After washing the clothes, we carried the bucket to the back of the house through the kitchen.
There was a well behind the house. I had drawn water from it once before, but it never looked quite as clean or fresh as the water flowing from Master's Magical Bottle. Then again, it made sense—magical water was bound to be better than regular water.
We wrung out the clothes and began hanging them along the rope we had tied from one window to another for our laundry. The sun was shining brightly overhead, and with weather like this, everything should be dry by tomorrow morning.
"Be careful with the nightgowns—the shopkeeper warned us not to wring them too hard," I reminded Lillia as I carefully draped Master's clothes over the line.
"Yes, Roxanne-san," Lillia replied with a nod.
A few drops of water splashed onto my face as I shook out my damp pants. My gaze drifted toward the back garden. "We really do have our work cut out for us," I murmured, frowning slightly at the weeds sprouting wildly across the yard.
"Yes. Back in my village, we had a large garden near our house too. I used to help tend it, so I know my way around weeding," Lillia said confidently.
"That's reassuring," I replied with a smile. My eyes then trailed toward the small house in the distance. "I was planning to air out and clean that house today as well… but since Master asked us not to work today, we will stop after finishing the laundry."
"Didn't Master say that from now on we would use half of the sixth day every week for cleaning the house?" Lillia asked thoughtfully.
"Yes," I said with a nod. "It will be helpful to have that little house ready in case Master ever has guests. It would be a shame to leave it gathering dust."
"With all of us working together, I am sure we could get it clean quickly," Lillia said with a cheerful smile. "And if Master ends up bringing back more people from the Auction today, then it will just be more hands that can help," she added with a slightly nervous laugh.
"I suppose so," I replied, chuckling softly.
"Roxanne-san… how many people do you think Master will bring back?" Lillia asked hesitantly. "Just one? Or… more?"
"Well, let's see," I said, holding up my fingers to count. "After me, Master brought Sherry—that's one. Then the next day he brought Anastasia, Miria, and you—that's three more. So… maybe five this time?"
"Five?" Lillia gasped. "That's… that's more than double our current group!"
I gave her a sheepish smile. "Sherry and Anastasia are definitely better at numbers than I am, so they might give a more accurate guess. But in the end, it all depends on Master—and whether there are people worth bringing back from the Auction."
Lillia stepped closer, her eyes searching mine, full of worry. "But… Roxanne-san you've been with Master the longest. You know him best. Surely, you must have some idea of what he's thinking?"
I shook my head. "How can I possibly guess what goes on in Master's brilliant mind?" I said with a little laugh. "When he brought the three of you back, I assumed it was just to complete the party. But now… seeing how much effort he is put into preparing for this Auction? It's clearly something more."
Lillia crossed her arms and rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe… maybe he just doesn't like being alone in such a big house? That's why he wants more people around?"
"Whatever his reason, I am sure it's part of a bigger plan," I said, resting a hand on her shoulder. "A plan that needs strong, smart, and trustworthy people. People he can rely on—people he can see as family. All we can do is support him with everything we have."
Lillia nodded, her expression soft but determined. "Right. Then… we'll just do our best to be there for him—whatever he needs."
"Good. Now that the laundry's done, let's freshen up and head to the Market," I said with a smile, gathering the empty buckets and heading back into the house.
As we stepped inside, Lillia leaned closer to me, her voice a cautious whisper. "Roxanne-san… do you think Master is really planning that thing Anastasia mentioned yesterday when he showed us his Intelligence Card?"
"You mean the Emperor thing?" I asked, pausing to glance at her.
She nodded quickly, her expression tense.
"Hmm… well, Master's certainly capable of conquering labyrinths and becoming a Noble," I said thoughtfully. "What happens after that depends on his wishes. But honestly? I think he would make a wonderful Emperor. No—he deserves to be one. I can't imagine anyone more suited for the throne than him." I added with certainty.
"That… makes sense," Lillia said, her voice still unsure. "He does have the Hero Job, just like the first Emperor."
"Exactly! If that's truly what he wants, then I will become his sword and cut down all who oppose him!" I said with fire in my voice, narrowing my eyes as I imagined wiping away his enemies one by one. "It's our duty to help him rise to the top."
"Haha… I'm sure you will, Roxanne-san," Lillia replied with a nervous laugh, taking a small step away from me.
Still, her words warmed me. At least Lillia understood. I should bring this up with Sherry too—she might already be thinking ahead with one of her clever ideas to support Master, if that truly is his goal.
"All right, no more dilly-dallying—we need to get to the Market quickly. We still have to tend to the garden once we are back," I said as we reached the storeroom to put away the cleaning supplies.
Lillia nodded obediently, and we both freshened up. Just like Master instructed, we each took our weapon for protection, then made our way toward the front gate.
"We really need to clean up this path to the entrance," I muttered, glancing at the weeds creeping along the roadside. "It gives a bad impression of Master's home."
"Yes… and maybe we could hang a wooden nameplate on the gate, so people know this is where Master lives," Lillia said, eyeing the sturdy metal gate.
"What a clever idea, Lillia! You should tell Master—he will definitely praise you for it," I said with a warm smile.
"Thank you, I will," she said, beaming.
I locked the door carefully and tucked the key back into my pouch. I had also brought along Master's spare Magical Bag to carry the things we would buy.
Lillia looked quite happy as we walked along the path leading back to Quratar City.
"This is the first time I have ever gone shopping just for myself," Lillia said with a nostalgic smile. "Back in my village, my mother or older brother always came with me. We had a strict list, and I could only choose to buy my favorite fruit on my birthday."
