Chapter 23: Chapter 23

“Is this really… my room?”

“Most certainly, my lady.”

Dissimilar to Layla who had asked in disbelief, Cecil replied with confidence.

“I will be sleeping here?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Layla touched the blanket that lay on the bed and flinched at the soft surface. The texture was different from the worn out and stiff blanket she had washed and used for over ten years.

“I was not sure of your preferences and had taken the liberty of filling your closet a little,” Cecil said as she opened the closet to reveal about five or six outfits that hung in the closet.

The clothes were made from luxurious fabrics, and were the products of famous designers who were lavish in their usage of laces and intricate decorations.

But of course, Layla had not the slightest idea about it nor did she know of what a designer was.

“If you’d come this way, I’ll show you the bathroom.”

“Bathroom?” Layla, who had always used the stream behind her cabin, tilted her head inquisitively as if it was the first time she had ever heard the word.

“Of course, I will attend to you, but in case you do use it on your own, you will find all necessary items in here. All of them carry a camomile scent, but it can be changed if you dislike it,” Cecil said as she pointed towards some small and large bottles that Layla had no idea of how to use.

“This is the bathtub. You can press the red stone for warm water, and the blue stone for cold water.”

“Warm water comes out from here?”

Layla frowned and looked at Cecil as if the female attendant had said something strange and completely ridiculous.

“Would you like to take a look?”

Indifferent to Layla’s reaction, Cecil proceeded to press the red stone. A steady stream of water flowed out from the hole next to the red stone. Water vapour can seen being emitted from the water.

Layla’s eyes widened in surprise.

“It’s just simple magic. There are several items in the Imperial Palace that have been enchanted with magic,” Cecil explained.

Pressing the red stone again to stop the flow of water, Cecil turned towards Layla and smiled.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“… You work in the Imperial Palace… so…” Layla said awkwardly as she did not know the right thing to say.

“Are you referring to a court lady?”

“Yes, I think so…?”

“No, I’m just the nanny who has been hired by the Crown Prince to take care of you, my lady.”

“Nanny?”

Layla was aware of what a nanny was. When she was young, some elderly ladies would take care of her since her own mother refused to do so.

“Are you saying that I’m a baby?”

“Of course not, my lady. My mother was the Crown Prince Bioust’s nanny, and I have received the required education and training to be the nanny of the next Crown Prince should His Highness Bioust have children one day,” Cecil spoke softly in a gentle voice but Layla was not about to let her guard down.

“Do you… not smell it?” Layla finally spat out the question at Cecil.

“Are you talking about the smell coming from my lady?”

Although it was Layla who brought it up first, she could not help but flinch the moment Cecil said “smell”.

“Yes, I can smell it.”

“Then why are you pretending as if you don’t smell anything?”

“I wasn’t pretending.”

“You’re lying. Otherwise, why haven’t you cussed, glared, and pointed at me to accuse me of being a witch?”

“Has… something like that ever happened to you?”

When Layla just stared wordlessly, Cecil continued, “You do indeed smell and it is not that good but I’ve been told by the Crown Prince in advance and have promised to take good care of you. So, I’m just here to do my job.”

At Cecil’s genuine reply, Layla’s suspicions decreased a little.

Yes, it is better this way than her lying to me about not being able to smell anything. I’d rather hear that she is doing this because of some promised compensation from her superior than her saying that it was all with good intentions, Layla thought to herself since she had never trusted anyone.

“Do you have any other questions?” Cecil asked.

“… Leave.”

“Pardon?”

“Please leave. I want to be alone.”

Thus was how Cecil was kicked out of Layla’s room that night.

***

[The following day]

Knock, knock

Silence.

“My lady?”

Despite calling out, Cecil was met with silence. The nanny then opened the door slightly and looked into the room. It was quiet in the room.

“Lady Layla?”

Although the bed sheets were disturbed, the bed was cold to the touch and the owner of the bed was nowhere to be seen. As a precaution, Cecil proceeded to check the bathroom, but there was not a soul in there as well.

Cecil looked around anxiously.

Did she run away? I must notify the guards of the Imperial Palace immediately… or should I tell the former Imperial Palace’s soldiers to locate Lady Layla?

It would be terrible if Lady Layla did run away. Crown Prince Bioust will definitely not stand still.

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“Please let that not be the case.”

As Cecil took one more look around the bedroom before leaving the room, she could not help but notice something odd. No matter how she looked at it, there was only one pillow on the bed.

