Chapter 30
Her face had paled as if afraid of the consequences of defying a noble, but her expression remained stubborn.
It was as if she was certain that if Serena discovered a major flaw in the woman, she would take Serena’s side.
Although that seemed unlikely, Serena was curious why she opposed it so strongly.
“I hope it’s nothing serious.”
Serena crossed her arms and asked the manager with a tilted expression.
“Why?”
“The amount she’s asking for is far too high! I cannot introduce a child who has no sense of propriety and demands such an outrageous sum!”
At the manager’s words, the woman bit her lip and avoided eye contact. She clearly demanded an amount so high that no one could even argue.
“How much?”
“It’s embarrassing for me to say it myself, but she asked for a whopping 50 gold per month!”
…Wow, that’s really big.
Serena had been ready to scold the manager immediately, but faced with the unexpectedly large sum, she turned her gaze silently to the young woman.
The girl, who seemed barely of age, asking for 50 gold per month in wages meant there was no way she would get a job.
“Why do you need so much money?”
She could have taken a job with a reasonable salary and moved on slowly. Why demand such a high wage, even if it meant getting harsh responses?
Curious, Serena asked sincerely, and the woman nervously replied.
“W-well… my brother is sick…”
“Brother?”
In an instant, Serena recalled the first time she had met this woman.
It was when Serena was fifteen.
Still small and thin, she lacked the courage to confront the bigger delinquents and ran wherever she could. She usually managed to escape due to her knowledge of the terrain, but that day, she was cornered in a dead-end alley.
I guess I’m done for.
Just as she was about to give up and kneel, a woman appeared like a savior and stood between Serena and the delinquents.
“Normally I don’t bother with things like this, but she looks like my younger sibling, so I’m helping her.”
The woman picked up a stick from the ground and swung it wildly at the delinquents.
“You horrible men! What do you think you’re doing to a child? Don’t you have any conscience? Won’t you leave?!”
She looked utterly ridiculous, like a flailing figure in the water.
The men laughed at her.
“What, you want to play with your big brothers? Wait a moment. I’ll finish quickly and play with you.”
“Shut up, you ugly things! I have eyes too, you know?!”
Ignoring their jeers, the woman swung the stick even harder, aiming near their faces.
Her unpredictable movements were highly threatening; one wrong move could have caused serious injury.
Impressed, Serena picked up a stick herself and helped. The delinquents, hesitant, backed off and could not approach.
“Not bad, you. But it’s dangerous, so don’t try it alone.”
Then, as if nothing had happened, the woman left after giving only a brief word of advice.
It had been so cool.
Inspired by her courage, Serena decided from then on to fight until the end, no matter who the opponent was. She became known as a mad dog who went berserk when provoked, all thanks to that woman.
“She said I looked like her younger sibling… but she had a brother too?”
After that day, Serena only occasionally saw her outside taverns trying to attract customers. She never knew the full story. Life was so busy and hard that she never thought to ask—and the woman likely felt the same.
Recalling one of the few good memories in her life, Serena asked the woman:
“Are you good at cleaning?”
“Huh?”
The woman blinked at the sudden question.
Serena repeated:
“Laundry, cooking… do you know how to drive a carriage?”
“I-I can clean, do laundry, and cook! I haven’t driven a carriage before, but I’ll learn if necessary! I can pick it up quickly! I was often praised at my previous job for being quick to learn!”
Even though she didn’t fully understand why Serena asked, she answered promptly. Serena liked her honesty.
“By the way, you mentioned before that you worked as a maid. For which family?”
Serena’s friendly tone seemed to boost the woman’s confidence.
“I worked for the Baroness of Possidia!”
It was the first Serena had heard of them, but having experience in a noble household meant there was even less reason to refuse her. Her own knowledge of noble life came only from books, so this would be valuable experience.
“Good. Then I’ll hire you for 50 gold. But the work will be tough—your family is extremely overbearing.”
“…!”
“R-Reconsider! Hiring a girl barely 16 for 50 gold…! Absolutely impossible!”
The manager, unaware of the circumstances, objected violently.
Serena frowned.
“…Only sixteen?”
“Yes! She’s too young and inexperienced to earn 50 gold! Even having her do dishes or cleaning for a lower price would be more than enough!”
The manager was outraged, saying even 5 gold would be too much.
Serena, however, was angry for a different reason.
“So, you told a 16-year-old to go work at a tavern?”
Caught off guard, the manager froze briefly, then flusteredly explained.
“Oh, no…! That’s not it. I only said that because the amount she demanded was so high! I didn’t mean it! Even if she went, the tavern wouldn’t accept her anyway…!”
“How would you know that?”
Someone might say that lazily, but for someone else, it could change their life.
And unfortunately, the woman who said she needed money for her sick brother ended up working at a tavern.
Serena had often seen her, day and night, trying to grab the attention of passersby with a heavily made-up face—so different from her current appearance.
Back then, Serena thought she was just a confident and cool adult. She was completely wrong.
The simple, youthful face of the woman, forced to wear an inappropriate, flashy mask for survival, became apparent.
Serena asked her name.
“Ah… I’m Sophia.”
Her voice trembled slightly, perhaps thinking Serena would change her mind about hiring her.
“I’m Serena. Nice to meet you. Let’s work well together. I have things to do right now.”
“…Huh?”
“You don’t mind?”
“N-No! Of course not! Miss! Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Sophia bowed quickly, perhaps worried Serena would retract.
“You don’t have to thank me. You’ll be working hard enough that you’ll leave on your own if it’s too much.”
She might cry, saying she’d quit under her family’s pressure, and Serena might have to beg her not to.
Still, Sophia answered bravely:
“Yes! Leave it to me! I’ll do my best!”
The manager ground his teeth in frustration as things went completely differently from his expectations.
This isn’t right. She doesn’t deserve such a high wage.
His expression betrayed his true feelings.
“Hey, sir.”
Startled, the manager tried to compose himself.
Serena continued before he could respond:
“You didn’t introduce her, so there’s no commission. I simply hired someone you tried to kick out and stop me from hiring.”
Without looking back, she walked toward the exit, with Sophia cheerfully following.
The manager, perhaps embarrassed, said nothing more and didn’t follow.
