Chapter 8

✠

Sandra Gilette, the Countess of Gilette, was notorious among servants for being a difficult mistress. She was originally a commoner but was able to move up the social hierarchy by finding favor in the count’s eyes. Considering her roots, she was an unbelievably picky eater even by nobility standards. She was peevish and temperamental, fickle about everything, and would only accept the finest of all things. She was an extremely difficult individual to please in all aspects.

Without a doubt, all members of the Gilette family were generally very picky. From the bigoted count who could never tolerate even the smallest mistakes and his luxury-obsessed wife to his snobby delinquent of a son and strange daughter who, for some reason, all the servants tried their best to avoid…

To be completely honest, Gilette Castle was not a very good work environment. Today, however, the temperamental countess seemed to be in an unusually good mood. The countess lightly patted the back of her hand as she beamed contentedly.

My skin condition is great today. It was as if her skin had been completely rejuvenated when she applied the beauty potion the alchemist had presented her that morning. She had always believed him to be rather incompetent since all those vitality potions she had him make for her son showed no signs of being at all effective, but it finally seemed like he was living up to the Golden Ivory Tower name.

Why couldn’t he have done this in the first place? What has he been doing all this time? Hmph. Just as the countess was feeling contemptuous of her staff, someone interrupted her indignant thoughts.

“Mother, shall I have a hand mirror be brought for you? You seem to be so distracted by your face that you’re unable to focus on what I’m saying.”

“Oh! N-not at all Bia! Mommy’s been listening!”

Even the high-strung countess could be cowed by a certain someone. And that someone was her ten-year-old daughter, Bianca Gilette. The little lady sat in a dignified manner that was not befitting of a person her age. Her jet-black hair glinted blue as she peered at her mother.

“Well then,” the countess said as she tried to gather her wits about her, “where were we?”

“I was consulting with you about the future of the Gilette Family,” Bianca answered primly.

“Hmm..?”

“I think it’s safe to say that our family’s lineage of master swordsmanship died out when grandfather passed away. It’s quite obvious that my foolish, incompetent brother will run this family to the ground in no time. I think it’d be in our best interest if I became the next head of the family and brought a competent knight in as my husband. What do you think, Mother?”

The countess was dumbfounded. Were these really the words of a ten-year-old girl?

I know she’s my daughter and I love her dearly, but she truly frightens me sometimes! Despite looking just like her parents, Bianca had a completely different temperament. Neither the count nor the countess was capable of making level-headed, rational decisions. It was a mystery to them as to how they raised such a shrewd daughter. The countess was lost in her thoughts but quickly regained her senses before she received another stern chiding. She gave an awkward smile as she tried to calm her daughter.

“Your brother’s only twelve dear. Let’s give him a bit more time.”

“Hmm.”

The countess quickly changed the subject as her daughter gave an unsatisfied look. “I-in any case Bia, I heard that you sent away your playdate again this morning. I’m starting to lose count... Won’t you tell me what seems to be the problem?”

“The problem is that there aren’t any children that are on the same level as me.”

“I-is that right? Mommy will try to pick out someone more to your liking next time.”

“I don’t know about that. I think it might be more helpful if you bought me some more books. I’m almost finished reading the books in the library.”

“T-the whole library?”

“I mean our family library doesn’t have that many books, to begin with.”

“I see. I’ll let the butler know.”

A quiet knock concluded their discussion as Isela brought in the afternoon tea. “My lady, Lady Bianca, your afternoon tea and snacks are here.”

Their afternoon refreshments were composed of a sweet, fruity red tea, snow-white lemon sugar cookies, a tangy orange jelly, and a delectable-looking crimson apple soup.

“Why, look at that. What a peculiar-looking dessert.”

“It does look very unique, Mother.”

Both mother and daughter went straight for the apple soup. Their eyes widened as they relished the flavor.

“Oh my, what refined flavor this soup has! This is absolutely marvelous.”

Isela, who had been expectantly smiling, came forward. “It’s a dessert made by Mr. Rodeline’s daughter. Her skills are quite impressive. I plan on taking her under my wing.”

“The alchemist’s daughter? It just so happens that the alchemist made moisturizing and anti-aging potions for my skin this morning! And now I hear his daughter has made us such a delectable dessert! Have them reward her with treats in the kitchen.”

“Yes, milady. “

Bianca perked up her ears when she heard this. “A beauty potion?”

