"E, Eri…"
"W-What is it, Princess?"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: I knew it. Is the cake too ugly?!
At the status window that popped up, Siervian saw that the cake Ellie brought her out of the blue. It was smaller and had simpler decorations than the cake she ate yesterday. But still, the thick chocolate cream on top of it looked delicious.
'All the food Ellie brings me these days are delicious.'
Siervian could feel Ellie's sincerity every time she took a bite. Her meals were now nutritious enough to help her young body to grow well.
Thanks to that, she couldn't eat much because she was worrying about her weight. She felt sorry for not being able to eat much.
But she couldn't believe it was happening again.
"I-I'm sowwy!"
"Please don't cry. What's wrong, Princess?"
Tears welled up in Siervian's eyes. She couldn't see Ellie's beautiful face through her tears, and her shoulders kept shaking because of her sobs.
At this sight, Ellie quickly ran to the princess' side and hugged her. It was a pity that she was too small to even fill the maid's arms.
'It's awkward…'
In Ellie's warm embrace, Siervian felt confused. Because whenever she cried, everyone would only look down at her with cold eyes.
'What should I do?'
Surprised of herself because she started crying, Siervian confessed about what happened the day before.
"I ate too many snacks yestewday."
"Yesterday? Oh, did you eat a lot when you were with His Majesty?"
"Yes…"
As she hiccupped, Siervian nodded. She didn't need to talk formally* because she was a princess, but it just kept coming out.
She was afraid that she'd lose this warmth forever.
"I made a mwistake…"
[ Ellie ]
Favorability: +30
Her tears were still flowing profusely, but she could see the bright status window.
The favorability rose up just like that. Siervian looked at Ellie with wonder in her eyes. Even with the slightest movement of her gaze, her eyes were heavy with tears.
But Ellie still had a smile on even though Siervian confessed.
"Princess. You weren't wrong."
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: My poor princess…
Because of those words, Siervian was filled with a little courage. She raised her face and asked.
"But, y-you said it's spwecial…"
Ellie's warm hand touched Siervian's cheek, and her sorrow melted away little by little.
"Because it's a snack. Our Princess didn't eat much today, so I was worried."
"Becawse I didn't eat well?"
Ellie was telling her again to eat more.
She said it every mealtime, but Siervian couldn't understand. Until just recently, she had been told that princesses should eat less and always watch their weight.
However, after seeing the Empress' status window, seeds of doubt had been sown. It was Sarah and the Empress who told Siervian to eat less. Why did they do that?
"Yes, Your Highness. I'm sorry the food isn't good enough… If it was delicious, you would have eaten more…"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: The finances of the Princess' Palace are still…
"No! It's yummy!"
Even as she wondered if Ellie would notice that she could read her thoughts, Siervian quickly resolved the misunderstanding. Sarah's pepper soup couldn't even compare to the meals Ellie gave her.
'And really different.'
The meals were always warm, even though she couldn't eat much. And most of all, Ellie had been catering to her taste.
She always took great care to note Siervian's likes and dislikes.
"That's why you can also eat a lot of what His Majesty gives you."
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: You should eat better.
"Really…?"
"Of course, Princess."
Ellie's strong support left Siervian lost in thought.
[ Ellie ]
Favorability: 9,987
She thought about the Empress' negative favorability points and Ellie's rising points, showing who it was that truly cared for Siervian.
"Okay…"
"Really? Oh my, that's very good, our dear Princess…!"
The words burst out of Ellie's lips.
These words denied all of the habits Siervian had in her previous life, but strangely, she answered easily.
"Fwom now on, I'll eat bweakfast and lunch well."
[ Ellie ]
Favorability: +40
Ellie smiled widely as she looked at the princess, nodding enthusiastically. She hugged Siervian tighter because she was so lovely, then patted the child's black hair.
'I can't breathe…'
In the Princess' Palace, it was often suffocating even if she didn't do anything. But now, she couldn't breathe because Ellie was hugging her tightly. She wanted to break free, but she held it in.
Because being in someone's embrace felt better than she thought.
"Now, shall we eat the cake?"
"Okay."
Ellie quickly brought the tray to Siervian. The delicious smell of chocolate that had been passing by the tip of Siervian's nose since earlier was finally coming closer to her.
It really looked delicious.
It was brought here just at the right time too because she was starting to get hungry. She couldn't eat anything when she was at the Empress' Palace.
"It won't taste as good as the snacks you had yesterday. I'm sorry."
"No way."
As Ellie said, there weren't any magical forks or snowy cakes here.
But the chocolate cake was very delicious.
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: How pretty you are to look at when you eat well.
Nyam.
Nyam, nyam.
The small cake was gone in an instant.
Still, Siervian pretended that she wasn't disappointed when she was finished eating and set the fork down. She decided to eat well from now on, so maybe she could eat cake again.
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: I guess you want to eat more.
How did she know? Didn't she hide it?
In the next few days, Siervian ate and slept well at the Princess' Palace.
She still hesitated to the point of getting full, but that hesitation was gone the moment Ellie smiled at her and told her how prettily she ate.
