The Top-Tier Butler of the Marquis Family

Chapter 014

— What do you intend to do now?

He sounded calm on the surface, but there was fury laced through his voice.

Whose voice was it, you ask?

Training Officer Cornel’s, of course.

I sharpened my hearing a little further. The man speaking with him was too soft-spoken, and I could not hear him clearly.

— My apologies. I will do everything I can to find him as quickly as possible.

— Why do you do things you will only have to apologize for? Pathetic!

— I am sorry.

Training Officer Cornel kept rebuking him, while the other man did nothing but repeat that he was sorry like a parrot.

Would they be able to trace my movements when they had no evidence?

— How is Kalmond?

— He was severely wounded, but they say he should survive. He still has not regained consciousness.

— Haaah, just what kind of bastard came up with this scheme? Damn it!

I heard a loud bang as someone slammed a hand onto the table. He sounded furious beyond belief.

At the same time, I found myself relaxing a little. The two men talking inside had absolutely no idea who I was.

Then an unexpected remark came from Training Officer Cornel’s mouth.

— As it happens, there is one Butler Apprentice I have been suspicious of lately.

— Who is it?

— He is not someone you need to worry about. That bastard is leaving this mansion in a month anyway.

So he was suspicious of me after all.

As far as I knew, I was the only Butler Apprentice in the Adeline Marquis House who was set to be thrown out in a month, so he could only have meant me. But then who was this man speaking with Training Officer Cornel?

For some reason, his voice sounded familiar.

I would probably have to see his face. Even that was only a matter of time, though. The guest would come out sooner or later, and all I had to do was go in after him.

— Whatever else happens, we absolutely must recover that box.

The box?

Listening outside, I was so startled that the butler guarding the door even gave me a suspicious look.

Could he mean the very box I had stolen from the warehouse?

It certainly sounded like it.

It seemed to contain something more important than I had thought. Unfortunately, though, I still had not managed to open that box I stole simply because I had a feeling something was inside. No matter what I tried, it would not open.

If a promising engineering geek from South Korea could not open it, then I doubted there were many people in this world who could.

It had seemed important enough that I had not even mentioned it to Rohan or Arwen.

— I understand. I have set as many of our members as possible to tracing the trail. We should have a lead soon.

— The moment you find any sign of it, report to me immediately. Get your head on straight!

— Yes, Master.

Master?

Wait a moment. What exactly was going on here? From the sound of it, he was speaking to a member of the Scorpion Gang... and yet Training Officer Cornel was being called Master?

This reeks to high heaven.

According to my highly creative intuition, Training Officer Cornel was definitely plotting something with the Scorpion Gang. Otherwise, why would a man who served as the Training Officer of a marquis house be called Master?

Click.

At that moment, the door opened, and the guest walked out.

I was not especially surprised.

He was someone I had already expected.

The man who came out was Roy, the very same fellow who had caused trouble at Rosetta not long ago.

That was enough to convince me.

The Arkain Merchant Company was backed by the Scorpion Gang, and there was some sort of connection between the Scorpion Gang and Training Officer Cornel.

“May I go in now?”

“Go in.”

I knocked and entered. Training Officer Cornel’s complexion had turned deathly pale.

His room had been stripped of documents, and then the merchant warehouse had been raided too. The psychological damage seemed to have hit him hard.

That was why, old man, if you were going to line your pockets, you should have shown some restraint.

“Training Officer, good morning.”

“What is it?”

His reply was sharp and irritable. I pretended to be taken aback, then answered calmly.

“Today is my final day of work at Rosetta. I came to give my interim report.”

“Go on, then.”

He looked deeply annoyed.

Naturally, I decided I would torment him a little more.

“Last night’s banquet concluded successfully. I have heard that Young Lady Sapiela was extremely satisfied.”

“And the matter of Primera?”

“Chef Irene cooperated actively, so there was no difficulty at all in securing ingredients.”

“That is fortunate.”

“Are you feeling unwell, sir?”

“No, nothing of the sort. You should be receiving tomorrow’s assignment soon enough, should you not?”

Ordinarily, I would have stood there and listened quietly to whatever he said. But this time, since I had a clear objective, I spoke first.

“Forgive me, but may I state a preferred work assignment?”

“A preferred work assignment?”

“I do not have many days left working in this mansion. Before I go, I would like the chance to try the kind of work I truly want.”

Training Officer Cornel let out a small snort and folded his arms. He looked down at me with anger in his eyes.

“Do you know your place? You are nothing but a lowly apprentice. You seem quite full of yourself because you happened to pass a difficult examination through a stroke of luck, but you are on borrowed time. Do you understand?”

So he was taking out his frustration on me.

Inwardly, I offered him my condolences. Yes, yes. Since my actions had clearly stressed him out, he could let off some steam if he wished.

Still, it was not overstepping for an apprentice to request a particular assignment. In reality, apprentices with ability often did end up working where they wanted.

And since I had already proven my ability with the Rosetta matter yesterday, it was only natural for me to make such a request.

