The servant threw open the doors, gasping for breath as he stammered, "Y-Your Majesties! A massive emergency has happened!"
All seven queens stood up instantly, their regal composure returning in a flash. "What is it?!" the Main Queen demanded.
"Federic... he has arrived at the palace, and he is absolutely furious!" the servant blurted out, shaking like a leaf.
The queens exchanged tense glances. The Main Queen waved a hand dismissively. "Alright, you are dismissed. Leave us."
Then, panic instantly setting in, they swarmed Haruto, frantically pushing him toward the heavy velvet curtains. "Haruto, quick, hide behind here right now!"
Haruto stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet as he tried to resist. "Hey, wait! Why am I hiding?! What's going on?!"
The Main Queen hissed in a panicked whisper, "Serephin is still completely knocked out and fast asleep because of that dragon fruit she ate! Federic must have jumped to conclusions—he probably thinks you did something terrible to Serephine, and then fled the city out of guilt! Now he's heard you're back, and he's storming the palace looking for blood. Please, just hide for a second!"
Haruto's eyes went wide in disbelief. "What?! You want me to just—"
Before he could finish, the queens cut him off with panicked whispers, shoving him completely behind the thick velvet drapes. "Just stay right here and stay quiet!"
"Fine, fine, okay!" Haruto muttered under his breath, flattening himself against the wall behind the curtain.
With the hiding spot secured, the queens quickly turned around and strode out of the room, closing the heavy doors behind them to face Federic. They silently prayed that Lilith and the rest of the crew would have the good sense to hide out, too.
No sooner had the queens stepped away than the grand doors flew wide open again.
Striding right into the room came Lilith, carrying Aeterna, followed closely by Philo, Ivory, Bellona, Lustra, Gelli, Toya, and Rutherford. They all looked around the empty chamber in confusion.
Suddenly, a pair of legs in modern shoes peeked out from beneath the bottom edge of the velvet curtain.
Philo crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow with a dry smirk. "Nice hiding spot, genius. You're trying to hide from one of the most powerful guys around, and your feet are sticking right out."
Haruto quickly stepped out from behind the curtain, looking slightly embarrassed as he brushed off his clothes. "How did you guys even know I was here?"
Philo smirked, crossing her arms. "Lilith already filled us in on everything the moment we got here. Some of her personal insiders tipped her off about what was going on while we were still on our way."
Haruto blinked, turning to Lilith with a surprised look. "Wait, you have insiders?"
Lilith gave a casual shrug, smiling faintly. "Relax, it's nothing major. Just my personal elven intelligence network, Kobi."
"Ah, got it," Haruto muttered.
The group moved over to settle into the plush chairs around the room, with Haruto urging everyone to stay calm. But right as they got comfortable, the door clicked open and the queens slipped back inside, looking panicked. They froze upon seeing the entire crew gathered in the chamber.
The Main Queen let out a heavy sigh of relief, pressing a hand to her chest. "Oh, thank goodness... you're all actually in one room together."
Gelli and Philo immediately stood up, dipping into a respectful, synchronized bow.
"Your Highnesses," Gelli spoke up, her voice clear and polite. "This is our first time meeting you properly. I am Gelli."
Philo offered a brief, crisp nod of her own. "And I'm Philo."
The Main Queen waved their greetings away frantically, stepping forward with an urgent look. "There's no time for proper introductions right now! Haruto, take off your clothes—now!"
Haruto crossed his arms over his chest, his face turning bright red as he took a step back. "W-What?! Are you crazy?!"
The Main Queen threw her hands up in exasperation. "Aha! Just take them off!"
"What is that even supposed to mean?!" Haruto stammered, completely flustered.
Slapping a hand against her forehead in sheer disbelief, the Main Queen groaned, "Ugh, listen to me! We need to change your clothes so Federic won't recognize you on sight. He's only looking for you specifically—we already talked things over, and he doesn't have any issue with Lilith or the rest of the girls since they weren't officially holding your responsibility at the time."
"Oh... right, okay," Haruto muttered, finally understanding.
Without wasting another second, the queens swarmed around him, grabbing his shoulders and whisking him away to the back of the room. Working with practiced speed and precision, they stripped him of his modern attire and threw together his old, familiar maid uniform—the exact same look he used to wear before his engagement.
Before putting on the final touches, the Main Queen turned sharply toward the rest of the group, clapping her hands. "Alright, everyone! Close your eyes and turn around right now. No peeking!"
Philo rolled her eyes, while the rest of the group obligingly turned their backs and covered their eyes.
