Life as a Tower Maid: Locked up with the Prince Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I smiled brightly then spoke.

“I'm dazzled by your beauty.”

It would be ridiculous to rationalize in this way if it was any other person, but it's Albert we're talking about here.

He'd be able to understand that there were just some people who were weak to that face of his.

“It's amazing that this turn-around happened in just a day. And you were absent for half of that time.”

Albert replied sardonically. This brief moment of hysteria was all for the sake of the contract. But it was suspicious for a maid to suddenly gain knowledge about contracts after a day.

And Albert deserved to be angry at the fact that he's being controlled by a maid all this time.

With a determined expression, I continued.

“I'm in my right mind now, please don't worry.”

“In your right mind…”

What, do you think I've gone crazier now…?

I laughed nervously, ignoring his stinging gaze. It's always better to just smile when you're in trouble.

Seeming as if he thought he wouldn't be able to get anything else out of me even if he asked, Albert sighed and tilted his head to the side.

“It's impossible for me to use magic now. I'll have to take a closer look at the wand.”

“Then do you acknowledge the contract's terms?”

I will, at least.

“If I could trust you, then I would.”

His eyes were cold. At that, goosebumps ran through my body. It felt like I was watching a horror movie unfolding.

But I can't get scared here. I quickly gathered my wits about me.

Client.

Albert, who was in front of me now, was a client I'll have to win over so that he'll sign the contract.

This was one more thing I had to keep in mind.

On the surface, it seemed like we were on even grounds because of the contract, but Albert had the upper hand because I needed him to sign it first.

I mean, sure, I'll bend over for him, but I won't forget what I'm standing up for. This contract would be beneficial to both sides, so I needed to do what I had to do first.

I stared straight into his eyes.

“Your Highness. I've shown you all the cards I have. I've drafted a contract, moved to another room, and even kissed you to clear your suspicions.”

If he still didn't believe me, then it's his loss.

“Did I threaten or beg you for it? I want you to know that we're on equal grounds under this contract.”

“Equal grounds.”

Albert smirked and raised his brows. A slight shadow dawned on his features.

Well, maybe he didn't like the idea of being equals with a maid. But I cleared my throat and explained.

“Of course, this will only be applied while we're inside the tower. The reason why I said this in the first place is because I don't want Your Highness to misunderstand that I might be using you.”

“So you're saying all your actions are in accordance with the contract?”

“Yes. I'm willing to fulfill my part in the contract faithfully. That is, if Your Highness respects my terms as well.”

There were three clauses that I included for my own sake.

First, that my life would be guaranteed after we leave the tower.

Second, that I'd be given enough money to live in comfort so I won't need to rely on other people.

And lastly…

As long as I won't touch him, then Albert shouldn't touch me without my consent either.

“I believe that Your Highness can fulfill all these conditions.”

“I agree, I believe I will.”

Albert paused, then he stared at me with one eyebrow slightly raised.

“But you, Rosé. I don't believe in you. What would happen if you fail to uphold these terms?”

I didn't think that he'd believe me right away, so I prepared a countermeasure.

I was confident that I wouldn't break any terms. That's why my answer was simple.

“I will pay with my life.”

“Your life?”

“Yes, my life. If we'll be walking this path together, shouldn't we do it right?”

“Do you mean it, Rosé?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I've been sincere this whole time.”

Albert smiled as if he was having fun.

“Rosé, get me a pen.”

“Yes.”

He ordered me around so naturally. I handed over a pen with the sincere heart of a subordinate towards her boss.

Why make a fuss when the client's about to sign the contract?

He stared at me while holding the pen in one hand.

“You won't regret this?”

“Why do you think I'll regret it?”

“Because you like me a lot.”

“Ahaha. In the face of death, all worldly desires are lost, sire.”

I spoke seriously.

He signed his name on the paper.

Then, I signed my own next to his name.

The signing went by so fast that I don't think LTE networks would be able to keep up.

With both names side by side, the contract looked so lovely.

I gave him the other copy and looked at my own copy with a happy face.

Now, I was on track towards a full life until I grew old and wrinkly. Wherever I am, I just take from the bowl given to me.

Holding the contract with both hands, I bowed to Albert and spoke with a loud voice.

“Then, I'll be in your care for the rest of our time here in the tower, Your Highness. I'll make sure you won't regret this.”

“I look forward to your cooperation, Rosé.”

Albert bowed as well, gracefully. Ah, it was like CG effects were added all of a sudden. I could see a halo forming over his head.

So blinding! I gaped at him for a moment, then I came to my senses and solemnly said—

“I'll bring this up to my room then.”

“I'll keep mine as well.”

I climbed the ladder to enter the attic and placed the contract inside a desk drawer.

Life Lotto—secured successfully.

Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks

Albert was no longer a person who's a threat to my life. He was now a client I'll have to be nice to from now on.

And with this, Albert can try getting out of this tower faster.

However, no matter how much of a genius he was, it might take some time to escape from the tower because he couldn't use his magic properly here.

Now, it's just like we're roommates.

I remember living with a roommate before I found my own place. We had quite a difficult time living together because our lifestyles were so different from each other.

That's why I'll need to know Albert's tastes first.

People who didn't get along with each other would make terrible roommates.

Even if I couldn't match him perfectly, it's better if I lessened the possibility of tension rising. As long as I wouldn't step on his toes, then he wouldn't step on mine.

