Rathar Lyons’s gaze was ice-cold. The more she looked at her useless daughter, the angrier she became.
In her view, a daughter didn’t need to be outstanding—she only needed to be obedient and well-behaved.
But no matter how hard Ophelia tried to restrain herself to meet Rathar Lyons’s demands, that unruly, defiant look in her eyes still deeply stung this mother…
Rathar Lyons, a daughter of commoners, had married into a noble family back in the day thanks to her obedience and her looks.
Now, even she couldn’t say exactly when that resentment—stung by a daughter born into nobility—had first taken root.
Probably around the time Ophelia blossomed into an elegant young lady, looking more and more like a true noble miss.
On top of that, she was hailed as a Genius Mage.
And in Rathar Lyons’s mind, in this vast world, what use was genius anyway?
Could it defeat the great houses? Could it defeat nobles who commanded private armies and wielded resources ordinary people couldn’t dream of in a lifetime?
If Ophelia had been born during the Lyons Family’s golden age, she might have been the next heir, shining across the Okam Empire and the entire world.
But now, with the family on the brink of collapse, they could no longer afford to support such a genius girl.
Using her to trade for the family’s survival—or even its resurgence—was undoubtedly the best move.
Yet watching Ophelia wrestling with Velis right now, muttering [I’ll definitely kill you] through her teeth, she felt nothing but fury.
Being immature was bad enough, but throwing such a tantrum on top of it?
“Ophelia!”
Rathar Lyons stood up in a rage, then kicked at the golden-haired girl.
But Velis moved faster, blocking Rathar Lyons’s kick, then shoving Ophelia away.
Straightening her slightly rumpled clothes, Velis tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Enough. You saw it yourself, madam. This one’s manners are atrocious, and she’s shown such disrespect toward this Imperial Princess.”
Velis paused, then said with amusement.
“Now, according to the law, at the very least you’d get a hundred lashes, and she’d get three hundred, then both thrown into prison.”
The moment Velis finished speaking, Rathar Lyons turned to glare at Ophelia with an expression that practically screamed she wanted to beat her senseless.
“Y-Your… Your Highness…” She turned back to Velis with a fawning smile. “This child is a bit wild, but she truly does admire you, Your Highness!”
Such a flimsy excuse—only the Velis of the past might have believed it.
In the current Velis’s view, her former self, though rumored to be formidable, had likely been manipulated by others.
And given her preference for women, she’d probably made some inexplicable decisions.
But now?
“Is that so? You saw her wild display just now, madam. Does that look like admiration to you?”
Velis gave no ground, so Rathar Lyons sidestepped and pinched Ophelia hard on the waist.
She shot the golden-haired girl a meaningful look.
Seeing this, Ophelia struggled fiercely within herself, but in the end, she knelt before Velis.
“It’s… it’s true!”
“Your… Your, Your Highness… I… I… I’ve admired you for so long. I… I hope… I hope Your Highness will take pity on my meager charms and take me in!”
Having been brawling with her just moments ago, then groveling so humiliatingly—what a truly delightful scene.
Our Imperial Princess thoroughly enjoyed it.
“What?” Velis cupped her ear. “Too quiet. I didn’t hear a thing.”
“You!”
Ophelia nearly leaped up to fight her again, but she held back in the end.
Now, she had no way out.
“Please take me in, Your Highness! Ophelia Lyons has admired you with all her heart for countless days and nights. I brought my mother here today to earnestly beg Your Highness to accept my feelings!”
Ophelia nearly pressed her forehead to the floor, crying out with tears mixed with humiliation streaming down her face.
Hearing this, Velis stood up and said with a straight face, “Very well then, I suppose I’ll reluctantly take you in—as my personal maid.”
“What!?” Ophelia jerked her head up, not even caring about her tear-streaked face.
She stared at Velis in disbelief.
After all the humiliation she’d endured to beg her, how could she… how could she do this!?
Rathar Lyons grew anxious too. If she was just a maid, word of it would be embarrassing, and they wouldn’t gain much at all.
But before she could speak, Velis had already read her mind and said with a smile, “As it happens, I have an unmined mine in my hands. Is the Lyons Family interested?”
Hearing this, Ophelia froze again.
And Rathar Lyons stood still for a few seconds before joyfully prostrating herself: “Yes, yes, yes! Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!”
She no longer mentioned anything about a maid.
“You fool, hurry up and thank Her Highness!?”
Rathar Lyons pulled Ophelia into continuous kowtows, and only when Velis waved her hand did they stand up.
At that moment, Ophelia’s expression was complicated.
Though the family’s goal was achieved, she couldn’t bring herself to be happy…
Even if she refused to admit it, even if she loathed Velis, deep in her heart, the old Ophelia had harbored a flicker of pride…
Because Velis coveted her beauty and youth—didn’t that mean she had charm?
Even without official recognition, even if the Empire would never acknowledge Velis taking a concubine, at least a private verbal acknowledgment from Velis was still a promise and a symbol.
But now, she was making her a maid!?
Was Velis planning to discard her after toying with her, or had she never taken her seriously in the first place?
At that moment, more than the earlier humiliation, this sudden fall from grace filled Ophelia with bitter resentment toward Velis.
“Alright, I still have matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you, madam. The mine will require preparations and paperwork, so please come in person when the time comes…”
“Haha, of course, of course! I’ll definitely come in person!” Rathar Lyons’s smile was so wide she couldn’t close her mouth.
Velis turned and added, “But you only have the rights of use. How long you can mine depends on this little girl’s performance.”
“If she performs poorly, I can return her at any time.”
Rathar Lyons’s breath hitched: “Your Highness, this… words spoken are like water spilled…”
“What, do you have a problem?” Velis narrowed her eyes.
“N-No, no!” Rathar Lyons backed down instantly, then turned to glare fiercely at Ophelia.
“Ophelia, serve Her Highness well! From this moment on, until the day you die, wherever Her Highness says go east, you don’t go west! Do you hear me!?”
“F-Fine.” Clenching her fists, for some reason, Ophelia instead felt a strange sense of relief.
Both parties brought out parchment, signed the contract, and stamped their seals. The matter was settled.
“Well then, shall I return to make preparations?” With her wish fulfilled, Rathar Lyons tactfully took her leave.
Velis nodded and added, “The Lyons Family knows what to do, right?”
“Of course, please rest assured, Your Highness. Starting today, within my family, Ophelia Lyons sneaked out of the academy and met with misfortune at the hands of bandits. From this world onward, there is only Ophelia Egbert.”
Rathar Lyons’s words pierced Ophelia’s heart, while Velis waved her hand with great satisfaction.
“Like this, it’s better for both of us.”
With that, Rathar Lyons joyfully bowed once more, then left alone—without mentioning taking Ophelia back first, or settling things later at the mine.
With her mother gone, Ophelia’s entire body tensed up.
Watching Velis approach with a wicked smile, she met the other’s gaze directly, her eyes resolute.
“Interesting. Ophelia Egbert, now you’re my maid. Call me master and let me hear it.”
“In your dreams!” Ophelia gritted out.
“Hm?” Velis was displeased. “Not obeying? Do you believe I’ll take it back right now?”
“You!”
Ophelia’s chest heaved violently, and finally, trembling with humiliation, she forced the words out through clenched teeth.
“Mas… Master…”
“Hm, not perfect, but I’ll forgive you this first time. Come on, back to my room with me.”
“Back to your room?” Ophelia grew wary. “It’s still daytime, and didn’t you just say you had matters to attend to?”
“You dare question your master’s decisions?”
“N-No, I wouldn’t dare…”
“Then move it!”