"Looks like people have started to arrive here. Miss, we should address the task force the Duke has graciously provided us. After all, it is a sign of having good manners, right?"

Mary had arrived back in their room with a happy look. The maid was humming in a tone Layla did not recognize, but she instinctively knew to stay away from the happy maid until her craze calmed down.

Layla subtly took a step away from Mary, and the maid ignored it because she wanted to maintain her happy mood.

"We should head out now. How many people have come, and how many of them are under an oath?"

Layla asked in a professional voice.

An oath was an important step in attracting workers. It ensured that they would not try overthrowing someone else while being given honest work.

Not everyone used an oath to bind their workers, but it was considered safe practice for both sides. As long as no one crossed a line, the distribution of goods would continue as it had always been.

"Of course! They are all under oath. As long as we provide them with good and good pay, those people are ready to put their lives down for us."

Mary assured, and now Layla was afraid to ask what kind of vow she had made to the workforce.

"Let's not get that extreme. I do not need anyone to die for my sake. Rather, I want them to work faster and better if they want to repay me."

The maid only hummed at this response and half-heard what Layla was saying.

It did not take the pair long to reach the site, where people were already unpacking materials, and Mary led Layla over to the project leader.

The old and tough man had various scars on his body, and his back seemed to have also seen better times. But his wizened expression made Layla trust his experience a little.

That, and the way that manhandled work distribution. It was professional and used all his workers' strengths.

"Captain, you said you wanted to meet the noble in charge of this project, right? Here she is - my lovely Lady, Layla. So, is she everything you imagined her to be?"

Mary asked with a happy smile. That disturbing smile stretched Mary's face and made her look a lot more menacing than she was.

But that was not why the captain sighed as he looked at Mary.

No! The real reason the captain looked disappointed was because of Layla's age. She did not have to be a mind-reader to know that much.

"Miss Maid, your jokes are going a little too far. Now, can we see the Duke-"

"I'm sorry, but I'm all you will get now! I am Layla, and I am in charge of this mining business. If you have a problem with this, speak up now. I will happily replace you with someone else before I start this project."

Layla warned, and her eyes flashed.

The intensity of her expression took the workers aback, and they quickly straightened their backs so as not to appear slouching in front of the young lady in charge.

Layla might be young, but the presence she commanded was enough to make anyone mindful of her.

"Please keep up the good work. I will see you later. I should head back now because I must be in class on time. My new semester starts in about two days."

Layla made an excuse to get away from here, but not before she had made everyone hyper-aware of her presence. People bit their lips as they watched her walk away. And only after Layla was gone did they breathe a sigh of relief.

"Miss Layla, you should stop being so easy on these children. They will not respect you if you let them keep getting away with this."

Mary's smile told Layla how much she wanted the younger to 'show' these people their place.

But Layla just shook her head at that notion.

"There is no need to do that. Fear will not get us anywhere. It will be better to let fear fester in the worker's mind by doing nothing. That way, they will be more productive for us."

In her past life, Layla had learned all kinds of tricks, including gaslighting people.

Most humans were overthought and liked to attach meaning to their peers' smallest gestures.

These workers were no different. Layla had given them time to think by not saying much, and these workers would make a story about why Layla did this and what it all meant.

She was sure that by evening, all these workers would be in shape and get back to work.

"Now then, one thing has been taken care of now. I should focus on the next. Has Raziel woken up? Is he ready to head out? If so, then we should leave."

The deadline Layla had given to the Mayor was fast approaching, but she would not force Raziel to head out when he was not feeling his best. Thankfully, Mary's smile looked reassuring, and Layla no longer needed an answer.

When the pair returned, Raziel was sitting in bed, looking far better now than before. All the color had returned to his face, and his complexion looked healthier.

"How are you feeling now?"

Layla asked as soon as she opened the door. Her feet made her walk toward Raziel's bedside, and she quietly sat beside him.

Raziel blinked a few times to clear his mind before looking at Layla with a grateful expression.

"I am fine! I've seen better days, but I think I will live. I am more concerned about what we are going to do now. Have the things here been taken care of?"

Raziel asked, and he sounded more concerned about Layla's business than his health.

'I want to hit him! Can't he worry about himself for once before he starts worrying about me? Ugh, this feels like a headache I am developing because of this kid.'