The Villainess's Exclusive Maid Is Too Good at Her Job - Chapter 80

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 80

After the Academic Festival concluded, I found myself confined to my room once more, though this time it was semi-voluntary.

“Your ribs still hurt! You need more rest until you’re fully healed!”

I couldn’t resist Julietta Ludwig’s concern, which came wrapped in the tone of a command.
‘Well, she’s right. My ribs are still uncomfortable.’
An injured arm could be managed by simply not using it, but injured ribs offered no such reprieve.
And I certainly couldn’t go about wrapped in bandages around my torso like some invalid.
With no choice in the matter, I resolved to make the most of my convalescence.
‘Perhaps I should develop my business plans further during this time.’
The finished product of “Day Oat” that I’d encountered at the Academic Festival kept drifting through my mind.
Though it bore a pseudonym, seeing a product bearing my name—or rather, my alias—was far more gratifying than I’d anticipated.
‘According to Theo, sales still aren’t particularly strong.’
While the concept of “milk for those whose bodies don’t tolerate dairy products” had garnered interest, it apparently hadn’t translated into robust sales figures.
It seemed people felt a certain hesitation toward milk made from grain rather than from cattle or goats.
‘After all, it takes courage to embrace something entirely new.’
I was deep in thought, my mind working furiously, when it happened.
Knock, knock.
At the soft sound, I lifted my head sharply.
‘Is it Sandy or Mary?’
The two women who had accompanied me to the Townhouse had become my dedicated attendants since my injury.
“Come in.”
At my permission, the door swung open.
But the figure that appeared was neither Sandy nor Mary—it was someone I hadn’t expected at all.
“R-Rosina?”
“Hello, Janet. I heard you were injured, so I came to visit.”
Rosina waved her hand gently, her eyes sparkling with delight.

***

The two of them moved to the Garden Greenhouse.
“If you’re in pain, should you really be moving around?”
“Yes. It’s only my arm and ribs that were injured, and they’ve recovered considerably, so there’s no problem with movement at all.”
Having given the same answer so many times, the words flowed from my lips as if I’d memorized them.
“Here, do have some.”
“Thank you.”
What awaited the two of us was a fragrant milk tea.
Janet’s eyes widened as she took a careful sip.
“This is… could it be…?”
“That’s right. I used the milk you made.”
“You prepared this especially for me?”
Well, if I’m being honest, ever since the academic festival, Rosina had been utterly captivated by this oat milk.
Its distinctive nutty flavor with that subtle sweetness suited her palate perfectly.
But there was no need to tell her the whole truth.
“Of course. I prepared it with you in mind.”
“…Thank you. I’m truly moved, Miss Rosina.”
There we are.
A small lie has a way of bringing joy to others.
“By the way, you seemed to be writing something quite intently earlier.”
“Ah, it was a business plan.”
“A business plan?”
“Yes. I heard that Day Oat’s sales have been sluggish lately. I was wondering if there might be some good solutions.”
“Hmm. Which aspect is struggling?”
“Well, you see—”
Rosina’s words carried a peculiar power.
The power to make others open up and speak freely.
Rosina herself was well aware of this gift. Since childhood, I had a talent for conversing with others and attuning myself to their moods.
Perhaps that was the reason.

「People shall always gather at your side, and flowers shall bloom from your words.」

That such a blessing had come to her.
Rosina and I discussed business matters for quite some time.
“Still, if you want to showcase the milk itself, wouldn’t it be better to establish a specialized shop?”
“That’s right. I’ve been thinking about it too. Since the Cafeteria business is thriving these days, I was wondering—what if we opened a Cafeteria that exclusively uses Day Oat for beverages?”
“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. If you do that, it’ll appeal well to the nobility.”
“Do you think so?”
“Of course.”
At Rosina’s answer, my eyes sparkled. But it was only for a moment.
“However, it seems like it would require far too much capital. Realistically, it’s impossible for me right now.”
“Hmm. Capital, you say…”
Rosina fidgeted with the teacup that had contained her milk tea.
Ordinarily, it was considered impolite to let a beverage run dry during conversation.
Yet, so engrossed had we been in our pleasant discussion that she hadn’t even noticed the tea had finished.
Rosina, who had been staring at the empty cup, lifted her gaze once more to meet mine across the table.
“Still, once I’ve accumulated enough capital, I absolutely want to attempt it.”
At my words, Rosina’s lips twitched slightly.
Yet, in the end, nothing escaped from between her rosy lips.
“Yes, do your best.”
A hollow, brief word of encouragement was all she could manage.
Rosina gazed into the distance for a moment, suppressing what she truly wished to say.
There was no need to voice every thought that crossed one’s mind.
One had to distinguish clearly between words of value and those without, and speak accordingly.
Being the ‘Flower of High Society’ was not something anyone could achieve.
To meet a good man and become an excellent noblewoman, one had to maintain this pinnacle position indefinitely.
Having restrained herself from speaking her mind, Rosina smoothly changed the subject.
“Speaking of which, Janet. Your birthday is coming up soon, isn’t it?”
Rosina posed the question with a smile as perfectly drawn as a painting.
#Chapter. The Meaning of a Birthday

For me, a birthday held no meaning whatsoever.
I had no memories before the age of fifteen, so I didn’t know my exact birthday, and the one recorded in the registry was merely the day I was registered into Earl Graham’s Residence.
‘If I think of it that way, wouldn’t it be the worst day of all?’
The day I set foot in that dreadful household.
In truth, I hadn’t been indifferent to birthdays from the start.
Foolishly, just days before my sixteenth birthday, I had been filled with faint hope.

‘Would my parents remember my birthday?’

A memory of Simon’s birthday party from a few months ago flickered through my mind. Of course, I wasn’t hoping for anything as extravagant as that.
I had no one to invite, and besides, I would be the one preparing the birthday meal anyway.
So what I truly desired was something simple.
A small slice of cake and a single phrase: “Happy birthday.”
A child who had lost all memories up to the age of fifteen often questioned the reason for her own existence.
So if someone were to say “happy birthday” to me…
I planned to grandiosely interpret it as “thank you for being born” and make that the reason for my existence.
But.

“We’re eating out tonight.”
“Let’s go, dear.”
“Ugh, eating out is such a bother. Do we really have to?”

My hopes crumbled mercilessly. Not only did no one wish me a happy birthday, but no one even remembered it was my birthday.
Left alone in the sprawling mansion, I began my usual chores.
I hung out the laundry and scrubbed the stairs.
I polished every window and tidied the Kitchen.
By the time I finished my work, it was mealtime. My dinner consisted of a piece of stale bread and a thin bowl of soup.
The bread had grown even harder than it was that morning.
I sat alone at the table, chewing the cold, hard bread persistently.
I chewed and chewed countless times before finally managing to swallow.
I felt a touch of sadness, yet ironically, no tears fell.
After that first birthday passed, birthdays became worthless days to me.
Sometimes they felt worse than worthless—truly dreadful. I wished birthdays didn’t exist at all.
Yet this eighteenth birthday, I couldn’t help but anticipate it.
‘Finally, I’ll be recognized as a true adult!’
Though I still couldn’t completely separate myself from Earl Graham, they could no longer lay their hands on my money as they pleased.
Just drawing that thin line felt as though it would finally let me breathe.
I smiled contentedly, counting down the days until my birthday.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————