Chapter 24
"Seriously, does your attitude really change that much just because I offered you money?"
April was looking at me with an 'ugh' expression.
Apparently, my panting at the mention of 100 million won made me look terribly materialistic, so she shook her head.
But so what?
In a world where even an E-rank can become a noble by investing vast sums of capital in the 'World Council of Nobles,'
whether a Gate erupts or not, some things never change,
"Stop being sarcastic and just tell me what you want already, Sis!"
"How dare you talk back to your elder sister? I have a lot to say on the way there anyway, so keep quiet and listen."
April said that and grabbed my arm, pulling me along.
'Where are we going...?'
I opened my eyes wide in bewilderment.
"There's a reception room here, too, you know?"
"We're going to Athens. I heard it's before lunch, so that's perfect. We'll eat at the Athens restaurant."
"But...... what about my opinion?"
"One hundred million. If you don't want it, I'll just go back alone."
And so I became a docile baby bird and followed her like she was my mother.
It might seem too humiliating to act so obsequiously toward someone I'd been sparring with just yesterday, but I had a reason.
Something unexpected had come up in my conversation with Vincent moments earlier.
-You're telling me to hire a new attendant?
-Yes. Given Ms. Jihye's personality, I thought she wouldn't tell you until the very end, so I'm letting you know.
In short, 'bathing' and 'cleaning' were not Han Jihye's duties.
Her role as a 'personal aide attendant' was to manage her master's schedule and prevent other troubles from occurring, not bathe a child.
Normally, attendants suited to each role should have been provided as a set, but...
Support had been minimized under the influence of the mistress of the house, who intensely disliked 'rootless things' being elevated to nobility.
Apparently, as a result, most of the nobles of 'Thebes' ended up hiring attendants at their own expense.
'So because they couldn't provide support under the wife's pressure, they assigned me an all-purpose worker...'
No matter whether they're S-rank or whatever, people are all the same.
"What's so funny?"
"Huh? Ah... I just thought it was amazing that I was visiting Athens right after being adopted."
"Hmm... If you found it so amazing, you should have accepted yesterday's proposal."
April muttered that almost to herself. Then she gave me a sidelong glance.
......Was she still hung up on it?
Come to think of it, Vincent had said she would keep approaching me insistently. Seeing this, I guessed this was what he meant.
During our earlier consultation, he had assessed April like this.
'A madwoman obsessed with pretty items.'
At first, I thought the wording was a bit harsh, but after hearing the details, it really did seem apt.
She was backing her eldest brother as family head using treasures as collateral.
Since each annex was competing to succeed the childless Douglas couple, she seemed to have struck a deal with her eldest brother.
You handle the power, I handle the items.
Naturally, she had schemed against Vincent in all sorts of ways in the process, which apparently made things quite a headache.
-So be careful, too. She'll definitely treat you like a goose that lays golden eggs.
-I'll keep that in mind.
'She definitely hadn't seemed like an ordinary person from the very first meeting...'
Let's be careful. This foxlike woman would surely call me over in a sweet voice,
"Little one."
"Y-Yes?"
"Do you have any foods you particularly avoid? There's a dish I'd like to recommend."
"Ah... I, um, eat pretty much anything. I was born a commoner, after all."
April then smiled proudly. She reached a hand toward me and patted my head.
She seemed pleased to have drawn a distinction between natural-born nobles and adoptees.
After that, we arrived at the Athens annex.
Greek statues and lavish interiors. Somehow, the atmosphere felt even more artistic than the central building's.
While waiting for our food in a private room reserved for nobles inside the restaurant, I asked,
"Sis."
"Yes."
"In your opinion... how much is the ring I gave you worth?"
"......"
April's lips briefly fell shut.
Then she lifted the hand wearing the ring and began examining it from every angle.
"That's difficult to say. It's certainly beautiful and practical... but in the end, an item's value lies in its performance, doesn't it?"
"Is... that so?"
"Of course. It's not as though we're going to use our beauty to charm monsters."
It was surprising to hear something like that from April.
But she wasn't wrong.
What use was 'beauty' in a dungeon where one mistake could cost you your life?
