The Tired Maid

Chapter 11

On the last day of your 'vacation', Helios visited you much to your surprise. It would've been an amusing one if he wasn't glaring at you with such deep concentration. Your brow twitched in something of annoyance and anticipation as he stared, "Your Highness," Your smile was strained as you spoke, "Is there something that you need from this servant?"

He didn't reply for a while, letting the minutes tick by like a death sentence. Your patience was thinning and ready to snap until he finally said, "You're not the same maid that I've known for years, aren't you?"

The only fitting and capable thought you could form was 'Fuck'.

You must have let your mask slip for a bit because his eyes gleamed in satisfaction before exhaling, "So I was right,"

You gripped the blankets over your lap as you let the smile fall and stare at him in indifference, "Yes, you are. While the body is the same, the souls are not."

Helios hummed, "I see, soul-switching and reincarnations are just theories told but not impossible." he muttered before crossing his leg over the other, "What was your name in your previous body?"

You brushed a strand of hair that escaped from your ponytail, "Coincidentally, I have the same name as this maid here. " You glanced to the side as you spoke, "Although she's pretty, she's quite the pushover, to be honest."

"You have the same thought, huh?" Helios smirked — He smirked!? — as he regarded you with interest. "It's a wonder how Stella didn't notice the change,"

You merely smiled in faux polite meekness, "I have been told I have an aura that attracts children."

He laughed in response, "I think I like you better than the other one, at least you have some wits to that beauty. Although," his face then turned into a thunderous glare as he spoke his next words, "If you harm Stella and the kingdom, I will not hesitate to execute you on the spot. Understand?"

You always understood the consequences if you did, plus you didn't even want to harm anyone — that'll bring more trouble than good. That could ruin your soon-to-be peaceful life!

You nodded in response, satisfying Helios. He then sighs, "It's a relief to finally talk to someone who has intelligence, the servants here are like dogs waiting for others without question and those royal pests are not good enough for Stella!"

You raised an inquisitive brow, "Do you regard most people as unintelligent or lacking in common sense?"

"That's putting it too far, I would be insulting my father and sister." He huffed as he combed through his hair, "But in a way, yes. The nobles have their heads so high up in the sky that they need a giant rock to bring them down, they can't even see the potential of women! I mean, have they not realized that the carriages they use were designed by a female!? No! They just banished her to the mountains because they were threatened — the men were threatened! And that strong woman who could lift a grown basilisk's carcass, she would've been an incredible warrior — a knight even!! But what did society do!? They banished her too!"

"Why not have your father bring them back?"

"That would cause an uproar amongst the nobles and they are the distributors of the market, even if they make up around 20% of the kingdom. They're still valuable and if the noble class are unsatisfied, there might be consequences."

"Then what of the common class?"

"Sadly, they have mirrored the noble class sexism."

You sighed, "Ah, what a bother."

"It was, until your stunt a few nights ago."

You hated the tone of his voice just now.

You gave him a perplexed look as he looked back at you with a grin that screams trouble, "You'll be the starting domino that'll let the rest of the pieces fall into place. The sole figure of females to power and equality," His eye of dark obsidian gleamed with enthusiasm,

"And the progenitor of strong females."

MC: (This is just promoting feminism though. . .and what the heck happened!?)