The head chef’s physique was thick and strong. He had a low and thick voice—however, the inside of such a macho gentleman turned out to be a maiden. Prejudice and discrimination weren’t good—but I didn’t care.

“Sorry for intruding when you’re busy with work, but I’d like a bit of your cooperation. Oh, don’t worry, I won’t threaten you because of your sexual orientation or gender identity. If you want to hide it, your secret is safe with me. Also, if you don’t like what I’m about to propose to you, you’re free to turn it down.”

“No, I mean…”

“You see, I want to consume the plants growing all around us. In other words, I want to eat food that will both reduce our expenses and is good for health. Hence, I wonder if you’re the right person? Someone that can keep a secret.”

The chef put a muscly hand on his cheek and stared at me with his blue eyes. After a while, he squeezed his lips and said—“—That sounds interesting. I’ll do it.”

His smile was very infectious. Before I realized it, I was laughing with him.

I got a chef!

After telling Liz to entrust the herbs and mushrooms to the chef, I returned to my room. Then, my mother knocked on the door. A worried voice could be heard from the other side of the door.

“Juliane, are you alright? You never mentioned that you dismissed all your maids. What happened?”

No, it was just…—

—Sasha, the future crown princess, would need a lot of maids, right?

However, I couldn’t let my mother know about that plan at its current stage.

“Haha, I, I don’t feel quite well. I want to spend some alone time. I don’t need any maids. I want to be alone.”

I didn’t open the door and answered with a choked voice. While doing a bridge—such method was very recommended if someone wanted to imitate a voice full of suffering.

“J, Juliane!? You truly sound pained! I will call the doctor right away!”

“I’m fine, all I need is sleep. Hahaha, let me relax for a while. Let the other maids take care of Sasha’s personal belongings.”

“B, but—”

“—They’ll probably just tell me to eat. Isn’t that a waste?”

“If Juliane say so… Then, if you still don’t feel well, promise me you’ll see a doctor once you wake up?”

“I, I under, stand…”

That said, it didn’t matter even if I couldn’t do a bridge. The poorer one’s physique, the more realistic the pained voice. Besides, even if I wasn’t obese, my throat would still be squeezed by my flesh. When someone did a bridge, all that would be produced was a pained voice. Perhaps only those wrestlers who passed the championship nomination match could speak with a bit more decency.

After confirming that my mother’s footsteps were moving away, I laid down on my back.

“Hmm… because of my physique, my throat got squeezed extra hard when I did a bridge. I’m actually really tired, but I don’t have time to rest. Come on, Liz, let’s take a bath!”

A very good reply came back.

Liz was sitting on the couch and relaxing, something which would normally have been a surreal scene due to my unreadable mood. That girl was brave.

Because I was a selfish, borderline narcissistic, lady, a bath and the toilet were adjacent to my room. Liz immediately prepared my bath and carefully washed my hair with bee honey dissolved in lukewarm water.

Wow, it feels super comfortable.

“Hey, Liz. Do you know a place where I could secretly sell useless, unnecessary, items? I hate being snooped on, so I don’t want to be noticed by other aristocrats. The reason is because my arrogant pride doesn’t allow it.”

It seemed that the expenses for food and beauty products were high. Still, I had to save retirement money for Baldie and Fattie. However, I definitely wanted to avoid others finding out or being hindered by Kyle.

“A place where you can sell unnecessary items without getting caught by Kyle? Hmm, an agricultural cooperative certainly opens in the capital every week, but they only accept agricultural and handmade products. They also sell crafts and other miscellaneous goods.”

“Handmade! That’s perfect, then.”

No one would think that I’d try to mingle with the commoners. Therefore, I’d be able to do it quietly without getting caught.

However, my dresses were too flashy. They wouldn’t sell as they were. I wondered if I’d be able to ‘modify’ them.

That was right—how about turning them into colorful patchworks? That way, I could turn those eye-threatening pieces of fabric into small items. As expected of myself, a veteran at enduring long hospitalizations. Sewing in bed was one of my hobbies.

“Liz, can you sew?”

“I can. I’m good at sewing, cleaning, washing, and cooking.”

“How reliable. I want to remake my mother’s old dresses and wear them. Oh, right, can you help me make some sport wears as soon as I get out of the bath?”

“Sure!”

Upon getting out of the bath, I exhaled enchantedly. I felt that my hair and body, which had been washed by Liz, had become smooth and beautiful. I certainly felt as if a layer of grime had been peeled off.

While my skin was warm and soft, I finished making a facial bee honey pack, and opened the sewing box with excitement. It had been bought as part of my noble lady’s education, but it had never been touched.

“First of all, let’s make some simple accessories with the purpose of getting used to the needlework.”

“Okay.”

Liz and I were enthusiastic about sewing for a while and mass-produced scrunchies, ribbons, mascots, and so on. Because the colors of my dresses were originally flashy, it was a work that pierced the eyes.

“Regardless of how it looks, Liz did a decent job. The design is a little plain and common, but still very cute.”

“However, the mascot of milady is quite wacky isn’t it? The words ‘pathetic’, ‘ugly’, ‘disgusting’ come to mind when you see it, rather than ‘cute.’”

I thought it was a shame, and couldn’t say anything back because Liz was right.

“If they sell, I’ll share the profit with you.”

“Wow, I’m lucky to be with Lady Juliane. It’s rewarding.”

Ohoho, isn’t everything going according to plan? There are some anxieties, but it’s generally going well.

When I was laughing, Liz talked to me with a mysterious expression.

“But, Milady, the social season has already begun. Is it okay to be doing this?”

“Well, it’s fine. I’m going to withdraw for a while because of illness, so, I’ll be in your care.”

I remade a dress into athletic wear, decided to wear it myself, and moved on.

My drooping upper arms and the flesh of my belly rubbed against each other—

—because I was fat, my body was heavy. However, my movements were fairly light. Although I was obese, I could move around.

Good, I think I can afford some physical labor afterwards! Besides, if I exercise, I can lose weight in a healthy way. Rather than digging out the dirt from my surroundings, I’m simply sick of being fat.

The meat that was stored in abundance and luxury was useless. My pride wouldn’t allow for my sloppy and fat body to be crammed into a casket in the unlikely event that was to be my end. If I were to withdraw by faking an illness, I might be able to lose even more weight.

Anyway, I’d task my hands to investigate Alfred’s preference in women until the next tea party. In the meantime, I’d let Sasha go out with my name. That way, the rumor that there was a ridiculously beautiful woman in the social circle would spread.

Ohoho, then, in the meantime, I can build up retirement money for Baldie and Fattie.

Anyway, I have to do my best!

---

***T/N: Now I wonder if she’ll open a medieval sport center…

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