The Grand Tour and a Desperate Plan

The cool, early morning light filtered through the high windows, settling upon the somewhat sparse study of the Lockwood Estate.

Rachel sat behind the expansive desk, her quill hovering above an open notebook.

After a moment of contemplation, she carefully inscribed a few words.

“First on the list: Ariya.”

Rachel’s gaze was solemn as she stared at the name ‘Ariya’ in her notebook.

Days had passed since the banquet at the Silver Mistletoe Estate, and in that time, news of the Cult had spread far and wide.

Ariya’s reputation had soared accordingly, and she herself was actively leading operations against the Cult.

Rumor had it she had already taken her forces north to Duke Kalam’s territory, intending to purge the Cult strongholds entrenched there.

“The Princess’s plan has certainly been a resounding success,” Rachel murmured, “though it has little to do with me.”

After all, Rachel’s sole desire was to live out the rest of her days in peace, utterly disinclined to involve herself in such troublesome affairs.

‘Yet, regrettably, trouble seems to invariably seek me out…’

Rachel sighed, her gaze shifting to the next name.

Ruby.

This Shadow Guard, ostensibly sworn to Ariya, remained ever at Rachel’s side.

While her presence was ostensibly for Rachel’s protection, the reality was likely to prevent her from uttering anything indiscreet during this critical period.

Though Ruby’s continued presence was a ticking time bomb, Rachel lacked the authority to dismiss her.

‘Never mind,’ she thought. ‘I’ll just feign ignorance and treat her as a bodyguard.’

Rachel shrugged, her eyes moving down the page to a new name.

“Miriam…”

Suddenly, Rachel’s expression grew somewhat grim.

Since that fateful night, Miriam had vanished without a trace, leaving no sign of her whereabouts.

Perhaps, even now, she lurked in some hidden corner, quietly plotting her next act of vengeance.

A soft sigh escaped Rachel’s lips at the thought.

‘Perhaps I truly shouldn’t have let Miriam go that night,’ she mused. ‘Allowing Ruby to cut the weeds at the root might have been the wiser choice.’

Even so, Rachel couldn’t bring herself to witness Miriam’s death before her.

Ultimately, Rachel was but an ordinary person, incapable of dispassionately watching someone perish in her presence.

Rachel gently struck through Miriam’s name, then turned to the next page.

This page held no names, only several large question marks.

‘Death countdown…’

Rachel’s brows furrowed deeply.

She instinctively focused her mind, yet failed to perceive the familiar, heart-stopping crimson hue.

“The countdown has completely vanished,” Rachel murmured. “It seems the crisis has indeed passed.”

“But what exactly was that thing? Why did it choose me specifically? And this inexplicable transmigration…”

While the immediate danger had receded, the questions had not diminished; instead, they multiplied.

The more she pondered, the more her mind swirled with unanswered inquiries, and these were not Rachel’s only vexations.

‘Money… and people…’

Compared to her previous concerns, these two presented truly pressing problems!

Upon her return to the Lockwood territory, Rachel had abolished the accursed tax policies enacted by her predecessor.

After all, she had no desire to court further trouble on that account.

The consequence, however, was that the already strained finances of the Lockwood household were exacerbated, pushing them perilously close to bankruptcy.

Manpower, moreover, presented an even greater dilemma.

Currently, Rachel’s immediate retinue consisted only of Vera and Ruby, with Vera being the sole individual she truly trusted.

Whether for ensuring her personal safety or generating income to sustain the territory, Rachel desperately needed more hands.

But…

‘To hire people, I need money, but to make money, I need people…’

She was utterly trapped in a vicious cycle.

In a gesture of exasperated surrender, Rachel tossed her pen aside.

She let out a heavy sigh, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her.

A soft, rhythmic knock sounded at the door.

“Come in,” Rachel called out.

Rachel rubbed her temples, subtly reining in her vexed emotions.

The door swung open, and Vera’s perpetually cheerful and energetic face peeked inside.

Immediately after, she practically dragged another person into the room, half-pushing, half-pulling them along.

“Lady Rachel! You simply must see this!”

Vera’s voice brimmed with excitement and a hint of barely concealed pride.

Standing beside Vera was none other than Ruby.

Yet, at this moment, she was utterly transformed, a stark contrast to the crimson specter Rachel remembered from the moonlit alley, the Shadow Guard whose every move was swift and merciless.

Gone was the dark grey combat attire that accentuated her powerful physique.

In its place, she wore a maid’s uniform identical to Vera’s.

A black and white dress, its hem reaching her knees, was covered by a white apron adorned with delicate ruffles.

Beneath the skirt, knee-high black stockings met flat, rounded-toe leather shoes.

Her fiery red hair, usually unbound, had been skillfully swept up by Vera and coiled into a bun at the back of her head, secured with a simple black ribbon.

A few unruly strands framed her stark, angular face.

Ruby stood rigidly straight, yet her body was as stiff as a block of wood freshly retrieved from an ice cellar.

An intensely unnatural, almost mortified blush stained her cheeks, creeping all the way to her earlobes.

Her amber eyes, typically sharp as a hawk’s, were now cast down, fixed intently on the gleaming tips of her polished leather shoes.

Her hands were awkwardly clasped in front of her, fingers tightly twisting the edge of her apron, knuckles faintly white.

Her entire demeanor radiated a profound discomfort and… humiliation.

Pfft…

Rachel couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.

She immediately pressed a fist to her lips, feigning a cough to cover it.

Yet, the mirth in her silver-grey eyes—a blend of appreciation and mischievous triumph—was utterly impossible to conceal.

“Lady Rachel!”

Ruby’s head snapped up, her voice rising several pitches with indignation, laced with suppressed fury.

