Serving in Secret

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**Serving in Secret** was the 7th story event in Court of Darkness. It started around April 11, 2021. Toa and Jasper were available at the start of the event. Lynt and Grayson were added a few days later.

Diplomats have gathered in Colde, searching for someone with mysterious power...In order to keep a low profile, you disguise yourself as a prince's servant. All day long, you spend in intimate company. What 'special tasks' will your consort ask of you? Sweet bonds of servitude hold you fast. His wish is your command.

## Prologue

While on her way to get somthing to eat, MC is spotted by Roy. She notes the academy seems cleaner and more decorated than usual. Roy explain diplomats from every country are coming to inspect the academy and students. He invites her to dine with him in the S Rank louge. She hesitates for a moment before accepting. The other S Ranks and their valets are in the S Rank dining hall, and soon the conversation moves to the diplomats' visit. Toa seems uncomfortable. When Lynt asks if he's all right, Toa says he's heard rumors that the diplomats are of the opinion that there is a female student at the academy with extraordinary powers. Jasper confirms he's heard something similar and he believes the diplomats are actually coming to the academy to look for said student. He adds that they'll have full reign of the academy while they're there. Guy notes that if they find MC it would start a war. Nix arrives and tells MC Lou wants to talk to her about the very thing they're all discussing. Once in the headmaster's office, Lou suggests MC pose as a servant of one of the princes. It would afford her some safety and throw the diplomats off since they'll be looking for a student not a servant. He tells her she can choose whoever she wants and to report for duty tomorrow morning.

## Routes

### Toa Qelsum

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MC decides to serve Toa because he's her paramour. He gives her a uniform to wear and glasses to hide the color of her eyes; it would be kinda weird for someone from Avari to be serving the prince from Qelsum. Knight starts teaching her how to be a servant and has occasional assistance from Toa. While MC is out and about in the academy, she runs into Fenn. He tells her it's customary in Qelsum for a servant to spoon feed one's master their first sip of tea. She's skeptical, but decides to give Fenn the benefit of the doubt. Later, when Toa is helping her learn to brew tea, she tries Fenn's advice. It leaves Toa thoroughly confused. He clarifies that's not a custom where he's from and instructs her to not listen to Fenn anymore. MC has every intention of doing this until she bumps into Fenn again. She scolds him for lying to her, but he insists he was just misinformed. It's okay though, because he has more advice for her. He says this time it's 100% legit and Toa will be super stoked. Fenn tells her it's really cold in Qelsum, so servants warm their masters beds by lying in them. MC decides to give this a try as well and learns this too was a lie when Toa's response is utter confusion. He's so baffled he asks if she means to bed him. Embarrassed, she scrambles out of his bed and explains what happened. Toa tells her to *please* stop listening to Fenn. He lends her some books about Qelsum customs and traditions since she seems so eager to learn. MC leaves him to take his nap in his now thoroughly warmed bed. She bumps into a diplomat from Qelsum needing directions to the library tower. Not wearing the glasses Toa gave her, she lowers her eyes when she answers. The diplomat berates her for not looking at him when speaking and goes on a racist tirade when he sees that her eyes are red. Toa intervenes and threatens the diplomat with the loss of his status if he didn't apologize. He does, the man scurries away, and Toa takes MC back to his room. She thanks him for helping her and apologizes for having done nothing right so far. Toa gives her super simple tasks to complete like turning on some music and handing him a book. The two start making out, but are interrupted by Knight and MC's cat. Knight informs them the headmaster knows about the incident with the diplomat. Lou's hosting a ball later that evening as a distraction and urges the two to lie low during the event. MC's familiar says he'll protect her. Toa finds something for Knight to do, telling him that he's asking because he trusts Knight. This works, and Knight and MC's cat leave. Toa and MC go back to making out.

