血王:夜王朝

Chapter19:租户

After enduring the scorching sun, Rachel sped home on her roller skates. Upon arrival, she found the door ajar and laughter emanating from within. Pushing the door open, she entered and called out, "Is that Ava and Millie?"

No sooner had she spoken than a head peeked out from the bedroom where Belial was. Upon recognizing Rachel, the person exclaimed, "It's Senior Rachel!"

"Ah, Rachel's back," came the chorus from within the bedroom.

"Rachel sister," added another voice.

Four individuals emerged from Belial's room—Rachel's tenants. To alleviate her financial burden, she had rented out the upper three floors of her building, which indeed provided a steady income.

"Today you're back quite late. We thought you might not return," said Simon Donna Ava Millie, a honey-blonde with a gentle smile. She was the cherished daughter of a great lord from the western frontier of the Moonglow Empire. Ava was well-mannered and polite, her only shortcoming being her magical aptitude. She had missed the cut during the final simulation exam at Moonglow Academy due to a control error and was now studying at the Fengyun Academy, the second-ranked institution in the imperial capital after Moonglow.

"I couldn't avoid it. With the welcome party tonight, there was much to handle. If not for the vice president and the others, I doubt I could have made it back for lunch," Rachel replied with a wry smile, genuinely relieved to see Ava and the others, which meant Belial was not alone.

"Ah, is tonight Moonglow's welcome party? What a pity," one of the twins lamented.

"What's the matter?" Rachel inquired.

"Since it's Moonglow's party, Senior Rachel will surely perform, right? But Moonglow doesn't allow outsiders, so we won't get to see it," the other twin explained.

"Well, that's a bit of a dilemma," Rachel admitted, sitting down to remove her roller skates and slip into house slippers. "There was an incident where someone from another school stole documents from Moonglow. Since then, the king has forbidden any outsiders from entering. The only times you can get in are during large events, like the martial exhibitions and the New Year's Eve party. At other times, it's impossible."

"The rules are really strict. Fengyun Academy is much more relaxed, without so many restrictions," Ava commented with a shrug.

"Rachel sister, have some water," a soft, sweet voice said as a cup of water was handed to Rachel. The speaker was Peach, Rachel's third tenant—a thirteen-year-old girl with cute, short pink hair, dressed in a maid outfit. Peach was a commoner who had come to the capital from the western frontier with Ava. She had no family left and was all alone.

It was a fortunate encounter. Ava had found Peach begging and scrounging for a living, which tugged at her heartstrings. Since she hadn't brought a maid to the capital, Ava hired Peach to serve her, effectively changing Peach's life and providing her with stability. The name Peach was given by Ava, fitting for a girl with a sweet voice, adorable looks, and pink hair, resembling a fresh, juicy peach.

"Tonight's performance is out of the question, but if you want to hear me sing, I'll be performing tomorrow night across from the Highrise Building in the commercial district. You can come watch then," Rachel offered.

"That's the best we can do, I suppose," Ava Millie said with a hint of disappointment. She was quite a fan of Rachel's singing, despite the fact that Rachel's vocal quality and technique couldn't compare to professional singers. However, the songs Rachel sang were all new and catchy, easy to hum along to after just a few listens. Ava would never admit that she chose to rent here to be close to Rachel's performances.

"Sister," Rachel called softly, her eyes averting.

"Hmm? Rachel," Belial responded.

"Did you change it?" Rachel asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Belial didn't understand at first, but when she realized what Rachel was asking, her cheeks flushed a light pink and she nodded almost imperceptibly. "Ava Millie helped me change it earlier," she said.

Diapers were a necessity for Belial, who tried to limit her fluid intake to avoid the need to urinate. But the water she consumed with food was enough to make her need to use the bathroom frequently. The small diaper could hardly contain that much liquid. Ava and the other tenants were a great help to Rachel, assisting with many things she couldn't do herself. Without them, Rachel would have been at a loss.

"Rachel, how much time do you have? Why don't we eat out? My treat," Ava Millie suggested, not having heard the sisters' hushed conversation.

"Are you sure? You always pay for everything," Rachel replied.

"Oh, I may not boast about much, but when it comes to money, I'm well-off. Don't forget, my father is a great lord in the west. This is my half-year allowance card. Technically, it's supposed to last six months, but even if I run out, my dad will just deposit more. No worries," Ava Millie said, brandishing a silver-edged crystal card, a silver transfer card, which was given to those whose accounts held a minimum balance of one thousand gold coins.

"That's very generous of you. In that case, I accept," Rachel agreed. "Sister, let's go together."

"Ah, I think I'll stay. I still have so many dolls to fix," Belial declined, shaking her head vigorously. She didn't want to go out and be stared at. Last night, in the dark and seated, she hadn't attracted attention, but going out now would expose her condition. It wasn't about her pride; she didn't want to be a burden to Rachel. The thought of being seen as a useless, disabled sister was something she wished to avoid.