Alicia had been injured on the job this time, and by a colleague at that. So naturally, she was now enjoying paid leave, with the vacation spot being a small building with a courtyard.
This two-story building sat in the absolute prime central area of Lide’an City, where land was worth its weight in gold.
It was barely a hundred meters from the castle—super premium real estate.
The original owner, along with his neighbors, had chosen the wrong side, and when Lai En took over the city, they grabbed their valuables and fled, leaving it completely vacant.
So, along with the two adjacent buildings, this little complex legitimately became Lai En’s property.
Perhaps out of guilt, or maybe as a reward for the girl’s Treatise on Strengthening the Nation, regardless, Lai En waved his hand and gave one of the buildings to Alicia.
Just like that, the girl was living in a big villa!
But she wasn’t exactly thrilled.
The reason was simple.
‘Seriously? Your subordinate openly attacked me right in front of you, and the punishment is just half a year’s salary and being grounded? That’s way too cheap!’
‘I’m not saying he should be exiled or executed, but at least a demotion! And this is such a light slap on the wrist. What, did I just take that punch for nothing?’
She understood deep down, though.
Lai En had just taken power, his foundation was unsteady, and the city was tangled with old nobles and fence-sitters.
Dike Xiaote might be a brute, but behind him were probably some people’s faces and fragile balances.
Lai En’s decision to go “easy” must have had his political considerations and difficulties.
But understanding was one thing.
Being pissed off was another!
So Alicia started sulking.
Since she was supposed to be recovering, she just shut herself in, refused to see anyone, went full cold war mode—no talking, no acknowledging, no playing with you!
Honestly, this way of sulking was kind of childish.
Even elementary school kids didn’t do this anymore.
But Alicia didn’t care.
She had a cloth band wrapped around her head (that little scratch had healed ages ago; she was just pretending), lounged lazily on the sofa, and silently admired the autumn scenery in the courtyard.
Rich people sure knew how to enjoy life, huh.
Look at this little yard—neatly square, each corner with a flower bed enclosed by shrubs, a small fountain in the middle, plus a pebble path and a small pond.
The leaves on a few big trees had turned yellow, but they still provided just the right amount of shade.
Under the pavilion was a cushioned mat, probably where the previous owner had entertained numerous lovers under the moon and flowers.
“Lord and Master!”
Andrew, dressed in casual clothes, sat nearby with a conflicted look, hesitating as if wanting to speak but holding back.
The girl lazily raised a finger.
“Andrew, I’m warning you, you already withdrew a month’s salary in advance. Don’t even think about asking for money again this time! And forget about a raise!”
Andrew rolled his eyes and pouted.
‘Oh, so it’s that little grudge because I didn’t include you in my gambling side gig? Holding a grudge this long?’
“Uh, Lord and Master, it’s official business!”
The girl frowned and closed her eyes.
“What now? Did the EDF mutiny?”
“No.”
“Did the neighboring country attack?”
“No either.”
“Harvest problems? Yang Pigu causing trouble?”
“Not that either…”
She waved her hand impatiently.
“Then what are you so worked up about? The world is so peaceful and beautiful. Can’t you just leave me alone and enjoy your life? I just advanced your salary yesterday—did you blow it all?”
“No… Lord and Master!”
Andrew’s face was almost in tears.
“His Highness sent someone. They’re right outside the door! Shouldn’t you grant an audience?”
“Huh?”
The girl immediately turned her face away and said stiffly, “Tell him I’m not here!”
“N-no… Lord and Master, is that really okay? That’s His Highness’s attendant…”
Andrew’s cold sweat was practically dripping.
“Tch!”
Alicia made a sound of extreme contempt, squinting one eye to glare at him sideways.
“Why are you such a coward? Can’t you even tell a simple lie? Just say I have a splitting headache and am unconscious!”
Andrew looked at his liege lord’s adamant refusal to see the Lord, clearly intending to leave him waiting outside, shook his head in pain, sighed with resignation, and trudged to the door.
“Alright.”
Andrew shook his head, sighed, and ran to the entrance.
“Miss Alicia says she has a splitting headache, has fallen unconscious, and cannot receive guests!”
‘Damn it, Andrew! You traitorous idiot!’ Alicia almost choked on air.
“Hehehe, Miss Alicia is as amusing as ever!”
A hearty, elderly laugh came from outside the door.
That voice sounded familiar.
“You flatter me, Elder Lord Enlaike.”
Andrew responded politely.
‘It really is Elder Lord Enlaike! He’s the Chief Retainer—can’t afford to offend him!’
With no other choice, the girl forced a weak tone.
“Andrew… you idiot, hurry up and invite the Elder Lord in!”
“Hehehe, no need, no need. I’m just here to convey His Highness’s summons. But it seems the young lady really is unwell.”
Though she couldn’t see his expression, his tone… didn’t sound angry.
In fact, it carried a hint of mockery?
Was the Elder Lord in a good mood today?
Alicia decided to push her luck.
“Yes, yes… ahem, please tell His Highness that your subject… is gravely ill.”
