“…I’m fine.”

“Really? Even though I was going to eat strawberry cake?”

Just to note, the strawberry cake was Marie’s favorite dessert.

“…I’m alright. I don’t want to eat it.”

Oh my?

Let’s see how much she can resist.

“I was going to go to the Mayen Pasta Restaurant? I’m going to eat seafood tomato pasta.”

Flinch. Marie’s body swayed.

I threw another blow.

“I’ll order pizza as well. A pizza with bacon, potatoes, and lots of cheese.”

Flinch. Flinch. Those were all Marie’s favorite foods.

I smiled, albeit a little wickedly.

“I’ll have strawberry juice on the way back as well. But what should I do? Since Marie’s not coming with me, I’ll have to eat by myself? How delicious, yum yum.”

“Wahhh! You’re being too much, milady!”

In the end, Marie waved a white flag and rushed over to me like a puppy.

I stroked Marie’s brown hair and said.

“There’s no need for you to worry too much. I’ll do well myself.”

“… But I end up worrying.”

I made a calm expression.

Why was it? Whenever I looked at Marie, I remembered my last life’s servant, ‘Rue’.

[How could I not worry? Not when you seem like a child who’s been abandoned on the streets. In any case, I don’t think my reputation will survive because of you.]

I hurriedly erased the memory of ‘Rue’ that faintly reappeared in my head and tried to smile.

“Let’s hurry. I’m hungry, so let’s eat a lot of delicious food.”

But Marie said with a worried face.

“But, milady, we have no money?”

“What?”

“We only have 20 cena left. Is there a place where we can earn some more money?”

I closed my mouth at the unexpected turn of the situation. Now that I think about it, it was about time we ran low on funds.

“Then, how have you been living?”

Though Renault Academy provided meals, it was solely for their students.

In the case of servants like Marie, they had to figure out their meals with their own money.

“That’s… With the leftover bread.”

Marie murmured.

‘Oh, my bad.’

I let out a loud sigh. That kind girl had run out of money but hadn’t been able to say a word to me, so she had starved.

This kind of problem was something that I, the mistress, should have paid attention to. I felt very guilty.

“I’m sorry.”

“Hm? Ah, no. I’m alright! I love bread very much.”

I stood up from my seat. No matter how much I loved being lazy, this was not a time to be laying down.

“Marie, do you know one of the things I hate the most?”

“…What is it?”

“It is for my people to live in destitution.”

That’s right, anyone I had taken as my person ought to be wealthy. That was what I desired.

“I wish for you to eat well, dress well, and live well. No, you have every right to do so.”

At my words, Marie looked lost.

“No, I’m alright. I’m happy just being next to milady….”

However, I shook my head and spoke.

“I cannot forgive you living in poverty. As such, come along.”

I searched through the closet to change my clothes.

“Milady? Where are you going?”

At Marie’s flustered question, I answered as if it wasn’t serious.

“We have to go earn money. This time, let’s earn a lot of it.”

***

When I had rushed out of Roxanne Castle, I had packed not only comfortable outdoor clothes, but a fancy dress that distinguished me as an aristocrat.

“Wow!” Milady, you’re so, so beautiful.”

My eyes widened slightly at the sight of me wearing a dress for the first time in a long while.

Then I said calmly.

“I’m a little pretty normally.”

…is not true, as Rubia’s reflection was truly beautiful.

Smooth and pale skin like porcelain and radiant silver hair that looked like real silver.

An appearance that was pure as a blank paper at the same time it was elegant felt beautiful. It was like that of an angel or a fairy.

The most outstanding characteristic was those crimson red eyes that contrasted with the otherwise pure image. The scarlet eyes filled with leisurely indifference were charismatic in a different way from her elegant features.