Chapter 124 : Chapter 124
Chapter 124
“I greet the Young Master.”
Compared to me, who received him at ease, Rohan was shocked out of his wits. After all, he was one of the people who knew the Third Young Master’s bad reputation better than anyone.
But when it came to etiquette, we had been trained mercilessly.
Butlers were the sort of people who could leap up from sleep and present flawless courtesy in an instant. Neither of us showed the slightest disorder.
“What brings you all the way to such a shabby place, Young Master?”
I answered him, and the Young Master snorted as he stood there with one leg crooked.
“You’re the one who made me come all the way to this shabby place. If your business was finished, you should have come running at once to pay your respects. How dare you make me come to you personally?”
“It looked as though you were going out earlier, so I intended to greet you again this evening. I apologize for not coming to see you at once.”
“You can throw your apology to the dogs.”
At the abusive words that followed, Rohan was completely frightened. But I knew that the Young Master was in an utterly calm state. I was one of the very few people who knew what he was truly like.
“I hear you received a title this time. And even got promoted to Assigned Butler. You must be having the time of your life. I also heard that Sir Yanrof is holding a banquet this evening.”
“That is how it turned out. Thank you for your congratulations.”
“Does that sound like congratulations to you?”
“The Young Master has a distinctive way of speaking. Even so, I did serve you for a short time, if intensely, didn’t I?”
When I grinned, Hamel gave a laugh of disbelief. That one wasn’t an act. He really did seem dumbfounded.
“So you went to the Royal Capital and came back with your tongue all slicked up. I imagine there are plenty of women desperate for that three-inch tongue of yours.”
“You misunderstand.”
“Now that you’ve got a title, I can’t even call you lowborn anymore, damn it. It feels like I’ve lost one of my toys. In any case, come with me. I have something to say.”
As self-willed as ever.
After giving that order, the Third Young Master stepped out of the room. I followed him, and before long we arrived at his residence. Sir Paramela was nowhere to be seen.
When the Young Master swept an arrogant hand through the air, the Maids inside lowered their heads and withdrew. Hamel leaned back into the luxurious chair placed in the middle.
“You’re only minor nobility, but a baronet is still a noble. How does it feel to be a noble?”
“It feels excellent.”
“I hear you received the Tordan Region as your fief. That’s the limit of a Butler. If you had been a Knight, you could have received a far better fief. Don’t you regret not listening to me?”
“Not at all.”
He had gotten remarkably prickly while I was away. Our Third Young Master. Maybe I ought to hand him a nice bunch of sweet grapes.
“It is impossible to know whether something is good or bad until you open it up and look inside. I’m satisfied. A fief is a gift I never expected.”
“What are you scheming?”
“If the terrain includes mountain ranges, then there is a high chance natural resources are buried there. It might not be a bad idea to search for a good vein and develop it.”
“Hmph, fantasy. Do you think gold veins are that common? Besides, what are you planning to do with a little village of not even a hundred people?”
“Gold isn’t the only thing that makes money. If something people need can be mined there, then making money will be quick enough.”
“You worldly creature.”
That description suited him better than me, really.
But I could hardly say that aloud, so I shifted the subject slightly.
“By the way, what was the reason you summoned me separately?”
“There’s something I need to ask.”
With that as his opening, Young Master Hamel crossed his legs the other way and began glaring at me.
“The truth is, I’m coming back from Metis. I had something to discuss with a fellow called Suhyeon, but they said he was away.”
Of course you couldn’t meet him. Master Suhyeon was standing right in front of you.
“From what I heard, he went to the Royal Capital, so you’ll have to serve as a bridge. Since you’ll be returning there soon anyway.”
“Please command me.”
“I need his help, so tell him to return to the territory as quickly as possible. Tell him I need to see his face as soon as I can. Things are moving urgently.”
“I would appreciate it if you could at least give me a hint as to the matter.”
The Young Master kept his lips tightly shut as he glared at me. I merely lowered my head and looked at the floor. If he told me, I would be grateful. If he did not, that was fine too.
After a moment, Young Master Hamel finally opened his mouth carefully.
“My second brother has shut himself away and there’s no news from him. He isn’t even receiving visitors. I can’t let a chance like this slip away. So I’m planning to move things along a little faster.”
“I see.”
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. From now on, I’ll be contending not with the second, but with the first brother.”
His eyes shone with desire.
The reason the Second Young Master had gone to ground was simple. It must be because I had passed him Diablo’s Chalice. Having gotten his hands on that artifact, he was probably completely immersed in Necromancy by now.
It would be troublesome if a Gate opened in some corner of the mansion and Demonic Beings started pouring out.
Quite apart from the whole house collapsing in ruin, I had no wish to see people I knew—Rohan, Ramsay, Smith, and the others—come to harm.
“I understand the Young Master’s situation well enough. The moment I return to the Royal Capital, I shall seek an audience with Master Suhyeon and inform him of it at once.”
“Let your steps be light and your mouth be heavy. You understand what I mean, don’t you?”
In other words, shut up, go, and deliver the message properly. I bowed my head and accepted the order.
“Then I shall take my leave. Please take care of yourself.”
“Get out.”
I ended up letting out a small laugh. That was the charm of the Third Young Master. I liked that unchanging consistency.
***
That evening, a celebration banquet was held for my promotion.
Since it was an event of the Butler Corps, no high nobles or retainers attended, but aside from the butlers on duty, every butler gathered in Rosetta.
As a result, the place was crowded enough to rival a full banquet. Even the apprentices had all come.
