Episode 3 : The maids

Louis paced back and forth in the room, books scattered across the floor and piled on the table.

The door then opened. A man, older than him, with short, wavy dark brown hair and matching eyes, stepped inside and walked directly toward the king.

"Your Majesty Louis," he said respectfully, bowing. "Is there anything I can assist you with?" He raised his head, surveying the unusually chaotic room, his gaze fixed on Louis as if silently questioning the state of the room.

"William, do you know of the books The Art of War and Germania?" Louis asked, unable to restrain his curiosity any longer.

"Ah, yes, I am familiar with both," replied the advisor, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "But why do you ask?"

"Can you find these books?" the king asked seriously, his gaze sharp and unwavering. "I have many volumes, but it seems my collection is lacking, and I want these two. Is it possible?" He stood amidst the disordered stacks of books.

William fell silent, as if he now understood what had caused the room’s chaos.

"I apologize, Your Majesty. But you should know, these books are extremely difficult to acquire," William replied politely, not intending to disappoint the king.

"What do you mean? You cannot get them for me?" Louis seemed unable to accept the answer. His breath grew harsh as he stepped closer to William, who bowed his head instinctively. "Did you not hear me? I want these two books," he repeated, leaning in near the advisor’s ear.

"The books you seek are very rare, owned only by a few kingdoms. But I will make every effort to obtain them for you," William stammered slightly. He knew better than to upset Louis; a wrong move could cost him dearly.

"Good. Now go quickly," Louis commanded, his tone still firm and unwavering.

"Yes, Your Majesty," William replied, bowing once more before leaving the room.

Still feeling irritated, Louis finally sat at his desk, now buried under piles of books. He leaned back in his chair, taking a moment to control his emotions.

The man paused, as if contemplating something. The irritation on his face slowly twisted into a faint, knowing smirk. He rose from his seat and left the room.

Outside, he addressed the two guards stationed at his door.

“Clean up everything inside,” he ordered coldly.

“I want the room completely restored before I return.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” the guards replied in unison, immediately entering the room.

Louis cast one last glance inside, ensuring they moved swiftly, before turning away and leaving.

.

.

Louis made his way to one of the chambers where female servants were trained under Beatrice, the head lady-in-waiting of the palace—a woman of forty-two years who oversaw the education and discipline of new servants, particularly those selected to serve the future Queen.

He stood at the doorway, his eyes scanning the room, when they caught sight of Helena practicing her walk.

She moved stiffly, her steps lacking grace and fluidity, despite having once been a noblewoman before arriving at the palace as a servant.

Yet Louis was not focused on her posture.

His attention lingered instead on her as a woman.

Helena was undeniably beautiful—golden hair, flawless skin, softly curved lips, and an ideal figure. She knew how to choose dresses that accentuated her body’s strengths, unlike Serah, who favored modest gowns in solid colors, devoid of excessive ornamentation.

Louis’s gaze halted when Helena turned around.

She startled upon seeing him standing at the doorway.

“Y–Your Majesty, Louis!” she exclaimed reflexively, bowing deeply.

“Your Majesty!” the other servants, including Beatrice herself, followed suit at once, lowering their heads in unison.

Louis smiled, seemingly pleased by how swiftly the servants reacted upon noticing his presence. He raised his right hand slightly—a silent gesture acknowledging the respect shown to him.

The King then walked toward Beatrice. Instinctively, the younger servants stepped back, pressing closer to the walls. Helena did the same, retreating to the far right corner of the room.

For a brief moment, as everyone else kept their heads lowered, Louis and Helena exchanged a glance.

The King’s blue eyes met Helena’s green ones in an intimate pause—her lips curving into a faint, alluring smile.

But the exchange lasted only a heartbeat.

“Lady Beatrice,” Louis spoke at last,

“how is their progress?”

“They are all doing remarkably well, Your Majesty,” Beatrice replied, still keeping her head bowed as she addressed the King.

“What about Helena?” Louis lowered his voice slightly, making sure the question would not carry, ensuring that only Beatrice could hear him clearly.

The head lady-in-waiting fell silent for a moment. Her posture stiffened, discomfort clearly written in her body language. Slowly, she lifted her head halfway.

“Your Majesty,” she said, bowing slightly once more.

Louis seemed to understand that Beatrice had something she wished to explain, and he said calmly, “Come with me, Lady Beatrice.”

Louis walked ahead toward the exit, with Beatrice following close behind.

They stopped at the doorway, speaking quietly while keeping an eye on the room behind them, making sure none of the servants approached close enough to overhear their conversation.

“Tell me, Lady Beatrice,” Louis said, pressing the matter that had been left unanswered. “What is wrong with Helena?”

“Helena is still very inexperienced and far from understanding the full etiquette of the court. I fear that… she may not be able to take part in the offering for the future Queen,” Beatrice answered hesitantly. She was simply trying to be honest. She feared Helena’s service would be unsatisfactory in the eyes of the future Queen.

“What do you mean by that? She cannot participate?” Louis’s voice sharpened. “She is a special offering from me. How could a gift personally chosen by the King himself be deemed unfit to take part?”

His gaze was sharp, almost threatening, as though daring the head lady-in-waiting to stand by her judgment.

“Your Majesty, I would never dare,” Beatrice bowed deeply, fully aware of the King’s displeasure at her assessment.

“I don’t care,” Louis said firmly. “Include Helena in today’s offering of attendants. And you will be responsible for educating her until she improves. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty Louis. I will prepare Helena to participate today,” Beatrice replied. She had no choice but to comply, even though Helena was utterly unfit. This was a direct order from the King.

“Good. Prepare them at once. After that, we will go to meet the future Queen.”

Louis left without another word, having given Beatrice an order that weighed heavily on her shoulders. Helena was extremely difficult to manage—too young, not yet twenty, willful, undisciplined, and fond of acting on her own whims. She constantly broke rules. She should have started as a junior servant or worked in the kitchens, not been sent directly to serve a Queen.

Beatrice let out a quiet sigh and straightened herself once Louis had disappeared from view. She returned to the room, her gaze sweeping over the fifteen young servant girls gathered there, her expression dark.

“This afternoon, I will take you before the Queen. Seven of you will be chosen. And Helena—especially you—you will also take part as a special offering.”

A wide smile immediately spread across Helena’s face. She stood tall and arrogant, as though she had already surpassed the other, more senior servants. Several pairs of eyes turned toward Beatrice, silently questioning the fairness of this decision.

“Prepare yourselves. This is a direct order from King Louis. No one is allowed to object,” Beatrice said in a firm, authoritative tone. Her eyes flicked toward Helena, who was still standing proudly. “Even if that person is a useless girl,” she muttered quietly. “I am certain she will cause trouble someday.”

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