Chapter 49: Chloe Did It Too

In Larvia’s room, Chloe and Silia sat side by side on the bed, heads down, silent.

Across from them, Larvia lounged on the sofa, legs crossed, hand propping her cheek as she stared.

“Well? Explain what you two were doing.”

As she spoke, she set a bottle of fine blood and an opener on the table in front of the sofa.

Neither spoke.

“Fine.”

Pop! The rich aroma of blood filled the room.

Larvia poured half a glass into a crystal goblet, swirled it, and downed it.

“Then I’ll ask you, little Chloe.”

She leaned toward Chloe.

“How did my daughter’s underwear end up on your head?”

Faced with Larvia’s question, Chloe shrank back.

“J-Just normal play,” she stammered.

“Normal play? Does normal play look like that?”

“Ugh…”

Chloe was speechless.

Seeing she wasn’t getting anywhere, Larvia shrugged and turned to Silia.

“Silia, how did your underwear end up on her head?”

“It… it was little Chloe who lifted my skirt!”

“You lifted mine first!”

“I didn’t! I was just… just checking your body!”

“Why lift my skirt to check?!”

“How do you check without undressing?!”

Silia’s words ignited the tense atmosphere.

Seeing her daughters bicker over something so absurd, Larvia felt a chill.

‘Hopeless.’

‘Good thing no one else is here, or the vampire race’s dignity would be ruined.’

Larvia rolled her eyes.

Silia suddenly stood, plopped beside Larvia, and clung to her right arm.

“Mother~~~ It was little Chloe who pinned me and lifted my skirt! That’s why we fought~~~ She started bullying me~~~”

She shook Larvia’s arm, nuzzling her chin, whining.

Chloe pouted.

‘Damn! Snitching!’

‘Fine, two can play at that!’

She ran to Larvia’s left, mimicking Silia, grabbing her left arm and shaking.

“Your Majesty~~~ Your daughter started it, saying she’d check my body and lifting my skirt without asking! Such hooligan behavior—you have to do something!”

“…”

“Mother~~~”

“Your Majesty~~~”

“Hm… I see.”

Larvia nodded.

“Silia, you mean little Chloe bullied you, right?”

“Yes, yes!”

“Sigh… tsk, tsk…” Larvia shook her head regretfully. “What a shame.”

“Shame about what?”

Chloe sensed trouble.

“I quite liked little Chloe, but she’s just a maid. For bullying royalty, I’ll have to reluctantly dismiss her.”

“…Huh?”

Chloe froze.

‘I’m the victim! Why me?’

“No! Think again, Mother!”

Silia reacted, bristling.

“But you said she bullied you. How can royalty let a maid get away with that?”

“No, little Chloe didn’t bully me! We were just… um, playing around!”

“Right, just playing!” Chloe quickly agreed.

“But does playtime look like that?”

“Of course! We’re… good friends! The kind who can see each other’s underwear!”

Silia turned to Chloe. “Right, little Chloe?”

“Y-Yeah! If we can show underwear, a bit of roughhousing is normal!”

Chloe said this with her eyes shut tight.

She didn’t dare replay her words in her head.

If she did, she couldn’t say them.

“Hm…”

Larvia eyed them skeptically.

Silia stood, went to Chloe, and took her hand seriously.

“Little Chloe, let’s make up. My fault—I should’ve asked first.”

“Okay. I was wrong too—I should’ve… endured it! You just said my underwear was cute; I shouldn’t have rushed.”

Chloe squeezed back, sneaking a glare at Larvia, as if saying, “If you hadn’t given me such cute underwear, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“See, Mother? We’re good now!” Silia raised Chloe’s hand. “And we apologized!”

“Hm… fine. Little Chloe can keep working at the palace.”

“Yay!”

“Yay!”

They cheered in unison.

“If nothing else, Silia, head back.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I need to talk to little Chloe.”

“Ugh… not about firing her, right?”

“No, just work stuff.”

“Oh…”

Though curious, Silia left when Larvia ushered her out.

Once the door closed, Larvia dropped her stern facade, winking at Chloe.

“Now, about compensation.”

She smirked slyly.

“…Huh?”

“What compensation?”

“First, what just happened. Since you broke Silia’s button, pay up.”

“H-How much?”

“Don’t worry, her outfit isn’t expensive. Round it down—two gold coins.”

Chloe’s vision darkened, nearly fainting.

“…How much?”

“Two gold coins.”

“T-Two gold coins?! Are the sleeves gold or the skirt?!”

“She’s a princess. Two gold coins for clothes is cheap. Even your maid outfit costs half a gold coin.”

“N-No way! It’s just a button! I-I can sew it back!”

“Good luck.”

Larvia pulled out a sheet from somewhere.

Chloe saw it was an exit report form.

‘Uh-oh…’

“Eight days.”

“Eight what?”

“You skipped work for eight days by sneaking off.”