Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Translator: Yonnee

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While thinking about how amazed Baron Bergen would also be in this situation, another question popped up in my mind.

“If Your Highness changed your clothes, what about the clothes you were wearing before?”

“They were taken away and burned.”

“……”

Something like burning, that sounded a bit extreme. No, they might have thought that I placed some kind of spell on his clothes. Baron Bergen had yet to abandon the suspicion that I was a witch.

After talking about it, I became starkly aware of Baron Bergen’s virtue and simultaneous suspicion toward me. But thanks to this, I felt less tense.

Finally, I unclasped the last button safely.

“Prince, I’m done unbuttoning your shirt.”

As I spoke with a proud expression, Albert narrowed his eyes and muttered.

“Then now it’s time for the next step.”

“…Next step?”

…Huh?

Yeah, okay. The moment I thought I finished one thing, there lay a bigger hardship ahead.

But, right away—

“Now, take off my shirt and have me change into a new one.”

It was time to change Albert into dry and soft clothes.

Unbuttoning his shirt seemed like nothing compared to this.

“Umm…”

I blanked out for a moment but subsequently pulled myself back together. The person in front of me is a patient. I’m just doing what I have to do.

The moment I realized that the eyes looking back at me were unfocused rather than how sharp they usually were, I came to my senses.

The cold sweat on his face bothered me.

Because of our sudden physical contact, I was thrown into confusion for a moment. But seeing him in his current condition anchored me back to reality.

I rose to my feet.

“Just a moment, Prince.”

Asking Albert for permission, I changed the water in the basin. I also brought two more towels next to the basin.

After preparing everything, I clenched my fist and took a deep breath. Then, I reached to grab the front of his unbuttoned shirt. A drop of sweat trickled down my neck and dropped to my fingers.

I gulped.

And he glanced up.

Lying still, Albert stared at me.

“Go ahead.”

Like a whispering spell, his voice was much too sweet.

As if he was trying to seduce me again.

As I held his shirt, my hand trembled for a moment. Albert’s gaze instantly narrowed.

Then, he leaned towards me, his face closer now.

When Albert breathed afterwards, I felt his hot breath on the back of my hand. In that strange atmosphere, I was barely able to hold back my gasp.

The corners of Albert’s lips went up slightly. It was a faint smile.

And he whispered in a low voice.

“I thought you weren’t nervous.”

What exactly did he expect from me? Wouldn’t it be weirder for someone <i>not</i> to get nervous in this kind of situation?

“Just what do you think of me, sire?”

With a languid expression, Albert answered.

“A loyal vassal who hides her inner thoughts and smiles insincerely.”

It felt like I was stabbed. I knew that the smile I reserved for Albert was a business smile, but I thought it wouldn’t matter…

“Even so, I like how you smile, Rosé.”

“……”

“I mean to say, I like how tactless you act.”

I had nothing to say to that.

Even when he was sick, he would still swoop in so suddenly. It felt like I was being subjected to a sneak attack. After that, I exhaled and schooled my features. As though nothing just happened.

As I looked at Albert, there was a light glare.

“…Your Highness is a genius in words. I could certainly fall victim to your bewitching words, sire.”

Albert furrowed his brows, the corners of his lips dropping.

“If you twist up my sincerity like that, Rosé, I’ll be very sad.”

To that, I asked with a serious expression.

“Why in the world would I not be nervous when you say things like that. Didn’t Your Highness intend for this to happen?”

Actually, it was more than he was teasing her, but Albert shrugged.

“Let’s just say it’s a half-truth.”

“What…”

The look in Albert’s eyes deepened as if he was recalling something.

The same was true of his voice.

“I thought you wouldn’t be nervous.”

He seemed to be recalling the old Rosé.

“Since you liked to touch me a lot from the moment we entered this tower.”

Rosé Artius before I possessed her body.

The novel started off with a narration of her evil deeds. And the scene that followed immediately after led to Albert brutally killing her.

I originally also thought she was a character who deserved to kick the bucket.

…But not anymore. And now I’m the one trying my best to clean up the crap that she left here.

Albert’s face leaned further into my hand. He stared at me as he muttered.

“Right now, you’ve changed to the extent that it feels as if you’re a different person.”

The way he said it was too heavy for it to be just brushed it off.

Hearing Albert’s words, I smiled.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

And I slipped my hand out from under Albert’s chin.

However, he continued to speak in his low voice and finally hit the final blow.

“No. You really might be someone else. But I don’t know how that could be possible.”

An awkward silence ensued.

“…Haha, what a funny joke, Prince. I guess I seem really different to you now.”

I dismissed it with a smile, but inwardly, I was sweating massively.

Did he notice? No, in the first place, was it even a common idea in this world to think that it’s possible for someone to possess another person’s body?

If so, then I really could be driven to the stake as a witch. And since I wasn’t even originally a person from this place, I wouldn’t ever be accepted as someone possessing someone’s body.

Because I’m a different existence from the get-go.

A thought came to me that this might be another one of Albert’s tests again.

It wasn’t easy for someone to come into possession of another person’s body, and it would be difficult to prove that I’m not Rosé.

I don’t even know where my own body is right now.

Confessing to me and accepting a fact like this were two entirely different stories. I couldn’t one hundred percent trust Albert because it hadn’t been long since we met.

…But if I get caught that I’m someone else, it’s also true that I’m curious about what would happen.

Will Albert be able to accept that I’m a person from another world?