CH 20

“Lady, His Royal Highness sent this!”

Sera came in, holding a large gift box with her eyes twinkling. She put the box down on the table with a thud sound and stared at me with a hopeful expression.

“It seems that His Royal Highness thinks well of Lady!”

“…Yes?”

“Even though it seems like he’s just playing lightly here and there, he doesn’t give up his side easily. I think he’s very friendly, especially to Lady.”

I calmly closed the diary of Duke Gracie, which I was reading. Sera seemed to want her more from me. I’m sorry, but I have nothing to say.

I replied with a smile. “Thank you, Sera.”

Unfortunately, that was not the answer Sera wanted. She left the room with a sullen face with her shoulders drooping.

I looked at Sera’s back and smiled. Then I slowly moved towards the box. Inside the box was a letter and several pockets full of gold coins.

[To buy people, go to 5th Avenue at Gracie Street.]

My eyes slowly read the letter.

[P.S. The interest is one kiss a day.]

I laughed once and then tore up the letter and burned it.

Now that I have gold, I need to buy people. The word ‘buying people’ didn’t sound good, but it was literally what she was going to do.

The adoption process took a long time, and I also hadn’t completed my necessary education as a noble. However, I couldn’t let go of Merilly for any time without knowing how she was doing.

I stuffed all the gold coins that Frinel had lent me into my clutch.

“Sera.”

Then Sera gently opened the door and poked her head out.

“Ah, yes, Lady!” She answered with anticipation that she could listen to the story she wanted to know.

“Could you prepare a carriage for me?”

“Ah… Lady’s is going to go out…?” Sera asked back, visibly disappointed.

“Yes. I’m going to go downtown.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare it for Lady.”

“Thank you.”

I already put on my dress, so I pulled a long-brimmed hat from my closet. Then I left the mansion. A quickly prepared carriage was waiting for me before I knew it.

“Thank you, Sera.” I thanked Sera once more, then climbed onto the carriage.

“Yes.” She answered innocently and climbed onto the carriage.

I tilted my head slightly, looking at a question mark on her face. “…Are you going with me?”

“Of course. I’m Lady’s exclusive maid.”

My mouth opened involuntarily. I hadn’t thought of it. That nobles never travel alone. After learning about the culture of noble during the social class, I ended up thinking about the theory and practice separately.

Trying hard to hide my embarrassment, I roughly accepted it. Even if I told her not to follow me, she was a person who would absolutely follow me.  Let’s just depart and think for now. I’ll be able to get away from her somehow. I’ll have no choice but to use teleport.

“We’re leaving, Lady.”

“Yes.”

I opened the window slightly. It was my first time riding a carriage like this, so I was a little nervous.

Soon the carriage rattled off. My body moved slightly, but the cushion was so soft that I didn’t feel uncomfortable. Soon after, the carriage, which had been running for a long time, slowly slowed down.

I lifted my head slightly and looked out of the window. Outside, there was a beautiful white downtown street that made me think it was magnificent.

“Wow…” Unconsciously, admiration flowed through my lips.

Sera shrugged her shoulders and gave an explanation that I didn’t ask. “Pretty, right? It’s called Gracie Street after the duke’s name. The buildings were made of marble just like in the temples.”

“It’s really pretty. Amazing.”

It seemed that nobles really lived in a world different from commoners. There was a downtown area in the west where I lived, but it wasn’t such a clean and beautiful place because it was mainly used by commoners.

“Then where shall we go first?”

At Sera’s question, I came to my senses. There was no good way to be separate from her. Suddenly, I came up with a good idea.

“Um, I think I’m a little hungry… Can I ask for something like dessert?”

“Of course.”

“Sure.”

“That Chandrine Bakery? The place where you have to line up.”

The place that sold the seriously delicious eclairs that Bella bought. If you had to wait in line to buy it, it would have bought enough time for me.

“Ah, Chandrine Bakery?”

“Yes. I have a few things I want to see, so I’ll go there after that.”

“Will Lady be alright by yourself?” Sera asked again, with a worried face on her face.

