Chapter 50
50
After the bandaging was done, Alice also expressed her desire to help Roy dress.
Roy thought to himself that he wasn’t a severely injured patient, and being fully able-bodied, it was too much to have a girl help him dress, so he declined the proposal.
Besides, being wrapped in bandages was almost like wearing half a garment.
The boy naturally didn’t notice the fleeting look of regret in Alice’s eyes.
Just as he was eagerly looking forward to the meal in front of him, Alice snatched up the knife and fork and plate.
“Master is injured and not easy to move, please let Alice feed you.”
“No, no, no, surely this little injury isn’t that serious?”
“…….If master doesn’t wish it, then never mind.” The little maid’s eyes drooped, a look of dejection on her face, resembling a golden retriever puppy scorned by its owner.
Roy immediately felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and quickly changed his tune: “If you don’t find it bothersome, then I don’t mind.”
Alice raised her eyebrows, instantly invigorated.
And so, Roy obediently lay in bed, allowing Alice to feed him.
The little maid scooped up a spoonful of tomato soup, carefully blew on it, and slowly lifted it to his face.
Despite the maid’s indifferent expression, Roy inexplicably felt an enthusiastic atmosphere.
“Master, ah~”
Sometimes Roy wondered if the master-servant relationship was somehow mistaken, who exactly was nurturing whom.
And he was the older one, after all!
A younger maid like this, cute as she is, but being cared for so attentively always made Roy embarrassed.
He suspected that if this continued, one day he would be completely spoiled by Alice.
“Ah, sir!” Alice emphasized again, and the soup spoon drew closer.
It felt like if I took a sip of this soup, I would lose something important.
However, unlike the last time I went to the coffee shop, there were only two of us here – master and servant.
Is it okay to be a little affectionate?
Having mentally prepared herself, Roy finally managed to suppress his shame and slowly opened his mouth, taking a sip of the tomato soup under Alice’s gaze.
Unbeknownst to him, just at this moment, a fiery figure burst into the room.
“Roy, how are you feeling…?”
As Alice leaned against Roy’s side, half of her body, while Roy sat on the bed with his upper body exposed, wrapped in a few bandages.
The master-servant intimacy gave Charlotte, who had no theoretical experience and zero practical experience, a huge shock.
In an instant, she had mentally conjured up various master-servant plays and was so embarrassed that she turned red and fled the room, even closing the door behind her.
“I’m sorry!”
Roy almost choked on the soup.
“Wait, wait, wait! You’re misunderstanding! Come back!”
The door creaked open a crack, and a suspicious gaze peeked through the gap.
“Understand?”
“Understand?”
Roy took a minute to clarify their pure and healthy master-servant relationship to the princess, assuring her that he was not some kind of perverted lord.
“Hmph? You’re quite enjoying yourself, aren’t you?” Charlotte sat in the chair beside the bed, crossing her legs wrapped in black stockings, her face stern and her tone slightly unhappy.
“I’m glad I came to see how you’re feeling. Since you have the time to let the little maid serve you, it seems you’re not too badly hurt.”
“Ugh, I said it was a misunderstanding!”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow, one word piercing through: “But I think you’re quite pleased, little maid’s soup is sweeter than usual, isn’t it?”
Roy was left speechless, embarrassed to death.
Uh? No, wait…
What’s the point of explaining to Charlotte? She doesn’t care about Alice, after all…
But why is she so interested in what I do with Alice?
The more Roy thought about it, the more confused he became.
Only to Alice, it seemed, it was crystal clear.
The princess wanted to get close to the master, and the master didn’t want to be misunderstood about his recent actions.
His existence must be getting in the way, after all…
Though somewhat reluctant, Alice still knew what was important.
As the personal maid to the master, it was her duty to support her master and gracefully exit the stage.
“If the two of you wish to catch up, Alice shall not intrude.”
With this thought, Alice decisively spoke, bowed respectfully, and then, swaying her skirt, she withdrew.
Roy was thus left alone with Charlotte, feeling a bit bewildered.
What, you’re just running away like that?!
It was so warm just now, how come it suddenly feels chilly?!
No, it’s not just a draft; it’s as if the padded coat has flown away!
A snicker without a hint of laughter immediately pulled Roy’s gaze back: “Can’t bear to part?”
“Or is it that you’re so unwilling to be alone with me?”
Princess Charlotte rested her cheek in her hand, her small face slightly downcast, her gaze sharpening, and her eyelashes slightly raised, like a little red cat in a bad mood and sulking.
Fortunately, Roy, with his experience from the original work, had some know-how in coaxing cats.
“Just kidding, being with Charlotte, such a beautiful girl, I can’t help but feel a bit nervous.”
Don’t be fooled by the princess’s usual tough and proud demeanor in front of others; she’s actually very innocent, and complimenting her beauty is always right.
Charlotte’s expression immediately softened, and her eyes shifted slightly: “Still have the spirit to say such things, you seem quite lively.”
“That puts me at ease.”
“At ease?” Roy savored the word, then cheerfully said: “It seems Charlotte cares a lot about me.”
“Don’t flatter yourself, it’s just the princess’s duty to care for her subjects. Who cares about you?” Charlotte’s proud expression immediately crumbled a bit, she turned her head slightly, and began to scold.
The princess’s duty—Roy was all too familiar with this excuse.
The position and responsibilities of a princess had bound Charlotte since childhood, her stance preventing her from getting close to others like an ordinary girl.
So whenever she cared for someone, she would habitually use this excuse to mask her tenderness.
Otherwise, if it were truly the princess’s duty, she would have to visit all the injured noble sons.
Although the girl didn’t ask, Roy keenly noticed that her gaze fell on his bandages several times.
It seems that Charlotte truly cared about him.
Roy understood this affection in his heart, smiled, and did not expose the girl’s disguise.
But he felt somewhat guilty towards Charlotte.
They had agreed to dance later, but now such a mess had been made, the suit was ruined, and the birthday banquet later would likely be rushed.
Roy did not regret his decision, but he felt guilty and regretful for breaking the promise.
From noble mtl dot come
“I’m really sorry about today,” Roy sighed deeply.
“Sorry?” Charlotte was puzzled.
“Uh, messing up the banquet, that was my bad.”
However, the boy’s self-perceived sincere apology took on a completely different meaning in Charlotte’s eyes.
The boy’s melancholic profile was as moving as art, yet it caused Charlotte considerable distress.
She remembered what Karl had said to Roy. Could it be that Roy had been scolded?
What a joke?!
He clearly hadn’t done anything wrong!
Thinking of this, a fire ignited in Charlotte’s chest, unable to calm down, she couldn’t help but stand up.
“You don’t need to apologize! On the contrary, you should be proud of what you did today!”
“…What???”