I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince - Chapter 276 [The Three Elders of the Forest (2)]

T/N: This bonus chapter is sponsored by James B. (8/14).

Even for me, it was quite shocking to see Lizzy acting cute with an affected voice in front of the Three Elders.

…What was just as shocking was the fact that the elders didn’t seem to mind her aegyo at all. *1

“Elder Choo-choo, are you saying I really can’t take the witch test this time~?”

“Hmm…. Well…. I wonder….”

“Among the recent outsiders who took the witch test, not a single one passed all the way through… Even if it’s you, Lizzy, I wonder if it would be okay….”

From what I could see, though I wasn’t sure of the exact circumstances, Lizzy seemed quite interested in this witch test.

Actually, despite how she appeared, Lizzy belonged to the Pharmacy Department at Luminor Academy. She was even second in her class, which meant she was essentially first among non-witches, excluding Lara.

In a way, it made sense that someone like her would be interested in becoming a witch.

‘So this is how she managed to get into the Pharmacy Department as second in class….’

She must have established connections with the witches in advance to enter the Pharmacy Department.

Even just a fragment of the pharmaceutical knowledge witches possessed was worth more than the talent of any decent pharmacist, even without becoming a witch.

I accidentally discovered the secret of how Lizzy had gained admission to the Pharmacy Department at Luminor Academy.

“I’ll never give up, you know~? Right, Elder Tut-tut~? And remember, I gave you that Imperial Rocking Chair last time~.”

“Su-surely you won’t take it back if we say no…? That wouldn’t be right….”

“Oh, nothing like that. Actually, among the items I brought this time, there’s a perfectly fitting cushion made for that specific rocking chair, stuffed with duck down making it incredibly soft~. It was really difficult to procure, but I might be willing to gift it to you, Elder Tut-tut~.”

“D-duck down…? Soft and fluffy…?”

“What about me…? Don’t I get a gift…?”

“Of course, Elder Choo-choo, I have something for you, too~. Remember when you told me you were curious about what ice cream was? I brought some in a magical container that can maintain the cold temperature~.”

“Ah, ice cream…!”

…That aside, it was truly remarkable. How did she manage to get this close to all Three Elders of the Forest to the point where they were dancing in the palm of her hand?

She even seemed to know exactly what each elder liked. Elder Choo-choo liked sweet foods. Elder Tut-tut liked comfortable furniture. And as for the ‘Young’ Elder Coco, probably….

“……”

“‘Young’ Elder Coco. I brought lots of pretty clothes that would suit you this time, too. Shall I bring them to you later?”

“……”

Nod.

“Caraham, did you hear our conversation just now? Quickly, go get the duck-down cushion, the freezing magical device, and the box of clothes from the carriage… oh?”

“Hello, Miss Lizzy.”

“……”

When Lizzy turned her gaze toward the entrance where Caraham was, our eyes naturally met, and her momentarily confused expression suddenly changed to one of meeting a welcome friend.

“Lilith~!”

“I never expected to meet you in a place like this.”

“It’s been so long~! I didn’t think I’d get to see you during the break, too~!”

“Yes. I was sorry I couldn’t show my face at the last meeting of the Student Council, but here we are meeting again outside.”

“I know! Surely this means you and I must be connected by the threads of fate~!”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“…Well, maybe so.”

As Lizzy expressed her joy at our meeting with a full-body hug between girls, I could feel the oddly sharp gazes of the Three Elders watching me as if I had stolen their ‘only friend.’

Hey, I wasn’t even the one who initiated the hug, so why….

“Uu… uuuu…”

For some reason, Lara, who was standing beside me, was also giving a similar look toward Lizzy and me.

Seriously, what’s your problem now?

The elders’ strange attention toward me temporarily subsided, and thanks to Lizzy’s prepared gifts, the atmosphere returned to its previous warmth.

“C-cold…! Cold and sweet…!”

“So soft and fluffy… Heheheh….”

“……”

Choo-choo, Tut-tut, and ‘Young’ Coco were all wearing happy smiles as they enjoyed their respective gifts.

I unexpectedly got to witness Lizzy’s business acumen firsthand.

‘Seeing them in person, they’re all completely like young girls.’

The witches living in the Witch’s Forest stop aging at a certain point, and then from another certain point, they start becoming younger.

From birth to 25 is the ‘growing’ period. 

From 25 to 80 is the ‘maintaining’ period. 

From 80 until death is the ‘becoming younger’ period.

The fact that they don’t age after 25 and maintain their youth is due to the ‘Elixir of Immortality’ that witches make. It’s a potion that only witches can create and only witches who have consumed various potions since a very young age can digest – a potion of youth.

From the start, ordinary humans and witches have different constitutions, so if an outsider were to drink it, it would be more of a poison than a potion.

Also, the fact that they don’t age but become younger from around 80 is because witches trade their ‘lifespan.’

Witches can trade their lifespan using a ‘scale’ that only they can use.

What witches can offer in exchange for lifespan are two things: ‘height’ and ‘bust size.’ Roughly calculated, it’s one year per centimeter of height and one year per centimeter of chest circumference (bust size).

For example, if there was a glamorous witch with a height of 180 cm and a chest circumference of 110 cm, the maximum height and chest circumference she could offer would be 80 cm and 60 cm respectively. This means she could add 140 years to her lifespan and live until 220 years old.

Any more than that would interfere with basic functions needed to live, so witches set this as the limit for lifespan trading. 

The final line was drawn at 100 centimeters in height and 50 centimeters in chest circumference. 

