Chapter 2.

 A-Angel?!

‘…Really?’

I rubbed both of my eyes again.

There was no mistake.

It looked exactly like the picture Dai had shown me.

‘Could this be a trap…?’

D-Did they leave this bait knowing I would come?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, the head maid pulled out the booklet that had been tucked underneath the Divine Contract.

Swish.

The Divine Contract was casually pushed aside as though it were nothing more than an obstruction.

And nothing happened.

Even though her hand had openly touched the contract.

“…….”

At least that meant touching it was safe.

It felt unsettling, but….

Well, whatever.

That was a good thing, wasn’t it…?

‘I’ll just keep it with me.’

While the head maid was focused on the dazzling résumé, I quietly slipped the contract away.

It went so smoothly that I almost felt embarrassed by how nervous I’d been.

‘Is this really okay…?’

Things were going too smoothly, which made me even more anxious…!

I had a strange feeling that something was going wrong.

Just then, the head maid put down the papers and smiled with satisfaction.

“Do you know how to clean porcelain?”

“Yes, I can do it.”

“Perfect. We happen to be short-handed in that area.”

That meant I had passed.

Yes!

I nodded, my cheeks flushing.

Now all I had to do was work hard, make contact with Dai the fixer, and hand him the Divine Contract.

“Thank you, Head Maid!”

I gave her an awkward smile and bowed, and the head maid beckoned for me to follow.

“Come along. The Founding Festival is just around the corner, so we’re pressed for time.”

“Ah, yes!”

I hurried after her.

We crossed the Imperial Palace with the brisk, neat gait characteristic of maids.

“During the Founding Festival, we display the Imperial Family’s meaningful treasures.”

“In the entire Imperial Palace?”

“No, from the entrance of the palace all the way to the banquet hall. So there are quite a lot of them.”

So we were going to clean all of them from now on.

‘How many could there be…? A hundred?’

I tried to estimate the number for a moment before shaking my head.

What did it matter how many there were?

I had to do it anyway.

“There are many delicate crafts and porcelain pieces, but we’re rather short on maids who can handle them.”

“I see…!”

I nodded.

But inwardly, I was confused.

Delicate crafts? Porcelain?

‘Aren’t those rather valuable things to entrust to an untested newcomer…?’

They seemed far too vulnerable to theft.

The same sense of unease I’d felt when I discovered the Divine Contract earlier crept over my cheeks.

I cautiously asked,

“Um… but is it really okay for a newcomer like me to be in charge of the treasures? I might steal them, you know.”

“Are you a thief?”

“…No! I’m not!”

“Hahaha! I’m only joking.”

Hiccup.

I was so startled that I actually hiccupped.

As I patted my chest, the head maid laughed heartily and slapped me on the shoulder.

“You don’t need to worry about the Imperial treasures. Every last one of them has been protected by divine magic.”

“Divine magic…?”

That was the power exclusive to the Imperial Family.

A power said to be possessed only by those who had been blessed.

The head maid nodded.

“The moment they move even an inch outside the Imperial Palace, they’re automatically returned to the treasury.”

“I see….”

“And anyone who tries to steal them gets struck by lightning and roasted. I’ve seen quite a few people meet that fate.”

The head maid laughed heartily as she continued walking, apparently amused just by remembering it.

“…Hic!”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I swallowed wrong… Hic! I’m fine.”

I laughed along with the head maid, my cheeks turning red.

‘O-Of course…!’

Right. As if security would be that lax.

There was no way the Imperial Palace would be like that.

Then I thought I understood why the Divine Contract never left the palace.

“So all objects that are prohibited from being taken outside the Imperial Palace are like that?”

“Of course. They wouldn’t have been classified as non-exportable for no reason.”

I seeeee….

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling like I might cry.

This was practically a death sentence….

The Divine Contract in my pocket suddenly felt incredibly heavy.

As though clinging to my last hope, I asked,

“But couldn’t someone simply use something like the Divine Contract while still inside the Imperial Palace? What would happen if thieves did that?”

“Hm? Ah, the Divine Contract. It’s one of those objects surrounded by all sorts of ridiculous rumors.”

Ridiculous rumors…?

My hopes immediately shattered.

The head maid chuckled and shook her head.

“There used to be quite a lot of petty criminals. There was a rumor that it was a magical contract that could bind someone with divine power. Quite a few people came to steal it.”

“…….”

Oh, that was close….

While I desperately tried to keep my expression under control, the head maid continued.

