Reiko's thoughts came to a halt when she found herself standing before the wide wooden door that led to Marchioness Dahlia's study.
Sigh.
"Time to work," she whispered, opening the luxurious wooden door.
Upon entering the room, Reiko found Marchioness Dahlia immersed in the reading of several documents, seated behind her imposing wooden desk.
The study was spacious, silent, and excessively orderly; a place where nothing seemed out of place and yet nothing felt entirely comfortable.
Dahlia lifted her gaze when she heard the door open.
"Oh! Good morning, Reiko. I'm sorry for having you woken up so early, but since our little event is just around the corner, it would be best to finish the preparations as soon as possible," Dahlia said before returning her attention to the papers in her hands.
She's been saying exactly the same thing since the day I arrived, and I always end up doing anything except actually focusing on the event preparations, Reiko thought as she approached and took a seat in the upholstered chair across from the desk.
Dahlia looked at her again, and as if she could read her thoughts, she spoke before Reiko could say anything.
"Don't worry, dear. This time we really are going to work on the event preparations," the marchioness said, a slightly amused smile forming on her lips.
"Okay …" was all Reiko replied.
Truth be told, Reiko didn't mind the other tasks Dahlia assigned her.
They were simple enough: accounting, inventories, staff organization.
Things that, honestly, anyone with a bit of common sense could do.
That was precisely why Reiko couldn't understand why she had attracted so much interest—enough to be "hired" almost permanently.
Rich people things, Reiko thought with a hint of irony, since her own family used to do the same with people they liked.
Suddenly, like a conditioned reflex, her skill activated.
Cloud Storage
Tier: A
Owner: Dahlia
The user can store an infinite number of objects, as long as they are capable of lifting them.
That had been yet another of the unexpected tics Mara had left her with.
Now, every time she saw someone again, her skill activated automatically, as if her subconscious were checking—again and again—that no new ability had appeared out of nowhere.
It was frankly annoying, but she was starting to get used to it.
After confirming that everything was unchanged, Reiko let out a small sigh of relief.
The gesture, however, did not go unnoticed.
"What's wrong, Reiko? Didn't you sleep well? If it's the room, tell me and I'll get you another one," Dahlia said, setting the papers aside on the desk.
"No, no, the room is fine. It's just that there's a certain … person I haven't been able to get out of my head," Reiko replied, still somewhat distracted.
The marchioness seemed surprised for a moment, then let out a soft giggle that quickly turned into a wide, teasing smile.
"Awww, I see what's going on now … you're in love!" Dahlia declared, her tone making it clear how amused she was.
Reiko blinked.
For a moment, she thought she had misheard.
… In love?
The word didn't fit.
Not with what she felt, not with what she knew, not with the constant weight she'd been carrying since meeting Mara.
"… Huh?" was all she managed to say.
Then Dahlia burst into laughter.
And that was when disbelief turned into irritation.
What flushed her face wasn't embarrassment, but annoyance at how lightly the marchioness was treating something so serious, reducing it to a ridiculous joke.
If she knew what I know, she wouldn't be taking this so lightly, Reiko thought bitterly.
"No! Of course not!" she tried to protest, but her denial only seemed to fuel Dahlia's laughter.
As the marchioness kept laughing, Reiko's indignation grew with every passing second.
Until, finally, she stood up abruptly from the chair, fully intending to leave and return later—when the atmosphere was more … professional.
But Dahlia's voice stopped her just before she could take a step.
"I'm sorry, Reiko, it's just that … haha … I never imagined you like this," Dahlia said, still holding back laughter, though her tone was beginning to soften.
Reiko remained silent, crossing her arms.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop, haha," Dahlia added, gradually regaining her composure.
Once her laughter finally faded and her expression returned to its usual calm, the marchioness picked up a stack of papers from beside her and handed them to Reiko.
They were to-do lists—many of them—for the party preparations: food, room availability, the complete guest list, and security protocols.
"Well, getting back to what concerns us … I need you to confirm that everything listed there will be ready by tomorrow evening," Dahlia said, her voice once again serene and practical.
"… Okay," was all Reiko replied as she took the documents.
She stood up and headed for the door.
But just before she could open it, Dahlia's voice sounded again behind her, softer now, though still tinged with gentle teasing.
"You know you can talk to me about your concerns whenever you want, Reiko. I'm all ears."
The words were playful on the surface, but beneath them Reiko sensed genuine seriousness—a real offer hidden behind the lighthearted tone.
And without turning around or giving any reply, Reiko left the room and closed the door behind her with a soft click.
What did I do to deserve all of this? she thought as she walked down the hallway, the papers clutched tightly against her chest.
There was no anger left—only a deep, resigned, and exhausted sense of amazement at the absurd direction her life had taken.