Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince - Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Translator: Yonnee
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“…But can I really carry this?”
I stared at the pouch on the ground, my stomach slightly feeling tense. There were so many things inside. I don’t know if I can lift it.
“Trust in magic.”
Hearing Albert’s words, I picked up the pouch.
As he said, the pouch was as light as when it was empty.
“Then let’s go, Rosé.”
He offered a hand to me. With his vassals behind him, the face that stared at me was as dazzling as the sun.
Looking at him again, my earlier appreciation seemed to be useless.
No one can surpass him.
No one can replace him.
As though completely entranced, I raised a hand. When I felt the warmth of his hand, that was the moment that I came back to my senses.
As soon as I tried to pull out my hand, Albert held my wrist lightly and whispered.
“I guess my technique worked again this time.”
I was helpless against Albert. He knew his strengths and knew how to use them properly.
Somehow, the grin on his lips began to look cheeky, as though he already knew how I was going to react.
So, with a smile, I also added.
“And this time as well, it’s only my body that submits to you.”
The wording was weird, but this petty revenge was all I could do against Albert.
Albert narrowed his eyes, but there was a glint behind his gaze.
“Then between body and mind, we’re already halfway there.”
…In the first place, this was an argument I’d never be able to win.
I averted my gaze and instead hugged Blanc, who jumped up into my arms, tighter in my embrace.
* * *
Having left the duke’s residence with the pouch, Albert and I returned to the forest near the tower through the use of his magic.
We walked in the air again from the forest and back to the attic of the tower. When I looked around my quiet attic room, there were no signs of anyone else there, only my own traces left behind. It was a quiet room that had barely anything.
It felt like a dream.
Going outside was like a dream that was far beyond reality. And now that I’m back here, I’m just left with disappointment and frustration.
…I’ll have to overcome this until the day we can go out again.
With this resolution, I carefully set down the sleeping Blanc in my arms.
“Blanc, you should go to bed now.”
“Mmhhh…”
Still half-asleep, he began to go towards his bed slowly.
It’s really time for bed now. I turned my gaze towards Albert.
“Prince, you should also go and rest now…”
But at that moment, Albert, who was just standing next to me, suddenly collapsed and was now sitting on the ground. Staring in disbelief, I asked.
“…Prince?”
Something’s weird.
His breaths were particularly drawn out and rough. With a low voice, Albert replied to me without even looking up.
“I’m fine. You should rest now, Rosé.”
“I don’t think you’re fine.”
Albert wouldn’t have sat down without a reason.
So when I placed a hand on his forehead, I was surprised.
“Prince, when did this start?”
His forehead was exceedingly hot with a burning fever. I hurriedly examined Albert’s face.
Come to think of it, his face was redder than usual.
“The reason why Your Highness wanted to come back quickly…”
“Do I look that bad to you?”
Albert smiled faintly.
It was amazing that he didn’t seem to realize so far, but he did look like he was sick.
Much more than when I saw Liam earlier.
Now I can understand why Albert was being stubborn about going back right away. He knew he was going to be sick, but he didn’t want his vassals to know.
That’s why we returned in a hurry.
I reflected on myself. I’ve been serving Albert for a while now, but how incompetent of a maid was I that I didn’t even notice his condition.
I vowed that I would be loyal to only Albert, but the moment I got swept up by the excitement of going outside for the first time in a long while, I didn’t even look after the person who actually allowed this trip outside to happen.
Regrets flooded in.
I placed a hand over Albert’s forehead and placed my other hand on my own forehead, comparing our temperatures. Compared to mine, his skin felt so hot that it was like he was on fire.
It wouldn’t have been easy to even stay conscious in this condition. How did he manage to hide it?
His appearance and behavior were no different than how he was normally.
Albert let out a short exhale with his eyes closed.
It seemed like he’d been keeping it together with sheer willpower until we got back here. Blanc ran back towards me and stared at Albert.
“Whaaat’s going ooonnn…?”
“His Highness is sick.”
Blanc’s eyes grew wide the moment he heard the word ‘sick’. Faltering back, Blanc covered his lips with his front paws.
“Then he’s going to diiie…?”
“No, he’s not going to die!”
I cut him off right away, but at this, Blanc just gave a sad expression.
“Buuut if someone’s siick, don’t they diiie…?”
Hearing this from Blanc, I was reminded of what Albert told me before regarding dragon fledglings, about the excruciating ordeal that he would go through to become an adult. Most fledglings couldn’t survive beyond this suffering.
That was the world that Blanc has seen so far.
I embraced Blanc in my arms. This squirming creature was too tiny. To the point that I can’t believe how such a small thing was destined to become a great, giant dragon who would be several times bigger than humans later on.
With conviction, I replied to him.
“No one’s dying.”
Blinking, Blanc stared back at me while slowly closing his mouth. As though he couldn’t believe my words.
It seemed like the thought that one would die after just getting sick was something too deeply ingrained in his mind.
With a firm tone, I spoke again.
“I’ll show you that even if someone’s sick, they won’t die.”
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