Chapter 45

Three days later, Sabina officially received notification that she had formed a magical sibling bond with Helio. She hung it next to Helio’s entrance exam score sheet.

Mitchel approached her with the mail. As she handed over the envelope with a cold expression, Sabina’s eyes narrowed at the sight of a cream-colored envelope sealed with wax but no insignia.

It was obvious who had sent it.

“He could just come himself.”

She muttered as she opened the envelope. In Ashton’s handwriting, it said:

『Shall we go to Retona at the end of September? I gave it a month because, as it turns out, your birthday is in a fortnight, Lady D’Vialis. You’d probably want to spend your birthday in Ridblon.』

Sabina sent an immediate reply.

『There’s no reason I have to spend my birthday in Ridblon. I don’t do birthday parties.』

There was no reply to her reply. Sabina waited for Ashton’s answer, then was slightly surprised to realize she was waiting. It annoyed her a little, so she decided to go to bed earlier than usual.

But the next morning, Ashton’s letter was still not in the mailbox.

Sabina ate breakfast alone. Mitchel personally attended her. Sabina frowned slightly seeing the head maid come to the dining room instead of Julia, who usually served meals.

“You’re here to nag.”

“Since Helio arrived, you’ve gotten up at 7:30 every morning to eat breakfast with the boy.”

Sabina sighed very quietly. She’d expected this.

“Now that our young, polite, gentle boy has disappeared into the dormitory, you’ve returned to your old bad habits as if by magic.”

“This is the rhythm that suits my body best.”

“It’s not the first time you’ve dressed up laziness with such words, Lady Sabina. And please eat some meat.”

Sabina neatly ignored Mitchel’s words, not touching the meat at all. Mitchel looked dissatisfied. She firmly believed that Sabina’s height had never increased since age thirteen because of her picky eating.

Even though Mitchel was a blunt, strict head maid, she couldn’t force Sabina to do anything if she didn’t want to. The head maid briefly wondered if Ashton’s uniquely smooth attitude might persuade the stiff young lady.

Sabina was always very quiet at meals. She wasn’t talkative anyway, but unless there was a guest, she barely made any sound while eating. Even if she had orders, she only spoke after finishing her coffee. But today, while cutting roasted carrots, she spoke.

“Mitchel.”

“Yes, Lady Sabina.”

“My birthday’s the week after next.”

“You haven’t celebrated for three years. You even instructed us to forget your birthday.”

“That’s right.”

Until Walter died, birthdays had been a small celebration for just Sabina and her grandfather. When Sabina turned fourteen and entered the academy, Walter moved the party to August so he could still celebrate his granddaughter’s birthday in style.

He limited guests to fewer than ten for Sabina, who didn’t like crowded places, and often didn’t invite anyone at all. If anyone enjoyed those parties the most, it was Walter. It was Sabina’s birthday, but in truth, it was a day for Walter.

“After Grandfather passed away, I just didn’t feel like celebrating.”

She didn’t want to throw a noisy party with lots of outsiders now. Even if she didn’t hold a party, gifts from people trying to win her favor would pile up like mountains, but Sabina didn’t care much for them.

Sabina stopped there and resumed eating. Seeing her go silent so quickly, Mitchel figured she hadn’t brought up her birthday for no reason. Someone Sabina cared about must have mentioned it first.

Mitchel chose her words carefully.

“Well, birthdays are special days, so it’s nice to celebrate in a special way.”

Sabina lowered her eyes and ate slowly. She always ate slowly, so Mitchel had to wait a long time watching the now-grown young lady. Even after finishing her meal and coffee, Sabina said nothing except to ask for the newspaper.

But when Mitchel brought the newspaper and placed it on Sabina’s lap, Sabina sat curled up on the couch, thinking. Only after a long while did she speak.

“I might not be in Ridblon on my birthday.”

Mitchel blinked, then smiled softly.

“That’s nice too.”

“It’s not certain.”

“Until he replies?”

Mitchel was perceptive. Sabina didn’t bother answering and opened the newspaper.

The front page discussed how Chancellor Dolores Madden’s research, announced last month, would be commercialized sooner than expected. As scroll quality stabilized, the amount of solvent used in scroll production—and therefore scroll prices—was expected to drop. Sabina turned the page.

The second page continued with an article about solvent.

『Solvent is a magical medium. After “Replication” attribute mage Walter D’Vialis invented the scroll, allowing non-mages to use magic easily and patented it, solvent became the most important resource.』

Brinita is almost the only country that consumes solvent, but its mining output is low, and the country with the largest deposits is Retona, making Brinita highly dependent on its resources.

