Chapter 77

This is a short story consisting of three parts. The new chapter of the main story is scheduled to begin from tomorrow.

≪ Bara's Chapter ≫

The taste was hard to discern. Not that it was indistinct, but rather it was a flavor she had never experienced before. Of course, she found it delicious, and she could feel her body rejoicing in it.

She never thought she would experience the cuisine of the castle.

...After parting with Ein last night, she arrived at the castle in the capital with Katima, and some time had passed.

As Warren had said, they first had a meal together. Bara was greatly relieved that she wasn't left alone with Mei, and that Katima and Dil were there with them.

"Mei, here, eat this too, nya."

"What is this? ...It's sweet!?"

She was especially grateful to Katima. They had been orphans in the slums, and Katima had been kind to Mei, which made Bara incredibly happy.

During the meal, she was often spoken to by Mei, who seemed delighted.

"Um, um... Lady Katima? We, we can't possibly repay you for such a delicious meal..."

"Bara can do plenty in the future, nya. ...Even if something happens, it's just a meal, so don't worry about it, nya."

It wasn't just one meal... After all, they had stayed at Isto and received meals there as well. They had even used the bath, and the feeling of gratitude only grew.

"But..."

"As an Ishtrika, I'm working to reduce the number of orphans, nya. But I haven't been able to achieve results, which I feel is a failure as a royal, nya. That's why I truly believe we should provide such assistance, nya."

As if sensing Bara's feelings, Katima spoke seriously.

"From now on, nya. I promise to improve things, nya. ...As someone in a position of authority, these words might be inappropriate, but for now, I want you to think that you had good luck, nya."

It was undeniable that they had good luck. It was a matter of chance that they wandered into Ein, who happened to hear Mei's scream and came to their rescue.

Thinking about it, it could be said that they had quite a bit of good fortune.

"...Yes, I understand."

Mei was genuinely happy, and being able to eat a full meal was a real fact. If her precious little sister, whom she cherished the most, was happy, then that was the most important thing.

"Martha! Martha, are you there, nya!?"

As Bara was deeply considering matters, Katima suddenly called out to Martha.

"Of course, Lady Katima. Please try not to shout so loudly."

"I made sure it could be heard, nya. ...Now that we've finished eating, it's time to go, nya. Can I leave Mei with you, nya?"

They had been able to rest for a while. Immediately, they would go to Warren to confirm something about Bara. It was the degree of her healing ability.

"I understand. ...Come on, Mei. Let's play and wait, okay?"

She knew she wasn't old enough to be called "big sister," but she didn't want to be called "aunt," so she used "I" as a way to express Martha's feelings.

"Big sister...?"

"Big sister has to work now. So, let's play and wait, okay?"

Martha's words seemed to make Mei a bit anxious, and she turned her gaze toward Bara.

"Just wait a bit, Mei. I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Um... Okay! I'll wait like always!"

Then, Bara headed to Warren with Katima.

— During this time, Mei became interested in Martha's maid attire while playing with her.

Martha, at Mei's insistence, demonstrated how to pour tea, which she usually did as a server. Enchanted by this, Mei decided to stick with Martha for the next few days. Martha, giving in, accepted Mei as her apprentice. ...From that day on, Mei took her first step as a server, determined to surpass her master.

*

Unexpectedly, the check by Warren and the experts was completed quickly. After all, they only needed to see the results of the treatment.

"Thank you for the demonstration."

"Yes. Based on our judgment, we will give her a second-class rating."

"Hmm... A second-class rating, I see. So, she can heal injuries that aren't life-threatening?"

The two experts reported their results to Warren. In front of them were Bara, who was nervous, and Katima, who looked excited.

"Prime Minister, a second-class rating means she can heal any illness except those that are life-threatening. Of course, this is within the limits of her magical power..."

"Compared to a first-class rating, she won't have immediate results when healing life-threatening illnesses or injuries of a similar nature. Continuous care will be necessary. ...Also, there are some special injuries caused by monsters that she might not be able to heal."

"That's fine. We should be grateful to Lord Ein."

After explaining, the two experts left the room with the prepared injured person. They would now compile detailed reports.

"Well, Lord Bara. Thank you for the demonstration."

"It's, it's just something I've always done... It's not that impressive..."

"Hmm. It's a loss when someone who doesn't understand the value makes a judgment... Don't you think so, Lady Katima?"

"That's right, nya. I'm not saying that talented people have obligations, but they should receive compensation that matches their abilities, nya."

Both seemed satisfied, but Bara still didn't understand the situation. Why was she being praised so much? It was something she had always done... She was thinking.

