“Help me change my stockings.”
The young Queen Evelyn spoke in such a matter-of-fact tone.
It was as if ordering others around was perfectly natural, as if it had been the rule since ancient times.
In fact, Evelyn had always lived exactly like this.
No lack, no inconvenience—whenever a problem arose, someone would handle and settle it for her.
Her lifestyle was as delicate as an Elf drinking Morning Dew; it seemed she had never even set foot in a place like the restroom.
Come to think of it, it had been almost a year since anyone saw Evelyn visit the bathroom.
“Hurry up, help me get dressed. I want to go see the Market right away.”
Evelyn’s lazy, ethereal voice snapped her out of her philosophical pondering about ‘whether female experts in this world really never need to use the restroom.’
This topic could wait—purely an academic matter.
“You mean, even at this hour tonight, you still plan to go see the Market?”
“Yes.”
For the Queen to go out would require a huge amount of manpower and funding: the roads would need to be cleared in advance, any potentially dangerous objects or people along the way removed, and one would have to hire guards and a band.
Just thinking about it was already enough to give her a headache.
That’s why a royal outing needed at least a week’s planning and preparation; the whole affair was a political performance and a means to win the people’s favor—at least, that’s how Erika saw it.
Yet Evelyn now wanted to put on these stockings and go out right away.
Why?
It seemed someone had influenced her while she was away—and the only one capable of that was probably her cousin, Emile.
Erika glanced around warily, suspecting that Emile was hiding in the wardrobe or under the bed, secretly watching and laughing.
“Erika, so when are you going to help me change? I want to go somewhere before it gets dark.”
“Hm, a place you want to go?”
“That’s right, Erika, have you ever seen an Elf?”
Elf? The moment she heard the word, delicate girls with petite frames sprang to the girl’s mind.
The Elf race, made up of females, were fairy-like beings—rare and lovable natural friends, as rare and adored as Pandas and Penguins.
Even in the novel “Flower of Evil,” they were the most unique and exquisitely depicted superior race.
They were extremely popular; who wouldn’t like a pointy-eared big sister?
But if there was one thing to mention, it was probably that every one of them had a peculiar way of speaking?
“Emile said there’s a Tavern in the city run by Elves. Apparently, the Specialty Dishes they serve at night are absolutely delicious. If we go now, it shouldn’t be too late.”
I knew it!
Emile, you troublemaker.
Ever since Emile returned from the Expedition, her presence in the Capital had brought all kinds of unpredictable variables, often catching Erika off guard.
Still, so far, this level of trouble was easy enough to control.
“Come on, hurry up and take them off, Erika.”
Evelyn sat on the sofa, lightly swinging her legs, while Erika, as usual, expertly slid the garter stockings off her long, beautiful legs.
The stockings slowly slipped down.
No matter when, watching stockings peel off the smooth, tender thighs of a beautiful girl was always a delightful sight.
As the black stockings slid halfway down, her white thighs were exposed, then they fell past her knees, down her calves, revealing slender ankles and dainty, delicate feet.
Perhaps it was the soap, but a sweet peachy fragrance drifted over, intoxicating.
It was said that, in ancient times, some noble ladies would eat nothing but fruit to imbue their bodies with a gentle scent; perhaps Evelyn was like that, too.
Clad in the most magnificent clothes, surrounded only by beautiful things, enjoying exquisite delicacies—Evelyn grew up in this manner, and even her scent exuded the sweet, creamy notes of fruit and milk.
Erika mourned for three seconds for her own empty hips, then deftly slipped the new pair of black stockings up Evelyn’s pale skin.
As the stockings covered her legs, the peachy fragrance that had filled the air seemed to be trapped inside the stockings again, leaving only a faint trace lingering in the air.
Evelyn gently stroked her own leg, nodding in satisfaction, “As expected, Erika is the best at this. The other maids are always so nervous, they fumble and take forever.”
“That’s because they’re afraid of you.”
