Chapter 10
Chapter 10
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Bosses and Santas Survive by Piercing True Feelings (5)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I carefully tucked the token into my bosom. Losing it would be a disaster.
“Young Master, please take care on your journey.”
Muriel approached me, arms full of bundles. She shoved the luggage onto Dandel and straightened my clothes. Even though I was dressed casually for the long trip, without any formal attire, she fussed over my collar several times, as if it bothered her.
“The Duchess only left a short while ago, and you’re already rushing about without time to compose yourself. This nanny is worried.”
A heart sparkled above Muriel’s head. They were clearly worried about Sierra, not me, but for some reason, my own heart felt unsettled too.
“I woke the head chef to pack lunches! I couldn’t sleep thinking of a noble like you eating just anything.”
Behind Muriel, who said this, the head chef was twitching his lips and rolling his eyes. Instinctively, I knew he was about to launch into a lecture about his cooking.
“Duke! This time, the dish I prepared is—!”
“Alphonse! Spit!”
Fortunately, Muriel shoved the head chef back before he could make a fuss. The burly man staggered away like a sheet of paper under the nanny’s push.
“This time, it’s with wild duck...!”
“Alphonse! Get back!”
“B-but!”
“Now!”
[Muriel’s Charisma trait activated]
“Y-yes...”
Others had gathered too, lining up in front of the mansion in their best clothes to see me off. It was embarrassing and left me feeling all fluttery.
“It’s just a few days away. Isn’t this send-off a bit much?”
The head butler said in a kindly voice.
“It shows how much care everyone puts into serving you, Young Master.”
As someone who could see everyone’s affection levels, I felt a bit awkward. The head butler and nanny aside, the others didn’t truly like me—not even one full heart’s worth.
The head chef, to start with, couldn’t tear his eyes from his neatly wrapped dishes. It wouldn’t surprise me if he pulled herbs from his pocket right now. He wasn’t here to see me off; he was seeing off his food...
Still, no one harbored ill will. I was sure of it.
My personnel measures were showing clear results. Not many worried about or liked me, but no one hated me intensely either.
The servants’ affection levels were sorted out nicely now. Black hearts were nowhere to be found in my mansion anymore. At worst, nothing—or at least one red heart glowed.
“Duke! I’ve brought the horses!”
The boy handing me the reins had three hearts of affection toward me. Even without checking, his eyes said it all. His face screamed, “This guy seems kinda nice.”
So innocent. He had no idea it was all an adult’s scheme.
As I’d instructed, the head butler started giving the younger servants free time and snacks. “It’s all special treatment from the Duke,” he’d say.
Acting all high and mighty while treating them well hooked the innocent kids fast. If I wanted reliable staff, I’d make them myself.
“Thanks. Well-managed horse.”
I knew nothing about horses, but I could tell. The horse’s eyes sparkled, its large frame gleamed with glossy fur, and its mane was neatly braided—a sign of love. The stable boy gently stroked it.
“I’m working hard at it. Thank you! Thank you!”
“Yeah. Keep it up.”
“Y-yes!”
No need to thank me that much... The stable boy kept glancing at me sidelong as he led the horse to the carriage. Other boys his age peeked from nearby, drawn out to gawk at me.
What a send-off.
“Duke! All the luggage is loaded. Shall we depart?”
Dandel came rushing over after busily moving bags for a while. Servant boys clung subtly around him, but he pushed through like an adventurer hacking vines, full of vigor. His enthusiasm was a tad overwhelming. Everyone in this ducal house was overly diligent.
“Let’s go. Take good care of the mansion while I’m gone.”
I looked around anyway, though I knew she wouldn’t come. Dahlia didn’t appear. It was still early dawn, after all. No need to wake a child for this. Watching her brother head out to hunt people offered zero educational value.
The head butler read my thoughts from my expression alone and spoke warmly.
“No need to worry about Lady Dahlia. We’ll serve her with utmost care while you’re away.”
“Utmost care? Just take good care of her.”
Leaving the boisterous crowd behind, I walked to the carriage with Dandel. It waited at the main gate. Dandel stuck close, acting like a sycophantic mustache by a magistrate’s side.
“Duke! Duke! Thanks to you, the mansion’s atmosphere is so much brighter!”
“It’s not even been long since the funeral. Brighter? What’s bright about it?”