“Thanks to that, we ended up with quite a few slaves.”

……?

“W-What?”

“If you use it, your soul becomes bound to the Imperial Family member closest to you.”

What was this supposed to mean…?

I stared blankly at the head maid.

Wait, what did you say…?

“Slaves?”

“It was originally created to force criminals into hard labor.”

“Then why is it called a contract…?”

“Do you use every object only for its intended purpose?”

“…….”

Well, no….

I had nothing to say, so I shut my mouth.

Throw it away.

I had to throw it away immediately.

‘If I take it outside, I’ll be struck by lightning and die, and if I use it, I’ll become a slave.’

That was just trash…!

I let out a small sigh.

I couldn’t even imagine how much of a fuss Dai would make when he learned about this.

Ah, I don’t know.

Maybe I should just take in this beautiful scenery while I could, since I’d probably never see it again…?

Chirp, chirp.

With the cheerful birdsong in the background,

I swallowed my tears and followed behind the head maid.

And so we arrived at the Imperial Treasury.

I slowly began polishing the porcelain.

“What is with her…?”

“The porcelain is glowing….”

“Even the golden crown….”

The maids’ whispers brushed past my ears.

“Hmm-hmm―♪”

What an easy and enjoyable job this was.

Compared to Dai’s antiques, which broke if you so much as brushed off a little dust, this was a hundred times better.

Polish. Polish.

Every time I carefully wiped them down with a dry cloth, the treasures regained their original brilliance.

‘They’re beautiful….’

They were so mesmerizing that I almost forgot about my situation.

I didn’t know when I’d ever get to see them again, so I had to etch them into my memory.

I quietly looked around.

Was every noble’s treasury like this?

Pristine white pillars engraved with intricate designs, gleaming marble floors, and treasures carefully displayed one by one on pedestals.

It was breathtakingly beautiful.

The head maid placed a hand on my shoulder, looking as though she couldn’t be more pleased with me.

“Work like this requires delicate skill, yet you’re doing it better than anyone else, and you’re fast, too.”

“You flatter me.”

To think I was being praised so much for something this simple….

I waved my hands modestly, my cheeks turning red.

Then the other maids approached as though they’d been waiting for their chance and showered me with praise.

“Flatter you? I’ve never seen anyone as good as you!”

“How did you do that? Teach me, too.”

“Um, well….”

Before I knew it, they’d gathered around me and created a little break.

We all sat together, chatting away.

“You just arrived today? Then you’ve never met His Highness the Third Prince, have you?”

“Hm? Uh-huh, that’s right.”

In truth, it had been a long time since I’d met anyone other than Dai, let alone the Third Prince.

The atmosphere quickly became lively.

“Really? That’s so sad! He’s incredibly handsome!”

“And he’s as kind to maids like us as an angel!”

“They don’t call him the Saint of the Empire for nothing, you know?”

“Eeeek!”

R-Really…?

I nodded blankly with a smile.

Just how amazing could this person be?

I was curious.

‘Will I get to see him, too?’

I only had today….

But since we were in the same Imperial Palace, perhaps I’d get the chance to see him.

There would be a Founding Festival banquet, too.

‘I hope I get to see him!’

For some reason, my heart fluttered with anticipation, and I swung my feet back and forth.

We continued chatting softly for several more minutes.

“…to be able to see something like that, it’s truly an honor….”

“…you may speak as much as you like….”

At some point, faint voices began drifting in from beyond the treasury.

Amid the noisy chatter of the maids, one low voice was strangely clear and distinct.

‘Huh?’

I unconsciously turned my gaze.

“Is someone there…?”

When I tilted my head in confusion, the head maid furrowed her brow.

“Why do you ask?”

“It’s nothing. Just….”

It was difficult to explain.

A strange sensation ran down my spine.

At that very moment—

Clatter!

Before the head maid could finish answering, the door to the treasury opened.

‘Who is it?’

I timidly tried to peek outside, but the head maid quickly stood up and grabbed my arm.

“Get up! Quickly!”

“……?”

W-Who could it be?

Pulled to my feet by her strong grip, I looked at the faces of the people entering.

When I raised my head, a man filled my entire field of vision.

Soft cream-colored hair, light brown eyes tinged with yellow, and a warm smile like custard cream.

‘…An angel?’

The head maid quickly pressed down on the back of my head.

“We greet His Highness Oswald Yulian, the Saint of the Empire.”

Ah…!

I blinked.

The very person I’d just heard about until my ears were practically ringing.

It was the Third Prince.