Volume 6, Chapter 6 – The Fire Cat Maid

The Saint Alexia Festival.

Even though the sky was just barely bright, Blossom was already shrouded in a lively atmosphere.

Elves who had made a special trip from afar gathered in the vast plaza in front of the Royal Castle’s main gate. Nearby, merchants carrying wooden basins sold small trinkets and snacks. This was a once-a-year exception: nobles permitted commoners to be boisterous at the Royal Castle gate and on the noble streets, believing that the louder the noise, the more festive it was, rather than dispatching guards to drive the commoners away.

In a location slightly further from the noisy plaza, a large crowd also gathered. Although they, unlike the same-sex and infertile elves, would not be entering the Royal Castle, it did not stop them from observing from a distance.

Just like Christmas and the Spring Festival, the Saint Alexia Festival was a once-a-year opportunity for elves to reunite with their families. They had nothing to do during the day, and the guards would be handing out candy, so they flooded the streets, packing them so tightly that no water could leak through. It wasn’t just elves; there were also humans, beastmen, and other races.

It was like this outside the Royal Castle, and it wasn’t much better inside the castle, which was about to welcome a large influx of people. The Royal Guards on both sides of the road stood in strict formation, preventing people from climbing over the fences and rushing into places they shouldn’t. The magic casters under the Holy Tree, responsible for collecting its branches, flew nonstop between the Holy Tree’s canopy and the ground below. To collect ten thousand people’s worth of Holy Tree branches, even with the number of magic casters in the Silvar Kingdom, it would have to be done over several days. It could be said this was their busiest time of the year.

Compared to them, the royal family was in a much better situation. Take Fia, for example: she was still in bed sleeping. The time for people to enter the Royal Castle was 8:30 AM, and it wasn’t even 6:00 AM yet. She slept with a clear conscience.

However, it must be said that Fia was not busy because others were busy for her. For Nola, who had come to the Royal Castle as a maid, this was a tense and hectic preparation time.

Dressed in a black and white long maid’s dress, her well-proportioned legs wrapped in white over-the-knee socks, Nola was walking through the corridor. However, her demeanor was extremely strange compared to the other maids in front of and behind her. To make an analogy, it was like the gap between an apprentice learning etiquette and a seasoned maid. Her movements were not only non-standard, but she also lacked the calmness a maid should have. She was very stiff.

She couldn’t be blamed for this. As the Holy Son, she could never have imagined that she would one day be a maid for someone else. The white ruffled apron and the light skirt of the maid’s uniform made her extremely uncomfortable. The requirement to walk with her hands crossed in front of her waist was also difficult for Nola to adapt to.

More importantly, only after agreeing to Yulisha’s request yesterday did she learn that the person she was to serve was not Yulisha, but another high-ranking royal designated by Yulisha. This made her feel quite uneasy.

Aside from the King and the Queen Consorts, the Silvar Kingdom’s royalty consisted of Fia, the Second Prince of the elf kingdom, and that purple-haired elf, the Third Princess. Fia had Anastasia by her side, and Queen Yulisha was unlikely to have her serve another Queen Consort. That left the King and the Second Prince as the most likely possibilities.

If she hadn’t insisted on repaying Yulisha, she would have definitely turned around and left. Nola had no favorable impression of noble males. Not only was her family destroyed by a noble, but she had also spent most of her life in Cold Night and was the acting chief of the Fire Cat Tribe. She naturally knew what kind of creatures noble males were. Indecent acts like groping and pinching buttocks were just commonplace for these men.

The thought of having to face such a fate immediately made Nola feel uncertain. She couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t get angry enough to chop off the other party’s hand, even if it was the Elf King or a prince.

Her flame greatsword wasn’t by her side, making it hard for her to calm down.

Nola felt an inner prickliness. This was the Royal Castle; there was no way they would let her walk around carrying a greatsword. Although she understood this, the feeling of her God-Given Weapon not being at hand still made her restless.

I hope the nobles of the elf kingdom know what politeness is.

