Ludwig sat in the chair, his expression etched with boredom. The long line of people stretched on, showing no signs of diminishing. The mask makers in the empire had created all sorts of extraordinary masks, but none of them seemed to please Ludwig.
Or more accurately, none of them seemed to please Rapunzel.
Ludwig would ask with his eyes, “How about this one?” but Rapunzel would repeatedly shake her head.
The masks were all ornate and fancy, but they lacked any real practicality.
“Enough, everyone can leave.”
“What about the physicians?”
Leo asked, a weary expression on his face. Ludwig shook his head.
“No need. Well, actually, just send in the royal physician.”
His voice was tinged with annoyance.
He had given up his precious time from morning till late afternoon, and yet, nothing had come of it. To make matters worse, his promise to the Emperor to find the culprit who sent Josephina the box with a dead bird had left him with no room for error.
Even Rapunzel looked exhausted, her energy seemingly drained, so he suggested she go rest in her room.
“Really?”
Rapunzel tilted his head, puzzled because Ludwig had always insisted on them not being apart even for a moment.
“I’m planning to take a nap. I’ll call you when I wake up, so go get some rest too.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Rapunzel left with a somewhat relieved expression.
Soon after, the royal physician entered along with Elias, who seemed concerned about Ludwig suddenly calling for a doctor.
“Your Highness, did you call for me?”
Doctor Max bowed in greeting.
“Yes, I need an ointment.”
“What are the symptoms, and where is the injury?”
“It’s for a burn.”
Ludwig suddenly stopped himself. With the rumors swirling around him and Rapunzel, mentioning a burn could add fuel to the gossip.
“No, it’s a festering wound from a scrape.”
“May I see it to provide the right treatment?”
“That’s not possible.”
“Without seeing it, it’s difficult to prescribe the correct treatment.”
“What’s so difficult? A wound is just a wound.”
“But the treatment can vary significantly depending on the area and the nature of the festering… If I may ask, is it in a place you’d rather not show?”
“…Yes.”
As Elias and the doctor exchanged glances and nodded, Ludwig felt a wave of discomfort. It seemed like they were misunderstanding something, but he couldn’t fabricate a nonexistent wound.
“How long will it take?”
“I’ll try to prepare it as quickly as possible.”
“Yeah, is the place you’re guessing that place?”
“…”
When the doctor didn’t respond, Ludwig relented, “I understand. It’s just that it’s urgent.”
“I’ll go and prepare the medicine now.”
“Hmm, wait a minute. Bring several types of ointment. And don’t forget to label each container with detailed information about its effects.”
Ludwig suggested this because he felt the royal physician might be completely misunderstanding the situation. That’s why he asked for a variety of ointments.
After the physician left, Elias asked worriedly, “Have you been overexerting yourself by having breakfast with Rapunzel lately? Is that why you’re unwell?”
“No.”
“Shall I ask the physician to bring you something for constipation?”
“There’s no need.”
“There’s no need to hide anything to me.”
“No, really. It’s not that. I’m definitely not constipated either.” Ludwig denied.
“Okay. Then what do you need the ointment for?”
“It’s for emergency situations.”
“Understood.”
Elias struggled to contain his laughter, puffing up his cheeks.
‘He doesn’t believe me.’
Ludwig, annoyed yet amused by Elias’s skeptical expression, couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Haha! By tomorrow, rumors will probably say the Crown Prince has constipation and hemorrhoids. Such rumors really don’t suit my image.”
“Hahaha, indeed.”
***
—Gale, where are you? A month has passed and the spell hasn’t broken. What should I do?
Ariel leaned on the window sill, gazing at the moon as she tried to reach Gale. But there was no response from him.
“Hmph, what can I expect from a brother who sold out his own sister?”
Ariel pouted her lips, childishly sticking them out. Being the Crown Prince’s servant wasn’t too bad. It was hard to adjust to his quirky personality at first. But for some reason, he began to pay more attention to Ariel.
The table with the mirror was filled with containers of ointment. They had multiplied day by day and were now stacked high. Initially, she thought it might have been Leo, but it seemed more likely to be Crown Prince Ludwig.
“Lady, it seems the Crown Prince might be coveting your mask.”
“Why would he covet my mask?”
“Haven’t you heard? They say that when the Crown Prince’s servant sings wearing the mask…”
In reality, the mask Ariel currently wore was one Anna had hurriedly fetched from a storage room at an inn before Ariel first arrived at the royal palace.
Ariel was aware of the rumors about the mask.
According to Anna, a proposal with a bouquet and singing in a mask would lead to a successful engagement. She wasn’t sure why such a rumor existed but found it rather romantic.
Thanks to that rumor, maids would secretly approach her in the royal garden, asking where they could get such a mask or even suggesting she sell the one she was wearing.
That seemed like a pretty good idea.
