"I think the idea of being executed sounds far more appealing right now."
Florian stared down at his outfit in abject horror. It wasn't just bad—it was mortifying. Meanwhile, Cashew gazed up at him with an expression of pure admiration, as if Florian had just stepped out of some grand fashion show instead of a tragic comedy.
Lucius, however, was silent. His piercing gaze was fixed on Florian, and while the man's face remained unreadable, Florian didn't need to be a mind reader to guess what thoughts might be running through his head.
'I shouldn't have agreed to this. This is such a goddamn cliché.' Florian resisted the urge to bury his face in his hands. Instead, he settled for shaking his head furiously, as if doing so would somehow erase the situation.
Right now, he was dressed in the most humiliating outfit imaginable: a maid uniform. Specifically, one of the frilliest, most ostentatious maid outfits worn by the staff of the Obsidian family. It had layers of ruffles, a lace-trimmed apron, and puffed sleeves. Even the headband perched atop his head was an affront to his dignity.
Florian tugged at the stiff fabric in dismay. "I look ridiculous."
"Your Highness," Lucius began, his voice calm but carrying a peculiar edge, "the princesses have all opted out of eating breakfast together today due to yesterday's events."
Florian groaned. "Can't you just tell them it's required to eat together?"
"We could," Lucius admitted with a slight shrug, "but His Majesty has granted them permission to dine in their rooms for today. Their regular schedule will resume tomorrow."
'Of course, he did.' Florian slumped slightly, his dejection written all over his face.
"This disguise won't work anyway," he said, gesturing at his dress. "I still look like myself! Everyone will recognize me in an instant."
"I anticipated that concern, Your Highness." Lucius reached into his pocket and retrieved a small, unassuming object.
Florian squinted. "Glasses?" He raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. "You think a pair of glasses will magically hide my identity?"
Lucius's lips curved into a faint smile. "Not just any glasses, Your Highness." He stepped closer, his movements measured and deliberate.
As Lucius approached, Florian felt a chill run down his spine. The butler's intense gaze sent warning bells ringing in his head.
'He's looking at me like I'm prey. Goddamn it, why does this keep happening?'
Florian's mind raced. This was textbook BL cliché: the "bottom" gets put in suggestive clothing, and the "top" gets... overly interested. It was one of Kaz's favorite tropes, and now Florian was living it.
He glanced nervously at Cashew, who was thankfully still present. 'Surely Lucius wouldn't try anything inappropriate with a kid around... right?'
Well, Florian was only half right.
Lucius stopped just inches away from him, his tall frame looming. Florian froze as the butler unexpectedly raised a hand and brushed a lock of hair from his face, tucking it neatly behind his ear.
"W-What are you doing?" Florian whispered, his voice shaky as he tried to take a step back.
Lucius leaned in, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. "These glasses are magic, Your Highness."
Florian swallowed hard, his instincts screaming at him to move. But before he could retreat, Lucius gently grabbed his arm, pulling him slightly closer.
'Too close. Way too close. Why does he keep doing this?!'
"Helping," Lucius answered simply, his tone smooth. His gaze lingered on Florian's face, doing the infamous triangle method: eyes to lips, back to eyes. Florian had seen enough online trends in his old world to recognize it immediately.
Lucius placed the glasses on Florian's face with deliberate care, his fingers brushing against Florian's temple. The butler's smirk deepened.
Then Florian felt it—a small, sharp sting against his skin.
"What the—" Florian managed to step back, his hand instinctively reaching for his face.
Cashew gasped audibly. "Y-Your Highness... your hair!"
"My... hair?" Florian echoed, confused. He reached up, fingers brushing against his locks—and froze. His hair, which had been short and purple moments ago, was now longer. He could feel the strands brushing against his neck, and the color was no longer the vibrant purple he was accustomed to.
Lucius stepped back, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. He handed Florian a small mirror, the smirk on his face never fading. "See for yourself."
Florian snatched the mirror, holding it up—and nearly dropped it.
'Oh... my... fucking God.'
His reflection was almost unrecognizable. His once short, vibrant purple hair was now a soft shade of brown, falling slightly past his ears. His purple eyes had also changed, shifting to a warm brown hue. The effect was subtle but transformative. Combined with the maid uniform, he didn't look like himself at all.
"This is... incredible," Florian muttered, staring at his reflection. "And also extremely unsettling."
Lucius nodded approvingly. "I had the glasses specially made. With them, you can move about freely and observe the princesses without drawing attention."
Florian continued to gape at his reflection. 'As much as I want to hate this... it's actually a good idea. Damn it.'
"This is...actually good, Lucius," he admitted begrudgingly, though his tone remained tinged with irritation. "But if anyone sees me like this, I'm holding you personally responsible for my humiliation."
Lucius inclined his head gracefully. "As you wish, Your Highness."
Florian sighed, lowering the mirror. "Alright. Let's get this over with before I regret every decision that led me to this moment."
"Very well," Lucius replied, his tone laced with amusement that he didn't even bother to conceal. "Your Highness will be observing Princess Bridget and Princess Camilla. Please remember one crucial rule: you are not to initiate any conversation with them. You may only speak when spoken to."
Florian tilted his head in confusion, eyebrows knitting together. "And… why is that?"
Lucius adjusted his gloves with a practiced motion, his sharp gaze meeting Florian's. "Maids are typically prohibited from engaging in conversation with members of the royal family unless they are specifically assigned to that particular prince, princess, or His Majesty."
Florian frowned. "But why? What's the reasoning behind that?"
Lucius' expression hardened slightly, a flicker of something almost grim crossing his face. "To avoid confusion, and more importantly, to ensure that every royal knows exactly who is meant to be serving them. There was an incident years ago—a princess was assassinated because a woman impersonating a maid infiltrated her chambers."
Florian's breath hitched slightly at the gravity of the explanation. 'Oh… well, that's definitely a good reason. Guess there's no chatting my way through this disguise. So much for that idea,' he thought, letting out a quiet sigh.
"Right. That makes sense. So, no starting conversations," Florian muttered, steeling himself.
Lucius gave a small nod of approval, but his gaze lingered on Florian for a moment longer, as if studying him. "Precisely. Now, Your Highness, remember—your role today is one of observation. Blend in, follow the protocols, and stay unnoticed. Princess Bridget and Princess Camilla are unlikely to question your presence as long as you remain discreet and act the part."
Florian glanced at the reflective surface of a nearby cabinet, catching his transformed appearance again. The long brown hair, the glasses, the maid uniform—all of it felt so foreign and ridiculous, but it would have to do. "Right, let's do this," he said, exhaling as if to summon the courage he desperately needed.
Lucius offered a rare, faint smirk. "A fitting attitude. May I remind you, Your Highness, that this is not just an exercise in disguise—it's an opportunity to understand the princesses better. Information is power, after all."
Florian nodded, though inwardly he groaned. 'Yeah, sure, power… but at what cost? This still feels like a ridiculous cliche from a BL novel. I can practically hear Kaz laughing at me right now.' He squared his shoulders, straightened his posture, and prepared to step into his role.
Lucius raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening slightly. "You look the part now. Let us see if you can act it as well."
'I feel like he's enjoying this a little too much...'
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
Maid Florian
Disguised Maid Florian