“Jimmy,” Luo Wei repeated the name, nodding. “Not bad.”

  She seemed to have said something, yet also said nothing at all. But Jimmy was so overwhelmed that his heart felt ready to leap out of his chest. His soul floated, weightless.

  Luo Wei shifted her gaze, pointing out a few more children with the most disciplined postures and asking their names.

  The children whose names were called were overjoyed, their faces lighting up with pride. Those who weren’t chosen felt a pang of disappointment but clenched their fists, silently vowing to improve.

  Luo Wei’s eyes swept across their young, thin faces. She tilted her head slightly and instructed Bella, “These children are still growing. They need proper nutrition. From now on, add an egg, a cup of hot milk, and a slice of bread to their meals. That will be their breakfast.”

  “Yes, Master.” Bella pulled out her notebook and jotted down the instructions.

  The children who overheard this froze, their mouths hanging open in stunned silence.

  In this society, only the elderly and very young children were entitled to breakfast. And “children” meant those under seven. Once you turned seven, you were considered a “little adult,” expected to work and contribute to the household.

  Among this group, only three were under seven. The rest had long been “little adults.” Yet here was their Master, treating them as children and giving them breakfast!

  And not just any breakfast—it included bread, eggs, and milk!

  Even children with families rarely ate this well.

  Milk was a luxury reserved for the wealthy. They’d never tasted it. Eggs were equally rare, though some had stolen bird eggs before. Those were smooth and tender, and eating them could even cure weakness in the limbs.

  The youngest children swallowed hard, their mouths watering. The older ones felt tears welling in their eyes, unable to resist wiping them away.

  They’d wandered for years, never knowing the warmth of a home. No one had ever told them they were children who needed care and nourishment.

  Their Master—she was as warm as a mother and as beautiful as an angel!

  In that moment, they silently swore to repay her kindness with their lives.

  Luo Wei could never have imagined that no amount of empty promises, no grand speeches about loyalty, could compare to one egg and one cup of milk.

  These children lived at the very bottom of society—homeless, hungry, and deprived of even the most basic comforts. Ideals were too distant to grasp. Spiritual concepts were beyond their understanding.

  All they knew was that someone had given them food, shelter, and care, treating them as children.

  The future Mist Kingdom Queen’s Personal Guard—invincible in battle, unstoppable in conquest, renowned across the continent—made their vow of unwavering loyalty at this very moment.

  But Luo Wei didn’t yet realize she’d already achieved her goal.

  She bestowed these favors in person for two reasons: first, to ensure the children knew who truly provided for them; second, because their bodies were too weak. Without strong physiques, how could they endure high-intensity training?

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  After establishing her presence as their benefactor, Luo Wei handed the remaining tasks to Rosie and Roman, with Bella assisting them. She became a hands-off manager, delegating the work.

  The two young knights had to select ten children with a knack for communication to spread the news that the Wesley family had decided to worship the Sun God.

  As Luo Wei observed, she kept an eye on the courtyard’s surroundings, watching for any unusual movements.

  The person following her should have seen enough by now to report back to their master.

  She’d given Alfried one night to think. She hoped that when they met tomorrow, he would proactively propose the deal she wanted.

  The setting sun bathed the courtyard in golden light. The bustle gradually faded, leaving the space quiet once more.

  Luo Wei stepped into the living room and spotted a small cat curled up on a chair, sleeping soundly.

  “Oh my, how did a little cat get in here?” Bella followed her inside and gasped softly, covering her mouth in surprise.

  The cat’s ears twitched, and it curled itself even tighter, its tail wrapping snugly around its body.

  “Shh.” Luo Wei raised a finger to her lips. “I’ll move over there. Don’t startle it.”

  Bella nodded quickly, keeping her movements quiet as she followed Luo Wei to the window.

  “It’s not an ordinary cat,” Luo Wei said, her voice low but amused. “It’s a magic cat I summoned. It’s very clever and understands human speech. Tell the maids not to tease it casually.”

  If Bella had heard the words “magic cat” half a year ago, her jaw might have dropped to the floor.

  But after working as housekeeper at Star Luo Residence for months, she’d seen griffins, spiders that phased through walls to catch insects, ravens smarter than people, and moth cocoons that couldn’t be burned by fire. A cat that understood human speech—and couldn’t even talk back—barely registered as unusual.

  The steady, reliable Bella didn’t bat an eye. “Understood, Master. Do you have any other instructions?”

  Luo Wei smiled, pleased with her composure. “It seems to prefer playing downstairs. Have a carpenter make a cat house and place it in the living room. Put soft cushions inside so it can sleep comfortably.”

  “It likes chicken legs. Cook one for it every day, but use less salt.”

  “Also, prepare a basin filled with clean sand for it to…”

  Bella listened carefully, taking notes. Whenever she didn’t understand something, she asked for clarification—what kind of cat house to make, how often to clean the sand basin—ensuring she could implement every detail.

  At the end, the pragmatic Luo Wei couldn’t help revealing her calculating nature. “When I’m not around, observe it and see if it has any special talents.”

  Chicken legs didn’t come free. Even a magic cat had to earn its keep.

  Bella raised both hands in approval. “Master is wise! I’ll keep a close watch!”

  Under her authority, freeloading was strictly forbidden—whether it was a magic cat or a magic pig.

  Satisfied with Bella’s efficiency, Luo Wei shifted the topic. “How’s the silkworm egg collection going?”

  “Collection is complete. Tomorrow we’ll do a final check.”

  “Good.” Luo Wei nodded. “What about other matters? Any issues?”

  “None, but Master—” Bella hesitated, her tone serious. “Special supervisor Miss Laura didn’t report for duty this afternoon. She requested seven days off, and today is the eighth day.”

  Luo Wei frowned slightly. “Hol didn’t come either. They’ve had some things to deal with these past few days. They’ll be back soon.”

  They were probably caught up in something. Otherwise, knowing Laura and Hol’s personalities, they wouldn’t willingly miss a chance to earn money.

  “Alright, I’ll extend their leave by two more days.” Bella made a note, then flipped through previous records. “Master, Miss Laura and Mr. Hol were absent for eighteen days last month. Should we calculate their pay as full attendance?”

  Last month, they’d been participating in the academy’s pre-competition training. They’d requested leave beforehand, but paying them for full attendance might undermine the management system.

  Luo Wei thought for a moment and proposed a compromise. “Calculate their pay as usual, but since they represented Star Luo Residence in the magic tournament and achieved excellent results, award each of them two gold coins as an honorary bonus. Consider it support for students still in school.”

  They’d spend the bonus at the dessert shop anyway. To Luo Wei, it was just moving money from one hand to the other.

  Bella nodded. “Understood. I’ll also inform Manager Teresa to award Mr. Theodore two gold coins as well.”

  “Do as you see fit.” Luo Wei gave her approval.

  As the two discussed business, neither noticed the cat on the chair. Its ears perked up, its tail alternated between stiff and swaying, and its whiskers twitched—clearly eavesdropping.

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