Still gripping Ira's hands, the maid squished it a bit with her own hands; curiosity was filling her face.
Ira noticed this and then slowly pulled her hands back towards her body.
"Your hands, they're very soft for a maid.." The maid commented.
"Is it? I suppose so." Ira said.
"Where did you come from? Looking at you closer, you look like a princess. I mean, look at you! Your skin looks like it hasn't seen the sun, and your face is smooth to the touch, " the maid said.
Ira was getting uncomfortable with these comments. Could she have been already figured out?
Ira cleared her voice and stood up.
Her suspicions could end her life if she observed further. She needed an excuse fast.
"I suppose so. I was very high in demand when men came to the brothels."
Ira had never even seen a man naked.
The maid was now getting her answers, and her mouth widened with realization.
"Wow! But you didn't even do hard labour?"
"Nope! I was technically the heart of that brothel!"
The maid stood up, now more interested in her previous life, and came towards her more.
"So, how would you deal with angry customers?" The maid asked in wonder.
Ira quickly had to think of an answer for this bold lie.
"You know, I would have men who fell in love with me that would battle to the death! Men who were willing to die for me saved me..!" Ira boldly stated.
Ira felt a bit bad for lying, but technically, her whole identity is a lie, so she might as well.
A laugh could be heard from the background as soon as Ira finished her lie.
"And I wondered why you made my dish so long."
Ira's eyes widened in embarrassment.
It was the Crown Prince.
Soon, Kaius walked towards the maid and grabbed her hands.
"Liora, I understand the grave struggle for preparing a meal for my father, and on top of that, your ill sister!" Kaius spoke with a sorrowful inflection, but Ira could see through his act.
Liora, the maid, looked up at him all tear-eyed and gripped his hands.
"Thank you! Oh, thank you!" Liora yelled as if she was praising the Gods.
Kaius smiled, gripped her hands harder, and looked at her with determination.
"Go! Go, my fair maiden! May your eyes never be filled with tears of sorrow again!" Kaius yelled as if he were some Disney character in the 1850s.
As Liora left, Kaius couldn't hold back his chuckle anymore and burst out laughing.
Ira was standing there, shocked even to have witnessed that. Do girls get amused by that?
Ira's embarrassment from ten seconds ago vanished because what was that?
Kaius looked at Ira's expression, then not even a minute later, his face was filled with accomplishment.
"Sorry, for that. I couldn't help but see that embarrassment on your face a while ago, so I was afraid that you might not be able to focus on your tasks. Beat embarrassment with even worse embarrassment." Kaius chuckled a bit at that last part.
Soon after, Kaius cleared his throat and then looked at the ground at the mess of food.
"Now, where were we? Ah yes! I'd like you to make the Emperor's meal alongside mine." Kaius said he was trying to get past the food on the ground.
But, to Ira, she felt something on her back. It was physical pain. There was no way someone's life could be THIS hard.
Suppose she made the Emperor's meal less extravagant than the Crown Prince's. I'm sure Elowen would burn her on a stake.