After rescuing Vanessa and returning her safely, Tina stayed in the city for several more days, continuously lodging at Vanessa’s home.
Although Vanessa and her father didn’t mind her freeloading—on the contrary, they were even eager for Tina to stay longer and develop a deeper relationship with the young lady—
Tina always felt uneasy about overstaying her welcome just on the strength of being a lifesaver.
Besides, she was someone who wanted to travel far and wide in search of opportunities, not be trapped forever in such a small world.
She had her goals: to cure her illness and to replenish her energy fully before the next simulation.
“Once the auction ends and I confirm Leah is safe, I’ll leave this place.”
That was her decision.
For now, though, she still needed to find a temporary job to make ends meet or at least to pass the time.
After countless unsuccessful attempts to persuade Tina otherwise, Vanessa recommended a rather suitable job:
working as a maid in a café.
At first, you might find it absurd—why would there be such a thing as a café in this kingdom?
But after Vanessa explained, Tina understood.
Valencia was a gathering place for countless wizards, and these wizards spent their days locked indoors, researching potions.
Over time, they became shut-ins—reclusive and isolated.
Forget about socializing; even exposure to sunlight would cleanse them with its brightness, causing them to collapse on the spot.
For these repressed, gloomy shut-ins, what was more important than potions?
Of course, it was the companionship they dared not even imagine.
Sigh, dreaming again—imagining that someone who never goes outside, doesn’t socialize, has no skills, and spends every day idly fantasizing suddenly has a black-haired, long-straight, thunderous big sister-type girl approach them shyly and say, “Little brother, I’ve liked you for a long time.”
Then gently bringing them all kinds of rare materials they want, giving them endless funds.
After the rice is cooked, blushing, she says, “Let’s brew potions together for a lifetime.”
Of course, all of the above is just fantasy.
In reality, it’s impossible—if it did happen, it wouldn’t happen to them.
But for a similar experience, one could come to the café, customize the type they like, pay, and enjoy a brief shining moment.
This was the very reason Valencia had such a special place.
Serving shut-ins, profiting off shut-ins.
Although Irene wasn’t supportive of this kind of work.
“Don’t you think it’s shameful?”
“How could it be? It’s just serving drinks and accompanying customers.
What can those people who can’t even form complete sentences do to me?
Besides, if anyone has bad intentions, I can instantly use my practiced technique to turn that person into a girl.”
In terms of irreversible transformations, Tina was quite authoritative.
“Enough, enough, it’s time to start work today.”
Tina said goodbye to Irene and ran all the way to the café.
There was a good crowd today—no slacking off; even being a second late would mean a salary deduction.
To avoid being exposed, she had already drunk the Transformation Potion before coming and changed her name.
Now she was “Tina,” a blue-haired maid carrying a huge treasure chest, unrecognizable to anyone.
Unless that person was extremely close to her—which Tina thought was unlikely.
First, that person probably hadn’t arrived in Valencia yet; second, they wouldn’t intentionally come to such a place; even if they did, it wouldn’t necessarily be this café.
Even if they did come here, Tina could just hide like a timid lizard.
It couldn’t be so coincidental that someone from upstairs would recognize her, right?
Impossible. Absolutely impossible.
“Miss Tina, come upstairs with the food! The customers are waiting,” the café manager interrupted her thoughts.
“Oh, coming right up!”
***
Meanwhile.
After confirming that Tina had been to Valencia, Leah immediately asked the Grand Sage to accelerate the carriage, arriving in the city a day earlier than expected.
She had to make the most of this rare chance to leave the palace and turn this land upside down.
Otherwise, she didn’t know when she’d get another chance.
“Actually, Your Majesty, I don’t think you need to be so anxious.
After all, that woman was only seen in the past; it doesn’t mean Tina is still in the city now,” the Grand Sage continued to advise, exhausted after using acceleration magic for a whole day and night.
“I don’t care. Whether she’s here or not, I have to look for her.”
Seeing Leah’s stubbornness, the Grand Sage had nothing more to say and could only comply.
“So, Your Majesty, what would you like us to do?”
“You both go to the Investigation Bureau and see if there’s any news of her.
I’ll do the field investigation myself, going door to door.”
After showing her identification, the carriage smoothly entered the city.
The Grand Sage got off temporarily, parting ways with Leah, who then took the portrait and knocked on every passing household’s door.
From noon to almost dusk, Leah’s legs were on the verge of giving out, but she still couldn’t get any useful information.
Most people said they didn’t know her; those who found her vaguely familiar said they’d only seen her a long time ago, looking gravely ill and near death.
Now, they said, she was probably long buried beneath a thick layer of grass.
Walking the noisy streets, Leah felt lost.
Gravely ill? Was she still alive in this world?
Or had she been wasting her efforts all along, searching for someone already dead?
Distracted and forlorn, Leah passed by a café.
The maids inside were warm and welcoming, reminding her of the times she had shared with Tina.
Once upon a time, they were bound together by these very uniforms, overcoming difficulties side by side and nearly reaching a happy ending.
“A little tired. I’ll go inside to rest.”
Her legs moved involuntarily as she stepped into the café.
The customers here were unlike Leah—mostly greasy men who had never seen the world, with tangled hair and scruffy beards.
She didn’t even want to glance at them.
The manager noticed this unusual guest and approached with a bright smile.
“Miss, is there anything I can assist you with?”
“I’m just here to rest. You can send some people over at random.”
“Ah, right away.”
It was the first time the manager had seen someone dressed so elegantly visit such an establishment, especially a young woman without any worldly desires.
“The maids standing over there are currently free; please take a look…”
Leah glanced over but saw only employees dressed provocatively, working reluctantly just to survive, showing no enthusiasm for their services.
Just as she was about to dismiss them casually, Leah’s eyes caught a glimpse of something blue disappearing behind a nearby table.
“?”
Suspicious and sneaky—could it be an assassin?
Leah immediately stood up alert, preparing a spell in her hand.
Seeing this, the manager quickly pulled the blue-haired figure out from under the table.
“Why are you hiding? If you keep hiding, I’ll send you to meet God.”
“No, no, that’s not okay! I’d rather come out than go meet God directly,” the girl struggled.
Thud—
Amid their scuffle, Tina accidentally tumbled out and fell right in front of Leah.
“Ah… haha.”
She forced a smile, though the revealing outfit failed to contain the full bloom of her youthful charm.
Leah’s expression twisted strangely as she looked away, letting the girl on the floor get up.
“So, maids can be this beautiful after all.”