Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Liam hurriedly continued speaking after Albert had gone silent.

[ And Your Highness, you always say you're alright, but you don't have to hide it. ]

Liam felt that Albert's situation was regrettable, even if he always said that he's fine.

[ Please be patient. I'll do my best to get rid of that maid as soon as Your Highness breaks free of the tower… ]

Liam continued with zeal, but he trailed off as he noticed that there was something amiss when Albert narrowed his eyes.

[ …Your Highness? Did I say something wrong…? ]

Had he been too presumptuous? Liam felt restless.

Albert leaned back on his chair.

His expression was different now whenever Rosé was mentioned. He had a cold smile, but the corner of his lips that went up felt menacing.

“Liam, I know you care about my well-being. But don't mind Rosé in the future.”

[ …You mean the maid, sire? ]

“Yes.”

Lost in thought, Albert raised his half-lidded eyes. His voice was lower.

“Far from what you think, that person…”

Albert recalled the way Rosé laughed. Just like a dear reminiscence of a memory.

“…is different.”

[ Pardon? ]

Liam wanted to ask more, but Albert didn't continue.

“Let's end the call here.”

His tone remained kind, but Liam knew all too well that Albert had drawn a line here—one that he couldn't cross.

There were many things that he was curious about, but he couldn't go against his Lord's order. Especially since it's Albert.

Liam bowed his head.

[ I understand, sire. ]

After the call with Liam, Albert lay in his bed. He needed to get up on time the next day.

People said that a regular daily life was dull.

But Albert, who was far from ordinary, felt that he had come alive these days.

The daily life that he thought would be frustrating was changing because of one person.

It was a change that he never thought would happen in his life.

He didn't know how this external change would change him internally, but for once, he wanted to let it be.

After eating chicken happily, I shook my head when I caught myself worrying about Albert.

The prince's work was something I wouldn't be able to solve, so it was better not to pay attention.

“Then should I make a plan for Blanc?”

Taking out a piece of paper and a pen, I sat down and spread the paper on the floor.

“Hm…”

I wrote down the ways that Blanc could safely become an adult dragon.

The way he ate was similar to humans, so maybe the way he built physical strength and became stronger was similar to how humans did it.

Once we get out of this tower, I can get my hands on more information about this. The only books that were in here were fairy tales and a few other books.

Naturally, there was nothing about dragons in them.

So I decided to compare Blanc's constitution with a human's.

I'll have to make Blanc exercise so that he can build some muscle. But after thinking this, there were a few difficulties to make this happen.

All I knew was some home training exercises and breathing exercises.

After mulling over it, I realized that there was someone else perfect for this.

The person with the best body I knew.

Albert Grey!

When exercising, he trained his body so systematically, and it seemed like he knew quite a lot of training methods that I didn't know.

It was clear that Albert would be the best teacher for Blanc.

…But the problem was that it's unlikely that Albert would agree to take charge of Blanc.

And would it make sense for a maid to ask a prince to develop a dragon fledgling's strength?

“What should I do?”

I clutched my hair and groaned, but I decided to talk to Albert first. Of course, during his training time.

I placed the paper and pen to the side and went to bed right away. I'd have to wake up early after all.

Barely waking up at dawn, I rubbed my drowsy eyes.

After changing clothes with my eyes half-closed, I yawned loudly as if my jaw was about to fall out.

“Haaahm…”

It was hard to wake up early. It felt like my body hadn't woken up yet.

“…It's a shame that there's no coffee at a time like this.”

Even while I'm dazed, it's true that I successfully woke up, but experiencing this made me desperately crave a cup of coffee.

Like a turtle, I went down the attic ladder.

With my still drowsy eyes, I made eye contact with Albert, who was absorbed in his morning training. His shirt was off.

Why hello perfectly sculpted muscles.

He was practically ready for a photoshoot now.

…Did body fat even exist in his body?

After gulping dryly, I slowly raised my gaze.

Albert wiped his face with a towel around his neck, then he asked.

“Why are you up so early, Rosé?”

“I'm going to make Blanc exercise, Prince.”

Hearing my words, Albert's eyebrows met at the center.

“…You?”

With a determined expression, I nodded.

“Yes. It will be the first round of Blanc's 'Dragon Evolution Project'. It's to build his stamina.”

“Hmm, stamina…”

“But I don't know a lot of exercises, so I'd like to ask a favor from Your Highness…”

I cautiously brought up the main topic and tried to gauge Albert's reaction. His expression was full of disappointment.

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“It looks like this maid trying to shuck off the dragon fledgling onto the prince so that she could run away from responsibility.”

“Rosé, I didn't know you're such a heartless owner.”

