Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 207
When Ticher and Daining had fully regained their senses, they hurriedly returned home to change clothes and rushed back to their workplace, only to find the entire morning had already passed.
This was their first time ever skipping work.
They anxiously tried to explain everything to the steward, but he frowned and shook his head: “Don’t worry, I’ve already arranged temporary replacements for your duties, so the meal preparations haven’t been delayed. But why have you two returned so soon? Are you alright?”
Being shown such unexpected kindness by the usually stern steward left them feeling both flattered and overwhelmed: “Thank you, sir, we’re both fine.”
“Hmm.”
The steward examined them carefully, at least finding no visible injuries and their spirits appearing quite good, so his furrowed brow gradually relaxed.
He surprisingly revealed what could be considered a smile: “I received notification last night. According to regulations, you may return home to rest for three days. Come back after three days.”
The two girls could hardly believe what they were hearing.
Faced with such unexpectedly favorable treatment, their first reaction wasn’t joyful acceptance but rather increased anxiety and unease.
“That won’t be necessary, sir,” Ticher tried to persuade him: “We’ve been fine for a while now, and the matter has been resolved… We can return to work right away!”
Resting at home meant no wages… They desperately needed the money.
Moreover, the statement about “finding replacements for them” made them deeply uneasy. Were they going to lose this precious job?
“This is a regulation established by the lord himself, clearly written on the notices. Don’t cause me trouble. If you don’t understand, go read it yourselves.” Just then, other workers came looking for the steward. Before leaving, he firmly refused their request: “For now, both of you go back and rest! I know what you’re worried about, but don’t worry – your jobs will still be waiting in three days, and you’ll receive full wages during your rest period. Consider it paid leave!”
Having said this, he hurried off with the worker to address the problem area.
Was there really such a regulation?
If true, this seemed almost too generous for workers like them!
The two girls swallowed nervously, nudging each other until they finally reached the notice board displaying the construction site regulations.
“Hmm… Ticher, there are too many words. I can’t understand them.”
Daining said somewhat dejectedly.
Ticher also felt embarrassed.
Although they had both attended the divine temple school as children, their education had been severely limited – both because of their gender and because their families had quickly fallen into poverty. When they couldn’t even afford food, making devotional offerings to the divine temple became impossible.
Ticher whispered: “Maybe we should just go home first.”
It was a pity they couldn’t verify it personally.
Although this excessive preferential treatment seemed as wonderfully unbelievable as the lord himself in his castle, they quickly chose to trust the steward’s words and began walking home together.
As they walked, they chatted intimately: “According to the steward, the lord has given explicit orders that after the divine temple of the cat god is built in the eastern part of the city… we’ll all be allowed to attend school!”
Ticher was about to feel happy, but then her spirits sank again.
Watching the excited Daining, she felt too embarrassed to mention that she had already passed sixteen years old and couldn’t go anymore.
Even if it was only by a little bit…
“I really hope we can start school soon!” Unaware of Ticher’s disappointment, Daining continued fantasizing about the wonderful future with a face full of longing:
“I want to learn more things, understand more recipes, then I can become a proper cook!”
A proper cook would earn much higher wages than their current kitchen assistant roles, and would even be allowed to take home some of the leftover ingredients each day!
“Mhm!”
Ticher didn’t voice her own difficulties, instead responding to Daining’s words and showing a genuinely happy smile for her friend.
When she returned home, she was even more surprised to find her mother actually awake – a rare occurrence!
“Ticher.”
Whether it was due to her exceptionally lucky day and good mood creating an illusion, in her eyes at this moment, her chronically bedridden mother’s complexion actually looked much better than before.
“You’re back.”
The woman, unaware her daughter had been out all night, showed a gentle smile and struggled to raise her hand, wanting to touch the girl who worked so hard to support their family and never gave up on her: “You’ve been working too hard, Ti.”
Ticher obediently moved closer, half-kneeling by the bedside to let her mother touch her shoulder.
From this closer distance, she became even more certain – it wasn’t her imagination or a misconception. Under the bright sunlight, her mother’s complexion had truly improved! There was even a hint of healthy rosiness!
“I’m not working hard, Mom.” She was so overjoyed she could barely contain herself, quickly adding: “By the way, you haven’t taken your medicine today. I’ll go prepare it.”
When she had to feed medicine to her unconscious mother, much of it would always spill. If her mother could drink it herself while awake, that would be perfect.
But when Ticher rushed to the small kitchen – yes, this new rental actually came with a small kitchen, and even had a toilet she’d never seen before! It was so convenient! – she froze.
“The medicine is all gone.”
Staring at the empty jar, she couldn’t help but feel grateful she had returned early today: “I’ll go to the apothecary, Mom. Wait for me!”
As soon as she finished speaking, she swept out like a gust of energetic wind, carrying the jar and money, leaving only her mother’s affectionate smile behind her.
However, when Ticher rushed to where apothecary Pharmaci[mfn]I opted to use ‘apothecary’ since using a modern term in the medieval ages didn’t make sense. But you need to know… this could have been ‘pharmacist Pharmaci’ lol.[/mfn] was located, she froze once again.
—Why had it turned into a clothing store?
Like a lost child, she stood confused in place for a long time before coming back to her senses when a clerk politely inquired.