Realizing this, Nola suddenly remembered what Ying had told her. Back then, after returning to the Fire Cat Tribe’s city, Ying had teased Nola, telling her she had tried to seduce the Eldest Princess, but the Eldest Princess was completely unmoved and not cute at all. Ying had even praised the elven nobles for being more well-behaved than those in Cold Night. At the time, Nola had retorted exasperatedly, saying it was just feigned politeness. Now, however, she couldn’t help but hope that what Ying said was true.

“Stop.”

A stern voice from behind made Nola’s whole body jolt, and she stopped reflexively. The voice came from the maid named Colita, who was temporarily serving as her etiquette tutor. Although Colita was petite, her age was several times that of Nola’s. She was a strict senior. Even if she just stood there without saying a word, her expressionless face was enough to make Nola feel a deep sense of pressure.

Because she had been receiving Colita’s instruction since yesterday, Nola now felt like she was on pins and needles whenever she heard Colita’s stern voice, knowing she had made another mistake.

The entire line of maids stopped because of Colita’s voice. Under the gazes of the other maids, Nola stiffly turned around and lowered her head, waiting for the reprimand from Colita, who had her golden hair tied in a side ponytail.

“I have taught you countless times not to take such large steps. Why can’t you remember? If outsiders saw this, they would laugh at the royal family for having no taste, for not even being able to train their maids properly.”

“I am very sorry…”

The petite Colita crossed her arms, looking Nola up and down with a helpless expression.

“Hah. If Queen Yulisha hadn’t insisted, I would think you were more suited to helping maintain order. At least that way you wouldn’t embarrass Her Highness.”

“I’m sorry…”

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Normally, if anyone dared to speak to Nola this way, she would have flared up in anger. But now it is different. She was not the Holy Son; she was a maid of the Silvar Kingdom. She had promised Queen Yulisha, so she had to follow through.

It must be said, this had nothing to do with “not getting the grain if she didn’t agree.” Rather, Nola herself valued contracts. The reason she valued them originated from Claire. In the past, she had broken her promise to Claire and put her out of her mind. This incident was like a nail hammered deep into her heart, becoming a lingering shadow. Therefore, she would not break her promises to others again.

Nola’s submissive appearance made it difficult for Colita to stay angry. She waved her hand.

“Forget it. You’re new, so I’ll be more lenient. When you see Her Highness in a bit, remember to follow the etiquette I taught you. I don’t need you to do difficult things like helping Her Highness get dressed, but you can at least help with the towel and the basin, right?”

“Yes!”

Nola replied with a spirited voice.

“Quieter. Don’t disturb others.”

The other maids present covered their mouths and giggled. In their eyes, Nola was like a clumsy younger sister, and they held considerable affection for her.

“Yes…” An embarrassed blush appeared on Nola’s cheeks. She asked in a low voice, “May I ask… ‘Her Highness’ means… the master isn’t His Majesty the King?”

“His Majesty the King is served by male servants. No matter how good Queen Yulisha is to you, she wouldn’t place you by His Majesty’s side. Is there a problem?”

“No.”

The stone hanging in Nola’s heart dropped. Yulisha had promised her not to tell anyone else she was the Holy Son. If she was noticed by the King, it would be extremely awkward when she met the Elf King again as the Holy Son of Cold Night.

Since it’s not the King, it must be the Second Prince. Nola’s shoulders relaxed, and her tense expression eased. She had heard from the maids in the dormitory last night that the Second Prince was a man whose inside matched his outside, candid and magnanimous, possessing both a handsome appearance and decisive-action. He had never had an ambiguous entanglement with any woman and was the ‘White Horse Prince’ ¹ refer to a literal prince on a white horse, a metaphor for a hero or ideal partner, or in a specific song, a metaphor for drug use. It is most commonly understood as the “prince charming” figure, representing a heroic ideal of bravery, strength, and purity. In Chinese culture, “prince on a white horse” is the literal term for “prince charming”. in the hearts of many noble ladies. Plus, since the Second Prince was unlikely to become king and would probably be enfeoffed as a Royal Prince to guard the border, it shouldn’t cause any awkwardness in the future.

The more she thought this way, the more relaxed Nola felt. No wonder the mature maids following her looked so expectant when they left, constantly tidying their clothes in the mirror like lovesick maidens going on a date. If the other party was a prince admired by all, the maids’ actions were understandable.