“Aw.”
“Let’s hear it. Why?”
Dandel’s eyes sparkled, as if he’d been waiting.
“You called all the servant kids by name, right?”
“Me?”
Searching my memory, yeah, something like that. Probably referring to when I’d checked status windows and called them out.
“Was there a problem?”
“No! Not a problem! Quite the opposite. The kids came bragging to me. They never dreamed the master knew their names.”
Dandel chattered nonstop on the way to the carriage. He seemed to be getting at how I’d changed since the funeral. Of course they’d notice—the person inside had switched. This would be the new normal now.
“You used to be so quiet, never meeting eyes. I don’t know what changed you, but everyone seems a little glad. Look at how many came to see you off.”
“Even after I fired a bunch of colleagues?”
“You had your reasons! Who are we to question nobles?”
“Butter-up.”
I snapped curtly, but Dandel just beamed. My reputation among the servants was thankfully improving. Things were going as planned, right?
We reached the carriage. Dandel opened the door and stepped aside. As I carelessly lifted my foot to board, a chill ran through me, and I glanced around.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, just a weird feeling...”
Swoosh. A cool wind swept the garden. Unlike the magically lit carriage interior, outside was pitch black. A strange sound came from the path we’d taken. Crunch, crunch. Crunch, crunch. Like an animal stepping on the gravel path.
“But only two feet. Not an animal. Dandel, hear that?”
“Huh? Sound? Uh, yeah, kinda crunchy.”
Crunch! I reacted fast to the sound. Something rippled not far off. White, fluttering fabric billowed. Long hair waved in the wind.
Ghost? A ghost? As a necromancer, could I see ghosts?
Gripping the carriage door, tense, the ghost approached with soft steps. Dandel, spotting it too, grabbed my clothes.
“G-g-g-g-g-ghost, Duke! That sound you mentioned! Kyaaah!”
Dandel clung to my torso like a vice.
“Gahk!”
Physical force was scarier than ghosts. I pounded his arms to pry them off.
The ghost in the white dress approached with overwhelming presence despite its short stature. I still hadn’t adjusted to being a necromancer. I wasn’t ready to deal with ghosts yet!
“Brother.”
Not a ghost! My little sister.
The long-haired ghost in white was Dahlia in her pajamas.
Well, even a necromancer wouldn’t see ghosts from nothing on bare ground.
“Sheesh, Duke. S-scared of Lady Dahlia? Never knew you had this side.”
“You’re the one who crushed your master’s ribs in fright.”
I sighed deeply and looked Dahlia over. She wore white mourning-like pajamas that didn’t suit her age. Kids should wear colorful ones with cartoon characters. That design fit someone over a century old.
“Dahlia, what are you doing here? Come to see me off?”
Dahlia silently opened the massive book in her arms.
“A book? You chased after me to show this?”
A small nod was her reply. Dandel quickly fetched a lantern. The illustration gleamed eerily, like Dahlia at midnight.
It was a monster in dragon form. Its head dwarfed its body, ringed with layers of jagged teeth like a deep-sea fish. Each scale was drawn sharp enough to gouge flesh. Crude flowers and a dress overlaid it—definitely Dahlia’s handiwork.
A memo note covered the monster’s description, as if handwritten.
=================
Colorful Dream Lizard!
The Colorful Dream Lizard is a sparkling rainbow princess. She brings precious dreams to good children who sleep early. To meet the kind lizard friend, Lady Dahlia must go to bed early too!
=================
Anyone could tell it was pasted to fool Dahlia. Peeking under, instead of Colorful Dream Lizard, it read: “Recrophadas, the Slaughter-Mad Dragon of Hallucinations.” I pasted it back. Hang in there, nanny.
“Out of nowhere with lizard talk, and this is what you meant?”
“Gift.”
“Bring this as a gift? That’s... tricky in many ways. Complex quest. Want something else? Anything. Toys? How about toys?”
“Gift.”
“Yeah, yeah. Toys it is. Colorful ones, right?”
I pushed the book toward Dahlia. She resisted stubbornly.
“Gift.”
“I’m not going on vacation.”
“Gift.”
“Can’t fetch everything you want. I’ve got a position too. Even if this dragon exists, I don’t wanna meet it.”
“Gift.”
“Argh! Fine! Lizard it is!”