IWIAHC Chapter 20

After the Head Maid's lecture ended, Lily bowed and scraped her way out backwards. The moment she closed the door, she ran toward the East Building where Wolfram was.

She'd sworn to Aiden to behave like an ordinary maid, but that was when she hadn't known the Emperor's body had been devoured by the cult leader.

Time was of the essence now. At this rate, something might happen to the Duke's soul.

Every entrance to the East Building was monitored by imperial knights. Even the castle's regular personnel couldn't enter freely.

This place had been designated as imperial territory, if temporarily, and she'd heard that workers brought from the imperial palace were taking over the duties.

Having never hosted royalty as a guest before, Lily accepted this as natural. However, Head Maid Angela regarded it as a humiliation.

'Those uninvited guests with no manners, what do they take us for... If only His Grace were awake...'

They'd have no choice but to borrow hands for the consolatory banquet, but for them to handle even provisions, dishwashing, and bedroom arrangements themselves—they were peculiar people indeed.

However, now that she knew the truth about the Emperor, those peculiar behaviors seemed to have special reasons. Though Lily didn't know precisely what they were.

Lily steadied her breathing and approached the knights.

"I'm Lily Dienta, maid in charge of the study. I have a message for Aide Wolfram Burnett."

"Please wait a moment."

They used honorifics even to an aproned maid!

One of the pair keeping watch went inside. Shortly after, Wolfram emerged.

"What is it?"

"I... a matter arose requiring your instruction..."

Lily led him away from the knights. She felt their gazes following from behind.

She made an effort not to look back unnecessarily, maintaining a posture befitting a maid. Then in a small voice, she rapidly reported what she'd witnessed.

"Something strange has taken the Emperor's body. The Emperor's soul is following that body around. I believe the Solmonite cult leader possessed the Emperor's body."

It felt surreal to be saying such things seriously in broad daylight. However, Wolfram didn't treat Lily's words as a joke, accepting them seriously.

"You're saying His Majesty is currently in the same state as His Grace?"

"Worse. Someone else is inside the body, moving it around. Perhaps because of that, the soul's condition looked truly terrible. It just kept saying the same thing over and over."

"If the cult leader is inside His Majesty's body as you suspect, the purpose of this visit becomes very concerning."

Wolfram, when not being contrary, was an extremely reasonable conversational partner. Lily nodded several times.

"Yes, that's exactly what I wanted to say! First, we need to guard His Grace's body like an iron fortress."

"That point has been prepared for. However, there's one problem. The Emperor plans to visit the Main Building tomorrow."

"We haven't been informed of anything!"

"An attendant will come soon."

The Head Maid would surely faint from shock upon learning this news.

The Main Building wasn't presentable. They'd merely removed broken items and completed a rough cleaning.

"What on earth will he do there? There's nothing in it. Does he perhaps not know this fact?"

"He said he wanted to see for himself the place his old friend used after so long. I explained the Main Building's condition, but he was obstinate."

Damn the class system! Lily fumed internally. There was no real recourse even when someone ransacked an ownerless house as they pleased.

"We don't yet know if he possesses abilities like yours, but it would be best if he doesn't encounter His Grace under any circumstances. Go to the Main Building before the guards are stationed and inform him."

Like the East Building, if they restricted access to the Main Building, she wouldn't be able to meet Aiden in her maid's clothing. She had to hurry.

She parted from Wolfram and moved with quick steps.

'He wants to see for himself the place his friend used? What kind of perfunctory reason is that?'

Then again, if the Emperor wished to go somewhere, he couldn't be stopped even without any reason. Perhaps inventing a reason showed some effort at courtesy.

Once she was sufficiently far from the East Building with no one around to view her suspiciously, she grabbed her skirts and began running.

Fortunately, imperial guards hadn't yet been stationed at the Main Building.

Lily flung open the side door. Without needing to search, Aiden Casimir stood directly in front.

She spoke without even catching her breath.

"Your Grace! Hide!"

