Chapter 9
44.
Leadership is something that cannot be easily taught to someone. It must come from them, backed up by their principles. The environment can either inspire or force them to rise in situations where a leader is needed. Princess Grace is a mixture of both. Having the blood of the royalty already set Princess Grace into being a leader someday. As she grows up, her strong sense of justice plus the act of being responsible for her actions is what sets her apart from the rest.
The discussion is finally concluded. Even right after Princess Grace left the cafe, the maids could not grasp the situation. It seems like they are still in shock, failing to cope with the scenario. All of their problems are solved with a single interference from Princess Grace. Not only that, but everything was thoroughly planned, like a clear path toward a destination.
An uproaring silence is the perfect description of the current state inside the cafe. After a few more minutes, Kita finally spoke. "So…What now?" She asked.
"We… have to do what the princess said…" Rin monotonously responded like an automated robot.
"Ca… Can we pull that off?" Hana worriedly asked since she was one of the models.
"How big is the castle for the event?" Lulu curiously asked.
"Big… Really big…" Coco replied as her soul left her body.
"It is a really big event…" Aoi responded the same way as Coco did.
"Ahh…" Lisa cannot even say the words inside her head.
"So… what now?" Kita reiterated.
The maids are currently flabbergasted.
"Come on! Get yourselves together. What if we all just walk outside and get some fresh air?" Yuna suggested.
"Sounds good to me," Rin answered in a monotonous voice again.
"Let's go!" Kita excitedly said.
"We are going to walk, not run." Yuna stopped Kita.
The maids walked outside like lifeless corpses. As they all slowly regain their souls back, the maids are finally absorbing everything effectively. The beautiful night scenery in Kemitopia truly helps them to calm down. The lampposts light up each street and the cool breeze of the night eases their minds as they walk through the pavement. The best part of it is the peaceful setting that it gives to the Kemis, which is what they truly need at times like these.
"I almost forgot how beautiful the street nights are," Aoi mentioned.
"Well, we were too busy these past few days," Coco responded.
"Having peaceful times like this is surely helpful. Allowing us to breathe freely." Rin said.
"I still can't believe that we all managed to go through all of that," Lisa responded.
"It was indeed overwhelming," Hana replied.
"But it's fun! Right?" Kita asked.
"I had fun too!" Lulu commented while carrying Pily. "Chuuuu~ me too!" Pily added.
"Though to be honest, I think half of our problems were because of Kit," Yuna said kiddingly.
"Oy!" Kita madly reacted as everyone laughed.
"But I do think that we wouldn't be in the same scenario if it wasn't for her. This is definitely a huge leap for us." Rin said.
"We still have a long way to go, Nee-san," Aoi replied.
"Hai, but at least we can see a clear path toward our goal now," Rin answered.
"Speaking of paths, I have a proposal!" Kita suddenly said.
"I have a bad feeling about this…" Hana reacted.
"Here we go again," Yuna added.
"I'm ready~" Lulu commented as well.
"What's happening?" Rin asked.
"Here is what we are going to do. Since we walked kinda far from our place, let's all run back and the last one to arrive will do the dishes!" Kita suggested.
"That's kinda dumb…" Lisa straightforwardly said.
"Putting a bet that might lessen my work for tonight? I'm down with it!" Coco commented.
"I guess a little bit of fun won't hurt us," Rin responded.
"Nee-san, nyu agree with this?" Aoi questioned, she does not want to run.
The maids are quite in a split decision, but minutes later, looks like they all have to run. The rain falls heavily out of nowhere.
In that instant, the rain serves as the go signal for them to start running. "LEZZGO!" Kita shouted as everyone followed her. Running through the rain, laughing, and enjoying the moment. Indeed, an unforgettable experience for the Catgirls.
When they all made it back to the cafe, everyone was drenched by the rain. Taking quick baths one after the other, then drying themselves, helped the group to prevent catching a cold. Afterwards, they clean their surroundings and eventually head to their rooms to call it a day. It was a very long one, both mentally and physically tiring but it was definitely worth it.
