Chapter 60: Is This Even Difficult?

“Mas… sss, wa, wait a minute!”

Liyakade had just uttered a single syllable before feeling as if she were choking, unable to get the next word out.

“Good job, Miss Liakade, resisting the temptation of money!”

However, Liyakade hadn’t actually intended to resist; she simply couldn’t explain why the word wouldn’t come out.

“No, let me compose myself for a moment.”

Liyakade suddenly felt her face grow warm.

It was just two ordinary syllables, a single word—she’d said it plenty of times before, so why was she hesitating now?

“Masr…”

Liyakade felt the word burning on her tongue, fading halfway through.

“Can’t say it?”

Field looked at Liyakade’s current state and immediately understood what was going on.

A mischievous glint sparkled in her eyes, though she wasn’t entirely in control of the situation herself.

Seeing Liyakade’s shy expression, Field also struggled to speak clearly.

“If you can’t say it… then, then there’s no reward.”

Reward?

Wasn’t it just gold coins?

When did it become a reward?

“Wait… I can definitely say it…”

Why can’t I say it at all?!

Liyakade was utterly confused.

She’d called someone she despised even more so many times before, so why couldn’t she do it now, facing someone she actually liked?

Was she really so willing to call Irina Zi Mistress, but not Field?

No, that’s not it!

If it weren’t for the Contract that allowed Irina Zi to control her, Liyakade would never have called her Mistress.

And every time she did, she was cursing Irina Zi in her heart.

Those cries of Mistress were nothing but empty words—she was just enduring humiliation, never truly recognizing Irina Zi as her Mistress.

The moment the Contract was lifted, she even beat Irina Zi up.

She never acknowledged it in her heart from beginning to end.

So what’s happening now?

Why can’t I say it?

Liyakade felt Field’s gaze meeting hers, heat rising between them.

She instinctively averted her eyes.

It was precisely because their relationship was good that she couldn’t say it.

Field had helped Liyakade so much—investigating Irina Zi’s Mansion, accompanying her to destroy the Contract, spending thirty million to redeem her completely, keeping the secret of her Demon Bloodline, and now even supporting her daily needs.

There was nothing bad about Field to Liyakade.

But… precisely because of that, Liyakade felt that calling Field by that title was unbearably shameful.

It felt as though she would be willingly acknowledging Field as her Mistress and submitting to her.

It seemed like it would turn into some kind of fetish play.

Liyakade could already imagine a scene in her mind of Field brandishing a whip.

“Nggh…”

Liyakade let out a strange muffled sound, steam practically rising from her forehead.

She quickly let go, stepped back half a pace, and wiped a bead of shimmering liquid from the corner of her mouth with her wrist.

“No, no way… this is too difficult, I need to think about it!”

“Al-alright.”

Field felt an odd sense of loss, but also sighed with relief.

If Liyakade had actually called her Mistress, Field might not have been able to stop herself from teasing her further.

Of course, this was already satisfying enough for Field, and she would still give her the gold coins.

Just as Field was about to hand over some coins, Liyakade suddenly waved her hands rapidly.

“No, no, forget it! I suddenly feel like it’s better to be self-sufficient! I’ll go find a job now!”

With that, Liyakade bolted out of the room.

“Eh?”

Field turned to Alice in bewilderment.

“Why did Liyakade suddenly run off? I don’t think I went too far, did I?”

“Mm… I think Miss Liakade was just too embarrassed.”

Alice said confidently.

“And, even though she seems proper most of the time—well, actually, she’s not that proper, but she definitely likes to imagine all sorts of risqué scenarios. That book before was proof enough.”

“What if she really goes to work and stops clinging to me?”

“Don’t worry, Princess Field. Miss Liakade definitely can’t hold out for more than a few days. I bet she’ll be back to mooch off you before the Cultural Festival.”

***

On the other side, steam was still rising from Liyakade’s head as she escaped.

She absolutely did not want to be the one whipped by a little leather lash!

Even in the worst case, she should be the one doing the whipping!

Though, both her personality and her physique made it unlikely she’d ever be the one on top.

But there had been times—like that incident with Alice.

No, no!

Liyakade quickly shook her head, flinging away all impure thoughts.

Right now, it was more important to find some part-time work.

She glanced around the street.

There were plenty of shops within the Academy—selling daily necessities, famous foods, drinks, all sorts of things.

These shops were operated in partnership with certain Nobles from the Royal City.

It was more convenient within the Academy, after all.

Some Students were too lazy to go to the Royal City market, or their residences weren’t in the Royal City, so they weren’t familiar with it, and preferred to solve everything inside the Academy.

But these shops generally didn’t hire help, since everyone in the Academy was a Noble.

No one needed the money, so no one would go looking for part-time work.

In that case, to find a job, you’d have to leave the Academy and look for work in the Royal City.

Unlike the Academy, the Royal City was a mixed bag.

Even as a Student, if Liyakade tried to find a part-time job there, she’d still risk being scammed or exploited.

She had no intention of being a sucker.

Maybe… take a job from the Adventurers’ Guild to hunt Monsters?

That didn’t seem practical either.

Most of the Monster zones near the Royal City were sealed off.

The Forest they entered during the midterm exam was one of them.

The main reason for sealing off those areas wasn’t to protect the Royal City’s residents, but to provide training grounds for the Academy and Nobles, allowing their Students and heirs to level up safely.

It was almost like raising Monsters in captivity.

Adventurers weren’t allowed to take requests in those zones.

Thus, Adventurers’ Guild tasks within the Royal City tended to be much more difficult—subjugation missions in remote Dungeons or against large Monsters.

Even if she had the ability, each mission would take half a month.

By then, the Cultural Festival would be over, and she’d have to skip classes too.

Isn’t there a line of work with few people, paid daily instead of monthly, and one that hasn’t been fully exploited yet?

Eh, there actually is!

Liyakade smacked her fist into her palm.

“Got it!”