I lowered my head in disappointment.
"......However."
"...?"
"Here in Athens, we can properly value your crafting skills. We aren't fools who disregard aesthetic value."
"Ahahaha..."
So the conversation was heading this way after all.
Yes, I knew she had no intention of giving up easily. Perhaps today's sudden invitation was another attempt to recruit me once more.
But that wouldn't do.
If I joined Athens, my interactions with Vincent would nearly cease.
Besides, nothing in this world came for free. I had to remember that sweet offers came with a price to match.
I gently shook my head and opened my mouth.
"Sis. I really..."
"Ah! The food is here. This is a place nobles from outside come to in person. You can look forward to it."
“Excuse me,”
“Ah—I haven't been here in a while either, so I'm looking forward to it!”
Wow, seriously…!
"Haha... It looks deliciou—"
"Did you bite your tongue? Nobles have to pay attention to their diction, too. Be careful."
"......"
She was doing this knowing I'd bristled.
Even though we'd only known each other's faces for about a day, I could now somewhat see through the way she pretended not to know while playing innocent.
Thinking there was no point arguing, I sighed and picked up my chopsticks.
Two pieces of sushi were neatly arranged on the plate before me.
.....Sushi?
I'd eaten plenty of this sort of thing outside, too.
"Mmm, I'll enjoy the meal."
'......!'
"Oh, ooh..."
"How is it? It doesn't even feel like you ate anything, does it?"
"What is this…?"
It melts in my mouth...! It slides down my throat so smoothly I feel as though I haven't even chewed it.
An exquisite harmony of incredibly refined flavor and seasoning!
'This is insane. It's so delicious!'
I stuffed the remaining piece on the plate into my mouth and thought,
"What have I..."
"Yes?"
What had I been eating all this time?
Was this the difference between ordinary people and nobles?
Even when I was doing well, I'd visited fairly upscale restaurants, but I'd never tasted anything like this anywhere.
The happiness on my tongue sent my soul flying, and April cautiously began to speak.
"There are plenty of other delicious things here. So, how about joining our Athens..."
"No."
"......"
Did she really think I was a ten-year-old brat?
Even so, trying to lure someone with nothing but food...
April had probably seen my emotional side and devised this plan, but she'd miscalculated.
'Though having experienced this whole new world means things will be painful from here on out...'
"As I keep telling you, I have no intention of joining any one faction. Trying to win me over with food like this won't wo—slurp."
"......More food is coming, so eat slowly."
April handed me a tissue as I drooled with a solemn expression.
She opened and closed her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but soon let out a small sigh and shook her head.
I avoided her gaze and wiped my mouth.
......Damn. I completely lost my dignity.
Why wouldn't this body's blasted instincts just cooperate with me?
"Ahem...! So, is this the only reason you brought me here?"
"Of course not. Could everyone step out for a moment?"
At April's request, the attendants and restaurant staff filed out in perfect unison.
She watched the door close behind the last person, then spoke.
"I want you to make an item for me."
"An item...?"
April nodded.
"The Hunter Academy entrance ceremony is coming up soon, isn't it? My younger sibling is transferring into the same year as you this time. So I need a masterpiece that won't be outdone by anyone around us—especially the Chinese families. Can you do it?"
"......China?"
***
After my meal with April ended.
For some reason, I found the situation amusing, and I threw myself into the rest of my schedule with gusto.
'So... that April was humiliated?'
Apparently, after graduating middle school last year, she'd experienced something akin to an item-showing-off contest at the Hunter Academy.
She wouldn't tell me the details because thinking about it made her angry, but I could at least piece together the general circumstances.
The family she mentioned was 'Haiyan.' From my perspective, I wasn't even sure whether I'd heard of the family before...
Judging by the way she spoke, though, it seemed to be fairly large.
……I also felt awkward about simply taking the 100 million won.
So, thinking the timing was perfect, I readily accepted the commission.
I compared and analyzed the items April had commissioned against the materials in the shop until dawn, then went to sleep.
The next morning, as soon as I woke up, I said to Han Jihye,
"Ms. Jihye. I'm sorry, but I'll give Ms. Anna-ri one more chance."