The next morning rises and the maids wake up from their slumber. Lisa heads to the stockroom to make tea for everyone. While she was busy preparing the beverages, someone knocked at the backdoor.
"Delivery!" Someone yelled after knocking.
"Delivery? We did not place an order for a restock for this week…" Lisa muttered.
As she opened the door, the delivery Kemi said. "Delivery to Trio Brews and Sweets, from Duke Nasmuir."
"Duke Nasmuir?" Lisa questioned.
"Hai, please sign here." The delivery Kemi said as his fellow delivery Kemi dropped the boxes inside the stockroom.
Lisa is currently confused, but since it was from Duke Nasmuir, she accepted the packages. With curiosity in her mind, Lisa opens the boxes. As soon as she unfolds the seal, Lisa is surprised. She immediately called everyone's attention.
"A package arrived from Duke Nasmuir!" Lisa shouted in the hallway.
The maids proceeded straight to the stockroom, perplexed by the situation. When everyone got there, Lisa handed a letter that she saw on top of the package as Rin read the content.
"These boxes contain every material that nyu need for the fashion show. I reviewed your proposal to Duke Nasmuir and since we already decided that it will be a nationwide event, I made some tweaks to the plan. Rest assured that the materials needed for the dresses are exactly the same. Only the numbers of the materials, as well as the decorations, are the ones that I changed. In terms of the budget given by the Duke, use that to pay some of your debts in the Capitol. - P. G." the letter contains.
45.
A morning filled with a surprise is what the maids are having for their breakfast. Right after Rin read the letter, the rest of the group excitedly opened each box. There are indeed plenty of them. Aoi is in paradise, finally having the luxurious fabrics that she's been dreaming to have. Meanwhile, Lulu saw two more pieces of paper. One looks like the content for the whole event while the other contains random numbers. She handed it over to Rin.
"Hmmm… I'll study this event plan to discuss this further with everyone. Though I don't know what the other note is…" Rin said.
"Let me see, Nee-san," Aoi said as she walked closer. When she saw the numbers, she instantly figured it out. "These are Princess Grace's measurements!" She added. Aoi kept the paper since it was her job to bring those dresses to life.
"What are we waiting for? Let's start working!" Kita enthusiastically said, encouraging everyone's spirit.
"Hai!" The rest responded.
With excellent news to start up their day, the maids swiftly move to grind up the tasks that they have to accomplish. Just like how they usually work, everyone has a part to play. Since Rin and Lisa are just waiting for Mae's response, Coco, Yuna, and Kita are already done with the supplies, so they decide to aid Aoi. Assisting her in everything that she needed at the moment.
A busy day is surely the theme of the maids for today, and of course for the rest that is yet to come. This time, Aoi took the lead as everyone attended to what they could offer. Lulu's dress is almost done, the following ones are for Princess Grace and Hana's dresses. With their current momentum, it looks like they can finish everything right before the schedule. But it's only possible if they already have all of the measurements.
Numerous hours passed and later that day, someone rang the doorbell at the front door even though the closed sign was up.
"On it!" Kita said as she quickly stood up to respond to the visitor.
"Sorry, we are clo-" Kita was about to say that they are not accepting any customers right now, but she stopped when she saw Mae and Mittsy as she opened the door. "Mae, Mittsy! What brings nyu here?" Kita awkwardly asked even though she knew why.
"Yaloo!" Mittsy energetically greeted them as she wiggled her ears.
"Is Rin there?" Mae asked.
"Hai, come in! I'll tell them that nyu are here." Kita replied as she excitedly called everyone.
A short moment later, they all settled in the dining hall. The maids are doing their best to stay calm and not act like Kita. They have been waiting for this moment, and the maids should not blow this one.
"Anoo… We are here to discuss some things. We tried inviting Grace but she said that she has something to do with their family business. Though she will keep in touch with us." Mae said as she started the conversation.
"Handling a family business is indeed tough, right?" Kita commented as she asked Rin.
"Ah, hai~" Rin awkwardly answered.
Lisa served tea to Mae and Mittsy as she asked " So, have nyu come to a decision?"
"Actually, we are still undecided," Mae answered.