Sabina yawned through the familiar information, but her gaze lingered on one spot.

There was an article about a Retona businessman who had burst onto Ridblon’s social scene, signing a one-year exclusive supply contract with the Royal Institute. Apparently, frequent trips to the palace were to secure this deal. Sabina skimmed the article diagonally, rereading one sentence.

『Ashton Bryant called a notary to his home for a separate matter and had documents drawn up, but what those documents were and what they were for remains unknown.』

She tilted her head. What sort of new document would Ashton need to draw up?

She decided that if Ashton sent a reply, she’d clip the article and ask what the document was.

But that chance never came.

Ashton didn’t reply.

Instead, that evening, luxurious gifts began arriving at D’Vialis Mansion. Dresses, jewels, boxes, shoes—even porcelain ornaments and dinnerware sets. The workers all took off their hats, wiped their sweat, and said,

“If there’s any problem, Mr. Bryant said to let him know.”

The ones who squealed with delight at the shower of gifts were the mansion’s maids. Ashton’s presents weren’t limited to luxury goods; the maids also got new aprons, tablecloths, and high-quality iron pans.

Meanwhile, Sabina stood at the entrance with her cane, staring at the doorway. Her face was expressionless, but if you looked closely, her eyes showed she was dumbfounded.

The maids stopped bouncing around, filling their master’s wardrobe and jewelry box, and started watching Sabina. Little Hazel hugged Sabina’s thigh, but Sabina didn’t soften.

Julia quickly picked up Hazel and carried her upstairs. Sabina spoke coldly.

“It’s only been ten days since I paid Ashton’s salary.”

Few remembered, but Ashton and Sabina had a contract for a monthly salary of one million Riom.

“Everything that arrived today is worth eight times his salary. That man shouldn’t do this.”

Sabina herself was just as unrestrained in spending, so the maids glanced at each other. It was the first time their mistress had ever complained about someone else spending money.

“La-Lady Sabina, he’s rich too.”

Vicky said, gently fanning beside Sabina.

Sabina flopped into the armchair, then jumped up.

“I have to go see him.”

So Sabina, as usual, recklessly barged into her lover’s house near sunset.

Ashton was home and opened the door himself in casual clothes, smelling of water and soap instead of his usual cologne. Sabina didn’t notice.

“Why this sudden barrage of gifts?”

Sabina asked Ashton as soon as she saw him.

“Why so much? You didn’t have to give so much.”

Ashton put on a surprised face. In truth, he wasn’t surprised at all—it was a deliberately made expression, and it was annoying.

“So there really are people who get mad at lovers for giving too many gifts?”

“Listen, I only want you to work for what I pay you. I hate extracting anything more from an employee than what I’ve paid. Of course, I could have responded by sending you gifts worth as much as yours. But…”

Sabina, usually quiet, became talkative when angry. Ashton stood in the doorway, listening, then led her by the hand to the nearest velvet chair.

Sabina sat as he guided her, but kept complaining. Ashton could have interrupted, but instead he sat on the floor with his knees up, listening and nodding at times. Sabina talked at length about ‘the meaning of salary,’ finally calming down and looking at Ashton.

“Did you understand?”

“The gifts I sent are separate from my salary—they’re just because I wanted to.”

“You didn’t understand at all…”

Sabina covered her face. Ashton smiled softly.

“I get what you’re saying. If an employee showers their employer with gifts worth much more than their salary, it makes giving work orders awkward. Right?”

Sabina just caught her breath in frustration. Ashton continued,

“The amount the employee gets is already less than the gifts they gave, so if you subtract, it’s like they didn’t get paid at all? But for me, salary and gifts are separate. Salary is for work, gifts are from the heart.”

He nodded, then tilted his head, looking up at Sabina with innocent eyes.

“Surely you don’t mean I can’t give you any gifts as long as I’m your employee?”

“Why do you only think in extremes? I like gifts. But you didn’t have to give so many all at once. You can take it slow. I’ll have another birthday next year…”

Sabina naturally mentioned ‘next year’s birthday,’ long after the contract would end, but didn’t seem to notice what she’d said. She struggled to argue with Ashton, then realized her logic was off and looked a bit deflated.

“Enough gifts. Let’s just go to Retona.”

Ashton rested his chin on his hand, quietly gazing at Sabina’s pale face. Soon he brushed off his clothes, stood, and offered her his hand.

“The reason you’re uncomfortable is because you’re not used to receiving kindness. You think everything is a transaction.”

Sabina took his hand. Ashton helped her up.

He was smiling.

“All right. Let’s just go to Retona.”