“If I just end up getting deeper in debt, won’t I be able to return to Charden?”
A good idea suddenly struck Ariel, and she tapped on the window of the maids’ quarters where Anna was staying.
“Anna, Anna!”
She called quietly but loud enough for Anna to hear, keeping her voice low.
Anna came out, and the two sat down on a secluded bench where they could talk privately.
“Prince, or should I say Rapunzel, what brings you here?”
“I think I’ve found a way to go back to Charden.”
“How so?”
“Let’s sell masks!”
Ariel’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and her face flushed with enthusiasm.
“Masks?”
“Yes, masks worn by the Crown Prince’s servant would sell like hotcakes. What do you think?”
“That sounds good. I could even sell some to the maids in my quarters right away.”
“What should we use for materials?”
“Well, since we’re short on cash, how about starting with cheap faux leather for commoners and then using cowhide or sheepskin for the nobility?”
“Yeah, that sounds good. But how will we get the materials?”
“I’ll ask Otto, who supplies food to the palace. Or we could go buy some on a day off.”
“Alright, it’s settled then.”
Ariel’s eyes gleamed with anticipation.
***
Ludwig looked sadly at the cooling food while waiting for Rapunzel. He usually had lunch with Rapunzel around 1 PM, but today, 20 minutes had passed with no sign of her.
“Why hasn’t Rapunzel come yet?”
He asked Robert, who was guarding him.
“I’m not sure, sir.”
Robert eyed the appetizing food on the table and swallowed hard.
‘Kid, don’t just look after Rapunzel, take care of your buddy here too.’
As he grumbled inwardly, Ludwig caught his eye, making Robert momentarily flinch, worried his thoughts had been discovered.
“Just let the knights eat this food; I’ll go see Leo…”
“What about your escort?”
“Never mind. If something happens to me in the Crown Prince’s palace, it must be fate.”
Ludwig spoke curtly, and Robert stood up from the table.
Munching on the food, Robert muttered under his breath as Ludwig turned away.
“I still can’t tell if he’s joking or not..”
Ludwig relaxed his scowl as he swung open the door to Leo’s private office in the main palace. The sudden visit made Leo stop what he was doing.
“Where’s Rapunzel?”
“He went out to have lunch.”
“What? He always eats with me; what are you talking about?”
“Yes, he came by this morning and said he wanted to ensure even servants have designated meal times.”
“Really? They have designated times?”
“Yes, according to the royal labor standards, servants are given 60 minutes for lunch and dinner.”
“Hmm, who did Rapunzel go out with?”
“He went out with a maid from Charden named Anna.”
“Anna, Anna… Do they seem close?”
“Yes, I’ve never seen Rapunzel without a smile around her.”
“Could they, maybe…”
Ludwig started to say something but then stopped himself. It was certainly possible. Coming from the same hometown, having similar social statuses, and sharing many common interests. Moreover, Anna was a woman.
“Why didn’t I think of this before?”
Ludwig was shocked by this sudden realization and momentarily staggered, causing Leo to ask worriedly, “Your Highness, are you alright? Have you had lunch?”
“Huh, lunch, you say? How can the food be the same every day? Is that why Rapunzel got bored of it?”
“…”
“It must be incredibly delicious, he loves eating it so much. Why else would he suddenly decide to go out of the palace with Anna?”
“There are indeed many delicious and varied foods outside.”
“Is that so? What’s the chief servant doing then? Should we replace the cooks at the Crown Prince’s palace?”
“What?”
Leo was puzzled by the barrage of questions. However, Ludwig didn’t pay attention to his question and mumbled to himself, looking dejected.
“Where exactly is Rapunzel?”
***
“Masks for sale! Masks for sale!”
“The masks worn by the Crown Prince’s servant!”
“Wear this mask and sing, and you’ll win your beloved’s heart!”
Ariel and Anna, cloaked in capes, sold masks outside in the market.
“How much for that mask?”
A young man passing by pointed to the mask in Ariel’s hand.
“One shilling.”
“I’ll take one.”
“Sure.”
Ariel enthusiastically handed over the mask and took the money. The money felt significantly heavy in the pouch at her side.
“Anna, could we actually become rich doing this?”
“Hoho, my lady. We’re still far from that. If we sell masks to the nobility, we’ll make much more. Let’s use this money to buy a proper mask for you first.”
Anna’s words suddenly made Ariel think of Ian.
‘The apprentice mage said he’d bring a mask, but maybe he’s too busy?’
As Anna suggested, it seemed rather wise to buy a better mask until the spell was broken. Determined to sell all the masks they had brought today, Ariel shouted again.
“Masks for sale!”
“Masks worn by the Crown Prince’s monstrous servant for sale!”
The warm afternoon sun gently touched Ariel’s forehead as they shouted through the crowd.
🍉🍉🍉