Albert used 'fact'! It's super effective!

What should I say… How could I convince Albert to do this?

But as I was thinking hard, Albert suggested something first.

“How about this, Rosé.”

And I hung onto it right away.

“Yes! What is it, Your Highness!”

“You should work out together with him.”

“…Me as well?”

Ah… did I fall into Albert's trap?

I slowly took a step back.

What are you saying to someone like me, who regards breathing as enough of an exercise all my life? You must be the devil.

Crossing his arms, Albert continued to stare at me.

“If you work out with him, I'll help your fledgling.”

“…Prince, you can just lessen the land you'll bestow upon me, so please do me this favor and…”

My desire to avoid exercise was desperate, to the point that I would even reduce my much coveted land.

“Rejected. Then let's just pretend this conversation never happened.”

“Oh my, Prince, do you know how much I just love working out? Wow, I really want to do it. I'm alive only for this moment.”

Albert relentlessly attacked and so I eventually whited out. In the end, I decided to get up at an ungodly hour in the morning every weekday to work out together with him in his room.

What is this? It's like I've gone back to work. It was so hard to wake up at 8 o'clock in the morning.

“Then let's start today.”

“No! Uh, I'll start tomorrow. Prince, please work out with only Blanc today! I love you!”

After shouting this and immediately fleeing to the kitchen, I breathed out a sigh of relief.

This will be a problem for tomorrow's me. I express my condolences to you, future me.

“Ah wait, I said 'I love you'.”

I was only kidding, but I've been careful about those kinds of jokes in front of Albert. It slipped out without me realizing it.

It seemed like I'd become comfortable around Albert to that extent.

It was like the affection you'd have for your neighbor's kid who was the ideal son, perfect at everything. But in this case, the neighbor's kid was a high-ranking nobleman who could kill people…?!

Then, this means that it was best to keep proper distance.

I shrugged.

“He wouldn't think much of it anyway.”

How could there be only one or two people who'd say 'I love you' to someone like Albert? Those words would be as natural as 'how do you do' to him.

Thinking like this made me feel more comfortable.

Still, I should pay special attention to the stuff I say while half-asleep in the morning. Words were seeds. I really have to be careful.

After making a determined vow, I headed to the pantry to bring out the ingredients needed for breakfast.

For breakfast, I made some egg over rice and seasoned it with soy sauce.

This was the result of having spent so much time and effort on the chicken yesterday. I was too lazy for anything too taxing now.

For lunch, I grilled some meat and made french fries again with the leftover oil yesterday.

I really liked it because the meat was delicious after only grilling it.

And for dinner, I made a simple egg fried rice. While cooking, I appreciated the existence of eggs several times.

My motto was to cook only one delicious thing a day, but yesterday's chicken was an exception.

After dinner, I stared at Albert for a moment as he was entirely focused on his research today as well.

…Then I lay back on his bed.

No matter how much I say I'm alright with a futon, it's true that sleeping on a hard floor made me miss a bed.

That's why I asked if I could lay down on Albert's bed today before cutting his hair.

Actually, I thought that he wouldn't allow it, but he only replied, 'I knew it'.

I didn't go inside the blanket, just on top of the sheets.

“Wow, it's soft.”

It was just the right amount of soft, perhaps because Rosé ordered a good one.

Ah, I should have used it for just a few days at least. I blamed myself for going up the attic as soon as I signed the contract with Albert.

“Is it nice?”

Wrapping up his work, Albert removed his monocle and spoke.

I rolled over the bed once, then I nodded.

“Maybe this is why people prefer beds.”

“Then why did you say you like sleeping on the floor?”

That was also true, so I immediately accepted it. I like both.

“The floor isn't bad either. Have you finished your work, Prince?”

“Yes. Are you ready?”

I took in a deep breath and sat up from the bed.

“…I am, in fact, not ready. But I'll lie for you, Prince, and say that I am.”

“Didn't I say that it doesn't matter if you mess up?”

Albert got up from his seat and moved his chair to a place near the small trash can.

Sitting down, he glanced at me and beckoned me over with one finger. Every gesture of his was filled with poise and elegance.

“Come here.”

In a way, I didn't know that something that could be romantic… could also sound so scary.

“Prince, in my report this week, I'll say that you've been bound to the point that you could only use one finger.”

I crawled out of bed and whined.

This was a small revenge, I guess, to imagine that I've tortured Albert in my written report to the king.

Albert raised his eyebrows, smirking.

“Do whatever you want. The king would love to read about it.”

But it didn't affect Albert at all.

Finally, the time for my worries had come.

My heart pounded heavily as though I was up for a job interview.

I took in a deep breath and gulped.

Chapter end