Three voices shouted at once.
One was Kiero.
The second was the waitress.
And the third belonged to a strange woman dressed in royalty, staring at me as if she had just hit the jackpot.
“No, I will pay for her.” The strange woman walked in as if she owned the place.
The waitress, Kiero, and the other customers present in the dining inn immediately stood and bowed to her.
“You may rise,” the strange lady ordered.
Everyone straightened up and stood frozen.
Maybe she is an important figure in this place.
Why is she paying for me?
“Your Highness, it is a pleasure to have your presence in my small abode.
How may I serve you?” An old lady came forward and greeted the strange woman.
“I appreciate it, Agnis.
Let’s take this conversation somewhere private.” The noblewoman said with a smile, but I was sure it was a command.
“This way, Your Highness.” Agnis bowed and led everyone toward a private room inside the restaurant.
I looked back at Kiero.
His face was pale as if he had seen a ghost.
I grabbed his arm and dragged him with me.
“Master!” he whispered in fright.
“Shut up!” I scolded him.
He is the reason I am facing this humiliation.
Once we were inside the private room, I saw the noble lady sitting on a cushioned, expensive chair.
Now that I looked closely at her, she was beautiful.
She carried a commanding aura.
“So, what was the issue earlier?” she asked calmly.
Agnis bowed slightly again and said, “Your Highness, these ladies came into my inn and ordered every dish on the menu.
They ate everything, and now when it is time to pay the bill, they are saying they don’t have money.
Instead of paying, this lady asked about our kitchen’s whereabouts.” She pointed at me.
This Woman!!
“How much do they have to pay?”
“Ten thousand gold coins, Your Highness,” Agnis replied, already stressed.
“Hmm.
And how much are they willing to pay?”
“One thousand silver coins.”
“Hmm…
You.” The noblewoman now looked directly into my eyes.
“Why were you asking about the kitchen?”
I bowed slightly.
“Your Highness, I don’t have money on me, so I wanted to repay them by washing the dishes used by their customers.”
“Huh?” Everyone in the room gasped.
Why such a strange reaction?
Isn’t washing dishes the punishment for not paying a hotel bill?
The noblewoman composed herself after the initial shock.
“Hmm.
This is new.”
Then she looked at Agnis.
“I will pay for her.”
“No.
Why are you paying for me?
We don’t even know each other.” I said aloud.
I am in a strange world.
I have to be cautious before accepting help from strangers.
“Agnis, can you step outside for a bit?” the noblewoman ordered with a smile.
That smile again…
Agnis bowed and took the waitress with her outside.
As she was about to leave the room, a voice spoke.
“I don’t like snooping and overhearing.”
Both of them nodded in horror and scurried away.
Silence.
Kiero was shaking like a leaf now.
I wanted to hold his hand just to stop him from trembling.
Can’t he stop worrying for one minute?
“How are you, brother-in-law?” the noblewoman greeted me with amusement in her eyes.
I felt a shiver run down my spine.
Is she the Empress’s sibling?
I sneaked a glance at Kiero.
He looked terrified.
Idiot!
Why didn’t he tell me sooner?
“H-hi…
Small world.
We met again.” I gave her a tight smile.
How did she recognize me?
Is she a mind reader?
“No, I am not reading your mind.”
Again!!
She is really creepy.
“I-I know.
Thank you for offering to pay for me.”
Thank God I did not stutter.
“Why thank me?
You are my brother-in-law.
We are family.
I have to help.” She said sweetly.
“Yes, yes.
Please let me know if you ever need any help.” I said formally.
I just want this day to end.
“Help?
From you?” she said, amused.
Am I a joker?
I was just being nice to her.
It’s normal to offer help when someone helps you.
What’s so amusing about that?
“Your Highness!!
Forgive my master!
I was the one who took him out.
Please punish me instead!!” Kiero shrieked and fell to his knees before her.
Damn!
I don’t even know her name.
This body has given me all problems but did not bother giving me memories to save myself.
“Kiero!” I called out.
He was now crying full blown.
“Actually, I wanted to go out and look around the marketplace.
I had asked Her Majesty for permission, but she did not allow me.”
“Still, you went out?” Her voice turned cold.
Is she going to snitch on me?
“Yes…
I mean, we did not have anything to do at home, so I thought of taking a stroll.”
