episode_0007

poppy. Poppy, poppy… … .

“Miss, what are you thinking like that?”

“Well. What should I do with Sarah in the future? … . Same thing?”

When she said that, Mel’s face lit up. Of course, to other people, it would have looked like the eyebrows were slightly twitching, but to me, it seemed like that.

“Hehe. Mel, even though I’ve stopped talking to you. If you show such joy on your face when talking about Sarah, does it bother me a little? Sera is still my exclusive maid.”

“ugh… … . Sorry.”

Unlike Sarah, Mel had no ill feelings and had never betrayed me, so she just smiled and moved on.

I have no intention of making enemies by provoking you unnecessarily. Now I hate being annoying.

“It’s okay. Because no one has emotions. That should be called a monster, not a person.”

I smiled and entered the clothing store I had already arrived at.

What I saw as soon as I entered the clothing store was the appearance of the owner suffering while looking at the clothes hanging on hangers.

“Mrs?”

The hostess, with her impressive tawny hair and mole around her mouth, turned to me as soon as I called her and began to pour out words with her eyes sparkling in an uncomfortable way.

“Huh? Oh my, oh my oh my. What is this? Lady Charlotte! It arrived just in time. I designed a new dress, but most people can’t even think about it, right? So I was wondering if there was anyone who could try on my dress, so thank you so much for coming by again!”

If nothing else, just listening to a story can make a person tired. Smiling at the way he spoke, which felt pressured in a different way from the matriarch, he folded the umbrella and handed it to Mel, who followed behind him.

“Hehe, Mrs. I understand your excitement, but I didn’t come here to buy a dress today.”

“Ah… … . Yes… … . Just recently, you bought five dresses from the Rochelle family… … . sorry. When the perfect model who wanted me to wear my clothes came through the door, I was so excited that I started talking. Oh hohoho.”

“What is there to be sorry for? I think it’s definitely a good thing to have passion for what you do. Of course, it would be bad if the work you were passionate about was bad. A Mrs.’s job is to make dresses, right? Then there is nothing bad. Shouldn’t we rather be proud?”

When she said that and smiled, the hostess’s eyes sparkled and she took out a handkerchief from her bosom and pretended to wipe her tears.

“Lady… … . Those are such touching words… … . great… … ! I can’t stay still even after hearing such happy words that make my heart tremble. What brought you here today? Evening dress? Party dress? Bustier? Anything is fine! Especially myself! I’ll pick the fabric and do all the sewing to make it for you!”

“Hehe. I understand how you feel, but today I came to get the school uniform to wear at the academy.”

“Is that so… … . It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing we can do. School uniforms are clothes that must be uniform if you are an academy student… … . iced coffee! There is a way! Even if it is the same school uniform, it is inevitable that the material and finish will be different! yes great! Did you say school uniform? Okay, it’s a shame it’s not a dress, but I’ll do my best to make it! Oh, and since you are taller than last time and have grown a lot in various ways, I need to measure your clothes again. Could you come here?”

“Ah, yes.”

Next time, there has to be some way to keep that mouth shut. Hiding those feelings behind a smile, I followed the hostess’ words and went inside the store. She took out a measuring tape, and I sighed inwardly and stretched out my hands to both sides.

“Excuse me. Miss.”

Mel, who followed me, carefully took off the dress I was wearing. I was no longer wearing anything, and the hostess smiled familiarly and began measuring my body.

Chest circumference, waist circumference, hip and shoulder width, arm length, etc. The hostess, who was carefully measuring my body, told me to come back in a month, her eyes shining, and only then was I able to get dressed and leave the clothing store.

How much time was wasted at the clothing store? When I came out, the rain had already stopped.

“Thank you for your hard work. Miss.”

“Thank you Mel.”

I smiled at Mel and looked up at the sky. Although there were dark clouds, bright sunlight was falling between the clouds.

okay… … .The weather was like this the day I was caught by the mob. Along the road you can see, the heads of many corrupt nobles were beheaded. Ladies and ladies like me are in their hands… … .

‘Look! The sky also congratulates us on our victory!!’

“Lady?”

I felt like a voice I heard once was lingering in my ears, so I trembled and looked at Mel who had called me.

“Your complexion is not good. If you’re not feeling well… … .”

“Thank you for your concern. But it’s okay. It’s just that I’m a little tired.”

“… … all right. So where should we take you next?”

“Unfortunately, our shopping ends here. By this time, the coachman will have fixed all the wheels, and more than anything, people will start coming out on the streets.”

Mel nodded and covered her head with a robe.

“Then, I will buy poppies at the flower shop earlier and go back to the mansion first.”

“Okay. Thank you for your hard work following along today.”

Mel bowed her head and hid in the alley. When I took my eyes off him for a moment at the sound I heard from far away, he disappeared.

