The Princeliest Prince of All - Chapter 2
First, climb the ladder and dust within arm’s reach. Once done, come down and move the ladder to the side, then climb up again and dust as far as you can reach. Repeat the process.
Though she started with determination, Sera was exhausted before she even finished one side of the wall of bookshelves.
Where does all this dust come from despite daily cleaning?
The bright weather that earlier lifted her spirits now felt like poison.
Sweat beaded on her forehead, and Sera threw off her headscarf and rolled up her sleeves.
Curses flowed from her mouth like a melodious song.
Ah, they say human greed knows no end and repeats the same mistakes.
As Sera repeated the labor, she stretched her arms to increasingly risky lengths.
It was an effort to reduce the number of times she had to move the ladder by even one.
Finally, as she was about to finish one side, she couldn’t reach the corner near the door, just a handspan away.
She had to move the ladder again for that small spot.
Muttering a spell in her mind, Sera stretched her arm as far as it would go.
Wobble, wobble…
Just as the feather duster’s trembling tip managed to poke between the bookshelf and the books, the heavy ladder wobbled.
Cold sweat trickled down Sera’s neck.
Oh, dear God almighty.
Please help me!
Sera flailed her arms, trying to steady the tilting ladder.
But the God who sent her to this fantasy world without even a beauty buff ignored her prayer once again.
The wooden ladder toppled.
“Ack— Fvvvvvvvck!”
She fell!
Sera squeezed her eyes shut.
Screech, bang, crash.
Thud.
Except for a strange sound in the middle, the effects she heard matched her expectations, but the impact on her body was less severe than anticipated.
Even without opening her eyes, Sera realized this was a cliché.
The hard cushion absorbing the shock of her fall, still beneath her, was undoubtedly a man’s body.
Clearly a romcom meet-cute setup.
Uh-huh.
There had to be more to this new life than just being a poor servant.
Who could it be?
If it was Sir Evan, the prince’s aide, it would be best, but it might be a low-ranking guard?
She didn’t mind if it was a fellow servant.
One great thing about the fantasy world is that even the average looks were at least above average.
Sera opened her eyes cautiously.
With a fragile and pitiful expression added.
“Thank you…”
As she got up, she felt the man’s chest with her hand, but it suddenly stopped.
The body trembling beneath her had buttons so extravagant they seemed excessive even for a high noble.
Sera had seen such buttons occasionally while working in the palace.
So pristine and smooth, without a speck of dust, these ceremonial clothes.
“I’m so terribly sorry!”
Sera, who had been lingering a moment ago, leapt away from the man in 0.1 seconds.
The man lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, was still trembling from the shock.
Prince Leonard.
Shxt.
His honey-like, no, shitty blond hair confirmed her suspicion.
Sera crawled over to the prince.
Leonard, with his brows furrowed tightly, kept his eyes closed.
His quivering lips looked ready to curse at any moment.
Sera quickly reached out her hand.
“I’m sorry! I’ll help you up.”
“Get your dirty hands… off me.”
Leonard muttered coldly.
That gruff voice.
Those annoying words.
Perfectly characteristic of Prince Leonard.
Sera jumped up and backed away, ensuring even her breath wouldn’t reach him.
It was only after a long while that Leonard finally got up.
Sera knew the prince’s labored breathing wasn’t due to the impact of the fall.
The mysophobic prince’s mind was likely more unsettled than his body.
A woman covered in dust and sweat had collided with him.
Struggling to stand, Leonard’s white ceremonial pants had patches of gray dust.
His golden eyes glinted quietly as they fixed on Sera.
“You.”
“I am Sera Brandt… But, um, of course, you can call me ‘you,’ ‘hey,’ ‘trash,’ whatever you like…”
Sera avoided Leonard’s gaze and stepped back.
She was well aware of her crime.
Touching a royal, and such a sensitive prince at that.
If Leonard were injured, she’d be sentenced to death without question.
Of course, the original Leonard wasn’t that cruel.
But maybe it was because no one had ever provoked him like Sera did.
“Do you have a death wish?”
“No…”
Sera retreated further and further.
Until her back hit the desk and she could move no more.
Step by step, the prince approached her with a deathly glare.
“What is that?”
At his cold voice, Sera lifted her head.
Leonard’s gaze was fixed on the middle of the desk, where Sera’s snack bundle sat boldly.
A half-eaten cookie protruded from the open bundle.
The dark oak desk shone with a round butter stain, and crumbs were scattered around.
“Snack… they say the best part of climbing the Geumgangsan is a meal after the fact…”
Sera muttered under her breath.
She understood Leonard’s disbelief.
Who would dare lay out their snacks on the prince’s desk?