It has nothing to do with me anyway. My heart is already filled with Claire—wait. The feelings I have for Claire… are they feelings for a lover? But we’re both women…

Abruptly, flames flickered on Nola’s beast ears. This made Colita take out a paper fan and “smack” Nola on the head.

“Don’t set your head ornament on fire! Let’s go!”

Nola’s cute reaction once again drew laughter from the maids, which in turn made the flames on her beast ears grow larger. She had no choice but to press her hands over her ears to keep the flames down, then, blushing, she stammered.

“Y-Yes!”

Amidst this interlude, the maids quickly moved from the carpeted corridor to their master’s door.

Although Colita had taken Nola on a tour of the huge palace late last night while everyone was asleep, Nola still couldn’t help but marvel at how the Silvar Kingdom’s royalty knew how to enjoy life. Such a large palace with over forty maids served only one master. Added to that were the magical creations, luxurious works of art, and splendid designs seen everywhere. This was a treatment one couldn’t even dream of in Cold Night.

Especially last night’s meal. It was embarrassing to say, but the food she ate as a maid here was more delicious than what she ate in her own territory as the Holy Son. All sorts of ingredients, usually so precious they were only seen on holidays, could be freely enjoyed here, as long as one could eat. She had eaten until her stomach was about to burst last night.

This had made her waver for a moment. If she stayed here for a while, would she miss the days of being a maid in the royal palace when she returned to Cold Night? The living environment, the clothes, the food… all were better than the Holy Son’s. She didn’t have to worry about being assassinated in the night, and she had companions who cared if her clothes fit or if her bed was soft enough. It was as if she had gained many older sisters overnight.

No… Nola, you can’t let this opulent life corrupt your mind. Your goal is to build your own territory to be like this…

While Nola was thinking this, Colita had already stepped forward with flawless movements and knocked gently on the door. Her voice held none of the sternness from when she was scolding Nola; instead, it was filled with a probing and careful tone. The difference in hierarchy was clear at a glance.

“Your Highness, may we please come in?”

No reply.

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She must still be sleeping. It’s too early; it’s hard for nobles to get up.

We just have to stand here and wait for the prince inside to wake up.

Before Nola’s thought could fade, Colita took out a key, opened the door, and went in. At the same time, the other maids also filed silently into the dark room.

Hey, isn’t it better to wait outside for him to wake up?

Thinking this, Nola’s feet followed the senior maids. Then, she held her breath. She did this because she understood that a room that had been sealed for too long would have a strange smell—that odd odor mixed with warmth and a day’s worth of stagnant air. It wasn’t a pleasant scent, especially for her, a cat-person with a keen sense of smell.

Unfortunately, there’s a limit to holding one’s breath. Standing in the dark room, she began to relax her body, breathing in, little by little. To her surprise, the scent that entered her nose was a fragrance mixed with incense and women’s clothing. The refreshing aroma made her can’t help but feel that this prince was too feminine; his room actually had such a girlish scent.

…Until she used the excellent night vision of the cat-folk to see the beautiful person lying peacefully on the bed.

Supple, jet-black hair fanned out on the white pillow. The facial features on her delicate face were as if meticulously carved by a goddess, without a single flaw. Any more or any less would have ruined this cold beauty. Her slightly trembling eyelashes added to her delicate and moving charm, inspiring a feeling of pity and love. She was so beautiful it made one’s breath catch for a moment.

—An ordinary person would think this, but Nola would not.

Her attention was entirely on this girl’s identity.

Dofilia Alexia Yushir.

As if struck by lightning, Nola froze on the spot.

Come to think of it, Queen Yulisha never actually said who she would be serving. She hadn’t even asked the senior maids, her energy all focused on learning etiquette… But even so, even so! The master she had to serve was this bastard?!

Admittedly, Dofilia was very beautiful, the kind of beauty that made one feel favorable towards her at first glance. But to have her be her servant, to be ordered around by her… wasn’t this deliberately making a fool of her?

Could it be that the “person who wanted to help her” that Queen Yulisha mentioned was actually Fia? And because she kept insisting on repaying Queen Yulisha, the Queen had no choice but to push her onto Fia, to complete the “true” repayment?

