Miss Fortune || JJK

Rumor Has It

Y/n woke to the bright sunlight streaming through the window, stirring as she pushed herself up, most of the girls around her doing the same.

"Good morning, miss. How did you sleep?" Kumiko asked, her voice groggy after just waking up.

"Well. And you?" Y/n stretched her arms over her head, leaning from side to side as she felt her muscles loosen.

"Better than I thought I would," Kumiko admitted, standing and rolling her futon up, folding the blanket as she stacked them on top of each other.

"All of you, use the bathhouse, then return for your duties. The last thing this palace need is an unclean maid." The matron sternly ordered, her hands folded in front of her torso as she stared the room down. One by one, the girls got up, making their way to the bathhouse, sure to keep their voices low so they didn't wake up the nobles.

"I guess baths are mandatory now. Good for you, you must reek from being the palace whore." A catty servant muttered with a grin as she passed y/n. She could see Kumiko tensing at her side as the girl walked off, laughing to herself.

"It's fine, Kumi. Let them be. It's like I said last night." Y/n assured her friend, holding her by the wrist so she didn't run off and do anything rash.

"If you insist, miss." Kumiko sighed, dejected from the restraint.

In the bathhouse, y/n and Kumiko took turns washing each other's hair, the pair rinsing off before redressing themselves in that day's clothing and heading back to their quarters.

"Y/n, a word please." The matron requested as the pair walked back into the room. Only about half the girls were back, so there was still time before they were sent off to do their daily chores.

"Yes, ma'am?" Y/n stepped into the private dining room with the older woman, her heart racing as she wondered if she had done something wrong.

"For the sake of time, I will be blunt with my words. I have heard the way the others here speak about you. Letting them call you a 'whore' is not something you should take so lightly. Not only could it ruin your reputation, but it could tarnish the royal family's as well, understood?" The matron lectured, her face not quite as uptight as it usually was.

"Yes, ma'am. It seems that they misunderstood my meeting with the general yesterday evening. I will be sure to tell them of my errand." Y/n nodded, hoping that would be good enough. The matron stared back at her, letting out a sigh after a moment.

"No, I will speak with them. They need to learn to hold their tongues, even around their own. Rumors spread fast, and a general is a decent man. I wouldn't want his image being tarnished by their foolish assumptions." Y/n blinked at the woman, wondering where this sudden sense of comradery had come from.

"Oh! Thank you, ma'am. I greatly appreciate that you would do that." Y/n bowed, keeping her body low for a moment before raising back up, just to let the matron know how much she did appreciate the gesture.

"Don't get it confused, it's not for your sake. I happen to have known the general since he was a young boy and am rather fond of him. I won't let his reputation be ruined by idiotic babble." Y/n didn't know how to respond. She should have seen that coming.

"Yes, ma'am."

"And y/n?"

"Ma'am?" The woman looked at her with a serious face, her features darkening as she spoke to the girl.

"You seem to have already made some enemies in your short time here. Be careful. If you are accused by the wrong people, your life will be on the line." Y/n gulped, nodding her head.