Aiden looked bewildered. He seemed not to have properly understood her words.

Frustrated, she tried to grab his wrist and run, but of course it was completely useless.

Lily ground her teeth quietly, then stared at Aiden with intense eyes. Once she felt the gaze had properly connected, she turned and headed for the storage closet.

[Lily?]

Aiden made a questioning sound as he followed.

She opened the closet door and pointed inside with her hand. Having collected himself during the journey, he moved obediently. She followed him in and closed the door.

[Lily, what's happening?]

"His Majesty's body was stolen too."

Lily spoke bluntly.

"A different soul is inside His Majesty's body. And His Majesty's soul is following the body around, telling it to return his body."

[Even Julius...]

Aiden murmured the Emperor's name.

"The Emperor is coming to the Main Building tomorrow. Nothing good can come of encountering him, so hide here until he leaves. I probably won't be able to come during that time, but I've informed the Aide as well, so he'll handle things appropriately."

Lily spoke rapid-fire.

"I know you'll be frustrated, but please endure it just a bit. You absolutely mustn't wander around. Understood?"

Lily gave this warning and turned. With the Emperor taking interest in this place, lingering was inadvisable.

[Lily, Lily. Wait a moment.]

She immediately guessed what Aiden was about to say and, like a child reluctant to be scolded, preemptively addressed what he would likely say.

"I won't do anything dangerous. I have no intention of going anywhere near His Majesty either. I've told you both, so now I'll really blend into the maids like an ordinary maid, present yet absent, just like that..."

[Lily.]

Only then did Lily stop speaking and look at Aiden.

[Thank you.]

She hadn't expected gratitude in the slightest. Lily was dumbfounded.

"N-not at all. It's only natural."

[But I suspect you'll end up doing something dangerous anyway.]

As she'd expected, the nagging continued.

"You're worrying needlessly."

Aiden smiled disbelievingly.

"Really!"

Even when Lily protested indignantly, he merely shook his head.

[Lily, if you die, there's no wish, no bonus, nothing.]

"I know."

[You mustn't act impulsively. You know this too, don't you? Even if some necessity suddenly surges up, you mustn't immediately act on it. Please don't court danger.]

She'd already heard similar words about not courting danger before.

However, Aiden pleaded earnestly as if warning her for the first time.

[I won't tell you to be satisfied with the role of conveying my intentions. I have that much sense of shame. Even now I owe you a great debt. But just this once, just until the Emperor leaves, please bear with it. I'll hide well during that time too, all right?]

He was so earnest that Lily felt as if she'd become someone of higher station than the Duke. She even felt rather smug, thinking 'might as well grant it.'

"Don't worry."

Lily spoke reliably.

[Haah... I'd rather ask you to hide here together with me.]

He muttered in a perfectly audible voice.

In any case, her objective was accomplished. Lily left the Main Building, satisfied with the result.

All that remained was to pray for Lumion's protection and hope the Emperor departed without incident... except not!

"Lily, where on earth have you been wandering?"

To a colleague who asked suspiciously, she replied "Cleaning Grandmother's room now!" and immediately went to Julia's room.

Julia had originally been staying in the East Building, but due to the Emperor had temporarily moved to the servants' quarters. Truly, he was causing problems in all directions.

"Grandmother!"

"Lily, isn't this your busiest time?"

"The imperial palace people took most of the work. But this is terrible!"

She repeated the explanation for the third time now. They say practice makes perfect—it was far more concise and neat than when she'd first told Wolfram.

As she spoke rapidly in a low voice, worried about being overheard outside the door, Julia's expression gradually clouded.

"After Duke Casimir, now the Emperor too. The Empire's future is worrying..."

"I thought exactly the same thing."

They fell silent for a moment.

"Is our god lacking in ability? Has Lumion grown weary?"

"Lily. You mustn't speak such blasphemy."

"But souls are being pulled out like carrots..."

Lily stuck out her lower lip and grumbled.