Although there is only one occupant in this room, there should be two pillows on the bed. However, a pillow seems to be missing, Cecil thought to herself with a puzzled look on her face.

“Why is there only one pillow?” Cecil asked herself out loud.

Holding the pillow in her hand, Cecil decided to check the closet since there were only a few clothes and thus, there was plenty of unused space inside. True enough, Cecil opened the closet door to reveal Layla who was in a crouched position with the missing pillow.

“Lady Layla?” Cecil called out as she reached down and gently shook Layla who then opened her eyes in surprise.

“Why are you sleeping here, my lady?”

Cecil offered Layla her hand to help her stand but Layla ignored and got up on her own.

“It is too big in here,” Layla said as she glanced at every corner of the room with disdain.

“I can’t calm down with a space this big.”

“You’ll be fine once you get used to it.”

“I’ll die from insomnia before that.”

Perhaps it was because Layla had slept really late, but her eyes were slightly red. Tossing the pillow onto her bed, Layla staggered with her thin legs and headed towards the bathroom.

“Are you going to wash up?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll help you.”

Layla stared in embarrassment as Cecil followed her into the bathroom as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“What… are you going to help with?”

“I’m going to help you wash up.”

“Is this something that will need the help of others?” Layla asked as she frowned deeply.

“Leave,” Layla said.

“Pardon? But my lady—”

“Leave now.”

“Yes, my lady.”

At Layla’s firm words, Cecil had no choice but to comply and sighed.

Once Cecil had left, Layla stared at the closed door for a while longer to make sure that the nanny was not going to re-enter before undressing.

Once her small, skinny body was exposed, Layla squatted in the bathtub.

With tension written all over her face, she slowly reached out and pressed the red stone.

Almost immediately, warm water flowed out of the hole next to the red stone. Layla’s eyes widened as they did the previous day. She moved away before moving forward again, towards the hole. Layla then held out her hand and the warm water flowed continuously onto her palm.

“It’s amazing…” Layla muttered as she watched the flow onto her hand.

“My lady?”

“W-w-what?!” Layla jumped in surprise and quickly covered her body. However, Cecil had not entered the bathroom and was talking from outside the door.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has informed me that he will be joining you this morning in exchange for not being able to have dinner with you last night. I think we will need to get you ready quickly. Would you like to wash up and get out of there soon?”

“Ah, yes…” Layla replied and quickly dipped her head under the steady stream of warm water that flowed from the hole.

As she felt the warm water flow from the top of her head down to the nape of her neck, her body began to warm up.

Layla could not help but smile at the exquisite feeling.

***

The tender mushroom soup was savoury and light. The freshly baked bread was soft, fluffy and chewy. The vegetables were fresh and crunchy, and it was not enough to say that the rich, herbal-like milk drink was delicious.

These were all flavours that Layla was testing for the first time. Other than the unique drink, she had seen everything before.

“What is the name of this?” Layla asked as she drank a second cup of the drink.

“Milk tea,” Bioust replied as he beckoned Cecil who quickly approached and retrieved Layla’s cup to fill it with fresh milk tea before handing it back to her.

“I’m glad that you’re enjoying it.”

“What? I’m just…” Layla, who unconsciously spoke with her mouth full of food, abruptly stopped mid sentence to swallow her food.

“That outfit looks good on you,” Bioust pointed at the blue dress she wore and Layla looked down at her outfit.

I couldn’t tell Cecil to leave the room this time because I didn’t know how to put on the dress.

It was a pretty dress that was not overly flashy and had frills and a pair of puffed up sleeves. Although it was the first dress she had ever worn and it felt beyond awkward just wearing it, it was not bad to hear Bioust compliment her.

“You mean…” Layla paused and bit on her lower lip. Bioust looked at her as if urging her to continue what she was about to say.

“So… Your Highness the Crown Prince? Sire, I mean…”

“You don’t have to attach ‘Your Highness’ to ‘Crown Prince’ because the latter is already of a high rank.”

“Ah… Then, Your Highness… No, I mean… How do I …?”

Layla clumsily spoke as she tried to address Bioust. Nothing felt right when she attempted to speak as she had not learnt the etiquette of nobles and aristocrats. She had only ever listened and converse amongst commoners.

Understandably, it was difficult to speak formally, let alone to the Crown Prince of the imperial family.

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“Layla?”

“Mm. Ah, no. I mean… Yes.”

“Just do as you please. If you’re comfortable talking informally, there is no problem at all. I like it anyway,” Bioust said as he smiled warmly.