the sudden gesture of respect, Albert raised one hand gracefully.

The elegance upon his demeanor was something that could not be emulated just right away.
Seeing him like this, it was as if he wasn’t the same man who had a pleasant time eating together with me in that tower.

I realized once again just how stark the difference was between the two of us, and I hated this moment.

I knew it’s only natural, yet I also knew that there’s nothing I could do, even with my efforts.

“The plan will proceed.”

Albert then explained in detail.
Starting this day, Albert would invite people to the palace under Rosteratu’s name.

It would be a sudden summons, but no one would suspect this because it’s not only once or twice that Rosteratu had done the same thing before.

The moment they step foot into the palace would be the moment that the purge would begin.

Those who would live and those who would die depended solely on Albert’s judgment.

Albert looked around, then his eyes settled on Leona.
She flinched.

“You must have a lot of things to say about the knight order.”

The mages must have told him about Leona’s situation.
In response, Leona nodded gravely.

“Yes, sire.”

Albert was quickly surrounded by other people, and so, I slipped away from his side.

I wanted to talk to Albert more, but now was not the time.

He was a man who would be much busier than he was now.
I couldn’t sulk about this.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Albert had to go somewhere with Liam so they could talk about the current situation.
Meanwhile, I was led to a room inside the palace.

Compared to the tower’s bedroom, this room was overwhelmingly enormous.

The room had not just a soft bed inside, but also a luxurious sofa in front of a fireplace that gave off an antique elegance.

The room was absolutely spotless and without a single speck of dust, however, there was no sign of another person there.

No one was attending to me, but a mage delivered a nightgown for me.
I soon went to the bathroom connected to the room.

I soaked in the tub.
The warm water surrounding my body made me feel drowsy.

After washing up, I lay down on the bed.
The tub was filled anew, then Blanc went off to take a bath as well.

The bed was as soft as a feather, but I felt a bit awkward staying here.

Albert let me sleep on the bed at the tower recently, so I got used to that, but the fluff and softness of this one was somewhat burdensome.

Suddenly, I recalled the hard floor of the attic.

After all this was over, I wouldn’t have to be trapped in that tower anymore.
But then… What was this emptiness that I was feeling?

…It’s as if I was missing the past already.
But how long had it been since I left that place?

How would I be able to last a month? Honestly, I think I’ve fallen for Albert much harder than I first thought.

This time, I’m the one having problems with this, not Albert.

Sighing, I closed my eyes tightly and drifted off.

Before I knew it, the moon had already risen in the sky.

It’s impossible to just stay in the tower.
It’s impossible to just be alone with Albert for the rest of our lives.

It’s only because I’ve already left the tower that I’m slowly forgetting how suffocating it is in there.

So, I can’t start missing the tower now.

Thinking that I should get some air so I could wake up, I rose to my feet.

Come to think of it, earlier, I couldn’t even ask if Albert was done dealing with Rosteratu properly.

When I opened the window, I saw the brilliant moon hanging up in the dark sky.
Then, from outside the window, someone snuck in.

“…Weren’t you busy?”

It was Albert.

“I’m here to look at your injury.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“You shouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

A small cut like this shouldn’t even be considered as an injury.
His excessive worries were a bit embarrassing, but it still made me feel ticklish.

I soon uttered the question I’ve been meaning to ask.

“Have you carried out your revenge?”

Sitting on the windowsill, he held my chin gently.

The look in his eyes became hazy as he thought about Rosteratu, however, his gaze gradually focused on me.

“The moment I saw you, it all became worthless to me.”

His voice was as clear as the array of stars glimmering across the evening sky.

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