Chapter 533

A New Life
“Lady Lily, good morning. It’s time to wake up.”

“Mmh… uuun…”

I was woken by Faniga’s voice and opened my eyes.
Yep, another good morning.

“Good morning, Faniga. I’ve been wondering—what time does a maid’s work usually start?”

“It begins before dawn. Now then, let’s get you ready.”

“Okay.”

Maids really do start their day early.
Anyway, I quickly changed clothes.
Normally, I’m supposed to have a maid dress me, but my clothes aren’t complicated enough to need help—and having someone dress me actually takes more time, so I do it myself.

Modalfas and Faniga initially insisted I wear a dress suitable for someone of my status, but after seeing that my outfit didn’t take a scratch from Plum’s full-strength strike, they gave up—for safety reasons.

Even my most well-made dresses can’t outperform this outfit.
The anti-slash properties are similar, but it lacks impact resistance.
The Goddess’s outfit softens shock too, to some extent.
No matter how much enchantment I stack on mine, it just can’t match.
That’s the difference.

“Morning, Big Sis.”

On my way to the dining room for breakfast, I ran into Amira.
Apparently, she’s also living the kind of life where maids wake her up each morning.

“Good morning, Amira. You holding up okay?”

“Yeah, I think I’m fine. Compared to when I lived in the castle, I’m not nearly as restricted.”

Come to think of it, Amira used to be a princess.
A hidden one, even—only a handful of nobles knew about her.
She was probably under strict control back then.
She’s had much more freedom since coming to live with me, though maybe this new lifestyle is nudging her a bit closer to her old one.

“Still, the head chef’s amazing, huh? They can make dishes not just from McFarlane or Darshe, but from all kinds of countries.”

“Well yeah, it’s rare, sure—but Plum was originally a princess, right? If she’s the one who recommended the head chef, they must be top-tier, Big Sis.”

That’s true.
Everyone here came on Plum’s recommendation, so they’re all bound to be incredibly skilled.
… Wait, how old is Modalfas, anyway?
I remember being told he’s a vampire, but even so—he’s got that refined middle-aged air, so he must be really old, right?
If Plum is several thousand years old, is he over ten thousand?
… No way. Right?

After eating breakfast in the dining hall, I parted ways with Amira as she returned to her room for tutoring and I headed to my office.
Amira, being my little sister now, can no longer attend a normal school.
It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but having the sister of a platinum-class merchant attend a school meant for common citizens would be a safety risk.
Instead, she’s receiving private tutoring from one of the butlers.
He said he’s sticking to a standard curriculum, so it should be fine.
Still, I am a little curious what “non-standard education” would even look like.

“Good morning, Lady Lily.”

“Morning, Modalfas. Any messages today?”

Yep—just to meet with me, people now have to make formal appointments.
Alizée, Priscilla, and Marquis Vardmoi are exceptions, but everyone else needs a reservation.
It’s a hassle, but apparently it can’t be helped.
Still a hassle though.

“Yes, there is one.”

“Oh? That’s rare. From where?”

“From the Adventurers’ Guild. Grandmaster Rumaja has requested an audience.”

“Rumaja? … Wait, isn’t she technically more important than me?”

“Importance isn’t the issue here. Apart from Marquis Vardmoi, even among nobles, it’s customary for the person of lower rank to send notice in advance when requesting an audience.”

“Huh, I see. When is she hoping to meet?”

“She plans to arrive in Vardmoi in three days and is requesting a meeting in the afternoon, one week from now.”

“Got it. Please send my approval.”

“As you wish… Still, I wonder what would bring the Adventurers’ Guild’s Grandmaster to request an audience so soon after arriving in this region?”

“No idea. Let’s hope it’s not bad news.”

I really hope it’s not bad news.
I seriously don’t need any more trouble right now.
Please, just give me a break.

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