Chapter 33: Almost There

After the lunch break, Larvia began her afternoon work.

She sat at her desk, reviewing documents, while Chloe wiped down the windows.

“Hey, how’s your study bigger than my bedroom?”

“I’m the queen. My workspace has to be grand, doesn’t it?”

“But it’s such a pain to clean.”

“Good thing I don’t have to clean it myself.”

“Guh…”

Chloe pouted.

For the sake of the usual maid’s salary of 10 vampire gold coins a month, she let it slide.

Plus, she was about to earn 30 gold coins a month.

While cleaning, Chloe chatted idly with Larvia.

Larvia never showed annoyance, responding to Chloe while keeping up with her work.

Chloe, on the other hand, used the conversation to slack off, growing lazier the more she chatted.

“Uh, I’m gonna take a break.”

“Mm.”

Larvia nodded, then added, “I’m almost out of ink. Grab me another pen.”

“Sure, which one?”

“Hm… bring them all.”

“Huh?”

Chloe’s mouth twitched, but she put away the rag she’d been using to clean the windows.

She opened a cabinet, took out a small pen rack with a dozen ornate pens, and carefully carried it over, taking tiny steps.

‘Steady, steady…’

She repeated to herself.

Each of those pens looked insanely expensive. If she dropped one and broke it, she’d probably have to sell herself to pay for it.

After safely delivering the rack, Larvia eyed the luxurious pens, hesitated for a few seconds, picked one, and handed her empty pen to Chloe.

“Refill the ink while you’re at it, then put it back with the rack.”

“Okay.”

While refilling the ink, Chloe examined the pen closely.

It was a deep navy blue, engraved with intricate gold patterns, perfectly balanced. Even without knowing its price, one glance told her it was far from cheap.

“Pretty fancy.”

“Like it?”

“Eh… it’s alright.”

Though Chloe couldn’t take her eyes off it, the thought of its price killed any desire.

“Come cuddle, and it’s yours~”

“?”

Chloe froze.

“For real?”

“Yup.”

“Uh… how much is this pen, exactly?”

“Forgot. A few hundred gold coins, maybe.”

“How many?!”

Chloe nearly tripped.

“I don’t remember exactly. Around that.”

Larvia opened the pen cap and resumed her work, acting nonchalant.

“C-Confirming, vampire gold coins, right? Not empire gold coins?”

“Yup.”

😨

‘Something that expensive, and she’s just giving it to me?’

Chloe remembered her days as a Sword Saint, when nobles showered her with costly gifts to win her favor.

‘There’s a catch!’

“N-No thanks. Cuddles are fine since that’s part of your benefits, but I don’t need the pen…”

While speaking, Chloe sneaked glances at Larvia’s expression.

“Letting me touch it is enough.”

“Alright,” Larvia nodded. “Use it for your application then.”

Even with Larvia’s permission, Chloe was hesitant.

She didn’t dare use it.

If she broke it, even with a 30-gold-coin monthly salary, it’d take a year to pay off.

For an average vampire, paying that off with a regular job would take years.

‘Wait!’

‘I’ll just write here!’

With Larvia watching, she wouldn’t break it.

And she could skip work!

“Larvia, can I write my application here?”

“Be my guest. But you’ll have to find your own spot—I’m not giving up mine.”

“Oh, got it.”

Chloe looked around, grabbed a small stool, and set it beside the desk.

“This won’t bother you, right?”

“Nope.”

“Cool.”

Larvia capped her pen, pulled a blank sheet from a drawer, and slid it to Chloe.

“Why so polite all of a sudden?”

She smiled at Chloe.

“Uh… I-I don’t know.”

Chloe quickly lowered her head and started writing.

She wasn’t worried about the opening—she’d thought it through during the morning’s work.

“Little Chloe, forgetting something?”

“Hm?”

Chloe looked up, puzzled.

“Cuddles.”

“Oh.”

Chloe stood from the stool.

“Coming, coming~”

Cuddle, cuddle~

Morning, shortly after starting work.

Larvia was reviewing documents in her study when the door opened.

She looked up to see Chloe.

“Little Chloe, cleaning again today?”

“Yup~”

As Chloe stepped in, her eyes locked onto the stack of papers on Larvia’s desk.

Specifically, one particular document.

Three days had passed since Chloe wrote her application.

With Larvia’s help, she’d dragged it out until the end of the workday, repeating herself to scrape together 3,000 words.

But when she submitted it, Larvia told her it had to wait in line.

Itching with anticipation, Chloe had asked Sheffield to let her clean the study every day to sneak peeks at the approval progress.

She’d folded a small corner on her application to track it.

Now, Larvia was reviewing a document near that folded paper.

‘Almost, almost!’

‘It’s almost my turn!’

‘It should be today!’

Two hours later, only one document remained above her folded one.

And that last document was nearly done.

Chloe stood a short distance away, pretending to sweep, her eyes constantly darting to the desk.

Thinking of her future payment, she rubbed her hands excitedly.

‘Hehe~ What should I buy to eat?’

‘Can’t decide~ Maybe a bit of everything~ I’ll have plenty of money~’

‘Fantasy time!’

But just as Chloe was lost in excitement, Larvia capped her pen.

“Well~ That’s it for this morning’s work~”