The Top-Tier Butler of the Marquis Family Chapter 52 : Chapter 52

Chapter 052

From what I had picked up, every organization in the underworld was involved in profit-making interests.

The thods varied. So controlled rchant companies, so created guilds, and so brought in side inco through all sorts of commissions.

If one investigated, there would surely be shops or businesses under the managent of the Black Pig Gang.

In that case, all I had to do was smash those places.

It would be like a company tied to the governnt in the world where I used to live suddenly getting hit with a tax audit.

The thod here would be far simpler than that.

At the very least, this was not a rule-of-law state.

All I had to do was establish a connection between the Arkain rchant Company and the Black Pig Gang, then press forward with an investigation.

I did not have the authority to mobilize the Knight Order, but I knew various important figures, including Young Lady Sapiela. If I used them well, I could handle the matter easily enough.

“If nothing else works, there is always the option of pulling in Hal, the Third Young Master of House Adeline.”

I had already prepared the logic to persuade him.

If he wanted to fight for the succession of the House, he would need to secure as broad a support base as possible. Getting his hands on the underworld’s information network would be useful in its own way. For all I knew, he might already have recruited an organization or two in secret.

In any case, that was the series of sches I had laid out. Break them down in order from the bottom up, then strike their base of operations a week later.

“I just hope things keep going this well........... Then again, there is no guarantee that worrying now will help. First, I should get so rest. I worked hard enough today.”

Lying down on the shabby bed, I closed my eyes, thinking that the mont I returned to the mansion tomorrow, I would have to begin making my move at once.

But then, I heard the door creak open slightly.

“What now?”

I opened one eye and looked that way.

A woman I had never seen before was standing there with a frightened expression.

“Who are you?”

At that mont, the door opened the rest of the way, and Kalmond stepped inside.

“My apologies for disturbing your rest. I thought you might be feeling lonely tonight, Captain, so I brought soone to attend you. By good fortune, I managed to find a fresh young virgin.”

“Kalmond.”

“Yes?”

“You do not use words like fresh for people. Not even if their station is low. We agreed to live properly from now on, did we not? Let us at least maintain so dignity. Think a little about the weight of the badge on your chest.”

Kalmond flinched in surprise, and the woman, who had been taut with tension, looked at with startled eyes. Had she expected to pounce on her without a thought? Saying sothing like that must have caught her off guard.

Kalmond bowed his head.

“......My thoughts were shallow. I apologize.”

“It is fine. Just do better from now on.”

I waved a hand, signaling for him to go out.

But Kalmond gave the woman a shove and closed the door behind her. Thanks to that, I was left in the awkward position of having to remain alone with her.

“Ah, what a nuisance. I said I wanted to rest.”

The fact that she had been brought to wait on did not an I had any intention of sleeping with her. It was not because I was impotent. There were reasons.

First of all, there was the matter of hygiene.

She had been introduced as a virgin, but there was no way to trust that. If I caught syphilis, it would be an enormous headache. There were no condoms here, and no penicillin either.

Ah, speaking of penicillin, it might be a good idea to make antibiotics too. I could make a fortune from that alone.

Back in a general chemistry class, I had once researched antibiotics for an assignnt. The part about the developnt of penicillin had left such an impression on that I still rembered it clearly.

Of course, if I had not been able to handle mana, the mory would not have remained so vivid. But now I could use mana to draw my mories out to their fullest extent. That ant developnt would pose no real problem.

And second, this was not exactly a safe situation at the mont. Those Black Pig bastards might storm in at any ti, so even while resting, I needed to maintain a certain level of tension.

And last of all, I had my adorable Sapiela.

“What is your na?”

I asked the woman. Feeling sowhat more awake now, I sat up on the bed. Bowing her head, she answered,

“Eluna......”

“How did you end up here? There has to be so sort of story behind it. It does not look as though this is your profession.”

She said nothing. It seed she had likely been sold sowhere as a slave and had passed through several hands before ending up here.

Looking at her now, I could understand a little why Kalmond had brought her with such confidence.

First of all, her skin was remarkably pale. Her features were sharp, and she was a beauty with an exotic air about her. Her figure was slender, and her limbs were fine and delicate.

In short, she was the kind of woman whose appearance would make most n’s mouths water.

Could she be the descendant of so ruined noble house?

Thinking that, I rose from my seat. At tis like this, there was one very useful way of finding out.

“Ah!”

She flinched in surprise when I suddenly approached. I lightly took hold of the hand resting on the table.

○ Eluna

Rank: ★★★★★

Level: 4

Traits: Archery S, Instrunt Performance A, Agility A, Wisdom A, Affinity with Nature A, Magical Power B, Blessing of the World Tree C, Magic Resistance C, ???

Status: Resignation

[Not Unlocked]

[Not Unlocked]

I had honestly expected the Status Window not to appear, so I was startled when it did. Then I was startled all over again when I saw her rank and traits.

Is this for real?

A five-star talent?

This ragged-looking woman?

And why did she have so many A-rank traits?

This felt like finding a fifty-thousand-won bill on the road.

No, more like winning the lottery.

Her level was low, but that was only a matter of proficiency, so the high rank was far more important. In the first place, it ant she had been born to an entirely different standard. I had never once seen rank rise, no matter how much level increased.

“An unexpected gift?”

It was as though I had discovered a young sapling who might beco a ray of hope for our Avengers, who were suffering from a chronic lack of talent.

But then, two of her traits caught my attention.

Magical Power and Blessing of the World Tree.

