The first day of the Northern Festival dawned.
There was a lot of noise everywhere. I woke up early in the morning and sat down on the sawdust without any uneven hair. I wanted to sleep more, but I had a lot of work to do. First of all, in order to increase the time of 'loading' even a little, I had to increase the miracle number even more. I don't know how to make up for the remaining numbers, but at least I know I can't fill it in this damn corner of the house where mealworms and crickets are infested.
Okay. Let's go.
It would be good to go out and get a feel for the castle, see what happens in
[Shall we use 'Import'? (｡ ❛ᴗ❛｡ )]
'No!'
Not! Not now! I don't have any clothes!
However, there was no better time to go out than now. Kyle had only gone out to look around the castle for the festival 10 minutes ago. Even a simple tour of the castle would take an hour. I mean, if only I could put on something other than the clothes that the mages picked up…
'Oh! Right!'
At that moment, a surprising thought suddenly came to me. The space that was seen after the conversation between Sen and the other maids yesterday. Apparently, the laundry was piled up like a mountain. In other words, there would be clothes for the servants who eat and sleep!
I took out just one outfit from there. It felt steamy to think that someone else had worn it, but when I thought of being naked, it was devastating. Who knows. Maybe I could wear a well-washed butler's uniform. …Doesn't it look good on a Korean face?
I had my own pleasant imagination and 'recalled' it to the corner of the room where I had recalled it.
[Good luck! (ෆ`꒳´ෆ)]
*
However, there was another problem.
"Live and learn…"
Originally, life is something you have to live to know, but if you're going to go out like this, I think you should give it a preview.
I sat with my legs apart on the stone steps in the corner, and put my knees on my elbows. And I wore it with an infinitely gloomy complexion… I stared at the maid clothes with fascination.
"..."
I should have expected it since all the people gathered in the laundry room yesterday were maids. There was no such thing as an imaginary butler's uniform. No shirts, vests, pants, or shoes anywhere… The best I could choose were an ankle-length black skirt and an unadorned white apron.
I screamed silently, my hands ruffling my hair. How do you get around like this? Maid clothes! I'm a man!
"What's the difference between being naked!"
[Can I turn off 'Load'?]
No, no! That's not what I mean! Now that I think about it, it's not bad. Uh, the clothes are good. Warm, active… Oh no.
"It's hard to eat and live…"
Since he was dressed like this, it was best not to be found out by the maids. No, it was best not to be seen by others. Was there such a thing as an invisibility skill? This was truly crazy.
I had to move anyway. It was only 30 minutes a day. It was golden time. I jumped up and went downstairs.
"I hope the banquet will be held soon."
"What kind of tailcoat will His Highness wear this time…"
"It seems that there are more people than last year, right?"
I skillfully blended in with the workers and listened to their stories. The Northern Festival was held once a year for a week from the day of the longest night of the year. It was no exaggeration to say that it was the grandest event held on Blake's estate. The dull and cold Blake Castle came alive, and people took out a lot of food from the cellar. Merchants also brought wagons full of goods.
"A festival is a festival."
The last festival I remembered was drinking makgeolli at a university festival and suffering from a hangover the next day.
At that moment, a piece of useful information came to my ears.
"This year should pass without any problems…"
"That's what I mean. Why are you so anxious? Last year, the pro-imperial nobles came and bothered me, but this year, the prince himself will pay for it, right?"
"Was that rumor true?"
'The prince himself came? In the North?'
I pricked up my ears and sneaked behind them. Of course, I didn't forget to move the broom as if I was sweeping the floor in between. They entered the banquet hall with a lot of belongings, and soon began decorating flowers and moving tables around the main dance hall.
"That's right. When this land was wasteland, even if I asked them to take care of it, they didn't pay attention to it."
"Since Prince Kyle came, Blake's situation has improved significantly, hasn't it? They even have a festival every year. So, I don't want to see it, so I want to let it go. Isn't it already a famous story that the brothers are not on good terms?"
"I was sent to die, but I didn't die. Tsk…"
"It seems that His Highness Belial is coming. He is the son of Serena, so he and His Highness Kyle have the worst relationship. The age difference is almost…"
Oh, wow. That's right.
'Those who prepare for the banquet hall only know the best information, right?'
I snuck in between the two of them who were trying to figure out what to do with the old chandelier, and I tried to hear one more word…
"Whoa! I'm surprised!"
At that moment, the worker, who was complaining that the chandelier ring was too old and loose, turned around. Then he made eye contact with me.
Wow, this is great. I was surprised and jumped up from my seat.
"Wait a minute. It's a face I haven't seen before…"
…Oops.
'Import' is executed as you are. It seems that he brought my data from his life into this world, but I couldn't find out how it was possible because the system kept its mouth shut, but in any case, Bae Su-hyun is 100 percent Korean. In other words, he doesn't fit into this worldview.
I turned around with my broomstick. As natural as possible. Naturally…
"Hey, you."
Every time I move my joints, I feel like I'm going to make a squealing sound. I wasn't good at acting at all. When I had a school play, I always played the role of wood or stone. Of course, it wasn't what I wanted to do, but for some reason, everyone left it to me.
The man who had been looking at me suspiciously reached in my direction. And just before he touched my shoulder, I strode away with a brisk pace.
I don't know what acting is. If you get caught here, you won't be able to eat porridge.
'Hey! System! How many minutes of skills do you have left?'
['Load' will be lifted after 7 minutes.]
Less than 10 minutes left. If you can, you can escape by disarming the skill.
"Isn't that guy a man?"
