Chapter 14: Annette’s POV 2
As Tauro-sama and Tiatania-sama was sleeping, I pulled out a blanket from my [Bag of Holding]. It has a massive inventory size, despite it's small outwards appearance. Queen Yuzuri rewarded me this from the extensive training she drilled unto me.
As I wrapped them both under the warm blanket, I noticed Tauro-sama having a bad dream. It wasn't the first time either.
I leaned my back against the large plushie and held Tauro-sama close, I then carefully stroke her head so that I wouldn't wake her up.
As I continued to stroke her head for about a minute or so, Tiatania-sama started waking up.
"*Fwuaa~* Did I fall asleep?"
"Yes, you fell asleep about the same time as Tauro-sama."
"Ah. Um. Hello Miss."
"You may call me Annette. I am Tauro-sama's personal maid."
"Maid? But you don't look like one?"
"*Fufu~* That's because I'm not using my work clothes at the moment. I am currently in these clothes because I was ordered by Queen Yuzuri to stay near Tauro-sama since I was also assigned as her guard."
"Eh? Are you a knight in disguise then?"
"No. I am no knight, but an Assassin. Or, to be more accurate, a former one. Kinda funny how I ended up being a maid, but I don't regret it in the slightest."
A natural warm smile formed on my face, as I looked at Tauro-sama, who somehow or another, ended up clinging unto me while still sleeping.
"How did you end up as a maid, Annette-sama?"
"You can drop the honorifics, as I am just a mere commoner, Princess Tiatania-sama."
But Tiatania-sama shook her head.
"Not only are you Tau's personal maid, it also looks like you two see each other as equals with no regards of your social status. I've never had someone like that, so I'm quite jealous."
"Quite perceptive, aren't you? Even though we haven't know each other for that long. Well, Tauro-sama was quite wary of me when we first met. Not that I could blame her for that though. Tauro-sama really had it rough..."
I said while having a sad expression.
"W-What do you mean by that, Annette-sama?"
"Let's just say it isn't all 'sunshine and rainbows'."
"O-Okay."
The mood got a bit gloomy as Tiatania picked up what I was saying.
As to fix that, I cleared my throat.
*Ahem*
I then explained how I, a mere commoner, ended up as the personal maid for a princess.
It all started when I left the [Shadow Guild], for a simple reason such as 'I want a quiet life'. Before the guild master could do, or say anything, I quickly left and headed forwards [Grimoria], an independent city state.
Back then, and even now, It's a massive hub for trading, and is also a massive hotspot for the [Adventure Guild]. I also got a part-time job at the [Adventure Guild] as a simple receptionist.
The reason I got the job was because I looked the part, the guild master there was quite the womanizer... And somehow ended up as a masochist from the way I treated him.
Anyway, I worked there for about 15 years. It was quite boring but I had to eat. I also met a few interesting people from that part-time job as well, such as Augustus. Well, he went with the name [Agusta] back then.
After my part-time job, with plenty of cash on hand, I headed forwards [Terra], or as everyone else calls it, [Kingdom of Ice]. I was confused why it was called such, as it didn't really have that much ice to begin with. But I would later understand that the kingdom was called as such because of their Queen, Yuzuri. She was known far and wide as the [Ice Queen] due to her [Ice Magic] and how 'cold' she was forwards her enemies. She was someone you should never anger, directly or indirectly.
The reason I headed forwards [Terra] was because I heard it had plenty of job openings recently. And that it was a country safe to live in. I honestly thought I would end up working in an inn, but the job I found, or rather, the application I found, was for being a maid.
I thought that it was for a lower ranked noble, or maybe one of those [Maid Café] I've heard so much about. But I instead ended up as a royal maid.
After a few months working there, I finally got a hang of it, and most of all, it was a fun job. But then all of the sudden, Queen Yuzuri just went straight up to me and said 'You are now the personal maid of Tauro.'.
"Wow... One thing lead to another. But It's amazing how Annette-sama, a newly hired maid, got assigned as Tau's personal maid!"
"Indeed. At the time, I was pretty confused... And after I told Queen Yuzuri about me being a former Assassin from the [Shadow Guild], she put me under heavy training, just to make sure I can properly protect Tauro-sama, if someone would dare to harm her again."
"A-Again? Someone tried to hurt Tau?"
I slowly took a deep breath.
"What I am about to tell you, don't speak a word of it to anyone else."
I looked at Tiatania-sama with a very serious expression.
"Please. Tell me."
But she did not falter, as she looked straight into my eyes. I nodded.
"Do you know of [Terra]'s erased records?"
"Erased records? Wait, do you mean the erasure of the current Queen's parents?"
"The reason why the history of them are erased... Is because they tried to 'remove' Tauro-sama."
"....."
~[A week ago]~
How am I suppose to explain this to Annette? Sofia thought to herself.
Hmm... Alright. I'll just do my best to make my point across as smoothly as possible.
"...The reason why I despite them, and never talk about them, is because they tried to remove Tauro (kick her out from the house). But I prevented that, and removed them instead (forcefully made them get a job abroad). Nobody is going to miss them anyway."
As Sofia went on, she was thought that she explained everything properly, and got the point across. But she instead created a misunderstanding.
This piece of news quickly spread around the castle like wildfire. Of course, Tauro was completely oblivious to all of this, as everyone though it would cause trauma if it was even mentioned. As such, the information was kept secret and controlled, which also caused the maids to become even more dotting than they already where.
Sofia would realise the misunderstanding herself a few days later, but instead of clearing it up, she simply shrugged and continued doing quests as normal. To put it bluntly, she couldn't care less about their 'parents'.
~[Back to present]~
"...Because of that, I understood why she got happy for just wearing normal clothes, since she only got to use rags."
"W-Wha...? Why... Why would they do something like that to Tau?"
Tiatania-sama couldn't hold back her own tears, and shortly the flood gates opened.
But Tiatania-sama was tougher than I thought and declared that she wouldn't let anyone make her first friend sad while being teary eyed.
I gave her a handkerchief so she could wipe away her tears.
"Mmm~..."
As we where calming down, Tauro-sama was waking up.
"Good morning? *yawn~*"
"It's not morning but, did you sleep well Tauro-sama?"
"Mm."
"Morning, Tauo!"
"Good morning Tia. Mm? Did something happen?"
"Ah! N-Nothing happened Tau! I just got something in my eye, that's all!"
"Mm. Okay."
Tauro-sama was never a morning person. As soon as she woke up, she just wanted to go back to sleep.
"Your hair is a mess, Tauro-sama. Let me fix it up for you."