I Became a Tyrant’s Maid - Chapter 32

Honestly, I was confused.

Is this a sign that the male lead completely trusts me, and should I be happy about it?

Or should I be sad that I’ve been taken advantage of?

“Um… Your Highness. Of course, I am very grateful that you trust me and have entrusted me with your personal care.”

He looked at me with his characteristic fierce eyes as if telling me to continue.

“However, considering I also have to participate in the afternoon event, in order not to tarnish Your Highness’s prestige, I should prepare,”

Then he smiled and replied.

“Bring your stuff here. We can prepare in this room. It’s spacious enough.”

My facial muscles almost twitched uncontrollably.

Could it be that the poison arrow he was hit with yesterday hasn’t been fully detoxified?

There’s no doubt he’s been affected by the arrow.

Or maybe he ate something wrong.

“But, Your Highness. How could someone as lowly as myself dare to be with Your Highness,”

“So, are you saying you don’t want to do it now?”

With that expression, what could I possibly say?

“…Of course not, Your Highness. I will prepare immediately.”

It seems in a hierarchical society, one must do as they’re told.

I sighed deeply inside and looked around the room.

As the male lead said, the room assigned to him was spacious enough for me to rest as well.

Fortunately, the attendants had already prepared clothes for changing and bathwater.

The personal care the male lead mentioned must surely be about bathing.

Usually, he takes care of most things by himself, so this would be the first time for bathing attendance.

I saw it in a drama.

Normally, in such cases, the servants would enter the bath, take the undressed clothes, and attend to the needs…

“What are you doing now?”

I looked up at the male lead with my arms outstretched, ready to take his undressed clothes, puzzled.

“Didn’t you say to attend to you? If you undress, I will tell the servant outside to come and wash them.”

Upon hearing my words, the male lead’s face suddenly turned pale.

As if he heard something he shouldn’t have.

No, he asked to be attended to, and I’m doing just that, so why is he reacting this way?

Did I do something wrong?

“Your Highness, is there anything making you uncomfortable?”

In response to my question, the male lead gritted his teeth and kindly closed his outstretched arms as he said,

“When did I tell you to attend to my bath? Don’t get any strange ideas and wait here quietly.”

“Pardon? But Your Highness clearly said to attend to you,”

I tried to ask again, but he started glaring at me openly, so I decided to just keep my mouth shut.

“Yes. I understand, Your Highness.”

Well, I suppose this means I don’t have to attend to his bath or anything like that?

Thanks to that, I could feel a bit relieved.

“Don’t leave, stay still in this room. Unless you enjoy being kidnapped, that is.”

After throwing out that bolt from the blue, he swiftly headed to the bathroom.

I could only stand there, frozen in place.

“What? Is he actually worried about me and deliberately acting like that?”

* * *

The male lead looked around with quite a tense expression.

Cheers from countless imperial citizens echoed around the altar.

The royal family members were wearing white clothes modified to their own tastes, but only the male lead looked less splendid compared to the other princes.

‘What’s this.’

Is it because he doesn’t have power yet, or because he’s less crazy?

He looked a bit, no, much shabbier compared to others.

And he’s supposed to be the Crown Prince.

Moreover, the reaction from the imperial citizens was the worst for him.

An arrogant man, the offspring of a traitor and the third-born prince, who for unknown reasons still maintains the position of Crown Prince.

From behind the male lead, I glanced at the other princes.

And for a moment, I locked eyes with a man who had the same hair color and gentle eyes as the protagonist.

It was the first prince.

I flinched and hurriedly lowered my gaze.

The male lead, noticing my slight movement, turned his head to where my gaze had been.

The 1st Prince and the male lead’s eyes met.

I felt my shoulders instinctively shrink from the palpable hostility.

The 1st Prince smiled brightly like the most polite person in the world, and behind him, the 3rd Prince scurried over to grab his clothes.

The corner of the male lead’s mouth twitched subtly.

“I should have killed him then.”

And he whispered very quietly.

“Looks like he’s sided with the 1st Prince.”

Thump.

It felt like my heart sank.

His voice was dripping with irritation.

“If the First Prince gets involved, even the guillotine might become difficult.”

I bit my lip hard.

Was he blaming me?

Ultimately, I had said what was right. He was the one who accepted the advice not to kill.

But it was true that I felt guilty.

From the male lead’s tone, it seemed things had become quite complicated.

He turned to look at me and soon smiled fiercely.

“But strangely, I feel quite good.”

He slightly lifted the sword at his waist to show me.

“As you said, I’m going to take first place in the birthday celebration.”

I looked at the male lead with an uneasy face.

The male lead was still smiling.

With a completely distorted face, that is.

“Although I’ll have to dig that damn trap again.”

