Chapter 2.1 – The Daily Life of Earl Lake’s Household

“Sir Henry! You’ve been gone for so long; I was about to contact the Duke’s estate.”

“I hurried as much as I could. Lavrang Bridge was closed, so I had to take a long detour.”

The large front gate opened, and the carriage from the Duke Fredior’s estate entered Earl Lake’s residence. The butler and head maid, who had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the youngest lady, rushed out briskly.

“Young Master, we’ve arrived.”

As Henry stopped the carriage to signal the destination, Elexion stepped out, carrying Muriel in his arms. Wrapped in a cloak like a blanket, the youngest lady was sound asleep in her fiancé’s embrace.

“There are documents in the bag; please handle them. Don’t wake Muriel until tomorrow morning. She must be very tired.”

“Was the lady working even during the journey?”

“The arrival time was later than expected.”

The butler accepted Muriel’s bag and, upon checking the documents inside, was moved to tears. Thanks to the diligent youngest lady, his overtime work had been reduced.

Elexion moved slowly to avoid waking Muriel, following the head maid up the stairs to her room on the second floor. With swift movements, the head maid pulled back the blanket, allowing Elexion to carefully lay Muriel down. She then removed her shoes, gently took off the cloak, and covered her with a blanket. Feeling the comfort, a smile appeared on Muriel’s face.

“Sleep well, and have sweet dreams.”

“Mm.”

It was unlikely she had truly heard the words, but her timely response made Elexion chuckle quietly. Watching the picturesque scene, the head maid of Earl Lake’s household felt a sense of satisfaction.

‘Our youngest lady is so fortunate. Her fiancé lacks nothing—looks, family, personality. But the best part is his unwavering devotion to her!’

After all, the best husband is one who treats his wife well, day or night.

***

The long night passed, and morning arrived. Muriel Lake, who had been endlessly wandering in dreamland, opened her eyes.

“This is my house, my room’s ceiling. What time is it?”

She turned her head absentmindedly toward the clock on the table and was shocked.

“7:30 a.m.?”

A whole day had disappeared. When she had fainted in the carriage, it had still been bright daylight. Now, she woke up the next day.

The dress she had slept in was completely wrinkled and a mess. Since she hadn’t been able to open her eyes when they tried to wake her, it seemed they had decided to let her rest fully.

Seeing her disheveled state, Muriel immediately took off her clothes and entered the bathroom to shower. She relaxed her tense muscles with hot water, washing thoroughly before putting on a robe. As she glanced at her reflection in the mirror, she noticed her body.

“Ahh! Potion, potion!”

Luckily, she was alone while bathing. Her body was covered in marks from the carriage ride, evidence of what had happened. Panicked, Muriel rushed out of the bathroom, opened the vanity drawer, and pulled out the ointment-like potion gifted by her close friends. Applying it generously, the marks finally faded to a barely visible level.

“So this is why married women insist on using the largest containers. Now I understand.”

When she had first opened the gift box, she had been surprised to find such a small jar of medicine. Yet, her married friends had unanimously claimed that even this size might not be enough. They had advised her to always carry a smaller portion in case of emergencies, a suggestion whose reasoning was now crystal clear.

Muriel chose clothes that covered her neck and arms before opening the S-point window.

“It’s gone up again?”

The graph, higher than the previous day, greeted her.

“No, yesterday I had breakfast! And on the way home, that, that! That…”

Muriel fanned her flushed face with her hand before burying her head into her bed.

Of the 24 hours of the previous day, the time she was conscious was mostly spent engaging in intimacy with her fiancé!

“Ah, I don’t care anymore. Did the S-point measurement method change after the engagement ceremony? This system is so unhelpful; it doesn’t explain anything.”

Unlike detailed fantasy stories from her past life, the S-point window only displayed scores and graphs. Moreover, it could only be checked once per day.

Feeling defeated, Muriel closed the window. Having missed lunch and dinner due to her deep sleep, she couldn’t think straight enough to worry about anything else.

“Seeing a dragon after breakfast is the plan, right? Ah, I’m starving.”

It was just the time for the whole family to gather for breakfast. Muriel descended to the first floor where the dining room was located.

***

“Muriel, you’re awake?”

“Come and take your seat.”

“You must still be tired, right?”

As Muriel entered the dining room, her family, already eating, greeted her warmly. Her parents, her older sister Alesha and her husband, and the youngest daughter Muriel made up the harmonious Lake Earl’s family of five.

Her sister’s family didn’t have children yet, but they planned to start after Muriel’s marriage. In this world, where Muriel had reincarnated, magical medicine was highly advanced, making contraception extremely easy.

Male contraceptives worked for a week with just one pill, ensuring that even couples with strong affection rarely failed in family planning.

Muriel’s surrender to Elexion’s temptations in the carriage the previous day was largely influenced by the subconscious reassurance from the contraceptive she had taken earlier.

For the hungry youngest lady, the kitchen prepared a feast of meat dishes even though it was breakfast. Muriel devoured four soft hamburger steaks, which were tender enough to cut with just a spoon.

After she finished her plate cleanly, the family rose from the table. It was time for everyone to head to their respective workplaces.

Her father, Earl Lake, and her sister Alesha went to the royal palace, while her brother-in-law managed the trading company run by the Earl’s household. Her mother, the Countess, locked herself in the office to write a mountain of thank-you letters to guests who had attended the engagement ceremony.

***

The youngest, Muriel, could rest today, but tomorrow she would have to leave the house early in the morning. Her occupation was as a Lady-in-Waiting to the Princess.

It was an honorary position primarily held by unmarried young Ladies. The title of Lady-in-Waiting was more of a companion to the Princess and a source of information about events outside the royal palace.

To prevent favoritism toward specific noble families, Lady-in-Waiting positions were assigned on a rotational basis. Muriel worked one designated day per week at the royal palace, attending to the Princess.

“Muriel, tomorrow is the day you enter the royal palace, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Prepare a dress that’s both comfortable and neat.”

“The Princess enjoys walking, so I’ll make sure your most comfortable shoes are polished and ready.”

“Nanny, when I get married, I’ll change the ridiculous royal etiquette so that Lady-in-Waiting can wear pants.”

The head maid of Earl Lake’s household, who had raised both Earl’s daughters as their nanny, smiled lovingly at the youngest lady’s occasional eccentric remarks.

“I’m serious. Do you know how far it is from the Princess’s palace to the central garden? It’s a 30-minute walk! If we wore pants, we could run and cut it down to 20 minutes.”

“Etiquette changes require a majority vote during the Queen’s meetings, I hear. Do you have allies?”

“I’m gathering support with the Crown Princess.”

The current Crown Princess had also been a Lady-in-Waiting to the Princess. Since the position was chosen based on family, character, and abilities, Lady-in-Waiting candidates were often the top bridal prospects in the Kingdom.

‘Perhaps in a few years, a rule allowing Lady-in-Waiting to wear whatever they want when entering the palace might really come to pass.’

Muriel, bright and cheerful, had many friends. While they were still young and lacked influence now, the situation would change in ten years.

They would become the central figures leading the Kingdom’s social circles.

“Alright, Miss Muriel. You’ve been busy lately, so until lunch, relax and do what you enjoy in your room. This might be the only time you can truly play.”

Muriel nodded and fluttered into her room like a butterfly.  

As always, the daily life of Earl Lake’s Residence flowed peacefully.