The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 44

At Della’s question, the staff member gave a small nod.

“She’s seven years old. An orphan, uneducated, with no real connections to speak of…”

“We need to stay connected to her, if only to figure out where and how she came across all that information.”

Della, too, found Rima suspicious.

“Is she even really seven?”

Della had started tailing Rima the moment she saw the girl leave the duke’s estate with one of the maids.

The child had cleverly tricked the maid and slipped into the crowd. Then, she walked into a general store and confidently shouted what sounded like a coded phrase.

Eventually, she made her way to an information broker, met with “Delrac,” and sealed a deal—not with money, but with the knowledge she possessed.

“You assigned her a shady task, didn’t you?”

Della gave a small, apologetic smile.

The staff member shook their head.

“No, not at all. I’m the one who’s sorry for complaining.”

“It’s fine. I’m suspicious of that child, too.”

“Should we even consider the possibility that she’s not human?”

The monsters were already wiped out.

“I was there when it happened.”

Della had fought in the Krepata War alongside the Saintess, and she remembered the glory of that day—paid for with countless lives.

There were no longer any monsters disguising themselves as humans and stirring up chaos.

“…She’s not a monster,” Della said, pinpointing what the staff member had only implied.

At her firm denial, the staff member let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“But there’s no doubt something about her is… different.”

“How long do we continue dealing with her?”

“She still thinks you’re Delrac—the owner of the information network and the older brother caring for his sick twin sister, right?”

“She believes it completely.”

Rima knew a lot—but she often mistook fiction for fact.

The clearest example was how she truly believed the owner of the information network was a man named Delrac.

“All we need to do is fulfill the client’s requests.”

Until we get the information we need.

“But if this keeps up, the Deiamor family could be dragged into—”

“If a noble family is so fragile that this alone can shake them, maybe they deserve to fall.”

“…”

“I mean, there’s no need to worry about Deiamor.”

After the staff member left, Della leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, recalling a recent conversation with Muniel.

Inside the Grand Witch’s tent, where the sharp scent of alcohol mixed with the delicious aroma of food—

“If there’s a good-looking man among your staff, have him act as your stand-in.”

“A good-looking man?”

“I’m sure the people you chose are all quick thinkers, but it’s still better to train him in advance.”

A brother with a twin sister.

Desperate to find medicine to save her life.

Very handsome. Young.

“Lady Muniel… my eternal mistress.”

As Della slowly opened her eyes, a hint of worry crossed her face.

“Just how much do you see, my lady?”

A letter had arrived from Armiphera Deiamor.

Right before the Deiamor family was set to leave for a forest camping trip.

“That damned woman,” Muniel muttered as she tore open the envelope carelessly.

“She’s the reason weird things have been happening in the house.”

“Evil dragon? Evil dragon?”

“More like a black lizard.”

Muniel adjusted Nivellia, who had climbed onto her back.

“What does it say?” Ardores asked.

“Did she finally lose an arm or a leg?”

Aref, who was putting on his white cat-shaped backpack nearby, gaped in shock.

Luckily, the letter had no gruesome details.

“She says she’s dropping by the house.”

“Who’s coming?”

“Your aunt.”

“The one who ran away? Da Phera?”

“It’s not ‘Da Phera’—it’s Aunt Phera.”

The Deiamor family’s carriage rolled out of the capital.

Their camping site was deep in the forest, where a pharmaceutical company’s building was under construction.

Celletina and Caleo were swamped with work.

They had to finish preparations to launch the company by late autumn, so they had no choice but to pick a place where they could balance work and rest.

“Will this be okay…?”

“I’m a bit worried too.”

Both Caleo and Celletina felt guilty toward the children.

Should we have taken them somewhere better?

They worried all the way until they reached the forest.

But the moment they arrived, the children burst out in excitement.

“Wow! It’s a forest!”

“The building went up so fast! Can we go inside and look around?”

“Young lady, don’t go alone…!”

Especially Nivellia—so excited she couldn’t contain herself—ended up running on all fours and even did three forward rolls in a row.

“Pfft! Nini, what was that!”
Soles clutched his stomach, laughing.

“Nini just really wants to run right now!”

Overflowing with energy, Nivellia took off running again.

