Read Novel Full Vol 5 Chapter 1 Part 3
Vol 5 Chapter 1 Part 3
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Part 3
Meanwhile, Luna, who had been invited to the castle, followed Douglas through the corridors.
“This is quite a castle.”
Douglas replied without turning around.
“This castle was built from the ruins of the Nayuta Empire. That is why there are still traces of the old civilization’s technology here and there, and there are parts that even we, the royal family, cannot understand.”
Luna looked around the castle as she walked.
“(There are all kinds of special materials used here. I’ve never seen such metals before, and the strong stone… are these remnants of the Nayuta Empire? Even I would have trouble breaking it.)”
While Luna casually checked for weaknesses in the structure and security, they continued on to the more secluded areas of the castle.
Douglas paused at the end of the corridor.
There, a heavy door stood silently.
“Now, Diana-sama. My brother──the king──is waiting for you just ahead.”
The door opened with a heavy thud.
Beyond the damp, dark gloom, a flight of stairs led down to the basement.
“Stairs to the basement…? Why would a king be in the basement?”
“You’ll soon find out why.”
“…..”
Luna descended the stairs, her senses alert.
When she finally reached the basement, she saw a man lying on a simple bed in the dim light.
His hair was a mixture of gray and long.
His eyes were closed, and he appeared to be asleep, but a look of pain came over his face, and thin breaths escaped his dry lips.
“Is this the King of Rastel…?”
“Yes. He has been ill for the past six months, and we have consulted doctors and wizards from all over the country, but we still don’t know the cause. Recently, he has been waking up less and less, and his pulse is getting weaker and weaker. We have been told that he only has a few days left.”
Luna stood speechless.
Douglas held a light to the king’s pale face and furrowed his brow.
“If this becomes public knowledge, it will cause chaos in the country, and it is not impossible that those with evil intentions will take advantage of the situation. Not only within the country, but other countries will also try to take advantage of this opportunity. Therefore, we have no choice but to hide him underground like this. …My brother had a daughter, but she was kidnapped by bandits when she was young and has never been seen since… However, now that his life is almost over, he wants his daughter to succeed him on the throne, and that is why the whole country has been searching for you.”
“So that’s how it was…”
Luna pressed her hands to her chest and bowed her head at the sight of the poor king.
“If I could do anything to help, I would… but I…”
She felt that she should not be there and that she should leave the castle immediately. Luna looked in the direction of the exit.
Then Douglas opened his mouth seriously.
“I would prefer to avoid such measures, but the future of the Kingdom of Rastel is at stake right now. If things continue as they are, I will have no choice but to arrest the two people who were traveling with you and thoroughly investigate their identities…”
“Wha…!”
Douglas’ expression wavered.
“No, I don’t think so, but… there are voices of doubt about those two within the court. They suspect that those two are the companions of the bandits who kidnapped you in the past. And they suspect that those two might have used magic to take away your memories…”
“T-That’s not true…”
“When the news came out that you were found in a town along the border, there were some who suggested that we should arrest and interrogate the people who were with you, but I managed to calm them down. However, if your memory does not return and you leave the castle, we will have no choice but to arrest them and thoroughly investigate them.”
“…..!”
Luna let out a bitter voice for a moment.
“I understand. I’ll do what you say, so please don’t hurt them.”
Douglas smiled weakly and bowed his head.
“Yes, yes, I think that’s a wise decision. I’m sure you also want those two companions to be in peace.”
Luna took a deep breath and muttered to herself.
“(No, if they mess with those two, it’ll probably lead to another out of control rampage and more trouble. For the sake of peace in this country, I’ll just obediently do as I’m told for now.)”
Douglas urged Luna on, illuminating the stairs above.
“I will call you as soon as the king awakes. Until then, please relax in your room. …Only a limited number of people even within the court know about the king’s condition, so please keep it confidential.”
When they emerged from the basement, she was led to a room in the castle.
“This is your room. We have assigned maids to look after you, so if you need anything, please ask them, and please refrain from unnecessary excursions. If you will excuse me.”
