Me, a Princess? My Lord! - Chapter 1

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 1

“Heidi Dalton… Here you are.”

The housekeeper, pushing up her thin glasses, said while pointing to the end of the ledger.

“Including the special allowance, that’s 320 arkne. Count it to make sure it’s correct.”

“It’s fine. As if you would make a mistake with something like that, Housekeeper.”

Heidi flashed her white teeth in a grin and smoothly pushed the heavy salary pouch away.

“Just do it the same way as before.”

“Send it all home again this time? Without setting any aside?”

“Yes, Housekeeper.”

Heidi, who had been adjusting her heavily starched apron, shrugged her shoulders as she answered.

“Where else would I spend it? Food, lodging, clothing—everything’s taken care of. And the young lady would be inconvenienced without me.”

Then the housekeeper’s gaze, which had been fixed on the ledger the entire time, turned toward Heidi.

Hair tied back plainly and tightly.

A plain and drab maid’s uniform without a single decoration.

Clear skin without a trace of makeup.

A girl who clearly had no interest in adorning herself.

But even so, Heidi was strikingly beautiful. So much so that looking at her seemed to brighten the surroundings.

Her bright blonde hair, reaching down to her waist, always had a lustrous shine, and her delicate features on her small face were as pretty as a carefully crafted porcelain doll.

Among them, what stood out most were her vivid violet eyes—a color so rare it was one of the symbols of House of Panther.

‘They say it happens from time to time… but they’re always as brilliant as jewels whenever I see them.’

She let out a short sigh as she examined every corner of Heidi’s face.

“The other maids are singing about going on flower viewing and boat rides. With such a delicate appearance like a precious young lady from a noble house who’s never known hardship, why are you so desperate to avoid having fun?”

Heidi smiled with her eyes crinkled as she answered.

“I enjoy being with the young lady more. It’s not particularly difficult either.”

“Don’t be like that and go visit home at least. Everton isn’t that far from here. Hmm?”

“Yes, I will.”

Heidi bowed politely and left the housekeeper’s room.

Step by step. Walking along the long corridor of the estate, Heidi suddenly stopped in front of a large window.

Warm sunlight was pouring through the large window like a tide.

‘The weather is really nice.’

Heidi leaned against the window frame and looked down at the endlessly sprawling garden.

House of Haisen, said to be the most prestigious family in the kingdom.

True to its reputation, Haisen Estate boasted an enormous scale. It would take half a day to walk around the entire garden.

Looking down at the flowers blooming brilliantly with the spirit of spring, Heidi muttered indifferently.

“What’s so special about flower viewing? Just looking out the window, there are flowers everywhere.”

Though she said that, it wasn’t that Heidi didn’t want to have fun either.

How could she not have such thoughts? Just yesterday, she had spent hours listening to Janine from the next room chattering about her boat ride with her boyfriend!

But Heidi wasn’t allowed such leisure.

‘Mother’s medicine costs keep going up, what should I do… Should I try to get more sewing work?’

Because Heidi had family members to support.

For Heidi, who had only just passed her coming of age about a year ago, to have her family’s livelihood depending on her.

It was a burden too heavy even for adults of considerable age, but Heidi had never once complained about that fact.

She simply worked day and night, tightening her belt.

‘At least I can do something. I should be grateful.’

Then urgent footsteps were heard from behind.

“Heidi!”

When Heidi turned around, a letter was suddenly thrust in front of her. The maid, who had been breathing heavily from running, straightened her back and spoke.

“Go to the young lady quickly.”

Heidi’s eyes widened.

“Why? What happened?”

Then the maid shrugged her shoulders.

“She says the medicine smells nauseating and she doesn’t want to apply it. Go quickly and try to persuade her. And deliver this letter while you’re at it. Please, will you?”

Whenever there was business with Eloise, Count Haizen’s only younger sister, the servants of the Count’s mansion always looked for Heidi without exception.

The only person who could soothe the sensitive Eloise. That was Heidi.

Taking the letter, Heidi hurried toward Eloise’s room. From the corridor, Eloise’s clear voice was echoing.

“Everyone get out. Stop bothering me!”

When Heidi carefully opened the door, the heads of the maids who were at a loss, looking flustered, all turned in unison to one place.

‘Please do something about this.’

Reading their desperate gazes, Heidi let out a short sigh.

Heidi waved her hands to send them out and approached the bedside.

