“Is it really fine for father to be coming home with us? Doesn’t the Office of the Prime Minister still have work to do?”
“Going home is also working, Luciana. You see, as the father of the Hero Princess, the brave young woman who put her life on the line to protect His Highness the Crown Prince, I was tasked by His Excellency the Prime Minister to escort my daughter home.”
“…Hero Princess?”
“Hughes, dearest, were they not calling Luciana the ‘Fairy Princess’ during the Ball?”
“Hahaha! Would you believe that within the Office of the Prime Minister, everyone has begun calling a certain courageous lady the ‘Hero Princess’?”
“Oh my, what a wonderful title. It sounds just like a title a legendary hero would go by. It is quite splendid, isn’t it, Luciana?”
“Nooo! Who made up this title?! Who would even like such an embarassing name?! I don’t want it!!”
“But everyone who attended the Ball will still call you the Fairy Princess, would they not?”
“Actually, it was His Excellency himself that first called you the Hero Princess, so it is possible that title will spread just as well.”
“Oh my! I wonder which one will the more popular title for her.”
“No, I hate this! I don’t want to go to the Academy anymore!”
Hearing the Luthorburg family’s lively conversation coming from within the carriage, Melody, out on the driver’s seats, gave a happy giggle.
Not long after Annemarie departed, Hughes and Marianna returned to the room, and shortly thereafter the family had boarded a borrowed carriage to return home.
Naturally Melody, a servant, sat beside the coachman in the driver’s seat. Luciana had asked her to sit inside with the family, but Melody had declined; after all, there were other duties she still needed to attend to…
“Excuse me, mister coachman, but what is that?”
“Huh? What? Where?”
As the coachman turned his head to see where she was pointing, Melody disappeared only to instantly reappear, still sitting and pointing as though nothing had happened.
“Hmm, I’m not sure what you saw, miss.”
“Ah, my apologies. I thought I saw an unfamiliar bird, but I must have been mistaken.”
Melody laughed to hide her mistake, and the coachman laughed along, not minding the surprise.
Back inside the carriage, Luciana looked around with curiosity, admiring the luxurious interior.
“This is so much fancier than our usual carriages. I guess it was worth protecting His Highness since we got to ride in one of these.”
But Hughes frowned as he watched Luciana blissfully tested her seat’s soft cushions.
“Thank goodness you hadn’t been injured, but this carriage does not come close to how much your life is actually worth.”
“That’s right. If anything happens to you, Luciana, no reward would make us happy.”
“Um, uh… okay.”
Luciana had only meant to joke around, but her parents had replied so seriously that she found herself at loss. The atmosphere began to settle into an awkward quiet when the sudden gurgle of an empty stomach broke the silence.
“Th-that wasn’t me! It was Grail!”
“Woof…”
Beside Luciana was Grail, rested on his stomach as though having resigned himself to hunger.
“Fufufu, I suppose it is almost lunchtime, after all. I am also getting hungry, but how are you doing, Hughes?”
“I feel about the same, Marianna. Let us all have a meal together once we arrive home.”
“But father, since Melody is with us now, there should not be anything ready for us to eat once we get home.”
“I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem to wait a little.”
“And we can chat as we wait for the meal. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
As the Luthorburg family enjoy one another’s company, the carriage finally came to a stop.
“Sir and madams, we have arrived at the estate.”
Melody greeted the family as she opened the carriage door. Hughes was the first to step down, and he took Marianna’s outstretched hand to help her out. After her, Luciana handed Grail to Melody, and Hughes helped her off the carriage.
The carriage departed once the family disembarked, leaving four people and one animal in front of the mansion.
And though it was on the smaller side, this splendid mansion was home to House Luthorburg.
(I was… all alone at first, in this rundown haunted house of a place, but not anymore. My home is so beautiful now, and I have father and mother, Melody, and now Grail here with me…)
Luciana had come to the capital alone, and she had suffered in the mansion alone; she had put up a strong front but had been on the verge of breaking. That same girl, back from the brink, now looked over at the beautiful maid who changed everything.
From the very day Melody had arrived, Luciana’s life had undergone a total and complete change.
Melody had fixed the mansion and improved her situation, but that was just the start; because of Melody’s hard work, Luciana stayed close with her friends and even attended the Spring Ball.
And it was at that Ball that she had met and befriended amazing people, people like a certain renowned daughter of a marquis, and the son of the prime minister, and even the crown prince. Her upcoming days at the Academy were an exciting time for her to look forward to.
“Melody… Thank you!”
“Hm? Is something the matter, my lady?”
Melody tilted her head in confusion, oblivious to her own extraordinary talents. Luciana would someday have to explain everything to her, but, looking at Melody’s face, it would be better for her to remain unaware for now. Deciding so, Luciana casually dismissed Melody’s curiosity with a happy laugh.
“Fufufu, my lady is acting quite strangely today.”
“I-I’m not acting strangely at all! Let’s get inside already… Although it’s not like there is anybody waiting for us inside.”
Because they had returned together, it was natural there would be no one waiting to welcome their return, and yet Luciana could only feel lonely. But in contrast to those words, Melody gave a playful giggle.
“My lady, if a maid isn’t there to welcome her master home, could you really call her a maid?”
“What do you mean..?”
“Oh? What’s this? Something smells delicious.”
“Yes, it does, something does smell very good. But why is it coming from our mansion?”
As the family drew closer, an appetizing aroma wafted on the breeze. It seemed to be coming from the front door, but…
Melody gently placed Grail on the ground before using the door’s knocker.
“What are you doing, Melody? Even if you knock, there’s nobody home– huh?!”
Suddenly Melody faded into the air like smoke, and the front door opened; in the entrance…
“Welcome home, master, madam, and my lady.”
…was Melody. She gave a polite bow as she greeted the Luthorburg family.
Melody, as devoted as she was to her role, would never forget to have prepared lunch. Earlier, in the driver’s seat, Melody had actually returned to the mansion, sent a clone to take her place, and began preparing lunch.
Each Luthorburg stood frozen with mouths agape in astonishment. While they were fully aware of Melody’s clone magic, they could not wrap their heads around what had happened.
Luciana was no exception;she could make no sense of this, and yet…
“Oh, Melody! You’re supposed to tell us when you do these kinds of things!”
…it did not matter to her how it all worked. Instead, she leapt toward Melody.
“Kyaaa! You mustn’t so casually embrace a maid, my lady!”
“It’s fine! The daughter of House Luthorburg commands you: obediently accept my embrace, Melody!”
“Where did you learn to speak like that!? Please unhand me at once, my lady!”
“Melody, it is your duty and responsibilty to accept my embrance. After all, you are responsible for handling everything House Luthorburg needs, an all-works maid!”
And happy laughter filled the air.
Melody’s joyous and fun maid life had only just begun.
And the bright spring afternoon around her was like a reflection of the days to come.
“That is not something a maid is responsible forrr!”
Headcanon TL 
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