As a result, witches who live to their natural end typically end up with the physique of a three or four-year-old. 

However, their body proportions would be slightly different from actual girls of that age.

In other words, being an elder of the Forest of Witches meant being the oldest elder in the witch’s forest, and paradoxically, also meant being the witch with the youngest appearance.

Choo-choo was a witch with the appearance of a ten-year-old girl, still retaining some height but with a flat chest.

Tut-tut, who loved soft and fluffy things, had barely traded any of her chest circumference, resulting in an unusual body type that looked like a child with only a developed chest.

And ‘Young’ Coco, who had traded away almost all of both her height and chest, was the most senior witch.

‘We came here to talk about the witch test, but seeing this atmosphere, it seems we can’t bring it up right now.’

Rather than disturbing them while they were thoroughly enjoying Lizzy’s gifts, it would be better to discuss it when they were in their best mood.

Since this wasn’t about an outsider but about Lara’s test, they probably wouldn’t refuse even if we asked for the ceremony, but still, it would be better to ask when they were most relaxed.

Besides, I had plenty of things I wanted to ask Lizzy as well, so there was no need to rush things.

“Miss Lizzy, I think I overheard you talking about a witch test with the elders earlier. Are you here to take the witch test as well?”

“Oh, Lilith? Your way of speaking has become a bit more casual. I remember you used to be quite formal. Also, you’re not even wearing your maid uniform.”

“…There were various circumstances. I’m planning to speak this way throughout the summer break.”

“It’s much more comfortable and better this way. Before, it seemed like you kept your distance from most people, including me.”

“…I wasn’t particularly keeping my distance. When wearing a maid uniform, I just tried to maintain the mindset of a maid.”

“But the uniform you wore at Luminor Academy wasn’t really a maid uniform. It was just the academy uniform with some frills added….”

“If I think it’s a maid uniform, then it’s a maid uniform, Miss Lizzy.”

“…Well, if you say so, Lilith, I guess that’s how it is.”

Lizzy looked at me with a somewhat pitying gaze, as if I had said something strange.

“Ah, but we were talking about the witch test, weren’t we?”

“Yes.”

“When you ask if ‘I’ am here for the witch test too, does that mean you’re here to take the witch test as well?”

“Not me, my friend is planning to take the witch test this time.”

“…You mean the person hiding behind you right now? Oh, now that I look closer, that face seems familiar….”

Well, of course, it would be familiar. Being first and second in the Pharmacy Department and all.

“Ah, Miss Lara! It’s been a while!”

“H-h-h-he-hello….”

“Come to think of it, Miss Lara, you were from the Witch’s Forest, right? Then I can take the witch test together with you!”

“Ah, th-th-that… W-well, nothing’s decided yet….”

“We didn’t get to talk much at Luminor Academy, did we? But how did you become friends with Lilith when you’re not even in the same department? Of course, I’m Lilith’s friend, too, so I shouldn’t be saying this, but Miss Lara, you used to avoid even me who’s in the same department.”

“W-w-we’re not really cl-close friends… R-Rosewood just be-became my friend to-today….”

“Ah, right, Miss Lara. Are you taking the Herb Collection class next semester? I heard there’s a group project in that class, so if you’re okay with it, maybe we could be on the same team….”

“Uugh, ah, ahh…. I… I’m not… mentally prepared for….”

“Just a moment, Miss Lizzy. You’re scaring Miss Medichilling.”

The vibrations transmitted through my shoulder as she trembled felt quite dangerous, so I stepped between the two to stop their conversation.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been speaking quite comfortably with the witches living in the forest recently, so I unconsciously spoke casually to you as well.”

“Haa, haa, haa, haa….”

Lizzy wore a sincerely apologetic expression while Lara gripped my shoulder tightly from behind, breathing heavily.

By the way, she said she speaks comfortably with the witches living in the forest, right? How long has she been trading in the Witch’s Forest to make that possible?

It was quite shocking that she had achieved something that seemed impossible even to me with my knowledge from my previous life. Just how high is her aptitude for social networking for this to be possible?

…Well, I suppose that’s why she was able to win the Three Elders over like that. It must also be proof of how she entered the academy as second in class by obtaining fragments of knowledge from the witches.

Perhaps because she was a character who disappeared in the original story, she seemed to be bustling about here and there, making up for her death in the original version of the world.

“So, Lilith, are you just here to help with Miss Lara’s test?”

“…Well, something like that.”

“Hmm, I see. I thought maybe you came to buy something you needed from the Witch’s Forest.”

“That’s also part of it. Since I’m here, it would be a shame not to buy anything….”

“Ah, if that’s the case, our August Trading Company can help you! Of course, it would have to be after my witch test is done. But since I’m fairly well acquainted with the witches living in the forest, I can get almost anything you need.”

“…This isn’t necessarily because I need it, but can you get dried mandrake roots?”

“….Hmm.”

“W-Why are you looking at me like that…?”

“It’s nothing. I just realized that despite your cold exterior, you must have a very passionate relationship with your fiancé.”

“Ah, I-I haven’t said I’m buying it yet. I was just curious if you could get something like that….”

“Yes, yes. Then, I’ll get about ten roots for you~.”

I hadn’t said I’d buy that many.

…Well, I suppose it’s not bad to have extra. Yeah.

T/N

1. An aegyo (애교) is a cute expression of affection, be it through a cute voice, cute facial expressions, and/or cute gestures. They are usually done by K-pop idols; specifically, idol girl groups.

Of course, she’d get some roots after what happened. There’s no hiding it anymore.

Thanks for reading, see you in the next chapter!