"Lord Bara, the job is as a dedicated healer at the castle. How about it?"

"...!?"

Work at the castle? She had never even considered it, let alone thought that someone like her, who was lowly, should stay at the castle for a long time. Such thoughts were swirling in Bara's mind.

Shocked by the words, Bara's body froze like ice. Seeing this, Katima spoke to follow up.

"...Is it okay if I speak, nya?"

"Yes, yes... It might be better if you do. Please, Lady Katima."

"Then, right away. ...Bara, I enjoyed being with you and Mei, nya. Wasn't it the same for you, nya?"

"No, no... It couldn't have been boring!"

Smirking, Katima continued.

"I promise to let Mei eat her fill and live in a proper house. Of course, the same goes for Bara. ...And you'll receive a proper salary, nya. So, would you consider taking this job, nya?"

There was no lie in these words. The fact that she had enjoyed being with the two was also genuine. Katima, who had taken a liking to Mei, personally wanted her to accept this offer.

"Is there a job I can do...?"

"There's a job that only Bara can do, nya."

Katima looked at her with strong, earnest eyes. It had been a long time since she had been looked at with such sincere eyes. ...The strong eyes of her deceased mother. She felt the same from Katima.

"...I, I want Mei to eat her fill. And I don't want to sleep in the cold anymore..."

"For Mei, for Mei. That's what you've always thought, but you've reached your limit, haven't you? Katima's words were the trigger, and Bara couldn't help but shed tears. Every day had been unbearably difficult, and she had wanted someone to help her. There was no lie in that feeling.

"Well, Bara, I'm sorry to make you feel bad, nya, but..."

"...I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"It's fine, nya. But there's one more important thing to discuss, nya."

What could be the important matter? But if she could eat properly and sleep in a warm place, then anything else was fine. She even felt that way.

"Warren! It's about the salary, nya!"

"Haha... That's right, Lord Bara. Let's talk about the salary."

"...Huh?"

"Because. Salary, nya! We're not that lowly to make you work for free, nya!"

"Really, I can receive a salary...?"

Honestly, while it might be rude to Katima, she hadn't really thought she would receive a salary. So, she was half happy and half surprised.

"Of course, nya! How rude... Really, nya! Warren, explain the salary, nya!"

"...So, let me explain. For the first year, how about 9 copper coins per month as a starting salary?"

9 copper coins equal 9,000G. Considering her previous life, this was more than enough. In fact, it was incredibly generous.

"Warren, that's hard to understand, nya."

"Ah... I apologize, Lord Bara. 9 Ishhtar gold coins will be given to you each month. That's the salary."

"Ishhtar gold coins...? I'm sorry, I only know about copper coins..."

Having lived in the slums, she had knowledge but no idea of the actual value.

"One Ishhtar gold coin is 100,000G, so 9 coins are 900,000G. It will increase next year. I hope you work hard, nya."

"9... 900,000G!? What is that? The national budget!?"

She had never seen such a large sum of money. It was a terrifying amount, and Bara couldn't hide her shock.

"If the national budget were that, the country wouldn't last a minute, nya..."

"By the way, if you prefer, we can provide a room in the castle. In that case, meals will be included, so your take-home pay will be around 500,000G... Of course, the bath and other facilities are also available."

"Please, I'll take that option!"

Normally, a room in the castle with three meals included, and 500,000G was too cheap. But considering the environment and Mei's safety, there was no better option. Finding a place to rent on her own would be difficult. Thinking this, Bara made a quick decision, putting aside her pride.

"Then, please use the room you were in earlier. You can move your belongings as you like. Mei's meals will be prepared by the castle's servers at the appropriate times. If your break time matches, you can eat with Mei in your room."

Bara, overwhelmed by the generous offer, couldn't close her mouth. Katima, seeing her face, started laughing.

"Nyahaha! Well then, how about starting work tomorrow, nya?"

"Of course! I'm ready to start now..."

"That's perfect. There are a few things I need you to understand about living in the castle. I'll explain them today."

At first, it was a struggle to remember everything, but compared to life in the slums, everything was like heaven. Bara worked hard.

...But a few days later. After finishing work and returning to her room, Bara saw a surprising scene. It was Mei, dressed in a maid's uniform, being instructed by Martha. When she asked, Mei proudly said, "I became Martha's apprentice!"

Hearing this, Bara felt the biggest surprise she had ever experienced. ...And so, Bara's new life began in a lively manner.

*

≪ The Glaciar Family Chapter ≫

Dil returned to the capital as Katima's guard, a day earlier than Ein. Originally, he was supposed to return immediately, but considering Bara and Mei, it was better to stay. So, Dil didn't return to the magic city.

