The Assertive Princess

Darkness abruptly claimed Liyahiss’s vision.

When she opened her eyes again, she was met with the sight of a ceiling both strange and familiar.

It was strange because this was her first time in this house, yet familiar because fragmented memories of a life lived here were suddenly flooding her mind.

Gazing at the pink, girlish boudoir before her, she couldn’t help but marvel at how truly unimaginable the lives of the wealthy were.

Her mind was still reeling from the sudden influx of new information and hadn’t yet had a chance to fully process it when a series of sharp knocks echoed from the door.

“Your Highness, may I come in?”

The gentle female voice startled Liyahiss, who shot bolt upright in the pristine white bed.

Though she had been disoriented moments before, her mind now felt as if it had reconnected after an outage, pulling the woman’s identity from the fragments of memory.

She was the personal maid who had eloped with her—or rather, ahem, who had come to live with her in seclusion in the forest.

The maid was responsible for all aspects of her daily life, including but not limited to laundry, cooking, running errands, providing companionship, and even… satisfying her desires.

A glance at the darkness outside the window, combined with the words she had just heard, brought a sudden understanding to Liyahiss.

So that’s it, she thought. She’s here to warm my bed.

She forced a calm facade as her brain began to whir at high speed.

She had only just arrived in this world, and her knowledge was limited to the memories she had just acquired. While these memories included daily interactions with the maid and a general sense of her predecessor’s mannerisms, they were a pale shadow of the original Liyahiss’s life and not nearly enough to overwrite her own ingrained habits.

The maid in her memories was impeccably behaved and obedient, a methodical individual who never questioned her master’s orders and carried them out with swift, decisive efficiency.

What kind of upbringing creates such a warped personality? she wondered. Ahem, getting sidetracked.

The priority now was to convincingly play her current role: the maid’s master.

Her predecessor, from what she could gather, was mercurial—by turns cold, fierce, mischievous, and even adept at relieving others of their clothes.

That made things easier.

Any inconsistencies in her expression could be chalked up to her mood. And with the clear difference in their stations, she could always use her authority to quash any suspicion.

Delaying any longer would only put her at a disadvantage.

With that in mind, she quickly settled on a plan.

Liyahiss drew her legs together, crossing her right over her left. She smoothed the wrinkles of her pure white nightgown, folded her arms across her chest, and let out a cool, deliberate cough.

“Come in,” she said, her voice betraying no emotion, making her thoughts impossible to guess.

With a soft click, the door was eased open by a pair of delicate hands.

A lovely figure entered, her silver hair styled in short, spiraling pigtails. She wore a classic maid uniform—primarily white with black accents—complete with white lace stockings and combat boots that clicked softly as she approached.

As she watched the beautiful woman approach, a strange thought popped into her head: Stockings and boots… wouldn’t that give you athlete’s foot?

“Princess—”

Before the maid could finish the title, a single finger pressed against her lips, silencing her.

“Hillisa,” Liyahiss said, her tone leaving no room for argument as she cut the maid off. “Call me ‘Master.’”

Hillisa was visibly taken aback for a moment, clearly not expecting Her Highness to be so assertive tonight. However, as a maid with impeccable professional instincts, she complied at once.

“Master, I am here to warm your bed.”

After speaking, and upon seeing her master nod in agreement, Hillisa moved with swift efficiency. She pulled back the covers, warmed the bed, and then gave Liyahiss a slight bow before turning to leave.

Liyahiss assumed she would leave then, but Hillisa paused at the door and turned back, her expression unreadable.

“Master, you seem to be in low spirits. Do you require my assistance in… relieving your frustrations?”

The unexpected question caught Liyahiss completely off guard, stunning her for a second.

Her brow furrowed as she feigned irritation. “That won’t be necessary. I’m going to rest. Was there anything else?”

“My sincerest apologies. I have overstepped.”

With a soft click, the door closed.

Outside, Hillisa walked to her own bedroom.

After closing the door, she didn’t immediately get ready for bed. Instead, she stood with her back against it, a knowing smile gracing her lips.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door…

Once Liyahiss was certain the maid had gone, she scrambled out of bed and bolted the door.

Only then did the tension finally leave her body. She collapsed back onto the mattress, taking deep, ragged breaths.

The maid from my memories wasn’t supposed to be so inquisitive, she thought. What is going on?