Chapter 03 Roles of a Maid

When morning comes, Mellisa hurriedly giving off the third prince clothes to the cleaning maid as she went to her own duty. The first day she get to work after the third prince and his close aide confirmed to inhabit the Garnet Palace starting today... feels new.

As she walk at the corridor near the always empty training ground to clean the dusty windows, the energetic screams of men lighten the empty fields. They're Alexander C. Salvatore personal knight that appointed as soon as he acknowledged. At that place, the twin knight Mellisa's saw yesterday night could be seen training the other knight.

'They're so diligent, it reminds me off Jake and the others...' Mellisa's pleasantly watching them in their banter as she wiping the windows. It took some time, but she did it without complaining.

Then she went ahead to the other places window, leaving the training field. By the time reaching the noon, she took a rest to the servant cafetaria. Eating has become her favorites time no matter what the menu is.

'Todays menu still consists bread, milk, and a dragon fruit, I want to eat rice...' Sometimes Mellisa's wondering about foods that sold outside the palace. She plans to bought it when the wage is being distributed.

Who knows what she would find once she's out there.

On the other hand, Belinda's attitude towards her getting cold and distant. Was it because the first prince action at that time ?

Nevertheles, Mellisa's remain kind to her.

Then one month passed just like that.

I was assigned to an additional job which was cleaning the newly built library or assisting the librarian rearranging books and planning to learning how to write and reading from the librarian; helping the stable staff, as well as cleaning the yard. The cleaning bedroom duty naturally given to Belinda, when Head Maid Hilda removing me from the list.

Mellisa's didn't directly has an insider job, she practically having the rest of the day outside the Garnet Palace except for break time and shift changing. She didn't opposing nor angry when the Head Maid change her roomate with the girl named Mari.

She has similar duty with Mellisa, as it was more convenient because she didn't avoiding her. Well, the rest of gardening servants have warmed up a bit, as a result of constantly asking question and working hard.

"Mari, I'll cut the grass at the garden. Its grown again quite a bit." Mellisa's took a grass scissor and fork broomstick with her, peeking Mari who sulk after get scolded by the Head Maid because she left her duty to serve the third prince breakfast.

"Yeah, just go." Mari's waved her hand limply, "I'll be at the stable, cleaning horse dung!" she spat irritably, as she has a little crush to the prince.

Clearly halved of female servants favor heavily fall for the third prince with no avail because of Alexander himself. Mellisa often shrugged whenever hearing her friends 'Mari' nag about the third prince charm.

Even when she take a break at the cafetaria, everyone gossiped about him.

'This is like 'hardcore fans' behaved between their own group...' She trailed of while watching group of female servants talking among her group one day.

She didn't know too much, because she havent seen the third prince face nowadays. Mellisa's didn't particularly look for him either, but she was sure that this has been too peaceful lately.

Especially her, as she started to lose some vigilance that she built over two years ago in doomsday survival. She keeps training her body in early mornings before the servants woke up at the training field as she sweep the dry fallen leaves in the area afterwards.

"Alright. See you at night." I leave her and went to the garden. The distance between Garnet Palace servant quarter took around twenty minutes by walking, the gardener planted several kind roses and tulips.

Her second favorite thing after transmigrated is taking care the garden, she often marveled at the flower sight that bloomed and during her errand outside the Garnet Palace into the Outer Leonnes Kingdom to buy seeds also delivering list of necessary book from the third prince librarian ever since the prince took royal family classes. Just like Royal family does.

'There you are...' Mellisa eyes focused to the over-grown grass, feeling optimistic she start cutting the grass diligently. Humming the unknown song that she remembered. Trimming the over-grown branch leaves at the bush, as she shaping it into it current shape.

It took sometimes by the time she sweep the leaves waste on the ground. Mr. Boule always checking the plant condition at this time, and Mellisa catch a glimpes of his figure nearing her spot. On his hand rested two watering can as always.

"Here you are, I was looking for you." Mr. Boule grinned having accomplish his purpose on ditching some work to Mellisa. He handed her one of the watering can brimming with water.

"Again ?"

"Yes, I'll let you do some errands outside the Palace. How about that ?"

"Deal! I'm on Mr. Boule." Mellisa dramaticly winking at Mr. Boule half-jokingly.

Mr. Boule was a man in his thirty, lived as a flower shop owner in the far Southeast Leonnes Kingdom areas. He's getting himself in trouble with the Baron where he lived, framed then sold as a slave. His life is getting better since he made his way to this Garnet Palace, as he acquired his commoner right again.

"Hey, don't do that unless you wants to make this man became ensnared at you!" Mr. Boule roared, while Mellisa laughed. After all she's not a real seventeen years old woman.

"I'll run away if you're did Mr. Boule, although I plan on travelling around when I have enough money so you cant find me."

"Where are you gonna go, this place wages is generous. Also stop teasing this uncle!" Flicking the cheeky Mellisa's forehead, Mr. Boule continuing his pace while watering the flower plants.

Mellisa's giggled while shaking her head, brushing the braided hair which was sticking out. She truly needs to stop it, Mr. Boule reddened ears caught her attention. When society classified woman in seventeen years old was legally wedded by kingdom law, being a wife in their late teens was considered normal.

She was so focused as she didn't realize a pair of golden eyes looking at her direction from the 2nd Garnet Palace windows.

***

In the meantime, Alexander was watching two workers at the garden.

"Your Highness..." Butler Yan called out the third prince who sat on the windows edge. The prince friendly figures was merely one of his facade in order to swaying the maids and fooling the queens eyes for a while. As a result the job he was instructed to monitor several individuals as the prince pointed was going well.