In truth, she used to be afraid of Evelyn, too—no, that wasn’t right.
She was still afraid now.
Evelyn’s thoughts were always impossible to predict, her actions almost never followed any pattern.
Serving the ruler was like serving a tiger; so it was.
The girl tossed the removed stockings onto the sofa, ready to ask about some details, but Evelyn continued, “Erika, why aren’t you changing?”
“Eh? Your Majesty, what do you mean?”
Erika couldn’t quite grasp her meaning and probed carefully.
“I took out two pairs of stockings, isn’t it obvious?”
“Erika?”
“Ah, Your Majesty, d-does that mean I have to wear a pair too?”
Evelyn’s languid tone sharpened a bit, “Of course. Why else would I take out two pairs?”
She pointed to the other pair of stockings that hadn’t been put away, “Alright, put them on. We’re heading out.”
N-no, I’ve hardly ever worn stockings!
Isn’t this a little too embarrassing?
Erika’s face flushed bright red as she stammered, “Your Majesty, how can I wear your clothes?”
At that, Evelyn half-closed her eyes, sending a shiver down Erika’s spine as she swallowed nervously.
The Queen continued, “Hm, I’ve changed my mind. You shouldn’t wear this pair.”
Whew…
The girl let out a small sigh of relief.
Evelyn turned to the sofa, grabbed the other pair of stockings, and tossed them into Erika’s arms.
“Put these on, Erika.”
The girl caught them in a fluster, and before she realized it, the sweet, refreshing scent filled her nose—it was the very pair Evelyn had just taken off!
“Eh—eh—eh! Your—Your Majesty!”
“Disobedience will be treated as defiance.”
Erika: ……
In the end, on the verge of tears, the girl turned her back, took off her shoes, and slid her bare feet into the still-warm black stockings, awkwardly pulling them up to her thighs.
Pop!
The band at the top of the stockings left two faint circular marks on Erika’s pale thighs with a crisp snap.
The lingering warmth and scent seemed to wrap around her legs, soaking into the curves and snow-white skin, bringing a strange, awkward feeling.
Poor Erika was at least glad she wore a long skirt today; the hem would be enough to cover her legs.
She hurriedly pulled it down and changed the subject, “You just said you wanted to leave for the city right now. Why not postpone it until tomorrow? If we start preparing the outing ceremony now, it’ll take a long time. We might not be able to set off until midnight.”
It was just like putting off something troublesome until tomorrow.
In fact, this method worked quite well for Evelyn, who had a touch of procrastination.
“It doesn’t matter. We don’t need any outing ceremony. No attendants, Erika, just you and me—we’ll go together, just the two of us.”
“…Just the two of us?”
Today, Evelyn was a little different; this was the first time she’d ever done something like this.
“Yes, Erika. Don’t you do this all the time? Sneakily, wandering the streets without any guards. You have your own secret activities that you hide from me, don’t you?”
Evelyn’s voice was calm—almost cold—which sent a chill down the girl’s back.
So Evelyn had known all along that she’d been gathering information at the Market alone.
She’d suspected it before, and now it was confirmed.
As the Queen’s secret pawn, if Evelyn asked her, ‘Why did you keep it from me? Are you plotting rebellion?’, how was she supposed to answer?
Ah, but I’ve read novels, and this world is so much like the ones in those stories, so I’ve been gathering info to become a mastermind, oh yeah!—
Of course, she couldn’t say that out loud.
She’d prepared a couple of decent excuses just in case this happened, but before she could choose which was best, Evelyn interrupted her, “Erika, your reckless solo actions—I’ll let them slide this time. But! From now on, wherever you go, you must take a guard.”
“I understand. I’m very sorry.”
“In that case, today you’ll come with me. We’ll hide our identities in the night, sneak around, climb the palace walls together under the moon—how about it? Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?”
Evelyn’s gaze was already turned to the palace walls outside the window.
You’re asking me?
Do my words even matter?