Magical Power seed to an an aptitude for using mana, but what was Blessing of the World Tree?

Surely not............

Could she be an elf?

“Take off your robe for a mont.”

“I am not going to do anything to you, so take it off.”

At my words, Eluna gave a slight shiver and, as though resigned, removed her robe. Her silver hair spilled down, revealing her ears.

But they were no different from a human’s.

An elf ought to have pointed ears. So she was not an elf after all?

So ti ago, while working in the mansion library, I had read a book about the different races. There were several races in this world, and elves were among them. One of their physical characteristics was long ears.

If so, that ant she was not an elf, and yet she had received the Blessing of the World Tree. Could that really be possible?

For a while, I rely stared at Eluna in thought.

Then an idea suddenly ca to .

“You, by any chance, have an elf sowhere among your parents or grandparents, do you not? Mixed blood? In any case, you seem to be a descendant of one. The Blessing of the World Tree is proof of that.”

So I was right.

The expression on her face clearly said, How do you know that?

She seed to be what people commonly called a half-elf, or perhaps the blood was simply mixed in faintly sowhere farther back.

I continued speaking in a relaxed tone.

For the mont, I needed to act as though I knew everything and show her that I was truly an extraordinary man.

Only then would she entrust herself to .

“I thought there was sothing strange. I do not know how you ended up all the way in the underworld, but relax. I am not going to do anything to you.”

“......Do you an that?”

“I do not lie. I promise you.”

I went and sat down on one side of the room. This was no longer the ti to be attended. It was ti for a job interview.

Coincidentally, I had been needing soone who could serve as both a secretary and a strategist. I could leave so matters to Kalmond, but if the organization kept growing, there was a high chance he would often be away from his post.

I softened my tone. Gone was the rough and overbearing way of speaking.

“How did you end up here? Tell honestly. You seem to have a story.”

“......It is a rather long story.”

“There is plenty of ti, so do not worry.”

It would pain her to speak of it, but if I intended to use her as a subordinate, then it was better that I know her past.

Eluna placed a hand over her chest and began to explain slowly.

Just as she said, it was a rather long story.

To summarize only the essentials, she had inherited the blood of the elves and had lived in a mountain village until she was kidnapped by a bandit gang. Her family and neighbors had all been slaughtered to the last.

At so point, as I listened with my arms folded, I found myself empathizing with her.

“You want revenge on those bandits, do you not?”

“Yes. But I cannot do anything......”

Eluna’s hands trembled. More than fear, it seed the desire for revenge was taking hold of her.

“You may have no strength now, but that may not remain true forever. Going in circles is not my style, so I will speak plainly. Would you like to work for our organization? Later, I will help you take that revenge.”

“?”

She was visibly startled, and I nodded with a smile.

“From what I can see, you have fine natural gifts. With a little polishing, you could grow into remarkable talent. One thing is certain—if you keep doing nothing but running from reality, then you will never be able to do anything.”

“Is there really anything I can do?”

“If there is nothing you can do, then we will create sothing for you to do.”

I called for Kalmond. When he stepped back inside and saw Eluna and sitting face to face, he looked puzzled.

“You called for , Captain? Has sothing made you uncomfortable?”

“This girl has decided to work with us from now on. See that you take proper care of her.”

“You an whom?”

“This young lady. Her na is Eluna. I plan to use her as my secretary and strategist from now on, so be especially mindful of how you treat her.”

“No, what are you talking about all of a sudden? That woman is a slave. Why of all people would you choose a slave......”

I was just about to snap at him for questioning my words, but then I stopped myself. Kalmond’s doubt was only natural. If I reversed our positions and thought about it from his side, it made perfect sense.

So I answered him mildly.

“I have my reasons, so do not ask for details. Just do as I say for now. She has excellent potential.”

“Hmm. Understood.”

“Do we have anyone among the n who can shoot a bow?”

“Hans is rather good with one.”

“Then tell him to teach her so archery. I think that once she learns the basics, she will beco a sharpshooter.”

Kalmond said he would do so, but he could not conceal the doubtful look in his eyes. Then again, I could hardly explain to him that her Archery was S-rank. He would understand once he saw it for himself.

I called in the rest of the subordinates, introduced Eluna, and told them she would be one of us from now on. Then I made the chain of rank clear. I set Kalmond as second-in-command and Eluna as third-in-command.

The lower-ranking subordinates did not protest much. If anything, it seed their morale had risen at the thought of gaining a beautiful superior.

Of course, I never told anyone that Eluna carried elven blood.

And I had no intention of ever doing so.

Once Kalmond and the others left the room, Eluna asked cautiously,

“Why are you treating so well?”

“Because our interests align. I need talented people, and you need the strength to take revenge. Since it fits together so neatly, there is no reason for us not to work together.”

“Is that...... truly the only reason?”

Are you wondering whether I am after your body?

If I were, I would have pounced on you already.

Even so, I understood. She had been dragged here as a slave, and yet in the space of a single night had suddenly beco one of the organization’s middle-ranking figures. Naturally, she would be suspicious.

Well, ti would take care of that. Such things could be worked out gradually.

“From tomorrow onward, follow Kalmond around and learn properly. I will be away for a little while.”

“But how did you know that I carry elven blood?”

“Is that not a question a little too early?”

At my words, Eluna tilted her head. I continued,

“If you want to know the other person better, then open your own heart more first. That is courtesy.”

Eluna stared at for a mont, then bowed and went outside. What would our Avengers look like a week from now?

The very thought of it was enough to make smile.