The Young Lady Has Disappeared

* * *

Uwah, I’m nervous-

Thinking that she would be fine since she had read all of Lillian’s memories, Lillian stood in front of the banquet hall and looked at Catherine who was watching her from behind. Despite not wearing a corset, Catherine’s slender waist was noticeable in her voluminous maid skirt.

The attendant’s name call is heard. To think she would see her name being called out so loudly. Lillian’s face turned slightly red, but Catherine only looked at her with a stern face.

“Young lady.”

“…”

When Lillian didn’t say anything or move, Catherine, who had quietly called her, continued.

“It’s your turn to enter.”

“Okay.”

When she heard the calm voice from the maid with dead facial muscles, as if hypnotized, Lillian started to slowly correct herself to be more like the original ‘Lillian’. Although she had tried to maintain some dignity at the entrance ceremony, Catherine’s calm and beautiful voice tickling her ears made her feel like she had to do so even more.

She slowly changes her posture to that of a noble. Straighten her back, look straight ahead. Walk without wobbling, but not creating excessive angles either. Comfortable but not vulgar. 

And Lillian’s characteristic expression. She creates that cold and arrogant expression.

Although she couldn’t see herself in a mirror, her current self should be perfectly Lillian herself. Before entering the banquet hall, she glanced back and saw Catherine looking at her with her mouth slightly open. What’s this, is she nervous? Thinking this, Lillian called out to Catherine.

“Catherine, you should follow too.”

“…Yes.”

Although her response was slightly delayed, Catherine nodded slowly and followed Lillian into the banquet hall. 

Many nobles were already present in the banquet hall. All eyes, regardless of gender, started to focus on Lillian, but she, who had already perfectly become ‘Lillian’, haughtily met the gazes of the nobles looking at her.

Then the nobles’ gazes subtly dropped. Lillian inwardly smiled as she watched this. It’s not a big deal. She truly thought so.

Until Yulia approached.

* * *

Right after Lillian and Prince Belrus met, dance music started playing in the banquet hall. Those two will probably go out to dance too. I quietly watched as the two of them advanced towards the brightly shining chandelier while bickering, as I stepped back slightly.

Lillian danced better than expected. It wasn’t as elegant and beautiful as the young lady’s dance, but it was quite skillful. 

Come to think of it, what kind of life has Lillian lived? What kind of life did she live and how did she end up possessing the young lady’s body?

Well, it’s not something I could know even if I pondered about it. Watching Lillian dance while lightly holding Prince Belrus’s hand with her fingertips, I slowly left the banquet hall.

Stepping into the quiet corridor where not even footsteps echoed, I slowly moved towards the outside.

It was quiet outside. As if all sounds and echoes existed only inside the banquet hall, no sound was resonating in the corridor. I, who had slipped out without making even a footstep sound like a trained maid, quietly walked down the path.

…-!

As I was walking, I heard a thin, delicate woman’s voice from afar. Whose voice is it? Suddenly curious, I slowly approached where the sound came from. 

There were two people where the voice came from. One was a face I had just seen. Golden hair swaying in the night sky. It was the effect of shaking off the hand that had grabbed her.

“Please stop!”

“…Huuh? How dare a commoner like you!”

Hmm, although I didn’t see it properly, the conversation immediately explains the situation. A nobleman’s son, red-faced with drunkenness, was grabbing Yulia. Judging by the fact that I don’t recognize his face, he’s probably not from a very great family. Of course, he must be good enough to enroll in the academy.

Maybe a marquis family from a kingdom? As I quietly continued my thoughts, I slipped behind them. 

Of course, I had no intention of intervening directly. Even though I’m a maid from the Fortus Marquisate, the prime minister’s family of the empire, he’s a titled noble and I’m ultimately a commoner. If I had some ability like Yulia, it might be different, but I was an incompetent human with only a small talent.

I lightly climbed the tree above them without anyone noticing and then dropped down on top of the man.

“Ugh?!”

“Kyaa?!”

