I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince - Chapter 253 [Date (1)]

The morning meeting ended somewhat inconclusively after adding a few points to be cautious about in the Witch’s Forest.

Gyeongmwajogyegigwat and Seriste would leave for the northeastern Great Plains with Seraphine in two days, while Ethan and I, along with Agnes, would head to the southwestern Witch’s Forest in four days.

Gyeongmwajogyegigwat said he would send a letter to Lara explaining that we would arrive first to help her instead of him. 

The plan was for the three of us to arrive six days later to help Lara with her tasks, and then Gyeongmwajogyegigwat and the others would arrive about a week after that to proceed with the main event. [Only on DarkStar Translations! / Axiomatic]

As I roughly knew how Lara’s episode would unfold, this approach was quite understandable. The first week’s test wouldn’t have very difficult tasks, anyway. The three of us should be able to muddle through even without the Hero and Seriste.

‘In the end, he’s trying to catch two birds with one stone.’

From a Luminor Academy player’s perspective, this was a greedy play that might backfire, but if successful, it would secure allies on both sides and obtain two unique items, ensuring a definite return.

Since the Hero said he’d head to the Great Plains with Seriste and Seraphine, he’d probably finish Lilia’s episode for sure before coming back.

As for Lara’s side, while there was a slight possibility of things going wrong due to my intervention, Gyeongmwajogyegigwat, who chose Lilia’s route, would surely complete that episode before returning.

I wasn’t particularly worried, given that Seraphine was accompanying them. With Seraphine, the cheat code for politics and diplomacy, accompanying them, not to mention her future sight, there was no reason to worry.

‘Once this episode is over, this tiresome Saint play will be over, too.’

Honestly, I had only properly used my power as a Saint once to take down Machart, but I didn’t particularly regret it. I never needed such a troublesome power in the first place.

Quickly handing over this annoying power that brings only duties and responsibilities without wealth or power to Seriste and returning to being an Ordinary Person A was the most ideal future for me. [Only on DarkStar Translations! / Axiomatic]

Anyway, with the schedule decided like this, we had four days of free time until the departure date. Since there was nothing to do in the Imperial Capital like hunting monsters or practicing magic, these four days naturally became a vacation for Ethan, Agnes, and me.

As we were leaving the meeting room and heading back to our personal quarters on the second floor, Ethan naturally asked me about my plans for the remaining period.

“Lilith.”

“Yes, Young Master Ethan.”

“We’ve decided to depart in four days, but do you have any plans in the meantime?”

“No, my schedule is basically aligned with yours, Young Master Ethan, so nothing is set.”

“…Right. But at last night’s noble exchange meeting, you participated as a noble partner, not my maid, right? How about living like a normal noble lady for a few days, and not as my maid?”

“Even if you tell me, a commoner by birth, to live like a normal noble lady, it only sounds like a joke, Young Master Ethan.”

“…Hmm, is that so?”

Well, I could still roughly understand what Ethan was trying to say.

He meant that while staying at the annex, I should be Lady Lilith Rosewood, the only daughter of the Rosewood family and a baroness, rather than Lilith, Ethan’s exclusive maid.

It was probably his way of telling me to enjoy the vacation free from duties and position, given this rare break. To be honest, the status of a low-ranking noble and a Blackwood maid seemed about the same, but I’d let that slide.

“But it’s tiring to address everyone formally all the time. Everyone knows you’re a baroness’s daughter anyway, so they won’t mind even if you’re not performing maid duties.”

“Alright, Ethan. If you say so, I’ll try to relax for a while.”

“…You said you wouldn’t do it, but you changed your stance so quickly.”

“I was planning to ask for your permission to go out tomorrow, anyway. I was worried because I couldn’t leave your side while performing maid duties, but now, I guess I don’t need to ask you about going out.”

“G-Going out…?”

Ethan suddenly became flustered as soon as he heard I was going out.

Did he perhaps have other plans to go out with me tomorrow? But if that were the case, there would be no reason to give me a vacation, right?

“Is there a problem, Ethan?”

“While I have no right to stop you if you want to go out on your rare vacation, Lilith… Can you just tell me where you’re going tomorrow? I’m not asking with any strange intentions, just curious.”