And the most important thing to consider when it comes to having a roommate is…

Going back downstairs, I stood in front of Albert with a grim face.

Albert, who was currently reading a book, raised his head and narrowed his eyes, expressing that he didn't want to be disturbed at the moment.

“What is it?”

I put my hands together and smiled politely.

“Your Highness. There's something we need to talk about right this moment.”

“And that is?”

“What do you like?”

“Pardon?”

“Food.”

The only right motto in life is 'live to eat.'

“I would like to know if you like spicy, sweet, or salty food, Your Highness.”

As for me, it's spicy and salty all the way!

The reason I could talk about spicy and salty food here was because the worldbuilding in the novel wasn't a perfect medieval world, but a fantasy-fusion that existed in the author's mind.

Albert Grey, the lonely and prideful king who was once locked up in a tower as ordered by the previous king.

In other words—and in my own interpretation of the author's writing—Albert was like a wounded beast. There was no one in the world who could soothe his mental scars and heal his trauma. Everyone just focused on his outward appearance.

And his dazzling appearance became like poison to him.

”There's no woman who can understand me…!”

Such was the fate of Albert Grey, who was likely to die a celibate throughout his entire life due to his chuunibyou mindset.

But enter the stage—interdimensional traveler, Seo Ina!

After coming from modern day South Korea and travelling to another dimension, Seo Ina realized at once that despite the setting being like the Middle Ages, strangely enough, Eastern ingredients existed in this world.

The original story's goal was catharsis! No need to think about it so hard! Therefore, the author intentionally messed with the worldbuilding and put in a mishmash of things.

Thanks to this, Korean ingredients such as red pepper powder, red pepper paste, and soybean paste were abundant over here.

One thing to note though, the ingredients weren't popular. In fact, there were many people who didn't even know how to use these ingredients.

No one knew the difference between red pepper paste and red pepper powder.

I didn't understand what was happening in the novel when this part was mentioned, but the plot was interesting enough so I just didn't think about it and kept reading.

Seo Ina took full advantage of being a Korean through and through. She captivated people through their stomachs by making delicious food like fried chicken, tteokbokki, samgyupsal, and so on.

And all the people who got to taste her food fell in love with her charms. She came here to conquer the world with Korean food!

Eventually, Albert came to meet Seo Ina… and that was the gist of the webnovel I read back then.

I didn't know what happened after that, but I'm sure those two hit it off.

I wish I had read it all. But then again, sleep was more important because I needed to go to work the next day.

If I knew I'd die in vain the next day and be reincarnated inside this novel, then I would have read more. But I had no way of knowing that.

In any case, the novel strangely overlapped with my experience as a new hire in the marketing team.

This was because I had two bosses.

The boss who I regularly report to, King Impotent, and Prince Albert.

I opened the lone window of the tower and looked outside. I made eye contact with the soldiers standing guard outside, then I waved at them.

The tower was surrounded by soldiers. They were guarding the tower in shifts, and they also hand over supplies to me once a week.

The usual routine was that I receive the supplies, then send in my report of all the torturing I've done to Albert.

This week's report had already been written by Rosé, so I didn't have to make something up. I had that going for me at least.

Holding the report in my hand, I opened the tower's main door. The door could only be opened every Monday at 8 A.M. on the dot.

I schooled my features into a serious expression as I faced the soldiers. A serious face was necessary so they'd believe me.

These were men who worked for that impotent guy, but they weren't considered lackeys because they were only following orders.

And currently, I was trying to persuade them.

“I want to torture the Prince more. I need everything that's written down here.”

“…Why the hell do you need food to torture him?”

“Surely, it's not enough to just torture him through the wand, hm? Food, clothing, and shelter are the very basic elements of a human being's life after all.”

The soldiers nodded in agreement.

Then, I put on a ferocious look. After reading dozens of Romance Fantasy books where villainesses appeared, I tried to do my best to impersonate one.

“I'm going to starve the Prince and give him spicy food to mess up his stomach. Just leave it to me…!”

I have to look as evil as I can! I glared at them and cackled.

“So, get me everything on this list.”

“W-We will try.”

The soldiers were, fortunately, wimps.

Well, ingredients weren't significant enough to write a report about and let the king know, so the soldiers were willing to listen to me.

The soldiers rushed back with my report with them, and I licked my lips.

What I wrote down were ingredients for tteokbokki.

Oh, how am I supposed to wait one entire week?

Well, at least for now I've convinced the soldiers enough. I hurried back to get ready for breakfast.

After placing the soup I've already prepared on the tray beside some bread, I closed the kitchen door behind me and went up the spiral stairs.

At the top of the steps was the door to the bedroom. When I opened it, I saw Albert sitting at the desk right next to the door.

He was looking at the wand with a monocle on one eye. His long eyelashes fluttered as he narrowed his eyes.

When he lifted his gaze to look at the top of the wand, his sharp jawline was revealed. But not only that—also his perfectly angled nose bridge and beautifully curved lips.

The sight of one handsome man a day was very, very good. As long as it was on the level of Albert's face.

Hehe. Ah, I giggled without realizing it. Then, Albert, who finally noticed me, tilted his head and turned his gaze to me.

“Rosé, why are you laughing?”

“People live to eat. Isn't it natural to be happy when you're eating your favorite food?”

Chapter end