Chapter 98: Clan Founding
Chapter 98: Clan Founding
At the sound of Guwon's voice, the maid noticed their presence.
“M-Mistress Telluna?!”
She must have been quite surprised, as her eyes went wide in shock the moment she saw Diana.
I always had this image of maids in places like this being professionals who could handle any situation with perfect composure, but I guess that's not always true.
Then again, the master of the house who'd been away just returned without warning. It'd be stranger if she wasn't surprised.
“Mm. Good work.”
“W-Welcome home!”
After speaking, the maid hurriedly disappeared inside the mansion.
Her composure, not breaking into a run, was exactly what you'd expect from a maid.
“Welcome home!”
Following the maid inside, I was greeted by a sight that stirred a man's greatest fantasies.
Maids were lined up on both sides, bowing politely in greeting.
How did they all gather so quickly?
A quick count showed there were over twenty of them. Had every maid in the mansion gathered here?
For the record, the maid outfits they were wearing weren't the traditional kind with minimal skin exposure.
They were the kind you'd see in games or manga, with exposed shoulders and pale white thighs on full display—outfits that showed a lot of skin.
And since they were bowing in those outfits, their cleavage was naturally in plain sight.
Kuh. What a magnificent view. Truly, a man's fantasy.
It was as if they'd been hired for their faces and figures; though each had her own unique look, they were all beautiful.
I desperately suppressed the twitching in my legs.
Forgetting Diana's earlier warning, I felt the urge to pounce on them right then and there.
“Hmph. First, we need to get you two settled in your rooms. Vanessa.”
“Yes.”
Unlike the maids on either side, the one who had been bowing directly in front of our party raised her head.
She was a beauty with a calm expression, exuding the air of a career woman. Was she the head maid?
Her outfit also seemed a little different from the others. Fewer frills, and a more refined feel, perhaps.
“These two will be staying here starting today. This is Sara, and this is Guwon. Please show them around the mansion and give them rooms.”
“…Yes.”
“Well then, I'll see you at dinner. Ah, give me your luggage.”
As I took Sara's and Diana's bags out of my inventory, several maids immediately came forward to take them.
Diana took the maids carrying her luggage and disappeared.
“Then, I will show you around the mansion first,” Vanessa said in a calm voice.
Even if it was smaller than the Arachne Clan House, it was still a very large mansion.
Just doing a single lap took quite a while.
But the layout wasn't too complicated, so it didn't seem like I'd get lost inside.
“Then, Lady Sara, please use this room.”
After the tour, Sara was assigned the room next to Diana's. Were we just going to be assigned rooms in a row?
“Yes. Uh, you don't have to add 'Lady' to my name…”
Even with her cool expression, at heart, she's still a country girl. Being addressed so formally seemed to be a burden for her.
“No. It is only natural to use honorifics for our guests.”
But Vanessa said it with a matter-of-fact expression.
“I-Is that so.”
Sara immediately backed down.
How can you give in so easily, Sara! At this rate, you're going to lose your 'cool character' role!
Sara entered her room along with the maids carrying her luggage.
“Wow!”
An exclamation that sounded like it came from a dreamy young girl seemed to burst from inside, but I decided to pretend I hadn't heard it.
“Then, Sir Guwon, this way please.”
Vanessa continued to guide me.
“By the way, was it Miss Vanessa? You seem to have a different position from the other maids. Are you the head maid?”
“No. I am the butler.”
Not the head maid, but the butler.
When I think of a butler, I picture an old man with slicked-back white hair.
Of course, from my perspective, having a beautiful woman as a butler is much better than some old man.
“But aren't we going a bit far? Sara's room was right next to Diana's.”
“That is because you are a man, Sir Guwon.”
Normally, that would make perfect sense.
But we're going to be taking turns sleeping together every night anyway. Is there really a need for my room to be so far away?
“By the way, Sir Guwon, what is your relationship with Mistress Diana?”
Vanessa asked after walking in silence for a while.
Even with her calm expression, I guess she was curious deep down.
“We're comrades. Adventurer comrades.”
“…Is that so.”
