“You…”
Ileya looked at the girl before her, whose eyes seemed to shimmer with a vast sea of stars.
She opened her mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Right now, Jenny was like a child waiting for praise… no, or rather, a golden retriever waiting for its owner to pat its head.
“Not bad…”
Ileya smiled helplessly, then reached out and patted Jenny’s head.
That sentence was sincere.
After she entered the city gate, Jenny had already been waiting on the spot.
This meant that not only at the city gate, but even outside the city, there were spies from Jenny’s so-called “Hive,” and they were very hidden—even Amisa and Arthur hadn’t noticed.
But… Ileya narrowed her eyes slightly.
Amisa hadn’t noticed because she had been focusing all her attention on guarding within five meters of her carriage.
But Arthur… that guy hadn’t noticed either.
The young lady, who had discovered this blind spot, didn’t say anything. She just felt the soft forehead rubbing back against her palm.
“Heheh~~ Young Lady, look, this is your Hive’s revenue and account books for the past two months~~”
Boom!!
The moment Jenny finished speaking, a burly man with muscles all over placed a stack of account books in front of the two—taller than the young lady standing on a table.
“Ahem… well, just have a look at these yourself, Jenny. I trust you.”
Ileya coughed twice, then smiled quite gently.
‘Oh dear, you’re just too lazy, aren’t you?’
Holly, standing nearby, silently complained in her heart even though she also deeply respected her young lady.
But… Jenny, sharper than everyone present, didn’t notice that at all. When Ileya said she trusted her, her eyes brightened sharply!
Her excitement made everyone, including Amisa, cast somewhat disdainful looks at their young lady.
It was as if she had promised to feed a little kitten on a rainy day but left it waiting outside the door all night.
“Ahem… well, while I was away, Jenny, besides running the organization, did you do anything else?”
Ileya felt she really wasn’t being a good hands-off boss, so she quickly changed the subject.
“Uh…”
Jenny paused for a moment, then thought for a bit.
“After you left…”
“Besides the organization’s matters, I… just missed you…”
As she spoke, she pulled a small portrait from her bosom.
It was a picture of Ileya with her hand propping up her chin.
After showing her precious treasure to her young lady, Jenny hugged it tightly.
“Every time I get tired, seeing your face gives me endless energy~”
She slowly closed her eyes, holding the portrait to her chest, looking completely satisfied.
Suddenly, Ileya felt the disdainful looks around her intensify… even she, with her thick skin, felt a bit ashamed.
“Is… is that so… uh, okay, when we get back, I’ll give you the large portrait hanging in my bedroom~~ as a reward~~”
Nobles like Ileya usually had a large portrait of themselves in their bedroom.
She felt it was a bit awkward now, and if Jenny liked it, she might as well give it to her.
“Eh?! R… really?!”
For some reason, Ileya felt that Jenny seemed… so excited she was trembling.
“Have I ever lied to you? I’ll have someone bring it over in a bit.”
After chatting a bit more and agreeing to have dinner together tomorrow evening, the young lady got up and left the carriage. The horse trotted toward the Marquis Castle.
Watching the young lady’s carriage gradually disappear from sight until it was no longer visible, Jenny suddenly turned around!
Startling the attendants and maids behind her.
It wasn’t because Jenny’s sudden turn was too abrupt, but because their Queen Bee… was showing such a tense and eager expression for the first time!
“Now… now! Immediately move the chair the Young Lady sat on and the teacup she used to my private residence!!”
“Huh?”
“Now!!”
“Yes… yes! Queen Bee!!”
After a flurry of activity, Jenny dismissed everyone, then pressed a few spots on the bookshelf.
Click, click, click.
With a series of sounds, the entire bookshelf reversed, revealing a secret chamber behind it!
Clearly, simply hiding some boxes and pillows was no longer enough for Jenny.
Now, the “Queen Bee” personally and carefully carried the chair the Young Lady had just sat on into the secret chamber.
At that moment, the candlelight flickered on.
And there…
On the walls of the secret chamber, densely packed, were portraits hanging everywhere.
Every single one was of Ileya, just with different poses or expressions.
On the bed were pillows printed with Ileya in her pajamas, as well as the bedding Ileya had used on the night of the pajama party…
“Young Lady♡…”
The Queen Bee looked at the walls full of portraits, knelt down involuntarily, and pressed her cheek against the cushion of the chair…
Inhale—! Exhale…
This is… it’s the Young Lady’s scent~ Ahhhhh♡♡♡!!
I love the Young Lady the most in the whole wide world♡!!
Jenny slowly raised her head, her eyes completely turned into ♡ shapes, and a meltingly satisfied smile bloomed on her face.
