Chapter 6 New Home
──One Year Later, Capital of Barentsz.
Rhiannon's aunt, Mrs. Wezel, also known as Amelt Wezel, was bustling around the entrance hall of the townhouse in Barentsz, filled with excitement.
Her niece, Rhiannon Mimi Clahsen, was about to arrive.
Now 16 years old, Rhiannon was coming to live in Mrs. Wezel's townhouse under the pretense of studying society in the capital.
"When Rhiannon arrives, I have to take her to town first. That girl really loves shopping!"
As she said this, Mrs. Wezel beamed happily at the maids.
The maids, who were busy cleaning, forced smiles in return, but inside, they were sighing.
To put it bluntly, Rhiannon had a terrible reputation among the maids.
'Lady Rhiannon is coming, and I feel so heavy-hearted...'
'I agree. Every time that young lady comes to the capital, she stays here and acts spoiled. We always end up being at her beck and call. Honestly, the thought of serving her for the next few years is daunting.'
'Who came up with the custom that nobles all come to the capital to live for a certain period when they turn 16? And on top of that, she can't go back home until she finds a fiancé, right?'
'Ugh, I can't stand it. No one would want to marry such a spoiled young lady unless she comes from a good family.'
'In fact, I heard that Prince Werner even rejected her engagement!'
And so on, they were gossiping behind her back.
However, Mrs. Wezel, the mistress of the townhouse, doted on her niece Rhiannon so much that it was as if she could do no wrong, perhaps because she had no children of her own.
Because of this, the maids couldn't openly criticize Rhiannon's spoiled behavior.
By the way, Mrs. Wezel and her husband had been living apart since a big fight a few years ago.
That aside, just as the previously communicated arrival time approached, the bell of Mrs. Wezel's townhouse rang.
As soon as the bell rang, Mrs. Wezel's face lit up, while the maids' faces all suddenly turned gloomy.
The attendant announced the arrival of the guests, and the front door opened.
Mrs. Wezel was overjoyed to welcome Rhiannon, who had just stepped down from the carriage.
"Sweet Rhiannon, you finally made it!"
"Auntie! I'm so glad to see you looking well!"
Rhiannon received her aunt's warm embrace.
"Oh, Rhiannon. Happy 16th birthday! And welcome to the capital. A fun life awaits you from now on."
"Thank you, Auntie. I apologize for any trouble I may cause during my stay, but I look forward to it."
With that, Rhiannon politely bowed her head.
The maids, who had been secretly watching the "spoiled Rhiannon" from the shadows, gaped and exchanged glances.
"Hey, did you see that? That haughty Lady Rhiannon just said thank you!"
"W-who is that...? Is she a different person or what?"
"Is this a dream...!?"
The maids pinched each other's cheeks, but it seemed like it wasn't a dream after all.
Rhiannon, all smiles, was led to an empty room on the second floor while chatting with Mrs. Wezel.
The maids watched the two of them leave in astonishment.
"W-what happened to Lady Rhiannon...? Did she hit her head or something?"
"Um──."
Suddenly, someone called out to the maids.
When they turned around with puzzled expressions, they saw a brown-skinned man standing there with a large load.
The maids were instantly captivated by the unexpectedly handsome man.
He wore a perfectly tailored tailcoat without a single wrinkle, and his black hair was casually tied back.
His features were well-defined, and his strikingly sweet golden eyes were particularly eye-catching.
"Excuse me, could you help me carry the luggage? There's quite a lot for the young lady."
"Oh, who are you...?"
"Oh, how rude of me. I should have introduced myself first. I am Kaine Ricciardi, Lady Rhiannon's butler."
"Sir Kaine...?"
"Ah, since we're going to be working together from now on, feel free to call me Kaine."
Saying that, Kaine gave a casual wink, and his refreshingly suspicious smile easily pierced the hearts of the young maids.
* * *
"Haah──."
Rhiannon let out a big sigh as she jumped onto the bed.
The fluffy bed wrapped around her tired body from the long journey.
"My lady, that's quite improper, you know."
With a hint of caution, Kaine skillfully took off Rhiannon's shoes as she rolled onto the bed.
This townhouse, which would serve as their temporary home, was located near the center of the capital, Barentsz.
The room assigned to Rhiannon had been used as a guest room and was quite spacious.
Rhiannon, gazing blankly at the unfamiliar scenery outside the window, let out a heavy sigh.
"Hey, was my response today okay? Wasn't it too much like a villainess?"
"Let's say it was passing. You managed to avoid another doom flag."