He’s a really cool kid. With that in mind, I walked towards the carriage.

.

.

.

As I walked, watching people start to come out one by one on the street, and taking in the faces of those who would one day become rioters, I had already arrived at the carriage.

As I expected, the carriage’s wheels had already been repaired, and the coachman was checking to see if the wheels were firmly connected.

“Patrick, are the repairs finished?”

“Ah, are you here, lady? yes. If there had been someone else who knew how to use magic besides me, the repair would have been done a little faster–haha. I’m talking nonsense. Hmm, anyway. Did you enjoy the walk?”

“Hehe, it was a really satisfying walk. On the way, I stopped by a clothing store and got my school uniform, and when I take a walk and see the sky clearing, my mind feels clearer, right?”

“That’s a good thing. Then, can we go back to the duke’s residence now?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Okay. Then raise your hand.”

Also, as I got into the carriage with the coachman’s escort, I saw Sarah sleeping, leaning against the carriage, probably because she was tired from crying.

You sleep really well. It was disgusting for a squire to sleep like this in front of his master, but when I thought that I had become comfortable enough to show him this dirty side of me, it wasn’t that bad.

It’s only 4 years. My revenge hasn’t even begun yet, but you already rely on me this much. I don’t know what I’ll do later. I hummed a song and knocked on the carriage, and the carriage slowly began to move forward.

“Okay then… … .”

Considering that I will enroll in January next year, there are about 6 months left until I enter the academy. What should I do in the meantime?

Originally, I had planned to make Sera completely mine before entering the Academy, use her moderately at the Academy, poison one annoying person, and then throw her away.

The work that made Sarah dependent on me ended earlier than I expected, leaving me with nothing to do. However, the risk is too great to bring forward the next plan… … .

“Umm… … .”

No, if it is difficult to advance the plan, you can make a new plan. Apparently—the head of the household caught the flu during the season change in September of this year. Should I try using that?

There might also be poppies. If you make opium and take it, it will seem like your physical condition is improving due to the analgesic effect, but if you take it consistently for that reason, you will slowly become addicted to the opium and eventually die from the drug.

Sarah is the one who gives the medicine to the head of the family. It would be perfect if I let my younger brother use that dumpster. What’s important is how to realize that plan… … .

If I tell Sarah to make medicine myself, I’m out. That way, when the head of the family dies, the arrow of investigation will come back to me.

“Ah.”

Should he make Mel his younger brother’s exclusive? I may have to wait for the night, but Mel won’t be able to refuse that kind of sacrifice if it comes with a reward that will come later.

That child may not seem like that, but she has a thirst for power just as much as her younger brother. If I were to offer to make her her exclusive maid when she becomes the head of the family later, she would accept it, right? No, wouldn’t it be better to raise it a little higher and give her a maid’s head?

I thought for a moment and shook my head.

No… … . no. Mel is just too precious to be used for something like that.

“Ah, yes. That would be good.”

You can use commoners. As far as I know, that young man at the drugstore is very greedy for money.

If I bribe Mel and give him the opium recipe, I won’t be suspicious even if I later ask Sarah to retrieve the medicine.

Even if things go wrong, it’s okay because the ones who die will be the young man, Sarah, and the younger brother who made the mistake.

What if you had someone else ghostwrite the recipe for making opium, made two copies in advance, hid one in your younger brother’s room, and took one to the young man at the pharmacy?

“Hehe.”

A son who tried to kill his father by turning him into a drug addict out of greed for power, and a young man from a pharmacy who helped him. Sounds fun.

The head of the family is on the verge of death from drugs, and it will take at least four years for the investigation to proceed. It’s perfect because by then I’ll be of the right age to take over the family line.

It’s not perfect, but it’s a reasonably good plan.

“Umm… … . miss… … ?”

“Huh? Did you wake up?”

“Ah… … . ah!? I’m sorry! I did something disgraceful――Aya!!”

Sarah got up from the carriage in surprise, hit her head on the ceiling of the carriage, and fell back down.

“Sera, it’s dangerous to wake up like that in a moving carriage. You have to be careful.”

“Ouch――I’m sorry… … .”

“Really… … . You said you could loosen up a little bit in front of me. How long has it been since you said it and have you already forgotten?”

“No! I remember… … . I’m not used to it yet… … . sorry… … .”

“Then I guess I should tell you until you get used to it.”

He sat down on the edge of the chair, shortened the distance between him and Sarah, and stretched out his arm to stroke Sarah’s head.

“Sera has worked hard so far.”

“Lady… … .”

“So, it’s okay if you loosen up a little in front of me.”

Seeing Sarah’s eyes sparkling as she was touched by my words, I smiled.

okay. It’s okay to loosen up a little.

Because it would be troublesome if you were to be ruined before my plan comes true.