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alpindale

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light-novels

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“Oh, I don’t mind if the wing isn’t ready,” Rishe said. “We can head over there now.”

“It hasn’t been used in quite a while. It’ll be covered in dust.”

“I said that I didn’t mind if it was a mess, remember? But there’s no need for you to put yourself out. By all means, stay in the main palace for as long as you need.” Rishe had spent a life as a maid—dust didn’t scare her. “Besides, I’m a hostage, after all.”

“You could at least attempt to sound distressed,” Arnold said with the slightest trace of petulance.

Rishe, who had a huge grin spreading over her face and her chest puffed out with pride, didn’t respond.

***

The detached wing turned out to be just a separate palace in the distant corner of the grounds—a scant four stories tall and, as advertised, absolutely swimming in dust.

Not so bad, though. Rishe had pictured decay and clutter, but it was mostly just bare. Bare and musty, but not rotten or falling apart.

“You can do whatever you want with this place. I’ll be occupied over the next few days, but feel free to use the guest apartments in the main palace if you get tired of choking to death,” Arnold said before he left.

According to Oliver, work had piled up while the prince was away, and it wasn’t just a few things that could be dispensed with over a few days working around the clock.

Emperor Arnold Hein… He’s just a crown prince right now, but I still wish I knew what’s going on in his head. For now, I’ll just focus on what I can do. Like make this place livable.

She changed into her plainest dress and rolled up her sleeves. The knights who’d remained to serve as her guard kept watch over her as she went from window to window, throwing them all open.

In a stroke of luck, the weather was good, and the detached wing was well placed to soak up the sun. The lack of any creature comforts made it look ascetic and drab, but once it was furnished, Rishe had no doubt it would be lovely.

Leaving the top floors to air out, Rishe found the stairs to the basement. She pushed the heavy wooden doors open, and mice skittered over her feet. The knights yelped as Rishe descended into the darkness.

“L-Lady Rishe, why are you going down here?”

“Cleaning supplies are usually kept in the basement. See?”

The knights followed her gaze to a duster, broom, dustpan, and pile of fresh cloths. She filled a bucket with water and went to work, rolling up a handkerchief to cover her mouth as she swept dust down from high on the walls. Then she swept up all the dust on the floor.

It’s always satisfying to tackle a place this filthy.

She corralled the dust bunnies until they were piled up like snow in the center of the hall, and then she swept them out the open door. Once the floors were free of debris, she attacked them with the cloth.

“Lady Rishe, is there anything we can do to help?

Rishe was grateful for the knight’s offer, but she shook her head. “Your job is to guard me, not do my housekeeping.”

“This is quite the place to clean on your own, detached though it may be,” the knight said hesitantly. “It’s not too late to move into the guest chambers instead.”

“That’s all right. I like the place already.”

Rishe remained steadfast in her refusal for one reason: readying guest chambers was an awful chore. The palace maids would be expected to work overnight to prepare them, even if the guests were only staying a single night. No speck of dust or strand of hair could remain. Certainly no wrinkled sheets. Rishe knew how exhausting and rigorous a maid’s job was, how nerve-racking.

She refused to put the poor dears through such an ordeal for just a few days’ stay. From the sound of things, the palace wasn’t equipped with many housemaids. No doubt they already had their hands full.

“Besides, take a look.” She held out her arms wide, gesturing to her sparkling clean floor. The knights stared at the bright room in admiration. “Cleaning a place with your own hands makes living there that much more satisfying, you see.”

The knights smiled their awkward but good-natured agreement.

Rishe worked tirelessly, and before long, the chambers where she would spend the night were ready. The knights offered to carry in the bed, which she allowed.

While they brought in furniture, Rishe started cleaning another room. She had run out of clean water, so she quietly slipped out to the well without informing the knights. It wasn’t quite fair to them, but these were the palace grounds. Surely she didn’t need to be chaperoned everywhere.

Besides, they’re guards in name only. They’re clearly just here to report my movements to Arnold Hein, Rishe reflected as she walked through a courtyard full of flowers, bucket in hand. Iridescent butterflies cavorted playfully around her feet. He doesn’t seem in a hurry to introduce me to the king. Although if I’m just a hostage, that doesn’t surprise me.

