Chapter 3 – Part 7

A bright and strong morning! Today I feel at my best.

I energetically climbed the stairs of the crown prince’s palace and quickly arrived at the tea storage room.

‘This is why people need to rest.’

Even as a palace maid, it’s not that I don’t get regular days off.

But isn’t it special to have a day off when everyone else is working?

Surprisingly, the concept of a week here was almost identical to Earth’s. A week was also seven days long, and one day was designated as a regular holiday by a decree of a former emperor several generations ago.

A six-day workweek, in other words.

‘I miss the five-day workweek from my previous life!’

Furthermore, a year here was exactly 365 days, with four seasons and twelve months.

‘There’s even a leap month!’

And the day here was divided into 24 hours, with each hour consisting of 60 minutes.

Of course, 24 and 60 are numbers with many divisors, making them suitable units for measuring time.

‘But even so, is it really just a coincidence that the time units here match Earth’s so closely?’

I didn’t know if a minute here was exactly the same length as a minute on Earth.

But since the tea leaves that brewed perfectly after three minutes on Earth also took three minutes here, it didn’t seem to differ much.

So, the orbital and rotational periods of this planet must be similar to Earth’s, with a ratio that matches Earth’s exactly, and even the tilt of the axis must be similar.

‘What are the odds of a planet being so similar to Earth?’

Is this not some alien planet, but an alternate universe Earth?

If this is an alternate universe Earth, it would also explain why the flora and fauna here are almost identical to those on Earth.

“Because I had a fun and fulfilling day yesterday, I feel so energetic that all sorts of thoughts are crossing my mind.”

Meanwhile, my hands were busy organizing the tea caddy in the cupboard. Since new tea leaves had arrived yesterday, I had to sort out the overlapping ones from last year’s tea leaves.

When I was halfway through sorting the tea leaves, someone knocked on the door of the tea storage room.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Oh, is it already time to prepare the Crown Prince’s morning tea?”

When I opened the door, it wasn’t the attendant I had seen the day before yesterday.

A new attendant greeted me cheerfully.

“Hello!”

“Oh, hello.”

“I am Archibald Sapin, the third son of the Count of Sapin. Please call me Archie! I will be officially working at the Crown Prince’s palace starting today!”

Wow, Archie is a very energetic newcomer.

I ended up introducing myself to Archie, swept up in his enthusiasm.

“Yes, I’m Erica. I’m the second daughter of Count Marnel.”

“Nice to meet you, Miss Erica! The Crown Prince is having breakfast right now. It would be great if you could prepare the tea!”

“I’ll get it ready right away. Is it the small dining room today as well?”

“Yes, it is!”

After delivering the message, Archie bounced away from the tea storage room.

I carefully prepared the tea and tea set, placing them on the tea trolley.

The small dining room attached to the Crown Prince’s bedroom was further away than the large dining room we had used until a few days ago.

“I don’t understand why he keeps dining in the small room when there’s a big, nice dining room available.”

I simply dismissed it as another whim of a high-ranking person.

I bowed to the nearby guards and attendants and entered the small dining room.

As usual, only the Crown Prince was in the small dining room.

His Highness was nibbling on a dessert with a serious expression while reading a book. The book in his hands looked very familiar.

The Emperor is obsessed with the Duchess who was in the marriage of convenience with the terminally Ill Duke?

Of all books, why is the Crown Prince reading that?

Who on earth told him about it?

Author StrawberryChoco, run away!

Noticing my gaze fixed on the cover of ‘The Great Depression,’ the Crown Prince looked up.

Our eyes met briefly, and he seemed very calm.

“Well, he might have just picked it up by chance. It’s a very popular book these days!”

Despite my internal panic, I calmly poured the tea as usual. I couldn’t help glancing at the book occasionally.

The Crown Prince took a sip of tea and spoke.

“This book was recommended to me by my friend”

“Oh, yes…”

I didn’t ask. And I don’t know how to respond to that.

Interpreting my short reply in his own way, the Crown Prince continued.

“The title is unique, so it stuck in my mind.”

“I see.”

Who on earth recommended this book to the Crown Prince?