But still, one's own home is a place of comfort.

Thinking of it as a rare day off, Dil spent his time leisurely. But finally, the day when his lord, Ein, returned to the capital arrived. The night before, Dil was quite busy preparing for the return of the Crown Prince.

By now, Ein must be on the train, he thought. This thought made Dil's resolve tighten again.

"I'm back."

It was late at night when he finally returned home. It seemed he was the last to return, and his father, Lloyd, and mother, Martha, were already relaxing in the living room.

"Welcome back, Dil. Have you finished the preparations for tomorrow?"

"Yes, Mother. It was mainly about security checks and fine-tuning."

Even though it took until after midnight, Martha, who understood the situation of working at the castle, nodded.

"What about dinner?"

"If you have any left, I'll take it, Mother."

"Of course, I've kept some. Sit and wait."

Martha, who held the position of a first-class server, one rank below the head server, often made the family's meals herself. It might be her pride or a habit.

The Glaciar family's mansion had many servants, but they had long given up on Martha making her own meals. ...Recently, it had even become a requirement in job listings to be aware of this.

"You're back, Dil. Tomorrow is the day Lord Ein returns. Don't let your guard down and work hard."

"Of course, Father. As a guard apprentice to Lord Ein, I can't afford to make mistakes."

"Hey, you! Stop talking about work as soon as you get home. Haven't I told you that enough?"

Martha, who was preparing Dil's meal, scolded him. Even a man who served as the former marshal and current personal guard to the King of Ishtrika, was no match for his wife at home.

"I was just about to say welcome back...!"

"Ah, ah, okay!"

Dil smiled without a word. This side of Lloyd was something the public would never see. He couldn't help but think about that.

"Hmm, I made a mistake in the stitching..."

"Father? What are you sewing...?"

Sitting on the sofa, Lloyd skillfully moved his fingers. Seeing this, Dil asked what he was sewing.

"This? This is Mei's server uniform. Martha asked me, so I'm making a new one."

"Blade King" was Lloyd's job. It was a title that only one person in Ishtrika currently held, proving he was the strongest among swordsmen.

Lloyd, with his large upper body and thick fingers, skillfully created a beautiful server uniform. For him, who was born with skills in embroidery, sewing, and knitting, it was no trouble at all.

He even showed off his exquisite clothing skills, which even the first-class server, Martha, would envy.

"Has Mother ever taken on an apprentice?"

"No, but for some reason, Martha seems quite excited. Look, this fabric is quite thick and durable. She bought it with her own money."

Indeed, the fabric was thick and sturdy.

By the way, Martha had already obtained permission from the head server. So, Mei would officially work as a server apprentice under Martha.

"She's in her growth period, so a sturdy one is better."

"Yes, ...By the way, Dil. I fixed the frayed part of your knight's uniform. It's in front of your room, so check it later."

"Thank you. I won't embarrass myself in front of Lord Ein tomorrow."

"Indeed, it's important."

While they were talking, Martha brought Dil's meal on a large tray.

"Dil, I'm sorry to keep you waiting... Oh, you were looking at that."

"I heard it was Mei's server uniform."

"Yes. She's working hard, so I had to prepare it for her."

"Haha, I see. ...By the way, how is Mei doing?"

Mei, who had been in the slums until recently, how was she doing with this kind of work? Dil couldn't help but worry. But it seemed his worry was unfounded, as Martha's words eased his concerns.

"She's working hard, so she'll be fine. Her manners and posture still need work, but those can be learned later."

"That's good. By the way, I heard she said she would surpass Mother."

"Isn't she cute? I always wanted a daughter, so I'm actually quite happy."

"We didn't have children, did we? I don't want to say it too much, but Dil was the only one we could manage. We tried for a second one... but it didn't work out. I'm not pessimistic about it, but I did think about what it would be like if we had a second child."

"Maybe it was just right then. So, is there a chance she could surpass Mother?"

"Who knows? I'm going to be the head server, so I won't give up that position until I die."

The current head server mainly worked for the Queen, Lalura, in her room. So, Martha would eventually become the head server. Thinking about this, she had no intention of giving up anything to her apprentice.

"Haha! That's great, Dil. You said you would surpass me, and Mei is the same, right?"

"Father, then it's a good opportunity. I wanted to loosen up before Lord Ein's return. How about it? Father, take a break and let's have a good sweat together."

"Hmm... That sounds good. Martha! From now on, Dil and I will..."

Dil wanted to get his body used to fighting with his father, Lloyd, to prepare for emergencies