Chapter 5 : Chapter 5
Chapter 5. The Raven and the Butler’s Goodwill
“Young Master—! My young master—!!!”
A scrawny figure in servant’s clothes came tumbling and scrambling toward the training ground.
It was none other than the original Eli’s personal attendant—Estor!
The moment Estor reached Eli, he dropped to his knees with a thud and wrapped himself around Eli’s leg without another word.
His face was a mess of tears and snot, and he was crying with utter devastation.
“Young Master! Wuwuwu... my young master! Where did you go?! I searched the whole castle and couldn’t find you anywhere! Wuwuwu... how could you agree to go to that cursed place?! The Western Wasteland!
Is that somewhere people are meant to go?! Aren’t you trying to kill me too?! Wuwuwu... if anything happens to you, how am I supposed to live?! Even Madam’s spirit in heaven will never rest in peace... wuwuwu...”
The veins on Eli’s forehead began to throb. He shook the leg Estor was clinging to twice, but the man stuck to him like glue.
He took a deep breath, then suddenly lifted his foot!
“Ow!”
Estor was kicked away cleanly and efficiently, rolling twice across the ground and ending up covered in dust.
His sobbing stopped on the spot. Clutching his backside, he stared blankly at his young master in stunned confusion.
With a dark expression, Eli walked up to him and looked down at him from above.
“Are you done howling? If you’re done, then get up and get to work!”
Estor scrambled to his feet. Tears were still hanging on his face, but he did not dare howl anymore. He only sniffled. “Y-Young Master...”
“Listen, Estor,” Eli said sternly.
“I don’t have time to hear you bawling at a funeral. I’m giving you a few tasks right now, and you must get them done immediately!”
“First, go to the ‘Sweetheart’ pastry shop in the eastern district and buy three boxes of their best almond pastries! I want them fresh!”
“Second, go to the black market in Mole Alley and find a stallholder nicknamed Limping Tom! Buy that map of Orlando from him!”
“Third, get me several doses of the best healing medicine you can find. Remember, I want the best.”
Eli spoke at rapid-fire speed, the string of orders crashing over Estor like a volley of arrows.
Estor listened with his mouth hanging open. He forgot even to sniffle.
“Did you understand all that?” Eli fixed him with a stare.
“Y-Yes... yes, Young Master!” Estor instinctively snapped to attention, though the tearstains were still on his face.
But the look in his eyes had already changed. It was now filled with shock—and a strange sense of mission.
“The money.” Eli pulled out another small coin pouch and stuffed it into Estor’s hand.
“The money? But Young Master, you never pay when you buy things...?” Estor said in surprise.
“Hm? Go, and come back quickly! If you ruin this, then you really will be coming with me to the wasteland to feed magical beasts!”
“Yes, Young Master! I guarantee I’ll complete the mission!”
Estor gave a violent shudder, instantly forcing all the snot and tears back in.
Clutching the money pouch tightly, he spun around and dashed off as if his blood had been set on fire.
He was moving even faster than when he had just come charging over, bawling his eyes out.
Watching Estor’s newly reinvigorated figure vanish around the corner, Eli finally let out a long breath of relief.
He rubbed his still slightly sore arm, then touched the gold coins remaining in his robe and turned his gaze beyond the castle walls.
The Intelligence System’s “Novice Gift Pack” was being cashed in one promise at a time.
And those ten knights, though only a beginning, had already gathered the first sparks of loyalty.
...
“Young Master! I’ve brought what you asked for.”
By the time evening fell, Estor had finally returned with everything Eli needed.
Eli nodded in satisfaction. Then he took out the almond pastries from among the items. So the old butler liked this sort of thing.
“Well done, my loyal Estor. Go get some rest now.”
Eli patted Estor on the shoulder, then quickly left.
“Young Master...” Estor stared after Eli’s back, feeling that he somehow seemed unfamiliar.
And besides... the young master had never paid for things before...