"That's good. ...But, I wonder if everyone was really surprised just because I held back a little? It's shocking to be that surprised! My aunt has been worrying about my health the whole time!"
"Your past behavior must have been quite problematic."
At Kaine's calm remark, Rhiannon puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.
While she had been all smiles and gentle with Mrs. Wezel and the maids, behaving "like an ideal young lady" without a hint of selfishness, now that it was just the two of them, she had returned to her true self.
Sadly, no matter how strictly Kaine educated her, Rhiannon's personality couldn't be corrected.
Therefore, Kaine had given up on changing Rhiannon's nature and shifted her focus to ensuring that she at least behaved like a lady in public.
For that reason, Rhiannon was putting on a facade around others.
For now, Kaine was the only one with whom Rhiannon could be her true self.
"I'm a bit regretful for turning down my aunt's invitation to go shopping."
"That was a wise decision."
"Ahh... I came all the way to Barentsz, and I can't even shop like I wanted to. This is tough. Isn't the promise with Kaine a bit too strict?"
Rhiannon pouts and kicks her feet.
Actually, on the way to Barentsz, her excellent butler Kaine had thoroughly lectured Rhiannon, claiming it was to "avoid the doom flag." He said,
'Rule one: Don't act like a villainess. Always be cheerful, keep smiling, and don't say unnecessary things.'
'Rule 2: Keep friendships to a minimum! Absolutely do not act in groups. Forming a clique is out of the question.'
'Rule 3: Avoid actions that stand out at parties as much as possible.'
...and so on.
She had listed nearly a hundred prohibitions, and Rhiannon struggled to memorize them, her eyes wide in disbelief.
On top of that,
'Rule 24: You must not go to any of the shops on this list.'
What he handed her was a list filled with names of various shops, from clothing stores to candy shops to general goods stores.
It was labeled "Permanent Edition," written in Kaine's neat handwriting.
Rhiannon took the list out of her pocket and glanced at it, her face falling in genuine sadness.
"Hey, is the Maysale Clothing Store really off-limits? It just opened recently and is super popular..."
"Even if you look up at me with those big eyes, no means no."
"Hmph! Seriously, you're so inflexible."
She tried to put on a cute face for a moment, but realizing it didn't work, Rhiannon huffed in annoyance.
Kaine, on the other hand, looked clearly exasperated.
"I told you. The shops on that list have a high chance of encountering Sarah Belts. If you get involved with Sarah Belts, you'll be headed straight for doom."
"...B-but..."
"My lady, if necessary, I can tailor as many outfits as you need, so just let me know."
"Wait, Kaine can sew too!?"
"Yes, just as a hobby."
"Can you really make a dress with just a hobby level of sewing?"
Rhiannon looked genuinely puzzled, but Kaine nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
(My butler's words, are they really true?) Rhiannon thought for a moment, but then she stopped thinking after a while. Kaine was full of mysteries, and once she started digging, there would be no end to it.
"Of course, it will take about 3 days for the tailoring. I have to source the materials, you see. But don't worry, I'll provide it to you at a special discounted price just for you, my lady."
"Wait, are you actually asking for money!? Since I'm on an allowance now, those kinds of expenses are tough for me..."
"Learning to manage your money is part of your education. It's something necessary for a lady who tends to spend money like water."
"Ugh, I just want to waste money without a care."
Kaine sighed as she looked at Rhiannon rolling around on the bed.
"If you think your allowance isn't enough, why not try getting a part-time job or 2? It would be good social experience."
"Ugh, as the only daughter of the Clahsen family, I don't think I should be working part-time to maintain our family's dignity. Besides, when you turn 16, nobles gather in the capital to find a future partner, not to waste time on part-time jobs for money..."
"You seem to be mumbling something about high aspirations and low ones, but what's your true feeling?"
"I don't want to work."
Rhiannon answered firmly.
It seemed she had no intention of working at all.
Although she had improved somewhat, Rhiannon's lazy nature had not been corrected.
Kaine let out a big sigh and cleared her throat lightly.
"Then let me make a prediction: in 3 days, you will spend your entire month's allowance and come crying to me. And then, you'll reluctantly start looking for a part-time job."
"Hmph, you're mocking me again. But too bad for you. I won't do something so foolish."
Rhiannon said this with a proud tone, and of course, exactly 3 days later, she was in a panic, shouting, "I'm out of allowance!"
Naturally, Kaine did not agree to increase her allowance, and in the end, Rhiannon found herself looking for a part-time job just as her butler had predicted.
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