“…Hmm.”

After confirming that the man had fainted, I grabbed her hand. Although I had knocked him out by disguising it as an accident, I hadn’t taken proper measures, so I didn’t know when he might wake up.

“For now, let’s leave this place.”

“Huh? Ah, okay.”

Perhaps bothered by my strangely calm appearance, Yulia glanced at me repeatedly. Seeing this, I left the garden, gently let go of her hand, and opened my mouth.

“Do you have something you want to say?”

“Huh? Ah… Um, it was Catherine, right?”

“Yes, Miss Yulia.”

“Ah, Miss? Ehehe. I told you, didn’t I? I’m just a commoner.”

“But you possess holy power. Then you’ll be granted at least the rank of count.”

Looking at the recent situation with the church and the imperial palace, she could even aim for the rank of Marquis. Of course, it would depend on who she marries.

It’s impossible for the Fortus family as the young lady is the only legitimate heir. Then what’s left are the four grand duke families and the imperial family, but the four grand duke families aren’t very active in such matters. Those who reign as overlords in each region of the north, south, east, and west tend to greatly avoid friction with the church.

The imperial family, having lost faith due to recent consecutive wars, would be eager to obtain a ‘saint’. But they wouldn’t offer the crown prince, though maybe the second prince. After all, they can’t make a commoner an empress.

As I looked somewhat pitifully at the young lady who would become a sacrifice to politics, she tilted her head with an innocent face, not understanding why I was giving her such a look.

“Still… I’m a commoner now. I’d like it if you spoke comfortably.”

“My actions as the young lady’s servant affect the young lady’s dignity as well. Please withdraw such words.”

“…Ugh, then how about just when we’re alone?”

What a persistent young lady. 

Thinking this, I reluctantly nodded. It’s not like I’ll have any occasion to be alone with her after today anyway. When I nodded, Yulia’s face brightened.

“…Great!”

Is it that good? After watching her jump up and down on the spot for a moment, I turned my back. The dance music should be ending soon. 

By the way, why was this young lady outside not dancing? I momentarily wondered, but seeing her following behind me with small steps, such questions disappeared.

“…Don’t follow me.”

“Hmm? Why~”

“If we enter together, it will cause unfavorable rumors.”

Rumors like commoners sticking together would spread. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what happens to Yulia, but rumors about me would affect Lillian’s dignity as well. As a servant of the ‘young lady’, I couldn’t spread such disgrace to the young lady. 

When I firmly rejected her, Yulia pouted.

“…Tch.”

“If you really must, you go in first.”

“Hmm? No, it’s okay.”

Yulia, who shook her head, slightly stopped her steps. What’s this? Was it not because of the recent incident that she wanted to enter together? Although it hadn’t been long since I learned about her, my curiosity only grew.

I don’t need to be curious. After pondering for a moment, I entered the banquet hall as is. As I returned to Lillian’s side while subtly hiding my presence, Lillian looked at me with a surprised face.

“…Catherine? Where have you been?”

“Just went for a walk.”

“A walk?”

“Yes.”

When I nodded, Lillian looked at me for a moment and then nodded.

“I see. Well, nothing happened, right?”

“…Nothing, you say.”

Nothing. Well, something did happen. When I told her about meeting Yulia, Lillian looked at me with an even more surprised face. It was fortunate that others couldn’t see her face like this because we were in a corner. 

Seeing Lillian’s eyes widened, I quietly cautioned her.

“Young lady. Your dignity.”

“I don’t think dignity is the important thing here…”

Lillian, who had been staring at me blankly, sighed.

“Ugh, what’s going to happen…”

“…Young lady?”

As I tilted my head at her muttering, Lillian shook her head as if it was nothing.

“Haa. I need to organize my thoughts a bit. Let’s go back for now.”

“Yes. Ah, did you dance properly with Prince Belrus?”

“You saw all of that, didn’t you? Tch.”

“Ahem.”

Recalling her dancing with Prince Belrus, I quietly started following her as she left the banquet hall while grumbling.

