Extra 06: Serving Hailuosen, The Maids’ Everyday Romance

[This chapter features Su Ling’s memories from the period after she became a personal maid at Hailuosen Castle.]

Bohm stood before the mirror, scrutinizing her face. The girl in the reflection wore a crumpled maid uniform; she was short, her face was covered in freckles, her hair was an ordinary brown, and her eyes were a featureless dark brown.

She sighed, her fingers lightly tracing the spots on her cheeks as if she could make them disappear by touch alone.

“Why can’t I be more like Su Ling?”

Bohm muttered to herself, her voice thick with loss and envy.

Su Ling was one of the most eye-catching maids in the Castle — a beautiful girl who was nearly flawless, with long silver hair, pink eyes that sparkled like jewels, and skin so pale it was almost translucent.

Whenever she walked through the corridors, she naturally drew everyone’s gaze. Bohm often hid in corners, stealing glances at Su Ling while her heart filled with a mixture of admiration and jealousy.

If Su Ling were just some random person, Bohm might have felt better.

But unfortunately, even Miss Tii, the person Bohm admired most, seemed to have her eyes stolen away by Su Ling.

Whenever those two girls were together in inseparable intimacy, Bohm’s heart always throbbed with a dull ache.

Today, Princess Moria announced that a grand banquet would be held at the Castle, and several maids needed to be selected to serve as greeters.

Bohm waited with bated breath, hoping she would be chosen.

However, when the list was announced, her name was nowhere to be found.

Su Ling, unsurprisingly, had been selected.

In that instant, Bohm felt a sharp pang of disappointment.

She hurried out of the Grand Hall and hid in the Castle’s stairwell. Sitting on the cold stone steps with her arms wrapped around her knees, she couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“Why… why am I always so unremarkable…”

Bohm sobbed, her voice echoing through the empty stairwell.

*Creak.*

Just then, the stairwell door was gently pushed open.

Su Ling poked her head in. Seeing Bohm curled up in the corner, she hesitated for a moment before stepping inside.

“Bohm? What’s wrong?”

She asked with concern.

Bohm looked up and saw it was Su Ling. A complex swirl of emotions immediately surged within her.

She didn’t want Su Ling to see her like this at all.

“Miss Su Ling, I… I’m fine…”

She wiped her tears and tried to force a smile, but failed.

Su Ling sat down beside her and gently patted her shoulder.

“Don’t lie to me. You’re clearly crying. What happened?”

Bohm remained silent for a while before finally bursting out.

“I… I wasn’t chosen to be a greeting maid…”

“Hmm? You really wanted to do that, Bohm? That job is actually quite exhausting.”

Su Ling blinked, quickly understanding her feelings.

She gave a soft sigh and took Bohm’s hand.

“Bohm, you don’t need to feel inferior because of your appearance. You have many strengths, like your kindness and your attention to detail. Those are things others can’t compare to.”

Bohm shook her head, and tears welled up again.

“But… looks are important, too… I’ll never be able to compare to you…”

Su Ling looked at her, feeling a pang of sympathy in her heart.

She suddenly stood up and pulled Bohm by the hand.

“Come with me. I have a way to make you pretty!”

She recalled various “beauty tips” she had seen online in her previous life.

As the saying goes, there are no ugly women, only lazy ones!

Su Ling pulled Bohm back to the maid dormitory and rummaged through her things, finding a few beautiful clothes and some makeup she had bought while out with Tii.

“Here, try this!”

She handed a light blue cloth dress to Bohm.

Bohm hesitated. “Isn’t this your dress, Miss Su Ling? It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to wear…”

“Don’t worry about that. Just try it on!”

Without allowing an argument, Su Ling stuffed the dress into her hands.

Bohm had no choice but to change into it.

Next, Su Ling pulled out a pile of makeup and began applying it to Bohm’s face.

After fussing over her for quite some time —

“Hmm…”

Su Ling’s brow furrowed.

‘Why does this feel weird?’

She clearly remembered that Tii and Sista only needed a few casual strokes to achieve a great effect.

But looking at her own results —

The eyeliner was crooked and shaky, and the blush was applied far too heavily.

“Miss Su Ling… do you actually know how to apply makeup?”

Bohm asked uneasily.

“Um… don’t move. It’ll be done in just a second.”

Su Ling spoke with a guilty conscience.

After a little while longer, she finally stopped.

“There… it’s done…”

Bohm looked nervously into the mirror and froze instantly.

In the reflection, her face was covered in a thick layer of foundation, her eyeliner was lopsided, her blush looked like two red apples, and her lips were an unnaturally bright, exaggerated red.

“Is this… me?”

She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Su Ling leaned in to take a look and realized immediately —

She had messed up.

“I-I’m sorry, Bohm…”

She laughed awkwardly.

Bohm blinked and suddenly couldn’t stop herself from laughing out loud.

Her laughter grew louder until she was almost doubling over.

“Miss Su Ling… really! You actually have no idea how to do makeup, do you?”

Su Ling laughed as well, scratching her head.

“Sorry. I originally wanted to help you look a bit prettier… Wait until next time. I’ll learn from Tii and then do it for you again! Believe me, Bohm, you’re actually very cute!”

Hearing those words, Bohm shook her head.

“There’s no need for all that trouble, Miss Su Ling.”

“Eh?”

“I… I already feel much better.”

She pushed up the small glasses on the bridge of her nose and looked up.

“Thank you, Miss Su Ling.”

Su Ling was taken aback.

She felt a bit guilty. She hadn’t actually helped with anything, yet she was still being thanked.

The two of them chatted for a while longer.

When it was time to get back to work, Bohm hurried away.

Su Ling finished tidying up the clothes and makeup. As she pushed the door open to leave, she encountered another person outside.

“Tii?”

“Heehee.”

Tii seemed to have been standing in the corridor for a long time; it was just that Bohm hadn’t noticed her when she left.

Tii tilted her head, her single ponytail swaying, and looked at Su Ling with a beaming smile.

“I saw everything just now. Little Su Ling, you’re so gentle.”

Su Ling sighed.

“You aren’t teasing me, are you… If we’re talking about being gentle, that would be you, Tii. Bohm has always liked you.”

“That’s just coworkers helping each other out.”

Tii acted as if it were nothing special. As usual, she pressed herself against Su Ling, hugging her in a spoiled manner.

“Speaking of which, have you never thought about responding to Bohm’s feelings?”

“Hmm…”

Tii thought for a moment and replied with a smile.

“Not at all.”

“Why?”

“Because the person I like most in the Castle is you~”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she gave Su Ling’s ear a light kiss.

“Tii, you’re teasing me again. I’m being serious!”

Su Ling puffed out her cheeks.

“Alright, alright. I’ll tell the truth then.”

Tii’s voice dropped.

She rested her chin on Su Ling’s shoulder, the faint scent of licorice wafting over.

“An audience member falling in love with a character on stage is different from falling in love with the actor themselves, right?”

Her tone was a few degrees more serious than usual.

“Bohm… she wouldn’t like the real me.”

[End]