Chapter 6: I’m Reformed, Please Let Me Go

In the reflection room, Chloe sat in a cramped cell.

The cell’s door was iron bars, and inside were a single bed, a small table, and a stool.

Chloe slumped on the stool, elbows on the table, hands propping up her cheeks.

Her face screamed despair, staring at a half-written sheet of paper that practically begged, I’m reformed, please let me go.

She picked up the pen, nibbling its end while idly twirling a strand of white hair. Occasionally, she scribbled a few crooked words.

This was her apology letter.

Since Chloe vehemently denied being a suspicious intruder and the guards found no weapons like daggers on her, they held off on further action, deciding to let Larvia judge her the next day.

But her disrespectful use of Larvia’s name was something both guards had clearly heard.

This letter was solely for that offense.

Scratching her head, Chloe scrounged for scattered thoughts, jotting down a few words whenever she managed to squeeze them out.

Even so, she’d only filled half the page. The requirement was a full sheet.

Her handwriting started semi-neat but grew sloppier, her patience visibly fading.

‘Larvia… Larvia…’

Chloe had never anticipated Larvia’s arrival so much.

‘If she just explains, everything will be fine.’

Creak—

The sound of the main door opening made Chloe’s ears perk up.

“Where is she?”

“Larvia!”

Chloe leapt from the stool, grabbing the iron bars and pressing her face against them, straining to see.

The nearby guard shot her a glare.

Chloe froze, then quickly corrected herself:

“Your Majesty!”

The guard nodded.

Larvia approached the bars, her back to the others.

“Alright, settle down. I heard about what you did yesterday.”

Her tone was exasperated, but on the side hidden from others, Chloe caught the glee in her eyes.

Chloe wanted to retort but glanced at the guard and chickened out.

“She’s a new maid. Due to some personal reasons, I brought her in without following standard procedure, so you weren’t notified.”

Larvia turned to the guards.

“Open the door.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The guard unlocked the cell.

Chloe thought Larvia was there to free her, but instead, she picked up the apology letter.

Chloe’s face paled. If not for the guard watching, she’d have snatched it back.

“What’s this?”

“L—Your Majesty, it’s… my apology for disrespecting you yesterday…”

Chloe’s face burned, forcing the words out.

“Chloe knows she was wrong. Can Your Majesty show mercy…?”

“Fine.”

Larvia’s lips curved into a smile as she nodded.

For some reason, that smile made Chloe uneasy.

“Take the rest back and finish it. I’ll give you a week. Bring it to me when it’s done.”

Chloe’s expression froze.

“Oh, and this messy handwriting doesn’t count~”

Larvia’s eyes twinkled as she patted Chloe’s shoulder.

“…”

“Why’re you standing there? Time to start work~”

“…Huh? Oh, okay.”

Though she still resented becoming a maid, for now, she had no choice but to use the identity Larvia gave her.

Sleeping in the cell after failing to resist only confirmed her protest’s failure.

‘Couldn’t even hold out…’

‘Tired. Just let it end.’

Leaving the reflection room, they met Sheffield at the entrance.

Sheffield led them to the kitchen door.

Chloe clutched a clipboard and pen, standing behind her, with Larvia grinning nearby.

“This is the kitchen. It provides three meals a day for the entire palace.”

Chloe: ✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻

“No, you don’t need to write that down…”

Chloe: ✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻✍🏻

“…”

Even Sheffield, usually stoic, twitched her lips.

‘This new maid’s obedient but doesn’t seem too bright.’

Watching Chloe’s clumsiness, Sheffield wondered: ‘Can she actually handle maid work?’

But since Larvia personally brought her into the royal maid corps, Sheffield held her tongue.

She was also curious. What unique qualities did this girl have for Larvia to bend the rules?

She glanced at the composed Larvia.

The royal maid corps wasn’t for just anyone.

Serving royalty required extensive knowledge, especially etiquette most couldn’t access.

Only the elite of vampire elites passed the rigorous selection.

Yet this goofy girl was ushered in through a backdoor.

Sheffield hadn’t seen anything special in her yet, but she trusted Larvia had her reasons.

Entering the kitchen, Chloe held her breath.

Everywhere she looked—white-haired, red-eyed, maid-dressed lolis!

Her eyes spun from the sight.

‘So many white-haired, red-eyed lolis. I can’t tell them apart!’

‘Can’t distinguish them at all!’

“Hey, stop staring. It’s rude. Go learn the ropes from Sheffield.”

“…Oh.”

Chloe replied dejectedly.

After a day’s work, Chloe returned to her room and collapsed onto the bed.

She hadn’t done chores like this in ages. It was overwhelming.

Since her swordsmanship talent emerged, she’d lived easy in the Church Knights, with underlings handling the grunt work.

Worse, every time she messed up, that d*mn Larvia mocked her!

‘Yesterday, she said she was too busy with duties to leave me clothes. Now she’s got time to laugh?’

Grumble—

So hungry…

Chloe rubbed her stomach.

To seem ladylike, she’d eaten only as much as the other maids at breakfast and lunch.

But it wasn’t enough!

‘So hungry. Shouldn’t have cared about appearances…’

Then she remembered a place where food refreshed daily…

She got up, grabbed her identity badge, and opened the door.

Two steps out, an unexpected figure appeared.

“Larvia?”