Andrew had already taken a position of “doomsday has come, not my problem,” quietly stepping aside.
Unfortunately, the girl feigning illness on the sofa still didn’t notice.
“Really?”
“Really, ah, Elder Lord, you don’t know, the doctor His Highness found for me is a quack. The medicine is useless! My head aches every three days, and it gets really bad every five days—I’m so dizzy the room spins, and I see double… oh! It’s starting to hurt again as we speak…”
Eyes closed, she complained vividly, groaning without any real pain.
“Is that so? Then let me treat you myself!”
A cold snort, a gust of wind, and a graceful figure.
Lai En, dressed casually, pushed the door open, standing tall with a sour expression, looking down at the girl’s nervous and awkward little face.
“L-L-L-Lord and Master…”
Alicia, like a sparrow with its neck grabbed, forced a smile uglier than crying, her tongue tied, unable to get out a full sentence.
But Lai En suddenly smiled.
He gently pinched her shoulder.
“A quack? That doctor is renowned throughout the entire Empire! What? Your head aches every three days and gets really bad every five days?”
As he spoke, his hand slowly moved toward her collarbone, brushing across her slender neck.
“If it hurts that much, how about cutting it off? That way it’ll never hurt again! What do you think of this ‘treatment’?”
The girl’s hair stood on end!
What could she say?
What would she dare say?!
Her life was at stake, her life was at stake!
She slipped out from under his hand like an eel, dropped to one knee on the floor, and tossed aside the headband she’d been using to pretend.
“Lord and Master, your subject is healed!”
“You really do heal fast. I recall your ‘old injury relapse’ last time also healed instantly. Your constitution is astonishing!”
The girl lowered her head, staring at the patterns on the floor, biting her lips, saying nothing.
She took on a stance of “already beyond caring, do whatever you want.”
An awkward silence filled the hall.
Only the rustling of autumn leaves outside and Andrew’s suppressed breathing from the corner.
“Alright, you’ve rested for almost two months now.”
Lai En reached out and helped her up.
“If you don’t move a bit, I think your bones will rust.”
With that, he turned and headed for the door, throwing back over his shoulder: “Tidy up. Come out with me for a stroll.”
‘Huh? He’s not angry? ‘
The girl, who had been expecting to beg for humane treatment, was astonished.
But where were they going this time?
Last time she went out, she ran into bandits.
Would they happen to run into assassins now?
After a quick clean-up, Alicia mounted her horse a bit stiffly.
Enlaike and Andrew also rode behind, following Lai En out of Lide’an City.
“Lord and Master, where are we going this time?”
“Alicia.”
Lai En stated calmly, “After two months of observation and judgment, I believe that, given your physique, talent, and that regrettable level of diligence, learning orthodox martial arts for self-defense is basically impossible.”
Alicia almost leaped off her horse.
‘Wait, how did the topic suddenly jump to this?!’
She widened her eyes.
“What, as a delicate, slender, and utterly powerless girl, do I have to become a muscle-bound brute like Andrew who can cause trouble on horseback and chop people off it? Can’t I just take the civilian official path?”
“The civilian official path also requires staying alive.”
Lai En blocked her without mercy, then slowly revealed his true intention.
“So, to prevent you from getting knocked out with one punch ever again, I’ve decided to give you some extra security.”
He paused, as if savoring the changing expressions on Alicia’s face.
“I’m taking you to hire some people.”
“Huh?!”
Alicia’s voice shot up.
“Bodyguards? Isn’t Andrew enough? Besides, what bodyguard could even get into the Council Hall? And most importantly—”
She yanked the reins, making Black Bess stomp in dissatisfaction, and looked at Lai En with tragic indignation: “Who’s paying their salary?! Lord and Master! My pitiful stipend can barely keep me alive!”
‘What do you mean ‘most importantly who pays the salary’? Is this guy that desperate for money?’
Lai En’s mouth twitched.
“Don’t worry. I’ll cover their wages this time. And it won’t be much anyway… Oh! We’re here!”
As he spoke, he pointed at the forest ahead, where smoke was rising from among the trees.
“Some time ago, a… brotherhood came seeking refuge with me, and they’re temporarily camped here.”
“What? A brotherhood?”
Alicia was baffled.
The name didn’t sound like a legitimate organization! What brotherhood would camp in a forest?
Seeing her confusion, it was Enlaike who explained.
It turned out that during her recovery, Lai En had taken in a wandering, masterless group calling themselves the “Shadow Brotherhood.”
They numbered only a few dozen, but each was skilled in stealth, assassination, theft, and other shady techniques.
‘What, so they’re just assassins? Assassins specialized in backstabs and parkour? Okay, fine, but what does Lai En mean by this? He wants me to hire assassins?’
Lai En turned to face her incredulous stare and suddenly grinned, revealing a line of neat white teeth.
“No, Alicia, you guessed wrong.”
He said leisurely.
“I want you to take command of them. You’re idle anyway. Starting today, this ‘Shadow Brotherhood’ belongs to you!”