“I’ll probably go to the market. The journey to the Witch’s Forest won’t be short, so I’ll need to buy food and tools for two days of camping. Originally, I was thinking of asking Princess Seraphine for a bit, but since she’s planning to leave for the northeastern Great Plains with the Hero right after finishing Prince Machart’s funeral, it would be a bit embarrassing to add my request on top of that.” [Only on DarkStar Translations! / Axiomatic]

“Ah, I see. So that’s what you meant by going out…”

“Other than that, I’m planning to prepare dried food and nuts as emergency rations in case our stay in the Witch’s Forest gets prolonged, spare clothes, and perfume with a scent that bugs dislike. Of course, if I think there are more necessary items, the list might grow a bit more.”

“You’re very thorough in your preparations. It’s as if you’ve been to the Witch’s Forest several times before.”

“…I’m just trying to prepare the essential items for a journey.”

Now that I said it like this, this excuse felt even more awkward. Maybe I should have just vaguely said I saw the future of going to the Witch’s Forest with the prophetic power of the Saint.

After hearing my story, Ethan nodded a couple of times as if calculating something in his head, then suddenly expressed his intention to join tomorrow’s schedule.

“Then, can I come along?”

“Pardon?”

“I need to prepare food and spare clothes, too. It’s better to go together than alone.”

“Ah, it’s okay. I was planning to take care of your food and spare clothes from the start. I know all your clothing sizes, too.”

“Then all the more reason for me to go. I can’t just let you take care of my clothes and food while I’m just playing around. Right?”

“But, won’t there be a lot of luggage…?”

“Then we’ll need someone to help carry the luggage. You know that’s another reason why we should go out together, right?”

“……”

…Now that I think about it, he’s right?

When I was doing maid duties, it naturally became a daily routine to take care of both my share and Ethan’s, but come to think of it, preparing three days’ worth of food for both of us wouldn’t be that easy. [Only on DarkStar Translations! / Axiomatic]

Even with Sei helping with wind magic, there would be limits. Sally, being a fire spirit, obviously wouldn’t be of any help.

It was at that moment that the thought crossed my mind that if Ethan could carry even one person’s share of luggage, we could move around relatively comfortably.

“Alright, Ethan. Let’s do that, then.”

“Great, Lilith. Then after breakfast tomorrow…”

“Oh, by the way, Miss Agnes needs to prepare food and spare clothes too, right? Since it’s come to this, why don’t we all go together tomorrow?”

“……”

“……”

Ethan suddenly stopped talking and looked at me with a hardened expression, while Agnes, who had been showing no interest as if the conversation had nothing to do with her, looked at me with an incredulous expression at my words.

Feeling bewildered as to why the atmosphere suddenly changed, I was at a loss until Agnes let out a sigh with an exasperated expression.

“…Sigh. Sometimes, when you do this, I wonder if you’re doing it on purpose.”

“Pardon?”

“Forget it, I’ll prepare separately. I’m not tactless enough to intrude on someone else’s date.”

“What? Date?”

“Well, isn’t it a date? Your master is asking to meet outside not as master and maid but as fellow nobles, if that’s not a date, what is it?”

……Oh.

Wait. So, is that really how it is?

“A d-date…?”

“Lilith, are you really an idiot?”

“……”

“One is an idiot who only knows his maid and the other is just an idiot. Idiots suit each other well.”

With that, Agnes gave us an incredulous look and went into her room next to mine.

After she disappeared, only Ethan and I were left in the second-floor corridor, exuding an awkward atmosphere.

“Was it really a date invitation, Ethan?”

“……Yes.”

“…I’m sorry, I was so tactless.”

“It’s okay. I half expected it. I also thought it might be fine if you didn’t think of it as a date.”

“I-I see.” [Only on DarkStar Translations! / Axiomatic]

“…Were you going to refuse if it was a date, Lilith?”

“Ah, no. Of course not… W-We’re temporary lovers after all, so of course we can go on dates anytime…”

“…R-Right. Then I’ll see you at mealtime, Lilith.”

“…Yes, Ethan.”

Perhaps due to the rapidly awkward atmosphere as soon as we recognized it as a date, Ethan and I ended up not having a proper conversation until the next day.

…I-I guess we just need to keep it normal, like the previous date. Just keep it normal…

T/N

Hello! Axiomatic here.

Something I forgot to mention was the scene in the original cover (i.e., the one currently on NovelUpdates) was apparently depicting Ethan and Lilith’s duel with Machart. I thought the dark hands creeping up on them were monsters’ hands, but we know now that they’re actually Machart’s Shadow Hands.

Also, if we’re talking about dates, we know exactly how the last one went…

Thanks for reading, see you in the next one!