She hoped she got to meet the current emperor at least once. The future Arnold’s violent conquest only began after he killed the man and made himself emperor, after all.

I wonder what happened to Arnold Hein after I died in my past life. Did he reign supreme after winning his war? Or did some country manage to put a stop to his conquest? Whatever the case, I absolutely cannot allow him to start a conflict this time. Being the empress of a wartime nation sounds like so much work! The very thought is unacceptable!

Perhaps they could divorce, but Rishe had a feeling that if Arnold decided to discard her in the middle of a war, she would fail in her mission to make it past the age of twenty. Better to avoid the situation all together.

Wait. When she thought about it, the cause of every single one of Rishe’s deaths was Arnold and his war. I died fighting. I died when Galkhein’s army invaded…

Looking at her six lives, all of them had ended in more or less the same way.

Rishe found herself crouched on the ground, cradling her head in her hands. Maybe we should get a divorce right now. But it wasn’t in Rishe’s nature to take back her decisions once she’d made them.

If I leave, I’ll probably just die in some war-related disaster again. If I can’t live apart from him, I should take this opportunity to learn everything that I can.

Rishe didn’t know the cause of her repeating lives, but there was no guarantee that the loops were infinite. She had to operate under the possibility that this life could be her last. This required some thought, but standing around seething with anxiety wouldn’t help.

Right now I’ll focus on cleaning. Once the bath is here, I’ll scrub off all the dust and travel exhaustion. And then I can finally relax!

Brimming with new determination, she stood up and headed for the well. She was forestalled by the sound of jeering giggles.

“Aww, look at the new girl, trying so hard,” said one voice.

“All the enthusiasm in the world won’t make a difference,” said another. “We’re going to be the crown princess’s maids, not you.”

The first added, “Hey, are you even listening? Stop wasting your time!”

Rishe heard a weak scream, followed by a thump, like a body hitting the ground. She broke into a run, finding a blonde girl sprawled in the dirt, surrounded by four other women.

“Are you all right?” Rishe hurried over to help the girl up. Her maid’s uniform—a loose navy-blue dress with a white apron—was smeared with mud. The others were dressed identically.

“Who are you?” one of the girls snapped at Rishe. She had a mop of blazing-red hair. “Another newbie?”

An understandable mistake. Rishe’s dress was simple, free of ornamentation, and her hair was bound back in a ponytail to keep it out of the way. She was dust-streaked, sweaty, and carrying a bucket in her arms.

Telling them who I am will be more trouble than it’s worth. Her silence only angered the girls more.

“Are you one of the crown princess’s maids? They’ve been snatching up every new girl. Those pretty hands of yours don’t look like they’ve ever held a broom,” said one of them.

“Unfortunately for you, we’ve been working here three years, and we’ll be the ones to serve Prince Arnold as the maids of his palace.”

“Can you stand? Oh, good, it looks like you’re not injured.” Rishe helped the girl up out of the dirt.

“Hey, don’t ignore us!” the redheaded maid shouted. “You’ve got some nerve. If you want to make it here, you’ll know your place! I doubt the two of you will last a week!”

Rishe didn’t respond, her attention snagging on something else. The redhead was carrying curtains, probably to bring them to the wash. Rishe stared at them so hard the maid began to shift uncomfortably. “What’s your problem?”

“You should wait to wash those,” Rishe said.

The girl glared daggers at her. “Excuse me? Are you telling me it’s too late in the day? You really are an amateur! The light lasts longer in the spring, you know. And it’s hot today. There’ll be plenty of—”

“It’s going to rain, is all.”

The maids exchanged glances. “How can you be so sure?”

“Look at the clouds amassing. The butterflies and the bees are flying low. The moisture in the air will make the drying take longer.”

“What?”

Another maid spoke up in a soft voice. “Diana, you were the one who said we should take the initiative to wash the bigger pieces. You said the crown prince would choose us for his household!”

“Stop putting the blame on me! This isn’t my fault.” An indignant flush crept over the redhead’s face. “There’s no way some upstart can tell what time it’s going to rain! The weather is going to be fantastic all day. Come on, we’re hauling these over to the wash!”

