Chapter 1

"Here is your room, and here is your uniform. If you need anything at all, you may visit Sir Arthur’s office whenever you wish," said the maid in charge of the household accounts, bowing slightly before turning to leave.

Her name is Fernvale Mauve. A pretty, soft-sounding name, made to look like something an ordinary noble girl would have, and I felt a small twist of jealousy in my chest.

Oh, and yes — this girl is also one of us, a fellow spy walking in broad daylight and even in the darkest depth of the night.

They had given her such a gentle, soft sounding name, but me? Agatha. Just plain, simple, and utterly unremarkable. Did that butler, Sir Arthur, hold some kind of grudge against me? Was he trying to make me blend in too well, or was he just being cruel?

"Got it," I replied shortly, my voice calm and flat as I gestured for her to leave. The door clicked shut behind her, and I stood alone in my new quarters. It was not an enormous chamber, but it was spacious enough — not too grand, not too plain, just a decent size that suited me perfectly. It had everything I needed: a small bed, a wooden table, a wardrobe to keep my things, and large windows that let in soft light from the outside.

I remembered this girl, Fernvale Mauve, very well. Her codename was Windmill. It suited her perfectly — her magical abilities were shaped like sharp, spinning shurikens that cut through enemies like wind, moving so fast they were almost impossible to see. She was very skilled.

I changed into my new uniform — a simple, modest dress in soft grey and white, exactly like what all palace maids wore. It felt strange at first, but I adjusted quickly. This was just another part of the disguise.

As night fell, I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes, letting my mind rest. I could only hope that tomorrow would go as planned. From today onwards, I was officially the Prince’s personal maid.

I wondered to myself — why was there no one else assigned to be his personal maid before me? Why was I the only one chosen for this important duty? Fern didn’t tell me anything, and that evil man, Sir Arthur, had kept all his secrets locked tight behind that smiling face of his.

Well… I suppose it was a good night for me, all things considered. After all, this was the start of my final mission.

— — —

"Agatha. You’re my personal maid right? I’m so glad to meet you."

Prince Ezekiel said this as he walked up to me quickly, his eyes shining bright and his face full of excitement. He stood in front of me, not letting me move or go anywhere, just looking at me like I was the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

I just bowed my head low and kept my voice flat and calm. "Yes, Your Highness. I will be serving you from now on."

He smiled widely, his whole face lighting up. "That’s great! I was waiting for you. You look different from the other servants here. You seem quiet, I like that."

I said nothing more. I just stood there quietly, keeping my head down, acting like the proper maid I was supposed to be. I didn’t smile, I didn’t say more than needed, and I kept my expression serious all the time.

Come on little spoiled brat, just say what would you like for today—coffee? juice? food? I can prepare all of that.

From that day on, every single day was the same. Ezekiel followed me everywhere I went. He was always around, talking to me, asking me questions, or just standing near me while I did my work in other things.

He was cheerful and full of energy all the time, never seeming to get tired or bored.

One morning, I was arranging the books in his study. I was putting them back in order, making sure each one was in the right place. He came in running, almost tripping over his own feet, and stopped right next to me.

"Agatha!" he called out loudly. "Call me Kiel. Just Kiel when we are alone. No need to be so formal, okay? We can be friends, right?"

I paused my work and looked at him for just a second before looking down again. "I am your servant, Your Highness. It is not proper to call you anything other than Your Highness."

He pouted a little and leaned against the table, crossing his arms. "But why? Everyone else calls me that anyway. It sounds so stiff and boring. Call me Kiel. Please? I’ll give you extra sweets. Or let you use my things. Just call me Kiel."

"I am sorry, Your Highness. My duty is to respect you properly. I will continue to call you by your title."

He sighed and shook his head, but he didn’t go away. Instead, he started walking around me while I worked. He asked me what I was doing, where I had come from, and all kinds of small questions like what's my favourite color.

He talked non-stop, and I answered only when necessary. Although I avoided answering personal question like where I had come from since that's basically confidential.

After finishing cleaning his bed, I went to prepare his clothes for the next day. I laid them out neatly on the bed. He came over and looked at them, then looked at me.

"Agatha, look at me," he said, reaching out to tap my arm gently. "Call me Kiel. Just try it once. If you say it, I’ll do anything you want. I promise."

I moved back a little to keep some distance between us. "Please do not bother me while I work, Your Highness. I have things to do. If you need anything, just tell me, I can bring you juice or cookies."

He didn’t get mad. He just grinned and followed me as I walked to the wardrobe to get more things. "Bother you? I’m not bothering you! I’m just talking to you. You never smile, you never laugh. Why are you always so serious? You look like you have a stone on your face all the time."

"I am doing my job properly, Your Highness."

"Hmm… okay, okay. I’ll stop for now. But tomorrow I will ask again!" He said this cheerfully, like it was a game to him.

Why is he so full of energy? Isn't 19yrs old people supposed to be tired of living already? Especially when you're gonna be the Emperor sooner enough.

I'm 18 and I want to disappear already.

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