The Top-Tier Butler of the Marquis Family Chapter 31 : Chapter 31

Chapter 031

For the ti being, I returned to my quarters.

Just because I had beco a witness did not an it would be proper for to go barging in to see His Excellency the Marquis. Once they had finished their preparations on that side, they would summon . If I pushed myself forward unnecessarily, they might think poorly of it.

There was sothing I had learned not only from graduate school, but also from all the part-ti jobs I had worked.

The truth that nothing good ever ca from sticking your neck out.

I could simply stay quiet and ask only for what I needed. I had rendered service now. To so extent, they would probably grant my requests. If things went especially well, they might even ask whether I had a wish.

I removed my sword and mana pistol and put them into the wardrobe. Then, suddenly, I thought of Smith.

“Co to think of it, I owe Smith a great deal.”

The weapons I had used today had, in truth, all been born from his hands. And with that sword of his—defective though it was—I had still defeated my enemies. He had also made the mana pistol exactly according to my blueprint.

I could not help thinking that I needed to repay him properly.

I was not so kind of lowlife, after all.

“Since I happen to have money now, I should repay him, should I not?”

When I dealt with those two n of the Scorpion Gang near forr Training Officer Cornel’s house, I had taken the money they were carrying. I had not counted it yet, but the purse was satisfyingly fat.

Would that not be enough to repay Smith? He had even made the mana pistol for on credit.

First, I sat down at the desk and opened the purse I had taken as war spoils.

Clatterrr!

The coins spilled out and glead beautifully.

They were almost all silver coins. A few copper coins were mixed in here and there, but silver overwhelmingly dominated.

If this was a rational world, then silver naturally had to be worth more than copper.

I counted the coins.

The silver ca to a total value of 53, and the copper to 15. In other words, in the terms used here, that ant 53 silver and 15 copper.

I have absolutely no sense of whether that is a great deal of money or a small amount.

Smith had asked for 30 silver to make the pistol, so judging roughly from that, perhaps it was worth a few hundred thousand won? Then again, it might vary depending on things like refining costs and how hard it was to secure the raw materials.

Well, I would co to understand that naturally if I lived here a little longer.

For now, I took out 30 silver, then added a little extra as paynt on top of it and put that into a separate pouch. As for the rest, I shoved it carelessly into a drawer.

Then I picked up the old sword from the wardrobe and headed for the forge.

It was a little wasteful, but this was an item I had to return. And now that I had money to spare, there was nothing wrong with getting a proper sword. On top of that, with the mana pistol in hand as well, I was unlikely to be in danger for the ti being.

I was just about to leave when I paused for a mont. Then I resud walking. I had stopped because I wondered whether they might send for in the anti, but it would only be a short trip, so it hardly mattered.

I had rendered service, so perhaps it was ti to indulge in a little petty privilege.

***

The forge was as busy as ever.

CLANG! CLANG! HSSSSSS!

It was full of the sound of iron being hamred and the fierce hiss of glowing tal plunged into water. Broad-shouldered n were striking tal bars with force. It was a very lively sight.

After stepping inside, I looked around. Perhaps because I had co here several tis already, the n working there recognized .

Of course, their eyes were not exactly friendly. More along the lines of, We are busy, so why are you here again?

In the midst of that, I found Smith and walked over to him.

“Smith!”

“Hm? You. What brings you here this ti?”

“If you have a mont, would you step outside with ?”

As a master craftsman, he did not actually do much hands-on work himself. He made important weapons, of course, but mostly he supervised the smiths working below him and taught them as needed.

Today too, he was standing off to the side with his arms folded, overseeing the work. That made it easy enough for to speak to him.

“You still have a talent for dragging people away when they are busy. You and your friend really are alike.”

“Have you not heard the news?”

“What news?”

It seed the rumor had not yet reached the forge. Then again, this was a place where everyone was constantly busy working. It was not as though soone would dash straight up here carrying gossip.

Ah, no, there was one man who might.

Rohan, the famous source of information.

If even he had not co spreading the news, then this matter had probably not traveled as far as I thought yet.

“Was there not a festival in the lower village today?”

“That is right. It is held every year.”

“There was a bit of an incident there. Young Lady Sapiela went to give an address, and she was kidnapped.”

“......What?”

Smith frowned as though he had just heard sothing impossible. If we had not already established a relationship, it felt as though he might have punched for saying it.

I cald him first.

“She was taken hostage for a mont, but fortunately, the Young Lady is unhard. The disturbance died down quickly as well. They are still keeping things quiet, so please let this stay with you alone, Smith.”

“Ahem. Naturally. Hoho, then what sort of madman would dare do such a thing? But where did you hear it?”

“I happened to be there. I used the Overnight Leave Pass I was given before and was enjoying the festival.”

“Ah! I see.”

Sharing a secret.

That was one way of earning a person’s trust. It made them think, This man gives high-level information, so I should treat him well.

“But did you call out here just to tell that? It does not feel like that is the whole story.”

“Hahaha. I ca to pay off a debt.”

I handed him the forty silver coins I had prepared in advance. No haggling, no fuss. A clean transaction was best.

“It is forty silver. Thirty is the cost of the commission I put on credit back then, and please think of the remaining ten silver as interest.”

