Hualí never expected that her Great Plan to Save Money might collapse before it even began.
Until the blood clan girl, Nicole, who radiated an aura of delicate artistry, hesitantly spoke of her desire to stay by Sidella’s side as her mother’s Personal Attendant Maid.
Hualí froze.
“A daughter doesn’t need a salary, and I’m willing to work overtime for free, as long as I can stay by Your Majesty’s side and watch over you…”
Nicole’s eyes were filled with hope, as if what she sought wasn’t just a simple job, but also the very hope that kept her alive.
Crack——!
Hualí bit down on the chip at her mouth, crumbs filling her mouth, but she forgot to chew.
“Wha…What the hell! Isn’t that my job?”
“Your future job~” Sidella added teasingly.
“That’s not the point! The point is, she’s doing the maid work—then what do I do?!”
Hualí shook her little head.
“How is this right in any way?”
Didn’t this mean her Major Undertaking to Save Money was over before it even began?
Without enough money, how could she focus on defeating that hateful Sidella?
And how could she enjoy the Lying Flat Lifestyle every day after that?
“Are you Sister Hualí? I’ve heard about you from Lady Lilith…”
Nicole’s tone was pitiful.
“We can compete fairly.”
“You don’t take a salary, work overtime for free, who could possibly compete with you! No, why are you even raising the bar?!”
“Sister Hualí, what I’m saying is, if you don’t do it, there are plenty of people who want to.”
“Hey, say that again if you dare, you green tea! I swear I’ll flatten you in college!”
How many centuries had it been?
Did she not know that being a job-stealer would get you beaten up these days?
Hualí couldn’t stand her, rolling up her sleeves and getting ready to fight.
“Your Majesty, look at Sister Hualí, acting so violently. Does she look like someone who can serve you?”
“……”
The tension between them was like a barrel of explosives ready to ignite, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.
Sidella had silently watched Hualí’s anxious jumping around, the corners of her mouth lifted.
She only spoke to stop them at the very last moment.
“That’s enough, Hualí.”
Sidella made a decision no one could have anticipated.
“Give Nicole a chance to try. After all, she is my ‘daughter’~”
***
Goat Tavern at the center of Demon King Castle Aisaridu.
Bang——!
The wooden tankard slammed heavily onto the oily table, making a dull sound.
The ale inside shook violently, as if trying to pour out all the gloom in her heart.
Hualí was deeply pained.
Sidella had handed over the position that should have belonged to her to some random green tea who’d suddenly appeared.
“That despicable Sidella, she must have had her soul lured away! Ugh! Shameless!”
Had all her previous suffering been for nothing?
Hualí suddenly felt like an office worker forced to endure her boss’s unspoken rules, sacrificing her body just to earn a promotion and job security.
She’d finally found a chance to make big money.
Frankly, it was no exaggeration to say she’d traded her own precious self for it!
Yet in the end, all she’d received was Sidella’s empty promises—a big, fake pancake—and this only made Hualí more determined to leave Demon King Castle Aisaridu once she’d saved enough.
“All she does is take advantage of me… Wuwuwu… Sidella, you bastard… Ugh…”
“Sigh, maybe Her Majesty is just playing hard to get? Hualí, don’t be too upset.”
Beside Hualí, the Dragon Princess Lilith frowned in sympathy.
She suddenly regretted moving too slowly when eliminating Sardin Marquis’ kin, letting Nicole reveal herself as the Blood Queen’s daughter.
Letting her survive.
“If anyone could become Her Majesty’s Personal Attendant Maid, Sidella wouldn’t have kept you around all this time.”
“Do you really think so?”
Hualí wiped her tears, her voice choked.
“But that girl really does seem to be Sidella’s daughter… Was she seducing people before, too?”
Recalling Sidella’s utterly shameless demeanor, Hualí found it all too likely.
“Uh…”
Lilith hesitated.
“I don’t know, but probably not.”
Lilith tried to steer the conversation away.
“I think the top priority is to kick that girl who stole your position out!”
“Lilith, do you have any ideas?”
Hualí sniffled pitifully.
Lilith leaned close to Hualí’s ear and lowered her voice.
“Anyone who tries so hard to stay by Her Majesty’s side must have a hidden motive. Since she stole your position, all we have to do is make her mess up when serving Her Majesty. We’ll just…”
As Lilith outlined her plan, Hualí nodded enthusiastically.
“Whoa, Lilith, you’re a genius!”
***
At dawn the next morning, Hualí sprang out of bed.
She quickly dressed and ran out without even washing up, heading straight for the kitchen as planned.
She just so happened to catch Nicole, now officially the Personal Attendant Maid, preparing breakfast for Sidella.
“If you lost your memory, how do you still know how to measure seasonings for cooking? That’s so weird~”
Hualí naturally approached Nicole, peeking into the frying pan.
Inside, a small, palm-sized fried egg sizzled with a tempting aroma, making Hualí’s mouth water.
But she still forced herself to sound tough.
“You’re really serving this to the Demon Queen for breakfast? Aren’t you afraid you’ll lose your head?”
Nicole stiffened.
Why was this annoying girl here?
She clenched her fists and forced a polite smile.
“Some basic life skills are ingrained in the body. They’re hard to forget.”
“Oh~”
Hualí stroked her chin and asked bluntly.
“So, do you have some ulterior motive for wanting to stay by Sidella’s side? Lilith told me you were locked up by Sardin Marquis’ kin in a dark basement before.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
Nicole replied blandly, still tending to the eggs.
“If you’re asking about my past, I’m sorry, but I’ve lost all memories before then.”
She lowered the stove flame and shifted the topic.
“If there’s nothing else, could you please leave, Sister Hualí? As Her Majesty’s ‘Personal Attendant Maid,’ I’m very busy, which is different from your ‘General Maid’ duties.”
She deliberately emphasized the distinction between the two titles, a hint of mockery in her eyes.
What qualifications did Hualí, a mere human, have to compete with her, the daughter of the Queen?
Pathetic.
“Lame!”
Hualí wiggled her finger.
“Don’t think I’m that bad! I’m a good girl. I got up early just to remind you of a few things to be careful about when serving Her Majesty. I totally have no intention of making you mess up~”
Successfully convincing herself, Hualí nodded in self-affirmation.
“Really? Are you really that kind?”
Nicole looked suspicious.
She felt the other’s words were strange, somehow.
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