The important thing here, however, was not to start arguing principles and rules. The one in power wanted absolute obedience from the one beneath him. All that mattered was making yourself look pleasing.

I lowered my head.

“I know my place well. Even so, I beg you once more. Consider it my final wish.”

“Haaah....”

The blood is rushing to your head, is it? Then hurry up and approve it.

“Very well. Let me hear it.”

Of course, saying outright, I want to work here, would have been the move of an amateur. Proper order demanded that I first thank the exalted superior for granting me the opportunity.

“Thank you for granting me the chance, Training Officer. The place I wish to work is the mansion library.”

“The library?”

It seemed my request had taken him by surprise.

Then again, according to Rohanpedia, the library was one of the least popular places in the mansion. The work was boring, and there was physical labor involved too, such as organizing books.

Among Butler Apprentices, the most popular place by far was the area where the Adeline family themselves resided.

In particular, many longed to work where Young Lady Sapiela stayed. Even if they could not involve themselves with her directly, they at least wanted to admire her beauty from nearby.

At the deepest level, of course, they probably just wanted to impress the higher-ups and live an easy life.

But I had my own purpose.

I absolutely needed time to bury myself in the library.

So hurry up and approve it, you slippery old snake.

“Hm, as it happens, I was just about to assign personnel to the library side of things, so it works out well that you volunteered.”

“Then I shall begin working in the library tomorrow. Until when?”

“You called it your final wish, so you will continue there until just before the day you leave this place.”

“Thank you. Thank you very much!”

At that moment, I truly did feel grateful to Training Officer Cornel. Normally, assignments rotated within a week, so to get a fixed posting until the very end was beyond expectation.

I left the Training Officer’s office and walked down the corridor.

Using a brief bit of spare time, I made my way to the forge. There I met Smith, the man in charge.

Fortunately, his memory seemed good enough that he recognized my face.

“So, Balcony, you came.”

Seems I had acquired a wonderful nickname.

Damn that bastard Beron. Next time you shove me, at least do it from somewhere more stylish. All right?

“I came because I have something to say. Would you happen to have a moment?”

“Go on.”

“I think I will need to keep using the sword you lent me for a little longer.”

“So there has not been much progress in your assignment?”

As if he had expected as much, Smith nodded to himself. That was a relief. Iron weapons were not as common here as they had been in the world I used to live in. Even a defective one could probably be sold for a decent price if reforged.

“A new matter has come up. So I need to keep a weapon at hand a little longer.”

“It is not fit to be supplied to the Knight Order anyway, so I do not much care when you bring it back. But do not let your superiors catch wind of it. That would only give me a headache. If it had not been for that brat Rohan, I would never have lent it to you in the first place.”

“I am truly grateful.”

“When your assignment succeeds, you had better treat me to something.”

“Of course.”

Smith gave a rough laugh and then looked at me with meaningful eyes.

“Do you know why I lent you the weapon?”

“I cannot say I do.”

“Before I settled down here, I traveled to many places and met many people. That is why I can read people’s expressions better than most. Back then, you had the face of someone who looked ready to pull off something big. And now that expression has grown even stronger. If it is you, would it not be worth placing a large bet?”

I smiled and lowered my head. After Rohan, it seemed I would owe this man Smith at least a mug of beer as well.

***

After talking with Smith, I returned to Rosetta. Right on time, Head Chef Ramsay was busy tearing into the other cooks.

I spent some time organizing the piles of documents and waited for him to come out of the kitchen.

“Chef.”

“Oh, there you are.”

Fortunately, Chef Ramsay was not severe with people who had nothing to do with cooking itself. He was a man with tremendous professional pride. Dusting off his hands, he walked over.

“Thanks to you, last night’s banquet ended without incident. I did not properly thank you, and for that I owe you an apology.”

“It is all right. I am simply glad I was of help.”

“Hahaha! You certainly do not speak like an apprentice.”

There was no harm in building good relationships with many people.

Rosetta, in particular, was not a place one could ignore. It might stand one rank below Primera, but many important gatherings and meals were still held there.

And where people gathered, information gathered with them.

I intended to maintain a good relationship with Chef Ramsay as well.

“How are the ingredients now?”

“We can hold out for the moment, but unless the underlying problem is resolved, that will not be enough. Hah, it weighs heavily on me. The morale of the others is already scraping the floor because of it.”

“So it is just as I thought.”

“I should not have said all that. Do not push yourself too hard. For an apprentice, you have already done everything you could.”

Far better than Training Officer Cornel, who sat behind the scenes cracking melon seeds. A man worth being grateful to.

“Ah, that reminds me. Did you not say before that you had one favor to ask of me?”

“I did.”

I deliberately hesitated for a moment. Then I looked at him as if I felt apologetic.

“It is fine. Go on and say it. If it is something I can help with, I will help as much as I can.”

“No, not yet. Once I finish this matter completely, I will ask you then.”

“There is still something left that you can do?”

“I believe so.”

Chef Ramsay looked at me with curious eyes.

I answered only with a confident smile.

Just wait a little longer, Chef.

Better days are coming.