But… gradually, as she looked at the packed walls, she began to worry.
Where should she put the large portrait taken from the Young Lady’s bedroom?
After thinking for a moment, Jenny suddenly looked at the ceiling… her eyes lighting up.
Right… that way, every night before bed, she could see the Young Lady~
Boo hoo!! I’m such a genius!!
Hehehe♡…
……
“Ah… achoo! Achoo!!”
On the way back to the Marquis Castle, Ileya kept sneezing for no apparent reason.
“Is the Young Lady catching a cold?”
Amisa asked with concern, turning her head.
“Huh? Ah… no, it’s probably Mother thinking of me~”
Ileya smiled lightly and waved her hand.
Actually, she was a bit puzzled as to why she kept sneezing… finally attributing it to her mother constantly thinking about her.
Meanwhile, at the Marquis Castle.
“Here~~ Little Lili, open wide~~”
Lady Shudrian smiled as she picked up a pitted cherry with a silver skewer and brought it to Reliel’s lips.
Although… this had happened before, Reliel still wasn’t used to being fed by the Lady like this.
But… if she refused, the Lady would put on a “you’re rejecting me” expression.
That made Reliel feel guilty.
Helpless, she could only open her mouth resignedly and accept Lady Shudrian’s feeding.
Knock, knock, knock…
Just then, the door to the room was suddenly knocked.
“Hmm?”
Lady Shudrian frowned slightly, a little displeased.
Hadn’t she already told Suxi not to let others disturb her?
“Excuse me! Lady~”
A familiar voice came from outside.
Lady Shudrian immediately recognized the voice.
It was Suxi’s daughter, also the personal maid who had grown up with Yaya, Yumina.
“Little Yumina? Come in~”
With Lady Shudrian’s words, the door slowly opened, and the maid with fiery red twintails walked in excitedly.
“Lady! I received a message from Sister Jenny that the Young Lady is back! She’s on her way to the castle now~”
Eh?
Lady Shudrian was momentarily stunned, then instinctively opened the drawer beside her and glanced at the recent letters.
Three days ago: [Young Lady’s carriage speed has increased significantly, estimated arrival in three days.]
Two days ago… one day ago…
Today: [Young Lady is staying at Stream Town… (details of Stream Town’s cause and effect), estimated arrival at Crystal Capital this afternoon.]
Ah… she had been so busy accompanying Lili these past two days that she completely forgot Yaya was coming back…
Oh no… she was supposed to go welcome her dear daughter.
She had been having too much fun with Lili and forgot…
Lady Shudrian scratched her head unconsciously, opened her mouth as if to say something…
“Ahem… well, little Miina~~ I know you miss Yaya a lot, so I’ll leave the task of welcoming the Young Lady to you~~”
“Eh? Ah! Yes, Lady!!”
Yumina immediately jumped up happily, her fiery red twintails seeming to tilt upward with joy.
“Lady, I want to go too.”
Reliel suddenly spoke, looking at Lady Shudrian.
“Ugh! Mmm…”
The twintailed maid glared warily at the little mercenary who had been hanging around the castle these past few days…
They had met before at the slave market, and this girl… had shamelessly followed the Young Lady!
This time, Reliel ignored Lady Shudrian’s pitiful expression.
The Young Lady was her mistress in name, and now that her mistress was returning home, it was only natural for a maid to come out and greet her.
It’s… it’s not because she hasn’t seen her in three days and misses her a bit!
“Sigh~”
‘Truly, once you have a sister, you forget your mother…’
Helpless, Lady Shudrian could only let Reliel go with Yumina.
As the two girls walked out the door, the gazes from their beautiful light blue and orange-red eyes collided in midair!
Sparking fierce flames!
“You… don’t think that by sucking up to the Lady, the Young Lady will like you more! I’m the personal maid who grew up with the Young Lady! I know her much better than some random person who popped up halfway through!!”
Yumina asserted her territory without reservation.
“Mm, but she didn’t take you this time.”
But… Reliel slowly withdrew her gaze and with one sentence made Yumina’s chest feel tight.
This girl… this girl!!
Neither of them spoke after that. Yumina harnessed the carriage, Reliel mounted her horse, and they hurried outside the castle.
Meanwhile, on the mountain road outside the castle, Ileya was a bit puzzled…
Why hadn’t Mother come to greet her this time?
Could it be because she was too busy with official duties?
As Ileya thought this, she saw a carriage and a familiar zombie horse rapidly approaching from afar.
It was understandable that the undead horse could run fast…
But this carriage… kept pace with it without falling behind, even drifting through curves…
This kind of driving skill… no doubt about it!
“Yumina!”
The Young Lady called out instinctively.