A New Goal

Josette was dejected.

“However, since it will serve as social experience, I will say nothing about your continuing to work at this shop as before. Right now you are still a student, so you must prioritize your studies. Well then, I have plans after this, so I shall take my leave. Sorry for the intrusion.”

Saying that, the Duke left the shop.

“As before…”

“Josette-san, he said it was fine for you to keep working here, so I think you still have a chance. Let’s think positively.”

Rachel called out to the dejected Josette.

“You’re right. I have to somehow make Father understand.”

Josette recovered a little of her spirits.

“All right, all right, then everyone back to work.”

Marie called out to everyone and resumed business, which had been temporarily interrupted.

“Oh, right, Elnette-san and Josette-san. Do you have a moment?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“I do, but what is it?”

Rachel stopped the two of them.

“I made new uniforms, so I’d like you to come upstairs for a bit.”

Saying that, Rachel took Josette and Elnette upstairs. After a little time passed, the two of them came back down after changing.

“They both look really good on you.”

“I’m the one who picked them out, you know. Praise me too.”

When Kent praised the two of them for their outfits, Rachel said that with a dissatisfied look.

Josette’s uniform had the same design as everyone else’s, but Elnette’s was slightly different in design.

“Elnette-san sometimes does physical work too, so I tried making her skirt into a shorter culotte skirt. I think this will make it easier to move around in.”

Rachel pinched the hem of Elnette’s skirt and spread it out to show it. Just as Rachel said, it had a split in the middle and was shaped like short trousers.

“For Rachel to arrive at an idea like this, she is quite impressive. A sewing craftswoman… no, you look like you could even become a fashion designer.”

Elnette said that in an impressed tone.

“Once I make one for Al-chan, I guess all the girls’ uniforms will be finished. So let me take your measurements later, okay?”

“You’ll make one for me too? I’m so happy.”

Alraune said that happily.

(Emily can freely change her clothes, but maybe Alraune can’t do that?)

Kent found himself wondering that a little. However, work got busier, and he no longer had the spare room to think about such things, so he decided to focus on his work.

After that, business went on as usual.

Kent and the others returned home, ate dinner, took baths, and decided to go to sleep. Marie and Catherine went into one room together, and Kent went into his own room together with Alraune. The Alraune did not return to her original form, and remained in the form of a young girl.

“Are you sure it’s okay not to return to your original form?”

Worried, Kent asked Alraune.

“It’s fine. If I returned to my original form, I wouldn’t be able to absorb Master’s magic power… fufufu.”

Alraune wore a suspicious smile.

“All I’ll do is make Master feel a little good, so there’s no particular harm in it, so please don’t worry.”

Kent gradually became sleepy and fell asleep just like that. He did not remember it well, but he felt like he had had a very pleasant dream.

“Good morning, Master. It seems it’s about time to wake up.”

Alraune, whose skin had become glossy, woke Kent up.

“Good morning. I feel like I was able to wake up feeling really good.”

Kent, who had woken up feeling refreshed, said that to Alraune.

“If you say that, then I’m happy. Thanks to that, I was able to replenish quite a lot of magic power too.”

After that, once Kent had finished the morning’s work, he headed to school, and lunchtime arrived. As usual, the four of them—Kent, Caro, Josette, and Rachel—were eating lunch behind the school building.

“Kent-san, say ahh, desuwa.”

“Ahh.”

Kent was being fed by Josette.

“I never would have thought… I’m surprised things turned out like this too.”

Watching Josette’s behavior, Rachel said that.

“Caro, don’t you feel anything about it?”

“It’s not that I feel nothing, but Lady Josette had been pushing herself quite hard, after all. I think it’s a good thing. Up until now, I was the only one monopolizing Kent-san at the academy, and from now on we have to be in a relationship fairly.”

Saying that, Caro ate what was on her small plate.

“Th-Then I’ll feed Caro.”

“You really don’t have to go that far.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine, now open wide.”

“Ahh.”

Rachel quickly got things ready and began feeding Caro. While observing Caro’s expression, Rachel wore a suspicious smile and had turned red in the face.

After finishing lunch, the four of them chatted until the afternoon classes began.

“So the Duke said something like that.”

When they told Caro about what had happened yesterday, she seemed to have some thoughts about it, and looked as though she understood.

“What do you think, Caro-san?”

“I don’t think there is any need to be so pessimistic. I feel that things will probably move in a good direction. But the problem is Kent-san’s position.”

“What do you mean?”

Unable to understand what Caro meant, Kent asked back.

“Lady Josette and Elnette-san… no… sama are in the position of duke’s daughters. And I too, at least technically, would be a baron’s daughter. I have a feeling there may be even more after this, but if, hypothetically, you made the three of us your wives, then Kent-san’s political and economic power is lacking. I like Kent-san’s house, but it is far too small to receive as many as three noble wives. I think, at the very least, you would need to prepare a house befitting that and have the economic power to maintain it.”

“I see… so in the end, it means it has to be a large house where you could even employ servants.”

“That would be the case. At the very least, I think it would need to be about the same scale as my house. Of course, for nobles, money is provided by the country, and there is income from their territory, so maintaining it is not difficult, but for a commoner, everything would have to be earned through your own strength. It would be quite hard.”

Kent gradually began to feel cornered, and his spirits started to sink.

“In that case, I’ll ask Father and have him somehow—”

“That will not do.”

Just as Josette was about to say that, Caro stopped her.

“If that happened, it would be no different from being supported by the Duke. I do not think those around you would be convinced unless Kent-san built up wealth through his own strength.”

“…I see.”

“When it was just me and Marie-san, I thought things would be fine as they are now, but accepting Lady Josette and Lady Elnette means that it is this sort of matter.”

Caro said that with a stern expression.

“Big brother has it rough too. If anything troubles you, tell me anything, okay?”

“Thanks. When that time comes, I’ll be counting on you.”

Rachel said that to Kent.

“It suddenly feels like the hurdle got a lot higher. So it means I have to make even more money than I do now.”

“If it’s Kent-san, then it will be fine. I believe in you.”

Caro said that to the dejected Kent.

“I-I believe in you too.”

Josette said that as well, unwilling to lose. Kent had already acquired a certain amount of money through the sale of flour and instant dry yeast, but when he thought about the future, he realized it was nowhere near enough, and he had no choice but to come up with new measures.