“So Noble Consort Elyas wants something to do at home?” she asked, amused again.
Her eyes lingered on my face and clothes longer than expected.
I want to end this conversation.
Kiero was no help at all.
“Your Highness, I apologize for stepping out of line and creating chaos here.
I also apologize that you had to come to my rescue.
I promise this will never happen again.
Do I have your permission to leave now?” I finally said it.
“Umm.
What if I don’t want to accept your apology?
Do you know it is a crime to defy an Imperial Decree?”
She stood up from her chair and walked toward me like a predator stalking its prey.
In the distance, I could hear Kiero’s wailing increase.
My hands turned sweaty.
How do I get out of this situation?
I racked my brain.
“Yes, Your Highness.
I did commit a crime.
I know you can report this to Her Majesty…
but you won’t.” I gambled.
She looked taken aback by my words but quickly covered her shock.
“And why is that?” she asked, stepping closer while still maintaining a safe distance.
She was taller than me and had an intimidating figure, but I refused to cower.
This is not the time to cower away…
Lemonade…
remember Elias…
lemonade.
“Because I am your family.
My looks are too precious to get punished, and you won’t like that.
Won’t you?”
I made two tiny hearts with my fingers and gave her a puppy smile.
My fans used to do this to impress me.
Since this is a reverse world, maybe it would work here too.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Then that indifferent face returned again.
I think Kiero even stopped crying.
He must be enjoying this show now.
“Won’t you?” I asked again, pouting.
I straightened up.
“I don’t want Your Highness to inform the Empress about this situation, but if it makes you compromise your morals, then I won’t stop you.
I am already serving a life sentence.
Another sentence won’t hurt.
You can’t kill one person twice, right?” I said with a sad smile.
For the first time, surprise clearly appeared on that indifferent face.
See?
No one is immune to my charm.
Finally, my acting classes are paying off.
“Okay.
I will not inform the Empress, but you are not repeating this again.
It is already too dangerous for men to go out alone.” She said seriously, all amusement gone.
“You are a savior!
Beautiful!
Intelligent!
A goddess descended from heaven!!
Thank you!!”
All the tension left my body at once.
“Master!!
Please calm down!” Kiero rushed toward me and stopped me from saying anything further.
“Please forgive my master’s insolence.” Kiero apologized again.
“It’s okay.
I will arrange a carriage for both of you to return to the palace,” the princess ordered.
“No.
Everyone will get suspicious.” I immediately rejected the idea.
“Then how will you return?
It is getting darker outside.”
“We will walk,” I said obviously.
“No.
It’s dangerous.
You will come with me in my carriage.
You are already disguised as women, so no one will know.” She dismissed my argument.
“Master, let’s go.
We don’t have any other option.” Kiero whispered.
I nodded reluctantly.
“Let’s go.” The princess commanded and left the room, expecting us to follow behind her.
“Who is she?” I whispered to Kiero.
“You don’t remember her?” he whispered back in horror.
“No!
I fell in the river, hit my head, and don’t remember much…
remember?”
“Y-yes…
She is the younger sister of Her Majesty.
Princess Lynera.”
So she is my sister-in-law.
The Empress’s real sister.
That was close, Elias.
“Her Highness has summoned both of you to her carriage.” Agnis came inside to inform us.
We both hurried outside the dining inn.
A luxurious carriage was waiting on the roadside.
We hastily entered and sat opposite Princess Lynera.
Wow.
This indifferent face finally has a name now.
“You are safe here,” she said, noticing my nervousness.
Safe?
Why do I feel this is far from safe?
Somehow, sitting inside Princess Lynera’s carriage felt far more dangerous than getting caught in the marketplace.
My gut feeling screamed that stepping into this carriage was the beginning of another disaster.
Author’s Note
And Elias has officially embarrassed himself in front of royalty
Sneaking out of the palace
Getting caught
Ordering food without money
Offering to wash dishes
Flirting his way out of punishment ?
Poor Kiero honestly deserves compensation at this point
But our mysterious princess Lynera has finally entered the story~ Do you think she will help Elias… or become another problem in his already chaotic life?
Also… Elias really believes his face can solve every situation.
The confidence is dangerous
Let me know your favorite moment from this chapter
Your comments, votes, and support truly light up my universe
Stay tuned for more chaos from the matriarchy verse~ — Lune5verse