The academic festival was a grand name, but in reality, it was a venue to showcase the Empire’s power to neighboring countries.

For such an event, the more spectators, the better, so it was held in a large circular arena.

As I looked around, marveling at the size of the arena, preparations for the event were in full swing on one side.

“Is that the machine that makes rain?”

When I casually asked about a machine about the size of a car, Michael inquired how I knew about it.

“This hasn’t been revealed anywhere yet, has it?”

“I, I heard about it from the Duke.”

“I told them to keep it a secret, but it seems it reached the Duke’s ears anyway.”

Fortunately, Michael didn’t make much of my words.

“Can I take a closer look?”

When I gazed at Michael with sparkling eyes, he sighed deeply and nodded in agreement.

By now, he must know that I’m the type to go alone even if told not to.

As expected, mages are so smart. Admiring his excellent learning ability, I followed closely behind Michael.

“Ah, Michael. There you are.”

Just as we were about to descend the stairs leading to the lower part of the arena, a familiar voice came from above. Michael and I simultaneously looked up with displeased expressions.

“…Good day, Your Grace.”

I slightly hid behind Michael and bowed my head roughly in time with his bow.

“I have a favor to ask, do you have a moment?”

“Well… I’m with someone right now.”

Michael looked at Ilion with a troubled expression. Ilion’s gaze passed Michael and fixed on me behind him.

Although I had changed my appearance with Michael’s help, my heart raced at the possibility of being recognized.

If I were caught this time, it was clear that instead of just banning me from going out, he would prepare a real cage inside the house.

“I see. And the person next to you is…”

“This person is, well…”

Michael looked at me as if asking for help. His expression seemed to say, ‘How should I answer this question?’ Seeing that he appeared to be poor at lying, I quickly bowed my head and answered.

“I’m Canaria, his lover. It’s truly an honor to meet you in person, Your Grace, after hearing so much about you.”

“Ah, I see.”

Ilion nodded and apologized for interrupting, then left. Not forgetting to ask Michael to come find him when he had time.

Watching Ilion leave, Michael turned to me with a face that looked like he was about to die.

“Miss… That lie just now…”

“Michael. From now on, please call me Canaria.”

“…Pardon?”

“Shall we go down then?”

Unlike Michael, who was worried, I casually brushed off the encounter with Ilion and hurriedly descended the stairs.

“If the Duke finds out, my head will roll.”

“Don’t worry. The Duke won’t be interested in something like your lover.”

He could trust my words on that part. Ilion is indifferent to others unless necessary. To the point where he doesn’t even know the Saintess’s name.

Once we got down, I looked around the machine, constantly expressing amazement.

“Does this really make it rain?”

“Yes. It’s still a demonstration model, so the range where it can sprinkle rain is narrow, though.”

Even for a small area, it was an impressive magic. I could keep my mouth open in admiration endlessly, but this wasn’t the time to just stand around in awe.

Recalling the contents of the original work, I asked Michael.

“Hey, doesn’t this screw here seem a bit loose?”

When I pointed to a slightly loose screw on one side, Michael frowned.

“I told them to do it properly, and they make this mistake. I almost got scolded again.”

Saying that, Michael had someone tighten the screw.

It was just one screw, but this would prevent Artia from being in danger.

It might sound selfish, but for the people in the mansion to be at peace, Ilion needed to be at peace, and for that, Artia was ultimately necessary.

So, Artia’s well-being was as important as Ilion and Artia getting together.

If only Ilion would understand that.

“Ah, Michael! There you are.”

As I was checking once more if the screw was properly tightened, this time Dimitri came running towards us in a hurry.

“I’ve been looking all over for you. Is this the friend you mentioned earlier?”

“Ah, this is…”

“What’s your name? No, wait, there’s no time for introductions. You, come with me quickly.”

“…Pardon?”

I stared blankly at Dimitri.

“Ah, don’t just stand there, come on.”

He said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along. Following him in bewilderment, I looked back at Michael.

“Si-Sir Michael?”

“No, wait, Dimitri. That person is…”

However, Michael’s timid cry was ignored, and before I knew it, I was standing among a group of maids.

“Laura, I’ve brought someone!”

While I was still confused by the sudden teleportation, a woman who looked strict at first glance turned towards us.

“Oh my, Dimitri. You really brought someone.”

“It was your request, of course I had to bring someone right away.”

Dimitri looked at Laura with blushing cheeks.