“Huh?”

Smith took the money on instinct and stared at it in surprise. It was the sort of expression that clearly asked, Where in the world did a re apprentice get this kind of money? Even so, he did not pry.

Smiling, I added one more thing.

“I think I will have more things to commission from you in the future, so I would appreciate your help then too.”

That was not an empty remark. I truly would have much more work for him later, so long as I remained in this House.

“Hahaha. Leave it to ! As long as the paynt is clear, I welco all such business.”

“But is it really all right for you to take private commissions like this? What if the higher-ups...”

“Do not worry! There is no one higher than in this forge. No one here has the standing to say a word about it. In fact, people from outside bring in personal commissions all the ti.”

“I understand. Ah, and I put the sword you lent to good use before. I think I can return it now.”

I unfastened the sword from my waist and handed it to him.

Smith took the blade and looked at with a curious expression.

“It is not as damaged as I expected. Did you even have occasion to swing it?”

Naturally. I had been pouring mana into it the whole ti I used it.

“It proved quite useful.”

“I see. But if you return this, then you will have no weapon of your own, will you?”

“I think I will be all right, since I have the other thing I made before...”

One option would be to buy a suitable weapon with the money I extorted from the Scorpion Gang bastards. In any case, the mana pistol was only a sidearm.

At that, Smith waved a hand and said,

“I will improve this one for you a bit. I took interest from you, so I cannot very well leave it there. Just give a little ti to refine it. I will turn it into sothing a little sharper.”

“Really?”

“Have you ever seen lie?”

Chuckling, he gestured for to go on my way. I bowed deeply in genuine gratitude and left the forge.

This was exactly why it paid to have good friends. In my heart, I offered my thanks to Rohan.

After leaving the forge, I reentered the mansion.

But the eyes of the soldiers guarding the gate were strange. They were looking at with sothing like surprise.

So you heard the rumor.

Just as expected, one of the senior soldiers standing nearby spoke to .

“It seems your training has finally borne fruit.”

“I was fortunate.”

“What do you an, fortunate? You were the only apprentice who trained every night. I still rember the ti you collapsed asleep in the Training Ground.”

There had been such days too.

It had only happened not long ago, but now it felt like sothing from a distant age. The difference between my abilities then and now was simply too great.

“You worked hard. Go on in.”

“Thank you.”

I went straight up to my room.

When I stepped inside, soone was already standing there. Judging by his clothes, he was a butler, though not one I had seen before. I gave him the proper respect due to a senior.

“Where have you been wandering? You were ordered to wait by Sir Roland.”

“My apologies.”

“Co with at once. The Master is looking for you.”

“Yes, sir.”

At last, what had to co had arrived. I cald my pounding heart for a mont, then quietly followed the senior butler whose na I did not know.

After leading the way for a while, he glanced back over his shoulder and asked,

“But how exactly did you save the Young Lady? You are nothing more than an apprentice.”

Curious, are you? I have no intention of telling you.

***

The office of Marquis Chronos embodied the stature of House Adeline itself. It possessed a dignity too great to be described rely as large and grand.

Marquis Chronos, his hair white, sat in his seat of authority listening to soone’s report. Sir Roland, the guard knight, was there as well, and beside him stood Head Butler Yanrof.

Sir Roland made sense, but the presence of Head Butler Yanrof was sowhat unexpected.

“It is an honor to see the Master.”

As the senior butler had instructed , I knelt respectfully and made clear my absolute submission.

“Rise.”

“Thank you, Master.”

Even after standing, I kept my head lowered and my eyes fixed on the floor. I had been told that was proper etiquette, so I had no choice but to follow it.

“Your na is Dilen, is that right?”

“That is correct.”

“Where are you from?”

For an instant, I nearly lost the ability to speak. My head went blank.

I still knew very little about the original owner of this body.

“......I am from Fortuna.”

“Fortuna. You ca from very far away.”

“I applied to the apprenticeship together with a friend. Another friend of mine now works here as a maid.”

“Is that so?”

His voice carried little interest. A low murmur drifted down from the seat of authority.

“I heard the full account of the incident from Sir Roland. He says that thanks to your actions, Sapiela did not co to harm. I also hear that your entrance record was abysmal....”

Ah, so that was why Head Butler Yanrof had been called. To answer questions about .

But that much was an easy question to anticipate.

“After my accident, I trained diligently. With no thought in my heart except devotion to House Adeline.”

“I see. I had thought that butlers who trained in martial arts had beco very rare these days. Apparently that is not the case.”

Having opened with that, the Marquis went straight to the heart of the matter.

“I wish to comnd your service.”

“It is more grace than I deserve, but I rely did what ought to have been done.”

“There are many who fail to do even what ought to have been done. Raise your head.”

Only then did I lift my gaze and look upon the head of House Adeline.

He still wore a solemn expression.

“Regardless of a man’s origins, if he has done a good deed, he ought to be praised for it. I will ask you only one thing. What is your wish?”

Give your daughter.

If I said sothing like that, my head would probably go flying.

I fell into thought for a mont.

Or rather, I only pretended to.

I had already decided from the beginning what I was going to ask for.