Douglas bowed deeply as if to make sure and then left, his toga dragging behind him.
“Phew. This younger brother of the king seems to be a real tricky character… let’s just wait and see for now.”
Luna took a deep breath and opened the door to her room.
At that moment, the smiles of about ten maids greeted her.
“Ah, Diana-sama, welcome back! We have been waiting for your return with all our hearts!”
“Starting today, we will take care of you, so please feel free to ask us anything!”
“What? T-there are so many here?!”
The maids cheerfully lead Luna into the room.
“My, how lovely! You look like you stepped out of a painting!”
“It’s the first time we’ve met, but we’ve been looking forward to taking care of the princess in this room for a long time!”
“We are so lucky to be able to take care of the princess like this!”
Luna was confused by the maids’ joy, and her eyebrows lowered in embarrassment.
“I’m sorry, but… I’m not Princess Diana. My name is Luna. I’ve been an orphan since I can remember, and I’m sure I’ve never been here before, but I’m staying here because His Highness Douglas told me to.”
“Oh my, that’s…”
Luna bowed to the maids, who were now looking at her with wide eyes.
“I am truly sorry to have disappointed you. As soon as this misunderstanding is cleared up, I’ll leave the castle, so you can just leave me alone.”
But the maids pressed their chests in pain.
“Oh, dear Diana-sama… you must be confused by the shock of being attacked by the bandits.”
“N-no, I really…”
“Regardless of the truth, we were told to take care of you. We will serve you with all our heart and soul!”
“We look forward to serving you, Diana-sama!”
“I am not really a princess. I’ve never worn a dress, and I don’t know the etiquette of the court… You shouldn’t have to bother with someone like me. It’s okay if you really just leave me alone…”
At this, the maids’ eyes lit up with fire.
“No, if you stay in this room, then you are still our master, and we will serve you!”
“Leave it to us, and we will proudly make you the greatest princess in the world! That is our mission!”
“We’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time, and it’s so wonderful to have such a lovely person here with us!”
Apparently, Luna’s modesty and humility had made the maids want to take care of her.
Luna let out a sigh.
“(This is a bit of a dilemma… but if I refuse them, they’ll lose their jobs, and it might even cause them more trouble…)”
She turned to the maids, steeling herself.
“I understand how you all feel. But at least please call me Luna.”
“Yes, Diana-sama… but if you say so, Luna-sama!”
The eyes of the maids sparkled with happiness.
They immediately got to work taking care of Luna.
“First, let’s get you changed! We had the finest clothes and accessories sent from abroad for this occasion!”
“Wait, I’m not good at wearing clothes like that──Whoa!”
“Now, let me take off your clothes. Raise your hands──Oh, your skin is so smooth!”
“What an ideal body! Beautifully toned and yet so soft!”
“Wha… Wh-where do you touch…?”
“And look at your hair, it’s like silk! It shines like moonlight!”
“Ah, no, no, my ears are tickling… Ouch…!”
Luna squirmed uncomfortably as she tried to resist the unfamiliar stimulation.
“(Ugh, I want to resist, but… they’re just trying to do their duty, and if I refuse, they might get in trouble…)”
The excited maids quickly helped Luna into a dress.
The delicate and well-proportioned body was wrapped in a beautiful dress, and the beautiful flowing hair made her well-proportioned face even more glamorous.
The delicate design of the tiara and the subtle ornaments added to Luna’s refined charm, making her look like a work of art.
The maids erupted in a chorus of admiration at the sight of Luna’s radiant beauty.
“My, how lovely and beautiful! I’ve never seen such a lovely princess before!”
“Yes, yes, she is definitely the most beautiful princess in the world!”
“Oh, our princess is so sweet! I can’t wait for her to make her debut in high society for the whole world to see!”
“Ugh, it’s so hard to move… and it’s also incredibly embarrassing…”
Luna groaned, her neck flushing red.
The maids were completely captivated by Luna’s cuteness and charm.
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