BL999DP

Chapter 7

With that vow, she lost consciousness and awoke the following day, just before sunrise.

Despite the passage of time, she hadn't managed to get enough sleep.

Her desire was to slumber until the sun was high in the sky, but the thought of her coachman laboring to prepare water for her washing hindered her rest.

'I hired him out of pity, I don't mean to make him pamper me, but... isn't he too much of a servant?'

He was indeed a servant, but his demeanor was assertive, and he performed his duties diligently, much like a devoted attendant who readies hot water before his master's waking hour.

'Why is he doing all the work? I should at least do it with him. From tomorrow, I'm going to tell him to shovel the snow and wake me up, and I'll just thaw it out.'

Mumbling and grumbling, she conscientiously gathered the tools to shovel the snow.

Along the way, she checked to ensure the fire she had kindled the day before was still burning brightly.

She also inspected the pantry to ensure the coachman had eaten and had a warm room with a well-tended fire.

Thankfully, the coachman was soundly asleep in a small yet cozy room, emitting snores.

She couldn't help but snicker at the sight of the servant sleeping later than his master.

"Pururinu!"

"Heeeeing!"

Amidst the morning sounds, she heard the horses' whinnies emanating from the stables, indicating their hunger.

'Oh, yes. That's right. There were horses. I forgot about them.'

Fortunately, her memory served her well as she recalled discovering a large hayloft during her previous tour of the manor. With a sense of responsibility, she fed the horses and opened the gate, allowing them to venture out for a walk before starting her first task.

'I don't know who's really a servant.'

Even a terribly enthusiastic, hard-working servant.

'You'll see. Tomorrow I'll show the coachman how hot it is.'

The horses were not cold, thanks to the fires that had been painstakingly set up yesterday, and they were enjoying their stroll, hovering nearby, and Reina felt strangely proud and warmed by the sight.

'I have a sad premonition that this is going to be like this every morning, but... no. What am I doing? Get a grip. I gave him a salary yesterday, he's being spoiled.'

Shaking off her fleeting servant mentality, she resumed the task of scooping snow into the barrel.

Midway through, her sense of duty prompted her to check on the status of the fires he had set up.

Fortunately, her diligence paid off, as the flames were burning brightly with a gentle glow, and everything seemed in order both inside and outside the mansion.

'So far, so good for being reincarnated as the final boss.'

Food was plentiful, the cold was kept at bay, basic necessities were scattered about, and she had enough child support from the Duke's estate to keep her comfortable.

Unfortunately, there was still a bit of work to be done for a nobleman, but compared to her previous life, she couldn't ask for anything more.

Or so she thought, until she spotted a strange creature by the fire near the front door.

"... What the hell is this?"

The creature was a pure white blob, about the size of an adult's fist, with tiny eyes and ears.