Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: This Mansion is Now Mine
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After having my way with Ray, it was just before evening when I finally arrived at my new mansion. First things first, I decided to find a broker who could help with the land and house transactions here. As the princess had said, everything was already arranged, so I just needed to pick up the keys and get an explanation about the interior.
"Is this the place?"
I'd asked the locals over and over until I made it here. A parchment posted on the outer wall of the building listed house prices in detail. The person I was looking for was definitely inside.
"Excuse me."
I pushed open the door, the bell jingling as I entered. As expected of the largest brokerage in the area, there were several people inside—not just one or two, but a whole team, each explaining things to their own clients.
"What can I do for you?"
"I received a house as a gift, and they told me to come here for an explanation."
"Pardon? A gift?"
The idea of getting a house as a gift must have sounded ridiculous even to the guide. He froze for a moment before asking me to wait and going off to check.
Soon enough, a kindly middle-aged man approached me.
"Are you perhaps Baron Daron?"
"Yes, that's me."
"You've been granted the Reverbert Mansion. Congratulations."
Oh, he knew me right away—looks like the princess had everything set up properly. Just as the middle-aged man was about to guide me to the mansion, a woman who had been elegantly sipping tea beside me cut in.
"The Reverbert Mansion. Isn't that royal property?"
"Yes, it is, Lady Sier."
The broker bowed politely to the woman. I'd been too tired to look around properly before, but now I finally took notice of the woman sitting next to me.
Her ample breasts caught my eye first, followed by her stunning features and curvaceous hips. She was top one percent beauty, the kind you rarely find out in the outskirts.
"And you are?"
"Allow me to introduce myself, Baron Daron. I'm Sier."
Sier.
Sier.
No way?
"Oh my. Why are you staring at me like that?"
"You're beautiful."
Her hair fell to her shoulders in a shade of black different from Ellis's. Leaving aside her voluptuous figure, I knew this woman by name alone.
The continent's greatest merchant, Sier.
"Thank you. You're quite handsome yourself, Baron Daron."
Sier smiled brightly at my compliment, unfazed, and offered her hand for a shake. As I shook it, I noticed several others nearby who seemed to be her guards.
...They're strong.
They looked like ordinary merchants at a glance, but each one was highly skilled.
"I'm Sier, the head of a modest little merchant company."
"The Rose Merchant Company, right?"
"You know of our company."
"Everyone knows the top merchant group around."
"Hehe. It's just one little company, though."
Sier laughed humbly. But I knew the truth. In the future, she'd provide supplies and all sorts of help. From what I remembered, Sier was no trouble at all—she'd fulfilled her role as a merchant perfectly.
"To receive a mansion straight from the royals... You must have earned quite the merit, Baron Daron."
"I was recognized for my contributions in the recent magical beast subjugation operation."
"Oh, I know about that. Looks like you played a big part."
The events from a few weeks ago had spread far and wide. The details weren't public, but everyone knew the Empire had wiped out every last magical beast.
"To get a royal-owned mansion, though... You must have been the star of the show."
"I just got lucky and knew a lot about the beasts."
Sier was eyeing me with newfound interest now. Even as a baron, I was like a rising star. With the princess and a whole knight order dispatched, the fact that I'd walked away with a mansion all by myself was plenty intriguing.
"The Reverbert Mansion. It's a fine place. Thirty years ago, the family that lived there committed treason, and it fell vacant..."
It was that kind of place?
They must have executed all the traitors and seized the house in the process. It stayed in royal hands until now, when it came to me.
"Still, it's a great mansion. Nice garden, plenty of floors. Oh, do you need any furniture? Since we've crossed paths, come by our company later, and I'll give you a discount."
Sier took a wooden plaque from one of her attendants and handed it to me. It bore the Rose Merchant Company's emblem. Showing this would get me the deal.
"We give these to VIPs, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing more of each other, Baron Daron."
Seeing more of each other?
"Thank you."
I could tell Sier wanted something from me. No way she sees me as prime stud material...
Of course not.
"Lady Sier."
"Ah, I should get going. See you around, Baron Daron."
"Take care."
Sier stood and left, clearly busy. Just watching the continent's top merchant depart was impressive. Her swaying hips were pure temptation. If the chance comes, I'd love to sample her.
After Sier left, the broker led me to the mansion. My first impression upon seeing the massive place was, 'Holy shit, it's huge.' It wasn't flashy, but it was way too big for just me—or even a bunch of people.
"Here are the keys."
"Thank you."
The guide handed over not one key, but a whole bundle. They were labeled for each door, but damn, there were a lot. He gave me the papers proving the mansion was mine and launched into further explanations.
"This mansion, now owned by Baron Daron, includes the entire garden within the walls. As of this moment, it is completely yours. No one may enter without your permission. This mansion is now yours, Baron. You may renovate or even demolish it as you please."
"Renovate?"
"You can alter the structure however you like."
I listened to the end of his explanation before sending him off. In my hand was a hefty bunch of keys. The front gate opened smoothly, surprisingly well-maintained for a long-vacant property.
"Guess the royals kept up some maintenance."
It wasn't beautifully landscaped, but it looked like someone had tended to it within the last year. After thirty years, you'd expect overgrown weeds and trees everywhere, but it was better than I'd feared.
"Ugh, dust."
Some things you can't avoid, I suppose.
"Alright then."
I finally opened the mansion door. With a creak of old wood, the interior came into view.
"Whoa."
It was like a hotel lobby. Fuck yeah, all this is mine—too good. The scale was overkill, but finally having my own place was pure joy.
"Cleaning all this would be a pain, though."
Borrowing Ariana or Rise's people felt like overkill. I had money, so maybe hire a cleaning service for now.
But even then, I couldn't do that every time.
"Should I hire a servant? Nah, better a maid than some servant."
Maid.
A maid to tend the house and support the master.
A maid to relieve the master's pent-up urges.
"I've got one already, right?"
A certain succubus came to mind naturally. If I called, she'd come running.
"Might as well go for a bunch of maids."
Rumors might not be kind, but who cares? As long as I've got maids, I'm happy. If I'm hiring, better make them useful girls.
I naturally felt the need for several maids. No need to actually hire. With Ariana and Rise, they're nobles. Ray's a saintess. Can't turn women like that into maids, but beautiful commoners or those beneath me... if I make them mine...
"Heh heh heh."
Just imagining it made my chest swell. For now, I had a rough plan. Stop the Demon King's schemes, score with plenty of women along the way, and pick the maids from them.
"Achoo!"
...Fuck.
Dust.
Guess I need to call a cleaning crew to scrub the place top to bottom. Or ask Ellis for some magic cleaning tool?
"What's this?"
I wandered the first, second, and third floors, checking rooms. Then, in a corner of the first floor, I spotted a door leading underground. I grabbed a glowing magic tool and headed down. Lots of dust, so I kept my breathing shallow.
It was your standard basement storage at first glance. Could make a nice secret room if I fixed it up.
"Hm?"
Further down a narrow passage, another door appeared. Easy to miss, but it caught my eye. I opened the iron door and stepped in.
"What is this, a torture chamber? And that's a prison?"
No bloodstains, but there were restraints for tying people up. And iron bars—yep, a prison too. Even for a noble mansion, a private jail?
"Whoa, creepy."
Some glowing stones would help, but this one magic light couldn't dispel the eerie vibe. Not sure if I'd use it, but there was tons of work to do. Now that it was mine, no way I'd let it stay shabby.
"For now... guess I'll crash at the village inn."
Tomorrow, big cleanup and buy a bed at least.