Vanessa looked unconvinced.
The place I was led to was a guest room on the second floor.
Considering Diana's and Sara's rooms were on the third floor, it was quite far away.
“Then, I will come to get you at dinnertime. If you require anything, please ring the bell on the table.”
Vanessa bowed and left.
A bell. How quaint.
On the table in the middle of the room sat a small, palm-sized bell.
If I ring this, will a maid pop out?
Tinkle, tinkle.
As a test, I picked up the bell and gave it a light shake.
Click.
“Is there something you require?”
The moment I rang the bell, Vanessa opened the door and appeared.
Whoa, that startled me. Was she waiting right outside the door? How did she appear so fast?
“Uh, no. Sorry. I was just curious.”
“I see. Then, I will take my leave.”
Vanessa quietly disappeared again.
…Maybe super butlers actually exist in this world.
Anyway, left alone in the room, I suddenly had nothing to do.
It's not like I had any luggage to unpack.
How am I supposed to kill time until dinner?
First, I guess I'll look around.
The room was filled with luxurious furniture.
From the wardrobe to the bed, it had everything one could need.
It's probably never been used, so why even make a room like this? Is this some kind of noble's etiquette?
Well, thanks to that, we can stay here immediately even after showing up so suddenly.
Heading toward the red glow of the sunset, I found there was even a balcony.
And when I went to a corner of the room sectioned off by a white curtain, I found a bathtub large enough for me to stretch my legs out in with room to spare.
There was a faintly glowing magic circle above the tub, and when I placed my hand near it, water started falling from above.
Don't tell me every room has one of these. How much must this have cost?
I could see why Diana wasn't interested in dungeon exploration.
She was in a position where she didn't have to worry about money.
Then was her argument with the Guild Master about profits purely for the sake of her clan members?
I felt a renewed sense of gratitude toward Diana.
I killed time by looking around the room, but there was still no sign of anyone coming to get me.
We did return suddenly without notice, so it would probably take some time to prepare dinner.
I decided to take a shower in the room's bathtub.
Showering right in the room instead of in a separate bathroom felt strangely refreshing.
After my shower, as I lay on the fluffy bed, basking in the sunset like I was photosynthesizing, I suddenly lost all motivation to do anything.
It felt like my body was being sucked into the bed.
“Sir Guwon. Dinner is ready. I will guide you to the dining hall.”
“No.”
So when Vanessa knocked and entered the room, I refused out of pure reflex.
“E-Excuse me?”
Oh, she seems a little flustered. We only just met, but I bet this is a rare sight.
But right now, I couldn't even be bothered to turn my head to look at her.
“Mistress Diana and Lady Sara are waiting in the dining hall.”
“I have become one with the bed. In other words, I am the bed, and the bed is me. I have reached a state of perfect unity. As long as the bed doesn't move, I cannot move.”
I spouted this nonsense without even turning my head.
“Then, please excuse me.”
But, as expected, such nonsense didn't work on the super butler, Vanessa.
Vanessa seemed to approach, and then she lifted the entire bed.
Holy crap! Do you know how big this thing is? And you just lift it?!
I shot up in surprise.
“Wait. Hold on!”
“Are you able to move now?”
“Ahem. With the bed's movement, the curse binding my body has been broken. I am finally free from this bed. I commend you.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
Vanessa replied without batting an eye.
For the record, I was still on the bed, and Vanessa was still holding it.
And the bed wasn't even shaking.
The sight of her holding the bed so effortlessly with those slender arms was incredibly jarring.
Scary. What is she? If we arm-wrestled, would I lose?
I obediently followed Vanessa's guidance to the dining hall.
Just as Vanessa had said, Sara and Diana were already waiting in the dining hall.
Both of them looked like they had already bathed; their skin was slightly flushed and their hair was still damp.
But that wasn't the problem.
The problem was that they were both wearing what looked like very nice dresses.
They definitely weren't the clothes we bought earlier today.
“W-Where did you two get those clothes?”
I could feel my own voice trembling.
“Hm? They're my clothes.”
