She walked to-and-fro, contemplating if she should join the competition. So this was what that guy meant when he mentioned the pageant that previous night they first encountered. She continued to ponder if this pageant was worth joining. Memories of his touch and kisses came flooding into her head. She smiled mischievously and touched her lips.
"Okay, has anybody knows what are Lady Gwin's talents?" She asked out of the blue that intimidates Hash's servants again. They stared at each other like they always do and hesitated to answer. Isabel noticed the timidity after a few seconds of silence.
She remembered her own uncomfortableness with strangers.
"Don't worry, I won't do bad to you." She gave them a friendly smile, the way she smiles with Ed. Assuring her attendants that she's not a horrible person.
Perhaps they found her smile blinding and warm. It eased the mood inside the chamber and encouraged one maid to speak.
"I've heard about some of the palace maids talk about lady Gwin practicing archery, my Lady." The girl that spoke up looked like she's barely eighteen and so beautiful.
"Thank you, what's your name, pretty one?" That relaxes the attendants even more.
"My name is Nini, my Lady." She answered politely, but she was anxious as she tightly clasps her hands.
"What a nice name. My name is Isabel, so Nini tell me more about Lady Gwin's talent. " She asked casually and even dug into the food they brought.
"Lady Gwin is also talented with lyre, weaving, cooking, and dancing." Now that the girl had cascading Lady Gwin's talents, she didn't want to hear any more. But out of politeness, she let her continue.
"So you mean to say Lady Gwin is skilled in martial arts?" Everyone nods in agreement. Isabel was now interested in Lady Gwin and Hash's servants. She needed allies if she wanted to join the pageant, and she wanted them to like her.
"Alright! Way to go. Oh! This lamb stew tastes superb! Can I have more of this?" On the servants' facial expressions, it's obvious that they felt appreciated.
"Yes, ma'am, right away!" One lady ran out to get her more food.
"Perfect!" She gave them another exemplary smile.
"Now someone mentioned Lady Mau earlier. Does she have martial arts skills too?" She asked them coolly, while chewing some spiced chicken.
"The truth, my lady, is that all girls learn their tribe's martial arts at a young age in Novalia," Lo answers her question.
"Hm, interesting. So what other talents Lady Mau has?" She pretended that it's not a big deal.
She lifted a cup and places the lid on her mouth, but her ears were so focused on their answers.
"Lady Mau is an excellent singer, a professional in painting, and a wonderful cook." Lo once more described her competition with ardor.
From the information she heard, she bit her lips thoughtfully. She had tough competitors. Deep in her reflections, she didn't notice the servant bringing her lamb stew.
"Alright, thanks to everyone for helping me out today. One last question, what time will the competition start?" She stared at the time on her iPad. It says the time was ten in the morning.
"It's going to start at six in the evening, my lady." She nodded at what the other girl answered.
"Good, good." She answered carelessly and then bit her nails, contemplating further.
"Okay, I'm going to need some things for the competition." She was going to write about all things she would need.
She saw parchments and ink on Hash's table and started scribbling the components of making a homemade hydrogen bomb. But hydrogen bombs are difficult to make, dangerous too, so changed her mind and listed things needed for firecrackers.
She also added some things like pizza ingredients and costumes for a sexy dance. When she's done writing, she handed it to Lo.
Lo angled her head to find a position that was comfortable for her eyesight. The poor girl did all her best to read, but Isabel wrote everything in English. So she handed the paper to her supervisor.
It's funny how the woman reacts to her handwriting. The woman's eyes popped, and she almost laughed. She must have been thinking Isabel was illiterate. The servant supervisor handed it to another maid, but she shook her head.
And then Isabel hit her own head. She forgot they don't speak English and started laughing, all five servants no longer able to hold their laughter.
She let Lo stay in the room and have the rest gather what she needed.
"Lo, I guarantee you when I win, I'll make you my personal assistant and will reward you greatly, but whatever you see in this room right now, promise you will tell no one, okay?" Isabel offered her pinky finger, which confuses Lo even more. But she also copied her Lady's action and stuck out her own pinky finger.
Lo believed that Lady Isabel would win the pageant because she's in the prince's room. No other people have been in his room except them, his personal servants.
Right after their short ritual of a pinky promise, she took out her iPad. She then selected a piece of upbeat music and plays it.
Startled, Lo ran towards Isabel and hid behind her back.
"Don't be afraid." She touched her shoulders and lowered the volume and showed her how it works.
"See, it's not scary." She chose a rhythm that's basically drum beats and started moving her hips sensually.
"My Lady, are you a sorcerer?" No wonder she's able to charm the prince. Isabel giggles and continues moving with the beat.
"Not exactly, but you can say I know things." She said coolly and gave Lo a fiendish smile.
"Come, let me teach you." She learned these steps from TikTok.
"You dance so well, My Lady, Lo said coyly." Only the noble ladies can afford to learn to dance in Novalia. Although maids work with wages, Lo can't afford to pay the instructors.
"What's wrong?" She was a little perplexed by this maid's sudden change of mood.
"We maids cannot afford to pay dance instructions, My Lady." She lowered her head, voice lowered, with a slight bitterness. Isabel sensed that she wanted to learn.
"Don't worry, I'll teach you what I know. I won't charge you for it." She giggled to lighten Lo's mood.