The Evil Empress Adores Me-Chapter 9

Click.

As soon as the door closed, I immediately jumped into bed.

"Ahhh!"

When I rubbed my face, I felt the soft texture of the blanket that had been dried in the sunlight.

Wow, it even smells like sunlight!

I spent a while enjoying the texture of the crinkling blanket before I slightly raised my head.

Hanging on a wall-mounted hanger was the maid uniform I would wear.

I lifted my heels slightly.

Carefully, I took the clothes off.

"......This is."

There was something rolling around in the apron pocket, so I took it out: a crystal brooch.

A rose crystal brooch, proving I was a proper maid.

I quietly stared down at the brooch.

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Rose, rose...

When I think of roses...

"Rose Unni."

Without thinking, I uttered the name, then tightly pressed my lips together and shook my head.

No, she’s not Rose Unni anymore. She’s Her Majesty, the Empress now.

I shook off my thoughts about Rose Unni and quickly changed into the maid uniform.

The head maid told me to rest, but honestly, I knew there was no way I could rest comfortably.

‘I have to make a good impression on the people here at the Empress's Palace somehow.’

I glanced outside the door with a complicated mind.

If I want to be seen well by others, maybe I should show them I’m working hard?

After all, they say those who don’t work shouldn’t eat! And cleaning, I’m confident in that!

I firmly resolved myself, and just as °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° I carefully opened the door...

"Did you see? Head Maid Hayden brought that little one in herself!"

Gasp. Again, they’re talking about me?

I reflexively hid behind the door as I overheard the maids gossiping in the corridor.

"Why on earth is the Head Maid showing that little one around herself?"

"I don't get it either. I mean, even if the Empress is fond of her, this is too much!"

"Isn't everyone spoiling her just because she's young?"

"Honestly, she’s just an ordinary kid, nothing special, right?"

...What should I do? It seems like everyone dislikes me.

My pupils were shaking as if there was an earthquake.

I wished they'd hurry up and leave, but the maids were now standing right in front of my room, continuing their conversation.

"Not to mention, I heard she got promoted to a full maid as soon as she came to the Empress’s Palace!"

"What? Oh my god, how disgraceful!"

"I’m serious! Today, Senior Maid Weber brought that little one a rose crystal brooch!"

I instinctively touched the brooch hanging on my chest.

The maids continued, their voices full of disdain.

"They say a rolling stone gathers no moss, but how do the other maids feel seeing her like this?"

"Everyone’s so nice, they’re probably just enduring it, right?"

Well, I get why they’re upset...

But it’s not like I wanted any of this to happen.

I felt a little down.

To be honest, I never even wanted to come to the Empress's Palace in the first place.

And I never imagined I’d be promoted to a maid so quickly.

But from their perspective, I must just be a spoiled little brat benefiting from the Empress’s favor.

"..."

I quietly squatted down right there.

Do I have to live being hated forever?

I’ve already eaten my fill of cold looks at the academy...

I started to feel down again, but I quickly made up my mind.

'...Since I've already become the target, those maids will continue to gossip behind my back.'

But there’s a limit to how much you can ignore gossip.

I narrowed my eyes.

In fact, the situation now was very different from when I was at the academy.

Back then, I could just be assigned to another palace, and naturally, I’d be separated from Becky and the other trainee maids.

But now that I’ve been assigned to the Empress’s Palace, it’s almost impossible to be sent to another palace.

So...

I took a deep breath and stood up suddenly.

'For now... I’ll confront them head-on.'

Bang.

I opened the door with force.

The maids who were gossiping in small groups turned around, startled.

"Can I say something?"

"..."

"..."

Their eyes were full of suspicion.

I tried not to tremble, speaking as calmly as I could.

"I know I must seem lacking in many ways in your eyes."

The maids narrowed their eyes.

...Don't panic.

I clenched my fist tightly.

"But I will work hard."

I spoke earnestly, pleading with them.

"I’ll do my best, so could you please just watch me for a little while?"

"Work hard?"

