I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince

Chapter 286

The opportunity to ask Agnes about what had happened came sooner than expected.

As Prince Antonio, who had spent the whole barbecue being fed by Agnes, was the first to leave the table, she was left alone, quietly poking at her food. Since she wasn’t attracting anyone’s attention, it wasn’t difficult for me to approach her for a conversation.

As I’d mentioned before, aside from Seraphin and me, Agnes had no friends. And right now, Seraphin was busy caught in a tug-of-war between Serista and Silenna over the hero, so it was only natural that Agnes would be left on her own.

Fortunately, Ethan didn’t stop me from going to talk to Agnes. After all, as long as I wasn’t talking to the hero or another man, Ethan didn’t tend to restrict me much.

“Lady Agnes.”

“...Lilith.”

“What happened earlier? It seemed like things were a bit complicated between you and Prince Antonio.”

“...Nothing much.”

“Did Prince Antonio get hurt because of something related to you?”

Flinch.

Even though she didn’t say anything, her reaction was as good as an answer. I had half-expected this when she volunteered to take care of Antonio, but this confirmed my suspicions.

Agnes, who usually showed no interest in others, had offered to take care of Antonio—someone she had previously found bothersome. I had already deduced what had likely happened.

If Prince Antonio hadn’t returned with a wounded arm, the one injured would have been Agnes. The logic was simple.

“Judging by your reaction, I think I have a rough idea.”

“What exactly do you think you know?”

“Just why Prince Antonio got hurt, that’s all.”

“......”

“So, are you really not going to tell me what happened at the lake?”

Agnes’s expression turned conflicted, as if she realized she’d already been found out. It didn’t take long for her to start speaking.

“...Don’t tell anyone else.”

“Of course not.”

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

To cut to the point, even Agnes didn’t know why a three-headed Hydra appeared at the lake.

She explained that she had been on guard, expecting a monster to approach the lake like usual, but the Hydra had suddenly emerged without warning.

It was likely a hidden monster from the Luminor Academy’s Witch’s Forest event, or perhaps a creature that spawned under certain conditions during battle events.

Or, like how both the Roaring Crescent Bear and the Moonlight Wolves appeared together, it might have been triggered by the number of people and the average level of the group. The reasons were complex and uncertain.

But since the Witch’s Forest event was nearly over, it wasn’t really important anymore. What truly mattered was something else entirely.

Agnes’s troubled expression softened, my words having somewhat reassured her.

‘Now, how should I guide the relationship between Agnes and Prince Antonio....’

Honestly, I wasn’t trying to push Agnes and Antonio together out of any personal desire to see them become a couple. If my only other close friend, Agnes, found happiness, it didn’t necessarily have to be with Prince Antonio.

But considering the current situation, Antonio seemed like the person most likely to bring Agnes happiness in the future.

After all, in my past life, I’d seen Agnes’s “spinster ending” more times than I could count.

While characters like Natalina, Seraphin, and Luke had options even if they didn’t end up with the hero, Agnes and Serista were the types who would remain alone if they didn’t connect with the hero.

Especially in Agnes’s case, her difficult personality meant that no one else would approach her. And her strict family made matters worse.

There simply weren’t many men of high enough status who would willingly pursue someone with Agnes’s difficult personality.

And if a commoner tried, Agnes herself, or more likely her family, would reject them outright.

This left Agnes destined to grow old alone, without a suitable partner, unless something changed drastically. Even the hopeful routes where she fell for the hero were no longer an option given the current situation.

In this sense, Prince Antonio was the perfect match. His family wasn’t one her family would reject, and he was one of the few nobles (or royals) who could put up with her challenging personality.

‘It would be a shame for Agnes to spend her life alone in the mage tower.’

At the very least, I should give her a chance to meet someone who could appreciate her—someone who could match her level and genuinely care for her.

Considering how Antonio had thrown himself in harm’s way to protect her, it was clear his intentions were genuine. He wasn’t trying to get close to her with ulterior motives.

Antonio had already fallen for Agnes. If I could just create a little more opportunity for them to connect, their relationship would likely improve.

“So, you’ll be taking care of Prince Antonio for the next three days, right?”

“...Yes, for now.”

“In that case, wouldn’t you need my help? For example, with things like how a female servant should care for a male employer?”

“Huh?”

“Surely you haven’t forgotten? I’m a debt maid of the Blackwood family and used to be Ethan’s personal maid.”

“...That’s not really something to brag about, is it?”

...Well, that’s true.

“Anyway, wouldn’t it be better to get advice from someone with experience? Since you’re going to be taking care of Prince Antonio, it’d be wise to learn from me. At the very least, you don’t want to accidentally offend him while you’re attending to him.”

“...That’s true. What should I be careful about?”

Smirk.

This is my chance.

My chance to be the Cupid of Agnes and Prince Antonio!