Chapter 37
Chapter 37
The Driving Force of Effort Is Payment
A faint, luxurious herbal fragrance filled the mansion’s bath.
Inside a massive tub where white steam gently rose from the warm water, I washed away all the fatigue and grime that had built up.
‘How long has it been since I’ve enjoyed something like this?’
When I finished bathing and stepped out, the servants had already prepared a soft shirt and a heavy coat for me.
“…Just looking at it, it’s obviously expensive.”
Standing in front of a full-length mirror, I let out a small, disbelieving laugh.
My hair was neatly combed back, a dark navy frock coat fit my body perfectly, and even elegant accessories completed the look.
Gone was the version of me who always wore dusty rags or loose work clothes. In the mirror stood a clean, refined young nobleman who wouldn’t look out of place anywhere.
‘Clothes really do make the man… I might actually pull this off without getting caught.’
…
After straightening my outfit, I headed toward the reception room where Lady Frisia was waiting.
Creak—
As I opened the heavy door, she, who had been leaning gracefully by the window fanning herself, turned her head.
“I’ve finished—”
Her lips parted slightly before she could finish speaking. The fan in her hand stopped mid-motion.
For a long moment, she simply stared at me.
The usual arrogance in her wide eyes was gone, replaced by confusion and something unfamiliar.
“…My lady?”
When the silence stretched, I called out cautiously.
“Ah—! Ahem! Ahem!!”
Startled, Frisia snapped back to her senses and quickly raised her fan to cover half her face. But the tips of her ears, visible beyond it, were already flushed red.
“W-what is this! Why are you suddenly making noise and startling people!”
“No, you were just staring blankly…”
“W-who was staring blankly?!”
She cleared her throat repeatedly, lifting her chin as if to regain her composure.
Then she looked me up and down, unable to hide the satisfied smile creeping onto her lips.
“Hmph… Well, now that you’ve been cleaned up and dressed properly, you’re not completely unbearable to look at. As expected, my judgment was correct. I picked you up because your base looked usable, and now you’re finally just barely worthy of standing beside me.”
“Ah… yes, thank you for the compliment. So, what should I do next?”
“I-it wasn’t a compliment! Anyway! Now that your appearance is somewhat passable, it’s time for you to learn noble etiquette and proper conduct. If you behave crudely in front of guests, I won’t let it slide.”
She snapped her fan shut and began instructing me.
“First, your walk. Walk to that door like a proper noble.”
“Ah, yes.”
Walk, she said—but as a former ordinary citizen and now a bottom-tier laborer in this world, there was no way I naturally had upright posture or elegant steps.
Thud, thud.
“…….”
“…….”
“S-stop! What in the world is that horrific way of walking?! Are you imitating a kobold or something?!”
Frisia clutched her forehead in horror.
“I thought I was walking confidently…”
“Haah… Honestly, you’re a man who requires far too much effort. Stay still.”
With an annoyed sigh, she strode toward me, her skirt swishing.
“Straighten your shoulders, keep your back upright! Your gaze should be forward, like this!”
She reached out and adjusted my shoulders, pressing them into place, then corrected my posture at the waist.
“Now, open this a bit more… and your stride…”
Perhaps she was too focused on teaching.
When she absentmindedly lifted her head, our faces were less than a hand’s width apart.
A faint floral scent brushed past my nose.
“…Oh.”
The moment our eyes met at such close distance, her body froze.
Her pupils trembled wildly.
“Th-that is… I mean…”
Her words faltered, and her pale cheeks instantly flushed a deep red, spreading from her ears down to her neck.
‘What’s going on? Is she sick all of a sudden?’
If the employer collapsed, that would be a problem.
‘I haven’t even been fully paid yet!!’
Instinctively, I leaned closer and placed my hand on her forehead.
“My lady, please stay still for a moment.”
I gently held her trembling shoulders in place and pressed my hand against her forehead.
“Hmm, you might have a fever…”
“B-byaah—?!!”
A bizarre scream burst out of her.
She jumped back as if burned, clutching her flushed face with both hands.
“Y-you shameless brute! Who said you could touch me so freely?! You barbarian! Beast! Pervert!!”
“Huh? No, I just thought you might be unwell…”
“S-silence! Just practice on your own!!”
Bang—!!
