Chapter 29
Chapter 29
High-Ranking Visitor
My body swayed gently.
Someone was carefully shaking me awake.
“Uhh…”
How long did I even sleep?
My head was throbbing.
I buried my face in the blanket and yawned deeply.
When I lifted my head, I saw Maria standing neatly by my bedside.
“…Good morning, Maria.”
“Yes. Good morning, Lord Luca.”
It was my day off, so I didn’t need to be woken up…
“Maria.”
“Yes.”
“Are you waking all of us up every morning?”
Maria shook her head.
“No. I only wake you, Lord Luca.”
“…Huh?”
For a moment I felt oddly disappointed, but Maria continued calmly.
“Lady Yuna is always woken up by Sir Powo. The other two wake up earlier than I do. I am unworthy.”
I see…
Feeling a strange sense of loss, I sat up.
“Well, it’s my day off… but I guess waking up early isn’t bad.”
“I originally did not intend to wake you… however, a letter from the Count arrived this morning.”
“The Count sent it personally?”
“I have not read it, so I cannot be certain, but he instructed us not to be alarmed, as a distinguished guest will be arriving at this mansion after lunch.”
Oh…
Wait a second.
“Did the Count say ‘distinguished guest’?”
“Yes.”
Uh…
This is bad, isn’t it?
Who would the Count call a distinguished guest?
A duke’s family? Royalty? Or maybe someone from the cathedral?
Nothing else really came to mind.
“You don’t know exactly who it is?”
“No, I do not.”
“…Thanks for telling me. I should talk to the others.”
…
I walked around the mansion looking for my party members.
But where did everyone go?
I knocked on Yuna’s door, thinking she might be being lazy, but there was no response.
…Are they in the garden?
I should check.
When I stepped outside, I finally found someone.
Well, only one person… but better than nothing.
Melraim and Mura were having tea at a table in the garden.
Under the table, Fitz was eating something, though I couldn’t tell what.
Probably jerky again.
And seeing Melraim sitting there gave me chills, reminding me of the time I was trained under her tentacles.
Melraim glanced at me and said teasingly.
“Even on your day off, you only just woke up? How lazy.”
Hearing that from Melraim felt unfair.
She doesn’t even sleep normally…
Not that I’m jealous or anything.
“You should sleep a lot on days off. Anyway, I’m hungry.”
“You missed breakfast because you were asleep. Do not trouble Maria. Just wait a little. It will soon be lunchtime anyway.”
“Wait, it’s already that late?”
I really slept that long?
Well, I had been waking up early a lot lately.
“Where are the others?”
“Tanya went to hunt field monsters. Yuna and Powo went for a walk. They said they would return before lunch.”
Tanya really doesn’t rest even on days off.
Though for her, it’s probably just a hobby.
At this point, I kind of hoped Tanya would start enjoying monsters more than humans.
I sat down at the tea table with Melraim and Mura.
While chewing on snacks, I asked Mura.
“How’s your studying going?”
“Yes! My teacher told me I should definitely come work under him in the future!”
“Teacher? You mean Yuna?”
Mura’s math teacher was Yuna.
And Yuna was a necromancer.
So becoming someone under a necromancer… huh?
No way. Yuna wasn’t the kind of person who would tell a small child to become her undead servant in the future.
At least… not that crazy.
Just slightly less crazy.
My misunderstanding was cleared up by Melraim.
“Did I not tell you? The second assistant to the financial officer is educating Mura.”
“Oh right. So… they plan to make Mura work in the castle?”
Probably just a polite suggestion.
“That seems to be the case. A wise decision.”
Melraim seemed to take it seriously.
Wait, was Melraim also just saying polite things in front of Mura?
She did have a surprisingly kind side.
I asked casually.
“Is Mura that smart?”
Melraim looked at Mura for a moment before answering.
“There is that, but that is not the main reason.”
I tilted my head.
What reason could there be? A decorative mascot for a boring office?
Melraim continued.
