The Maid Hates Childcare - Chapter 33

“That’s not it… It’s just a company secret?”

Though I didn’t make it and only marshmallow is sandwiched in the middle of the choco pie, it was important to lay the groundwork first.

‘Come to think of it, it might be good to sell desserts too.’

I recalled the desserts I had tasted at cafes in the wealthy district.

They all had vague and rough flavors, incomparable to the snacks and cakes from my world.

‘Somehow the business scope seems to have expanded a lot.’

“I’ll adjust all the ratios as you wish.”

It was difficult to say I’d only sell one thing when her eyes were sparkling like that.

‘I do need money.’

My decision to sell makgeolli was all for the sake of the princes.

Louis and Evan will awaken next year and gain vast magical powers.

But such sudden awakening came with its own risks.

‘It’s dangerous to use magic without any knowledge.’

Especially dragon magic.

Even in the original story, they often caused accidents unable to handle the overflowing magic, and almost reached the point of magic runaway.

‘I need to take action before that happens.’

The surest way is to enroll them in the magic tower.

Only the magic tower has proper facilities to stabilize magic power.

Moreover, becoming disciples of the tower master would allow them to build up solid magic skills starting from the basics.

However.

‘It’s like enrolling little kids in graduate school!’

The magic tower was a very scary place that took in novice magicians with great potential and worked them to the bone.

It’s true that many great magicians were born there, but most had very unpleasant personalities.

‘Who would take responsibility if they turn evil!’

I also considered the Imperial Academy, but somehow felt it would be the same.

In the end, the only option left was to equip the duke’s castle with the same facilities as the magic tower and assign personal magic tutors to the princes.

‘……It would cost a fortune.’

The reason magic tower facilities are perfect for magicians is because the tower itself is one giant magic stone.

Like the expensive one hanging around my neck, it was clear that building something on par with the magic tower and hiring excellent magicians would require pouring in an enormous amount of money.

‘In modern terms, it’s like setting up a home lab and hiring private professors so my kids don’t suffer at university?’

I’m going to raise my babies preciously no matter what.

That thought alone was dominant.

‘I’m the children’s nanny too.’

I couldn’t just sit by knowing the future, but it didn’t seem right to leave everything to Kashar either.

‘Then it’s better to say I’ll do it?’

It would be strange to come all this way and not even leave a fingerprint.

The princess was kind, and the conditions were favorable to me.

But I couldn’t understand why I had such an ominous feeling.

“I can make the contract right away!”

As Frigia waved her index finger in the air, a pen began to dip itself in ink on its own.

The pen found paper and instantly began writing down the clauses needed for the contract.

“Ta-da! How is it?!”

The contract fluttered and stopped in front of me.

I could see Frigia’s face behind the contract. She was smiling brightly.

But her smile was so bright it was rather scary.

‘Those, eyes…’

Frigia’s eyes were gleaming with an unidentifiable madness.

‘She seems like a kind weirdo.’

Well, considering she became an academy professor at a young age and acts as a veiled guild master, she was no ordinary person.

It would be stranger if she were normal, but still the uneasy feeling wouldn’t go away.

“Um, Frigia? Actually, besides the business deal, there’s something else I’d like to request.”

“Just tell me anything!”

Frigia exclaimed, grabbing both my hands.

It was a bit burdensome, but there was nothing I couldn’t ask if she was willing to listen.

“I have two requests. One is to find an interior designer.”

“Interior design?”

“Yes. I’m planning to change the castle’s design. Kashar left it to me, but I’d like to get expert advice.”

“Ah.”

Frigia nodded as if she understood.

Soon after, a gloomy laugh escaped from her.

“…Hehe, just leave it to me. Leave it all to me.”

“Ah, haha. I’ll be counting on you.”

‘Why is she laughing like that?’

It was an awfully ominous smile.

I couldn’t take back my words, so I awkwardly smiled back.

“Then what’s the other one?”

“Pardon?”

“You said you had two requests, didn’t you?”

At the innocent question, my heart plummeted to the floor.

I had clearly said it myself.

But I couldn’t easily open my mouth.

‘What should I say?’

How about a man like Kashar?

Have you ever thought about getting a lover?

Just thinking of examples made my heart sting.

‘Why are you like this? You decided to introduce a good person to Kashar.’

I tried to comfort myself, but even this was laughable.

From the beginning.

‘Kashar doesn’t like me.’

At first, I didn’t care about such things.

There must be countless handsome men in this world. Thinking that handsome men gather around handsome men, I planned to play the role of a fake lover by his side and find true love.

But.

‘If Kashar meets his true love, he and I will…’

We’ll break up according to the contract terms I set.

The pretext of being fake lovers no longer applied.

‘…Let’s ask this next time.’

In the end, I swallowed one of the purposes I had come here for.

“Miss Eileen?”

“Ah, I was just thinking of something else. It’s not really a request. I just wanted to ask something.”

“Oh? Now you’ve made me even more curious.”

Frigia smiled, her eyes curving.

“You’ll tell me when we get closer, right?”

“Of course.”

“Good, very good!”

When I nodded, Frigia hummed excitedly.

The contract danced lively in the air to her melody.

“What shall we do about the business contract?”

Frigia asked, looking at me.

The contract was flawless. If I stamped it, the deal would be sealed.

However, as I watched the dancing document, I ended up apologizing.

“I’m sorry, but… can I think about it until you send someone over?”

“Of course. No need to be sorry. This is a huge contract after all. I’m eager, but I know you have to be cautious.”

‘Eager.’

