A slightly older-looking woman guided me into the room with a cheerful smile.
“Thank you.”
“It’s no big deal for a junior who just joined us. Oh, and there’s something you should know.”
Now wearing a maid outfit that I’ve become somewhat accustomed to, she leaned in close to my ear and whispered.
“If it’s not really urgent, it’s best not to go to the third floor of the mansion.”
“May I ask why?”
“Well… The Duchess resides there. You’ve heard the rumours, right?”
“Ah.”
I knew only too well.
I shouldn’t dare to go to the third floor no matter what.
“Then take a good rest until next week. If you have any questions, feel free to come to me anytime!”
With a bright smile, the senior maid left.
I felt like I had met a better senior than I had expected.
“I’ve messed up…..”
I collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh.
I should have refused.
No matter what they said, I should have firmly refused to work…!!
“But how can I endure the huge salary…?”
In my previous life, a salary beyond imagination.
An unimaginable amount of money blurred my senses, and I ended up making an irreversible choice.
As I accepted the offer, the woman who was both the interviewer and the stewardess brought out the contract immediately, and I found myself signing it without even having a chance to reconsider.
Though the Stewardess had a sinister expression as she looked at the contract… I wasn’t worried about it since I had read it thoroughly.
Of course, apart from that, my heart felt endlessly heavy.
“Let’s think positively.”
It’s not a hopeless situation.
According to the information I got from the senior maid, the current year is 1242 in the Imperial Calendar.
Our protagonist, Kariba, still had about 8 years until he entered the academy and dazzled everyone with his abilities.
So, for the time being, things were okay.
The Northern Duchess killing her father and seizing the throne would happen after the protagonist entered the academy.
And her sudden appearance, leading to the massacre of everyone and plunging the world into chaos, was a story much further down the line.
It meant that any shocking events that would spread widely in society wouldn’t happen for a while.
Of course, no one knows how life will turn out…
But at least thinking positively like this made my heart feel a little lighter.
‘Let’s gather enough money to set up a cafe and leave.'”
I’m Alice.
An Maid with a whopping salary of 1200 gold coins (per year).
Just thinking about the enormous amount of money, it felt like a smile would bloom on my face even in this stifling situation.
“There’s probably taxes, I guess.”
The Empire isn’t digging up land or anything for business.
Taxes must be an essential element in managing such a vast territory.
Though the exact amount to be deducted is still uncertain… Assuming it’s similar to South Korea, if I try to save as much as possible by making use of the provided accommodation here and being frugal, I could still gather around 800 gold coins annually.
According to what the senior said, building a structure in a remote village-like area costs around 500 gold coins, while setting up a shop in a slightly developed place would require 2,000 gold coins.
To open a shop in the bustling capital of the Empire where people flock, you’d need around 5,000 gold coins.
It seemed like an outrageous difference in prices, but considering the spending habits of wealthy nobles living in the Imperial Capital, it was a reasonable expense.
If I was to just going to scrape by, I’ll open a shop in a remote village or a slightly distant place, but if I’m aiming for a big success, opening a shop in the Imperial Capital would be the right choice.
Of course, I’m the latter.
I never intend to set up my cafe lightly.
Any man should have big dreams.
I’ll make sure my first-ever cafe becomes a massive success somehow.
It’ll be a place where everyone can enjoy delicious drinks and desserts, share laughter, and heal in my cafe.”
Always a fantasy space that I could only dream of.
Such a building shouldn’t be in some remote village.
It should captivate everyone’s attention on the hottest street in the Empire.
I pondered slowly about what would happen in the future.
People tasting my drinks, spreading word of mouth one by one.
Gradually gaining fame and opening one chain store after another.
If everyone in the Empire started coming to my store..
Achieving my lifelong dream while getting a huge amount of money into my hands..!
“Ah.”
I drooled involuntarily as my lips parted with ecstasy.
Thankfully, I was alone; if someone had seen it, they would have looked at me strangely.
After wiping the drool from my lips with an embarrassed, flushed face, I cooled my head calmly.
“First, I need to take care of my immediate situation.”
Despite the high salary, the reality is that I haven’t achieved anything yet.