“This attire… it’s utterly pointless!” she exclaimed. “It severely impedes my movements! It’s completely hindering my execution of the task the Princess entrusted to me!”

“Oh, Ruby, you can’t say that.”

Rachel lowered her hand, attempting to compose a serious and earnest expression, but the amusement in her eyes still twinkled.

“You intend to remain by my side long-term, yes?” Rachel began. “But consider this: wouldn’t a highly skilled, cold-tempered stranger constantly shadowing a baroness inevitably arouse suspicion?”

As she spoke, Rachel rose, circling the stiffly standing Ruby, and declared with an air of profound conviction.

“However, a newly hired maid is an entirely different matter.

This is the perfect disguise! It allows you to blend into the environment, drawing no undue attention.

Vera, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Yes, yes, yes! Lady Rachel is absolutely right!”

Vera immediately bobbed her head like a pecking chick, her face radiating the pure joy of ‘I finally have a companion!’

She reached out, carefully straightening the bow on Ruby’s apron.

“See, Ruby, isn’t this wonderful? From now on, we’re colleagues! You can ask me anything you don’t understand! Maid work is actually quite simple, like brewing tea…”

Ruby stiffened at Vera’s sudden adjustment, nearly reflexively swatting her hand away.

She gritted her teeth, her face flushing an even deeper red, and after a long moment of struggling, she finally squeezed out a few words.

“Fine,” Ruby muttered, “I’ll consider it for the mission…”

Rachel watched Ruby’s ‘humiliated compliance’ with satisfaction.

Indeed… the outfit, paired with Ruby’s red hair, created a wonderfully contrasting and undeniably cute effect.

It was even more fitting than she had imagined.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough about the outfit.”

Rachel deftly steered the conversation away, lest Ruby become genuinely enraged.

“You two came together, surely not just to show me a new uniform?” she asked. “Vera, what is it?”

“Ah! I almost forgot the important matter!”

Vera slapped her forehead, then quickly pulled a scroll sealed with a royal wax stamp from her apron pocket.

She presented it with both hands, her tone imbued with a hint of eagerness.

“My Lady, this just arrived express from the Royal Capital! It’s a notice for the Grand Tour!”

“The Grand Tour?”

Rachel took the scroll, her brow furrowing slightly.

“Doesn’t that only take place in a few significant ducal territories and prosperous cities?” she questioned. “What connection could it possibly have to a small place like ours?”

“Circumstances have changed,” Ruby interjected.

Ruby spoke, taking over from Vera, her voice returning to its usual calm and efficient tone.

“This year, His Majesty the Emperor’s health is unfortunately poor, so the Fifth Princess… Her Highness Lumina, will undertake the tour in his stead.”

“Furthermore, to demonstrate the Royal Family’s concern for the entire Empire, and to… stabilize the populace recently unsettled by rumors of the Cult, the scope of the tour has been significantly expanded.”

‘Lumina?’ Rachel mused. ‘She’s rumored to be Princess Ariya’s rival, isn’t she? No wonder Ruby looked so uncomfortable mentioning her.’

As she pondered this, Rachel unrolled the scroll, quickly scanning its contents.

As expected, the notice clearly listed dozens of remote territories, including the Lockwood Barony, that would never typically appear on a tour itinerary.

The touring party was anticipated to arrive in late winter or early spring.

Vera, standing nearby, her eyes sparkling, was filled with anticipation for the lively festivities.

“My Lady! It’s the Grand Tour!” Vera exclaimed, her voice brimming. “When I was little, I heard the adults talk about it! They say a long, long time ago, the continent was full of small kingdoms, constantly at war.”

“Then a terrible dragon calamity threatened, and everyone was terrified.”

“It was His Majesty, the Great Saint King Aries, who rode alone through all the nations, uniting everyone to finally defeat the Demon Dragon and establish the Empire!”

“The Grand Tour is a traditional festival that continues to this day, commemorating the Saint King’s achievements! I can’t believe we in Lockwood are included! It’s going to be so exciting, isn’t it?”

Saint King Aries touring the nations, uniting against the dragons, laying the foundation of the Empire… this epic history came alive through Vera’s eager narration.

However, Rachel felt not an ounce of festive cheer in that moment.

She simply found herself with a throbbing headache.

“Exciting?”

Rachel set the scroll down, her fingers unconsciously tapping against the desk, producing a dull thud.

“Excitement, however, comes at a price…” Rachel’s voice sounded utterly weary. “The Princess’s retinue, the accommodation and meals for her entourage, and the banquets… which of these won’t demand a fortune in gold coins? And as for Lockwood now…”

Vera’s excited face immediately fell.

She was, of course, well aware of the territory’s dire financial state, but the news of the tour had momentarily swept her away.

She mumbled softly, “…Then… what are we going to do, My Lady?”

Ruby stood silently to the side, utterly indifferent to Lockwood’s economic plight.

Her duty was solely Rachel’s safety and ensuring she spoke no imprudent words.

For her, the tour simply represented a change in mission location and a period demanding heightened vigilance.

Rachel’s gaze swept over the open ledger on her desk, detailing the financial deficits, then drifted to the bleak landscape visible through the window.

To host a princess, accompanied by a vast retinue and embodying royal majesty? This would truly be the final straw.

Rather than passively awaiting bankruptcy, she thought, perhaps…

A daring idea swiftly took shape in her mind.

Rachel picked up the Grand Tour notice scroll, her eyes fixed on a distant point beyond the window.

“Pack up, Vera, Ruby,” she announced. “We’re going on a long journey.”

“Huh? Now? Where are we going?” Vera asked, astonished.

“To find money, and to find people.”