“The person Mura is closest to in this territory is Lady Prelia. If Mura is kept close, she can be quite useful when Prelia becomes the lord in the future.”
Ah…
So Prelia doesn’t really have many friends.
Well, she is a noble, so that makes sense.
So Mura was getting a high-level education at a young age, and would also serve as a communication bridge with future Lord Prelia.
From the financial officer’s perspective, Mura really was an excellent asset.
In fact, other nobles might also be eyeing her.
With Fitz happily being petted beside her, Mura was definitely growing into an elite.
“Oh right, Melraim. You said someone was coming?”
“Yes. I have heard the news, but I do not know who it is either.”
I see.
I was about to ask.
“Well, if the Count called them a distinguished guest, they must be someone important. Probably someone bringing a request.”
“A quest?!”
A quest from a high-ranking person?!
Nice!
Not that I want something heavy like the Count’s usual quests…
Actually, I’d prefer if those kinds of things didn’t exist at all.
“Do not get your hopes up. It may simply be a recruitment offer.”
“Oh…”
Come to think of it, I’ve seen that in books.
Nobles begging powerful adventurers to become their knights.
And the protagonist always refuses, saying something like, “I wish to use my strength for the greater good, not be bound to one place.”
Melraim smirked.
“Of course, in that case, you should refuse.”
“To use your strength for the greater good?”
Melraim looked at me like I had said something stupid.
“Is there anyone among us suited to serve a noble house?”
Uh… Tanya and Melraim are out.
Yuna would refuse.
I recently learned she values freedom more than money.
Maybe she was born to be an adventurer.
Powo would probably draw his sword immediately if any noble tried to command him instead of Yuna.
I’m too weak.
“…Nope. Only Maria, I guess.”
“Indeed. Regardless of anything else, they would not allow unidentified individuals like us into a noble estate. A foolish noble like that would have already lost their land.”
In fairy tales they do it all the time though.
“I see… so I’m the only properly identified one.”
Melraim nodded.
“Regardless, it seems to be good news. Let us wait.”
“Was that actually said?”
“The Count would not want to worry us. It seems he is simply being considerate.”
The Count really does like us a lot.
Not that it’s a bad thing.
…
After lunch.
Since the visitor was expected, we gathered in the dining room for a small tea break.
Lunch was delicious as always.
But I couldn’t really enjoy the tea.
A high-ranking visitor was coming… what should I know?
We’re just adventurers, so maybe small mistakes will be forgiven?
As I nibbled on a snack, Melraim sighed.
“Do not be so tense. You are the leader, yet you are acting pathetic. It is only a proxy representative.”
Adventurers are supposed to be nervous when meeting noble envoys…
Probably.
I wasn’t really sure.
But if we offended that representative, it would still be a problem.
“Melraim. Don’t say anything extremely rude, okay?”
Melraim frowned.
“What do you take me for? I know basic etiquette.”
Apparently “don’t use honorific speech” wasn’t part of that etiquette.
She had spoken informally to barons and even counts…
Honestly, Melraim was the most worrying one here.
Tanya also speaks casually to everyone, but her cheerful nature makes it less offensive.
Yuna is polite to everyone regardless of status…
Powo is managed by Yuna anyway.
But Melraim’s arrogant tone was genuinely concerning.
This is stressful…
At that moment.
BOOM.
“Eek!”
A loud noise came from outside, and Maria’s short scream echoed through the dining room.
Then she quickly regained her composure as if nothing had happened.
She really is human after all.
Melraim narrowed her eyes and stood up.
“I will go check what happened.”
She walked out of the dining room.
And at that moment, a chime rang from the entrance.
The visitor has arrived.
I stood up slightly.
“That must be them, right? That sound too?”
Yuna muttered something strange.
“A giant?”
A giant… technically a tall person, but definitely not a noble guest.
“There’s no way. Let’s go. It’s worse if we leave Melraim alone.”
Before Melraim could say something like, “What a noisy guest,” we better go out and stop her.