“Koo-kook!”

Kiki also flopped down beside Liria.

Actually, it was still hard to believe.

That she had the qualities of a spirit master and was the owner of the key.

Paaaah!

Liria released her mana while lying down and summoned the book and key.

Looking at the sparkling key, she felt a sense of pride welling up inside her.

But this was just the beginning.

The three years remaining until the original story begins wasn’t much time.

Before then, her father Classid’s life would be extinguished.

‘I need to obtain the healing key as soon as possible.’

Liria bit her lip firmly.

If she could also get a key that allows teleportation anywhere, she could do much more.

She couldn’t know what other powers the keys might have at this point.

But what was clear was that she needed to find new magic keys, more of them, quickly.

She had to discover a new key within a month. Since she had shouted that to her grandfather.

And if possible, she should visit the main castle daily to increase her grandfather’s affection and monitor the three siblings.

She should also visit the main castle’s kitchen to try the best cuisine.

As Liria was firmly making plans and plotting strategies, she soon fell asleep on the cloud-like bed.

Her sleeping face was nothing but that of a baby.

***

A few days later.

News about Liria spread throughout the Duke’s castle in no time.

Wherever people went, Liria’s name was on their lips.

“Did you hear the news? Lady Liria will receive the same independent palace and treatment as Young Master Conrad!”

“My, that young lady is truly remarkable!”

Eventually, the news also reached the ears of the group that viewed Liria as a thorn in their side.

In a room decorated as lavishly as the imperial palace.

A black-haired woman with red eyes, lying on a couch while a maid tended to her nails, spoke with downcast eyes.

“What on earth is Father thinking? Giving that little mouse her own separate palace…”

Her slender, oval face and the mole below her lips emphasized her decadent atmosphere.

“Even when this youngest daughter tried every kind of flattery, he didn’t budge… Do you understand it?”

“N-no, I don’t.”

“That’s enough, you may leave.”

After suddenly dismissing the maid, Belita adjusted her posture and lit a cigar.

As she exhaled the hazy smoke into the air, trying to think…

Shortly after, the maid returned and reported.

“Lady Belita, Financial Assistant Emmett has come to visit.”

“What business does that fellow have with me?”

She impatiently extinguished the cigar and paced around the room, unable to contain her curiosity.

Guided by the maid, Emmett stopped right at the doorway.

Belita tilted her head askew and asked.

“What brings our Assistant here?”

“It seems Lady Belita should now remove your hands from Lady Liria’s budget management.”

Instead of frowning at the inappropriate attire unbecoming of a noble lady, or at the thick smoke lingering in the room, Emmett simply stated his business.

“What? By whose authority? The domestic affairs authority should be delegated to me.”

“Well, a report came in suspecting ledger manipulation.”

“Ha, who would say such nonsense… She’s my niece. As if I would touch that snotty child’s money! This is ridiculous.”

Belita crossed her arms in disbelief.

“The total budget allocated to Lady Liria over the past three months was 100,000 lutz. However, examining the household accounts kept by Lady Liria’s nanny, it was only 6,500 lutz.”

“Then perhaps that woman who calls herself a nanny embezzled it?”

“That’s impossible. She said that recently the allocated budget has been decreasing, and she actually received only 1,800 lutz, covering the rest of the living expenses with her own salary.”

“Listen, Emmett. No matter how much you have Father’s backing, if you act insolently, you might end up dead.”

The dismissive title attached at the end of her words—implying ‘mere Viscount’—was irritating, but Emmett simply quietly shuffled through his documents.

What he handed over was undoubtedly an account book.

“Ha, such things can be easily fabricated…”

The next document Emmett presented was the account statement of Marit, Liria’s nanny.

The amount deposited monthly was 600 lutz, three times. A total of 1,800 lutz.

“Just give her a suitable small amount.”

An amount even less than what she had thought.

Belita belatedly recalled the order she had given to her clerk.

“This cannot be fabricated. You must be well aware that at the current Roberg Magic Bank, one can only receive a single account.”

Belita glared at Emmett with an expression as if she had chewed ashes.

***

“Having my own palace is nice, but I’m most relieved that I can now receive my full budget.”

Liria smiled faintly as she picked up a sweet apple pie drizzled with syrup.

“It was worth bribing the assistant uncle after all!”

Since he said he would take care of the budget issue himself, would Belita know by now?

With Belita’s fiery temper, she would be raging.

It was a bit worrying.

Last week, after being guided to her new palace and various special privileges, Liria heard that her budget would increase.

Liria thought this was a natural opportunity to bring up the money issue.

If the new budget was left alone, Belita would swallow it whole.

Besides, she needed to recover the budget that had been taken from her all this time.

“You know, the lady’s maids were saying that the budget was so insufficient that they’ve been using their salaries to clothe and feed Liria. So now we don’t have to worry about that anymore, right?”

“Pardon?”

Upon hearing those words, Emmett was shocked and promised to investigate the relevant details thoroughly, suspecting embezzlement.

She didn’t tell Marit everything, only asking for her consent to show her bank account details.

The false payment certificates issued by Belita’s side could be found in the clerk’s office.

After verification, the amount of Liria’s budget that Belita’s administrative clerk had not paid was enormous.

It amounted to millions of lutz.

Liria couldn’t stand by and watch as Marit continued to fill the insufficient living expenses with her salary.

Now that she knew.

Marit never showed any sign that the living expenses were insufficient, so Liria had no idea.

The clothes Marit dressed Liria in were all of good quality and design by Marit’s standards.

The toys she played with and the food she ate never felt inferior in quality.

Now that she had her own palace, she finally realized how shabby her previous room in the east wing had been.

‘I never knew because I always lived without lacking anything. She tried to give me everything I liked. It was all Marit’s sacrifice. Silly Marit.’

Marit was perhaps even more precious to Liria than her mother.

She couldn’t remember the face or warmth of her mother who had left when she was young.

She hadn’t heard detailed stories about her.

Classid hardly ever mentioned her name.

Just then, Marit, who had returned from the bank, approached Liria with a joyful face.

Then she unfolded what looked like a magic scroll bankbook and showed it to her.

“Young lady, young lady! Look at this. It seems several years’ worth of budget has been deposited all at once! My goodness, how many zeros are there? It’s an enormous sum!”

‘So it’s already been resolved and deposited. Uncle Emmett, I like your quick work!’

“That’s not it. Uncle Emmett told me there was an accounting error, so we’re receiving the overdue budget all at once.”

“T-then… this is really money we can use?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Oh, this is really, really wonderful!”

Even though she must have struggled to raise me with her own salary, she never once said it was hard.

Kind-hearted Marit.

‘Now I’ll pamper you!’