Carrying the pastry boxes, Eli headed with a clear destination in mind straight for the depths of the castle—to the office of the butler, Sebastian.
He knocked on the heavy oak door, which was inlaid with the family’s raven crest.
From inside came Sebastian’s unmistakable voice.
“Come in.”
When Eli pushed the door open, the smell of parchment washed over him.
The room was all cool tones, its furnishings so simple they bordered on severe. Sebastian was seated properly behind a massive redwood desk.
“Young Master Eli,” Sebastian said in his usual distant, formulaic tone. “What can I do for you?”
“Mr. Sebastian.”
Eli put on a smile harmless enough to disarm anyone and gently set the three boxes of almond pastries on the corner of the desk.
“As for the five hundred gold coins in start-up funds approved by Mother... following procedure, I would have to collect the voucher from you, correct?
I simply thought I should come early and get it all settled, so as not to delay your work.”
Sebastian’s gaze swept over the pastry boxes bearing the “Sweetheart” mark.
That rigid, hard-lined face showed the faintest loosening, so slight it was almost impossible to notice.
But his voice remained as steady as ever.
“That is correct, Young Master. Young Master Kaelus has already given instructions.”
He set down his quill, opened a drawer, and took out a gold-note voucher that had clearly been prepared in advance and stamped with the seal of the family treasury.
The amount written on it was exactly five hundred gold coins.
But just as Eli reached out to take it, Sebastian’s fingers pressed down on the voucher instead of releasing it immediately.
Eli quietly put a little more force into his hand and pulled it free.
Sebastian raised his eyes and looked at Eli through the lenses of his gold-rimmed spectacles.
“Young Master Eli,” Sebastian said in the same flat tone, though his speech seemed slightly slower than before, “opening up the wasteland is no trifling matter.”
He paused, as if weighing his words, and in the end added:
“There are also two things that may prove useful to you.”
Eli immediately put on an attentive expression.
“First,” Sebastian said, his gaze sweeping over Eli, “that ‘raven’ you keep. According to family tradition, every member receives one upon coming of age.
They are fed with your blood and share a connection with your mind.
It... may perhaps be able to carry information for you in the wilderness and warn you of danger. It can also briefly share its vision with you.”
For once, he hesitated.
“Though it... may not be quite as... valiant as you might hope.”
Eli’s eyes lit up!
The World Intelligence Support System had not mentioned that! Even a useless bird was still a bird!
“Second, to establish a frontier territory, knights and the necessary craftsmen alone are not enough.
You will also need basic manpower. Farmers, craftsmen, even refugees... you will have to recruit them yourself.”
Sebastian paused.
“And one more thing... regarding your affairs, Lord Leon has long been occupied with matters in the royal capital, so perhaps...”
He left the rest unsaid.
This time, Eli’s thanks were entirely sincere.
“Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Sebastian. I will make good use of the gold, I will take the raven with me, and as for Father...”
A knowing smile curved his lips, and he gave a little blink.
“I’ll think of a way to handle it.”
Then he nudged the boxes of almond pastries on the desk a little farther forward.
“Royce told me you liked these. I hope they suit your taste.”
Sebastian narrowed his eyes. He did not look at the pastries, merely gave a slight nod, accepting both the “bribe” and the farewell behind it.
“May the spirits of House Black’s ancestors watch over you, Young Master Eli.”
Eli said nothing more. He carefully put the voucher away and turned to leave that office steeped in order and restraint.
Outside the door, Estor, who had been peeking about furtively, immediately came up to him.
“Young Master! Did it go well?” Estor asked in a small voice.
“It did.” In high spirits, Eli patted the voucher tucked against his chest, then jerked his chin toward Sebastian’s office door. “I got it.”
“Hm? Why are you still here? Didn’t I tell you to go rest?”
Estor’s face was full of admiration.
“Hehe... I was worried about you, wasn’t I? That old— that very handsome Lord Butler has never liked you much! You were incredible, Young Master!”
Eli gave a restrained nod.
“Everyone has a weakness.”