For someone penniless like me, opening a cafe in the heart of the Imperial Capital is still just a fantasy, and to gather the hefty sum of 5,000 gold coins, I would have to work here for seven years.
In the place where that monstrous Northern Duchess resides.
‘As long as I don’t encounter her.’
The full story of ‘Protecting the Saint’s Privacy’ will begin approximately eight years from now when Lucy, the Saint and the protagonist, enters the academy.
That means there’s still a long way to go before the Northern Duchess causes any major trouble.
During the seven years here, if I diligently gather funds to start the cafe and simply run away before the original story begins, there wouldn’t be any problems.
I’ll do my best to avoid encountering the Northern Duchess, and even if I do, as long as I keep a low profile and don’t provoke her, maybe I can avoid getting into trouble.
Moreover, now that Grand Duke Arvian Valaxar is managing Valaxar, there shouldn’t be much danger. He was mentioned in the novel as a just figure guarding the North.
Of course, he later loses his life to his own daughter, Adrielle…
‘But I still need insurance.’
One never knows what will happen in life.
Even if plans are laid out like this, who knows how things might go wrong.
This place isn’t a safe haven like South Korea.
Just the mages in the Third Circle alone could easily kill an ordinary person like me.
Furthermore, in this reality, one wrong move towards any noble could lead to immediate imprisonment or even execution.
And above all, there’s something else to worry about.
Monsters.
Creatures with such ferocious natures that they would even devour their own kind.
If I were to encounter a monster like that in my current state, my throat would probably be on the ground in an instant.
Moreover, this land in the North is where these malicious monsters roam the most.
Thinking about them, at least some strength is necessary.
In a fantasy world where villains or vicious monsters lurk, one needs enough strength to survive dangerous situations.
At least enough strength to avoid being slaughtered.
Recalling the knowledge from the original work, it might not be an impossible task.
Starting my journey as a proper maid begins five days from now.
The senior maid mentioned that if there’s anywhere I’d like to visit during my free time, she’d gladly arrange a carriage.
It would be wise to take advantage of this opportunity and gather whatever I can.
Currently, all I have at my disposal are the knowledge from the original work and the storage scroll that cursed writer gave me as a gift.
I took out the scroll I had carefully tucked away and once again examined its contents.
—
[Name: Alice]
[Gender: Female]
[Age: 15]
[Rank: Strength (D), Speed (B), Intelligence (C), Dexterity (B), Magic Power (D), Charisma (F)]
[Detailed Characteristics]
Locked State
Locked State
!Locked State
!Locked State
Locked State
Detailed traits will be unlocked as understanding of Alice increases.
—
“Let’s set this aside for now..”
I shifted my gaze and read the inscription written in the lower corner.
—
[A gift for the reader.]
‘This scroll contains an infinitely vast extradimensional space.
‘You can open the scroll’s extradimensional space with the incantation ‘Open, Sesame,’ and immediately summon any items previously placed inside by recalling them in your mind.
‘You can close the scroll’s extradimensional space with the incantation ‘Close, Sesame,’ and when closed, it disguises itself as an ordinary scroll.
‘The length of the scroll can be freely adjusted.
*Living beings cannot be placed inside this scroll.
—
Hmm.
Let’s see.
“Open, Sesame.”
Shoosh!
“Oops?!”
With a loud noise, the scroll suddenly started to unfold lengthwise.
Unlike before when there was nothing special, the white surface of the unfolded scroll was emitting a faint light.
“So there’s an infinite extradimensional space in here?”
As an experiment, I picked up the pen lying on the table in the room and brought it to the surface of the scroll.
In an instant, the pen was sucked into the surface of the scroll.
“…Amazing.”
Realizing that the pen I had just held was no longer visible, I once again understood that I had been transported into a fantasy world.
“So, if I recall it in my mind, it will summon again?”
Concentrating slowly, I vividly recalled the pen I had just seen onto my mind.
Then, a faint light emitted from the scroll, and a black pen popped out from the surface, landing in my hand.
Ah, I see.
That’s how it works.
In just one try, I perfectly understood the function of the scroll.
Even though the writer didn’t give me more than a C intelligence despite having such a great mind, I was still grateful for this gift.
With just one thought coming to mind, a big smile spread across my face.
‘This could be very useful.’
