Bronya was not in a good mood.
Ever since Kiana failed to keep her big mouth shut and leaked the details between her and Lierre, Bronya had, in the eyes of almost everyone at St. Freya Academy, become the adopted daughter of Lierre and Theresa.
It wasn't that she hadn't tried to clarify.
However, most people preferred to believe what they wanted to believe. Furthermore, whenever Lierre came to the classrooms to visit them, she often patted Bronya's head like she was petting a cat, which only served to confirm the rumor.
It was precisely this special care Lierre showed her that made others utterly ignore her explanations.
As for why Lierre didn't do the same to Kiana or Raiden Mei, Bronya surmised it was likely because Lierre was too short to reach!
After a futile effort, Bronya stopped wasting her breath on clarifications and chose to take a different approach.
As long as Lierre and Theresa didn't come forward together to clear things up, she probably wouldn't be able to shed the title.
Therefore, she planned to find a way to ask Lierre and Theresa to step in and restore her innocence!
Bronya gazed at the blonde little girl next to the small cart, her eyes burning with fighting spirit. She was prepared to find a way to crack this hardest of bones!
As long as Lierre was willing to cooperate, Theresa wouldn't be an issue.
The public's eyes were sharp; it was obvious at a glance who wore the pants between Lierre and Theresa.
"Auntie, I guessed you'd be here!"
Kiana came trotting up to Lierre, with Raiden Mei and Bronya following close behind.
"Do you girls need something? Are you hungry again and want me to whip up something special?"
Lierre held the medicine jar, which was now half-empty of the Panacea. Her gaze swept over the three of them, finally resting on Kiana's belly.
After having a few "special meals" before, Kiana frequently acted spoiled, wanting Lierre to cook for them.
And since glowing cuisine was far too shocking, even Theresa and Himeko had been won over by her superhuman culinary skills after tasting them.
Naturally, she had become the imperial chef for the entire family.
She didn't want to be a kitchen maid, but she couldn't resist her own soft heart, nor could she withstand Kiana's pitiful act.
But it didn't matter.
Once Raiden Mei successfully completed her apprenticeship, she would be free!
Lierre looked at Raiden Mei expectantly, and the latter responded with a polite smile.
"Not this time. Kiana has something else to ask you, and we just came along to see," Raiden Mei explained.
"Kiana is here to ask you for pocket money. She's taken a liking to several sets of beautiful clothes, some snacks, and a game console recently."
Bronya exposed Kiana's real motives without hesitation.
She was quite the one to hold a grudge.
Kiana's expression froze, the excuses she had prepared on the way getting stuck in her throat.
"Pocket money... You didn't ask Theresa for it?" Lierre asked, pulling out her phone.
Kiana gave Bronya a frustrated glare before explaining in an embarrassed whisper, "She said funds have been tight lately and she doesn't have much spare cash. She told me to ask you for allowance."
"Do you believe her?"
"I don't..."
"Sigh, Theresa is so childish. Being dissatisfied with me, she can only resort to this kind of itchy, harmless revenge. It's actually quite cute."
Lierre smiled and tapped away on her phone.
In a corner behind them, Theresa, who had secretly followed them, was hidden behind the landscaping.
She poked half her head out, her silver teeth clenched, glaring petulantly at Lierre.
Who are you calling childish!
She felt as if that comment was aimed directly at her.
A moment later.
The phones of Kiana, Raiden Mei, and Bronya all chimed with message notifications.
"Keep your pocket money safe. Come back to me when you've used it up."
Lierre put her phone away.
Supporting one was fine, so supporting three wasn't much pressure.
Unless she tried to start a business, the money Otto gave her would be very difficult to spend all at once.
"Thank you, Auntie!"
Kiana looked at the ten thousand US dollars that had landed in her account. Excited, she stepped forward, scooped Lierre into her arms, and began to spin in circles.
Lierre's slender legs went flying.
"Are you trying to smother me? Put me down!"
Lierre's small face was pressed right into Kiana's well-developed chest.
Aside from a pleasant fragrance and a startling softness, all it gave her was an uncomfortable sense of suffocation.
"Sorry, I got too excited."
Kiana quickly set Lierre down, laughing sheepishly in her embarrassment.
"Um, Lierre, did you send too much by mistake? I'll transfer it back to you right away."
"One should not receive rewards without merit. Bronya cannot accept this money; Bronya can support herself!"
Raiden Mei and Bronya did not take the money as a matter of course.
"Isn't it normal for a master to give red envelopes to her apprentice and daughter? There's no need to decline."
Lierre didn't give them time to refuse. She changed the subject, pointing to the pile of junk behind her. "Since you're here, help me tidy up. Arrange these items in the shape of a cross. I'm about to start a prize draw!"
Apprentice?
Raiden Mei paused. Seeing that Lierre didn't want to dwell on the matter, she hesitated for a few seconds before finally accepting the goodwill.
Bronya's fair little hands clenched into fists when she heard the word "daughter" pop out of Lierre's mouth.
"A prize draw..."
Kiana glanced at the pile of worthless items on the ground, several question marks appearing over her head. "What on earth can this pile of junk do?"
She truly couldn't find any connection between these items and a prize draw.
Lierre acted mysterious. "You'll find out in a bit."
It wouldn't be exciting if she just said it.
"Can't you tell me in advance?" Kiana's curiosity was piqued. She grabbed one of Lierre's hands and shook it gently, her face full of anticipation.
"No. Acting spoiled won't work on me."
Lierre pulled her hand away, crossed her arms, and refused bluntly.
"I-I don't even care that much anyway..."
Kiana pouted in dissatisfaction.
Then she set aside her petty mood and waved to Raiden Mei and Bronya. "Let's help Auntie set everything up. We can't just take allowance without doing any work."
"You guys go ahead. Bronya wants to have a private chat with Lierre."
Bronya politely declined.
She felt that if she didn't make things clear now, she might actually end up as Lierre's adopted daughter for real.
Bronya truly couldn't bring herself to call a little girl "Mama." It was too weird.
"We can wait here for a bit."
"No eavesdropping."
"Hmph, I don't even care! Mei, let's go. Let's give the little one some private space."
Seeing that there was no gossip to be had, Kiana had no choice but to lead Raiden Mei toward the pile of junk on the ground.