The Evil Queen's Beautiful Principles - 5

 

The Princess and the Apprentice Maid 3

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Three days have passed since Alicia arrived.

She had quickly adapted to this life, as if we had been together from the beginning.

Even though the space inside of the tower is small, it is hard for one person to clean everything.

Thanks to her, we had made much progress in cleaning the room.

Clatter, rattle, rattle…!

The echoes of something hitting the wall and the sounds of things falling naturally made my brow crease.

When I looked behind me, I saw that the bottle that was supposed to be on the shelf had fallen off.

"Mistress?"

From behind, Alicia appears with a sharp look in her eyes.

A sad pile of garbage is in her line of sight.

“...I didn't do it on purpose. And that name. Don't call me mistress."

“Oh, yes, I forgot. …But more importantly, are you hurt?"

“I’m fine. It didn't hit me."

“I'm glad to hear it. I'll…take it from here."

"No, it’s fine. I broke it, so I'll clean it up."

“...But, Princess Luxeria. There's still a lot of fragile stuff in here."

Indeed, there are many bottles and other broken items in the room.

…Should I back off quietly here to prevent a second disaster?

“Uhh...right. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave it to you then."

“Certainly.”

Then I'll wait quietly in my own room.

I feel a little bad...for Alicia, but I had nothing to do so I decided to read a book.

It was just as well, since I was curious about the rest of the book I was reading.

I then continued reading that book for a while, and returned to Alicia when I thought she would have finished.

“Are you almost done?"

“Yes, I just finished.”

"I see. Then we'll take a short break together."

"Certainly!"

I had Alicia bring the tea set so that I could make the tea.

Alicia was hesitant and repeatedly said that she would do it herself, but I had my way, as and insisted that it was because I had caused her some trouble.

The only work I've done today, unfortunately, was to make this tea.

“...Is the reason that you started to clean your own room, Princess Luxuria, because you wanted to come to this tower as soon as possible?”

“You're right. In fact, it was said that the move…would only take place when it was ready. But I wanted to leave the palace as soon as possible. So I quickly left, saying that I would arrange the room myself."

There were a lot of people in the palace, and of course, the voices of the heart could always be heard.

On top of that, I was afraid of myself, afraid of who I might harm at any moment.

That's why, after my father ordered me to live in the tower, I took advantage of the order and came here to escape.

“Is it for the same reason that you have no servants but me?”

"Yes. As I was supposed to have food delivered, I figured I could handle it."

The tower was built in such a way that people could live in it without being seen, as it was a place that had been used to imprison royalty since ancient times.

For example, for food and daily necessities, you would go through an underground passage to a room in the royal palace to pick them up.

Suddenly, I noticed Alicia's eyes on me.

It's like she was looking at something strange.

“What? Alicia."

"Well…I am just in awe of how you could decide to move to a tower alone."

“Didn't you leave out the words, ‘when you can't even clean up after yourself?’”

“..."

I laughed at her silence.

“Well, you'd think that. I used to think I could do it myself before I…moved here."

“But, Princess Luxeria, you've never…cleaned up, have you?"

“Yes. But I rehearsed it in my dreams."

It would not be wrong to describe my "previous life" as a dream.

"...I knew it."

“Knew it?”

"...Because, Princess Luxeria, no cleaning…has been done."

“Oh, no. Is it that bad?"

Alicia looked a little awkward as I hurriedly asked her.

Well, that would have been a hard question to answer.

“Please! Give me an honest answer.”

“Whenever you clean…you drop and break things. The books that you have organized are not on the bookshelf. Also, why do things disappear after…cleaning?"

“...I have no words to say in reply."

I said in a respectful tone.

I've always been bad at cleaning for some reason.

But when it came to work, I recognized tidiness as part of the job, and I had somehow managed to do it.

“I'm so glad you're here, Alicia. You have been a great help. Even in that corner, you not only cleaned up what I broke, but you even cleaned the tops of the shelves.”

While I should have realized it earlier, I was glad that Alicia was here.

If I had turned her away there, I still wouldn't have been able to live here properly.

“I, too, am glad to be of assistance to you, Princess Luxeria.”

Alicia had a sly smile on her face.

Yes, it was adorable.

"...Well, let's get on with it then! Is what I would say, but it's best that I do not help in this room, if it is possible."

Unfortunately, there was no change in the fact that many of the things here were fragile.

“Yes..."

Suddenly, I looked at the place where the shelf had been placed.

"Yes! It is the age of DIY!"

“...DIY?"

“Yes. It's when an amateur like me, not a specialist, makes furniture. The more hard work you put into it, the more you get attached to it. And above all, you can make it the size you want.”

“That's… But where is the material?"

“The back of this tower is used as a material storage and warehouse. There must have been lumber and tools there."

"Oh, you can 'go out' behind this tower?"

''Ah…you think that this tower has only an underground passage leading to the outside, don’t you?”

“Yes, that's what I heard.”

"Actually, there's a hidden door that lets you out. I was exploring the tower when I found it."

The first word that came to mind when I entered the tower was, to be honest… ‘ruins'.

But at the same time, it was true that my curiosity was tingling.

In a story I read in my previous life, there was mention of a hidden door or a trick staircase in a castle, and I wondered if such devices really existed. 

…And as a result, I had successfully found a way out.

"That's why we can go outside! Now, I’m going to go get some supplies."

"...Princess Luxeria, please wait."

“What's that?”

“I'm going to help you get the supplies.”

“It's not a problem. If I cover my body with magic power, the materials will be light.”

Anyone with magical power can enhance their bodily functions by coating their body with magical power.

This means that they have more energy, are quick to move, and physically stronger.

“But…you only have two hands, Princess Luxuria. Even if you strengthen your body with magic, you can only carry so much.”

“...Hmm, that's true too. But I'm sure you will be busy cleaning…”

“I’m almost finished.”

“Then maybe I will accept your help.”

Then the two of us slipped out of the tower and brought in the wood.

Alicia was also able to bring it up in no time thanks to her magical powers.

“Well, let's get on with it then!"

“I'll do the cutting, okay? I don't want you to get hurt, Princess Luxuria."

"Don't worry. I've done it so many times in my dreams."

With that said, we got right to work.

"Dreams…surely this isn’t going to be the same pattern as cleaning… Princess Luxeria!"

And so I quickly began to make the shelf, with no regard for Alicia's attempt to restrain me.

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