Chapter 21
“Snug!”
Kiki lay down right next to Lilia.
She still couldn’t quite believe it.
That she had the talent of a spirit mage, and that she was the owner of the key.
“Paaaah!”
Lilia, lying down, released her mana to summon a book and the key.
Looking at the sparkling key, she felt an inexplicable pride.
But now, the real work was just beginning.
There were only three years left before the original story started.
By then, her father, Clasid, would be gone.
“I have to get the Healing Key as soon as possible.”
If she also got a key that could transport her anywhere, she could do even more.
She didn’t know yet what other powers the keys might have.
But one thing was clear: she had to find at least one new magic key quickly.
She had to discover a new key within a month. She had shouted that to her grandfather, after all.
And if possible, she needed to visit the main estate every day to raise her grandfather’s favor and check on her three siblings.
She also wanted to go to the main estate’s kitchen to taste the best dishes.
Making firm plans and strategies, Lilia eventually drifted off to sleep on her cloud-like bed.
Even asleep, she looked like a true little baby.
A few days later.
News of Lilia spread instantly throughout the entire Duke’s castle.
Wherever she went, people were talking about her.
“Did you hear? Lady Lilia is getting the same private palace and treatment as Lord Conrad!”
“Oh my, that little girl is amazing!”
Even those who had seen Lilia as a thorn in their side started hearing the news.
In a room decorated as lavishly as the royal palace, a black-haired woman lay on a couch, letting a maid tend her nails. Her red eyes narrowed as she spoke.
“What on earth is Father thinking? Giving that little mouse her own private palace…”
Her slender, long face and the beauty mark below her lips only made her decadent aura stronger.
“This youngest daughter never even begged or flattered, yet he gave in… Can you understand that?”
“N-no…”
“That’s enough for now. You may leave.”
After dismissing the maid, Belita adjusted her posture and lit a cigar.
She exhaled pale smoke into the air, trying to think.
Soon, the maid returned.
“Lady Belita, your financial aide, Mr. Emmet, is here to see you.”
“What could that man want with me?”
Quickly stamping out the cigar, Belita paced, unable to hide her impatient curiosity.
Emmet, guided by the maid, stopped at the entrance.
Tilting her head, Belita asked,
“What brings our aide here?”
“Lady Belita, you no longer need to manage Lady Lilia’s budget yourself.”
Ignoring her decadent attire, Emmet spoke simply, despite the thick smoke still in the room.
“What? Who gave you that right? The household finances were entrusted to me.”
“Well, a report came in suggesting possible ledger manipulation.”
“Hah, who says such nonsense… She’s my niece. There’s no way I would touch that little brat’s money! Unbelievable.”
Belita crossed her arms in disbelief.
“Lady Lilia was given 100,000 Ruts for the last three months. But looking at the ledger her nanny prepared, only 6,500 Ruts were actually spent.”
“So, that nanny must have embezzled it?”
“That’s impossible. The recent budget gradually decreased, and she actually received only 1,800 Ruts. The rest came out of her own salary to cover living expenses.”
“Listen, Emmet. Even with Father behind you, get too cocky and it could end badly.”
Belita’s disdainful tone was annoying, but Emmet quietly continued examining the documents.
The ledger he showed was genuine.
“Hah, something like this could easily be faked…”
Next, Emmet showed the bank account records of Lilia’s nanny, Marit.
She had received three monthly deposits of 600 Ruts each, totaling 1,800 Ruts.
“Just give her a reasonable allowance.”
It was even less than Belita had expected.
She suddenly remembered the order she had given her clerk.
“This can’t be faked. In the Roberk Magical Bank, you can only have one personal account, as you know.”
Belita glared at Emmet like she was chewing ash.
“Having my own palace is nice, but the best part is finally getting my full budget,” Lilia said with a small smile, picking up a sweet apple pie drizzled with syrup.
“Giving a bribe to the aide was worth it!”
He had promised to handle the budget, so by now Belita must have found out.
With Belita’s fiery temper, she would have gone mad.
Lilia was a little worried.
Last week, she had been guided through her new palace and perks, and had heard her budget would increase.
Now was the perfect chance to bring up the money issue naturally.
If she left it alone, Belita would likely take it for herself.
And she needed to recover the budget that had been taken before.
“You know, the maids said they had to cover your clothes and food from their own salaries because the budget was too small. But now we don’t have to worry about that anymore, right?”
“Yes?”
Hearing that, Emmet was shocked and promised to investigate the finances in detail, since embezzlement had been suspected.
He didn’t tell Marit the full story, only asking to see her bank account records.
The fake payment slips issued by Belita’s clerk were found in his office.
Upon checking, it turned out Belita’s administrative clerk had withheld an enormous amount of Lilia’s rightful budget.
It was hundreds of thousands of Ruts.
Lilia couldn’t let Marit continue covering her living expenses from her own salary.
She hadn’t known before. Marit had never complained about the lack of money, so Lilia had never realized.
All the clothes Marit had provided were high-quality and stylish.
The toys and food she had given were all good quality as well.
Now that Lilia had her own palace, she finally realized how poor the old room in the east wing had been.
“I never noticed because Marit always made sure I had everything I liked. It was all her sacrifice. Silly Marit.”
Marit was perhaps even more precious to Lilia than her mother had been.
Her mother had left when she was very young, and Lilia had no memory of her face or warmth.
She had never heard much about her. Clasid rarely mentioned her name.
Just then, Marit returned from the bank, her face bright with good news.
She opened a long, scroll-like bank book to show Lilia.
“Miss! Look! The budget for the next few years has been deposited all at once! Wow, how many zeros are there… This is an enormous amount!”
“It’s already been sorted and deposited. Mr. Emmet works fast!”
“It’s not that. Because of previous accounting errors, the delayed budget has been deposited at once, Emmet explained.”
“So… this money can really be spent, right?”
“Yes. Of course.”
“Ah, that’s fantastic!”
Marit had worked hard using her own salary to take care of Lilia but never complained.
“Now it’s my turn to spoil you!”
