The Top-Tier Butler of the Marquis Family

Chapter 078

“You becoming the Young Lady’s Guard Knight? What kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden?”

“It is sudden, I’ll give you that, but it isn’t strange. I already got the Young Lady’s permission.”

“Me...... me, Arthas, becoming Young Lady Sapiela’s Guard Knight?”

Arthas looked as though he could not believe it. Seeing such a dazed expression on the face of a man who was usually so upright somehow made me want to laugh. Yes, this was exactly why being a butler was fun.

“The truth is, the Young Lady is about to enroll in a special program at the Royal Academy. So she needs someone to guard her. Ah, and this is high-level information, so keep it to yourself.”

“She’s enrolling in the Royal Academy? I have no idea what’s going on, but fine. All right, let’s say that part is good. But right now, even if the position is temporary, Sir Lorenz is still the Young Lady’s Guard Knight, isn’t he? Was there talk of him stepping down?”

“No. Nothing like that. But the Guard Knight is going to change soon.”

“How? Do you know how much lobbying Sir Lorenz did with Commander Varian just to get that position?”

So Lorenz really did not seem particularly well regarded even within the Knight Order. Then again, if his skill was mediocre and his temperament was rotten, even the people who liked him would drift away.

“The way to pull him down is surprisingly simple.”

“How?”

“What do you think is the most important virtue a knight must have if he is to guard someone of high standing within the house, like the Young Lady or the Young Masters?”

“Refinement and skill.”

A Guard Knight had to remain constantly at the side of the noble he guarded. That meant he needed not only outstanding martial skill, but also enough refinement to hold a proper conversation.

I crossed my arms, leaned back against the wall, and asked,

“With that in mind, do you really think Sir Lorenz has both of those qualities?”

“Not at all. To be honest, if I truly gritted my teeth and went at him, I’m not sure how it would turn out.”

“That’s why I’m going to pull him down.”

Pull him down? Arthas repeated the words under his breath, then flinched and narrowed his eyes.

“You can’t possibly mean......”

“I’m going to challenge Sir Lorenz to a duel.”

“You crazy bastard! Are you joking?”

“If you’re going to praise me, why not do it more politely instead of so violently?”

“I’m honestly speechless. I already thought you had a screw loose somewhere, but at this point it looks more like you’re missing ten of them. You’re going to challenge a knight? Are you out of your mind?”

It seemed Arthas still thought he was above me. Well, that was only natural. As long as he did not know I was a Mana User, everyone would think that way.

That said, it was not as though I could turn to a man who would soon be forging brotherly bonds with me and say, The truth is, it was my own ability that broke your sword back then.

Shrugging my shoulders, I smiled.

“I easily beat a promising apprentice knight, so maybe I can hold my own against someone like Sir Lorenz too?”

“That was only because you got lucky! If my weapon had been properly maintained then......”

“Do you really think so?”

When I asked that with a sly smile, Arthas shut his mouth tightly. What I had shown him then was not just a powerful attack. I had also shown him the fear that, if I wanted to, I could block every attack he launched.

Had he not said it himself back then? What the hell are you? That was how hard the spar had been for him.

“But would Sir Lorenz really accept your challenge? If you ask me, it sounds more like he’d keep running away. There are already all sorts of rumors that he’s a coward.”

“He’ll probably refuse. The truth is, since he keeps picking fights with me these days, I already told him I wanted to spar once, but he turned me down. Said he didn’t have time to entertain a mere apprentice or something like that.”

“Then wouldn’t that mean the duel won’t happen in the first place?”

“I’ll make him walk out on his own.”

“That look on your face says you’ve got a method?”

Grinning, I nodded.

I had already thought the entire thing through. It was not particularly difficult. All I had to do was spread a rumor through the mansion that Sir Lorenz was avoiding my challenge because he was afraid.

It was a method that made use of the weakness of a man who had more to lose than I did.

Right now, my reputation in the mansion was extremely good. Ever since I defeated Arthas, requests had come pouring in from people who wanted to see me spar against other members of the Knight Order.