Lobelia smiled and nodded. “It’s alright.”

“Then, I understand, Lady.”

Fortunately, she didn’t seem to be suspicious. Relieved inwardly, I turned around as if I had remembered something and grabbed Sera.  “Ah, that, Sera.”

A slight blush appeared on my face as if embarrassed.

“Yes?”

“…The one with custard cream in it, please. Order it a lot.”

“Pfft, yes. I understand, Lady!”

Sera walked excitedly. When her back was completely gone, I looked around, thrusting my brim’s heat forward.

He said it was 5th Avenue.  It was coming from Frinel, so it could be trusted.

Examining the signs above the streetlights, I walked to 5th Avenue. Soon, I could find a sign with the number 5th on it. There you go.

I pulled my brim deeper and went into the alley. Even the white and beautiful downtown streets were very dark between the alleys. But I kept looking around without any sign of nervousness.

I had to find it carefully because it would be out of sight. Where the hell is it? I don’t have time.

It was then.

“Hey, woman.”

“Hey, there’s a pretty woman.”

A high-pitched voice was coming from my back. I lazily furrowed one eyebrow and slowly turned behind. Three big, dumb-looking men were seen in my field of vision.

“Are you guild members?” I asked stiffly, wondering if they were guild members.

At that moment, they burst into laughter as if they had heard a very funny joke.

“Pfft, Puhahaha!”

“Guild, she said guild.”

“Aah, when was the last time they were taken out of the capital?”

“They all ran away because they feared us, Cute Lady.”

“So you’re saying there’s no place left in the West to buy people now?” I asked again, frowning.

“Why not! We are here. We!”

“We’ll save you.”

“However, there are conditions, right, Brother?”

“Of course, of course!”

“If you become my older brother’s woman!”

“You’ll get someone you can use like your limb with a network wider than the sea.”

The three men were very well-matched. I even missed the timing to turn them down as they talked back and forth. It was to the extent that it was hard to believe they were ramblers.

I stared at them as if to observe them and immediately went on. “Can’t you just get to the point? I don’t have time to date anyone.”

“What, what?”

“What a cheeky bitch! Ah, let’s check it out!”

One of the men stepped forward, pretending to be tough for no reason. He raised his hand as if he was going to hit me at any moment. But his hand just hung in the hair and didn’t reach me. I just felt like he was trying to scare me.

It looks like they’re not the type to listen in words. I looked around. Fortunately, it was a dark alley, so it was only me and the three of them in the alley.

“Ah, I, am, scared.” I pretended to be scared with an awkward tone and went a little deeper.

“Puhahaha, why is that woman talking like that?”

“She has a pretty face, but is she a crazy woman?”

They followed after me, flirting with no idea that they were being lured.

I looked around again. Looking at the light on the other side, this alley seemed to lead to another exit. Many people would see us if I went outside, so this place was the best place to convince them.

They followed after Robelia, flirting with no idea that they were being lured.

“Just follow me calmly. I’ll love you.”

“Right. Seeing that you’re looking for a guild, it looks like you’re up to something. In the West, you can ask only my older brother for such a secret job.”

“I see.”

“Hmm? You’re short-spoken, aren’t you?”

“Your words were shorter than before.”

I grinned and opened the clutch. “Here.” Then I threw the pocket containing gold coins. A man who looked like a captain among them received a pocket.

“Eh?”

“I’ll give you money. Get someone here.”

He slowly opened the pocket. It contained an unbelievable amount of gold coins. The man blinked in surprised eyes for a long time, then he slyly raised his mouth as if he finally understood.

“Haha, counterfeit gold coins. Counterfeit gold coins. No one around here other than Duke Gracie could have this much gold. The duke doesn’t have a daughter like you.”

“You’re so smart, Brother!”

“This won’t do. How dare you deceive us!”

“…Ha…”

I sighed deeply. If neither words nor gold coins worked, there was only one answer. “I need someone. Whether they’re thugs or gangsters, I need someone to be used as my arms and legs.”

A golden light source floated above my palm.