Click.

As if the sound of him putting the sword back was a starting signal, cheers erupted around the altar.

The snow-white marble doors decorated with gold opened, and the Pope walked out between them.

The male lead, with an expression of utter boredom, flopped down onto the seat prepared behind the Pope and gestured with his chin.

“What are you doing? Sit down.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I glanced around and sat down next to the male lead.

I could feel people’s gazes focused on me.

Even on the first day, people were aware of my presence, but this felt somehow different.

And for good reason,

“From now on, move more carefully, with a sense of caution.”

This human keeps telling me,

“If you’ve attached yourself to a powerless, arrogant Crown Prince, you should be prepared for at least that much.”

He keeps ordering me around!

Originally, the crown prince was a maverick.

The male lead didn’t want anyone around him except his cousin Ruel.

He was in a state of severe distrust of humans.

But now that I’ve appeared, sticking close to him and even conversing, how strange must it look to others?

“Your words are too harsh, Your Highness.”

I recited some appropriately flattering words and smiled sweetly.

So he does know.

That his personality is strange.

“Too harsh, huh.”

The male lead laughed self-deprecatingly, then suddenly stiffened his expression.

And looking straight ahead, he whispered to me.

“You know, if you betray me, I’ll kill you without hesitation.”

My heart dropped for a moment, but I wasn’t shockingly surprised.

He’s always been like that.

‘Ah, yes. Of course, you would. How could I expect otherwise?’

After all, there was no need to betray the male lead for the time being.

Until the female lead appeared, staying by the male lead’s side was the safest option.

Falling out of favor with another real power in this world, sticking close to the strongest character in the setting was the best way to secure my lifeline.

“That won’t happen, Your Highness.”

Surely the female lead will appear.

Then, he’ll be completely distracted by her, so would he even care if I left? Therefore, I have not the slightest intention of betraying the male lead.

What would I gain from daring to betray the protagonist?

What I’m planning is retirement, not betrayal, so it’s even less of an issue.

“It better not.”

The male lead turned to me and grinned.

Thanks to sitting close, his handsome face was smiling right in front of me.

I nodded dazedly with wide eyes.

It was an excessively handsome face to look at soberly.

The male lead, finding my stupid expression amusing, twisted his lips into a mocking smile.

Then, straightening his posture, he fixed his gaze on the platform where the Pope had ascended.

‘I thought my heart was going to stop.’

I let out a belated sigh of relief.

My body felt stiff from the momentary tension.

“The light of the great Kamesis has once again illuminated the Empire.”

The Pope’s white hair fluttered in the gentle breeze.

The staging was excellent.

The holy-looking sunlight, attire, and even the voice.

But strangely, I felt incredibly unpleasant.

Perhaps it’s because I subconsciously thought it was God who brought me to this damned world.

I frowned and looked at the Pope with quite an irreverent heart.

“We live in a beautiful world. But the forms of evil covet the light and seek to destroy the world.”

It seemed like the standard religious speech I’d seen a few times on the news.

Though the content was a bit morbid.

“The great Kamesis spoke to the first Emperor of Posnia. Drive out the darkness and transmit the power of light to all things.”

The people in the hall, seemingly moved by the dramatic speech, let out cheers.

And it was the same for the other princes and nobles.

‘What? Am I supposed to shout too?’

Not sure what to do, I looked at the male lead, and this guy was also clapping and cheering.

“Wow, woaah, ahaha…”

I reluctantly clapped along.

Is it because I’m not religious?

‘This seems a bit cult-like.’

I furrowed my brow.

The cheers seemed to be tinged with madness.

People were almost wailing as they cheered for the Pope, and some were stretching their hands toward the sky with tears streaming down their faces.

“The darkness! Shall be annihilated and the age of light shall come!”

The Pope shouted, raising both arms to the sky.

“Aaah! Great Kamesis! Bestow the power of light upon this continent!”

Good grief. Just look at those excessive gestures.

I couldn’t manage my expression.

‘Isn’t this a cult?’

Of course, the chances of the state religion being a cult are very low, but from a 21st-century modern person’s perspective, this world’s speeches are a bit hard to adapt to.

I stared at the Pope with an expression like I’d eaten something sour.

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, the Pope’s gaze fixed on me.

Our eyes met.

“Kemesis bestowed a sword upon the first Emperor. And said:”

I thought I might be mistaken, but the Pope was clearly looking at me.

A chill ran down my spine.

The Pope continued his speech with his gaze fixed on me, his expression devoid of any emotion.

“Kill the children born from the womb of darkness and let them rest eternally deep within the earth.”

My clenched fists tightened.

I felt a strange sensation as if I couldn’t breathe.

“Eternally.”