So in that sense, this duel could simply be seen as a reflection of public sentiment. There was nothing especially unnatural about it.

More importantly, the mansion’s information broker was in the palm of my hand. If I used Rohan, it would not even take half a day for the rumor to spread through the entire mansion.

“In any case, Sir Lorenz won’t be able to refuse my challenge. Public opinion will force his hand. So if I defeat him, I’ll pull him down by questioning his qualifications as a Guard Knight, and then you’ll become the Young Lady’s Guard Knight. That’s the story.”

“Something about that feels off.”

“What does?”

“If you defeat Sir Lorenz, shouldn’t you be the one who becomes the Guard Knight?”

“That’s right. On paper, I’ll be the one for the time being. Of course, it’ll be impossible for me to become the formal Guard Knight. Most likely, it’ll end with me being given some temporary position like an Attending Secretary. But the one who’ll actually guard the Young Lady will be you. I’ll make you my lieutenant. ......What’s with that reaction? You said it was your dream. To become the Young Lady’s Guard Knight.”

“That took all the wind out of it. It’s only half a Guard Knight. A Guard Knight who can’t even be called a Guard Knight.”

“Hahahaha.”

I laughed heartily and gave his shoulder a light smack.

“You can’t fill your stomach with the very first spoonful, can you? Use this chance to gain experience, catch the Young Lady’s eye, and aim for promotion.”

“If it turns out like that, then formally becoming a knight won’t be much of a problem either.”

“That’s why I’m telling you it’s a good offer. There’s no loss in it for you.”

Arthas agreed without even a moment’s hesitation.

Of course, once the order came down, he would not really have a choice anyway, but there was still a world of difference between doing something you wanted and doing something you did not.

Letting out a long sigh, Arthas stared straight through me.

“What are you dissatisfied with now?”

“It just feels like one interesting thing after another keeps happening. Starting with that last Tax Audit. What exactly is this feeling that the fate of major affairs within the house keeps getting decided in your hands? What the hell are you, anyway?”

“What am I? I’m the ace Butler Apprentice who gave a proper lesson to a pathetic apprentice knight.”

“......I told you not to bring that up.”

It looked as though he might genuinely get sulky, so I stopped teasing him. At this rate, if we had a rematch soon, I might have to go easy on him and let him win on purpose. It was starting to look like this would become a lifelong trauma for him otherwise.

Just then, I remembered something I had almost forgotten and looked at him.

“There’s one important thing I haven’t mentioned yet. In exchange for giving you such a good opportunity, there’s one condition.”

“Hah, so how exactly are you planning to work me to the bone this time?”

“It’s nothing difficult. You know as well as I do from our spar that your fundamentals are a bit lacking, don’t you?”

“Not a bit. They’re very lacking.”

When I gave him a look, Arthas clicked his tongue. Saying they were very lacking was no different from spitting into the air while lying down. After all, he had lost to someone whose fundamentals were supposedly lacking.

“With that in mind, I want you to help me with some swordsmanship training.”

“Be specific.”

“I want you to teach me swordsmanship. From the basics all the way to practical swordsmanship.”

Rubbing his chin, Arthas began to eye me suspiciously.

“It’s not hard for me to teach you, but aren’t you going to be a butler? You people only need to learn enough swordsmanship for personal protection. What we learn is combat swordsmanship. Even if you learn it, it won’t really be of any use to you. You’re the sort who’ll just be clinging to documents anyway.”

“There’s no harm in learning it, is there? I want to straighten out my fundamentals and give it a proper try this time.”

“All right. It’s not difficult, anyway.”

“Then let’s meet at the Training Ground every night at ten.”

Arthas nodded coolly.

That was why I liked this friend. Once he made up his mind, he did not waste time doubting or worrying. He simply pushed ahead to the end.

“But is all of this really going to happen? Won’t His Excellency the Marquis object if he finds out? It doesn’t seem right to leave the Young Lady in the hands of apprentices.”

“Don’t worry. It’s almost certain that the Young Lady will go to the Royal Capital. I already created a situation where there’s no justification for refusing.”

