The Young Miss’s Nocturnal Adventures and a Growing Debt

“Tell me, where has our Young Miss been running off to these days, skipping school entirely?”

“I don’t know.”

“Even if you don’t know, you can still speculate. Isn’t the joy of our lives supposed to be honest work? Yet, she’s constantly out all night and sleeping all day. What else could she be doing out all night but either stealing hearts or stealing cattle?”

Yuna said indifferently, “What does it matter? It has nothing to do with us.”

“How can it have nothing to do with us? The Young Miss is so brazen, stealing hearts every night. What if Lady Witch finds out? Wouldn’t she punish us for inadequate supervision?”

Nina’s words were so logical and well-reasoned that even the sizzling lamb chops in the pan seemed to agree with her.

“So, what do you say?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Yuna replied, her voice utterly devoid of emotion.

“Why not?”

“Because the Young Miss is back.”

Nina turned around to find Iordera standing silently in the doorway, her gaze fixed upon her.

“Young Miss, you… when did you return?”

“From ‘the joy of your lives’,” Iordera stated, her face expressionless.

“Is that so? Then you must have misunderstood,” Nina chuckled, quickly explaining, “The whole situation is actually quite complicated.”

“I don’t think it’s complicated. Weren’t you just talking about…” Iordera gestured with her hand, “supervising me?”

Nina hastily stirred with the spatula in her hand. “No, no! I’m cooking lamb chops, not you, Young Miss.”

Iordera’s lips twitched slightly, then she sighed and settled onto the sofa. “Lamb is too warming. I want to sleep. Let’s have pork chops instead.”

“Alright, I’ll fry it for you right away!”

****

After so many days, it was a rare occasion for the three of them—master and two servants—to sit down and eat together.

Nina fiddled with her knife and fork for a few moments before she couldn’t resist asking, “Young Miss, were you really out stealing hearts these past few nights?”

Iordera slammed her fork onto the table. “What kind of talk is that? Am I that sort of person?”

Nina, unperturbed, added, “But sometimes, when you return in the dead of night, you reek of perfume, or milk, or glutinous rice, or even bones.” Yuna blinked, seemingly in agreement.

Iordera paused, slightly taken aback, and scratched her head.

The perfume scent was from Sophia; she often attended tea parties at school, and her social circle was full of wealthy young ladies who always wore a little fragrance.

As for the other smells, Awang loved to lap up milk, Duo Duo enjoyed biscuits, and Little Pa had a singular fondness for gnawing on bones.

Indeed, every scent had a plausible explanation.

After a moment’s thought, Iordera replied, “I get hungry at night, so I found places for extra meals. Is there a problem with that?”

“Of course there’s a problem!” Nina exclaimed, looking at her. “You drink perfume too?”

“Precisely. I’m not human, after all. It’s perfectly reasonable to replenish the trace elements and lubricants my body requires.”

At this, the two maids were rendered speechless, and simply lowered their heads to continue their meal.

Yet, Iordera’s mood remained unsettled. After a long silence, she suddenly mused, “Tell me, is a life filled with milk, biscuits, and bones considered a luxury?”

Nina pondered for a moment, then set down her knife and fork, counting on her fingers. “Fresh milk, delivered daily, costs 2 gold coins a month for one bottle. Biscuits are twenty for one silver, though osmanthus, brown sugar, pumpkin, or beef biscuits are more expensive. As for bones, marrow bones, ribs, and dragon tendon bones are all around 3 silver coins per catty.”

Truly, Nina, who managed all the household’s food and drink, could rattle off such details effortlessly.

“Yes, just these simple things.” Iordera gazed at the knife and fork in her hand, sighing repeatedly.

Both Nina and Yuna noticed their Young Miss was in an unusual state, but neither dared to inquire.

As the meal neared its end and Nina prepared to clear the table, Iordera suddenly announced, “Pay close attention over the next few days. I’ll inform you later, but it will be just like last time.”

Nina paused in her movements. “What will be like last time?”

“Just like last time, with Juneburg.”

“Oh, that time…”

The two maids fell silent for a moment, then simultaneously rose. Yuna, in particular, reacted dramatically, immediately standing on the sofa.

“Young Miss, what’s wrong? Don’t do anything rash!” Nina exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief. “Was Juneburg not enough? Now you want to kill Saroyan’s Lord too?”

Iordera frowned. “I didn’t say the Lord. Just the regional Governor.”

“A district Governor of Saroyan is far stronger than Juneburg’s Lord! There’s a world of difference!”

Yuna echoed, “Exactly! Saroyan’s Governors are all powerhouses over Level 60. Young Miss, you absolutely must calm down.”

Nina added, “Last time, we could at least pick up your parts. This time, I fear we’ll only be scraping ashes off the ground.”

“That’s right!”

“It’s not that dramatic,” Iordera said, a wry smile on her face. “And I’m not going to kill him; I don’t even have that capability.”

‘I merely intend to petition.’

“Well, that’s good then. Very good.”

“Young Miss, you must be tired. Get some proper rest.”

The two maids breathed a sigh of relief and busied themselves helping to tidy up. Even Yuna got up to bring Iordera a basin of foot-washing water.

They had been truly terrified.

After washing up, Iordera climbed into her small bed and retrieved a tiny box from beneath her pillow. Inside, alongside Hecate’s bone ring, she placed five small candle stubs.

After a moment’s consideration, she took out the bone ring and tucked it into her coat pocket.

She planned to seek guidance from Hecate tomorrow, hoping the ring would bring her good fortune.

“Good night.”

She bid good night to the empty air, closed her eyes, and drifted into slumber.

****

The following afternoon, Iordera couldn’t find Hecate in the library, so she went directly to the academic building and located Hecate’s office.

Upon entering, she found Hecate engrossed in a textbook.

“Good afternoon, Professor Luna,” Iordera greeted, walking in with a familiar air. “Busy preparing for class?”

“Yes, I have a class first thing this afternoon, so I’m just reviewing a bit,” Hecate replied with a smile, looking at Iordera. “My dear, are you here to ask for my help today?”

“Oh, come now, listen to yourself,” Iordera said, rubbing her hands together playfully. “Can’t I just visit when there’s nothing pressing?”

“But you’re already wearing the ring, so your intentions are quite clear,” Hecate observed. “Honestly, my dear, there’s no need for such formalities between us. Just state your business directly.”

Iordera sheepishly removed the bone ring from her ring finger. “It’s just that I feel a bit embarrassed, constantly coming to you for help, whether I have a problem or not…”

“There’s no need to be embarrassed; didn’t we agree?” Hecate said, pulling out a ledger. “My assistance can be converted into gold coins, treated as a loan from me to you.”

Iordera froze, speechless.

‘It seems there was such an agreement, but why does the debt keep growing?’

“So,” Hecate said, opening the ledger and picking up a pen, “what kind of help do you need this time?”

Iordera hesitated. “I wanted to consult you about something.”