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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Sierra, Blood on Her Lips
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"Ugh..."
In the heart of the bustling city, where countless stories flowed through the crowded streets, a thick, musky scent wafted from the stall that had now become as familiar as home.
All the herbs I had prepared were already sold out, but my feet refused to leave the spot. The scene from last night's spar with Camilla kept replaying in my mind.
Truth be told, it was so one-sided that calling it a spar felt embarrassing.
Camilla had deployed layer upon layer of defensive magic circles. None of the scrolls I had prepared could even scratch that impenetrable barrier.
It was only natural. A novice like me, just stepping into the intermediate scroll stage, could never breach the defenses of a seasoned magic swordsman like Camilla.
I wasn't particularly disheartened. I was simply pondering how to break through a shield like that if I ever faced one again.
What if I compressed the impact point?
A hypothesis popped into my head.
If I thought of the barrier as a solid wall, striking a single point hard—like a nail with a hammer—might create a crack.
It might sacrifice accuracy, but against a wide-coverage shield, it could actually be more effective. The moment I got back to the mansion, I'd start by narrowing the output range.
"Miss."
Sierra's whisper in my ear pulled me from my deep thoughts.
I looked up at her, following her gaze. There, between two men in silver armor, stood a woman with neatly combed hair.
She appeared to be in her late teens, with sharp, striking features.
"I'm sorry, everything we prepared for today has sold out."
Lately, my stock sold out in less than an hour, so I often had to turn away customers like this.
"Oh, that's fine. The important part starts now."
The woman stepped forward from between her escort-like men. Her gleaming hair and exquisitely tailored clothes made it obvious at a glance that she was nobility.
I bowed my head carefully. She was a customer at my stall, after all, and I had no desire to clash with a noble for no reason.
"Congratulations. Your life is about to bloom from here on out. Success at such a young age—impressive."
She flashed a confident smile and lightly patted my shoulder. The instinctive revulsion at her touch made me step back a pace.
A shadow flickered across the woman's eyes at my reaction.
"I'm sorry. I... I have a fear of being touched."
I hurried to explain, hoping to avoid any misunderstanding.
Fortunately, her expression softened. She brushed back her hair and shrugged.
"Well, plenty of commoners are like that. I'll let it slide."
"Thank you. But... what did you mean by my life blooming?"
A wide smile spread across the woman's lips.
"You won't need to come out here and sell anymore. Our family will buy your herbs at double the price."
Her sudden offer widened my eyes. Clearly, she wasn't just any customer.
"Like... a contract?"
"Yeah, something like that. You save time, double the profit. Not a bad deal, right?"
Her eyes brimmed with confidence, her face certain I wouldn't refuse.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not thinking about contracts right now."
Yet I refused without a moment's hesitation.
I wasn't ignorant of my herbs' value. I knew the incense I sold for 50 runes could fetch hundreds and still have demand.
But after my dealings with that merchant in the past, I had set one rule: no contracts until I could enforce them legally myself.
I priced the incense at 50 runes for similar reasons. Charging too much could invite trouble I couldn't handle.
The money I was saving was already enough for academy tuition anyway. Once I turned seventeen and gained proper qualifications, it wouldn't be too late to raise prices.
Besides, even without the incense, I had mana herbs. Money wasn't a big worry.
So for now, sticking to my principles was best.
"I really appreciate the offer. But I enjoy selling here."
I bowed politely in refusal.
"Ha."
But the woman's face twisted immediately. My response had clearly irked her.
"Must be the commoner in you—such an idiot."
What came back was bitter scorn and a gaze full of contempt.
The friendliness from moments ago was nowhere to be seen.
"It's not bad for you, is it? Just take it. Refuse, and you might catch the eye of the Barensha Marquis Family—in a bad way."
Her tone had turned almost threatening. My will no longer mattered.
Back at the orphanage, I would've had no way to stand up to a noble like her. But things were different now. I had at least the minimum power to protect myself.
"Would it be okay if I asked the guild master?"
This wasn't some rural outskirts—it was the empire's heart, a proper merchant district. Merchants paid the guild for spots, and in return, the guild promised safety and protection.
In cases like this, with malicious threats, that protection should kick in.
"I'm young and don't know much about this stuff. The guild master said to come to him if anything like this happens..."
Sure enough, mentioning the guild master brought a flicker of unease to her face.
It wasn't on the level of the Rahel Tani family, but this guild was run by a respectable count family.
At least within this district, I was guaranteed safety. Realizing that, the woman grimaced and jabbed a finger into my shoulder.
"Little girl. Guess your parents didn't teach you— you don't stare nobles in the eye like that."
It was childish nonsense, but there wasn't much to say in response. The reality of the gulf between nobles and commoners was undeniable.
Best not to escalate. I swallowed a quiet sigh and bowed my head carefully.
"I'm sorry..."
"Tch. Hope you have a different answer next time I come by."
The woman clicked her tongue and turned away. I calmly lifted my head to watch her go.
I'd half-expected something like this. My herbs were exceptionally effective, after all.
Honestly, the fact that a whole year had passed without incident was the surprising part.
"Are you alright, Miss?"
Sierra's voice sounded colder than usual.
"I'm fine. This ended well enough. Anyway... huh?"
Mid-sentence, I noticed the red stain on Sierra's lips.
"Sierra, there's blood on your lip..."
"Ah."
She wiped it away casually, as if it were nothing, and gave a relaxed smile.
"My lips were just dry, that's all. No need to worry."
Dry enough to bleed? Sierra seemed to have her share of hardships too.
"I'll give you some lip balm."
"...Thank you, Miss."
Making money wasn't easy, after all.
I figured I should take good care of Sierra.
Grind—
"That unheard-of wench..."
In the Rahel Tani family head's office. A voice as chilling as a silent blizzard cut through the air.
Roselia's eyes flashed. The emotions tangled in her blood-red gaze were unmistakably murderous.
"Black Lord. I'll handle it."
Sierra's voice was icy cold as well. The scab on her lip wasn't from dry skin.
"I specifically told the guild master to keep an eye out..."
Roselia's fingertips drummed the desk repeatedly. As the light faded from her eyes, the fire within raged fiercer.
"Black Lord, perhaps it's time to announce Miss Bella's status to high society..."
The incident stemmed from the woman treating Bella like a commoner. Had she known Bella was Rahel Tani, she wouldn't have dared approach.
"Bella hasn't wanted that so far."
Roselia murmured, lost in thought.
Bella didn't want the world to know she'd been adopted into the Rahel Tani family.
In most cases, it would be the opposite. Going from commoner to noble overnight was anyone's dream.
It wouldn't be strange for someone to grab a shoulder and boast, "I'm a noble now!"
But Bella, not wanting to burden the family, had asked to keep it secret until adulthood.
Did Bella realize it?
That her pure intentions only fueled Roselia's desires. Roselia wanted to declare Bella her daughter to the world right then.
And today's events had only stoked that desire further.
"When's the next ball?"
"Next week."
Roselia's eyes gleamed red.
"Good. That day, there'll be a tiny little mistake."
"A mistake?"
Puzzlement rose in Sierra's eyes. In contrast, a slow smile bloomed on Roselia's lips.
"Yes. Someone who knows about Bella's adoption will accidentally let it slip in high society."
Like a rose harboring sharp thorns.
Roselia's smile was a seductive curve only a wicked woman could wear.
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