Young Master Hamel and Young Lady Sapiela would take care of that part on their own. And if both of them recommended the two of us together, then even the Marquis would not be able to say much.

The Royal Capital was extremely secure, and the Adeline Marquis House had both a residence and private soldiers there, so there was nothing especially dangerous about it. It would only be a temporary post for a few months, after all.

“Anyway, just make preparations to go to the Royal Capital. And if there are any duties you don’t absolutely have to do, try not to overextend yourself.”

“All right.”

“Good work.”

I gave him a light wave and then returned to the mansion.

***

When I arrived in front of the shabby door, I paused and glanced around.

There was no one passing by. Then again, this was the apprentices’ quarters, so unless something unusual happened, almost no one came and went here. And someone of high standing, even less so.

I checked the number and knocked lightly on the door.

It opened almost at once, and the one who greeted me was Rohan. Apparently, he had not expected me to come. His eyes widened into circles as he asked,

“What’s this? What are you doing here? Coming all the way to my room.”

“I was bored while resting.”

“Bored? Booooored? What kind of nonsense is that? You, my lord, who’s always so busy with work, training, and missions, suddenly show up and say you were bored? Who would believe that?”

Letting out a quiet laugh, I brushed past Rohan and went inside. Then, exactly as he always did in my room, I flopped down across his bed with my shoes still on.

As expected, Rohan’s expression hardened immediately.

“Hey! Sit in the chair, the chair! I washed those sheets yesterday, you bastard! You’re acting like this is your own room!”

“Do you understand how I feel now?”

“......Damn it.”

Still grumbling, Rohan dragged over a chair and sat beside me. Since he always treated my bed like his own, he really had no room to complain.

Sitting crookedly, Rohan crossed his legs.

“So what is it? You didn’t really come because you were bored.”

“I need a favor.”

“You know it won’t be easy if you come empty-handed, right?”

I knew he would say that.

I had already decided not to let him even open his mouth to bargain, so I rummaged through my pocket and tossed him a Gold Coin. As expected, Rohan was stunned.

“T-This is real Gold?”

“That’s right. One Gold.”

“Don’t tell me you need my life? Not one Silver, but one whole Gold!”

“If I needed your life, I would’ve added more. It’s a very simple matter.”

“What is it, then?”

Even as he said that, Rohan carefully tucked the coin away into his clothes, as though afraid he might somehow lose it. I sat up and faced him.

“The truth is, not long ago I asked Sir Lorenz to spar with me once. We had a minor clash.”

“......You might be the only Butler Apprentice in history who’d dare pick a fight with a Guard Knight.”

“You know what he’s like. He’s always dying to get at me whenever he sees me.”

It was something both Rohan and Arwen, who was quite close to me, already knew well. Since Arwen regularly came and went from the Young Lady’s residence, she had seen it with her own eyes more than once.

So both of them already knew that Sir Lorenz and I did not get along. That made things move quickly.

“So this time, I wanted to teach him a proper lesson, but Sir Lorenz refused. Said he didn’t have the time to play around with a mere apprentice. Said I should swing my sword one more time instead.”

“That sounds less like he refused and more like he dodged it.”

Smiling, I nodded.

“Doesn’t it? I think he avoided it because he was scared. If he were truly confident in his skill, then he would’ve beaten down an insolent little upstart like me just to teach me a lesson. I hear he hasn’t even been training properly and has just been fooling around lately.”

“Don’t tell me you......”

This was exactly why I liked Rohan. He was very quick on the uptake, and among all the possibilities of what might happen next, he always had a talent for choosing the most entertaining one.

“That’s right. Exactly what you’re thinking. Spread a rumor around the mansion for me. And if possible, spread it in the village too.”

“If that’s the kind of estimate we’re talking about, one Gold won’t be enough.”

“You bastard. Weren’t you the one always going on about how good friends should help each other out? And now you’re trying to haggle?”

Clicking my tongue, I pulled out one more Gold Coin from my pocket. Snatching it up, Rohan grinned.

“Deal!”