"Not for me, it's game on for me!" Mittsy intervened.
"I mean, mostly for me. I'm still undecided. Grace said that her answer will depend on our meeting today." Mae added as she rephrased her first statement.
"What seems to hold nyu back?" Rin curiously asked.
"Just like what I've said before, I haven't experienced handling such a big role. Though there's a part of me that wants to try it." Mae replied.
"Nyu might want to think deeper again…" Aoi commented as she chuckled.
"What do nyu mean?" Mae asked.
"Well… A lot happened and the proposal reached the Queen. The Queen thinks that it's a good opportunity to highlight every store in the land. Therefore the grand reopening will be a nationwide event…" Rin said as her voice slowly got weaker by the end of her statement. Technically she was not lying, but Rin is also not telling them the whole story. The summarized version is constructed to be still true without revealing the truth.
Mae wants to back out as soon as possible when she hears Rin's statement. On the other hand, Mittsy is encouraging her even more, she wants to try modeling in the Royal Castle. The two of them started to argue as they had different outlooks on the sudden change of plans. Moments later, the argument was paused when the doorbell rang once more.
"Are we expecting more guests today?" Kita asked.
"No, we are not…" Rin answered but in a doubtful manner.
"Maybe it's a customer this time. On it!" Kita said as she rushed towards the door.
"Sorry, we are clo-" Kita was about to repeat what she was about to say earlier, but she stopped when she saw Princess Grace as she opened the door.
"Pri!" Kita covered her mouth, stopping herself from creating a problem accidentally. "I mean, Grace right? Mae's friend? Come in, your friends are inside." She said, pretending to only meet the princess for the second time.
As Princess Grace made her way to the dining hall, everyone was shocked to see her right now. Truly, Grace is an unpredictable Kemi. "The business meeting was canceled, that's why I decided to catch up with this meeting. Mae said that we should attend anyway," she said.
"Ah hai, please take a seat." Rin offered, currently pressured by the Princess.
"I'm glad that nyu made it. There has been a change of plan!" Mae said.
Mae and Mittsy begin to explain the new event to Grace, they are not aware that the Princess is the one who is behind it all. Princess Grace acts like she is a bit surprised to hear the news. Meanwhile, the maids are speechless about the Princess' reaction.
After Mae's explanation, Grace answers "I think it's a good idea. Not only are we helping them to be stable again, but every other business, including ours, will benefit as well."
"I told nyu we should do it!" Mittsy echoed her statement.
"But it's way more of what I can handle…" Mae said.
"I think nyu can handle this even more," Grace argued.
"What do nyu mean?" Mae questioned.
The Kemis are currently puzzled about the statement. Everyone anticipates how the Princess will change Mae's mind.
46.
As the conversation continued, Princess Grace stated that the new plan was easier to accomplish than the previous one. She made the plan therefore, the Princess will most likely create a solid argument to defend it.
"Nyu are just overwhelmed by the Royal Castle, but the first one was way more of a pressure than the new plan. The first one will center nyu and the other models alone. Nyu have to do good in order to set the stage and invite more Kemis. The event should be a success because if not, nyu will share the fault as well. On the new plan, nyu are not pressured the same way since it's a nationwide event with numerous other businesses. Whatever happens after the event, it will not directly link to nyu since the stage is already set." Grace thoroughly explained.
"I don't understand anything but Grace is right!" Mittsy responded.
"To make it short, the first one will only have an audience if nyu do good while the new plan guarantees it," Grace added as she shortened her idea.
Mae is indeed puzzled but it's clear that Grace has a point. In fact, it's too convincing that it made Mae reconsider everything.
When the Princess notices that Mae is close to saying yes, she pushes her tactics even more. "Listen, if nyu can't picture yourself as the one in the center, then think of it as nyu are doing this for the benefit of the cafe. And of course, the other businesses as well, since they were affected by the cafe's proposal. Helping others to be in the spotlight is where nyu truly shine, right?"
Those words carved into Mae's heart, it helped her to finally come up with a decision. "I… I'll do it!" Mae nervously shouted.
"Nyatta!" everyone else reacted.
