n

n

n

"Eh...? KYAAAAH!

"

nAt first, Patishi gasped - surprised by the prince's voice but once she actually saw him - she went completely red, covered her eyes, and turned away while squatting down from actual fear and embarrassment.

n

"What's going on?

"

nHoreo asked in bewilderment.

n

"Oh, no – don't tell me I...?!

"

nThe gold-haired boy quickly glanced down to check if he by any chance forgot to cover himself properly, but no, the towel was there, covering all of his glorious princehood.

n

"Ah! Are you ashamed about wearing the maid-dress? Don't be! You are a cute girl and a frilly dress like this suits you very much!

"

nHoreo waved his hand dismissively and declared to calm down the shaken girl.

n

"I-I'm sorry, I'll take it off right away!

"

nPatishi panicked and removed the dress without thinking.

n

"Oh...? Oh no...!

"

nHoreo raised his brow and let out a small voice before gasping in terror.

n

"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"

nPatishi froze in place, realizing what she did.

n|Oh no...! Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no...!|

nShe trembled, frozen in place, waiting for the follow-up reaction of the boy in front of her – she even closed her eyes, fully expecting to be berated and maybe even hit, though she hoped that at least the kind prince wouldn't turn out like most of the people in her life...

n

"I have just realized that you aren't a trained attendant and you might not be used to having half-naked nobles walking around without shame...! Noooo...! Zoemi and Miriette will make so much fun of me if they will ever learn about this...!

"

n

"...?

"

nBut instead of shouting, Horeo sounded panicked – but for an entirely different reason than Patishi assumed he would be.

nThe gold-haired prince grabbed the clothes that he had prepared for himself before going to the bathroom - and hurriedly started putting them on.

n

"Miss! Please wait a bit and don't look this way – that's not a sight that a young, unmarried girl should be forced to witness..! I'm sorry, okay?! I swear I am not a creep – I was just brought up in the environment where my every need was catered to by others!

"

n

"...eh...?

"

nPatishi flinched and glanced fearfully at the first prince who was done with putting on underwear and pants in a flash and was now hastily buttoning up a shirt.

n|...did... did he didn't properly see my body...?|

nThe brown fidgetted girl gulped down her saliva.

nIf the first prince was just confused – or unobservant enough - she didn't really want to correct him – but at the same time, wouldn't his wrath be far scarier later if he would learn about her body...?

n...Patishi had already lived through an experience similar to that one, once – and it resulted in her being beaten up half to death as a result – and it wouldn't end up in just that if not for the intervention of a kind passerby.

nShe didn't want a repeat of that experience – it was far better to rip off that bandaid now before it will stick too close to the wound...

n

"My Prince... I... look...

"

nPatishi put away the maid-dress and spread her arms, standing in the middle of the room only in her underwear.

n

"Patishi – if you want to stay around me, you need to learn one very important thing.

"

n

"?!?!?

"

nAnd again, instead of bursting out in an outage, the gold-haired prince spoke calmly – only that this time he picked up the dress that the girl left to the side and dropped it on her head, causing a flinch of confusion out of her.

n

"M-my prince...?!

"

nPatishi moved the dress aside and looked up at the cold expression of the first prince.

n

"The truth is, I am quite the tyrant. I only ever acknowledged two other people as being equal to me, four if you count my adorable little servants, Teo and Veo, though I honestly do not treat them on the same level as my two best friends – still far better than the common rabble.

"

nHoreo spoke without changing his expression – and although Patishi thought that she should feel scared, she wasn't – the coldness of the first prince for whatever reason felt reassuring.

nMaybe it was because the girl instinctively felt that it wasn't directed at her.

n

"This whole academy is only a formality – I am merely killing time before ascending the throne that is rightfully mine – and also, I do not care about the opinion of others as long as it doesn't affect my friends.

"

nThe first prince continued talking and Patishi listened to him, entranced.

n

"Zoemi told me about you before, actually.

"

n

"...!

"

nHoreo revealed and smirked, looking at the shocked youth.

n

"I will only ask you this once – and remember, you are answering to a tyrannical future king – Patishi, are you a girl?

"

nHis question resounded in the room as if both of them were in a cathedral.

n

"...I...

"

nPatishi lowered their head, clenching their hands, not looking at the gold-haired prince.

n

"...I...

"

nBut then, Patishi raised her head, her lips were trembling as she was doing her best to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes...

n

"...yes... yes... I am a girl... but...!

"

n

"That is enough.

"

nShe cried out and nodded, but Horeo raised his hand and silenced her.

n

"There is no 'but'. I'm a tyrant, remember? And - borrowing the words of my dear friend – you are a good girl.

"

n

"!!!!

"

nHoreo patted Patishi's head once before turning around and walking towards the east-facing window.

n

"You know what? You should become my attendant.

"

nThe gold-haired prince declared while looking outside and smiling towards the horizon.

n

"B-but, my prince...! Wasn't there a rule about students only having one...?

"

n

"One attendant with them in the Academy?

"

nPatishi gasped and asked in a confused voice, but Horeo scoffed and turned around to face her.

n

"The academy has already bent their rules because I told them to do so – what are they going to do now? Refuse? When they already showed that they can be flexible with their rulebook?

"

nThe gold-haired prince laughed mockingly, as the bright morning sun illuminated his silhouette... and then Horeo grinned, his eyes momentarily shone with golden light and...

n...the sun flickered as if responding to his will, ready to strike down anyone foolish enough to be his opponent....

n