The Evil Empress Adores Me-Chapter 13

Although I was indeed a "newcomer," I couldn't continue being treated like one forever.

The other maids weren't "stuck" from the beginning either, right?

This means that, eventually, I could become a "stuck" maid too.

"So, I shouldn’t let myself slack off already."

I slapped my cheeks with my hands.

Get yourself together, Charlize.

Don’t let yourself be discouraged this early!

With firm resolve, I opened the door.

Actually, there was no real need for me to wake up so early.

The maids' wake-up time was six in the morning, after all.

Even if I woke up now, the only people I'd encounter were the maids tidying up the palace, inside and out.

And those maids were exactly my target.

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‘I have to make a good impression on the maids somehow.’

I sharpened my gaze.

Helping with work, assisting with cleaning, or running errands.

It didn’t matter if the maids asked me to do any odd jobs, as long as it helped change their perception of me.

‘I’ve made up my mind to work hard.’

I clenched my fists.

No matter how much the maids tried to bully me, it would be me who’d suffer in the end.

Of course, the head maids were kind, and if I asked for help, they’d surely help me.

But there were definite limits to that help.

And besides...

‘I don’t want to cause any trouble and upset the Empress’s mood.’

More precisely, I didn’t want to leave any chance of meeting the Empress.

Because I still...

Haven’t decided what I think about the Empress.

As I was walking down the central staircase with a complicated mind, my eyes lit up.

Down below, a maid was cleaning the central staircase.

"Hello! Is there anything I can help with...?!"

Hearing my voice, the maid slightly lifted her head.

Huh? She didn’t seem like the maid I saw yesterday.

I tilted my head.

There are only a handful of maids who work in the Empress’s Palace every day.

Moreover, to avoid being disliked, I made sure to memorize all their faces and names.

...If Weber, the head maid, hadn't helped me, I never would have been able to remember them all.

Just as I sighed inwardly, I heard a polite voice.

"Good morning, Charlize."

The maid gave a deep bow.

What?

I was completely taken aback by her politeness.

Well... technically, it was correct for the maids to call me "Charlize."

But where did that tough attitude from yesterday go?

And who was this maid?

As I stood there with a blank expression, the maid spoke again.

"Why are you up so early?"

"Well... I thought I’d help with some of the maids’ work..."

"It’s fine. This is our job. You don’t need to worry about it."

The unfamiliar maid spoke kindly to me.

Huh...?

My pupils seemed to be shaking like there was an earthquake.

"I’m sorry, but... aren’t you the maid I saw yesterday?"

"That’s right. As of yesterday, all the maids in the Empress’s Palace were replaced."

...All the maids in the Empress’s Palace were replaced? Why?

Surprised, I reflexively asked.

"What? Why?!"

"Oh, it was by the Empress’s special order."

The maid answered casually.

The Empress’s special order?

I couldn’t close my open mouth.

Wait, what’s going on here?

Did all the maids who bullied me yesterday get fired?

Here’s what happened.

The Empress suddenly decided that "servants who don’t follow their master’s orders are unnecessary" and replaced all the maids.

Ah, is the Empress finally awakening as the villainess from the original story?

...No, that’s not it.

I felt like I might choke.

This... could it really be because of me?

Maybe it’s just my overinflated ego, right?

So, I subtly asked Weber.

"Head maid... why did all the maids get changed suddenly?"

"Well, I wonder why?"

Instead of giving a clear answer, Weber simply smiled brightly.

I became even more nervous.

Ah, what am I going to do?

Anyway, I was adjusting very well to life in the Empress’s Palace.

Honestly, to confess, I had never felt this comfortable in my five years of life.

Sure, on the first day, I was a bit upset by the maids' hostility...

But the new maids were so kind to me.

The head maids... I mean, are there angels like them in this world?

‘...If this life is a dream, I really hope it never ends.’

I squatted down, wiping the doorframe with a damp cloth as I thought.

Recently, because I was eating and sleeping well, my cheeks had become pleasantly plump.