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### Jasper Lane

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MC asks Guy if she can serve him since her eyes are red. He agrees and Jasper says their lessons will start in the afternoon. On her way to get some lunch, MC runs into Fenn. He heard about her acting as a maid and got a uniform for her. The skirt is very short. However, having no other maid uniform to wear, she puts it on and heads to her lesson with Jasper. He teases her a little and gives her a different uniform to wear. He also offers tips on how to interact with one's master. These tips include hand massages when he's tired and letting him put his head in her lap since this sort of affection seeking is not uncommon in Avari. She learns he was messing with her when she tries these things with Guy, who is confused and slightly annoyed. When she's free later, she runs into Tino. He asks if anything's wrong so she stays to talk with him for a while and demonstrates the hand massage she's learned. Tino becomes very flustered. Japser appears and takes her back to Guy's room. He seemed annoyed with her, but so briefly MC wonders if she imagined it. He then offers to teach her to make and serve coffee. She gets flustered by Jasper being so close to her. She spills the coffee and burns his hands. She uses her power to fix it with a kiss. He asks if she would do that for anyone or if she did it because it was him. When she hesitates, he says he was joking and goes back to teaching her as if nothing happened. The day the diplomats arrive rolls around. Before Jasper and Guy leave for the welcome event, Jasper gives MC a notebook and instructs her not to leave the dorms. They leave, and MC returns to her servant's quarters. She reads the notebook. It has advice like "stay away from the windows" and brief descriptions of the diplomats visiting Colde. MC thinks about how busy Jasper always is and he said he usually only has time to grab something readymade when he needs to eat. She gets the idea to make him some sandwiches to thank him for his help. On her way to Jasper's room, tray of sandwiches in hand, MC runs into the diplomat from Avari. He's lost, but quickly decides he'd rather hit on MC than find the hall where the event is taking place. Japer intervenes and is soon joined by Guy. Guy correctly notes the diplomat clearly did something to the maid and went after Jasper when he tried to help. The diplomat insists there's been a misunderstanding, and Guy says he'll listen to what the diplomat has to say on the way back to the welcome event...Not that that will help the diplomat any. Jasper stays to make sure MC's okay. She realizes she has a massive crush on Jasper and scurries away to put the sandwiches in his room as she intended. After the event, MC can't stop thinking about Jasper. She decides to seek him out. She finds him in Guy's room while Guy is absent. Jasper takes her back to his quarters and thanks her for the sandwiches. She says the sandwiches were for helping her learn to be a servant and she wants to thank him for helping her with the diplomat.

(This was as far as I made it in the event. There was only one more part of the last chapter left at this point.)

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(Not Finished)

### Lynt Akedia

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MC decides to serve Lynt because he's her paramour. Tino has arranged a small shop's worth of maid uniforms for MC to try. They have trouble picking one because Lynt ant Tino both think all of them would look good on MC. Tino points one out to MC telling her it's made of Akedia's finest fabric, which is enough to convince her to choose it. Tino excuses himself to take care of something else while MC puts the outfit on. Once she's dressed, Lynt feels the fabric, tickling her a little and then suggests the two nap together. MC is worried the fabric will wrinkle, but lets Lynt have his way. When they wake up, her uniform isn't wrinkled at all and the two head to the S Rank lounge. She gets tea and snacks for him. Lynt asks her to join him. She tells him that's not something a servant would do, but Lynt doesn't seem to care. He insists the diplomats won't venture into the S Rank lounge and MC caves. Guy and Fenn wander in and note that despite the uniform, MC still looks more like Lynt's paramour than his servant. Guy warns Lynt that he's not taking this seriously. When Lynt insists that he'll stay by MC's side, he's reminded by Toa that servants can't attend S Rank lectures. There's also mention of a ball where the servants will have to serve the guests. Nervous her cover will be immediately blown, she asks Lynt for some formal servant training. Later Tino starts her lessons with instruction on how to change Lynt's clothes. Something comes up and Tino has to leave. He tells MC to give it a try. After he leaves Lynt opts to change himself. He tells MC it's okay if she wants to do these things, but she doesn't have to push herself. They hug. The next day, Tino teaches MC how to make tea. Guy walks in and is harsh in his critique of MC. Lynt arrives after he's done teaching. Guy still thinks Lynt is taking things too lightly and informs them the Akedian diplomat has put in a request to observe the S Rank dorm block the following day. That night, MC is anxious about the diplomat's visit. Lynt snuggles her and does his best to calm her fears. He wakes up early the next day so MC can practice her tea skills. Lynt gives her some pointers before they head to the S Rank Lounge. MC makes another attempt at making tea, and Lynt tells her she doesn't have to master it in a day; her skills were good enough. The Akedian diplomat, led by Roy, enters the lounge. He immediately starts asking her a bunch of questions rapid fire as he thought it was weird for an Avarian to serve the Akedian prince. MC doesn't know how to answer most of his questions and Lynt freezes. He wants to help, but it would be suspicious for him to jump in. Guy saves the day, and after the Akedian diplomat leaves, he tells Lynt again that he is ill prepared. When MC and Lynt crawl into bed that night, Lynt apologizes for not being able to help her earlier. She tells him it isn't his fault; instead, she was the one who put him in a position where he'd be caught between her and one of his subjects. The next morning, Lynt announces that the two of them would be attending the ball. They spend that day with Lynt seriously instructing her on how to be a proper servant. At the ball both Lynt and MC play the part perfectly. Jasper comments on how well things are going and Guy wordlessly agrees. When the ball is over, Lynt and MC return to his room. Lynt is glued to MC's side and glad he can hold her again. Tino sets out some tea and snacks and complements them on their hard work before leaving to give them some privacy. Once the two are alone, Lynt apologizes. He feels badly for treating her like a servant and having been unable to help her at the start. She tells him he doesn't need to apologize for that and comforts him. MC notes that she actually had fun being his servant. That being the case, Lynt asks her to help him get ready for bed. He also notes he needs a bath. MC shyly agrees while looking forward to seeing more of Lynt's sexy, playful side.

