Chapter 76

After getting out of the bath, I put on the clothes that were prepared, which were likely made from the finest materials, and was led to Lassar by a lady-in-waiting.

I have no idea where in the castle we are walking, but the lady-in-waiting walks without hesitation. I was led to a room that must be the equivalent of a living room in a regular household, but it was far too large for that.

Inside, Lassar was waiting, sipping tea and relaxing, while Iris was looking uncertain about the room's opulence.

"Iris! I'm so glad, I thought you were kidnapped by Prince Arc!"

"He's not that kind of person. But it's true that I was saved by Prince Lassar. If I hadn't been, I might have been placed in a room where the royal family stays."

Are you really going to do it, Prince...?

"My brother really doesn't know his limits, which is quite a problem. I've decided to take care of Iris during her stay in the castle. I can't leave her with my brother anymore. Honestly, putting Iris in such a room, how could he not imagine how uncomfortable she would be?"

Lassar, you were going to do the same to me, weren't you? Maybe we are similar in some ways.

"Iris, you want to work in the castle during the winter break, right? I'll make the arrangements for that. Do you have a preferred start date?"

"Um, if possible, I'd like to start as soon as possible. I feel like my conscience will burst if I keep using such a beautiful room for free for a few more days."

"Haha, there's no need to worry about that. But I'll try to arrange it as soon as possible. You might be able to start working tomorrow."

"Really!? That's great. Thank you, Prince Lassar. I'm as grateful to you as I am to Kururi. I'll definitely repay your kindness!"

"You don't need to worry about that. Being compared to my brother is a great honor..."

He blushed a little at the end. What a cute guy.

"Iris, there's one thing I need to apologize for. I wanted to give you meaningful work since you're working here, but my brother set a condition during the process of getting you back. He wants you to work on the 6th floor of the castle."

"Okay? That sounds fine to me."

"The 6th floor of the castle is not open to the public. The castle is officially said to have five floors. I need you to keep it confidential, as it's a secret floor that only the royal family and a few select people can enter. I can't help but feel there's a strange intention behind my brother's request, but would you be willing to work there?"

You really did it, Prince. I was only half-joking...

You're really going to shoot the king (King). You're getting serious.

What kind of person is the king?

Is he the type to easily go along with the prince's intentions?

I hope he's a dignified and imposing figure, someone whose heart is so resolute that even a delicate woman cleaning the hallway wouldn't catch his eye!

"Being able to work in such an amazing place is great. I'm good at cleaning, so you can count on me!"

"It's a relief to hear you say that, Iris. Take breaks when you're tired. Of course, we have days off prepared for you."

"Okay!!"

Iris's earnestness is blinding. I'm not going to work, though.

I won't suffer mentally either. I'll just eat a lot, and maybe even demand dessert. I'm a strong-willed person.

"I'm glad we could sort out Iris's situation first. Brother, how about our home? Isn't it nice? The bath, for example, is designed with great care."

"Yeah, it was great. I might only get to use a bath like that once in my life."

...There were some strange people, though.

"That's good. The baths in Helan were the best, so when I told my father about them, he must have felt competitive, and the quality of the water in the baths improved. If the bath god, my brother, says it's good, then it must be a great bath."

Bath god? Me? Oh well, I guess I became a god without realizing it. ...Can I hope for a cooler god? Maybe that's too much to ask.

"Tomorrow, if you're not too tired, I'll show you around the capital. There are many places I want to show you when my brother comes. Really, many places!"

"I can feel your enthusiasm. I should be able to rest after a good night's sleep, so I might take Lassar up on his offer tomorrow."

"Great! It's settled then. I know what my brother likes, so you can look forward to it."

Seeing Lassar talk so happily made me feel happy too.

It's rare to find someone who welcomes you so warmly. I need to cherish this connection.

From there, Iris, Lassar, and I talked and laughed about various things in the castle.

The most interesting part was the ghost story Lassar told.

Iris, who isn't good with this kind of story, was covering her ears, but I listened to it all. It was quite something...

"This castle has been standing for several hundred years, and during that time, various dark events have occurred within its walls. Of course, with the renovations and expansions, you wouldn't feel such an atmosphere."

"Hmm? If you're a noble, every mansion has such stories, but I wonder if this one will be worth it?"

"...Ah, I can't hear you."

Iris closed her eyes and covered her ears, but I don't think it was necessary.

From here on, it's a story between the two of us. Feel free to include some suggestive elements.

"Today, I'll tell you a story about a certain woman. A woman who looked great in a white apron, a server in the castle."

Lassar snapped his fingers, and all the lights in the room went out, leaving only the candle on the table lit.

"Ah!"

Iris, who was supposed to have her eyes closed, let out a short breath.

What? How did you do that!? What kind of trick is that? I'm more curious about that!

"The woman's name was Chovier. She was from a commoner's family but got a job in the castle, which made her very happy. She worked diligently every day. She was a modest and hardworking woman, and before she knew it, she had become an idol-like figure in the castle."

Iris's throat made a gulping sound. She's definitely listening.

"As Chovier's fame grew in the castle, nobles began to visit the commoner's dining room out of curiosity. One of them fell in love with Chovier and eventually confessed. At first, she refused, but she eventually gave in to his passion and reciprocated his feelings. The two, who were close in age, quickly fell deeply in love and lived in their own world."

"Ah... huff huff"

Iris is listening intently, and it's not even the scary part yet.

Iris's reaction is so amusing that I'm not even scared by the story.

"But their happiness didn't last long. The man who fell in love with Chovier was a poor noble in name only. His family head pressured him to marry the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The merchant wanted the noble's family name, and the noble wanted money. The situation was already set, and the man had no say in the matter. They decided to part ways. The man left the castle, saying he would never forget her. Chovier cried every night after that."

"Ahhhh"

Iris's face turned pale and she started to tremble.

Why!? There's nothing scary yet! She's still covering her ears!

"Years passed, and the man married the merchant's daughter and lived a decently happy life. One day, he suddenly remembered the woman he once loved. Overwhelmed by his emotions, he managed to get into the castle through connections and searched for Chovier. But she was no longer in the dining room..."

Did Chovier die? Wait, this is a sad story?

"But the man couldn't give up. He searched the castle for someone who knew Chovier. However, when he mentioned her name, people seemed afraid. Why? What happened to her? After several days of asking around, he finally got some information. A person working in the castle told him sternly, 'Don't mention Chovier's name. Something bad will happen.'"

Iris started to hyperventilate. Is she okay!? She should stop listening!

"He fell into despair, realizing something had happened to her. Even so, he couldn't bear not knowing the truth. Suppressing his fear, he pursued the truth. And he found out... her changed appearance."

I swallowed hard. The story was getting intense.

Iris... I'll just leave her be. I think she secretly likes this kind of story.

"Chovier was married to a high-ranking noble and lived a luxurious life. She banned anyone from calling her Chovier because it brought back memories of her commoner days. She would be punished if she wasn't called by her noble title. People were afraid of her and didn't dare to mention her name. Moreover, it was said that when people found out the noble who once thought she was wealthy was actually poor, they laughed and even cried. The man learned the truth and left the castle in silence..."

This is scary!! It's a different kind of fear!!

I can't sleep because of this scary woman!

...Iris had fainted.