If that was the case, the coincidence was just too bizarre.

The moment she thought of Claire seeing her in a maid’s uniform, acting obediently in front of Fia, Nola’s mind descended into chaos. A wave of nausea rolled in her stomach. Her own momentary stubbornness had actually led to such a consequence. She had truly brought this trouble upon herself, and she couldn’t even blame anyone else.

She could already picture Fia’s insufferable expression as she woke up and teased her; Fia approaching her with a malicious grin while she didn’t dare to resist, stroking and pinching her here and there, making her wear flimsy clothes and crawl on the ground like a cat, forcing her to add a “meow” to the end of her sentences. Fia might even put delicious liquid food in a cat bowl and command her to eat by licking it up. She had seen the depraved tastes of some nobles in Cold Night, who deliberately used such methods to humiliate their maids, forcing them to submit to their masters from the bottom of their hearts.

Even if it wasn’t that, there would surely be harsh treatment, such as ordering the other maids not to help her, deliberately giving her difficult tasks to torment her, and then punishing her with perverted whippings or water torture.

Tsk.

And she had delivered herself right to the doorstep. She couldn’t even blame Fia for setting a trap.

Humiliation! This is humiliation!

“What’s wrong?” Colita frowned and whispered, noticing Nola’s low whimpers and sobs. “Don’t disturb Her Highness’s rest.”

“Lady Colita, the… the master we’re serving is this bast… is the Eldest Princess?”

“Of course. Today is the day Her Highness and Lady Claire will be distributing the Holy Tree branches to the populace. In a moment, we will be helping Her Highness change into the formal attire she doesn’t normally wear.”

“Ugh…”

Just as Nola was about to say something, Fia, on the bed, let out a low groan, having heard the conversation. She slowly opened her eyes. Her ruby-like eyes were so magnificent they instantly captured everyone’s attention.

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“Ah… Colita? Is it time?”

Her voice was sluggish, full of drowsiness.

Colita and the other maids immediately knelt on one knee in trepidation. Nola wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but she felt Colita seemed to be under immense pressure; even her forehead was beaded with sweat.

“We are terribly sorry for disturbing your rest! There is still some time before the ceremony. Your Highness can… can rest a little longer!”

Even though this girl is strong, her attitude towards people isn’t bad. Does Colita need to be this panicked?

While thinking this, Nola mimicked Colita and the others, kneeling on one knee. At the same time, she kept her head as low as possible to avoid being recognized by Fia.

Fia let out a big yawn and slowly sat up in bed.

“It’s fine. It’s good to get up early. Good morning, Colita. Let’s start getting dressed.”

“Thank you for your forgiveness, Your Highness.”

Without needing Colita’s prompting, all the maids stood up in unison, as if they had been trained for a long time. Each busied herself with her own tasks: opening the curtains, turning on the room’s lights, helping Fia select her clothes, and tidying the bed. Against this backdrop, Nola, with her clumsy movements and the cat ears on her head, immediately became an extremely conspicuous presence in Fia’s eyes.

Fia first thought she was seeing the back wrong, so she rubbed her eyes. Then she looked again. It wasn’t until she felt this back was incomparably familiar, no matter how she looked at it, that she sat on the edge of the bed, her voice full of hesitation as she pointed at Nola.

“You’re… new? A beastman? And from the Fire Cat Tribe?”

It can’t be that Mother Yulisha heard someone was trying to steal Claire from me, so she specially found a Fire Cat Tribe girl who looks similar to Nola for me to vent on, right? I’m not that petty.

Nola’s whole body stiffened instantly. She didn’t dare to turn around, but the maids were all looking at her. Colita, especially, was already poking her in the back and urging her.

“Her Highness is calling you.”

“Urk.”

Like a rusted machine, or a wind-up doll that hadn’t been wound, Nola turned around with extreme stiffness, her movements almost seeming to make a “creak, creak” sound. But even after turning around, she kept her head stubbornly lowered, refusing to let Fia see her face. She simply had no face to show anyone.

“Raise your head. Let me see your face.”