Right beside her, Aref also started running. He was worried she might trip and hurt herself, so he stuck close.

But before long, Aref was laughing too.

Only then did Caleo and Celletina finally relax.

“Coming out like this once in a while might be good,” Caleo said.

“Exactly. Kids, before you go play—come say hello to the Grand Witch.”

The Deiamor family headed toward the Grand Witch’s tent.

“We’ll be in your care for a bit,” Caleo said politely.

“The Deiamors are dear to us witches. You’re welcome anytime,” the Grand Witch replied, her wrinkled face breaking into a warm smile.

She handed the children honey treats she had made herself.

While chewing her honey ball, Nivellia tattled about something she ate not long ago.

“Hey, I had this bright red jam a while back, and it was so gross!”

“That fruit pairs better with honey than sugar,” the witch explained. “And when you crush and heat it, the bitterness really comes out.”

“Grandma says she’s gonna feed it to Grandpa.”

“Your grandpa’s going to have the healthiest joints until the day he dies,” the Grand Witch chuckled.

Ardores, who had forced himself to take a spoonful of that jam again that morning, shuddered at the thought of having to eat more tomorrow.

“Mom and Dad have to go do a bit of work now,” Caleo said.

“While we’re gone, you need to listen to Grandma and Grandpa, okay?” added Celletina.

While the two headed off to work with the witches, Muniel and Ardores took the children to find a spot to pitch their tents.

“Over here!”
Nivellia pointed deeper into the woods.
“Let’s sleep inside there!”

“Think that’s a good idea?” Ardores said, putting on a spooky face like he was trying to scare her.
“What if a bear, a boar, or some other really dangerous animal shows up at night?”

“Uh…”

But it wasn’t Nivellia who got scared—it was Aref.

“Hmph! Bears don’t scare me!”

Nivellia folded her arms tightly across her chest and lifted her chin high.
“I’m not scared at all. I’m the leader!”

“…Honestly, I think a little fear would do you some good.”

Why was this kid so fearless?

Still, there were no dangerous animals like bears living in this forest. They’d checked thoroughly during the construction phase.

“There are wild boars around, though. So never go off alone. And don’t even think about trying to punch one, or growl at it like you’re going to fight it.”

Ardores’ warning was clearly directed at Nivellia alone.

“Wild boar…”
Slurp.

Nivellia swallowed the drool pooling in her mouth.

“That sounds delicious…”

“…You have to stick with your brothers.”

Luckily, there was a perfect flat spot near the edge of the forest for setting up camp.

“Alright kids, grab a corner and stretch it out!”

“Stretch, stretch!”
The kids echoed happily.

As Muniel and the children held the tent corners taut, Ardores went inside to set up the poles and secure everything.

They set up two large tents and one small one.

Inside, they arranged cots, sleeping bags filled with feathers, folding tables and chairs, and boxes filled with food and supplies.

“Wow, it’s a house!”
Nivellia spun around inside the tent.

To her, it was no longer just a camping tent—it was a perfect little home.

“Are we gonna live here now?”

“Just for a few days,” Muniel said, placing a whistle necklace around Nivellia’s neck.

Nivellia fiddled with the small silver whistle, then gave it a test blow.

Piiiii! The sound echoed surprisingly loud.

Startled, she flinched and dropped the whistle.

“You only blow that if something dangerous happens, okay? Not just anytime.”

“Dangerous?”

“Well… like if you get lost, or if you run into a wild boar.”

“That’s never gonna happen!”

Nivellia answered with a smug grin.

Muniel found her so ridiculous that she gently pressed her thumbs into the girl’s temples, smiling softly.

“Eeiiee!”

“When Grandma worries, you’re supposed to say, ‘Yes, ma’am.’”

“Yes, ma’am! I’ll be good, ma’am!”
Finally freed from the pressure on her head, Nivellia paused and started thinking hard.

“…Did Nini just get smarter again?”

Muniel’s temple pressure apparently made people smarter.

“Grandma, give me a quiz!”

“Why do you think I gave you the whistle just now?”

“In case I get lost or see a wild boar!”

“Oh my, she did get smarter!”

But Nivellia didn’t look happy.

“If I get too smart, I’ll have to rule the world! And then I’ll be so busy I won’t have time to eat cookies…!”

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