The three girls meekly followed Diana.

Rishe sighed, turning to the blonde girl. “Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine.” The girl’s gaze darted around nervously. “I’m Elsie. Thank you for helping me.” Her face was studiously blank, but from the way she struggled with her words, Rishe could tell she was being genuine.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rishe said. “Your uniform seems to have fared less well.”

“Oh no.” Elsie looked down at herself. Her face remained vacant, but she seemed sad. “And I just got it.”

“You can get the dirt out if you wash it straight away. It’s going to rain, but this dress should dry quickly. Use lots of soap, but don’t scrub it by hand—scrape the mud off with a brush.”

“Why a brush?”

“Because your fingers will just grind dirt into the threads. A brush is more porous.”

The young sons of the family Rishe served spent their time tumbling in the dirt, and she had plenty of experience scraping mud out of clothes. She could even salvage dirty socks that had spent days crumpled in the corner.

“Do you… Are you…” Elsie trailed off, blinking rapidly a couple of times before finally looking Rishe in the eyes. “Are you the crown princess’s maid?”

Unsure how to answer, Rishe couldn’t meet her eyes.

***

After parting ways with Elsie, Rishe returned to the detached wing with her fresh water. She put clean sheets on the bed the knights had installed, satisfied that she had a comfortable place to sleep. This room also had the highest-up balcony in the whole detached palace.

Taking a break, she wandered out onto the balcony and looked off over the capital, the golden afternoon tinged with the onset of twilight. The day was fresh with a recent rain, the air clear enough to see for miles. The spring breeze felt good against her skin, sweaty from cleaning. Rishe leaned against the railing, leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

She felt like collapsing into bed immediately, but she desperately needed a wash. Still, she didn’t want to pull herself away from the view and the breeze just yet. When she resumed gazing out absentmindedly, something her mother once said drifted back to her.

“Rishe, there is no need for you to think for yourself.”

She frowned, the memories coming thick and fast now.

“You mustn’t forget that the duty of our family is to live our lives fully devoted to the kings of the land. You’re smart, but all the thinking in the world won’t do a woman any good. You need only concern yourself with how best to serve the crown prince.”

“Studies? Focus on social etiquette—that’s what you need for navigating high society. The crown prince’s bride must be flawless. Your smile is lacking. You must always strive to appear amiable.”

Rishe breathed out a long sigh. When I was fifteen, their lectures were the only thing I thought about.

Her parents preached constantly. “A woman’s true happiness is to marry a suitable man and give birth to his heirs.”

“But, Mother…”

Objection was not permitted. Any argument was immediately dispensed with. As a woman, Rishe could not inherit her father’s title. Her only value was in her marriage.

Despite knowing now that the opinions of others were as worthless as empty titles, the words still echoed in her memories.

Rishe’s fingertips twitched, and she opened her eyes. Unmoving, she said, “Shouldn’t you be seeing to your duties?”

“More hidden depths, I see,” came a voice tinged with pleasure. Rishe straightened and turned. There was Arnold, leaning against the door to the balcony. “You seem able to sense my approach no matter how far or how hard I try.”

“You’re quite naughty, aren’t you? You’ve been making your presence known little by little, emanating threat, to see how quickly I catch on.”

“So you noticed that as well.” Arnold joined Rishe on the balcony. She tensed, but all he did was cast a curious glance at the view. “What were you looking at?”

“The city.” Rishe was hardly going to tell him she’d been looking at nothing, merely ruminating on her mother’s overbearing advice. The view from the balcony was spectacular, though. “What’s that over there?”

“You mean the library? The state invested funds to expand it. We have books from all over the world.”

“Really? You have a library that big?” Rishe’s eyes sparkled with delight. She pointed out another building. “What about that spire? It’s beautiful.”

“The church and clock tower. The bells ring out the hour.”

“Ooh, how wonderful! And it looks like there’s a rather big market there too?”

“Yes, the largest market in the city. Carts line up in the early morning. Most of the offerings are made fresh every day.”

“Amazing! And what about that pretty mountain over there?”