Chapter 1: "Graduation is the end and a start of a new journey"
"...They weren't kidding"
Lumien mumbles as he stares at the terror in front of him.
An old, cracked mirror reflects a beautiful yet servant-like appearance of a lady. The mirror reflects from above the head down to the knee. He moves around and the reflection followed him like a shadow.
***t.
- - -
A couple of hours ago.
Today is the day of Lumien's graduation... and his death.
Two days ago, he came back home from the academy. It is tradition that graduating students return home two days before graduation after compiling all their stuff kept in their academy dorm.
He stayed up all night due to extreme excitement. Despite this, he still started his day energized.
The maids and servants already prepared everything the day before, thus all he needed to do was change and eat breakfast!
"Noir."
"Yes, young master Lumien?"
"Hm? Why are you being so formal all of a sudden?"
"It is your graduation day, young master. Of course, I should address you formally."
"Graduation day is not a big deal, Noir."
"However, you look the happiest young master."
"..."
Noir is Lumien's valet. 3 years younger than Lumien, he has been his close servant ever since they were little.
While Noir adds touches to his young master's clothes, he randomly compliments,
"You look magnificent, young master."
"I always look magnificent."
"..."
"Noir?"
"...Let us head to the dining hall, young master."
"Alright."
Today's Schedule:
5:00 AM - took a nice warm bath.
5:30 AM - the maids helped him change into his school uniform. A white polo shirt, a sky-blue vest, and a gray coat with embroidery, along with white flounces on the neck and pieces of jewelry. Then add a bit of touch to enhance his handsomeness.
6:20 AM - ate breakfast. A warm cup of sunflower tea with milk, a slice of Vanilla mousse cake, a plate of fluffy pancakes with syrup deluxe, and a side dish of chicken cordon bleu.
Lumien finishes his meal and moves to the snacks. He still has 4 hours before the graduation event starts. Might as well enjoy his food. The academy isn't so far from his residence; it only takes 2 hours of travel.
He picks up his third berry fruit tart filled with sweet cream and swallows it.
Lumien's eyes widened as he felt the color from his face drain.
He swallowed it too early!
"Ack...! Khuk...! urk...!"
One of the maids noticed him struggling and with panic, she rushes to call Noir. The other servants ran to him and tried to pat his back but for some reason, Lumien remains struggling to breathe!
Blood of the devil...!! I never choked on something so badly before...!! And, ***k...! my head hurts so much...!!!
"Sir Noir!!!! Young Master is...!"
"What happened?!! Young Master Lumien!!"
Lumien hears the cries of the maids and Noir's worried shouts. He managed to spit out the tart but the extreme headache remains. It felt as if a part of him is trying to rip his head apart!!
"Dia...!"
He felt someone carry him as his consciousness fades. The last thing he saw before his sight went dark was the rare terror-filled face of his Valet.
6:41 AM - death by choking on his sweet and fancy berry fruit tarts.
- - -
Lumien's POV
After such an excruciating experience, the pain vanished as if it was never there. He opens his eyes, and after adjusting his blurry sight, the first thing he sees is a polished wooden floor.
He looks around and notices the place is unfamiliar. A mediocre-sized room with quartz walls and a wooden floor. Candle lights hang on each wall post of the room. A large window shines on the opposite side of the doors, while numerous canvases on stands and beautiful paintings on the walls are illuminated by the warm sunlight. Outside the window, the sky is already pastel red and orange as the setting sun comes into view.
The outside looks like a moving painting amongst this room of art-filled canvases. Lumien gazes at it filled with awe.
How long has it been since I've seen a sunset? how beautiful...
WAIT. No, that's not the point here...!
"Where am I...?"
I know hospitals don't look like this, nor is it a room in my residence.
He looks down and realizes he is currently kneeling.
kneeling?
...
I, the second son of Duke Velerace, is kneeling on the ground?!?!
Not just that, my once smooth and beautiful hands now have small wounds and....
I'm holding a cleaning cloth...?!!!
What in the magical kingdom is happening?!!
He threw the cleaning cloth on a whim and attempted to stand up. But despite his desperation, the body hardly budged.
His hands and body trembled even more as he looked at his clothes.
I... I'm wearing a dress too?!!
?????
A low-classed dress no less...!!!!
His entire face and body froze as if a giant slimy frog leaped on him.
How could this be?
Am I not supposed to be at my graduation?
My precious graduation...!!!
The body finally listened to his command and the first thing he did was slam his head on the floor in dismay.
- - -
After minutes of distress, he gains back his composure and sits on a nearby chair.
"Okay," he breathes deeply and continues, "I'm in a maid's dress and my body is now a female's."
Hm?
Wait... Then does that mean...?
"..."
