Savior’s First Lady

Lydia getting into vocational college was indeed a monumental achievement in her life. I wanted to ensure that this part at least followed the dream’s path.

“Miss… actually…”

Lydia hesitated but eventually confessed the truth.

“I see. Lydia, that’s truly amazing. I’m so impressed.”

“Are you not disappointed in what I did?”

“No? I think it’s incredible. Lydia, you can become a great accountant.”

No, even more than that. She could become someone truly remarkable. Maybe even my investment advisor someday.

I hid my scheming thoughts. It wasn’t the right time yet.

“I have something for you, Miss.”

Lydia retrieved a cookie tin she had hidden away in the ceiling.

“After paying off all the debts and spending only on what was absolutely necessary, these are the 63 gold coins and 3 silver coins left. I wanted to return this to you, which is why I wrote to you. I will pay back the rest once I can increase my work hours again.”

Seeing the remaining coins made my heart ache. Given their living conditions, it was clear how poor they were.

I could imagine how much she must have saved and scrimped to return this money to me, calculating every little expense tightly.

“Lydia, you didn’t have to…”

“I know. You probably didn’t have the luxury to send such a large amount of money suddenly. This money belongs to your husband, right?”

I remained silent. It was true.

“I was really worried. I feared you might not be able to look him in the eye because of this money. But I really wanted to go to Rockwood.”

I looked at Lydia quietly.

“Lydia, don’t you resent me? You had to live such a hard life because of my father’s business failure.”

“Miss, money is just like that.”

Lydia shrugged her shoulders.

“Father believed in the future of the business, so he reinvested all his assets. It was his responsibility. Besides, he went from being an employee to a business partner and got equity settlements. When the business was doing well, he earned a lot of money every month. It’s tragic that the business failed, but it’s not something to blame your family for.”

I admired Lydia’s character. Even as a child, I knew she wasn’t ordinary…

Gratefully, I accepted the money Lydia handed back.

“Um, Lydia.”

At that moment, a shadow flickered in the kitchen like a ghost.

“Ah!”

I gasped. The slender woman with reddish-blonde hair was Lydia’s younger sister, Silin.

‘She looks just like she did when she was a child.’

I was amazed.

“Yusuf is awake. He wants to see you.”

Silin muttered like a whisper. I barely understood.

“Okay, I got it.”

Lydia whispered a few words to Silin, who peeked at me before whispering something back to Lydia and quickly running down the hallway.

“That was Silin… right?”

I said, still in shock.

“Yes, Silin got a bit hurt at her previous job, so she rarely comes out of her room. But she’s good at embroidery and dyeing fabrics. She’s also good at makeup and hairstyling, so she sometimes does side jobs.”

I thought for a moment.

Once again, I was reminded that the Andwarf family was destined for great things.

‘Silin would become an amazing designer who would shake the entire city. Rumors said she suffered from a nervous breakdown, but she would still become the top designer.’

I wanted to approach Silin right away, but I restrained myself. Silin needed to be treated gently, like a small herbivore.

“What did Silin say?”

“She said she always knew you would marry an incredible man. She’s very happy to meet you.”

“…Oh.”

Geniuses are indeed hard to understand.

I then went to see Yusuf.

“Miss Bryn.”

“Shh, Bryn is fine, Yusuf.”

Yusuf, lying in bed, weakly sat up.

Despite his illness, Yusuf had handsome features.

“How have you been, Yusuf?”

“Good,” Yusuf said softly.

“You really are like an angel, Bryn. Thank you so much for the medicine,” Yusuf said.

How old was Yusuf again? I heard he was in his mid-teens, but he looked no more than thirteen.

I remembered meeting Yusuf when he was little, but he wouldn’t remember me since he was so young.

Yusuf opened his eyes and smiled bashfully at me.

“I was very sick, but I’m glad I’m not burdening Lydia and the family as much anymore. Seeing my family upset is harder than being sick.”

This really… It almost made me cry. It was stirring a maternal instinct I didn’t even know I had.

