Chapter 17: Arrangements

It was not until the noon break that Harvey was finally permitted to “change shifts.”

By this time, the servants’ dining hall had long since stopped serving lunch.

However, he was already exhausted. He simply returned to his own room and collapsed onto the bed.

As Lavia’s personal property, he did not need to squeeze into a single room with several other male servants, sharing meals and washrooms. Instead, he had an independent small cottage, situated some distance from the other servants’ quarters.

This was something others greatly envied.

But it was also terribly far from the dining hall.

His stomach issued a constant, thunderous plea, yet Harvey remained slumped on the bed, unwilling to move an inch. He was truly too tired and desperately needed sleep to soothe his weary spirit.

‘Why didn’t I realize before that taking care of Lady Lavia was such an exhausting task?’

‘Have I really slacked off to such an extent that I can’t even handle work like this?’

‘Or could it be — am I already getting old?’

Harvey, who was nearly of age, suddenly had this thought pop into his mind.

‘That would be quite bad if it’s true.’

After all, physical strength was the most basic value of a servant. If a day came when he could no longer perform these duties, how could he still be considered a qualified servant?

‘What if I achieve nothing in magic and want to return to being a servant, only for my body to fail me?’

‘Wouldn’t I be left with no way out at all?’

Harvey stared blankly at the ceiling for a while, his mind filled with images of himself with white hair, begging along the streets.

The cottage was very quiet.

The noon sunlight fell upon the courtyard outside the window, bright enough to be dazzling, yet lacking the scorching heat of summer. Spring had only just arrived in the Royal Capital, and the wind blowing through the half-open window carried a hint of chill as it flowed slowly through the room.

Aside from the occasional sound of distant footsteps, this area was almost silent on normal days. Such an environment made it easy for one to feel drowsy.

As his consciousness began to fade, Harvey suddenly caught the faint scent of toasted bread.

Perhaps the kitchen was preparing afternoon tea.

Although the rye bread in the manor was dry enough to make one choke, the wheat aroma it released when toasted was very rich. It was tantalizing.

Harvey frowned, but he couldn’t even muster the strength to roll over. He was already drowning in the tenderness of the bed and didn’t want to resist.

Memories began to play in his mind like a mess of fragments.

Her, sitting by the window.

Those calm blue eyes —

“This time, you are coming with me.”

His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Harvey snapped his eyes open.

The Academy.

Heat surged through his veins. He suddenly felt a bit hot and rolled over on the bed, tearing his crumpled coat off his body.

The Ruen Royal Magic Academy.

That was a place that originally had nothing to do with him. Even if he eventually passed the Magic Association’s accreditation and became a Magic Apprentice, he would not have the qualifications to enroll.

The Academy’s gates only opened for nobles.

In the Kingdom of Rune, even wealthy merchants could only attach themselves to a noble and become a vassal. Under the grace of their lord, they might allow their children to enter the Academy in the capacity of servants.

The two maids who previously served Lady Lavia were like that.

Commoners who awakened magical aptitude, even if they obtained a title, mostly only became students of a Lower-tier Magician. They would organize experimental materials, prepare potions, and copy records for their teachers. Through years of menial tasks, they might learn scraps of magical knowledge.

If they were exceptionally gifted and gained their teacher’s appreciation, they might have a chance to study magic systematically.

The unlucky ones —

They would likely remain apprentices for their entire lives.

However, even as an apprentice, one still held noble status. They could also receive a handsome stipend from the Magic Association every month. This was already enough to make countless commoners green with envy.

Except…

Harvey had not expected Lady Lavia to suddenly petition the Duke to let him follow her to the Academy. Furthermore, the matter had been settled immediately.

‘Then, what about those two innocent young maids…’

Harvey exhaled.

This question circled in his mind for a moment but was quickly suppressed by sleepiness.

‘Whatever.’

‘I’ll find out sooner or later anyway.’

After only a moment of clarity, his consciousness began to sink again. Having removed his coat, lying on the bed felt much more comfortable than before.

The cotton-filled bedding was soft and warm.

Speaking of which, Lady Lavia had gifted him this set of bedding in the past.

Harvey thought dazedly, his body relaxing unconsciously. Just as he was about to fall asleep, the aroma of bread became even more intense.

A few rhythmic knocks suddenly sounded at the door.

—

The atmosphere in the drawing room was somewhat oppressive.

Sunlight slanted through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a soft glow across the carpet.

Lady Lavia leaned back on a chaise longue, her fingers pressing against her temples, radiating a cold and dignified aura. She usually chose not to return to her bedroom for a nap during the lunch break; it was too much trouble.

She was still wearing the dress from her morning etiquette lessons. If she went to her bedroom for a nap, she would have to change and redo her hair and makeup upon waking. Resting on the soft chaise longue was a much more elegant way.

But she had not stopped working yet.

Even the black tea on the table had been replaced once.

A faint wisp of steam rose from the white porcelain cup, the tea’s fragrance gentle and slightly bitter. Lady Lavia picked up the cup and took a small sip. She appeared somewhat tired, yet she maintained her graceful and composed posture.

In front of her, two young maids knelt on the floor.

Their backs were ramrod straight, and their hands were placed properly on their knees. Even their breathing was cautious.

Ever since they received the news this morning, the two had been in a state of panic. They didn’t know what they had done wrong or why they were suddenly being relieved of their duties.

But one thing was certain.

They had been discarded.

Both were young girls who had only recently come of age. If they were rejected by their master and sent home, their families would absolutely not tolerate them. They couldn’t even imagine what kind of fate awaited them. Being forcibly married off to someone random would already be considered a decent outcome.

In this state of anxiety, as soon as they received Lady Lavia’s summons, they rushed over in a panic. Upon arrival, they immediately knelt on the carpet and pleaded for forgiveness.

Lady Lavia set down her teacup and watched them for a moment. Her clear blue eyes held no reproach; instead, they carried a hint of warmth.

“You need not be so nervous.”

“It seems there was some negligence in the communication, and you were all frightened. I am sorry.”

The two maids kept their heads bowed, not daring to look up.

The braver of the two said nervously, “No, we wouldn’t dare. It is because we failed to satisfy you, Lady Lavia. But… Lady Lavia, please, please do not send us back…”

As they whispered their pleas, both were on the verge of tears, truly terrified to the extreme.

Lady Lavia gave a somewhat helpless smile.

“I have never doubted your abilities.” She comforted the two, “You have always done things very well and have been sufficiently loyal.”

These words caused the shoulders of the two maids to tremble slightly.

Lady Lavia paused for a moment as if weighing her words.

“So you need not worry; things are not as you think.” She explained in a gentle tone, “Actually, this is the Duke’s arrangement. A young lady from our distant relative’s family will also be entering the Academy to study this year.”

“She is coming to the Royal Capital for the first time and has no one here to entrust with her care.”

At this point, she lowered her gaze, looking somewhat troubled. “The Duke is worried that with no one to look after her, she won’t be able to adapt to life at the Academy.”

“Therefore, after much consideration, I have painfully decided to lend you to her temporarily.”

Facing their surprised expressions, Lady Lavia smiled slightly.

“So, it is not that you failed to satisfy me. On the contrary, it is because I recognize your skills and believe that sending you out will not bring shame to the name of Astarea.”

She spoke softly.

“You won’t let me down, will you?”

The two maids prostrated themselves almost simultaneously.

“Yes! Lady Lavia!”

Their voices were full of trepidation, mixed with the joy of surviving a disaster.

“We will certainly not fail your trust!”

On the carpet, the sunlight slowly and secretly crept forward.