“Miss Eloise, everyone’s gone.”

“…”

“Miss.”

Then Eloise pulled down the blanket that had been covering her head slightly.

In the dim room despite it being midday, the silhouette of a gaunt woman was revealed. She swept back her disheveled hair and opened her lips with a whine.

“I don’t want to apply medicine. I’m tired. It should be fine to skip it for just one day.”

“Oh no, that won’t do. Please get up.”

Heidi shook her head firmly and boldly helped Eloise sit up.

“It’ll only take a moment. I’ll apply it so gently you won’t even notice. You know how quick my hands are, right? It’ll be over quickly, very quickly.”

With her accommodating attitude, Heidi soothed Eloise’s heart and drew the curtains halfway open.

As the midday sunlight drove away some of the darkness, the scene inside the room finally became clearly visible.

A neat and tidy bedroom. However, it seemed too modest for the only daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom to use.

The large arched windows were all covered with dark-colored curtains, and there wasn’t even a vanity table.

A room without mirrors, or even any smooth surfaces that could reflect one’s image.

There was a good reason for the room’s peculiar appearance.

“Wasn’t it difficult because it was dry?”

“…It was a bit itchy.”

“If the scent bothers you, shall I pick some flowers? If we fill the room with flower fragrance, it might mask the herbal scent a bit. The flowers outside are blooming tremendously.”

Rustle, rustle.

Heidi rolled up Eloise’s sleeves and began carefully spreading and applying the ointment.

The skin revealed beneath the thin, soft nightgown was not smooth.

Unlike her white and smooth forehead, the skin was red and bumpy.

The right side of Eloise Haizen’s body, revealed in the sunlight, clearly bore the traces left by flames.

The scars from the fire accident three years ago brought back memories of that horrific moment just by looking at them.

Naturally, talking about the fire or scars became absolutely taboo among the servants, and they even began to be careful about making eye contact with Eloise.

Even when Eloise would scream and curse, throw tantrums, throw and break everything in the room, or drive the maids away once a day, no one could point it out.

Not knowing that this only made Eloise more lonely.

It was then that Heidi appeared before Eloise.

“Miss, please stop.”

“What business is it of yours!”

“If doing that makes you feel better, you can do it as much as you want, but it makes you uncomfortable too, Miss. Please don’t do that, for your own sake.”

The estate was turned upside down by a single word from the clueless new maid.

Why did she say such a thing, did she want to pack her bags and get kicked out immediately? Harsh scolding followed.

But for some reason, Eloise did not send Heidi away.

Of course, she was incredibly spiteful.

Heidi endured Eloise’s petulance with her characteristic accommodating nature.

Like that for a year.

Eloise opened her heart wide to Heidi. Taking out her anger on innocent people and causing disturbances by breaking things also disappeared.

“All done. You endured it well.”

Heidi, who had skillfully spread the medicine on Eloise’s skin, said in a bright voice.

Eloise, who had been pouting, noticed the letter Heidi had placed on the bedside table.

“But what’s that? Is it yours?”

Heidi shook her head.

“No, it came for you, miss.”

“For me? Is it a letter from my brother?”

Eloise picked up the letter and quickly tore open the envelope. With her face flushed with excitement, she read through the short letter and shouted loudly.

“Heidi, my brother is coming back in a few days. And he’s going to stay for quite a while!”

* * *

Meanwhile, at that very moment.

Eloise’s only family member, Deshion Carlos Haizen, the Viscount, was having a private audience with the King.

“For health reasons?”

“Yes.”

“Is it an illness that cannot be treated in the capital?”

Deshion nodded with an expressionless face.

“What better treatment could there be than resting in a place with good air? As a lord, I have been away from my territory for quite some time, so I intend not to leave my domain for a while.”

“….”

The King examined Deshion’s handsome face with half-closed, drowsy eyes.

His jet-black hair and skin slightly tanned by the spring sun.

His broad shoulders and solid body without an ounce of excess fat.

Even his red eyes that gleamed brilliantly even in the shadows.

No matter how he looked at him, he didn’t seem like someone who was sick and needed recuperation.

“…Well, yes. If you say so, then it must be so.”

The King stroked his beard with his dry hand.

“I was secretly hoping you would become Anastasia’s tutor again…. It’s disappointing in many ways.”

Anastasia.

The moment he heard that name, Deshion’s lips hardened stiffly.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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