Chapter 33: New Rules

Erin returned shortly after Paul left with a tray of food. The head butler must have given her strict instructions, judging by how quickly she had returned.

"My lady, I’ll prepare your lunch."

Her hands trembled as she arranged the dishes on the table.

The girl was clearly frightened by what had happened to Tilly.

Perhaps she feared losing her position over a single mistake, or that Lydia would treat her as harshly as the household had treated Tilly.

Either way, Erin seemed determined to avoid making a poor impression.

Unlike most nobles, commoners rarely possessed the mental powers of Sentinels and Guides. With Dimensional Rifts appearing more often due to the decline of Mana, the Empire depended on these gifted individuals to fight the monsters that threatened its people.

Without such powers, commoners had fewer chances to rise through the social ranks. Many worked as merchants, craftsmen, laborers, or servants to earn a living

As a result, those without mental powers had fewer chances to rise through the social ranks.

That was why so many commoners wanted to work at House Valendorf. Working in their mansion meant a stable job and the chance to serve one of the most powerful families in the country.

For someone like Erin, being chosen as Lydia’s personal maid could be a valuable opportunity.

Lydia said nothing about Erin’s shaking hands. She waited for the table to be ready, then ate at her own pace without making the girl feel more nervous.

After the meal, Erin quickly cleared the dishes and wiped the table clean. Lydia was pleased with how neatly she worked.

She’s pretty quick-witted and quick to adapt. More importantly, she had already realized that my behavior had changed. I might be able to use her.

Erin seemed capable of learning what was expected of her. The girl was nervous, but she was paying attention.

That was a promising start.

Since she was still in house probation, Lydia decided to learn for the upcoming lessons. But after several hours of studying, much to her delight, Lydia found out that she still had her knowledge from the subjects she had learned in her previous life!

I had to pat my past self on the back for this! Being in the top three of my sophomore class had its perks. All those late-night study sessions and hard work had finally paid off!

For the first time since her return, Lydia felt genuinely pleased with herself. At least all those hours spent burying her nose in textbooks hadn’t gone to waste.

Her past self might have been terrible at handling people, but she had certainly known how to study.

Still, remembering the lessons was one thing. Getting good grades in her current class was another.

Lydia would need to check the syllabus and find out whether the subjects were the same as before. There was no point celebrating too early, especially when she was still in her probation period.

Fortunately, studying no longer felt like an endless struggle. With her old knowledge intact, she could review the lessons faster and spend the extra time on other matters.

Ephraim was another top student. He had ranked first in his class since his sophomore year and had served as both Student Committee President and Elite Class’s representative for two years. On top of that, he was the Commander of the Imperial Elite Sentinels of the Adelstein Empire.

Now that I thought about it, Ephraim sure worked hard, didn’t he? He must be really busy. Meanwhile, what should I do with my free time, though?

Based on her past experience, Lydia knew that good grades alone wouldn’t change how others treated her and she didn’t plan to make the same mistake twice.

With more free time on her hands, Lydia decided to build connections, gather useful information, and find people she could trust.

If she wanted to avoid another miserable ending, she had to stop putting all her eggs in one basket. Good grades were nice, but having allies and useful information was never a bad idea!

Building connections outside the mansion, making useful friends, and finding a way to earn her own money were all part of the plan.

If Lydia wanted to stand on her own feet without relying on her family or fiancé, she had to start preparing now.

Money was nice, but freedom was even better. I wanted to be able to make my own choices without Father and my brothers, or anyone else sticking their noses into my life. Was that too much to ask?

Now that she thought about it, Brother Sylvain had approved her Student Committee form.

Perhaps this was the best time to reach for Zachary and ask further about his offerings. Especially since he wanted to offer something much better than Ephraim.

For that, she needed people she could trust—or at least people whose interests aligned with hers.

Erin might become one of them. Or she might not. Lydia would decide after seeing what the girl could do.

"Erin."

The maid immediately straightened.

"Yes, my lady?"

"Time to start your first task."

Lydia reached for a small stack of envelopes from her drawer she had prepared yesterday and held them out.

"Deliver these to House Ludenberg."

Curiosity filled Erin’s face but she knew better than to question Lydia about it. She accepted the envelopes with both hands nervously.

"House Ludenberg, my lady?"

"That’s right. Make sure they reach the proper recipient."

"Yes, my lady. I’ll deliver them immediately."

Erin bowed before turning toward the door.

Lydia watched her leave, already considering what she wanted to accomplish next.

She would start small. A few simple tasks could show her whether Erin was honest, careful, and capable of following instructions.

If the girl proved useful, Lydia could give her more reward and responsibilities.

After spending too many years allowing other people to decide what happened to her, this time, Lydia decided to carve her own future.

Her grades were excellent, her memories remained intact, and she had a second chance to do things differently. And House Ludenberg was a good place to start.

"Time to try whatever options that I have by doing different things I never did in my previous life."