A slightly older-looking woman guided me into the room with a cheerful smile.
“Thank you.”
“It’s no big deal for a junior who just joined us. Oh, and there’s something you should know.”
Now wearing a maid outfit that I’ve become somewhat accustomed to, she leaned in close to my ear and whispered.
“If it’s not really urgent, it’s best not to go to the third floor of the mansion.”
“May I ask why?”
“Well… The Duchess resides there. You’ve heard the rumours, right?”
“Ah.”
I knew only too well.
I shouldn’t dare to go to the third floor no matter what.
“Then take a good rest until next week. If you have any questions, feel free to come to me anytime!”
With a bright smile, the senior maid left.
I felt like I had met a better senior than I had expected.
“I’ve messed up…..”
I collapsed onto the bed with a heavy sigh.
I should have refused.
No matter what they said, I should have firmly refused to work…!!
“But how can I endure the huge salary…?”
In my previous life, a salary beyond imagination.
An unimaginable amount of money blurred my senses, and I ended up making an irreversible choice.
As I accepted the offer, the woman who was both the interviewer and the stewardess brought out the contract immediately, and I found myself signing it without even having a chance to reconsider.
Though the Stewardess had a sinister expression as she looked at the contract… I wasn’t worried about it since I had read it thoroughly.
Of course, apart from that, my heart felt endlessly heavy.
“Let’s think positively.”
It’s not a hopeless situation.
According to the information I got from the senior maid, the current year is 1242 in the Imperial Calendar.
Our protagonist, Kariba, still had about 8 years until he entered the academy and dazzled everyone with his abilities.
So, for the time being, things were okay.
The Northern Duchess killing her father and seizing the throne would happen after the protagonist entered the academy.
And her sudden appearance, leading to the massacre of everyone and plunging the world into chaos, was a story much further down the line.
It meant that any shocking events that would spread widely in society wouldn’t happen for a while.
Of course, no one knows how life will turn out…
But at least thinking positively like this made my heart feel a little lighter.
‘Let’s gather enough money to set up a cafe and leave.'”
I’m Alice.
An Maid with a whopping salary of 1200 gold coins (per year).
Just thinking about the enormous amount of money, it felt like a smile would bloom on my face even in this stifling situation.
“There’s probably taxes, I guess.”
The Empire isn’t digging up land or anything for business.
Taxes must be an essential element in managing such a vast territory.
Though the exact amount to be deducted is still uncertain… Assuming it’s similar to South Korea, if I try to save as much as possible by making use of the provided accommodation here and being frugal, I could still gather around 800 gold coins annually.
According to what the senior said, building a structure in a remote village-like area costs around 500 gold coins, while setting up a shop in a slightly developed place would require 2,000 gold coins.
To open a shop in the bustling capital of the Empire where people flock, you’d need around 5,000 gold coins.
It seemed like an outrageous difference in prices, but considering the spending habits of wealthy nobles living in the Imperial Capital, it was a reasonable expense.
If I was to just going to scrape by, I’ll open a shop in a remote village or a slightly distant place, but if I’m aiming for a big success, opening a shop in the Imperial Capital would be the right choice.
Of course, I’m the latter.
I never intend to set up my cafe lightly.
Any man should have big dreams.
I’ll make sure my first-ever cafe becomes a massive success somehow.
It’ll be a place where everyone can enjoy delicious drinks and desserts, share laughter, and heal in my cafe.”
Always a fantasy space that I could only dream of.
Such a building shouldn’t be in some remote village.
It should captivate everyone’s attention on the hottest street in the Empire.
I pondered slowly about what would happen in the future.
People tasting my drinks, spreading word of mouth one by one.
Gradually gaining fame and opening one chain store after another.
If everyone in the Empire started coming to my store..
Achieving my lifelong dream while getting a huge amount of money into my hands..!
“Ah.”
I drooled involuntarily as my lips parted with ecstasy.
Thankfully, I was alone; if someone had seen it, they would have looked at me strangely.
After wiping the drool from my lips with an embarrassed, flushed face, I cooled my head calmly.
“First, I need to take care of my immediate situation.”
Despite the high salary, the reality is that I haven’t achieved anything yet.