"For me, my aunt always sent me to the Market. So It is not so unfamiliar, but back then it was always for household things, never for myself," I said, nodding thoughtfully. "So, in a way… it feels different for me too."
"Right? I don't even know what I would want to buy—I already have everything I need," Lillia said with a wry smile. "And what if someone tricks me with a fake or faulty item? I have heard there are lots of cheaters in big cities like Quratar…"
"I was still quite young when I started shopping alone," I said with a proud grin. "To make sure no one cheated me just because I was a kid, I always inspected every product carefully. Soon enough, every trader in the village knew they couldn't fool my sharp eyes."
"Waah, that's amazing, Roxanne-san! I will be counting on you today, then," she said with a relieved smile.
"Leave it to me," I said, nodding confidently.
We kept walking as the woods gave way to rows of houses. The quiet path soon turned into the bustling streets of Quratar City. The number of people steadily increased until we were surrounded by a lively crowd.
It was noisy and busy as usual, with vendors shouting over one another, shops displaying colorful wares, and traders seated on the ground with their goods spread out on cloths. Some hawkers pushed wooden trolleys, weaving through the crowd and calling out their deals to anyone who would listen.
"I thought I would try something delicious in the city," Lillia said with a wry smile, glancing around. "But now that I see all this… nothing even comes close to the amazing food we had at the house."
"My stomach is still full anyway," I said with a chuckle, gently patting her arm. "Maybe on our way back, we can try something and bring a treat for Master."
"Alright," she nodded, and we began to stroll through the stalls, stopping here and there whenever something interesting caught our eye.
"Uncle, I would like to buy your freshest bread!"
A cheerful voice caught my attention as I was examining a pair of hair combs laid out in front of a shop. Looking up, I spotted a young blonde girl in clean clothes, holding out a few coins at a nearby bread shop.
"Oh, sure, young miss. Be careful—it's hot," the shopkeeper said kindly, handing her a steaming loaf of bread.
"Hehe, it tastes the best when it's hot," she said with a bright smile, taking a bite as she walked off happily.
"What a cute girl," I murmured to myself, then turned toward the bread shop. The warm, fragrant aroma made me smile. "Maybe I should bring some bread back for Master too…"
Suddenly, an unusual scent hit my nose—foul and out of place. My eyes snapped to the side, catching a glimpse of the young girl skipping near a narrow alley between the shops.
"Lillia!" I shouted, already sprinting toward the girl.
A shadow lunged from the alleyway—just about to pounce on her.
Without thinking, I dove forward, wrapping my arms around her and rolling across the cobbled street.
"Ahh!" she screamed in surprise as we tumbled, the bread flying from her hands.
We came to a stop, and I quickly pulled her up, shielding her with my body. "Are you hurt?" I asked urgently, brushing her blonde hair out of her face.
She looked up at me, wide-eyed and trembling, but unharmed. "I-I'm okay…"
"Roxanne-san! What happened?!" Lillia called out, running over with alarm.
KHEEEE!!
A sharp screech drew all our attention back to the alley. A squat, green creature stepped into view, snarling and brandishing a chipped knife.
A kobold.
It must have been hiding behind the crates, waiting to ambush someone.
"Don't worry, it's just a kobold," I said calmly, standing and drawing my sword.
"Ugh, it's so ugly…" the girl whispered with a snort.
"Lillia, watch over her!" I ordered, nodding toward them.
Lillia drew her own blade and took a protective stance. "Stay behind me," she said firmly, placing herself between the girl and the creature.
"But my bread…!" the girl wailed, pointing at the loaf that had landed just behind the kobold.
The kobold snarled, crouching low before it charged at me.
"Too slow," I muttered, dashing forward.
In one swift motion, I leapt and used the kobold's head like a stepping stone, slamming my steel-booted heel down with all my weight.
CRACK.
The creature collapsed to the ground with a thud.
I landed nimbly behind it, spun on my heel, and closed the distance in an instant.
I pressed my boot down firmly onto its back, pinning it to the ground. It squirmed and shrieked, but I didn't let up.
With one swift motion, I drove my rapier into its neck.
KHEEEE!!
The kobold howled, flailing wildly. The one strike obviously doesn't kill it—even if it's a kobold.
But I didn't stop.
I gritted my teeth and stabbed again. And again. Over and over, in the same spot, until its resistance began to fade. It thrashed with increasing desperation, but I kept my foot steady and my aim focused.
Then—
Poof!
With a final stab, my blade pierced clean through, and the kobold dissolved into a puff of smoke.
CLAP CLAP CLAP!
I blinked in surprise. A small crowd had gathered nearby—several of them equipped with armor and weapons, clearly Explorers, Adventurers or Warriors.
"Great job!"
"She took it down like it was nothing!"
"So fast—and ruthless!"
I ignored the shouts and applause, stepping to the side without a word. Instead, I bent down and picked up the bread, brushing the dust off gently.
Lillia hurried over with the little girl in tow. "That was amazing, Roxanne-san!"
"Here," I said softly, holding out the loaf. "Your bread."
The girl stared up at me, clutching it to her chest. "You're so strong!" she whispered, her green eyes sparkling with admiration.
I chuckled and ruffled her hair. "It was just a kobold, after all."
I glanced toward the spot it died, my smile softening. "If Master had been here… he would have taken it down in a single strike."
***
[Gorama27 has redeemed an Extra Chapter from previous week]