Why did that word pierce my ears so sharply?

“Here, to commemorate becoming friends, I’ll give you this.”

What Frigia gave me was a crystal ball.

It was similar to a direct communication line, now that I had made a deal with the guild master, I could talk through the crystal ball anytime.

“I’ll accept it gladly. Oh right, could you perhaps get something like this too?”

As something suddenly came to mind, I asked, and Frigia curled up the corners of her mouth.

“There’s nothing I can’t get.”

It was confidence befitting the guild master of Elvitor.

I glanced at Ludvion.

He had been standing behind me motionless the whole time. As if he couldn’t hear anything.

“Well then.”

I took Frigia to a corner and whispered quietly.

“I happen to have one.”

“Really?”

I didn’t expect to be able to get it right away.

As I asked with round eyes, Frigia turned around confidently.

“Of course. Please wait a moment!”

Just then, one of the bookshelves opened like a door and then closed again.

Shortly after, Frigia appeared holding an old book in her arms.

“Here you go. You can pay me next time we meet.”

I cradled the old book she handed me in my arms.

“Thank you.”

“I hope you find it useful.”

Though fakes were rampant in the market, I could trust this since Frigia gave it to me directly.

Finally, all our business was done.

Frigia, who had escorted us to the front of the tavern, waved her hand vigorously.

“Be careful as it becomes lawless at night. Let’s meet again soon!”

It was the moment I made my first acquaintance with the lively and somewhat scary princess.

‘The sun is already setting.’

The sunset was falling between the buildings.

Ludvion and I headed to where the carriage was waiting.

“There’s a shortcut here.”

It was quite dark, but if we passed through there, we could quickly reach where the carriage was.

“I’ll lead the way.”

It was when Ludvion was about to go ahead into the alley.

I unconsciously grabbed his arm.

“Sir Ludvion, just a moment.”

Ludvion stopped in his tracks.

I handed him the old book I was holding.

“It’s a gift. Also a bribe to keep the secret.”

“…This is.”

“It’s a book on how to summon spirits.”

At my words, his pupils shook busily.

In the distant past, even pure humans could handle spirits.

But now, only those with elven blood or special races from the Shurious Five Kingdoms could do it.

“I don’t know much about these things, but.”

Ludvion quickly hid his emotions.

He was a person who knew about his birth but lived on silently.

‘He must have memories of failing as a child.’

His mother had tried to teach Ludvion spirit magic when he was young.

But Ludvion, still too young, failed to meet expectations, and in the end she left her son in Rihart and headed to Shurious alone.

‘It must have remained a kind of trauma.’

Still, Ludvion would often inquire about ways to summon spirits.

Without even the confidence that he could summon spirits.

“I’m sure you can do it. Um, I mean, I sense a very good energy from you!”

It sounded like a line from selling medicine, but this was all I could say.

Ludvion quietly held the old book.

As complex emotions were tangled, Ludvion embraced me.

“Ludvion?”

“Stay behind me.”

Thugs appearing from both sides of the dark alley were approaching us.

“My, my, Sir Knight. You’re quite sharp!”

“Since you’re so perceptive, you must know what we’re about to say.”

Hand over everything you’ve got.

The intention was obvious.

‘…I heard there was a thieves’ guild in the back alleys. And why are they so diverse?’

Swords, axes, daggers, and even maces.

The weapons they were holding were quite varied.

Suddenly, Frigia’s warning came to mind.

‘It becomes lawless at night…’

I didn’t hear that it starts from the moment the sun sets!

They looked like a ragtag bunch in front and back, but there were too many. We couldn’t even escape as there was no way out.

‘We came this way trying to go faster!’

I forgot the essential formula that accidents happen when you take shortcuts.

As Ludvion drew his sword, jeers erupted from around.

Starting with the one holding a mace, they began rushing at us one by one.

“First, hand over that necklace… Ugh-!”

The silver blade cut through the thug’s mace.

Ludvion’s sword continued to take down the enemies charging in one after another.

‘He’s fast.’

Though he couldn’t handle spirits, he was plenty strong.

The problem was that it didn’t even make a dent due to the ones pouring in from both entrances.

‘What should I do?’

I thought Ludvion might get seriously hurt at this rate.

‘Should I just hand over everything? But the necklace was given by Kashar…’

It was when I was fidgeting, clutching the necklace.

“That must be the most expensive thing!”

A thug’s sword flew towards me.

“My lady!”

Ludvion, who was dealing with other enemies, shouted.

But the sword tip had already reached close.

I closed my eyes.

‘What a lousy supporting role life.’

They say your life flashes before your eyes when you’re about to die.

Kashar came to my mind.

But it was strange.

As questions consumed me, a bright light enveloped us.

Clang-!

There was the sound of a sword breaking. But I felt no pain.

‘What? What happened…’

I slowly opened my eyes.

All I could see were fallen thugs.

“I told you it’s dangerous outside.”

I was in Kashar’s arms.

‘Is this a delusion too?’

I thought I might be seeing his illusion now after thinking about Kashar all day.

His warm embrace was comforting, as if protecting me.

The moment our eyes met, I realized it was reality.

‘It’s really Kashar.’

The man I wanted to see most appeared before me in the moment of danger.

‘I thought this only happened to female leads.’

If not, it had to be a very beautiful and special person.

In the moment I thought I was going to die, a miracle unfolded even for a supporting character like me.

‘My heart wasn’t pounding just because I saw a handsome man.’

It wasn’t simply because he was good-looking or because of his brilliant record in the original story.

‘I like this person.’

I finally realized my feelings.