At the same time, one maid spoke up suddenly.

"If you work hard and do your best... does that solve everything?"

"Kids like you are always the problem."

I was immediately at a loss for words.

The maids sneered, throwing jabs at me one by one.

"Is it really okay that a little kid like you is above us?"

"As a full maid, you don’t plan on giving us orders, do you? Don’t even think about it."

"You should know your place."

I bit my lips until they bled, staring back at the maids.

No matter how earnestly I approach them, if they don’t listen, it’s all pointless.

It felt like I was talking to an insurmountable wall.

Then, at that moment.

"Hmph. Do you all think you have extra lives to spare?"

A laughing voice echoed.

Huh?

Surprised, I turned to where the voice came from.

At the end of my gaze, a maid with light brown bobbed hair was standing.

Above her chest, a transparent crystal brooch that signified she was the senior maid gleamed.

Meanwhile, the other maids couldn't hide their shocked expressions.

"Se-Senior Maid Weber!"

Senior Maid Weber?

My eyes widened.

She’s the one who brought the rose crystal brooch to me?

A cold voice rang out.

"Didn’t the Head Maid clearly warn you earlier? Not to speak carelessly?"

"Th-The Senior Maid..."

"We weren’t trying to..."

"How ridiculous."

With a smile, Senior Maid Weber stepped forward.

The maids flinched and shrank back.

"I saw clearly what you said to that child."

Senior Maid Weber tilted her head slightly.

"Now, are you trying to make excuses to me in this situation?"

The maids widened their eyes.

Senior Maid Weber asked again in a calm tone.

"Did you all forget what Her Majesty the Empress specifically asked of you?"

"No, that’s not it..."

"I remember she clearly told you to be kind to the new youngest maid."

...What?

I clenched my teeth.

Again.

The words "Her Majesty the Empress" made my mind feel like a tangled mess.

Why is Her Majesty being so kind to me?

Even though it doesn’t change the fact that she lied to me.

"A maid who doesn't follow her master's words is absolutely useless."

Senior Maid Weber delivered her biting words with a bright smile.

Her words were so sharp and fierce, they almost scared me.

A moment later.

The maids, with faces full of indignation, tried to argue back.

"But, aren’t you upset, Senior Maid?"

"What’s there to be upset about?"

"That little brat, who no one even knows where she came from, is monopolizing the Empress’s favor!"

So this is how they see me.

I felt a weight in my heart.

To them, I’m just an outsider, nothing more.

I never expected to be liked by them, but I at least wanted to avoid being hated.

Am I going to end up alone again...?

I bit my lips until they bled.

"What’s wrong with that?"

At that moment, Senior Maid Weber answered without hesitation.

...Huh?

Her unexpected answer startled me.

Senior Maid Weber placed both hands on her waist and spoke in a confident voice.

"So what if the Empress favors that child?"

"Senior Maid!"

"Everyone in this palace has their role to play. You, me, and even the youngest who just arrived."

Senior Maid Weber continued in a calm tone.

But the maids still had skeptical looks on their faces.

"Role? What role can a tiny little maid like her possibly have?"

"Yeah! We might be fine, but at least we don’t cause trouble for the other maids."

"Do we really have to serve that little kid as our superior? Call her ‘maid’?"

The maids continued their grumbling.

I snapped.

Wait, are they ignoring me?

I’ve been in the academy for the longest, training to be a trainee maid!

I know how to clean, do laundry, and even clean the fireplaces!

At that moment, Senior Maid Weber spoke with a smirk.

"Of course, she’s someone you should serve as your superior."

"What?"

"That’s impossible!"

"It’s possible. Because that child is the only one who can do what none of us can."

Senior Maid Weber looked around at the stunned maids, then calmly asked a question.

"Is there anyone here who can make the Empress happy?"

"..."

"..."

A heavy silence followed.

Meanwhile, as I listened to Senior Maid Weber’s words, it felt like I had swallowed a stone.

...Make the Empress happy.

How could someone like me possibly make Her Majesty happy?