Chapter 28: A Maid’s Dilemma

How I wished everything that happened last night was merely a farce within a dream.

Regrettably, as morning dawned, though the girl’s reflection in the mirror still appeared haggard, the thing around my neck was undeniably gone.

“I’m finished…”

Touching my now smooth neck, I found myself utterly at a loss. I had searched all night, yet the accursed thing remained elusive.

How was I ever going to explain this to the Young Miss!?

Anxiety relentlessly spread from the depths of my heart, and I absolutely loathed that troublesome man!

Damn it all, why did I bother showing concern for that fellow? I could have just endured a little longer and begun my scheme!

Now, how was my plan supposed to proceed?

Blast it!

Why did that dog of a man insist on causing trouble for me, spouting such arrogant words as, “I will give the Young Miss of Coldwind Territory a reason she cannot refuse”?

Did he think he was some kind of godfather!?

I was furious!

Absolutely fuming!

“Eh? You’ve taken off that piece of crap, huh?”

Unbeknownst to me, Aisha had appeared behind me. She seemed utterly oblivious to my anxiety, grinning as she watched me.

“Eh—I, I’m still changing! Why did you just walk in? Get out, get out—”

I had not expected her to be awake at this hour, nor had I anticipated her complete lack of inhibition around another woman’s body. She had simply strolled over, wearing only her underwear.

Her figure was exquisite, her waist as supple as an octopus. Aside from her skin being somewhat darker from labor, her full thighs and upper body were precisely the type men adored.

“What’s the big deal? We’re both women; what’s there not to see?”

She shrugged indifferently, coming closer to me. Her gaze was direct and unapologetic.

“Ugh—”

Suddenly, my skin felt hot, as if scorched by the sun. It was true, I was currently trapped in a woman’s body.

Yet, perhaps because my soul remained male, I instinctively felt a surge of shame when another woman saw my body.

How strange…

I hastily pulled up my underwear, but before I could even fasten my bra, a cold sensation touched the back of my neck.

She…

She had actually reached out and touched me!

“Wow~ I just realized you’re quite something, kid! Your skin is so nice to touch, smooth and tender like a boiled egg… How do you take care of it? Tell me.”

Aisha’s voice was filled with surprise. Her hand never stopped exploring, as if she were caressing a treasure, occasionally pinching me. Even through the mirror, I could sense the jealousy in her eyes.

“Me… take care of what! I work like an ox every day; where would I find the time?”

I elbowed her away, then quickly fastened my bra, terrified her ‘perverted hand’ would wander elsewhere. Despite repeatedly telling myself ‘we’re all women’ ninety-nine times in my mind, that peculiar feeling remained insurmountable. I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like if a man were watching me…

I pinched myself hard, swiftly banishing the thought from my mind.

“Heh—if you can’t even stand a woman’s gaze, what will you do when facing a man?”

Aisha suddenly spoke, her words mystifying.

“Huh? Men?”

“So you didn’t notice at all?”

Aisha sighed, then picked up a hair tie nearby. She began to gather the hair at the back of my head, slowly styling it for me. Her movements were gentle and practiced, far more skilled than my own amateur attempts. She even chatted casually as she worked.

“From the Longwind to the Blue Whale Inn, countless men fixed their gazes on you along the way. Sailors, shop clerks, guards—even that seemingly proper old captain often stared at you. You truly don’t realize your own charm, do you?”

I shook my head, then, realizing my mistake, nodded instead.

Aisha chuckled, gently tapping my forehead:

“Then do you think the Moon Island Lord will be a man of pure heart and few desires?”

“Uh… probably not?” I guessed casually.

“Of course not. According to the information I gathered beforehand, the new Lord of Moon Island is a pampered, greedy, indulgent, and lecherous man. If he hadn’t been outmaneuvered by his elder brothers, he probably wouldn’t have ended up as Lord of the desolate Moon Island, and could have continued to squander his life away in the brothels of the Western Continent.”

“Even if he forms a marriage with the Young Miss, what then? Do you truly believe he will uphold fidelity and not take other women as his mistresses?”

Though Aisha posed these as questions, her tone suggested she was already entirely convinced of the Moon Island Lord’s character. The conversation ended swiftly. With a final tightening motion, my hair was expertly bound into a neat ponytail at the back of my head.

She patted my shoulder, implying meaningfully:

“The Young Miss’s personal maid… isn’t that precisely the easiest target for him to exploit?”

The look in her eyes made my heart clench. So, Lord Axas had made me the Young Miss’s maid with this in mind…

If that were the case, did it mean I only needed to wait patiently, and that man would actively seek me out? Would he even refuse if I secretly crept into his bed at night?

As I was lost in these wild thoughts, Aisha tapped my forehead again, like striking a wooden fish.

“Don’t worry, I won’t let him lay a hand on you.”

With those words, she swiftly dressed herself and departed.

“What did she mean?”

Before I could fully grasp the meaning behind her words, the urgent voice of Bena, the head maid, called from downstairs—the signal for the maids to assemble.

I rushed downstairs, joining the others. After leaving Coldwind Territory, the current entourage included four maids and ten male guards. These male guards had been personally assigned by Lord Axas; they performed no chores, their sole duty being the Young Miss’s safety.

They now sat leisurely in the hall, eating breakfast and watching us maids busily prepare the carriage for the Young Miss’s imminent departure.

One of the male guards lazily urged, “Hey, hey, you maids, pick up the pace! The Young Miss is leaving for Windwhisper Town in an hour. That’s where the Moon Island Lord resides.”

“Eh?” another male guard asked. “Isn’t Azurewater Port the wealthiest city on Moon Island? Why doesn’t the Moon Island Lord live here?”

“Ha—you didn’t know? This is Governor Sherlock’s territory!”

“Isn’t this Moon Island part of the Morn family’s domain?”

“Yes, the Morn family holds legal sovereignty over the entire island, but that merchant named Sherlock made an agreement with the previous Lords many years ago. That agreement granted him complete administrative authority over this city. As long as he remits a portion of Azurewater Port’s taxes each year, even the Moon Island Lord cannot touch his interests here.”

“That’s too exaggerated, isn’t it? The subsequent Lords actually tolerated it? No war?”

“War? Governor Sherlock privately raising soldiers is an open secret. Why would the Morn family want to bleed themselves dry confronting him? It’s more important to settle the accounts clearly. Actually, a seventy-thirty split isn’t bad.”

“Tsk, the Lord only gets seven-tenths, then.”

“Seven-tenths is *theirs*! Three-tenths depends on Governor Sherlock’s mood!”

“Hahaha, so the Lord here is practically begging on his knees!”

As I performed my duties, I listened to the male guards’ conversation, inadvertently gleaning much valuable information. Oh, so the Moon Island Lord’s power wasn’t as great as I had imagined; I thought he was the local emperor.

This being the case, yesterday’s assassination attempt on Governor Sherlock…

Was it orchestrated by the Moon Island Lord? But Aisha said he was a ‘breeding pig.’ Did he possess such cunning?

Perhaps due to the sheer volume of this information, my mind became distracted. While carrying a heavy object, I suddenly felt my foot slip, and my body tumbled backward.

No!

There was no time to adjust my posture. I could only feel the increasing emptiness behind me as the box in my hands slipped from my grasp. I wasn’t afraid of falling myself; at worst, I’d sustain a minor injury. However, the luggage I held contained the Young Miss’s dresses from her hometown. If they were damaged…

Thud—

It’s over!