Cheering Her On
Weather: Blazing sunshine. Sweat pouring after just 3 seconds outside.
Lady's mood: 🙂 → 😡
– Dachiso employees formed a labor union.
– Pretty organized setup means someone's pulling strings for sure.
– Dug deeper and yep, out pops that crown prince bastard.
– Knew he was a bastard, but this level of pettiness too? Lmao.
– Had our first sorta serious talk with the lady.
– Been thinking about it since I regressed and first met her.
– But why's she mad...? What the hell.
– Seriously, wtf.
Not far from Netr Duke Mansion stood the Dachiso Merchant Group headquarters. The place had always been soaked in the sweat of its workers handling massive volumes of goods, but lately, with one—no, two new products added to the shipment lineup, their workload had more than doubled.
Unsurprisingly, complaints were skyrocketing.
"Ugh, fuck."
One employee spat out a curse with a short sigh as he chugged water during break time and flopped down onto his seat.
"Ah, I'm dying."
His colleagues followed suit, collapsing one by one and dousing themselves with water.
"We gotta hire more people."
"Right?"
The others nodded in agreement. At this rate, it wouldn't be weird if someone actually keeled over dead. Sure, the merchant group thriving was great. But they were just regular employees. Even if the business grew, their pay was fixed wages plus bonuses—decent money, but a drop in the bucket compared to the insane profits rolling in.
"......"
Then, one worker muttered to himself with a strange look on his face.
"The merchant group wouldn't run without us, right?"
"Mm, uh-huh...."
"Ahem...."
An awkward silence enveloped the group.
"...Yeah, that's true, isn't it?"
But the awkwardness didn't last. Another voice chimed in with agreement, and soon more people started nodding along.
"We need to claim our rights."
"We're the ones busting our asses!"
"What do those fat cats up top even do?!"
Agreement turned to solidarity, then fervor. Before long, they banded together into a group. The birth of a labor union.
A few days later, they'd already organized.
"Workload's too intense! We'll all die at this rate!"
"Too intense! We'll die!"
"Merchant group's growing! But we're dying! Respect workers' basic rights! Respect them!"
"Respect! Respect!"
Social scientists call it mimicry or social contagion. Christa Han had seen and heard about it plenty growing up, so she knew it well.
"Haa...."
Which only made her chest feel tighter. She knew it too.
We're short-staffed bad.
She hadn't just sat idle while they unionized. She'd reached out to friendly merchant groups, staffing agencies—everything. But...
No replies anywhere.
Normally, the labor shortage wouldn't drag on like this. But since a certain point, people had started keeping their distance from her.
The lady's contract.
Right after that deal, contacts from merchant groups and agencies tied to other nobles went quiet. Too blatant to be coincidence—Christa Han wasn't buying it.
Daring to try and drive a wedge between me and my fave?!
She was grinding her teeth, adding them to her "elimination list" instead.
"...Haa."
But regardless, things kept heading south, so all she could do was sigh.
Then, a man's voice drifted from beyond the door.
– Madam Leader, are you in?
A voice she knew well now. Him.
Rio.
Why was he here instead of glued to the lady's side?
"Yes. Come in."
I'll find out once he explains.
The door creaked open, revealing a tall young man.
"Long time no see, Madam Leader."
"Yeah. But showing up unannounced... what's up?"
It made sense to wonder. She reported makgeolli and Dubai Crunchy Sablé sales daily via communication orb.
No real reason to come in person.
...Or so she'd thought.
"Labor shortage right now, yeah? And the workers outside are striking over it."
"Yes.... Tried everything, but no luck."
Christa Han shook her head with another heavy sigh. Rio smirked and pointed out the window.
"Wanna take a look outside?"
"Outside?"
She'd been watching. Live-streaming the picket signs and chants.
What could've changed?
She turned anyway.
But the noise since earlier...?
It was quiet. Or rather, turned to murmurs.
– Laborers?
– From Netr Duke Mansion?
– What happens to us now!
– My bedridden old mom at home—
No way.
"You sent laborers?"
She hadn't imagined it. Honestly, who would?
Asking a client for manpower.
And not just any house.
The duke's daughter, no less!
Netr Duke Mansion had sent her laborers.
"Yeah, we heard about it recently."
When Rio first got the news, Lucresia had lost it. No exaggeration—she literally jumped up and down raging. The one line that stuck: [Th-those bastards! Pulling this dirty shit, huh?!] Then eyeballs, guts, a torrent of filth poured out.
She's been holding back a lot lately.
Rio, who'd seen it plenty in his past life, just felt nostalgic, not shocked. But the servants around, Marie included, looked flustered.
Time to get used to it.
No more "image-conscious lady." Not anymore.
"Our lady.... She's too generous."
"Mm-hmm. Knew you'd appreciate it, Madam Leader."
Rio and Christa Han's eyes met.
You too?
Hell yeah, me too.
They shared the gaze of fans united by one idol.
I'd left that morning and only returned to the lady as the sun set.
Knock knock—
"Lady, it's me~ Cutie Rio reporting in!"
– Uh, yeah. Get lost.
But I'm not one to obey right away.
"Yeees~"
Click—
The lady had her arms crossed, turned toward the door. She glared daggers at me for barging in without listening.
"...You don't even obey orders anymore."
"Ahaha~"
"Anyway, status report?"
Her eyes sharpened seriously. Work mode—she was thorough.
"Yup. Led the laborers and checked out nearby merchant groups."
"Our suspicions confirmed?"
"Sadly, yeah."
I let out a heavy sigh and added,
"Traced the lines up, and they all connect to the crown prince's camp."
"Ugh, that petty little—argh. Whatever."
The lady sighed explosively, furrowing her brow hard. Not satisfied, she swept her bangs back.
"...Rio."
"Yes."
Her eyes held a strangely wistful glint, reflecting the setting sun. It tugged at my heart too.
"...Why did I ever like a trash like that?"
"......"
"Wasted my life on him. I regret it so much."
"......"
Her gaze dropped to the floor, fists clenched. She looked smaller somehow. I spoke up.
"Lady."
"Yeah."
"I think that experience wasn't for nothing."
"......"
She bit her lip and met my eyes.
"Now, when you meet someone good, you can love more maturely, right?"
"...You think?"
My reflection filled her poignant red eyes. Good, no sign I was slipping.
Can't let her catch on.
Nah, others might already know. But
Not her.
"Yes, Lady. I'll always be cheering you on from behind."
"......"
"Meeting a good guy, falling in love, being happy—all of it."
"......"
"I'm cheering for everything."
Of course, I didn't include myself.
Can't happen.
This was possible only because we shared past lives—just fellow travelers sharing memories.
Still, I was grateful for this miracle every time.
But.
Her face looked super uncomfortable. I pressed her furrowed brow with my finger.
"Lady, you're getting wrinkles."
"...You, out."
She muttered and smacked my finger away.
"...?"
"Out! Get out!"
"Huh?!"
Wasn't the mood fine just now? Why the sudden flip?
What the actual hell.
Magic day or something? No clue.