The Bard’s Memoir and a New Role

Indeed, why?

The two maids also lowered their heads in thought; as the saying goes, ‘three cobblers with their wits combined are better than Zhuge Liang.’ After pondering together, they actually reached a conclusion:

“We understand.”

Iordera blinked, utterly bewildered:

“Understand what?”

“Miss Witch wants a story with a romantic arc,” Nina said. “She’s trying to raise your affection.”

Iordera rolled her eyes:

“I knew you two wouldn’t say anything sensible.”

To think she had held a flicker of expectation for a moment—how foolish she was.

After their meal, the group settled onto the sofa, enjoying a rare, leisurely afternoon.

Seeing a prime opportunity, Yuna produced a notebook and declared:

“My Lady, I have a few questions I’d like to ask you.”

“An interview?”

“Yes, didn’t I mention before that I’m writing a book to become a bard?” Yuna gestured with the pen in her hand. “I plan to write a legendary memoir about My Lady.”

“Oh, is that so?” Iordera suddenly felt a blush creeping up. “That’s hardly necessary… Well, what is it you wish to ask?”

“First question: When you first intervened, did you know you could defeat your opponent?”

“Certainly not,” Iordera replied. “But even without knowing, I had to act. Several lives hung in the balance, and any delay would have been too late.”

Yuna pondered for a moment, then wrote with conviction:

‘Driven by fervent courage, Iordera decisively intervened, unaware of her foe’s strength. She knew not whether she would live or die once she charged forth. She only knew that hesitation in that critical moment would doom innocent lives. A blade of ignorance, born to face death itself.’

Nina clapped from the side:

“What splendid exaggeration! It has that dramatic flair.”

Iordera shot her a disgruntled glance, thinking to herself, ‘This isn’t *entirely* an exaggeration. It’s merely a certain degree of artistic embellishment applied to the facts.’

‘Quite fair, in fact!’

“Second question: My Lady, why did you allow the City Lord to activate the battle puppet?” Yuna inquired. “You originally planned to kill him directly.”

“If I had simply killed him outright, it would have been a one-for-one trade, wouldn’t it?” Iordera spread her hands. “His trusted subordinates would still be there, capable of completing his subsequent plans. Then, Uncle Andrew and the others would still shoulder the blame, and I would be falsely accused as an assassin sent by the witch, having murdered the esteemed City Lord.”

Yuna tilted her head:

“So, it was to save more people?”

“No, you’ve missed the crux of the matter,” Iordera explained patiently. “The key to resolving the Juneburg incident lay with the two prominent families. They were the only ones in the city capable of investigating the truth and holding the City Lord accountable. My primary goal in destroying the battle puppet was to protect the members of those two families.”

Even if I had traded my life for the City Lord’s at that moment, his trusted subordinates could have unleashed the puppet, eliminated the two families, and then twisted the narrative at will, with no one left to challenge them.

“I see,” Yuna nodded. “Crude yet meticulous, My Lady.”

Iordera bristled immediately:

“Crude? My entire journey was filled with meticulous details, thank you very much.”

Nina interjected:

“Charging headfirst into the City Lord’s mansion alone—there’s hardly a cruder act than that.”

….

‘That’s true enough.’

“As for the two families, I couldn’t approach them beforehand, as I didn’t know their precise location, and the City Lord had guards watching them. I simply couldn’t defeat those guards.”

“I understand that,” Yuna scribbled rapidly. “I didn’t ask you, no need to explain.”

“…Alright then. Still, writing it in such detail, won’t it be… problematic?” Iordera voiced her concerns. “This whole affair is so dark…”

“Don’t worry,” Yuna said without looking up. “Hardly anyone will believe it.”

“What?”

“My Lady, your story sounds far too legendary. Few will truly believe it; most will simply assume it’s a tale I fabricated.”

Iordera paused, slightly taken aback:

“So, fabricated stories are taken as truth, and true stories are dismissed as fiction?”

‘What a bizarre world we live in!’

“Otherwise? You’re practically unknown; why would they believe you?”

‘Forget it, I’d rather just lie down in bed.’

In the leisurely afternoon, Iordera reclined on her bed, resting her eyes. Yuna furiously penned her words at the table, while Nina feigned busyness in the kitchen, secretly absorbed in the bard’s unfolding narrative.

Regardless of whether their future held brightness or gloom, for now, they were content.

That day, Iordera did nothing but rest thoroughly, rising bright and early the next morning, brimming with energy… only to run to a secluded spot and vent her frustrations.

After letting out a roar, she promptly fled, giving the startled inhabitants no chance to react.

Today marked the opening day of the Continental United Academy, one of Saroyan’s most significant annual events.

Iordera arrived at the academy by carriage, noticing a considerable increase in the crowd.

Everyone held their assigned positions, diligently performing their duties. Iordera, armed with her work permit, made her way back to the library.

“Quick, let’s tidy up properly. Once we’re done, we can watch the initiation ceremony… Hey, student,” a janitor wielding a mop approached. “The library isn’t open yet. Please come back a little later.”

Iordera produced her work permit and handed it over:

“I’m not a student; I work here too.”

“Let’s see… a security guard?”

The head janitor exclaimed in surprise, and the others gathered closer, their faces alight with astonishment.

“This young lady, she’s truly beautiful.”

“Our security guard? No way.”

“She’s been well-raised, this girl, so fair and radiant, like a fresh cabbage (TL Note: A Chinese colloquial expression ‘xiàng kē dàbáicài sìde’ describing a young woman who is fair-skinned, plump, and fresh-looking, often implying a simple, wholesome beauty, though it can sometimes carry a slightly rustic or naive connotation.).”

Iordera’s lips twitched involuntarily.

‘These colleagues of mine certainly know how to compliment someone.’

Apart from Iordera, the security guard, the rest of the library staff were primarily janitors.

And aside from Charlie, the gatekeeper (Uncle Charlie), they were all older women, aunts and grandmas.

Indeed, it had long been rumored that Principal Louisa paid her grassroots staff very poorly, only able to attract such workers.

“Hello everyone, my name is Iordera,” Iordera introduced herself, steeling her nerves. “Don’t let my appearance fool you; I’m actually over twenty, and I possess some skill in combat, so being a security guard is no problem at all.”

“I see! How wonderful, pretty girl.”

“Heroines emerge from maidens, and women warriors thrash men!” Uncle Charlie declared with conviction.

After exchanging some pleasantries, the colleagues quickly grew familiar with one another and began to brief Iordera on the library’s operations.

“Our usual work involves cleaning, tidying around the bookshelves, and occasionally moving things. It’s not too demanding, quite leisurely, actually. The head librarian isn’t here today; she handles our personnel and salaries,” said Susan, the janitor (Aunt Susan). “As for the Professor, she regularly inspects the books, and when necessary, she personally takes charge of organizing them.”

‘Hecate?’

Iordera asked, curiosity piqued:

“Does the Professor handle all the organizing and inspecting by herself? Can she manage it all?”

‘The library is such an enormous building, after all.’

“The Professor is not like us; she’s a master of magic,” Aunt Susan stated matter-of-factly. “With a mere wave of her hand, all the books in the entire building arrange themselves perfectly. It’s truly effortless.”

‘…Oh, right.’