“Oh, how can we trouble you like this?”

“If you’re grateful, next time maybe some tea…”

“I can serve you plenty of tea when we return to the Imperial Palace. You liked black tea, didn’t you, Dimitri?”

Laura quickly cut off Dimitri’s words and added.

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Then could you please leave now? We’re busy training the maids.”

“……”

At Laura’s request, Dimitri awkwardly smiled, licked his lips, and left, abandoning me.

“Ah, wait, Dimitri…”

I tried to quickly catch him as he was leaving, but Laura’s question was faster.

“What’s your name?”

“Pardon?”

“Your name, I’m asking.”

The smile she had shown to Dimitri earlier was nowhere to be seen, her expression was now ice-cold.

“Ca-Canaria.”

“Right, Canaria. You must have been briefed already, so hurry up and change your clothes first.”

She handed me a maid’s uniform.

“…Um…”

Having received the clothes in a daze, I looked at Laura, still not fully grasping the situation.

“Come on, move quickly. We have a lot to do today.”

However, Laura had already turned her attention away from me and was giving instructions to the maids.

“Bella, Julie, go to the VIP section in the west. And Olly, there’s a young lady who dislikes sunlight in your assigned area, so make sure to bring a parasol.”

After giving instructions to the maids for a while, Laura turned her head to look at me.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and change your clothes.”

“No, well…”

“Don’t think about slacking off just because you came as a substitute. Hurry up and change and come out. You’ll be in charge of the eastern section.”

At her sharp words, I couldn’t even reply and ended up entering the room in a daze.

Wait, it seems like she’s misunderstanding me for a worker, right?

If it’s a misunderstanding, I should clear it up. Yes, of course. I opened the door again to explain to Laura that I wasn’t a worker.

“Lyn, are you going to keep dawdling? Get out here now!”

And seeing her angry expression like a tiger’s, I quietly closed the door.

There are some things in life you can know without trying. For example, whether I could win against Laura.

And this time, I decided to follow Ilion’s advice.

Right. There’s no need to struggle to persuade the tiger to get out of here.

Thinking there must be a way to escape her eyes, I decided to follow her instructions for now.

After changing into the maid’s uniform, I slowly headed towards the eastern section of the circular arena.

“Sigh, what am I really doing here?”

“Canaria!”

“Ye-Yes!”

I jumped and answered at the sharp call of my name.

“Don’t chat. Walk properly. I heard you had experience working in the Imperial Palace, didn’t you learn even these basics?”

It seems she had heard my quiet mutterings.

Of course I didn’t learn. I’ve never worked in the Imperial Palace.

I wanted to get out of Laura’s sight as soon as possible, but her surveillance was more solid than I thought.

Thanks to that, I was still in the position of a maid.

“Um, Miss Laura. Actually, I didn’t come here to work today…”

“You didn’t?”

She repeated my words somewhat irritably.

“Actually, due to Dimitri’s misunderstanding…”

“You’re unnecessarily prolonging your words to say you don’t want to work. You’ll get a lecture when you go back.”

My pitiful attempt to persuade her was flatly rejected.

Is Michael really the only one I can trust now? Where on earth is he and what is he doing? Please, come quickly and save me!

Despite my desperate cries, Michael didn’t appear.

Contrary to my wishes, the event began, and nobles whose names I couldn’t even remember showed up at the arena like a string of sausages.

The maids moved busily without rest to guide them to their seats and serve them.

In the midst of this, I was just clutching a piece of paper, unable to memorize the nobles’ names and seats.

Eventually, Laura, unable to bear it anymore, moved me to the back. Meaning for me to run errands.

Indeed, people should be seen not working well. It’s tiring if you do too well.

This is absolutely not because I’m stupid. I’m pretending not to be able to do it, on purpose!

“Canaria, here.”

A coworker handed me a tray full of refreshments.

“Where am I going this time?”

I was already getting used to this job after doing it for about an hour. I may have been born a commoner and used to working, but why am I still doing this?

Okay, let’s escape after this one. This is really the last one!

“It’s a request from His Majesty’s seat at the top.”

“……”

No, I said it would be the last errand, not that I wanted to end my life with this errand. Why does it have to be where Klaus is?

“I’m sorry, but can’t I run an errand somewhere else?”

“Can’t you see everyone’s busy? No time to slack off. Go quickly.”

Despite my desperate request, she firmly handed me the tray.

Should I just throw this and run?