The Unlucky Villainess Small Fief

Chapter 3

"Make a living?" Melody asks, tilting her head on one side as she listens to her lady's chatter. She was in a middle of drying her lady's short hair, as the two sat closely to each other in the living room.

"Yes! I was planning that every household should have money to spend, and i want the kids here to have a good future so..." Ortezca mumbled as she bashfully stated her dream. Melody stared at her for a moment then smiled. "Okay, I am all ears." She said. It will be a long night for sure.

Melody eyes went wide as she listened to her lady's futuristic envisions. A school for the kids? A small clinic? A church? A small restaurant for the tourists? A souveneir shop? Her head was already spinning from too much information that her lady was spouting, she could not follow anymore. She then raised her hand to let Ortezca know that it is already in the middle of the night.

"Oh! Oh..right. i am sorry to bother you during this time....thank you for listening to me though!"Ortezca said and pushed Melody towards her room. "Are you not going to sleep too?"

"I am going to my room now." Ortezca smiled at her. Melody knew too well that Ortezca won't be getting any sleep now.

'Might as well stay awake with her...' Melody resigned her fate to stay vigilant for her lady.

Morning came. Melody originally planned on staying awake but somehow last night, she fell asleep because she was tired from their 'patrol' that day. She immediately fixed her working clothes and went to the room her lady resides in. She knocked he door several times, and seeing that there was no reaction, she slowly opened the door. She saw Ortezca sleeping on her workdesk and judging by the paper she was resting upon on, all of it were blueprints and many numbers. Melody was speechless for a while.

"Hmm? Oh...Melody, i am used it." Ortezca stated. It may seemed to be true in every sense but now that she is a commoner, not the daughter of duke Holminne, there is no need for her to do such things. 'Ah. The harsh upbringing of the family must have ingrained to her..' melody thought. Ever since a young girl, Ortezca undergone so many lessons and etiquette as the future empress of the kingdom but ever since she was removed of her position as the fiancee of the prince, Melody thought that her lady would live in seclusion only to hear her state "i am going to build my own happiness!' and hasn't stopped in achieving her dream.

"Breakfast, my lady?" Melody asks as she hands the towel to Ortezca. Ortezca just finished washing her face and receives the towel. She pondered for a moment while wiping her face and then grinned at her.

"After our daily rounds," Ortezca said and went towards the closet to change her clothes. Wearing a blouse with short sleeves and a navy blue dress, Ortezca nodded at her appearance in front of the mirror and turned to Melody.

"Let me just prepare these and during the meantime, tell the mothers to round their children near the tree just beside the cliff!" Ortezca said as she started to tie a handkerchief on her head and rolled her sleeves up to start baking. Melody always looks forward to what bread will her lady be baking. Too bad her lady is not the one who eats it, but the villagers. Melody nodded and went outside the house.

It was 8:00 am when Ortezca finished baking. She went towards the place where she asked Melody to round up the kids. It was the day where she will be teaching the kids to write and of course, tell a story to them. Some villagers especially women and old folks sit to listen to her.

"...Lady Ortezca really is a goddess, isn't she? She is good in baking, cooking, pretty and kind. She is an ideal lady," one man stated as they glanced at the group from afar.

"If i were the prince, I would immediately marry her, she has everything a man hopes for!" Another man said.

"Tut, tut, tut, these younglins don't know anything. How about you work your butts off, or we won't be finished by 3 pm!" Glen exclaimed which made the two flinch and go back to their work.

Glen was a gardener of the Holminne household and had been like a father to Lady Helzca, Ortezca's mother, and Grandfather too to lady Ortezca. After the death of the first wife, Glen had always been supporting Ortezca from the shadows. Along with the other two servants, they accompanied the lady in the remote place of the country and lived with her. Now, he is in charge of the agricultural state of the village.

'She is smiling..good, good,' Glen thought and nodded to himself in satisfaction after glancing at Ortezca who was busy delivering her story to the children.