Lord: I have built a witch's sanctuary.

Chapter 152 An Ordinary Day in the Lorraine Family

Frostwolf City was not yet fully awake in the early morning.

Wall lamps were lit in the long corridor of the lord's mansion, their flames flickering gently, and a thin layer of frost covered the windowpanes.

Occasionally, the sound of guards changing shifts could be heard in the distance. The entire mansion was quiet, carrying a chill that had not yet fully dissipated from the night.

Lorraine, wearing a long black coat and carrying several rolls of parchment she hadn't finished reading the night before, came down the stairs.

He gets up very early.

Or rather, he didn't sleep much at all last night.

The high-speed rail operation report, the repair shop's production capacity list, the new ore price quote from Black Iron City, and the news that had just come from the Desa family were all piled on his desk, waiting for him to look at them one by one.

The larger the territory, the more trouble there is.

Being a lord is not as glamorous as I imagined.

Lorraine raised her hand and pinched the bridge of her nose. She walked to the study door and was about to push it open when the person by the door spoke softly first.

"My lord."

The voice was soft, carrying a hint of morning tipsiness.

Lorraine stopped and looked over.

Olivia was standing in front of the study door, holding a thick account book in her arms and several small keys hanging from her waist.

Today she wore a dark green long dress with a shawl embroidered with fine silver patterns. Her hair was loosely tied back, with a few strands falling down from her ears, making her face look even more gentle.

She had obviously just finished her work.

But at first glance, the first thing that comes to mind is not the accounts, but the people.

"You're here so early."

Olivia took two steps forward, stood in front of Lorraine, raised her hand to straighten his slightly crooked collar, and then casually brushed off a few frost particles from his shoulder.

Her movements were very practiced, as if she had done it many times before.

"Did you skip breakfast again?"

Lorraine looked down at her and smiled.

"You can tell that?"

"Do we even need to look at it?"

Olivia gave a soft hum, fastening the clasp of his cloak with her fingertips, her tone filled with familiar helplessness.

"You left the light in your study on very late last night, and you came over so early today. If you had eaten, someone from the kitchen would have come to tell you already."

Lorraine coughed.

This head butler really knows his daily routine inside and out.

"It's just missing one meal, it's no big deal."

He patted his chest and said with a smile, "I'm a fourth-tier knight now. I can handle skipping a meal or working all day without breaking a sweat."

Olivia looked up at him.

"That won't work either."

She said it very decisively.

"You are a fourth-tier knight, that's true, but you are also the lord of Frostwolf City. Your health isn't just yours; it concerns the survival of the entire city. If you fall ill, who will manage all the affairs outside? Will you have me approve the high-speed rail bill for you, or have Anna negotiate prices with the mine owners, or have Lyra whisper intimidate the merchants?"

Lorraine chuckled.

"Now that you mention it, the scene looks quite lively."

Olivia ignored his joke, reached out and smoothed his sleeves, and continued muttering.

"I wanted to talk to you about this last night. You came home late, ate very little, and spent so much time studying late into the night. And you were nowhere to be seen this morning. Are you trying to send yourself to the repair shop so Ohm can give you a set of iron bones?"

"This idea doesn't seem like a bad one."

"My lord."

"Okay, okay, I was wrong."

Lorraine raised her hands, as if to surrender.

Olivia looked at him like that and couldn't help but purse her lips, but she managed to suppress her laughter.

"In short, this must not be allowed to continue."

She paused, as if she had finally made up her mind, and her voice became even softer.

"From now on, I'll make breakfast for you."

Lorraine raised an eyebrow.

"You do it?"

"Um."

Olivia nodded.

"I'll supervise your eating. At least this morning, you can't skip it anymore."

She said this with a very serious expression.

She looked at him with green eyes, and there was no hint of joking in them.

Lorraine stared at her for a couple of moments, then suddenly raised his hand and gently pinched her cheek.

My cheeks felt soft, and there was a slight morning chill in them.

Olivia paused for a moment, her ears visibly turning red.

"What are you doing—"

Lorraine suppressed a laugh, speaking in a leisurely tone.

"Didn't you say you didn't want to be a housekeeper?"

"Why are you being so proactive now?"

Olivia's eyelashes trembled, and she tightened her grip on the account book.

"I...I did it for the territory."

"Oh, just for the territory?"

"certainly."

"Then why is your face red?"

"It's cold."

There is a brazier at the entrance to the study.

"—My Lord!"

Lorraine finally burst out laughing.

Olivia glared at him, but her gaze wasn't fierce at all. Instead, it seemed more like the kind of bravado she could only muster after someone had seen through her secret.

She tucked the account book into her bosom, then turned and left.

"You go inside and wait."

"What are you doing?"

"I'll get you some food."

"They really brought it to the study?"

Olivia didn't stop walking, only showing him her slightly flushed profile.

"Let's eat in the study."

She walked a few steps, then stopped and turned back to add another sentence.

"Don't you dare use cold tea to appease your stomach while I'm not around."

Lorraine leaned against the doorframe, chuckling as she nodded.

"Understood, Miss Olivia."

"And you're not allowed to call out like that—like that weird."

She finished speaking and left, her skirt sweeping past the corner of the corridor, leaving behind a faint scent of grass and trees.

Not far away, two maids carrying cleaning tools happened to pass by.

They kept their heads down, intending to walk over quietly, but when they heard the word "housekeeper" and saw Olivia leaving with her ears red, both of them trembled.

One of them couldn't help but take a small breath.

The other one quickly tugged at her sleeve.

Lorraine looked over.

The two maids immediately stood up straight, staring at the ground, their faces turning red.

"Good morning, Lord."

"Good morning."

Lorraine was in a good mood and didn't say much before pushing open the study door and going in.

It's much warmer in the study now.

The fireplace was blazing, the firewood crackling. The air smelled of ink, parchment, and wax seals mixed together. A thick stack of documents lay on the table, next to a map of the North, with several copper paperweights pressed down at the corners.

Lorraine walked to the head seat, put down the parchment in her hand, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

The first thing I did after sitting down was to yawn.

I definitely didn't get enough sleep last night.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose and casually flipped to the top document.

The supply of coking coal in Heitian City is very stable.

The data from the first phase of high-speed rail trial operation is also impressive.

The trade list that Pym sent yesterday showed that the velocity of Babel coins had increased again.

Everything is moving in a positive direction.

But the more this is the case, the less he can afford to relax.

Frostwolf City may look prosperous now, but it's actually surrounded by a host of major troubles. To the north lies the Abyss, to the south the Prince, and the Desa family is like a thorn in the side.

He hadn't forgotten the imperial decree from the capital.

Lorraine pulled out one of the scrolls that read "Desa," and ran her fingertip lightly along the edge of the wax seal. Just as she was about to look further down, a very soft rustling sound came from the doorway.

That's not Olivia's style.

She never walks in a hurry, her skirt swaying steadily in the wind.

The one outside the door was moving very quietly, like a small animal scurrying into a hole, with a hint of sneakiness.

Lorraine raised her eyes.

The door was pushed open a crack.

A little head peeked in first.

His heterochromatic eyes, one black and one gold, cautiously circled the doorway, only lighting up after confirming he was alone in the room.

Leila sneaked in, carrying a thick cloth bag.

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