Chapter 7

I returned.

"Ah, how sad..."

The maid is making sure not to touch me as I sit on the built-in sofa, lost in sorrow. I gently bring the freshly brewed tea to my lips.

"Delicious."

"I'm glad."

The maid smiles at me.

"Sorry for charging at you just now. Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Yes, but I fell on the carpet."

This maid is the one I charged at just now. I calculated to fall on the fluffy carpet provided in the castle, but only she knows if she's really okay. At the very least, the part I hit must be painful. I feel guilty.

"I'm really sorry. I caused you pain even though you have no grudge against me..."

"You don't have to apologize so many times, I'm really fine."

She says this while bouncing cutely. She's so cute.

Feeling warm, I ask,

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"You're about the same height as me, right?"

"Yes, it seems that way when we stand next to each other."

"Our body shapes are the same too."

"I finally managed to lose some weight the other day."

"Our hair color is the same too."

"They match."

"Our eyes are the same color too."

"......"

She was answering lightly, but suddenly she hesitated.

The maid opens her mouth as if she has made up her mind.

"Are you thinking about something?"

"Something nice."

"It's definitely not nice!"

"It's okay, just stay quiet and put on my clothes."

"That's not nice at all!"

I approach the maid, who is screaming, with my hands trembling.

We glare at each other, inching closer.

"It's fine. Just a little bit of being a substitute."

"No, it's not fine!"

"If it goes well, you might even catch the prince's eye!"

"No way!"

"But you look like me."

"It's just the color that's the same, we don't look alike at all!"

"Color is enough. What else do you judge people by?"

"Are you judging people by their color!?"

"I'm bad at remembering faces..."

"Remember them!"

"By the way, what's your name?"

"Maria!"

While talking, I inch closer to her. Maria, your name is cute too.

"Someone! Help me!"

Maria starts banging on the door.

"Ah, I haven't done anything yet!"

"But you're going to, right!?"

"Yes, but!"

"See!"

She continues to bang on the door with tears in her eyes. The door is sturdy, so her hands must hurt.

"It's better to give up."

"No way!"

"Come on, think about it lightly."

"I can't!"

I try to pull the stubborn Maria away from the door, but she won't let go of the doorknob.

"Just a little bit."

"That little bit will end my life!"

"It's okay, let's think about it lightly, okay?"

"No, no, no, no way!"

She's surprisingly stubborn and strong. Maybe it's the strength of desperation.

"No! Help me!"

Maria shouts even louder. Her voice is powerful! It hurts my ears!

"Ah!"

The door opens, and Maria, who was clinging to it, smashes her face into it. I fall onto the fluffy carpet with her.

"What are you doing, Letty?"

Oh no.

I tremble in fear at the prince's smiling face, and the revived Maria calls out to him.

"Please help me!"

"What was Letty trying to do?"

"She was trying to make me a substitute! Because we're the same age, have similar builds, and our hair colors match!"

She tells everything.

"Letty?"

"Ah!"

His smile is terrifying!

"Why would she be a substitute?"

"Well, the prince apparently fell in love with me at first sight, so I thought if I found someone who looks like me, it might work..."

My words trail off. Every time I speak, the prince's temple twitches.

The prince smiles brightly and opens his mouth.

"So, Letty, you didn't understand my feelings for you?"

"N-no, that's not it..."

"Let me tell you what I like about you. In detail, thoroughly."

"N-no, that's fine..."

"How many hours will it take to express it all?"

"Fine! Fine!"

I look up to see the heavy door firmly closed. Maria is also gone. She escaped!

"Let's have a nice chat, just the two of us."

"N-no, no, no, no, no!"

My screams are ignored as I am embraced by the prince.