And it’s surprising that he has a friend who would do such a thing!

The Crown Prince quietly drank his tea for the rest of the tea time.

Normally, it would have been a series of questions starting with, “I smell herbs in the tea. What herbs did you put in? Do you like those herbs?” But today, he was just silent.

Earlier, it seemed like he had read a little over half of ‘The Great Depression.’ I wonder if he noticed that this book is about his grandparents.

With so many overlapping details, it would be strange if he didn’t notice.

I worried about StrawberryChoco’s safety, and while quietly drinking tea without saying anything, tea time came to an end.

Perhaps he was too preoccupied to bother me today.

“Hopefully, today will pass without any incidents.”

* * *

It was too soon to feel relieved.

After finishing my meal in the servants’ dining room, I was idling in the tea storage room as usual.

Then Archie showed up.

“Hello, Miss Erica. We meet again!”

“Oh, yes! Hello.”

Today was Archie’s first official day on the job, so he was full of energy.

Before I knew it, I was shaking hands with Archie.

Archie said, “Her Majesty the Empress is having lunch with the Crown Prince. I came to let you know!”

I see. Her Majesty is here again. It wasn’t surprising anymore.

“Did she give notice this time?” I asked Archie. He wasn’t sure, but Chef Kelsey had prepared a meal for two in advance, so everything was fine.

“Hang in there, chef!”

Taking into account the lunch menu Archie informed me about, I prepared some green tea suitable for after the meal.

When I arrived at the dining room with the tea set for two on a tea trolley, as Archie had said, Her Majesty the Empress was with the Crown Prince.

Had I known Her Majesty was coming, I would have set up in the grand dining room. Seeing them in the small dining room attached to the Crown Prince’s chambers, it seemed she had arrived without prior notice again.

It was just the Empress, the Crown Prince, and me in the small dining room, as all the other servants had been dismissed.

“It’s okay, I’m used to this by now.”

While quietly setting the teacups, I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

“So, how did you find out that your grandmother was skilled in martial arts?”

“Grandmother mentioned that she overpowered my grandfather during their wedding to the Duke of Roshid. I just guessed from that.”

That’s a story from ‘The Great Depression’!

I almost dropped the teapot in surprise.

“Indeed, your grandmother showed her talent for combat early on. She even traveled to the Western Kingdom to participate in a major martial arts tournament there.”

To think that I would hear behind-the-scenes stories of a book I enjoyed from Her Majesty herself. Life is full of surprises.

Her Majesty lowered her voice and spoke softly.

“Are you interested in your grandmother’s story? Actually, there’s an autobiography she wrote herself. Your grandfather also contributed to writing it. Would you like to read it?”

The Crown Prince cautiously asked, “Mother, is the title of that book by any chance…”

“The Emperor is obsessed with the Duchess who was in the marriage of convenience with the terminally Ill Duke?”

Wait a minute!

Was that the Empress Dowager’s autobiography?

And it was co-written with the Emperor Emeritus?

No wonder it was so detailed, something only the author would know.

The eccentric hobbies of the high-ranking officials left me bewildered.

* * *

After waiting for tea time to end, I returned to the tea storage room with the tea set for two.

Even after Madeline came to collect the newly sorted tea leaves, I couldn’t stop thinking about the ‘The Great Depression’ story I had overheard in the dining room.

“StrawberryChoco was the Empress Dowager…”

“Erica, are you listening?”

“Oh, yes!”

“You weren’t listening at all. I think the protagonist will end up with the Duke,” said Madeline, who was deeply engrossed in ‘The Great Depression.’ She had borrowed it from me a few days ago and had become absorbed in it.

I asked Madeline, “Do you want to know who the male lead is?”

“No, it won’t be fun if I know in advance. But listen to this!”

“What is it?”

“The Duke, he’s a wealthy but terminally ill Duke, how can he be so charming! StrawberryChoco must be a genius.”

Madeline’s preference was for the Duke, but unfortunately, the Duke wasn’t the male lead.

Not wanting to spoil the story for Madeline, I changed the subject.

“Madeline, do you know what this is?”