For someone penniless like me, opening a cafe in the heart of the Imperial Capital is still just a fantasy, and to gather the hefty sum of 5,000 gold coins, I would have to work here for seven years.
In the place where that monstrous Northern Duchess resides.
‘As long as I don’t encounter her.’
The full story of ‘Protecting the Saint’s Privacy’ will begin approximately eight years from now when Lucy, the Saint and the protagonist, enters the academy.
That means there’s still a long way to go before the Northern Duchess causes any major trouble.
During the seven years here, if I diligently gather funds to start the cafe and simply run away before the original story begins, there wouldn’t be any problems.
I’ll do my best to avoid encountering the Northern Duchess, and even if I do, as long as I keep a low profile and don’t provoke her, maybe I can avoid getting into trouble.
Moreover, now that Grand Duke Arvian Valaxar is managing Valaxar, there shouldn’t be much danger. He was mentioned in the novel as a just figure guarding the North.
Of course, he later loses his life to his own daughter, Adrielle…
‘But I still need insurance.’
One never knows what will happen in life.
Even if plans are laid out like this, who knows how things might go wrong.
This place isn’t a safe haven like South Korea.
Just the mages in the Third Circle alone could easily kill an ordinary person like me.
Furthermore, in this reality, one wrong move towards any noble could lead to immediate imprisonment or even execution.
And above all, there’s something else to worry about.
Monsters.
Creatures with such ferocious natures that they would even devour their own kind.
If I were to encounter a monster like that in my current state, my throat would probably be on the ground in an instant.
Moreover, this land in the North is where these malicious monsters roam the most.
Thinking about them, at least some strength is necessary.
In a fantasy world where villains or vicious monsters lurk, one needs enough strength to survive dangerous situations.
At least enough strength to avoid being slaughtered.
Recalling the knowledge from the original work, it might not be an impossible task.
Starting my journey as a proper maid begins five days from now.
The senior maid mentioned that if there’s anywhere I’d like to visit during my free time, she’d gladly arrange a carriage.
It would be wise to take advantage of this opportunity and gather whatever I can.
Currently, all I have at my disposal are the knowledge from the original work and the storage scroll that cursed writer gave me as a gift.
I took out the scroll I had carefully tucked away and once again examined its contents.
—
[Name: Alice]
[Gender: Female]
[Age: 15]
[Rank: Strength (D), Speed (B), Intelligence (C), Dexterity (B), Magic Power (D), Charisma (F)]
[Detailed Characteristics]
Locked State
Locked State
!Locked State
!Locked State
Locked State
Detailed traits will be unlocked as understanding of Alice increases.
—
“Let’s set this aside for now..”
I shifted my gaze and read the inscription written in the lower corner.
—
[A gift for the reader.]
‘This scroll contains an infinitely vast extradimensional space.
‘You can open the scroll’s extradimensional space with the incantation ‘Open, Sesame,’ and immediately summon any items previously placed inside by recalling them in your mind.
‘You can close the scroll’s extradimensional space with the incantation ‘Close, Sesame,’ and when closed, it disguises itself as an ordinary scroll.
‘The length of the scroll can be freely adjusted.
*Living beings cannot be placed inside this scroll.
—
Hmm.
Let’s see.
“Open, Sesame.”
Shoosh!
“Oops?!”
With a loud noise, the scroll suddenly started to unfold lengthwise.
Unlike before when there was nothing special, the white surface of the unfolded scroll was emitting a faint light.
“So there’s an infinite extradimensional space in here?”
As an experiment, I picked up the pen lying on the table in the room and brought it to the surface of the scroll.
In an instant, the pen was sucked into the surface of the scroll.
“…Amazing.”
Realizing that the pen I had just held was no longer visible, I once again understood that I had been transported into a fantasy world.
“So, if I recall it in my mind, it will summon again?”
Concentrating slowly, I vividly recalled the pen I had just seen onto my mind.
Then, a faint light emitted from the scroll, and a black pen popped out from the surface, landing in my hand.
Ah, I see.
That’s how it works.
In just one try, I perfectly understood the function of the scroll.
Even though the writer didn’t give me more than a C intelligence despite having such a great mind, I was still grateful for this gift.
With just one thought coming to mind, a big smile spread across my face.
‘This could be very useful.’