Let's crash that thought out for now. Just thinking of it terrifies me.
He once again took a deep breath and started racking his brain.
I was eating breakfast...and then I swallowed the berry fruit tart too early and choked.
My head started pounding and based on my memory, it ached so much. My breathing also became uneven.
Why? How? An allergic reaction? But I am well aware of my allergies. Was it because I choked? I don't remember choking to be that severe!? Even when I already spat out the tart, I still passed out, or should I say, passed away...?
...
Let's set that aside for now. First, I should try to think where we are right no--
The door behind him suddenly burst open. he turns to see a middle-aged lady— who is also wearing a maid's dress— enter.
"You brat! Why are you slacking off?! All the other maids are downstairs preparing for the young lady's teatime!"
Lumien's face froze.
Eh...? What did she just call me? 'Brat'?!?!
How dare this old lady talk to me like this!! How impudent...!!!
His eyes glare at the impudent lady.
The middle-aged lady raises her chin and with a scoff, she says,
"Hah! You...! How dare you glare at me! A low-ranked maid like you dare glare at a head maid candidate?!"
💢
I am annoyed.
I don't know where the ***k I am,
Why the ***k I am in a girl's body,
how the ***k this even happened,
what the ***k is happening.
And...
My graduation! The very day I've been waiting my entire life suddenly disappeared before my eyes!
I'm as clueless as a newborn baby!
I'm already having a terrible time...
...and this impertinent old lady still dares to present me her existence?!?!
No. No. Calm down. Calm down.
She is still older than me, I need to be respectful. This is not how your mother taught you, she thought you to be a good boy, good boy.
Sigh
I stood up and bowed to her.
"Please forgive me, this lowly maid was rude."
Damn it. This hurts my pride.
For now, for some strange reason, I'm a maid and whenever my maids do something wrong, this is how they apologize. I don't understand why they call themselves lowly though. Anyone who works for the Velerace estate is far from lowly. I kept reminding them of this, but they never listen.
The middle-aged lady smiles satisfied.
"That's more like it." She turns around and demanded something before leaving. "If you're done cleaning, leave this room immediately. Don't dawdle around."
Lumien replies as calmly as possible.
"Understood."
The door then closed with a bam.
Phew
Lumien flops to the ground.
Ugh... I feel tired...
I only stood for a few seconds and now my legs already feel so weak. My arms hurt too.
I stood up to try and pick up the cleaning cloth I tossed next to the bucket. But when I tried to take a step, my sight suddenly leans to the side.
Thud
...
I grit my teeth in frustration.
Argh! Why won't this stupid body listen to me?!
I tried to take a step, but my feet didn't budge, and I ended up falling.
Damn it.
I'm like a baby learning how to walk for the first time.
- - -
Bah...
It took me minutes to finally reach the door with the cleaning materials in hand.
Ha...huff...
I held the doorknob as I tried to catch my breath. As I turned the doorknob, someone on the other side turned it at the same time.
You got to be kidding me.
The door opens and I stagger backwards. My butt then hits the hard wooden floor, sending an overbearing pain to my lower body.
mother of... *******K!!!!
Lumien sat on the floor, trembling. He hid his face with his arms and bit his lips as he tried not to scream.
For how many times did I fall already? Darn pathetic body!
If this were a dream, I would've woken up from all the unwanted pain.
He sat on the floor with teary eyes.
I'm too embarrassed to raise my head.
I never imagined in my entire life, I would be sitting on the floor crawled up, trying not to spit blood out of pain.
He looks down and slowly closed his eyes.
I'm tired...
hopefully, whoever entered is not a lady. otherwise, I would die in shame.
...
It was silent.
Why are they so quie—
"What are you doing?"
Hearing a gentle male voice echo in the room, I unconsciously sigh in relief.
I look up and saw a surprisingly familiar face. A tall and handsome young man with long platinum hair tied in a low ponytail and silver eyes that matched the glassy moonstone on his collar.
...
He seems familiar but I just can't seem to...
Oh right, Isn't he the son of Marquess Trouvaille? What was his name again? Azer? Rel? Zoro?
Marquess Trouvaille's son tilts his head while Lumien stared at him lost in thought.
- - -
Marquess Trouvaille's son POV
The tall young man looks down on the crawled-up maid in front of him.
...
What is she doing? Is she okay? She's trembling... Did she fall? Should I ask her if she's okay? But it's obvious that she's not okay though...
I hesitated before finally speaking.
"What are you doing?"
I asked.
It's a stupid question but it's better than getting stuck in this situation until nightfall.
I raise my hand in an attempt to reach her but then she raises her head and our eyes lock. At first, her round magenta eyes were sparkling but a short moment later it went blank.
????
S-should I call a medic...?
- - -
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