“Th-Then there was no need for us to go through all that trouble buying clothes earlier…?”
“Hmph. Well, now that you mention it, I suppose so. It must have slipped my mind.”
Diana said it so casually it was infuriating.
Don't lie! There's no way someone with your brain would have 'slipped your mind'!
Then all my suffering… What was it all for…?
I lost the will to argue and slumped down in my seat.
“We had to buy clothes for you anyway. Besides, the dress Sara is wearing is one of mine, so the size doesn't fit her.”
My expression must have been utterly dejected, because Diana started sweating as she made excuses.
“Where? It looks fine to me.”
She was sitting at the table so I couldn't see her whole body, but nothing looked particularly strange.
It was probably a dress Diana wears in her adult form. It didn't look too small.
“Mm. Her chest, for example. My chest is quite large when I'm grown. That's all padding.”
Diana said, puffing out her chest proudly.
Now that she mentioned it, Sara's chest did look bigger than usual.
To think I didn't notice until Diana pointed it out. I still have a long way to go.
“I-It's not just the chest that's big, everything is! The waist is too big, too!”
“M-My waist is not particularly large!”
“And my chest isn't small, either!”
An argument suddenly broke out between them.
It seemed to be a battle neither could back down from; they were both desperate.
I know you both have great figures, so just stop. Because of you two, the maids standing nearby are starting to look dejected.
Don't worry, ladies. It's just that those two are exceptional. Your figures are nothing to be ashamed of. No, they're perfectly wonderful.
I refused to get involved in their argument, maintaining my position as a strict observer and starting my meal.
If I get involved now, it's obvious I'll be the only one who gets hurt in the end.
Oh, this meat is delicious. What kind is it? I should ask Vanessa later.
“And when I saw you earlier, my chest was bigger, wasn't it?”
“Th-That's only because I'm not fully grown yet. You haven't seen it, but when I'm fully grown, I'm incredible. I could even beat Leia.”
Diana made a gesture in front of her chest, cupping imaginary, massive breasts with both hands.
“D-Don't lie. How could you beat Leia…”
At Diana's bluff, Sara's pupils trembled slightly.
Yeah. Don't believe her. That's a lie. At least when it comes to chests, Diana definitely loses.
No, more importantly… did I just hear something I can't ignore?
“‘Saw you earlier’? What does that mean?”
I couldn't help but abandon my observer status and ask.
“I saw when we were bathing earlier.”
“You mean you bathed together?”
“Yes. The bathroom here is huge. I've never seen such a big bathtub in my life. A-And they even attended to us during our bath…”
Sara said, blushing slightly as if recalling the memory.
Two beautiful women bathing in the same tub.
No, she said they were attended to.
There's no way Diana would have done it, so it must have been the maids.
And if they were attending a bath, they must have been naked, too.
In other words, a paradise where all sorts of beautiful, naked women gathered in one place. A utopia.
When that thought crossed my mind, my whole body trembled with regret.
“W-Why wasn't I there?”
“What are you talking about? As if we'd call a man like you.”
“I oppose gender discrimination! Men have the right to enjoy the same things as women!”
“Could you stop talking nonsense?” Sara shot me a sharp glare.
But this time, I won't back down over something so trivial.
If I give up here, I'll never be able to reach my utopia!
“A-At least let me have someone attend my bath, too…”
“Hah. Who would want to attend your bath? I am not one to force my employees to do things they dislike.”
Did she just scoff at me? What's wrong with me? The Guild Master herself said I was handsome!
“Does that mean it's okay as long as they don't dislike it?”
I said, glancing around.
Some, like Vanessa, were expressionless, but there were definitely maids listening in on our conversation with great interest. If I play my cards right, this might be possible…
“I'll say it again. Just you try and lay a single finger on one of my maids,” Diana said in a chilling voice.
D-Dammit. My utopia is…
No. I can't give up like this.
Suddenly, I remembered the bathtub in my room.
Alright. Since it's come to this, just you wait until tonight. I'll show you just how terrifying a man's obsession with his utopia can be.
Right then and there, I decided how I would spend my night.