Home/The villainess's personal maid is very good at her job/ch 79

Episode 79

"Is this……"

Janet's eyes sparkled as she headed toward the makeshift café.

In addition to student-run booths, there were also several operated by outside businesses at the academic festival.

Of course, not just anyone could open a booth.

Since the festival was recognized as a social season event, having a booth was a huge promotional opportunity.

The entry criteria were based on how much each business had donated to the Academy over the past year.

Only the top ten businesses could set up booths at the festival.

And what Janet saw before her was—

«Day Oat Milk»

A booth selling the oat milk that Janet had patented.

'I never expected to see this here.'

It wasn't oat milk used in dishes—it was the oat milk itself being sold. This was the first time Janet had seen it.

Gazing warmly at the beautifully packaged milk in sleek glass bottles, Janet asked Theo.

"How did this happen?"

"If we're going to start a business, we might as well do it properly."

"The donation must have been expensive."

"Surprisingly, we had already been donating this much. Donating to the Academy comes with tax benefits."

"Ah, taxes."

Taxes were important.

"Hmm. So this is the milk you made?"

Theo had already told Julietta that she was his business partner.

"Not bad. The packaging is pretty. Did you come up with the name?"

"Yeah. I did."

Janet had come up with the name 'Day Oat' herself.

Though she'd left all business operations to Illinia aside from providing the recipe, Theo had suggested that Janet choose the brand name herself.

'At first, I thought about just calling it Oat Milk directly……'

But since they were branding it, she'd given it a separate name.

She'd chosen it with the meaning that everyone could drink it every day.

"……What do you think? Does it seem okay?"

"Yeah. It's catchy and good."

"I'm relieved."

"Anyway, Janet, shouldn't you stop that guy over there?"

"What? Who?"

"Who else—that tall, useless idiot over there."

Surprisingly, Julietta was referring to Richard.

After the Luna incident, Julietta had dismissed Richard as nothing more than a 'uselessly tall idiot.'

"If you don't stop him now, he might buy about a hundred bottles."

"Hup. Wait, Lord Richard!"

Startled, Janet hurried over to Richard.

Just as Julietta had said, he had written 'Day Oat—100 bottles' on the purchase slip.

Good heavens.

What was he going to do with a hundred bottles of milk?

"Wait. Calm down, Lord Richard."

"……."

Sensing Janet's intention to take the slip, Richard subtly pulled his hand back.

"Stop. Don't move."

"I like milk."

"Even people who like milk don't buy a hundred bottles at once. If you hoard that much in this weather, it'll all spoil."

"……Then, fifty."

"What difference does that make……?"

"Then how about this."

At Richard's serious negotiation offer, Janet blinked.

She decided to hear him out.

"How about I pay for a hundred bottles, and give them out for free to customers?"

"That's……"

That might actually be fine.

Either way, Richard looked determined to pay for a hundred bottles.

'He must still feel indebted.'

Just as her ribs and arm hadn't fully healed, his guilt and sense of obligation probably hadn't either.

After a moment's thought, Janet nodded.

"That seems like a good idea."

"……!"

At Janet's approval, Richard's eyes sparkled. As if fearing she might change her mind, he quickly went to the counter and paid.

"He's quick."

At Theo's whisper, Janet shrugged.

"Right. That's the power of school ties, regional ties, and blood ties, I suppose."

"Oh."

At Janet's joke, Theo let out a small gasp.

School ties, regional ties, blood ties.

If Janet truly was Xenia, Richard would qualify for all three.

"Indeed. School ties, regional ties, blood ties."

And soon, the four encountered another set of school ties, regional ties, and blood ties.

"Sister Rosina?"

"Oh my. Julietta, isn't it?"

Smile. Rosina's eyes curved as she approached with elegant steps. A handmaiden held a parasol over her head, matching her pace.

"Hello, Lady Rosina."

"Yes, we meet again."

"Thank you again for the dress last time. I was able to choose a good one thanks to you."

"I'm glad I could help. But are you two still friends today?"

Catching the intent of the question, Julietta scoffed and nodded.

"Of course. This is the Academy, and Janet and I are students here."

"Ah, right. You're still a student, aren't you?"

"……."

At a loss for words, Julietta narrowed her eyes at Rosina.

At the intense stare, Rosina let out a quiet laugh.

"So, why are you here, sister?"

"I was invited to give a graduation address as a representative alumnus. This place never changes, does it?"

Slowly looking around, Rosina noticed Julietta's other companions.

"Oh my?"

Both men were so handsome she wondered how she hadn't noticed them sooner.

'One is a face I don't know, and the other is……'

Richard Ortega?

"I apologize. I was so enjoying my time with my sister that I was late with greetings."

"……It's fine."

At the brusque voice following the polite phrase, Rosina smiled, confirming his identity once more.

Yes, it's Richard.

Definitely Richard Ortega.

"And who might this gentleman be, Julietta?"

"……Ugh. Gentleman, my foot."

Glancing at Theo with embarrassment, Julietta answered vaguely.

"He's Theo. He's sponsored by the Marchioness of Ortega along with Janet, and……"

"He's also Janet's partner."

"Oh my?"

At the unexpectedly intriguing introduction, Rosina tilted her head.

"Partner, you mean……?"

"A business partner. He's helping Janet with her oat milk business."

At Julietta's explanation, Rosina blinked her large eyes once.

"What? That's all?"

At her disappointed mutter, Rosina glanced at the 'Day Oat' booth nearby.

"Is this the product Lady Graham created?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Hmm. I heard a little about it—that she helped Geron and created something called oat milk."

To be precise, she hadn't created it—she'd used knowledge from her previous life.

But it amounted to the same thing.

"I was just lucky."

"……Right. Lucky, were you?"

Picking up a bottle on display, Rosina muttered absently.

"I wish I'd been lucky too. Then I wouldn't be doing social games, but……"

"Pardon?"

"Hmm. Nothing. Anyway, since we've met like this by chance, I should buy one."

"Ah, you don't have to."

"Hm? Are you saying you don't want me to buy one?"

"No! That's not it. It's just that……"

Smiling awkwardly, Janet pointed to the large letters written at the counter.

"Someone already paid for a hundred bottles in advance."

"Oh? Who did something that interesting?"

At Rosina's question, Janet subtly glanced at Richard with her eyes.

Hmm?

Richard Ortega had done something this interesting?

Rosina's curious gaze turned to Janet.

Geron's health had improved. Julietta's personality had softened.

A novel oat milk business, and now even Richard Ortega was doing something whimsical.

"You're an interesting one, aren't you?"

Rosina liked interesting people.

In a world where everyone wore masks and pretended to have fun, truly interesting people were hard to find.

"See you again, Janet."

And so, Rosina had taken a liking to Janet.

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