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### Grayson Hotz

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MC decides to serve Roy and Sherry since Sherry is a good friend of hers and she's dating Grayson. Sherry designs a uniform for MC to wear, but MC isn't sure such a short skirt is appropriate. Grayson doesn't seem to mind it though. In the end, Sherry alters the design so MC can be more comfortable. Sherry also agrees to watch MC's cat since servants aren't supposed to have familiars. When the outfit is finally done, MC tries it on and shows Grayson. He thinks the outfit is nice and ties MC's apron strings for her.

They go about the day, but Grayson won't let her do anything. She has a run-in with a diplomat needing directions. MC doesn't realize the diplomat is talking to her and so is slow in responding. That night, MC has to stay in Grayson's room because servants have to sleep in the room next to their master. (This is, however, in direct conflict with Violet having her own room in the women's dorms along with Sherry and MC in Fenn's Consort Path.) They get ready for bed, but just before they kiss goodnight, they hear Fenn doing questionable things to multiple women in the room next door. Grayson and MC cover each others ears until the noises die down. Grayson quickly falls asleep soon after it's quiet, snuggling up to MC. A combination of being in Grayson's arms and having gotten some idea from what Fenn was doing keep MC up a bit longer.

When she wakes up in the morning, Grayson is already awake. He's also fed and exercised Nox. This day continues much like the last with Grayson refusing to let MC lift a finger. However, while watching him interact with Roy and Sherry, MC notes that he never seems to accept their praise or thanks for his hard work; it happens when she tries to compliment him as well. It's as if he believes the precision with which he works is expected of him. At one point in the day, Grayson is looking for books for Roy in the Library Tower. MC breaks away from Grayson, thinking they'll find the books faster if they look separately. Unfortunately, she bumps into that same diplomat again. She apologizes, but hesitates to answer when asked what kingdom she's from. Grayson intervenes and apologizes for any offense MC caused and offers to help the diplomat with whatever he had come into the Library Tower for. However, it sounds like Grayson's scolding him for having wandered away from the rest of the diplomats. The diplomat leaves and Grayson notices that he's late for serving Roy and Sherry tea in the Rooftop Garden. He and MC hurry there and Grayson apologizes for his tardiness. Neither Roy nor Sherry are bothered, but Grayson takes this failing quite hard, worrying his charges.

Later, he's sparing with Rio. Rio is a gifted swordsmen and Grayson used to be a soldier. Grayson's still disappointed in himself for being late and Rio notices something's off. He pauses their mock fight to ask Grayson if he's okay. Grayson confirms that all is well. Before they can resume their match, Thoma runs in yelling that the diplomats are looking for MC. Rio goes to try to distract them while Grayson tries to hide MC in one of the rooms off the training field. He hides her behind the door shortly before a diplomat comes in to search the room. Rio, however, quickly drags him out requesting a sparring match.

Later that night, MC offers to be Grayson's servant for the night and starts massaging his back and arms. She goes further, and when she's done, Grayson thanks her. She notes that she, Roy, and Sherry feel the same gratitude toward Grayson when he does things for them. Grayson understands what she's getting at. He then starts giving MC a massage, teasing her butt and thighs as he goes. He laughs at her reactions and MC decides she's not quite done with him yet. The next day, Grayson pours tea for Roy and Sherry. They compliment him on the tea he's made. At first, Grayson reacts the way he usually does, but then he adds in a "you're welcome." Delight follows Roy and Sherry's shock, and MC is happy to have helped tear down that wall between them.

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