You bastard…

Nola couldn’t help but grab an imaginary Fia by the collar in her mind.

“Her Highness told you to raise your head. Didn’t you hear?”

Of course I heard!

Seeing Nola still not reacting, Colita simply pinched the soft flesh on Nola’s waist. This action made Nola jolt like a startled cat, her head snapping up reflexively.

And then, her gaze met Fia’s.

Though it was just their eyes meeting, a sound like sharp fingernails scratching a blackboard filled the room. Both Fia and Nola held their breath, their expressions frozen.

Although I don’t know why Nola is in my room, I have to say, she looks pretty good in a maid’s uniform.

The evaluation popped into her head, and Fia withdrew her gaze. She pretended not to know Nola, stood up, and waved her hand with a blank expression.

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“You all leave. She stays.”

“Yes.”

Without any objection, Colita led the other maids, their faces full of envy, out of the room. No one noticed the sly expression on Colita’s face as she closed the door. As an intelligence officer for Twilight Flower, she had long known Nola’s identity, including the fact that Yulisha had proposed this arrangement to improve the relationship between the two of them. All of this was intelligence that Twilight Flower had already grasped.

The splendid bedroom, now dead silent, was left with only Fia and Nola. Nola, awaiting her fate, subconsciously averted her gaze, her tail clamped tightly between her legs, and her back beaded with sweat. Fia, on the other hand, stood up without a word. She then stood on her tiptoes and, with an intrigued expression, pinched Nola’s fiery red cat ears. They were a bit harder than Tilulu’s, but still felt nice.

“I didn’t know you had a hobby of being a maid. Sneaking into my room… could it be that you’ve fallen for me because I saved your life? If you want to repay my kindness, I suggest another method. My heart is already completely filled with Claire.”

“You bastard…”

Nola gritted her teeth. If looks could kill, Fia’s danger sense would have already been triggered. But because of her status as a maid, she remained standing in place.

Fia’s brows furrowed for a moment, and then she tilted her head in confusion.

“Looking at you, could it be you were forced?”

“Isn’t that obvious? Since I was the one who agreed to Queen Yulisha’s request, I will see it through to the end. Kill me or torture me, as you please. If you want to make things difficult or punish me, just go ahead.”

After saying this, Nola closed her eyes, but her slightly trembling cat ears betrayed the fact that she was terrified.

“Agreed to Mother Yulisha?”

Fia’s expression became even more subtle. She began to wonder what exactly had happened. Connecting this to Nola’s purpose in coming to Blossom… could it be that Mother Yulisha heard my story, thought Nola was a bad person, and deliberately set this up so I could ‘discipline’ her?

Although it was an action that fit Mother Yulisha’s personality, Fia didn’t have that kind of depraved taste. Nola was, in any case, living under someone else’s roof. Fia couldn’t hurt her pride, let alone use threats to coerce her.

Thinking of this, Fia glanced at Nola again. The latter’s cat ears were drooping, and her eyelashes were trembling slightly from fear. She looked like a pitiful, rain-drenched cat.

“Although I don’t know the specifics of the deal, I understand you’re not here to be a maid from the heart. Take off these clothes. Honestly, having you stand in front of me dressed like this gives me goosebumps.”

“Guu…”

Seemingly feeling ashamed, Nola, her eyes still closed, tremblingly reached for the bow on her back and, right in front of Fia, began to rustle out of her clothes.

Fia hurriedly stepped forward to stop her.

“Hey! I told you to take off your clothes, not to sell your body! I’ll go out first, then you can change.”

“What… what exactly do you want?”

Nola gritted her teeth and glared at Fia, all calmness gone from her purple vertical pupils.

She’s so nervous she can’t even think straight.

After all, she’s a bit of a blockhead to begin with, her brain isn’t that sharp. Now that she’s in such an awkward and mortifying situation, it’s not impossible for her brain to have short-circuited.

Fia simply waved her hand and, still in her nightgown, walked toward the door.

“You change your clothes first and calm down. I’ll come back in five minutes. That’s it.”

As her voice fell, Fia shut the door with a click. The movement of the air sent a refreshing breeze across Nola’s face. Along with the now-silent room, her scorching nerves gradually cooled.