Chapter 17
The Gift from the Princess 『Lana Ansus』
While Calix was still unable to recover from the shock of receiving such a gift, Hart stepped forward and brought Lana to the reception room.
Once they reached the reception room, Hart… drank tea with Lana.
“Yes, it’s been a while, Lana.”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Great-Uncle Hart.”
Hart’s name was 『Hart Ansus』.
Simply put, Lana was Hart’s grandniece.
However, Hart had never been particularly attached to House Ansus and rarely returned there.
He had last seen Lana five years earlier, when his older brother—Lana’s grandfather—had died.
“I heard you entered Novarens Academy in the capital. Have you already graduated?”
“Yes, I graduated this year.”
The last time Hart had seen Lana, she had been a lively, adorable girl.
It left Hart feeling bitter in many ways to see the cute granddaughter who had proudly told him she had been accepted into Novarens Academy, the prestigious school in the capital, become so cold.
“Your grades… I suppose there’s no need to ask.”
“Yes, I graduated at the top of my class.”
“As expected, there was no need to ask.”
“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you because I don’t have many places where I can brag.”
“…Is that so.”
Hart felt relieved that at least one thing had not changed, and his bitterness eased somewhat.
Hart had long felt that Lana was odd in certain ways.
“When did you go to Her Highness the Princess?”
“I went at my father’s order after graduating.”
Hart felt a surge of emotion.
His nephew’s face—Lana’s father—came to mind.
Though he felt angry at the nephew who had used his own daughter as a tool for the family’s prosperity, Hart spoke calmly.
“So he ultimately made that choice… Are you all right?”
”My will is not important. What matters is only the will of the house and my master.“
”I see… Is that so.“
‘What matters is only the will of the house and my master.’
That was the motto of House Ansus, a prestigious family of household servants that had produced butlers and maids for 300 years.
That motto was why both he and Lana had been sent here.
Hart put aside his anger and asked Lana, as the chief steward of House Kron:
“So, Lana… What orders did Her Highness the Princess give you?”
“I was told to serve Lord Calix wholeheartedly as my master.”
“Is that all?”
…
“So… just as I thought.”
Hart already knew of the princess’s methods through rumors.
Using lavish rewards and her authority, she hired servants, turned them into perfect butlers and maids, and then sent them as gifts to her supporters.
Her servants, selected from among the most beautiful men and women in the Empire, devoted themselves to serving her supporters, encouraging them to pledge their loyalty to the princess.
Some lords who knew her methods wanted to refuse the gifts, but because they came from the princess, they could not easily return them; once they lived together, they eventually fell for either her or the servants.
Hart could easily guess that Lana had also been sent with that intention.
“Lana, promise me just one thing.“
”Yes, please tell me, Uncle Hart.“
Now that things had come to this, he could no longer send Lana back.
If so, all he could do as House Kron’s chief steward was act in his lord’s best interests.
“Lord Calix is destined to become a treasure of the Empire. No matter what happens, lend him your strength.”
“I promise on the honor of House Ansus.”
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”
Hart knew his grandniece’s abilities well.
He asked her to lend strength to a lord he regarded like his own child.
* * *
“Now that it has come to this, I will serve you with all my heart from today onward, Lord Calix.”
“Th…that’s right. I’m counting on you, Lana.”
With Hart’s permission, Lana became my maid that very day.
As a man, I couldn’t hide my joy at having a beautiful girl with cool, sharp eyes—the sort who looked like she could easily become the center of an idol group—as my personal maid.
But because I knew her character profile, I couldn’t hide my sorrow.
『Lana Ansus』 was the most versatile of the maid characters.
She was an all-purpose, multi-supporter who could help with everything from basic household chores like cooking, cleaning, and laundry to administration, politics, and diplomacy.
Best of all was her defining trait: as a dual-class character, she could work as a 『Maid』 during the day and act as an 『Assassin』 at night.