Long before the kingdom bought him in to take the butler jobs, the third prince came first as if he's aware of the Queen faction plans all along. Shuddered, Yan hear the third prince voice laced with icyness.

"Did you bring the report ?"

"Yes, Your Highness. I'm done investigating them, some individuals confirmed as as suspicious."

Butler Yan handed Alexander the report he meticulously prepared after monitoring listed servants as well as scanned their background before became a slave.

"Good job, just continue it without being discovered." Alexander finger which was skimmed the paper halted, "Ah, there's a scheduled dinner with His Majesty the king and another royal offsprings next week." He turns his head to Yan, stopping the moving finger.

"Pardon ?"

"The messenger will come tomorrow, and you can only inform all the servants in Garnet Palace that I'll choose a temporary personal maid after that."

"Ah... I'll do it as you wish." Delayed in respons, Yan belatedly realized that the third prince know it in advance.

"You're dismissed."

Butler Yan hastily left the rooms, near the door to Alexander study. There's stood James and Elmer guarding it like a loyal knight should be.

"Do you have someone in mind ?" Elmer questioned, as he was worried that the maid will turns out to be another threat to the third prince.

"For the maids ? No, I need to see their face first to make sure. Well, Yan reports will certaintly helps."

The paper contained everyone identity, from where their came from, who's their family, criminality records as well as their recent contact with their acquintance. Their face which was sketched by the skillful artisans spotted in the upper part was just like an identification photo. They're the Head Maid sketches, the bedchamber maids, kitchen maids, also from several guards given by His Majesty the king was marked by the red line as suspicious.

Suprisingly, Alexander expression still languid as ever. He was expecting this to happen, the only thing that disturbing him was a certain unknown individuals who had her background blank. Straight medium long-hair, almond-shaped eyes, angular-round face, heart shaped lips feature in one of the sketch was belongs to the maid named Mellisa.

A skinny girl with who suffers from malnutrition. Although her complexion showing a sign of recovering, a slim finger and slighly sunken cheeks except for her glowing greyish hue eye wasn't even unnafected by all the glamour from this Garnet Palace.

"There's a strange maids for sure." Muttering in his breath, Alexander recalling the faint memories; forgotten because he didn't sees her figure in between the maids whom often assisting him.

"Pardon, Your Highness ?" Elmer continued, tilting his head; He wonders who was the third prince talking about.

Alexander didn't answer his question; leaving the Elmer and James looking at each other to confirm what is going to do next. Shaking their head, James eyes stopped at the clock in the walls.

"Shall we go to your class Your Highness ?" It was James who talk, catching Alexander attention. He's reminding Alexander today history classes with 'Mr. Joachim'; [A1] a professor from the Wallace Academy.

One of the biggest school attended by nobles in their teens, Alexander's age which was passed that age couldn't attend the academy under normal situations. Twenty four years old, Alexander age by this year. The Duke Corven as his guardian even before Alexander acknowledged by the King; providing the Prince educations.

All of this benefits are avaible based on their mutual benefits. Duke Corven as the Queen opposing faction would be more than willing to help the unfortunate prince; as far as selling the queen seats for the future.

Alexander was found by Duke Corven faction; As he was a skilled adenturer in disguise, then the Duke went as far as become Alexander guardian's and ends up demanding the royal family to admit it; causing the capital in uproar as the illegitimate son was already an adult.

Their contrast appearance soon become a major topic after Alexander proving himself as a war contributor; while the after war problems taken over by the Duke Corven. He himself focusing on learning Imperial Education, even if it doesn't means much for him.

"Right, shall we go then ?" Alexander smiled not in a good way, almost sneered while moving from his spot as Elmer walking to close the opened windows.

"I didn't know why Your Highness still needs to learn this when you're already excells at it; isn't it better to just let everyone known your capability ?" Following the prince who brings along a history book from his desk after storing Yan's Report, Elmer said nonchalantly.

"The uneducated third prince who came back after participating the war; barely learning one or two things as a prince. Isn't it a good rumors ?"

"..."

"..."

The third prince's already knows how to write, reads, and doing complex accounting and various subject such as war strategic, government politic, to another kingdom state of affair; his head's even better than the two of them combined.

"Its merely a good distraction, another way to make the queen less wary about me; She's still on edge because the Guardian thing with Duke Corven behind my back."

The three of them walking thorough the corridor; searching for the library where the classes take place.

'On the surface, the Queens sees him as a pawn of the Duke. Except for helping the war to infiltrate the enemy kingdom; relaying the information in real time. He was a core member in reconstructing the strategy in guerilla warfare; confusing the enemy with sabotaging their line communication; and all. Looking at that achievement, His highness choose to nullified it.'

Looking at Alexander back, the codename 'Raven' or his alias was notoriously well-known at the adventurer guild; being the third with succesfull rate mission above eighty percents. Its a long past between them, James and Elmer also Alexander.

'He's a scary person.' Elmer knew too well, Alexander by no means a gentle black sheep. People may sees him as an ordinary prince even after war because of he undervaluing his accomplishment.

Deep down insides, Elmer just relieved that he wasnt his enemy to be wiped out. How horrifying for him to witness how tricky his trap and installment of tools for enemy. Skewered monster from their anus, or smashed red juices from the ogre head; once in a while he can see the neatly cut dire wolf neck severed from its body.

Alexander was not a young greenhorn, being an adventurer in his teens. Both James and Elmer respected him, and choose to follow him even after knowing his lineage.

***