Grabbing her skirt, she fled the reception room, slamming the door behind her.
“….”
Left alone, I stared blankly at the door.
‘…What was that? Is touching someone’s forehead that embarrassing for nobles?’
No matter how I thought about it, it felt unfair.
Checking your employer’s health should count as good work ethic…
Then again, the image from my [Premonition] flashed through my mind—her panting with a dog collar.
A woman who panics over a simple touch like that… enjoying something so extreme in the future?
‘Nobles are seriously impossible to understand. Emotional labor here is brutal.’
I sighed deeply and shook my head.
Either way, if I wanted to get paid, I had to work.
I began practicing my walk alone, recalling her instructions.
“Shoulders back. Back straight. Eyes slightly up…”
As I awkwardly walked around like a stiff machine—
Click.
The door opened with a polite knock, and an elderly man in a perfectly tailored tuxedo entered.
He was the head butler of the mansion.
“…You are Nasus, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“My lady has returned to her chambers for the moment. For the remaining time, I will be instructing you on the guests and essential etiquette.”
He placed a rolled parchment tied with leather onto the table.
“Time is short. If your mind cannot remember, I will make your body remember. Prepare yourself.”
The sharp glint in his eyes behind his glasses sent a chill down my spine.
For some reason, dealing with this strict old man felt far more dangerous than handling Lady Frisia’s outbursts.
His words were no exaggeration.
“Again.”
“…Yes.”
“Again.”
“…Yes!”
“Your posture is incorrect. Do not walk like a defeated soldier. Walk with the pride of a noble. Again.”
Step.
Step.
Step.
I had repeated the same motion so many times that my legs were going numb.
My life in this world had always been full of hardship, but this was a different kind.
Not a single burst of pain, but a constant, relentless grind.
“Nasus, the angle of your fingers holding the teacup is crude. Hold it gracefully, as if supporting a butterfly.”
“…Like this?”
“Are you trying to crush the butterfly? Again.”
Most people would have snapped and quit by now.
But I couldn’t.
‘Payment… generous payment… tons of meat and recovery potions!!’
The sweetness of money and survival instinct forced my spine straight.
“I’ll do it again!”
“….”
As I gripped the teacup again with determination, the butler’s eyebrow twitched slightly.
“Let us proceed with greetings. That bow was suitable for a marketplace vendor. As my lady’s partner, you must maintain dignity without arrogance.”
“Yes!”
…
“...Oh.”
As the sun began to set, the butler finally let out a small sound of approval.
“That was quite good. The servility of the lower class has been erased. A clean greeting.”
“Thank you.”
“However, lifting your chin first when rising is a deduction. Repeat it three—no, five more times.”
“L-like this… ugh… please… spare…”
“That posture was acceptable. Refrain from making such vulgar groans.”
The praise was sweet.
The corrections that followed were not.
And so the endless Spartan training continued.
Walking, standing, sitting, eye contact—even how to smile.
“The corners of your mouth are twitching unnaturally. Smiling with only your lips is the habit of back-alley swindlers. Smile as if genuinely welcoming, yet maintain dignity.”
‘Old man, that’s easier said than done!’
Internally, I flipped the table a hundred times, but outwardly, I kept practicing.
…
By the time the red sunset poured through the window—
“Finally, walk from the door and greet me as if I were a guest.”
The final test.
I took a deep breath and began walking.
No unnecessary noise.
Even the sound of my shoes was controlled and refined.
Shoulders back. Back straight. Eyes forward. A composed smile.
Stopping before him, I bowed at the proper angle and rose smoothly.
“Welcome, honored guests. You must be tired from your long journey. Please enjoy your stay here.”
My voice was calm and measured.
Silence followed.
-Swish
The head butler rolled up the parchment.
“…This will suffice.”
“Ugh! R-really?!”
“To be honest, there are still many shortcomings.”
He adjusted his attire and looked at me.
“However… I did not expect you to come this far in such a short time. It is impressive.”
For the first time, he gave a faint smile and bowed politely.
“Well done, Nasus.”
It wasn’t perfect—but it was a pass.
The tension holding my body snapped, and my legs trembled.
‘…I did it. My generous pay. My victory of capitalism.’
Wait for me, Camellia. Erika.
I’m bringing back a lot of money.