Chapter 12: The Decadence of Wealth and a Disdainful Young Lady

The weather was splendid today.

Yalin lifted his gaze to an endless, azure sky, so clear and pristine it seemed freshly washed.

Golden sunlight streamed down brilliantly, stinging his eyes with its intensity…

Oh, no, he had misjudged.

That wasn’t sunlight at all, but the dazzling gleam reflected from a magnificent, gilded rooftop.

“The world of the wealthy truly defies imagination.”

Standing before the opulent villa, which resembled a grand palace, Yalin silently marveled.

The villa, complete with its sprawling gardens, stretched so far that its end was lost to the eye; Yalin estimated the estate easily surpassed a thousand hectares in size.

It was crucial to remember this was no remote backwater, but Elanmia!

The second-largest city in the kingdom!

Furthermore, its location was squarely within the metropolitan area, making the phrase ‘every inch of land worth its weight in gold’ no exaggeration.

The mere price of this land… Yalin dared not even contemplate the number of zeros that followed.

As for the villa itself, its extravagance verged on the absurd.

Ornate golden patterns were meticulously carved into the towering wrought-iron fence, while the building’s exterior walls were clad in pristine, jade-white stone.

He felt as though prying off a single piece could fetch a considerable sum.

‘Was this, then, the fabled decadent capitalism?’

‘How envious… no, how utterly despicable!’

As Yalin scrutinized the scene with a critical eye, the heavy iron gates suddenly swung open.

Accompanied by the crisp creak of metal hinges, Raymond emerged.

His gilded monocle and immaculate, wrinkle-free black tailcoat made him appear precisely like a butler character plucked from the pages of a novel.

Indeed, he was the very butler of this villa.

“You’ve arrived. The young lady is already waiting for you in her room.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Raymond. It’s quite rare for you to personally come out to greet me,” Yalin replied with a gentle smile.

“Hmph…”

Sweeping Yalin with eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, Raymond let out a cold snort, then turned and led the way, his face a stern mask.

‘It was clear the butler held him, a mere pretty boy, in utter contempt.’

‘Alas, we’re all just trying to make a living; why the need for such disdain?’

Yet Yalin paid it no mind, for in his line of work, a thick skin was an absolute necessity.

‘If one constantly fretted over others’ opinions, they might as well go home and farm in peace.’

Moreover, the object of his service was certainly not this scowling butler.

Luluti.

Her full name was Luluti Astria Luti.

The true mistress of this villa was his actual charge.

From this strange, impossibly long name, one could discern her demi-human lineage.

To be more precise, she was a catgirl.

Of course, whether catgirl or doggirl, it mattered little; compared to her noble status, race was utterly insignificant.

Astria.

The five characters of this name were practically known to all within the Royal Capital.

As one of the Royal Capital’s three most prominent merchant guilds, its immense influence had long permeated every facet of daily life.

From the food on one’s table to the high-grade materials required by alchemists, there was no business they couldn’t involve themselves in.

Not only that, but beyond their commercial endeavors, the Astria family also wielded considerable weight in the political sphere.

It was rumored that many councilor positions in the Royal Capital had their backing.

Such a colossal entity commanded even the royal family’s cautious respect.

Naturally, none of the aforementioned held any relevance to Yalin whatsoever.

After all, he was merely a humble (TL Note: ‘Tiangou,’ literally ‘licking dog,’ a slang term for someone who excessively fawns over another, often unrequitedly, akin to a ‘simp’ or ‘bootlicker’).

Traversing the winding gardens and entering the villa’s interior, Raymond suddenly halted, speaking with a chilling tone.

“Remember, you are merely a private tutor. Understand your place, and do not make any presumptuous moves. Do you comprehend?”

A private tutor.

‘Raymond’s words, however, served as a reminder to Yalin.’

‘He had been simping for so long that he had almost come to regard it as a legitimate profession, nearly forgetting he had applied as a private tutor to begin with.’

‘Tsk, tsk, a tutor, indeed.’

‘How pleasant that title sounded.’

Yalin couldn’t help but puff out his chest slightly.

“Rest assured, Mr. Raymond, I am a professional and understand discretion.”

“Hmph…”

Yalin: ‘?’

‘Seriously, is he never going to stop?’

‘It’s one thing for the young lady to huff a couple of times, but what’s with your constant snorting? Are you tsundere too?’

‘Could it be that this fellow, by spending so much time with Luluti, had caught her ‘hmph’ habit?’

The two ascended to the second floor in silence, Raymond stopping before a particular door and raising a hand to knock.

“Who is it?”

“Young lady, it is I. Your private tutor has arrived.”

As he uttered the words ‘private tutor,’ Raymond shot Yalin a glare, deliberately emphasizing the phrase.

“Very well, send him in.”

“Understood.”

Raymond stepped back a few paces, bowed respectfully to the wooden door, and then turned to depart.

“Pardon my intrusion.”

Yalin turned the doorknob and pushed the door open.

As he stepped into the room, a cool breeze greeted him, carrying with it a pleasant, subtle fragrance.

‘It seemed some high-tier magical device was at work, maintaining the room at a consistently comfortable and agreeable temperature.’

“What are you dawdling for? Get in here!” a slightly impatient voice called from the depths of the room.

“My apologies, Young Lady Luluti, for making you wait. I’ll be right there.”

Yalin replied with a wry smile.

‘The entrance was adorned entirely with jewel-encrusted decorations; he genuinely dared not move carelessly.’

‘If he accidentally broke even one, he likely wouldn’t be able to afford the compensation even if he sold himself.’

“Hmph, utterly useless.”

Luluti snorted.

‘It had to be said, though both were snorts, hers sounded considerably cuter than Raymond’s.’

Yalin changed into slippers and proceeded deeper into the room.

There, he saw Luluti perched upon a magnificent desk, looking down at him imperiously.

A delicate, off-white dress, cinched at the waist with a sky-blue ribbon, perfectly outlined her slender and graceful figure.

Her meticulously styled golden short hair shimmered with a soft luster in the sunlight, while two fluffy cat ears twitched occasionally atop her head, framing exquisite features as flawless as if sculpted from a statue.

Though her entire being exuded the noble aura of one born above others, Luluti possessed none of the elegance or reserve typically associated with a young lady of aristocracy.

She sat casually with one leg crossed over the other, arms folded across her chest, her face etched with disdain—a sight that inexplicably ignited a spark of irritation in him.

‘With perfectly good chairs available, why insist on sitting on the desk? Did she think she was a (TL Note: ‘Yuantou Maodie,’ literally ’round-headed octogenarian,’ a playful term for a plump, elderly person, often implying a lack of grace or unconventional behavior. Here, Yalin is using it sarcastically to question her posture, implying she’s acting childish or inappropriately, contrasting her noble image.)?‘

Yalin cleared his throat. “Young Lady, we are about to begin our lesson. Please, descend from the desk.”

“A lesson?”

Luluti scoffed, a hint of mockery glinting in her emerald eyes.

“You don’t actually think you’re a private tutor, do you?”

“Uh… our contract states that we are to be…”

Yalin’s words trailed off as his vision was suddenly obstructed by a soft, white mass.

It was Luluti’s lower leg, encased in white stockings.

“Take them off.”

Luluti commanded.