"Pardon? Ah... Understood. Come to think of it, she canceled her vacation, too."
"Yes, yes. She's showing some remorse, and, more importantly, something urgent came up."
Han Jihye tilted her head.
She looked curious about the situation, but her expression said she couldn't bring herself to ask.
So I told her about April's commission, and she smiled wryly and agreed without complaint.
Perhaps because she'd once been a childcare tutor for Douglas Kim's children, she seemed to understand the situation at once.
"But... Ms. Jihye."
"Yes, Lady Raebi."
"No matter how elite you are, you know far too much. How long did you work for 'Douglas Kim'?"
"......"
Han Jihye did not answer. She merely smiled silently.
Though she didn't say so directly, I somehow felt I understood what that smile meant.
......It must have been quite a long time. Definitely.
"That was an unnecessary question. Could you go bring Ms. Anna-ri in?"
"Understood."
And so she called in Anna-ri, who had been waiting outside the door. As soon as she entered, I immediately offered her a seat.
But Anna-ri fidgeted restlessly, unable to bring herself to sit.
Seeing her furtively glance outside, I informed her quietly,
"Ms. Anna-ri, if you don't sit down right now, I'll put you on leave."
"Ah...! I'm sorry!"
Only then did she hurriedly sit down. But something still seemed to be bothering her, and she spoke hesitantly.
"But... Ms. Hana is waiting outside because she has to teach a lesson..."
"I have something to say about that, too. Ms. Anna-ri, for the next six days, you'll be consulting with me like this."
"Pardon...?"
Making an item takes a considerable amount of time.
So I had to cut the least necessary appointment from my current schedule, and without a doubt, that would be my morning lessons with Kang Hana.
I wanted to persuade her directly if possible, but if I tried, she would surely reject me by saying, 'That's unnecessary.'
There was only one way to break through that stubborn personality.
'Emotion.'
I felt uneasy about exploiting her pure and delicate feelings... but I'd already accepted the commission. What else could I do?
"Ms. Anna-ri, take this."
"What is it...?"
Anna-ri asked as she accepted the necklace I held out.
I answered with a smile full of ulterior motives.
"I made it last night. You've had a hard time in your own way, and I also felt I'd been a little too harsh."
"......Are you giving it to me?"
“Yes. It's an item with quite a lot of mana flowing through it, so ordinary people can't use it.”
“……”
Anna-ri lowered her head.
Apparently unable even to think about putting on the necklace, she gripped it tightly and began shedding big, fat tears.
She lifted her head briefly as if to say something, but soon lowered it again with a choked ‘sniff.’
I rose and approached her, then held out my hand and took the necklace from her. I put it around her neck myself.
"Ah...!"
"It's all right, so hold still."
......Actually, I'm getting emotional too.
At first, my intent had been wicked: to buy her feelings with an item. But seeing her cry so pitifully made something surge in my chest.
‘See? This is what happens when you get jealous… Tsk, tsk.’
I patted her and got a promise that she wouldn't do it again, then brought up the real issue: I wanted her to buy me some time by sitting here and consulting with me from now on.
But after listening quietly, she squeezed her eyes shut and said,
"......I can't."
"Pardon?"
"I've made up my mind. I'm going to stand by Lady Raebi to the very end."
"Ah, yes... Thank you?"
"I'll do anything else you ask. But skipping lessons is out of the question. That wouldn't be for Lady Raebi's sake."
......!
"Ah, well, Ms. Anna-ri."
"I'm sorry. Even if it gets me fired, I have to report this. Please forgive me... Sis!!"
"M-Ms. Anna-ri!!!"
You little punk!!!!!
......I learned something that day.
Too much of anything is bad.
In the end, I faced Kang Hana, who entered with a chilling smile, and formally apologized to her.
It was only after earnestly asking her to adjust my schedule that I managed to secure some free time.
'I'll never go overboard again!'
Ding-
[Acquired support skill 'Fine Control'.]
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With even more restrained hand movements,
you analyze and enhance items.
(Passive)
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Quality bonus +15%
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