I Have Tamed a Spider Monster - Chapter 214, Chapter 215, Chapter 216 (Patreon)

New Life in Vardmoi
"Haah, that must have been tough, Lily."

"Yeah, it really was. I don't want to complain to you, Melanie, but that journey was exhausting."

About a week had passed since our return to Vardmoi from the Royal Capital. Marquis Vardmoi and his family hadn't returned yet.
We only received detailed news about the events in the Capital after we got back, so it seems everyone here is busy dealing with the situation.
The Trade Guild was also arranging various relief supplies to be sent to the Capital.
Alizée has been helping with that too.

As for what I've been doing lately, it's mostly been managing the inventory of the shop that was left unattended for a long time and hunting down monsters.
However, with the change of seasons, there's not much to do for either task.
So, I've ended up with quite a bit of free time, except for one particular matter.

"By the way, you bought a new store, right?"

"Yeah, I did. It's a pretty big place on the main street."

"Are you planning to move?"

"Hmm, not really. The current shop is more comfortable to live in, so I won't be moving. The new place is going to be a custom-made dress shop, and I don't plan to live there."

"I see. So you're finally branching out into that area."

"It's not so much that I wanted to, but I had no choice."

Even though the country is in turmoil, as soon as word got out that I'd returned to Vardmoi, I started receiving dress orders from the nobility.
I thought it was a bit strange to be ordering expensive dresses when the nation was in such a state, but it seems the nobility has different priorities.
Fortunately, when I inform them that I’m working on an order for Princess Rodenlight, they back off, understanding that I'll take their requests only after completing hers.
It’s nice that no one seems foolish enough to try to jump the queue before a Royal request.

Meanwhile, the construction of the new shop was progressing rapidly.
Because of the Royal order, they've prioritized my shop's construction.
I left the design to the same people who designed my current shop, incorporating suggestions from Alizée and Plum for the exterior and interior.
My own input?
I’ve never had to consider what kind of shop would attract nobles, so I passed on giving any.
With plenty of money on hand, I’m having it built without worrying about the cost.
It feels a bit like being a nouveau riche.

"By the way, the new bodyguard—Plum, right?—is incredibly strong. I saw her sparring at the training ground, and she took down every adventurer with her bare hands."

"She’s apparently Rumaja's master. So, it's no surprise she’s that strong."

"Master of Grandmaster Rumaja? Then she must be incredibly powerful. Wait, how old is she...?"

"She's over 1,300 years old, apparently."

Plum has settled in with us quite well.
True to her word, she’s content with just a roof over her head and was even willing to settle for a cheap, makeshift bed.
Fortunately, the people from the Darshe Principality, who had come as her escort, stopped her from doing that.
Otherwise, she probably would have gone through with it.
She doesn’t seem picky about food either, though she eats a lot.
And she’s not much of a drinker—alcohol doesn't seem to interest her.
I wonder what she does like?

"Well then, Lily, I’ll be counting on you to hunt Frost Wyverns again before winter ends."

"Got it. But do you have a buyer lined up?"

"The domestic market might be shaky, but there’s likely demand overseas, especially across the sea."

"Alright. I’ll head out then."

"Yes, take care."

It seems like a lot will change come spring, but until then, life will go on as usual.
I just hope the country settles down soon.

----------

Country Trends and New Store
Some time has passed since the turmoil in the Royal Capital, and spring has arrived.
Although there was some confusion in Vardmoi, life has largely returned to normal.
MarquisVardmoi and his family returned last week, and they announced their future plans. As I was informed at the Marquis's mansion, the Vardmoi family has decided to take an independent stance, distancing themselves from the Royal family's power struggle.
This reflects the consensus of the southern nobles, and there’s a possibility that the country could even split apart.

The Kingdom is currently divided into four factions: the King’s younger brother’s faction in the north and northwest, the Third Prince’s faction in the northeast, the neutral faction in the west and east, and the independent faction in the south.
Militarily, the King’s brother’s faction, which has taken control of the remaining Royal Knights, seems to have the upper hand.
However, the northern and northwestern regions of the Kingdom are primarily mining areas with little food production.
As a result, there are concerns about the army's food supply, and it’s predicted that deserters might emerge if the situation drags on.

On the other hand, the Third Prince’s faction is backed by two powerful Ducal families, which have helped them gather a substantial military force.
Though this faction has fewer supporters, the nobles who do support it are highly influential.

Meanwhile, the western and eastern regions of the Kingdom have chosen to remain neutral.
They won’t provide aid to either side, but they might engage in trade with both, maintaining a cautious stance.
However, they are not letting their guard down, as they’re gathering troops to defend against potential invasions.

The southern region, including the Vardmoi family, has chosen a different path, opting for an independent course.
This faction, which includes the most noble houses, is the largest in terms of power.
Although both the Adventurers' Guild and the Trade Guild have declared neutrality, they have effectively moved their headquarters from the Royal Capital to the southern region, which means that the original Kingdom has essentially been dismantled, and the southern region is now operating as an independent entity.
The highest authority is that of Duke McFarlane, whom I met in the Capital.
Even Princess Rodenlight and Princess Annette are reportedly staying with the McFarlane family.

