Chapter 59 : Chapter 59
Chapter 059
For a moment, silence fell.
Not just the nobles, but even the Guard Knights standing behind them widened their eyes.
“What do you think you are doing?”
Young Master Hamel glared at me, and I tightened my grip even harder on the hand I had seized.
“That thing in your hand, is it not a drug?”
“A drug? Hahaha! You do spout interesting things. And what proof do you have that it is a drug?”
The Young Master flicked his fingers and gave a short laugh. But tricks that shallow did not work on me. I was an engineer with a proper higher education.
“If it is some mind-blowing new product that came in from the underworld, then what else would it be but a drug?”
“It could just be liquor.”
“If it were liquor, there would be some sort of smell. But there is no smell at all coming from that bottle.”
At the moment, I had mana infused into my nose. Just in case, I had sniffed it before stopping Hamel. That was not liquor. It was clearly water or some other liquid medicine.
“What, do you have a dog’s nose? How exactly do you think you smelled it?”
“Well, I have been called a son of a bitch often enough while working, so perhaps I really am a dog after all. The son of one, anyway.”
“Hahahahaha!”
Young Master Hamel slapped his knee and laughed. But the reactions of the other nobles were lukewarm. First, I snatched the violet bottle from Hamel’s hand and tilted it toward the floor.
TRICKLE.
The liquid poured out.
Of course, I did not touch the bottles held by the other nobles. That was a matter for their own Guard Knights to handle. Once I had emptied the bottle completely, I tossed it aside.
Heinel, who had been staring at me in disbelief, asked in an arrogant voice,
“Do you have any idea how much money you just spilled onto the floor? You just poured out an amount you could never earn in your entire life, even if you worked your body to the bone. Do you understand that? Do you have any idea what you are doing right now?”
“That is none of my concern. What I do know is that you young masters are doing something that violates Kingdom Law.”
The Guard Knights put their hands on their sword hilts. A few drew them far enough that the blades showed, threatening me.
“This wretch really does answer back at every turn!”
Heinel shot to his feet as though he were about to strike me, but fortunately Young Master Hamel stretched out a hand and stopped him.
“That is enough. Stop there.”
Of course, the fortunate one was not me, but Heinel. A lump like him would have gone flying with a single kick from me.
I lightly ignored Heinel and bowed my head toward Young Master Hamel.
“Young Master, it is late. We ought to return now. I will not report what happened tonight to the Master.”
“......Are you threatening me right now?”
“It is not a threat, but a respectful recommendation, Young Master. Please rise.”
Hoo. Letting out a sigh, Young Master Hamel glared at me. Then he suddenly stood and drew his sword.
SHING!
It was a fine sword, alive with sharp killing intent. Young Master Hamel opened his eyes wide and aimed the blade at me.
“A mere servant dares defy his master’s word? Blood must be drawn tonight. You are the one who hastened this fate, so do not resent me when you reach the Afterlife.”
“I have only been faithful to the duty of one who serves as a butler. It is only natural to protect the safety of the one I attend.”
“Safety, my ass. What sort of apprentice tries to act like a butler?”
“Everything has its beginning. Just as a tadpole becomes a frog, so too does a butler have his apprentice days. If one cannot keep even the basics, how can one ever become a Full Butler?”
I shot back without yielding a single word. I understood very well what sort of man he was. He liked people who bared their teeth more than those who merely obeyed.
It was not obedience that thrilled him, but the act of crushing someone who dared resist.
More than anything, the reason I could stand so confidently here was the Status Window I had seen when I grabbed his arm.
○ Hamel de Adeline
Rank: ★★★★★
Level: 31
Traits: Acting A, Swordsmanship A, Tactics A, Stratagem A, Intuition B, Courage B, ???
Status: Iron Wall Examiner
[Not Unlocked]
[Not Unlocked]
......
Iron Wall Examiner.
Surely it did not mean a laboratory test tube all of a sudden, so the word examiner had to mean one who oversees a test.
And if one added to that his Acting A-rank and Stratagem A-rank?
He was carrying out an interview disguised as a private party. In other words, he meant to scrape down to the bottom of my character and inspect what lay beneath.
Simply put, he wanted to sound me out—whether I truly worked for the sake of the House, or whether I was refusing only him out of personal motives.
He had played a clever move, but he had chosen the wrong opponent. I was not the sort of man who would fall for that.
Which meant that, in this place, it would be best to show loyalty to the House, even if I pushed it slightly too far.
“You damned bastard.”
As expected, the Young Master, who had been glaring at me as though he wanted me dead, lowered his sword.
THUNK!
With an irritated motion, he shoved the blade back into its scabbard and turned sharply away.
“It seems we ought to return here for tonight. We will postpone the gathering until next time. Since the fearsome lord butler here says he will go tattling, the rest of you can save what you are holding for another day.”
“Tch! It cannot be helped!”
“What a waste. It was a fine opportunity, and that vulgar apprentice ruined it all.”
It felt as though the gathering were being broken up.
At Hamel’s words, the nobles set the violet bottles in their hands back onto the table. The test seemed to be over. If that had not been the case, there would have been no reason for them to set them down.
Gesturing toward the outside with one hand, I spoke politely.
“I shall escort you out, Young Master.”
“Lead on.”
I took the lead before Young Master Hamel and guided the way. The other nobles remained behind, continuing to drink and chatter.
Though the night had deepened, the air outside was still warm. Stars glittered thick across the sky.