“That’s right, dear. All this time I was under the impression that potions could only be consumed, but it turns out it can be applied to the skin as well.”

The effects of functional cosmetics were exceptional. They were relatively expensive but money was no object to the Gilette family. Bianca seemed to be buried in her thoughts.

Leonard Rodeline is the kind of alchemist who only knows how to follow standards and guidelines. But now he’s decided to make beauty potions out of the blue? He even differentiated between moisturizers and anti-aging to boot. No matter how you looked at it, these ideas were not conceived by Leonard Rodeline. Then who could it be?

Fortunately for Bianca, Isela stepped in to provide some hints. “Mr. Rodeline also shared some quality soap with servants around the castle. He was very proud, saying that his daughter made them.”

“Isela.”

“Yes, Lady Bianca.”

Bianca’s maroon eyes flashed. “Where is the alchemist’s daughter right now?”

✠

“Hey, you! Prinz’s sister.” A grating voice echoed in the greenhouse where I had come to pick tomatoes.

I looked up to find a young boy around the same age as Prinz watching me with his arms crossed. Dark hair with a tinge of blue, fancy clothes, and an ill-tempered face gave away his identity.

This must be the count’s delinquent son! I forced a smile and greeted him, annoyed at my rotten luck. “Hehe. Good afternoon, Lord Romdeo.”

“Cut the pleasantries and just give me some tomatoes.”

“Ah!”

The boy snatched the basket out of my hands. Seems like it’s my turn to experience his wicked nature firsthand.

“Hahaha! Eat this!” The miscreant son began throwing tomatoes at servants passing by. The tomatoes splattered all over the place. Several apprentice servants carrying goat milk shrieked in surprise.

“Aha! I got ’em! Hey! I’m already out of tomatoes! Why haven’t you refilled the basket already?! Hurry up and get me some more.”

I was completely dumbfounded by his words.

“Hey, I said hurry up!”

Quelling the urge to smash a tomato in his face, I instead obediently replied, “Yes, young master!”

As a powerless apprentice maid, I had no choice but to become an accomplice to this horrible behavior. I scurried back into the greenhouse and returned with an apron full of tomatoes, handing them to the delinquent one by one as he threw them at the helpless servants.

His accuracy began to increase as he gripped the tomatoes harder and harder. The cruel child turned around to look at me gleefully.

“Hey, this is really fun! Do you want to give it a go...” He suddenly froze on the spot and looked down to find a rotten tomato had burst in his grasp. “Huh?”

“Oh no, what do we do!” I dramatically covered my mouth in surprise while the flesh of the spoiled tomato oozed down the boy’s hands and arms.

Inside the tomato, white maggots wriggled to escape his hold. The son’s face turned deathly pale. “Argh! What is this?! M-maggots! Help me! Ahhhck!”

Hmph, that’s why you should never play with your food. Watching him flail about was pretty entertaining, but I knew I had to wrap things up soon.

“Oh, young master! I’m so terribly sorry! I was in such a hurry that I forgot to check the tomatoes! Please keep still so I can help you.”

“How do you expect me to keep still?! You think you could keep still in this situation?! Ahhhck!”

“If you keep flailing your arms like that, the maggots might get in your mouth!”

The delinquent froze in place. I took my apron off and wiped his hands clean. He looked quite ridiculous with his eyes clamped shut and arms extended.

“There we go. All set now, young master. Do you want to keep throwing tomatoes now?”

“N-no way!”

“Ah, what a pity.”

The delinquent stormed off into the distance with a newfound fear of tomatoes. I probably wasn’t imagining it when I saw a slight glimmer of tears glistening in his eyes.

⟬“The Voice that Shapes the World” clicked his tongue while observing the rude little bastard’s impudence.⟭

I was a bit surprised.

“Oh, I didn’t think you’d be watching.”

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World gives a bashful nod and says that they will be visiting from time to time since you were their first follower.⟭

It wasn’t just The Voice that Shapes the World.

⟬The Critic for Balance caught sight of you while chiding the department head to authorize some documents.⟭

⟬The Eye Overseeing All Chaos quietly observed your conduct.⟭

It felt as if the expression, “God is watching over you” was being taken quite literally. All these interactions with gods made me feel like I was taking a step closer to becoming a religious person.

I returned to the greenhouse so that I could refill the entire basket before heading back to the kitchen. I felt a shadow cast over me as I squatted down to pick some more tomatoes. Once again, the person that I looked up to find was not a welcome sight.