As for what has become of the Royal Capital, since there are no Royal family members or knights left, one of the Ducal families was temporarily maintaining public order.
The Darshe Principality also left after delivering relief supplies, so it’s now up to the citizens of the Capital to manage on their own.

In this way, the Kingdom was now in a state of division.
Although the situation in the north was quite tense, the south is relatively safe.
The Marquis has declared his intention to further strengthen public security, and the Adventurers' Guild has increased the rewards for standing orders, encouraging adventurers to hunt more monsters.

As for me, I’ve just opened my new shop!

"Whoa! So this is the new shop!"

"Yes. We incorporated Lady Plum’s suggestion to make the exterior more exotic, so it stands out. The interior also features many furnishings imported from the Darshe Principality, giving it a unique atmosphere unlike anything in this country."

"Thank you, Alizée."

"Not at all. I see that the building is four stories tall, with the first three floors dedicated to the store and the fourth floor and attic designated as living spaces. Has it been decided who will use them?"

"Oh, yes, that’s already decided. The basic customer service will be handled by the maids who used to work for Lady Plum. And as for the rest..."

"The rest?"

"I plan to hire graduates from the orphanage as apprentices. Plum has instructed that they won’t start with visible roles like customer service until they’ve learned proper etiquette. Initially, they’ll be managing the warehouse and other behind-the-scenes tasks."

"That’s good. Even as skilled as you are, Lily, it would be unreasonable to expect orphans to immediately serve noble customers."

"Even I understand that much! But there’s going to be a lot for them to learn."

"That’s to be expected. That’s what work is all about."

Hmm, it seems Alizée is strict in this regard too.
She’s even suggested that they could be trained at the Trade Guild if necessary, and depending on the situation, I might take her up on that offer.
Now, what should I name the new shop?

----------

“Magic Butterfly” and a New Assistant
"I've decided! The new store will be named 'Magic Butterfly!'"

"Mm, that sounds good."

Three days after the completion of the store, I finally settled on a name.
Over these three days, I kept coming up with names, only to discard them and start over.
Neither Alizée nor Plum gave me any advice, insisting that, as the store owner, it was my decision.
Well, now that it’s decided, I can just order the sign.

"So, the maids who will manage the store for Plum have arrived, right?"

"Yes. They arrived in town last night. They mentioned they would come to greet you soon, so it should be any moment now..."

"Lady Lily, you have visitors."

"It seems they’ve arrived."

"Indeed."

I asked Jenna, who came to inform me, to show Plum’s maids into the reception room.
When we arrived, seven women dressed in long skirts with wide-sleeved shirts and vests were waiting.
These must be the maids who came from the Darshe Principality.

"… Oh my? Gerbera, you came too? It's been a while."

Oh, so Plum has an acquaintance here.
Or rather, since these are Plum’s maids, she must know all of them.
The one Plum called Gerbera looked like a girl about my age, with a red flower hair ornament.
While the others looked to be in their twenties, she stood out as much younger.
I wonder if there’s a story behind that?

"It’s not just ‘been a while’! Why haven’t you returned to the Principality?"

"Even if you tell me to return, it would go against my principles to abandon the one who saved my life. That’s just not my way."

"Even so! At least come back once!"

"Calm down. Are you the leader of this group?"

"Of course not! The leader is Famille!"

"… What have you come here for?"

"To serve Princess Plum, of course!"

It seems one of the maids has been assigned specifically to take care of Plum.
Upon further conversation, I learned that this Gerbera woman is a member of the Bewitching clan and is around 400 years old.
She was saved by Plum during her time in the military and has been her attendant ever since.
However, since Plum doesn’t usually wear dresses that require assistance, and her armor from the Principality is designed to be donned independently, there wasn’t much for Gerbera to do once Plum left the military and returned to being a noble.
With Plum’s sudden disappearance, it seems Gerbera had been quite stressed.

"Hmm. If Lily is willing to keep you here, I’ll accept your service. What do you think?"

"I have no objections. Come to think of it, given Plum’s status, you do need a maid, don’t you?"

"I’m just a mere guard now, so it doesn’t matter much. So, Famille will be the person in charge of the store?"

"Yes. It’s been a long time, Princess."

"Stop calling me Princess; it feels strange."

"Princess, you are still a Princess. And, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Famille, the leader of the group sent by order of Lord Sazaby. I look forward to working with you."

"I’m Lily. I look forward to working with you as well. I’m not very accustomed to dealing with the nobility."

"I understand this store is effectively going to be exclusively for nobles. Is that correct?"

"Ah, yes, but…"

"Then, it could be problematic. We will provide guidance in that regard. From what I can see, you lack experience in running a store catering to higher-ranking individuals."

It's not that I lack experience—it's more that I never planned on owning a store for nobles.
This all just happened.
But it’s true that I’m lacking, so I should take this opportunity to learn as much as possible.
I look forward to working with you all from now on!