The smiling staff member asked: “Madam, how may I help you?”
Ticher instinctively felt some fear toward these clerks who would normally chase her away harshly.
But after clearly seeing the change in their attitude, a strange feeling welled up in her heart.
……Yes.
She was no longer that dirty woman wearing haphazardly altered old dresses, soliciting “business” from every man she feared from the bottom of her heart.
She had a name. She was Ticher, neither ‘little whore’ nor ‘filthy commoner’.
She was a free citizen. If Rayper, as a knight page, dared to bully her, he would end up in prison for it.
She had a legitimate job and could earn enough to support herself and her mother.
She no longer lived in a dark, narrow alley but in a new house bathed in warm sunlight, with small flower beds deliberately arranged on both sides of the building’s entrance, blooming with brightly colored sunflowers.
She loved sunflowers.
Such large, beautiful, and vibrant flowers—just looking at them lifted her spirits and filled her with encouragement. It was said that the lord himself had sown them.
She no longer needed to fear others.
Ticher unconsciously straightened her back and calmly asked, “Excuse me, do you know where Mr. Pharmaci’s apothecary has moved?”
“Mr. Pharmaci?”
The man, clearly not the first to be asked this question, replied smoothly, “He closed his shop for good the day before yesterday and sold it to my employer. Do you need a new prescription? I suggest you go to the temporary hospital in the eastern part of Havest Street.”
“Temporary hospital?”
Hearing the familiar term, Ticher tilted her head in confusion.
“Yes, all the doctors who passed the lord’s assessment that day are working there. They’ll stay there until the hospital is officially built, though they can’t admit patients overnight. They still see patients every day. Even slaves are allowed to seek treatment, though free citizens are prioritized!” Perhaps because Ticher was quite pretty, the man couldn’t help but add more, trying to be helpful: “My younger brother fell ill a few days ago from eating unclean custard pancakes, and they cured him! They didn’t even prescribe medicine—just told him to drink more water!”
“Oh, oh.”
Ticher nodded in a daze, growing more certain that this was the “place” she knew.
Could there really be people there?
While many, like Ticher, were either struggling or delighting in the city’s rapid changes, the golden-haired lord orchestrating it all was, for once, “slacking off” by leaning against his bedroom window, smiling as he watched the scene below.
His morning had been quite productive: first, he had the reserved section of the wall, left by Fosse, demolished; then, he presided over a trial at the courthouse and met two young women who, following Lucy, displayed remarkable resilience and the courage to instigate change.
He also had the misdeeds of the former sheriff and his son written into cautionary propaganda, to be publicized during the busiest hours of the afternoon as a stark warning—to make an example of them and deter others.
This was to prevent the arrogant nobles, lost in their delusions of superiority, from arrogantly ignoring the new laws he had enacted.
As Oliver lost himself in thought, a faint sound came from behind him.
Was it the cat god?
Before the thought fully formed, he had already reflexively turned around, his gaze falling on the bed where the golden-haired God slept.
“Meow~~~”
A plump blue-gray British Shorthair, bold enough to push open the door crack that even servants dared not enter without permission, let out a long, cooing meow at its master inside.
“It’s Karichi[mfn]卡瑞琪(Kǎ ruì qí)[/mfn].”
After a fleeting glimpse of disappointment in his eyes, Oliver quickly regained his gentle smile upon seeing the rare appearance of a cat.
He immediately recognized it as Lucy’s beloved cat, usually found either patrolling or sleeping in its owner’s residence, and wondered how it had wandered into the castle.
The cat clearly recognized Oliver too. Once permitted, it showed no shyness and strutted confidently inside.
Approaching him, it leaped up with an agility belying its plump body, landing lightly—well, heavily—into Oliver’s deliberately outstretched arms as he bent down.
“Lucy has taken such good care of you, you’ve even developed garlic clove fur[mfn]tufted clumps of fur[/mfn].”
Feeling the stark difference in weight from a year ago, Oliver sighed sincerely.
Who could resist a plump, affectionate blue cat with such wonderfully soft short fur?
Having been unable to truly pet a cat since the arrival of the cat god, he couldn’t hold back now.
Naturally, he employed the skilled massage techniques that few cats can resist, starting from the warm, soft back of its head.
Dense, soft, smooth, and delicate.
It was indeed his favorite kind of fluffiness.
It felt almost like… stroking a hot water bottle wrapped in a thick velvet blanket.
As Oliver relished this long-lost happiness and satisfaction, he gently stroked the blue cat, which occasionally let out coaxing, spoiled meows as if urging him on, and asked in a soft, earnest tone, “Are you lost, Karichi?”
Of course, the sleek blue-gray furred cat couldn’t answer human questions.
It lazily rubbed against his fragrant arm, naturally rolled over to expose its soft, light-colored belly, and emitted an almost cloyingly sweet “meow.”
Just as Oliver was about to succumb to temptation and reach for what might be an invitation or a trap—the cat’s belly—he felt the once limp, mud-like body on his lap suddenly stiffen.
Oliver froze slightly.
Immersed in the joy of petting the cat, he belatedly noticed the gaze.
His heart stirred, and he quickly looked up.
There sat the tall, handsome Cat-eared God, who had awakened at some point, now on the bed with an inscrutable expression, gazing intently at… the cat on his lap.