I still hadn’t forgotten how shocking it was to see a maid who worked demurely during the day go to an enemy territory at night and cut off the opposing lord’s head.
The problem was that I might be the target of that assassination.
The chances were probably almost nonexistent, but if the princess told her to finish me off, I would truly be in danger.
“My lord, you look pale.”
“It’s probably because it’s so cold today. I’ll close the window.”
I barely stopped myself from blurting out, ‘It’s because of you!’, and started my first task with Super Maid Lana beside me.
And that day, I learned exactly why she was called the Super Maid.
“My lord, I’ve brought the materials you need.”
“Oh, thank you.”
She quietly worked in the study, finding and bringing me whatever documents I needed at exactly the right time.
She did it so naturally that I almost wondered if I had asked for them in advance.
“My lord, I’ve brought your tea.”
Whenever I was tired or wanted something to sip, she brought me tea.
The tea tasted incredible.
I marveled at how much the aroma of the same tea leaves could vary depending on who prepared them…
“It’s amazing. I can’t believe these are the same tea leaves.”
“Naturally. I’m a perfect maid.”
At my praise, Lana seemed delighted, like a puppy that had just received a compliment.
Of course, her eyes remained cold, and her expression impassive.
And her abilities didn’t end there.
Noah led Lana away, saying she had something to ask her.
Worried they might get into a fight, I followed them and watched from a distance.
Noah had the first turn.
“You said your name was Lana. Are you truly prepared to devote yourself to our lord?”
“I am.”
At Lana’s immediate response, Noah scrutinized her with her characteristic sharp gaze.
Then, apparently surprised by what she saw, she spoke with a somewhat uneasy expression:
“Hmm, it doesn’t seem to be a lie.”
She approached Lana.
She then fixed Lana with a frightening stare and said sternly:
“Just in case, I’ll tell you this. I’m always watching, so treat our lord well. Understood?“
Even I, watching from a distance, was intimidated by Noah’s words, but Lana answered calmly.
“Understood, Mistress Noah.”
At Lana’s words, Noah’s expression collapsed in an instant.
Noah, who had transformed from a dark merchant into a gentle girl, did not know what to do.
“M…Mistress!?”
“Are you not? I was certain you were the mistress, Noah.”
“Ah! No, I’m not. Not yet… But… it sounds nice. Mistress.”
Noah’s face reddened, and she was completely disarmed.
To think she had so effortlessly won over even Noah with just a few words—she truly was a Super Maid.
“I look forward to working with you, Lana.”
“Yes, I look forward to working with you, Noah.”
It seemed the two had become friends.
Was this really something I should consider a good thing…?
At least I was relieved that I probably wouldn’t have to witness a catfight right in front of me.
* * *
The first day with Lana came to an end.
Lana ended the day by leaving the maids who worked in our household utterly dejected with her incredible abilities.
According to Hart, three had already submitted requests for leave so they could train more and return.
Splash-!
“Ahh… This is nice.”
As I sank into the warm water, I felt the fatigue drain rapidly from my body.
I thought while taking a bath.
I knew the princess sent people out, but I had never expected her to send a maid like this.
…No, now that I thought about it, considering the strategy guide post saying that becoming allies with the princess as a male lord would let you see something incredible, I suppose I could have expected it.
I guess I was the fool for not thinking that far.
Returning to the main point, once I sorted out the situation, it was clear that the princess’s goal was to draw me over to her side.
Lana’s role would be to encourage me to do so and pass information about our territory to the princess.
And if I tried to join the prince’s faction, her mission might also include taking me out and escaping.
They say to keep your allies close and your enemies even closer, but isn’t this a little too close?
That aside, how would Lana try to pull me over to the princess’s faction?
If I were the princess…
Just as I was soaking in the bathtub, thinking about that…
The bathroom door opened, and I heard a voice.
“My lord, I’ll scrub your back for you.”
There stood Lana, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around her beautifully proportioned body.
It was spring.