Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Bosses and Santa Both Live by Piercing True Hearts (3)
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First, I checked his status window. The head chef's favorability toward me was blank.
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Name: Alphonse Dairy
Job: Head Chef
Personality: Rage - Accuracy decreases, but attack power is constantly boosted
Trait: Stubbornness - Obsesses over one thing, yielding extreme effects
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Nothing unusual stood out in the status window. The same went for what I'd confirmed in the ledger.
The important part was his attitude toward Dahlia.
I pulled Dahlia over to sit beside me. She shuffled along with bread still in her mouth, following my lead. I nodded down at her as she glanced up at me with her cat-like eyes.
"What's the color of the heart above that head chef's head? How many are there?"
"...Nothing."
"Good. You're cleared."
I flashed a casual smile. Managing my expression was child's play after years of service industry gigs.
"The food was so good today, I just had to call you over. Looking forward to more great meals."
I brushed him off vaguely and sent him away. No need to fire him. With a solid head chef, the rest of the staff should be fine too. Still, it wouldn't hurt to check the other kitchen workers.
"Before lunch, mind if Dahlia and I drop by the kitchen?"
"Y-Yes, of course."
Alphonse removed his chef's hat and bowed. His bald pate gleamed.
"It's just because the food's delicious—no need to be on guard. I simply want to see what the kitchen's like."
"The food is delicious..."
For a split second, something rippled above his empty head, and a single black heart flickered into view.
"Huh?"
Was visiting the kitchen such a hassle that he hated the idea?
As I paused, Dahlia rolled her eyes between me and the chef. Alphonse gripped the neck of his hat like he was throttling it, wrinkled his nose, and spoke up.
"But as a graduate of Derry Academy, I must make one statement of conviction, Your Grace."
Alphonse's eyes seemed to flash wildly.
"Today's meal was not delicious!"
"Huh?"
"The relentless downpours have ruined the harvest. We had no choice but to use potatoes two grades lower. The carrots weren't as crisp as I'd hoped! And the meat! My assistant's blunder left it simmering ten minutes too long, making it a bit tough!"
I had no idea. And honestly, I hadn't wondered.
But clearly, it mattered to Alphonse. He shook his hat as he raised his voice.
"This is unacceptable!"
"...It tasted fine to me, so don't worry too mu—"
[Alphonse's Stubbornness Trait activated]
The status window flashed. Not another trait? It gave me the same bad vibe as with the nursemaid this morning.
"I grabbed that assistant by the collar and disciplined him this morning! But I couldn't forgive it! I wanted to remake the dish!"
"No need for tha—"
"When I heard you and the young lady woke early, I had no choice but to serve a hearty meat dish unfit for breakfast! Cuisine has its time and place, yet I dared to—"
Alphonse waved his hat like an independence activist.
"This must never happen again. Starting with dinner tonight, I'll visit the markets myself! As head chef of this ducal house, serving breakfast at that level shames me!"
"...Stubborn guy."
"For lunch today, I'll send that assistant back to dish duty! And pull out the aged ham..."
Dazed as he ranted on about kitchen management, I just resumed eating. Dahlia had gone quiet.
"Dahlia, how's the food?"
I whispered. She blinked and chewed.
"Same as always. Not super tasty, not bad either."
"..."
After finishing his tirade on running the kitchen, the head chef bowed, panting, and left. For some reason, my appetite soured, and I set down my utensils early.
The head butler watched me slyly.
"Shall I prepare a kitchen visit later?"
"Are all the kitchen staff like that?"
"Not exactly, but they do start resembling Alphonse after working under him."
"...Let's postpone."
With a boss like that, the kitchen wouldn't have time to hate on us siblings.
Instead of meddling in the kitchen, I inspected every servant attending our meal. Standing by Dahlia as she ate, I pointed them out one by one and asked her favorability readings. She could've gotten annoyed, but she answered faithfully.
"Dahlia, that one?"
"Red, one."
"That one?"
"Nothing."
"That one?"
"Black, two."
My targets were only those showing black hearts toward Dahlia.
"Alberto. The one in the middle there—cut him."
"...Yes."
Alberto frowned curiously but followed orders without a word.
The schedule continued after breakfast. I went around with Dahlia, Alberto, and Dandel, checking every servant one by one.
"That one?"
"Nothing."
"Over there?"
"Black. Two."
"Alberto."