At that moment, Sir Paramela, who had been checking over the carriage, came hurrying toward us.
“You are already finished? Tonight’s gathering has ended early.”
“Some damned bastard ruined the mood.”
Sir Paramela looked down at me in silence. I merely shrugged and smiled.
Together with Young Master Hamel, I climbed back into the carriage. The knight and soldiers formed up again and began escorting it. A moment later, with the usual rattling, the carriage set off.
And then the mouth of the Young Master, who had been silent until then, opened as well.
“Did you know?”
“My apologies, Young Master. I did not quite hear you.”
“I asked whether you knew. That all of this was a show.”
He admitted it more easily than I had expected. A laugh rose in me, but I swallowed it down and played ignorant instead.
“A show? What exactly do you mean, Young Master?”
Young Master Hamel pressed a hand to his forehead. It seemed his head was throbbing. Well, of course it was. He could not even beat me, so he had every reason to feel frustrated.
“What was in that violet bottle was not a drug, but well water. I arranged that scene because I wanted to test your loyalty. I specially asked my friends to help with it. Well, tonight was a regular gathering anyway.”
“It was a curious gathering. Like water and oil being forcibly mixed together.”
“That is what gatherings among nobles are like. They are meetings created by necessity, which also means they are the sort that can shatter at any time once that necessity disappears.”
That much, I did not particularly care to know. In modern terms, it was TMI. Relationships like that had been common enough in the world I came from too.
Still, now that it had been confirmed that he had tried to test me, I felt like pushing back a little. The man had some nerve.
“In any case, I am relieved. That is one less matter I would have to report to His Excellency the Marquis.”
“Ha! You bastard, were you really planning to tell on me?”
“If I am to become a Full Butler, then I must keep the rules properly. No matter that you are a young master, if you were to do something that serious, I would have no choice.”
Young Master Hamel let out a sigh as though the whole thing were absurd. He shut his eyes tightly. Only after the carriage had rattled on dozens of times did he finally open them again.
When he did, the new gaze that met me was clear and transparent, all traces of drink gone.
“Enough of the side talk. Let us get to the point. Become my subordinate.”
“I have already told you that that would be difficult.”
“I need a strategist. I need someone whose mind works sharply and fast. And it would be even better if he were handy with a blade as well. That describes you exactly.”
“I do not know the reason, but Young Master, you are already more than clever enough as you are.”
“It is not enough on my own.”
To be honest, I was curious about the reason. But I held my tongue and waited.
“If you look at them one by one, my first and second brothers have abilities similar to mine. I may even be a little ahead of them. But the difference is that they have many good subordinates beside them.”
That was only natural. The higher one stood in the order, the higher the chance of inheriting the House. In any case, even in this kingdom, the principle was still usually that the eldest son inherited.
Most likely, the best talent pool belonged to the First Young Master. It was always difficult to be the one coming from behind.
“If Sir Paramela heard that, he would be saddened.”
“To be honest, Paramela is not enough. I would need dozens of men like him before I even had a chance to contend.”
“If someone overheard you, they might think you were plotting treason.”
“Let them think what they like!”
I liked his bold way of speaking. Then again, he would need ambition on this level if he meant to overtake the first and second sons and climb to the top.
“I am sorry, but my answer remains what it was before.”
“Ha......”
Young Master Hamel shook his head from side to side and let out a sigh. At this point, I almost found him pitiable.
“So it cannot be helped.”
If I ever got the chance, I wanted to make him read Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Liu Bei went out of his way three times to seek Zhuge Liang, yet this bastard was trying to get me for free.
“Apprentice. Why do you think there are so few talented people around me?”
“With my limited understanding, that is not a question I can answer easily.”
“Is it not a butler’s duty to do what he is told? A moment ago you were babbling about the duty of one who serves as a butler, and now you are trying to step back? Out with it.”
“......The reason is simple.”
“You are not about to give me some tiresome answer about how I am only the third son, are you?”
Smiling, I bowed my head politely.
“Because there is something wrong with your personality, Young Master.”
“What is wrong with it?”
“The decisive problem is that your temper is foul and you are a wastrel. Who would entrust himself to a man when he never knows when his head might fly off? It is a matter of fundamentals.”
Unexpectedly, Young Master Hamel did not grow angry. Instead, he rested his chin on one hand and sank into thought. He truly was a remarkably fresh kind of psychopath.
“......And yet, would not the ones who stay by my side despite that be the real gems?”
“That may be true. But you are still compared to the Second Young Master, who is famous for his good character. If one speaks fair words, fair words return.”
“That is just a mask! My second brother is actually famous for having an even fouler temper! He is a complete psycho!”
It did not feel like the sort of thing he ought to say, but I merely listened without any reaction. If I so much as nodded, my head might fly off.
“It is good to show one’s true self, but at times a mask is necessary. I do think it is sometimes necessary to keep up a proper degree of courtesy.”
“And what exactly am I supposed to do about that now?”
“How about falling from a third-floor balcony? There is one apprentice who came to his senses thanks to that.”
At my joke, Young Master Hamel let out a short laugh. The carriage still rattled on without pause, but as we spoke openly like that, I could feel the distance between us narrowing slightly.
And so the carriage arrived back at the mansion.
As he stepped down from it, the Third Young Master threw out a single remark with a meaningful expression.
“You, too, are wearing a very thick mask.”
Smiling, I bowed my head.
Still, now that he mentioned masks, Simon came to mind. I wonder whether he is making my face mask properly.