Well, I didn’t get mobbed when I asked Camilla and Clodia to work with me.

That’s something.

As I’m arranging stuff for my departure to the academy, I hear someone shout from downstairs.

“You flat-eared idiot! What is that?!”

“That’s how you attract foot traffic, you fat bastard!” Camilla’s shrill voice reaches upstairs.

“Oh, yeah? Do you want me to snap you in two like a twig of dry wood?” Clodia shouts back.

I offered them 20% each of whatever joint we were working on. They are free to divide it again among themselves and their employees. I suspect Flaminia will want a cut from Clodia and the same goes for Camilla’s sister, the youngest member of the family.

I finish packing my stuff in my new bag of holding while Princess Bianca sleeps soundly in my bed, letting out little squeals from time to time. Yeah, in the past four weeks, I could only bed one Princess. Thankfully, I had expanded my bed. The Wallorian Treasurer loves to occupy the majority of the space. The first time she came to sleep in my bed instead of her room, I was up, conferring with Lord Juler about our problems. I heard the little pig cry and didn’t ask any questions; I just left my door open. The morning after, I found her sleeping with me.

I mean, I wish it were the other Princess… but let’s give it a bit more time. And let’s not mention this wish of mine to said Princess.

After double-checking my personal belongings, I make my way downstairs. Master Lakaris immediately looks up at me, eyeing the two women that are bothering him right after. I think he didn’t appreciate me leaving him at their mercy.

I have already given the guy my indications, and I have no intention of repeating myself. It was exhausting enough to think about everything. I told him that if I missed something, I would simply make peace with it. I’m not going to go crazy about this stuff. I have one priority in my life at the moment, and that’s…

I look at Princess Laura sharpening a blade in her form-fitting armor. It was probably custom fitted to make space for her…

Magic.

That’s the priority.

Magic. Alright.

My eyes roam, and they land on the two people I need to talk to.

Stan and Domitilla.

The girl has had some unspecified problems that delayed the start of our training. Now, Stanimal is reviewing the contract I had drafted, following Lord Juler’s orders. Looking at the expression of my favorite manager, he’s taken aback.

Whatever.

“Quintus, Tiberius!” I shout. I hear Tiberius’s prothesis clack on the ground as he comes out of the kitchen. Following my future head-chef, the other head-chef.

I don’t know whether it’s because they are veterans or just over-enthusiastic people, but they both spend an unhealthy amount of time working.

“Chef!” they both report to me.

“Both of you, the place will keep running on auxiliary kitchens while Master Lakaris starts working on the bakery. Remember, don’t let Clodia and Camilla bully you. You represent my direct authority.”

Tiberius takes the puffy white hat that I introduced to this world and tightens his grip on it. He nods nervously. Quintus, instead, sniffs and, after a quick look at the bickering women, simply turns back toward the kitchen.

“I have a preparation in the oven, Chef,” he says while scuttling back.

“Go, don’t worry.”

Tiberius follows shortly after.

“Joey,” I see Flaminia gesturing at me from a table.

Everyone’s busy making arrangements for the following days. The fact that ‘Home-Bakery,’ our place, is renewing shop will change many things. And these people are professionals. As I move to my friend, I’m glad I made this decision. I can already see she has notebooks full of stuff, including all the recipes I gave her.

If there was one thing that really tipped the conversation about joining Home-Bakery in my favor was the fact that I had shared all the recipes I was using with them. Clodia and Camilla are fighting about that right now. One of them wants to start producing fast-food stuff as soon as possible; the other wants to focus on the richer clientele.

“What’s up, lady?”

“I’m checking your books. Everything is in order. As we already said, we are moving in as soon as Master Lakaris is done with the first floor. Mixing Happy’s and the Three Roses’ employees will be hard but doable. As long as Clodia and Camilla don’t stab each other, we are in the clear, I’d say.”

I give her my signature wink and raise a thumb in approval.

“But…” she lowers her voice, looking around. “I’m worried about Antoninus, Joey. You promised him you would cure his mother? Are you sure you can do that?”

Here we go.

That’s been my main concern over the last four weeks. I have prepared some stuff for my duels at the academy, but mostly as a hobby while doing real magical research. Lord Juler says that we could plunder a magical library. After the little progress we have made, that’s pretty much the only reason I want to visit the academy. I don’t give a rat’s ass about the duels, nor Laura’s brothers. Nor am I in any particular mood to see Lucinda again. I’m not against the idea of seeing my pal Augustus and sharing a steak with him, but I’m afraid that the two come as a package.

I really hope that Lucinda didn’t get a boyfriend. I mean, if she did, Lady Luck, let it be a person with some brains at least. Please, just please. Don’t let it be a person who’s insecure and jealous of past boyfriends. I already have enough problems.

“She’s better now, isn’t she?” I smile. Juler and I overlapped so many spells on the woman that if she didn’t at least feel better, it would be inexplicable. She could now walk without her bones breaking at every turn. However, we only earned more time. The disease will continue to advance. And the more we wait, the more she’s likely to die.

“That’s a little miracle in itself,” Flaminia nods. “I thought she was terribly sick. You really did something, didn’t you? And this…”

“You don’t want to be a [Baker], Joey, do you?”

I smile and shrug.

“Not really, no,” I admit.

Flaminia looks around the big bakery I built in a few months and then back at our books, stating the outrageous amount of cash I’ve made. Shaking her head, she shoots me an understanding smile. Her squarish jaw would look out of place on any other woman, I swear. On her, though, it gives off a feeling of maturity and strong femininity.

“And you are really going to marry the Princess?”

“If I beat the [Mages] at the academy and stop the war.”

I stop to think for a second.

“Wait a moment,” I say, turning to Stanimal. “Stanimal! Do I marry the Princess after the academy and then resolve the war during our marriage, or do I first have to resolve the war to get married?!”

It is a fair question. Ending a war is a big commitment, and it will probably take some time. I can’t wait forever to get lai—discover the wonders of marriage and fatherhood.

“How did you draft this contract?” Stan’s deep voice reaches me, not answering my question, though.

“Research,” I wink at him. “So, when is the marriage happening?”

“If you beat all the [Mages] in a duel, I’ll personally escort you to the royal court and make a case for your union. Of course, you will need to swear many things officially, in blood, on your magic. But if everything goes smoothly, you shall marry the Princess before ending the actual war.”

Oh, yeah, baby.

That’s what I like to hear.

I raise a thumb to Princess Laura, who looks at me with a smirk.