Now he caught on with just a glance. Dandel took notes as my assistant, jotting down the ones to fire. The butler approached them to deliver the curt dismissal.
We toured the mansion until my limbs went numb, scanning dozens of status windows. My eyes spun, but I wanted to wrap it up today.
I became a pro at opening and closing status windows. Now I could summon them anytime, at any transparency or size. Reading speed improved too.
I'd picked up some insights along the way.
'Personalities varied wildly, but most lacked traits.'
Probably because they weren't main characters in this game. Nursemaids and head chefs might cameo a couple times, so traits made sense. I'd seen today just how much traits influenced characters. They were likely the mark of key players.
So, watch for traits. And super low favorability.
"That one?"
"Black, five."
My steps halted. Five? What grudge could warrant five?
The worst so far had been three black hearts. What crime had a five-year-old committed? I looked down at Dahlia. She was just a kid. Snot dribbling a bit.
"You there. Come here. Dahlia, blow your nose."
While she wiped with her chick-embroidered handkerchief, I decided to vet the suspicious servant. No reason to hate an innocent five-year-old that much. Then again, Dahlia was the future villainess. They say you spot a promising tree from its cotyledons.
Maybe someone had clocked Dahlia's bright yellow forsythia cotyledons early.
"Yes, Your Grace."
The servant hurried over, looking utterly harmless. Ah, somehow it felt like Dahlia was at fault. Kids are pure evil, after all—no guilt for their mischief.
I felt a twinge of pity. Putting on my kindest face, I said I'd just called him over on a whim. Then I checked his status window...
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Name: Coca Ambría
Job: Novice Spy
Personality: Arrogance - Defense constantly lowered, but favorability rises quickly
Trait: Assimilation - Blends seamlessly into surroundings, boosting evasion
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"Uh, what's your name?"
"Smith, sir."
"Right, uh, your job—or duties, I mean?"
"I handle cleaning the annex. Lately, my efforts earned me a spot polishing the main hall."
"Hmm..."
I scanned his status window again.
The absurd "spy" job jumped out, along with the glaring "Ambría" surname.
Most castle servants lacked surnames. Unless they held rank, status windows showed just a first name, like Dandel.
Above-average hatred for Dahlia, plus a surname. Suspicious combo.
Dahlia met my eyes and chirped confirmation.
"Five. Black."
"Pardon? Black, five? What do you mean?"
The spy, clueless about her words, asked back.
Should I kill him now? I considered decisive action but shook my head inwardly.
An Ambría could prove useful later. Let him live for now. If I turn his info and skills against them, it's a win.
Yeah, finding a spy was a bonus.
I gave a friendly smile, then turned to the butler. He looked oblivious.
"Alberto?"
"Yes, Your Grace."
"Take this one somewhere."
"Ah! Do you need me somewhere? I'll do anything!"
Ambría approached, eyes shining. Still looked innocent. The perfect unsuspicious face.
I nodded to the butler and lowered my voice.
"Lock him up and interrogate. He's an intruder. Don't let him escape. Kill him if you have to."
The butler twitched his mustache without a change in expression and led him off.
The butler was trustworthy, right? Not in on it?
A recheck showed his personality keyword as "Loyalty." No choice but to trust him.
"Whew."
A spy roaming the house openly—what kind of security is this? Who knows what bigger threats lurk.
I kept Dahlia clipped to my side like a keychain, scanning for more spies. Thankfully, just the one.
By dusk, we'd fired twenty-two servants.
For the twenty-third, whether to fire or kill, I headed to the castle's underground prison. After tucking Dahlia safely in her room, of course.
***
"Tell the truth! Who sent you? What's your game!"
The butler's voice boomed through the underground prison. Good thing it was deep down, or the castle might've mistaken it for an earthquake.
"It's a misunderstanding!"
The spy slumped in his cell, shedding pitiful tears. Just in case, I checked his status window again.
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Name: Coca Ambría
Job: Novice Spy
Personality: Arrogance - Defense constantly lowered, but favorability rises quickly
Trait: Assimilation - Blends seamlessly into surroundings, boosting evasion
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No changes. And now I saw his favorability toward me was rock bottom too.
[♥♥♥♥♥]
He hated Dahlia and me equally, the fair bastard.
No mercenary spy would hate me this much for pay. So some Gluttony family grudge picked him for the job. Found his calling young—congrats, but bad news for me.