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“That is indeed a very tempting proposal, your royal highness. But as the Maids of White Stockings’ duty, it is our duty to see that you will complete your daily assignments. If we were to defy the late emperor’s order for petty profit, I’m afraid we won’t qualify to be of service.”

The head servant clasped her hands in front of her as she approached Lesiah calmly. Her every step was accompanied by a gust of unknown wind which quickly dispersed the white smoke.

Thanks to that, the other maids were able to relocate and once again surround their target.

This time, everyone watched the princess intently in case she’d pull another trick on them.

“Furthermore, I remain skeptical of this ‘ultimate efficiency’ you speak of as the documents piling up on your desk are about to reach the ceiling.”
“Ugh…”

Lesiah’s cheek twitched, knowing fully well that her excuses or temptations wouldn’t work on this ‘veteran from the former generation’. Hence, she quickly switched her strategy and played the emotion card. She put on a pitiful look and pleaded, “Miss Sheila~ Just today, I promise! Let me leave please? I promise I’ll never skip work again, or place a bucketful of ink on your bedroom door, or scatter thumbtacks at the door, or put strong laxatives in your meals from the previous day. I’ll get up on time every day and do my work obediently.”

“No.”

“Awww… Miss Sheila, you watched me grow up and I treat you like my family too! Please don’t be so heartless?”

Lesiah tried to squeeze a tear out from the corner of her eye and sobbed.

“Your royal highness,” the head servant sighed in exasperation.

“Is that a yes?”

“You told me the same thing for the twenty-ninth time this month. Do you think it’ll work?”

“……”

Lesiah’s expression changed instantly.

“Hmph, I never expected you heartless people to let me go anyway. I only lowered my pride to buy myself time just now.”

“Buy time?”

Sheila’s stoic face finally cracked. It was only at this moment she realized that unbeknownst to her, there was some sort of transparent substance all over the ground.

“This is…?!” When did she set this up? Did she already plan this when she tried to escape in the white smoke?

The head servant frowned at the bad feeling lingering in her heart. She narrowed her eyes and with a deep voice, she issued her command. “Seize the princess at once!”

The maids immediately swarmed around Lesiah on command. At the same time, a barely visible barrier quickly covered Lesiah — an exclusive domain that belonged to a saint-level expert!

The barrier quickly expanded around Sheila, trapping Lesiah inside. As long as she willed it, the princess wouldn’t even be able to lift her finger.

But Lesiah already bought enough time for herself. Everything was over.

The outcome had been decided and she was the victor.

She gracefully curtsied to the maids who were charging toward her like a pack of hungry wolves and disregarded the domain that restricted her movements.

“It’s been cloudy lately. Better watch out for the lightning,” she smiled at them.

As soon as she finished speaking, they heard the rumble of thunder.

The sudden flash of light blinded the maids momentarily and halted them in their tracks.

The frightening electrical current flowed along the transparent substance on the ground and through everyone’s body. Although the current itself wasn’t strong, the effects of the spell were enough to paralyze everyone.

The head servant staggered. Her fine eyebrows furrowed at the terrifying paralyzing sensation that could affect even a saint-realm expert like herself.

The paralysis caused Sheila to lose control of her domain, giving Lesiah an opening. Without any hesitation, the princess turned and escaped. The ten-centimeter thick rubber sole of her boots increased her jump power and enabled her to leap out of the window at the side nimbly.

Sheila’s eyes lit up for a moment before they dimmed again. With a soft sigh, she retracted her domain that was about to catch up to Lesiah.

Just for today… I’ll let her have her way.

……

……

“Your royal highness, I shall be your opponent today.”

The burly, mace-wielding maid blocked the princess’ way. She was paralyzed along with the other maids earlier. Not only did she recover quickly, but she also caught up with Lesiah who was an expert in escaping.

Lesiah sighed inwardly. As expected of the Maids of White Stockings that her late father had personally… no, that SHE had personally trained herself! None of them was an easy enemy to deal with.

Even so, they were still too naive to think that they could stop her!

“Come at me! You won’t be able to stop me!”

Lesiah drew her weapon, and pointed the tip of her sword at the mace-wielding maid.

There was determination in her eyes, like she was prepared to die at any time.

The flames in the maid’s gaze burned with increasing intensity too. As a former mercenary, this situation made her blood boil with excitement.

“Forgive me, princess!”

She took the first strike by swinging her mace mercilessly at Lesiah.

Their countless failures in preventing the princess from skipping out on work had led them to the conclusion that…

The princess must be dealt with ruthlessness and determination. One mustn’t provide her the slightest opening as she would seize the opportunity to mercilessly tear that opening into a gaping hole… then run off without even giving her enemies any chance to react.

Hence, the mace-wielding maid chose to take the initiative.

She wasn’t going to make the same mistake that her predecessors did. She would stop the princess with a torrent of assault and subdue her by force. As long as she could stall her long enough until either the head servant or other members of the Maids of White Stockings arrive on the scene, the princess would have no chance of fleeing even if she grew extra pairs of arms or legs or wings!

Unfortunately, she had miscalculated.

In the face of her assault, Lesiah remained calm and didn’t even bat an eyelid.

The princess didn’t even make any attempts to block her assault. She merely spun her sword gracefully in hand and then sheathed it skillfully without so much as looking at the huge mace that was drawing closer to her.

It was almost as if she deemed the maid’s assault to be no more than a child’s play that could hardly pose a threat to her.

“Hehe…”

Lesiah showed her contempt at the assault that could easily blow her head into pieces as soon as the mace landed on her.

The distance between her and the mace reduced at lightning speed, but Lesiah didn’t hold back in expressing her disdain for her enemy.

“You dare to attack me?”