Beneath the Butler's Uniform

I'm Penny Gallagher, a 16-year-old girl. A month ago, my father, who was always my rock, suddenly passed out and was rushed to the hospital, where they diagnosed him with mid-stage brain cancer. Our savings weren't nearly enough to cover the sky-high medical bills. Even if I dropped out of school and started working, it would be just a drop in the bucket. Just when I was at my wit's end, a man claiming to be an old friend of my father's showed up at our house, saying he'd cover the medical expenses. But there was a catch—I had to disguise myself as a boy, transfer to the prestigious Reihal Public School for boys, and become the personal servant to Kristania's Crown Prince, Murphy Lloyd. "I'll do anything to save my dad, but why me?" I was confused by his condition. After all, becoming Prince Murphy's servant or transferring to Reihal Public School were both beyond my wildest dreams. Reihal Public School, known worldwide as the "Cradle of Elites" and for its "Gentleman Culture," was regarded as the best high school in Austentia. It was a breeding ground for the nation's royal, political, and economic elites. For a kid like me from a regular family, Reihal Public School was an unattainable dream, and so was Prince Murphy to me. "You don't need to worry about that. Just take good care of Prince Murphy," my father's friend said. And just like that, I became Peter Gallagher and transferred to Reihal Public School. Reihal Public School was located in Austentia's capital, Ostralon. My father's friend arranged for a private flight, and in less than an hour, I went from the small Lime Town to the bustling Ostralon. Ostralon, with its skyscrapers and bustling streets, was a shock to a country kid like me. The city's grandeur was both overwhelming and exciting. But now wasn't the time to enjoy the sights. I needed to report to Prince Murphy's apartment tonight, so first, I had to find a barber to cut my long hair and change my look. I looked around to search for a barber shop. "Get lost." A cold voice suddenly sounded from not far away. Curious, I looked toward the voice and saw a beautiful girl blocking a tall guy. I couldn't see the boy's face because his back was to me, but I could see his slightly wavy brown hair. The girl handed the guy an elegant box, her eyes pleading. "I've had a crush on you for three years, and I really like you. Even if you don't like me, please take these cookies I made. They're filled with my love for you." She was so devoted, and anyone would be at least a little moved. But the guy remained cold, his voice filled with irritation. "I told you, stay out of my sight." "But..." The girl tried to say more, but the guy shoved her away and walked off without a backward glance. The girl fell to the ground, and the box fell with a thud. The cookies inside the box were scattered everywhere with some already broken, like the girl's shattered heart. All she did was bravely confess her feelings to the person she liked. She didn't deserve to be treated like this. I rushed over to help her up and yelled at the guy who was walking away. "Hey, stop right there!" He acted like he didn't hear me and kept walking. With surging through my mind, I took a book out of my backpack and threw it at his back. "Can't you hear me?" Just as the book was about to hit him, he turned around and caught it with precision. Finally, I saw his face. It was a handsome, chiseled face. He had seep-set brows, a prominent nose, and sharply defined features. His blue eyes, like the blue sea, were impossible to look away from. Holding the book, he knitted his brows and coldly demanded, "Did you throw this?" "Yes." I owned up to it without hesitation. The girl I was holding looked at me in shock. "I can't believe you threw something at him. If he had his bodyguards with him today, you'd be dead." I was taken aback by the girl's words. 'This guy has bodyguards? Is he some big shot or something?' "The Servant's Handbook?" He glanced at the book title and scoffed, "How could someone as rude as you fit to be a servant? Who do you serve? I'll have you fired immediately." "I..." I took a deep breath, pretending to be calm. "You were the rude one, okay? You pushed her and knocked over her cookies. You owe her an apology." The girl's knee was scraped, and blood was oozing from the wound, which looked painful. The guy gave a cold laugh. "Apologize to her? Are you out of your mind? She blocked my way, wasted my time, and said things I didn't want to hear. And you think I should apologize?" I was completely irritated by his answer. "So you're saying her confessing her feelings to you is something you don't want to hear?" "Apparently." "But she confessed because she likes you…" The guy's expression remained icy as he said, "That's her business, not mine. But telling me about it made me sick. Isn't that her fault?" I wanted to argue more, but the girl grabbed my arm and apologized to the guy. "It's my fault. I promise I won't bother you again, Prince Murphy." 'Wait! Prince Murphy?' I thought I heard it wrong and pointed at the guy while asking the girl again, "What did you just call him?" "Prince Murphy. He's the Crown Prince of Austentia, Murphy Lloyd. How do you not know that?" She looked at me like I was an alien. 'Prince Murphy is my future employer. So I just threw a book at my employer? Jeez!' While I was still in shock, a commotion came from the front. "The Prince is over there! It's not safe outside; can't leave the Prince alone." I looked up to see two burly men running towards us. They must be the Prince's bodyguards. I swallowed nervously, thinking Prince Murphy would call his bodyguards over to execute me for my insolence. But instead, he glanced at the approaching bodyguards, frowned, and tossed the book at my feet. "Here, take it back." Then he brushed past me and ran off. "Why did he run?" I asked, baffled. "I don't know either," the girl replied, shaking her head. She looked at Murphy's retreating figure with starry eyes. "He's so dreamy, even running away looks handsome." "You really like him, huh? But it's obvious he doesn't like you at all." More like he seemed to hate her. The girl shrugged and responded, "He doesn't just hate me; he hates all girls." "Huh?" She explained to me, "I heard Prince Murphy hates women. He never interacts with women because he thinks they're all liars. So, even though he's popular with the girls, he's never had a girlfriend." 'I see. Good thing I'm about to become Peter Gallagher. But since I just offended him, will he recognize my disguise?'