A few moments later, a voice called out, "Okay, you can open them!"
As everyone turned back around, their jaws dropped. Standing right before them in full maid attire, looking as if no time had passed at all, was Haruto.
When everyone opened their eyes, standing right in front of them was the classic sight—Haruto adorned in a gorgeous, flowing black wig, complete with those striking red-and-black eyes, looking every bit the pristine royal maid.
Toya, Aeterna, Rutherford, and the others stared in absolute shock, seeing this look for the very first time.
Aeterna blinked, pointing a tiny finger straight at him. "Hey... that's my papa!"
Haruto let out a heavy, defeated sigh. "Yeah, unfortunately, it's me..."
Instantly, one of the queens pinched his arm hard. "Girl's voice, Haruto! Keep your tone sharp and feminine!"
"N-no way I can do that just like—" Haruto started, his voice cracking in its natural pitch.
Before he could finish, another queen raised her hand, casting a bright blue magic circle that spun and settled right around his throat. A soft chime echoed, and suddenly, Haruto's voice shifted into a smooth, natural feminine tone.
Haruto's eyes widened in panic as he clutched his neck. "What the—what just happened to my voice?!"
The rest of the group stared in disbelief, finally accepting the absurd reality of the situation. Toya's face flushed bright red as he looked at Haruto in the maid outfit, a nervous sweat drop forming on his temple.
Noticing Toya staring, Haruto glared at him and hissed in his new feminine voice, "Hey! Stop looking at me like that, I'm a guy, so just drop it!"
Toya raised his hands defensively, a nervous grin on his face. "I-I'm not trying anything weird! I was just admiring how... well, surprisingly pretty you look, that's all!"
Before Haruto could snap back, the Main Queen clapped her hands sharply. "Alright, playtime is over! Our maid has duties to attend to. Everyone quiet down, fall in line, and take a seat right now before Federic gets here."
Philo started to get up, but Lilith quickly grabbed her arm, pulling her back down. Haruto looked at the Main Queen with pleading eyes. "Is there really no secret wall or hidden passage you can put me in? Why do I have to stay out in the open like this?"
The Main Queen sighed, leaning in close. "Perhaps you could find a way, but with your heart racing like that, you'll give yourself away. Just stay quiet and be still. He've already placed multiple squads of elite guards throughout this wing—you aren't going anywhere."
Haruto gritted his teeth, picking up a silver tray to steady his hands. Philo, unable to resist poking the bear, smirked and called out, "Hey, maid! Be a dear and bring me a cup of coffee, will you?"
Haruto's eye twitched as he glared at her, his voice coming out in that soft, melodic, magically-enforced feminine tone. "Keep your mouth shut, Philo."
Despite his attempt at being intimidating, the combination of the maid outfit, the wig, and the sweet, high-pitched voice made him look and sound incredibly adorable. Philo chuckled, leaning back. "You're so cute when you're angry, I can't even tell if you're trying to scold me or sing to me."
Haruto flushed, his voice trembling. "I swear, if you don't stop, I'm going to break your jaw!"
Lilith suddenly leaned in close to Philo, her expression turning uncharacteristically cold and sharp. "Philo, listen to me. We only have two days. If you don't let Haruto focus, you're going to be the one answering to me."
Philo instantly went quiet, her smug smile fading as she realized Lilith wasn't joking. Meanwhile, Haruto was sweating buckets, mostly because Toya was staring at him with wide, dazed eyes, completely transfixed by his appearance. Haruto tried to ignore the gaze, turning his head away, but he felt the heat rising in his cheeks.
What is this? Haruto thought, feeling a mix of frustration and embarrassment. I've become a complete femboy, and now I'm the center of all this chaos!
Aeterna suddenly sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes before crawling over to Haruto. She clung to his waist, curiously patting the area beneath his maid uniform. "Papa, why is your chest so big all of a sudden?"
Haruto's face turned deep crimson, his ears burning as he stumbled over his words. "T-that's... um, just a minor side effect of the disguise magic, sweetheart!"
He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure while adjusting his apron. He looked toward the ceiling, whispering to himself, "This is just another level of the game, right? And I've always loved playing on hard mode."
Just as the tension in the room began to settle, the Main Queen stood up, her gaze shifting toward the newcomers with a mix of curiosity and royal authority. She gestured toward Philo and Gelli, who were sitting rigidly in their chairs.
"Now," the Main Queen commanded, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet chamber.
"Ok since Haruto is safe now. Tell us—who exactly are you two? Where do you come from, and what is the nature of your existence here?"