In the training center, I only ever ate leftovers from others, but now I didn’t have to do that. It was like a dream.

Could it be that even a mouse hole can have sunlight?

I never expected a day like this to come for me!

‘But... if I keep gaining weight like this, what if the maid outfit doesn’t fit anymore?’

I pondered this serious issue as I worked quickly.

Although the Empress’s Palace was generally kept very clean, there was dust hidden in the corners that the adults didn’t notice.

For example, the dust on the floorboards.

This kind of dust is hard to see unless you lower your head.

"Phew, all done."

But being short, I was different.

I looked down at the now sparkling doorframe with a sense of accomplishment.

Just then...

"My goodness, Charlize!"

Head maid Hayden approached me with a concerned expression.

With a sigh, she spoke.

"You’re still young, so you don’t need to do things like this."

"Huh? But..."

I was confused.

When I was a trainee maid, I did even harder tasks than this!

The head maid furrowed her brows.

"First, stand up."

She extended her hand toward me.

Huh, her hands are dirty though?

But the head maid didn’t care and helped me get up.

Ugh, my legs are numb.

I staggered slightly.

Having been squatting for so long, my legs hurt terribly.

With a worried look, the head maid asked me.

"My goodness, are your legs numb?"

"No, I’m fine!"

I couldn’t show weakness just because my legs were a little numb!

I answered in as cheerful a voice as I could muster.

The head maid, still observing me, reached out and dusted off my skirt.

"Oops, there’s dust on your clothes."

"Please don’t touch it, it’s dirty...!"

I was startled and tried to pull my hand away.

But the head maid looked at me with a pitiful gaze.

"It’s fine, it’s just dust. What’s wrong with a little dust?"

"But... if you get dirty because of me..."

"It’s okay. You can just wash your hands. What matters is you, Charlize."

"..."

Again, that feeling, like something was tickling deep in my chest.

I bit my lip.

Why is everyone being so kind to me?

It feels like ages since I was treated like that in the training center.

The people in the Empress's Palace are so kind that it feels unreal.

If I get too used to this kindness...

‘...I shouldn’t get used to it.’

I swallowed hard.

I can’t afford to annoy them and make them dislike me.

At that moment, the head maid asked me a question.

"By the way, Charlize, you said you were five years old, right?"

"Yes, that's right!"

I straightened up and replied clearly.

Then, the head maid's eyes sank deeply.

"To think that a mere five-year-old can clean every corner so thoroughly..."

What was I supposed to «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» make of that expression from the head maid?

Honestly, I wasn't sure.

But what I did know was that I had to prove my usefulness somehow.

I clenched my fists and spoke up.

"I can do it! I’ve done it before!"

"Really? What have you done?"

"I’ve cleaned the chimneys, done laundry, and polished the floors until they shine!"

The head maid's face turned to one of sheer disbelief.

She grabbed my shoulder and asked urgently.

"Charlize. You’ve been cleaning the chimneys yourself?"

"Yes, I have..."

Huh? Did I do something wrong?

I tilted my head.

The head maid spoke in a stunned voice.

"The chimneys are so hot, and there’s so much soot! You could hurt yourself!"

Cleaning chimneys was indeed tough.

There’s so much soot and ash inside.

I often had to clear out the burned wood, and inhaling the smoke would make me cough uncontrollably.

Plus, there was that one time I almost ended up cleaning a still-warm chimney because I couldn't resist the pressure from the other maids.

Of course, I ran out of there in a panic when I realized how dangerous it was.

‘But...’

I fidgeted with my fingers, nervously glancing at the head maid.

Back in the training center, everything I did was to help with tasks that nobody wanted to do.

"How could someone your age...!"

The head maid couldn’t finish her sentence, and she clenched her lips tightly.

I didn’t know what to do, so I just rolled my eyes around in confusion.

What should I do? Is the head maid angry with me?

But what’s the problem?

Just as I was debating...

"Charlize, is that true?"

A voice, filled with shock, interrupted.