'It's weird.'
One thing kept bothering her while she spent her days like this.
Why did 'that' incident happen?
"Eri, Eri!"
"Yes, Princess, would you like another snack?"
"No!"
And in the past few days, Ellie had been trying to feed Siervian something every time they made eye contact. It was getting a bit too much, so Siervian thought she should avoid Ellie's gaze a little bit.
No matter how important it was to eat well, a Princess' dignity is…
"Your Highness really doesn't want to eat?"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: Today, I brought macarons that are just as cute as our Princess. Should I give them to you later?
"Okay, I wanna eat."
It couldn't be helped if it was macarons. Since that was the case, she quickly changed her mind.
"Here… I got this from a friend who works at the Emperor's Palace. I'm sorry I can give Your Highness only a little…"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: You like it so much, but I'm sorry I can't give you a lot. I'd like to give you a heaping tray one day.
"Yummy!"
Ellie shyly gave Siervian two more macarons, and Siervian carefully took both and savored one of them.
After a brief thought, Siervian gave the remaining macaron to Ellie.
"Eri, eat!"
"Oh my, Princess. I'm quite alright."
"Noo, pwease eat!"
Siervian grabbed Ellie's hand and put the macaron on her palm. Ellie hesitated, but accepted it in the end when she saw the small hands holding hers.
"How come our Princess is so kind-hearted…"
[ Ellie ]
Favorability: +30
The sight of Ellie's delighted face made Siervian's heart prickle a little. Actually, today's purpose was to increase Ellie's favorability even just a smidge.
"Oh, it's very sweet."
"Yummy, right?"
"Yes, very much. Thank you, Your Highness."
Seeing Ellie happy made Siervian think that she should give her more next time. Even though she was receiving the macarons from Ellie… Still.
"I'm fwull."
"That's good, Princess."
"Can I go outside today?"
"Outside?"
Ellie didn't expect it, so her eyes were wide. Siervian was afraid she'd say no, so she hurriedly spoke again. She had to go out today.
"I'll be good… But if Eri is too busy… maybe next twime…"
As Siervian finished speaking sullenly, Ellie's expression darkened.
"Princess…"
"Yes?"
Ellie had a stiff expression on as she called Siervian, who knew that it's easy to be hated no matter what she did, so she should be more careful.
"Of course Your Highness can go out."
"Huh?"
But then Ellie said something unexpected.
Ellie knelt in front of Siervian and made eye contact with Siervian, whose head was down.
"Princess, this is your palace. Your Highness may do whatever you want."
"Even going outside?"
"Of course."
Siervian looked into Ellie's eyes to see if she was telling the truth.
"Goodness…"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: I should have told you earlier… It's my mistake.
Ellie looked as if she was on the verge of tears.
Although it was frustrating to stay inside the palace, Siervian was happy whenever she was with Ellie, who she was looking at with wonder.
"Goodness… I should have paid more attention. I apologize."
"No, Eri's beside me so I'm happy alweady."
"…"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: I'm really glad to hear that…
Ellie embraced Siervian with tears in her eyes.
Siervian meant what she said. These days, Siervian was neither hungry nor terrified by Sarah's shouting voice.
Before, it was Sarah who decided whether she could go out or not, so it was never easy to ask for permission.
'And it's only if someone calls me.'
Unfortunately, Sarah never let Siervian out of her room on her own. That's why she thought she needed to ask for permission from Ellie first, but now she realized that she didn't have to do that.
"Then, shall we get ready to go outside?"
"Yeah!"
[ Ellie ]
Favorability: +20
At Siervian's excited answer, Ellie moved quickly.
"Hmm… Your Highness hasn't gone out that often lately, but why don't you have much clothes…"
[ Ellie ]
Thoughts: When is the budget for Princess' Palace coming in? There's still a lot I have to change…
Ellie was troubled when she looked at the closet.
One side was full of gloomy clothes. Ellie wanted to dispose of them right away, but she kept them there just in case.
And the other side had bright clothes that Ellie bought as soon as she became head maid.
At one glance, it was clear that there were only a few bright clothes.
'I wonder why there isn't a budget in the Princess' Palace?'
Siervian, who was standing beside Ellie, thought about it as she looked at the closet.
Then, she pointed to one dress. It was a pink frill dress that she wore when she went to see her father last time.
"Is this alright? Your Highness already wore this recently."
"Yeah, it's fwine."
It didn't matter if she wore the same clothes twice. Aristocrats didn't like to do this, but she didn't want to think the same way.
If she changed her clothes a lot, then she'd be criticized as a princess who wasted the people's money. It would be easier to hear if she was called fussy instead.
'But that's not the point here.'
Rather, the matter of the palace's budget was constantly raising questions. She was even more curious about it as she thought of 'that' incident over the past few days.
"Where will Your Highness go today?"
"Jwust somewhere."
The first thing that made everyone in the Imperial Palace think of Siervian with a bad impression was the so-called [Princess' Palace Food Waste] case.
——
tl/n:
* The way Siervian said 'yes' in Korean is considered to be more formal.