"I'm proud of nyu, Mae," Grace said.
"Let's all do it together!" Mittsy added.
"To keep this momentum going, we can all follow Aoi so that she can take your measurements~" Rin suggested as they were all fired up to go back to work.
The maids including Mae and Mittsy followed Aoi, as Rin secretly signed Grace to stay in the dining hall for a moment, Lisa joined as well.
"I'm sorry that nyu have to do our tasks. We are indeed grateful for your help." Rin said.
"That's not true. I only pushed the pieces off the edge, but it was your actions that made her go that way." Princess Grace answered. "Anyway, let's follow the others," she added.
"Hai~" Rin and Lisa responded as they all got back to work.
As the day continues, everyone is doing their part. Even though Aoi already had the models' measurements, Mae and Mittsy stayed to offer some help. Grace cannot do the same thing because of her schedule, though she did stay for some time before leaving.
This event occurred repeatedly over a week. Mae and Mittsy are regularly visiting to make things faster, while Grace occasionally shows up, she needs to handle the event secretly. Cutting fabrics, effectively using the sewing machine, practicing how to elegantly walk, and preparing the free samples of tea and cupcakes for the event. a lot of activities that should be perfected before the event.
On the other hand, Grace is doing her best in gathering every business in the Land. Using her connections, especially the royalties that follow her, it only took them a single week to inform and invite every establishment that met their criteria. Of course, it is exclusive for low to mid-range businesses. Those who exceed the criteria cannot participate as presenters, though they are welcome to invest and be part of the movement.
The Capitol made things easier by helping them to identify the class range of each business. They are the ones who monitor that area after all. The event incorporated the maids' proposal, and Princess Grace named it, "The Grand Reopening". The name itself is fitting for their general purpose, giving the idea of a fresh new start for everyone.
Days are ending too quickly, it feels like time is passing by quickly. The Royal Castle is getting ready for the event. The preparation can be seen miles away as the decorations are being placed. Kemitopia is observably busy, and each Kemi doing their best to showcase their business. It will only be a matter of time before the event finally happens.
After the span of 2 more weeks, everything is set. It's time for The Grand Reopening. The Royal Castle is well decorated, and every Kemi is invited. The atmosphere is truly a welcoming one.
There has been a debate wherein most of the royalties wanted to make it more sophisticated, but Princess Grace did not allow that to happen. The event is better if it's lively yet inviting to each class, something that will make everyone stay and enjoy the event. The motive behind the event will be ruined if a lot of the commoners feel uncomfortable, making them leave the area early. Princess Grace's verdict is a good move to unite the nation and of course, secretly inspect the land.
Riding a long chariot provided by Duke Nasmuir, the maids enter the Royal Castle. The dresses, as well as the foods and beverages, are safely stored inside the chariot.
"Woaaahh!" Kita widely reacted as she peeked through the window.
"I love this place!" Lulu commented.
"I told nyu, this place is indeed big. Like really biiig." Coco said.
Eventually, they arrived backstage wherein maids assist them.
"Hmmm… Do nyu think it's kinda weird?" Mittsy suddenly questioned.
"What is it?" Mae responded.
"Usually the Royal Guards are the ones that assist the Kemis in these kinds of events. I only saw a few of them around, and the maids from the dorms are assisting us." Mittsy mentioned.
"Maybe they are in a different area? I mean it's a huge event, they most likely need some help right?" Rin answered.
"Nyu are probably right. I'm just quite nervous, that's why I am unintentionally speculating things to keep me busy." Mittsy replied as she chuckled.
"I'm nervous as well…" Hana commented.
"By the way, where is Grace? I thought she said that we would meet her here?" Mittsy asked another question.
Right after Mittsy mentioned it, Grace showed up slightly catching her breath. Her duties are never-ending, but it will definitely not stop her from ensuring the job is done.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Grace said as she greeted everyone.
"Nyu are just in time, let's get ready now!" Mittsy replied as she encouraged the models to change their costumes immediately.
"The Princess looks tired," Lisa whispered.
"I thought so too... We should not let her efforts go to waste…" Rin whispered back.
End of Chapter 9