“Lydia already thanked me enough. You don’t need to say it anymore.”

I held Yusuf’s hand. He looked at me, murmured another thank you, and then fell back asleep.

“What exactly is his condition?” I asked.

“No doctor knows the cause. We’ve tried all kinds of medicines and sought help from everywhere, but no one… they only say it’s phantom pain. But…”

As we left Yusuf’s room, Lydia whispered quickly.

“The high-priced painkillers from the temple help him calm down a bit. So we’re relying on those.”

Lydia said.

“I’m waiting for the day when I pass the accountant exam and can earn more money.”

I looked at Lydia for a moment.

“Lydia, do you have some time?”

“Right now?”

“I know you’re busy. But if it’s alright, could you come with me somewhere?”

“It’s okay right now. I’ve reduced my work hours recently.”

“Put on some comfortable clothes. We’ll be walking a lot.”

I smiled brightly. Lydia said she had been dressing in men’s clothing lately anyway. She put on a jacket.

***

“I have great stamina, but won’t this be too much for you, Miss?”

Huff, huff. I was about to pass out. We were climbing a massive bell tower in the middle of the city.

This bell tower, which once resonated throughout the capital, had been abandoned for a long time. Fortunately, the door was loosely locked, and Lydia quickly opened it with her deft hands.

“You need to be careful. You’re not in the best health.”

When we reached the top, Lydia took out a handkerchief and wiped my forehead.

Wow, even though I know she’s a woman, this is exciting. The men’s clothes suit her so well!

I took a deep breath.

“We’re finally here!”

I looked down at the view of the capital.

“Wow, the view is amazing. But why did you want to see this, Miss?”

I raised my hand and pointed toward the harbor.

“Do you remember that?”

I pointed toward the harbor.

“When fabrics from the Eastern Continent arrived there, my father’s carriages would drive through Romingham Street. All the carriages had the mark of our Floright Trading Company. Those carriages would then distribute the fabrics from the main store to various places in the capital.”

“Yes. It was really impressive.”

“That flow was like…”

“Money, life, beauty.”

“Our…”

“Silk Road!”

We shouted simultaneously and then burst into laughter.

“Do you remember what our fathers used to say, Lydia?”

“Yes. They said that a person should serve others in one of the three essentials: food, clothing, or shelter. Our fathers chose the first.”

“I’m going to be a businesswoman like my father.”

“You, Miss? But… you’re married now? I thought you’d want to have a happy family life.”

If I were the wife of an ordinary household, I might have had children and taken up a modest job.

But Eden is a famous and prominent holy knight. He’s of the quasi-noble class. Being the wife of such a person comes with responsibilities that are like a job in itself.

Moreover, Sir Eden is known to be wealthy, so Lydia probably wonders why I would need money.

“Of course, I’ll fulfill my role as Sir Eden’s wife. But my ultimate dream is to become incredibly wealthy. I want to achieve a level of wealth that even our fathers couldn’t reach. I want to own it all.”

Lydia looked at me for a long moment before bursting into laughter.

“It’s a bit unexpected, but that’s so like you, Miss.”

“Is it?”

“Yes, it is. You have an unconventional side to you. But why did you have to come up here to tell me this?”

Why, indeed. To create an unforgettable memory together, of course.

‘Creating significant memories is essential for recruiting talent. That’s why CEOs often drink and visit sites with their favorite talents. Lydia, I’ve picked you, so let’s build a strong bond from now on, okay?’

I hid my true intentions and spoke innocently.

“I wanted us to talk about what we want to achieve in the future. You have considerable ambition too, don’t you? You entered vocational college by any means necessary.”

Lydia’s face showed a hint of surprise, and then she shyly nodded.

“You’re right. So, point to something. What do you want to have? That restaurant over there? Or the big building next to it? Or perhaps the shops near the harbor?”

“All of it.”

I smiled broadly.

“From there to there, I want it all. I’m going to have everything.”