It's because of my mood. Mood… It can't be his fault. Just looking at his shoulders and height would give him away.
'I'm going to be distraught.'
The only thing I had to wear was a maid's outfit, so what should I do? Technically, I am a victim too.
"A few days ago, someone sneaked into the lord's study and took… a shirt!"
"Ho, is that guy…"
"There! Brunette! Stand there!"
Oh, I can't hear you. I can't hear you.
I started walking almost like a run. The soles of my feet were so cold that I couldn't feel them, but I couldn't help it. There were socks in the laundry room, but no shoes.
'I'm going to die. I'll wash my hands and feet as soon as I go.'
This time, after washing, I should throw the water bowl over instead of leaving it alone. Then why don't you change it to new water?
I left the banquet hall, climbed up one floor, and frantically fled down the hallway to the left. As I walked up the stairs, I threw away my broom for a long time.
'I'm going to do some exercise on a regular basis.'
I overestimated the physical strength of office workers. The only thing that allowed him to outrun the workers was because he was a human being and rode a wheel.
Thump.
"... Oh."
As soon as I turned around the hallway, I bumped into someone. It's really lucky today.
"Sorry, sorry…"
Obviously, I walked out faster, but I staggered and bounced back. The other person didn't even move, as if it was some kind of wall. It's not a shoulder play.
"Are you okay?"
His voice was low and serious. And it was somewhat familiar.
…Yes, I was used to it.
'It's ruined.'
[Kyle Jane Meinhardt, Duke of Blake.]
I know. Know. Don't kill me.
I turned around.
It's still less than seven minutes. It's a strange situation to unlock skills here. Good luck? That's what I did when I called it up. Is it really empty? Isn't that bad luck?
[(◐▽◐);;;]
'Damn.'
As I ran away awkwardly, Kyle started chasing me.
The sound of heavy boots tapping on the floor rang out. There are no horror movies. I was running like before, and he was just walking, but the distance was closing in an instant.
"Hey."
I don't know, man. I'm definitely not your hamster who ran away from home. I turned around and saw his shadow with his back to my feet.
'…Crazy.'
It's really scary. He is not a loser in the north for nothing.
Now I started running at all. The ankle-length skirt was uncomfortable, so I rolled it up with my hands and ran around.
Oh, really. I don't even have shoes, so what kind of dog is this?
"Stand."
'Do you want to stand in the west?'
I gasped for breath down my chin and squeezed out all the strength I didn't have to run away. When I didn't stop, Kyle began to follow me at a brisk pace.
Why is that kid's stride so big? Is it all about being tall? Is it okay to make people so miserable?
Slap. Clatter.
The sound of bare feet running like crazy and shoefooting on the floor rang out irregularly. As I am being strained on my heels on the cold and hard floor, I feel a surge of excitement.
Stop following me! It's time to give up.
['Load' will be lifted after 1 minute.]
It didn't disappear suddenly today, and the loading location must have been saved well. You can go back to the hamster house right away…
Before I knew it, Kyle was right behind me. At this rate, I would be caught before one minute had passed.
I ran all the way here with the intention of bullying him, but now I can't do much. I have no choice but to go down, turn the corner, and turn off loading.
I ran all the way down the hallway, and then I turned and turned toward the stairs. And then I went down the stairs two steps at a time.
"Uh, uh…?"
My body leaned forward significantly. I felt my vision sway, and a large hand pulled my arm. Led by his hand, I turned and looked at Kyle with my eyes wide open. My heart had already dropped to the bottom of the stairs, but luckily my body was well held in his hands.
"Who are you?"
I can't answer that question.
[After 10 seconds, 'Load' will be lifted.]
'Time is running out anyway.'
There is no real luck.
I was holding Kyle's hand, but I still couldn't straighten my leaning body and smiled. It was not intended to make a good impression, but it was more of a sarcastic tone.
Who am I?
"Your companion."
Then, 10 seconds passed, and a white light emanated from my body. Kyle's eyes furrowed at the light that made his eyes white like a flashbang.
And I was engulfed in that light.
—Squeak! (Hamster.)
…I was back in the hamster.
—…
I wrapped my head around the familiar sawdust, the transparent membrane, and the quiet study.
Hey, man! If you want to come back, you have to come back when you're done! What if I put it back after saying my rejection?
I fell to the ground in anger. After a clothes thief and a transvestite, he became a pervert who confessed to the Grand Duke who was not even married.
—Squeak! (Oh!)
I think I'd rather be a hamster all the time. Yes. Should I just live like this? He found a mealworm that had taken up a bowl of rice and went away.
*
The flash slowly dissipated, and Kyle slowly closed and opened his eyes. His vision was still blurry because he was hit by the light head-on, but fortunately, he didn't have much trouble identifying the object.
The problem was the clothes in his hands. Kyle remembered the nameless youth he had just held in his hands. An exotic face and thinly scattered brown hair that I had never seen in this land. And for a man, it was a light weight that could be supported by one hand.
All of them disappeared in an instant, and all that was left was the maid suit he was wearing.
"…Is it a wizard?"
But even so, the man didn't recite any spells. Rather, the last thing he said just before he disappeared was a strange word called "companion." Above all, it was definitely the first time I had seen him, but I felt a sense of familiarity. Even though I don't know anyone who has a hobby of dressing as a woman.
Kyle raised an eyebrow and grabbed his clothes properly. He didn't have the disposition to sit idly by when he heard the word "companion."
'I have to find it.'
Even if it was ridiculous nonsense, he wanted to find him again.