* * *

Prince Belrus had better reflexes than expected. Despite Lillian’s efforts to step on his feet, Prince Belrus avoided all of her attempts.

“…I don’t understand why you’re so angry today.”

“Just. I’m not in a good mood…!”

Tap- 

Seeing Prince Belrus avoid it again, Lillian gritted her teeth and quietly opened her mouth.

“Hey. Do you have any thoughts of breaking off the engagement?”

“Hmm. Not particularly.”

“I do though.”

“It would be better if you didn’t either.”

Lillian bit her lip at Prince Belrus’s calm response, as if saying mountains are mountains and water is water, and inwardly sighed. The dance music was slowly coming to an end.

“Well, you seem to be in a bad mood today, so let’s stop here. But next time, you’ll have to tell me what’s wrong.”

“Hmph.”

Who does he think he is? Thinking this, Lillian politely bowed. Although her outward actions completely contradicted her inner thoughts, Lillian didn’t feel guilty at all. 

Thinking things like ‘That sly prince-‘ Lillian returned to her seat. Catherine was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where did she go?’

Catherine didn’t seem like the type to leave her post for so long. Thinking this, Lillian moved to a corner and was finally able to let out a long sigh.

“Huaah. I’ve been under too much stress today…”

“Young lady.”

Turning her head at the voice calling her, she saw a beautiful black-haired maid looking at her with an expressionless face. Startled, Lillian called the maid’s name.

“Catherine? Where have you been?”

“Just went for a walk.”

“A walk?”

“Yes.”

A walk, huh. Catherine isn’t the type to lie to her master. She just doesn’t say unnecessary things. So the fact that she went for a walk is probably true. Of course, what happened during that walk is the question.

“I see. Well, nothing happened, right?”

“…Nothing, you say.”

When she asked probingly, Catherine thought for a moment and then opened her mouth.

“I met Miss Yulia in the garden.”

“…Huh? Yulia?”

Did she do something bad? As Lillian looked at Catherine with an anxious face, Catherine seemed to think for a moment before speaking.

“She was being courted by a young nobleman. She seemed troubled.”

“Ah.”

Hearing that much, Lillian could understand what the situation was. Yulia being courted by Galak, the sub-villain of this game. It was the scene where the male lead and Yulia first meet, and the event where the male lead starts to like Yulia. It was quite a good scene as it was not only the first event but also showed the prince’s so-called tsundere personality.

“…Wh-What happened? Did His Highness the Prince come out and save her?”

“…No? What do you mean by His Highness? I took care of it roughly.”

“Huh? Took care of? Who?”

Took care of? What on earth is she talking about? As Lillian thought this and asked, Catherine quietly opened her mouth.

“Who else? I’m talking about that young nobleman. Ah, by ‘took care of’, I just made him faint, so don’t worry. No one except Miss Yulia knows it was me.”

Seeing Catherine being strangely talkative, Lillian shook her head.

“No, I wasn’t asking about the method.”

“He was drunk, so he’ll probably just think he drank too much.”

“No, I’m telling you that’s not what I was asking.”

“Then what?”

“The prince?”

“Why do you keep asking about His Highness?”

Seeing Catherine tilt her head as if she truly didn’t understand, Lillian looked at her with an astonished face. This girl, she stole the game’s first event!

Of course, Catherine wouldn’t know that she had done such a thing. Even Lillian herself didn’t know how this would unfold. She didn’t want to have her head chopped off or be sent to a convent like the original Lillian, but she didn’t intend to interfere so greatly right from the start.

As she opened her mouth and fell into thought, Catherine, seemingly bothered by this sight, quietly spoke.

“Young lady. Your dignity.”

“I don’t think dignity is the important thing here…”

She wanted to scold the maid who kept harping on about dignity without realizing her own composure was falling apart, but there were too many eyes here. 

Lillian, who let out words mixed with a sigh, got up and headed towards her room. Catherine followed behind her, completely turning her composure upside down until the end.