Wearing the splendid tailcoat I had received in the Royal Capital, I entered Rosetta.
The people who had been waiting welcomed me.
The first person who caught my eye was Chef Ramsay. I had missed his cooking, so it was a pleasure to meet him again like this.
“I trust you’ve been well?”
“I’ve been the same as ever. It feels like only yesterday you were still an apprentice, and now you’ve already got a baronetcy pinned on you. On top of that, a promotion to Assigned Butler. The world really is something to behold if you live long enough! Hahaha.”
That was what Chef Ramsay said. Since he too held the rank of Baronet, the nature of our relationship had not changed very much. To be honest, I preferred it that way.
I smiled and replied,
“If we calculate it roughly, it really was only yesterday. It hasn’t even been that many months since I came to the house.”
“In any case, congratulations! The chefs of Rosetta have prepared the food with all their hearts, so don’t hold back and eat as much as you like. Understood?”
“Thank you, Chef.”
I offered him my hand, and the moment he took it, the Status Window appeared.
If possible, I had been checking the Status Window of every person I knew. More than anything, I wanted to test Favorability.
Other than that, there was not much of note, but his Favorability was 81.
At first it felt lower than I expected, but then I reconsidered after thinking of the fact that Rohan, the closest friend I had in the world, was only at 95. In that light, it was actually a very high number.
For reference, Yanrof was 74, and Arthas was 80.
If no one else, then at the very least I intended to raise Arthas’s Favorability above 90.
If this were a game, I could probably do it with a few rewards or gifts. But this was reality, not a game. It would not be that easy. Not unless there was some special trigger like in Kalmond’s case, where I had saved his life.
In any case, although I wanted to see Sapiela’s and Arwen’s Favorability as well now that the new category had been unlocked, I would have to wait until I returned to the Royal Capital for that.
Once the banquet was over and I went to Metis, I would have to check the Favorability of my subordinates there as well.
Especially Kalmond, Eluna, and Spinel. Those three in particular needed checking. Not only their Favorability, but also how much their Levels had risen in the meantime.
Just as I was thinking that, the middle-aged chef standing beside Ramsay cut in.
“Thanks to you, Sir Dilen, the popularity of Ramyeon Stir-Fry has absolutely exploded! I’ve developed a new method of cooking based on Sir Dilen’s original recipe. If it would not be rude, might I ask you to taste it later?”
Some time ago, Young Lady Sapiela had taken a liking to Ramyeon Stir-Fry, so I had handed the recipe over to Rosetta and had it turned into a special menu item. It seemed that decision was now bearing fruit.
I smiled readily and nodded.
“Of course. Has my master also had the chance to taste it?”
“He comes to Rosetta to eat Ramyeon Stir-Fry at least once a week. If you have any other recipes at all, please, I beg you, pass them on to us. Please. Rosetta’s very fate depends on it!”
That seemed like a slight exaggeration. But out of respect for Chef Ramsay’s dignity, I would probably have to hand over a few more.
He was a chef with a fair amount of experience, and seeing him bow his head toward me was rather burdensome.
Still, now that more and more people would be bowing before me, I supposed I would have to get used to it.
In any case, my secret bachelor-style cooking had only just begun. There were still plenty of dishes I knew how to make, so perhaps later I ought to create a proper Dilen Special Set Menu.
“This way, Sir Dilen.”
Yanrof called to me, and I stepped out in front of the assembled butlers. All eyes turned toward me.
Just as I was wondering what I ought to do, Yanrof patted me on the shoulder and smiled broadly. For a man who was usually so stern, it was a remarkably dramatic change of expression.
“It feels as though you only just lost the apprentice tag, so I suppose I’ll have to make the introduction myself. As all of you already know, Sir Dilen rendered great service at the Bahamut Ducal House. In recognition of that, his Apprenticeship has been skipped, and he will now serve immediately as an Assigned Butler. I ask all of you to give him a warm round of applause and your congratulations.”
Applause poured forth.
Of course, not everyone thought positively of me. One obvious example was Weiss, who stood off to one side glaring at me. There were a few others as well.
Even back when I was still an apprentice, there had been some Regular Butlers who disliked me out of jealousy for my ability. I remembered their names well enough.
Naturally, their expressions could not have been good. I had leapt past the Regular Butler rank and become an Assigned Butler.
But it was impossible to be liked by everyone.
I did not even have enough time to treat all the people who did like me well. That was one of the small lessons I had learned while attending graduate school in my previous life.
“Sir Dilen, how about saying a few words? It isn’t easy to gather everyone like this, after all.”
“Shall I?”
I saw no reason to refuse an opportunity that had been handed to me. I stepped forward and gave my remarks.
“I hardly know where to put myself with everyone celebrating me like this. From here on, I will work for the house with even greater humility. I want to leave the past behind and start anew alongside all of you. Once again, I ask for your kind guidance.”
I bowed my head and, for a brief moment, sent my gaze toward Chief Secretary Weiss. He was sipping his wine with a stony expression. He really did continue to bother me.
At that moment, Head Butler Yanrof spread his arms wide and called out loudly.
“Everyone, eat and drink to your hearts’ content! Opportunities like this do not come often!”
Amid the congratulations of many butlers, I enjoyed the banquet.
A thought occurred to me.
Being a Butler was not such a bad profession after all. In the end, everywhere people lived was more or less the same.
At the same time, I could not help wondering what it would have been like if Young Lady Sapiela had been here as well.
What was she doing at the mansion right now?
The night deepened.