She continued,
“I apologize, but there are few nuns and even fewer skilled maids here. It would be best if I could attend to you personally, but unfortunately, I am scheduled to make a pilgrimage on the sabbath in a few days.”
Wait, this elderly nun was going to attend to me?
‘𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺…!’
I thought it was a blessing in disguise that she was going on a pilgrimage soon, so I quickly replied.
“My brother came to the monastery to heal the wounds he sustained in the war. It wouldn’t be right to inconvenience you further. Anyone will do, so please assign a maid to run errands for us.”
Melotz, the nun who introduced herself, explained with a touch of embarrassment,
“This is a remote countryside, so there aren’t many who know the ways of the palace. I worry that they may cause offense…….”
No, this situation was an opportunity.
‘𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥.’
I approached her and gently took her hand.
“Nun Melotz.”
“Speak freely, Your Highness.”
Her wrinkled hand felt rough against my soft fingertips.
I rummaged through my memories for a suitable response.
“If luck had been less kind, I might have found myself seeking refuge in a monastery as well.”
In the history I had studied and the romance novels I had read, many noblewomen entered monasteries or were sent away like burdens.
“If it wouldn’t be an inconvenience, I would like to hear about life in the monastery from a maid my age. Of course, only if it wouldn’t be a bother.”
Nun Melotz let out a small sigh.
“Since you put it that way, how can I refuse? I will send you a bright young woman, though she may be inexperienced. However, if you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to seek me out. I will assist you wholeheartedly until my departure.”
🔹🔹🔹
While Phoebe was briefly organizing the luggage, I anxiously awaited the maid.
‘𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦…….’
If the nun, Mellotz was right, there wouldn’t be many maids my age here.
However, that didn’t necessarily mean Helena would be the one.
As my anticipation grew, the wait felt longer.
―Knock. Knock.
Finally, a knock sounded, and the door opened.
‘𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘹𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘹𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳…….’
I stared blankly at the slowly opening door.
I thought I was hallucinating from imagining it so persistently.
‘𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘹𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴…….’
In the open doorway stood the heroine, wearing a shabby maid’s uniform but looking so fresh and lovely.
‘𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳.’
As the creator, I could be sure.
It was definitely Helena.
Her flaxen hair looked a little dry from lack of care, but Lurick would later cherish and love it, comparing it to a field in autumn.
And those emerald eyes were definitely those of the only woman in this land who could calm Lurick during his rampages.
“Y, Your Highness…”
Ever since I became Louise, I had been waiting to meet her, but deep down, I had prepared myself for the possibility of missing her and having to search for her.
Helena bowed her head before me as I stood there, lost in thought.
“I am Helena Garnier.”
Helena in the novel was younger than me.
With an innocence and awkwardness befitting her age, the female protagonist introduced herself.
“I will do my best to serve you during your stay. Please treat me well……”
Before Helena could even finish her sentence, I embraced her in a hug.
“It’s nice to meet you, Helena.”
It’s really, really, really nice to meet you.
“I am Louise, the third princess of the Brentania Empire.”
Helena gasped for breath in my arms, and Phoebe, who was standing next to me, did the same.
“Your Highness, please maintain your dignity……”
Dignity, my foot!
‘𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘢 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴…!’
But I couldn’t say that out loud, so I reluctantly released Helena and introduced myself again, clearly and precisely.
“My name is Louise Amélie Kaya Brentania. I have come here with my brother, Prince Lurick, for his recovery.”
Lurick Cideric Friesland Brentania, that is.
‘𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵?’