“Lady Aphrodite, it’s time to get up.”
The gentle yet firm call was like a morning bell piercing layers of mist, softly striking at Aphrodite’s deep slumber.
Aphrodite wriggled in the soft bedding, trying to block out the voice disturbing her sweet dream.
Instinctively, she hugged her pillow tighter, burying her face in the cotton, muttering something indistinct, clearly unwilling to wake from her pleasant sleep.
“My Lady.” The voice sounded again, this time slightly louder but still respectful. “It is time to rise.”
At last, there was a bigger stir under the blankets. A fair-skinned arm reached out from beneath the covers, fumbling on the bedside for something, then impatiently waved, as if to shoo away the bothersome call.
A few strands of golden hair slipped out from the edge of the blanket, looking especially striking against the dark sheets.
“Mm… Bella, five more minutes…” Aphrodite’s voice, thick with drowsiness, mumbled indistinctly from deep within the covers.
“My Lady Aphrodite, I am Ayla. Lady Bella is currently not at the mansion.”
This statement finally pierced through Aphrodite’s heavy sleepiness.
She slowly poked her head out from under the blankets, messy golden hair draped over her shoulders, and reluctantly pried her eyelids open to a thin slit.
“Mm…?” Aphrodite uttered a lazy nasal sound, her mind still drifting in the remnants of sleep, all muddled.
It took several seconds before her consciousness slowly unfurled, like a slowly rolling scroll.
She turned her head slightly, burying one cheek even deeper into the soft, fluffy pillow, and muttered, “Is it… morning already?”
Standing by the bedside, the maid Ayla gave a slight bow, her hands elegantly folded before her, and answered in a calm voice, “My Lady, it’s almost noon.”
“Noon…” Aphrodite repeated, blinking, seemingly unable to comprehend the meaning of the word for a moment.
She turned to look outside the window. Sunlight had already filled the windowsill, illuminating the room with clarity and brightness. Only then did she vaguely realize she had once again slept until the sun was high in the sky.
It wasn’t anything new. Ever since she decided to let go of everything about the demons and start her “Retirement Life” in this mansion, Aphrodite’s waking time had grown later with each passing day.
At first, she’d feel a bit guilty about oversleeping, but that soon gave way to the pleasure of not needing to wake early to handle official business.
If Bella hadn’t specifically instructed the maids before leaving the mansion to wake their sleepy master before noon, claiming “too much sleep isn’t good for body or mind,”
If not for that, with Aphrodite’s current disposition, she might well have slept straight until dusk.
Her growing fondness for sleep wasn’t without cause. Once someone is suddenly freed from long-held tension, their body and mind inevitably seek to compensate.
For Aphrodite, who had once toiled endlessly for demon affairs and rarely enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep,
To suddenly lay down her heavy burdens and know she could live the rest of her days at ease—such long-repressed laziness had surged forth like a released flood, manifesting outwardly as an extra fondness for sleep.
Because for her, to be able to sleep in without a care was a luxury she’d never even dared to dream of before.
“Haaa—” Aphrodite opened her mouth wide and let out a long, shapeless yawn, tears welling in her eyes, making her blue irises look all the more dewy.
Like a lazy cat, Aphrodite stretched her limbs in the blankets, joints making soft “crack-crack” sounds, relishing the pleasant feeling of being thoroughly at ease.
Only then did she truly wake up a little, her gaze settling on the patiently waiting maid at her bedside. She gave a casual wave of her hand in greeting, “Morning, Ayla.”
Ayla, the current Head Maid of the mansion, about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, her appearance gentle and pleasant, was among the very first group of employees hired.
She worked diligently and attentively, which was why Bella had hired her again and again.
But that alone wasn’t enough for Bella to trust her so much, making her Head Maid and having her provide personal service when Bella was occasionally absent.
Years ago, when Aphrodite was just an occasional guest here, Ayla had been just an ordinary person from a nearby neighborhood, struggling in poverty.
One night, Ayla was harassed because of her looks and happened to be noticed by Aphrodite, who was out with Bella.
Out of distaste for such behavior and a touch of provoked annoyance, Aphrodite swiftly dealt with those men, unintentionally saving Ayla.
For Aphrodite, it was a trivial matter, but for Ayla, it was a lifesaving grace.
Bella, who had spent a long time in these parts, knew that what truly secured loyalty was not interest, but emotion—cooperation built on benefit could always be broken by changing interests one day.
“You as well, Lady Aphrodite.” Ayla replied smoothly.
She then bent naturally, placing the soft slippers that had somehow been kicked to the floor right at the bedside, making them easy to slip into.
Aphrodite slowly moved to the bed’s edge, her dainty feet feeling for the openings of the slippers.
Ayla immediately stepped forward and, with gentle hands, helped untangle Aphrodite’s long, sleep-tousled golden hair from the collar of her nightgown, carefully holding it up so it wouldn’t get pulled as her mistress moved.
“The washroom is ready for you,” Ayla said softly, holding up the hair, turning slightly to lead the way, always half a step ahead as she accompanied Aphrodite toward the washroom.
Inside the washroom, everything was already set. Water at a comfortable temperature filled a delicate silver basin, with soft towels folded at the side.
Aphrodite sat on a soft stool before the vanity and began a simple morning wash.
Ayla stood behind her, holding a comb, and patiently and carefully worked through Aphrodite’s long, thick golden hair, quickly making it sleek and shiny again.
When the morning routine was done, Ayla took out an Outfit 005.
This had been prepared by Bella before she left—Bella had coordinated several outfits for Aphrodite for each day, thoughtfully numbering each set.
And this, too, was one of Bella’s “small requests”: she hoped Aphrodite would wear the clothes she had prepared each day.
At first, Aphrodite had resisted a bit.
After all, some of those outfits were simply too beautiful, and she couldn’t get used to them all at once—as someone who was once male, she still felt a little out of place in such gorgeous attire.
But Bella always had her ways.
She never forced, just coaxed gently and persuasively, looking at Aphrodite with hopeful eyes.
Like a frog in slowly warming water, after repeated attempts, Aphrodite had gradually grown used to it.
Though she still grumbled softly about some of the styles, if Bella pressed her a couple more times, she would always eventually nod her consent.
Once everything was tidied up, Aphrodite felt much of her lingering laziness dissipate.
She stood up, faced the enormous mirror, and stretched a bit, savoring the relaxed feeling that came from every part of her body.
“Ayla,” Aphrodite turned and looked at Ayla, who stood quietly by, and asked, “Is lunch ready?”
“It’s ready, Lady Aphrodite. Prepared just the way you like.” Ayla answered respectfully.
“Mm.” Aphrodite nodded, thinking for a moment before saying, “Pack a separate portion for me—um, make it light and easy to digest.”
She hesitated, then added, “For two people.”
Ayla didn’t ask why, only bowed gently: “Yes, Lady Aphrodite. I’ll prepare it at once.”
With that, she quietly left the room.
Watching Ayla depart, Aphrodite muttered under her breath, “At this hour, that girl Lia… she’s probably starving by now. I’d better hurry and bring her something to eat.”