What I Learned at Silberg
What I Learned at Silberg
The tea party I followed along to as a butler.
The initial atmosphere wasn't too bad.
The vast Zahel Count's mansion had plenty of eye candy just to look around, and the path from the entrance to the garden where the tea party was held was well-maintained, as if to encourage us to take a look around.
However, I started to feel something was off little by little.
"Are you alright, Agassi?"
"Ugh... Yes. I'm fine. Resh...."
Sonia's steps were slowing down.
Looking closely, sweat had beaded on her back where the dress was cut low.
Her forehead, when she turned back, was also damp.
Only then did I realize that Sonia was struggling quite a bit.
"Shall we turn back?"
"No... I'm fine. I have to overcome at least this much."
"Yes. Understood."
Is she not feeling well?
I suggested turning back out of concern, but Sonia said she was fine and actually increased her walking speed.
━ Click. Click.
The sound of Sonia's heels rubbing against the hard stone floor echoed.
Uncomfortable shoes.
On top of that, a heavy dress.
And several carriages parked at the entrance of the garden.
Even though I was someone who had often been told I lacked common sense, it wasn't very difficult to understand the current situation.
Judging by the carriages at the entrance and the chattering voices of women flowing from inside the garden, the other young ladies must have come to the garden comfortably by carriage.
But the fact that they made Sonia walk on purpose meant,
'Ah, this is to bully her.'
I got a little angry.
I knew through Sonia's explanation that the relationship between the two families wasn't good and that there was a subtle love-hate relationship between the two of them, but this kind of petty prank felt wrong.
"It's fine. I have no intention of reacting to every childish prank."
"...Yes. Understood."
However, I couldn't intervene.
I had noticed it was a prank, but I wasn't sure if that was just how they were, or if today was special.
And above all, Sonia had given me a signal first, saying she was fine.
And most of all.
It was a situation where it made no sense for me, a mere Baron, to express dissatisfaction in a Count's garden, even if it was against a young lady.
Right. Let's just relax.
If a problem arises anyway, Sonia, and by extension the Lugner Count family, will handle it themselves.
"Please leave it to me. I'll handle everything."
"Yes, Agassi."
In that sense, Sonia did look new to me.
As if reading my mind, Sonia dispelled my doubts with perfect timing.
Seeing her reliable side, I decided to just fulfill my role as a butler for today.
"We are here."
We reached our destination.
The garden we reached after walking for nearly an hour.
Guided by a servant, we went inside and saw young ladies wearing various dresses and the butlers they had brought with them.
"Oh my, you really came? Lady Sonia Lugner."
"Hoo~ Since you invited me, I had to come. Anyway... thank you for the invitation. Lady Louise Zahel."
And Lady Zahel, wearing a light purple dress, greeted us at the very front.
Was her name Louise?
With her pink hair and flashy dress, she looked like a single rose.
"I'm the one who should be thankful. We almost ended up talking amongst ourselves without the main character, but since you came in person, we'll be able to have more conversations. By the way, who is this?"
Louise looked at me after Sonia.
At that moment, I had to correct my thinking.
"Ah, this person... no, his name is Resh, he's my butler."
"A butler... seems he hasn't learned enough from his master yet. Just standing there blankly. Resh, was it? You go over there where the other butlers are and brew your master's tea."
"...Yes. Understood."
She was a rose, alright, but a vicious rose with many thorns.
So, I followed the instructions and went to where the butlers were.
There were various tea sets, hot water, and all kinds of tea leaves placed there....
Hmm. I don't know.
Since I had occasionally made tea at home, I thought I could do it if I just looked at it roughly, but the tools and types of tea leaves... were different from what I used, so I couldn't help but be flustered.
I hadn't thought of this situation at all.
I couldn't just say, 'Actually, I'm not a butler, so I don't really know,' at this point.
But asking the other butler next to me...
"What are you looking at?"
The expression looking at me was not good at all.
Given the current atmosphere, asking them directly was impossible.
But if I just stood there blankly like this, I would only bring shame to Sonia.
It was a situation where I had to do something.
But then.
━ Thud.
"Hm?"
A piece of paper fell at my feet.
It had fallen right next to me, so I picked it up and unfolded it without thinking, and it had the black tea recipe suitable for the tea set and tea leaves here written on it.
Huh? Why is this here?
The situation where the most necessary item suddenly appeared.
Feeling strange, I looked around for a moment.
Then, one of the butlers with a bad impression standing next to me said to me.
"What are you looking around for? Are you even opening your eyes? You nasty-looking bastard. How long have you been a butler? Are you a retard who can't even brew your master's black tea?"
Words delivered to me with emotion.
But after hearing his words, a smirk came out.
Ah. It's this guy.
I could roughly understand the situation.
It seemed that since I was flustered, the butler next to me had thrown me the black tea recipe he was holding.
Even if he said it like that.
The fact that he was urging me to hurry up and brew the black tea was the proof.
"Haha. Thank you."
"?"
You little~ You were a tsundere.
Anyway, now that I had the recipe in hand.
I brewed the tea leaves, bringing out the elegant taste of the butlers I had seen through various media in the past.
━ Jjoreureureuk.
And I approached Sonia and filled her empty teacup.
But at that moment.
"Sonia. Your butler is quite funny. I can't tell if his eyes are open or closed, he looks weird, and even the frivolous actions he showed while brewing tea. Fufu~ I can tell just by looking who the master is."
Louise's words, as if teasing me, were directed at Sonia.
And Sonia answered like this.
"He's better than you, who got played by strange rumors and gathered people just to try and embarrass the other party. Isn't that right? Louise?"
"What...?"
It was my answer to Louise's question.
Louise, who started mocking me without a moment to catch my breath as soon as I sat down.
And next to her, I saw the Viscount and Baron young ladies who followed her.
Among them were people who claimed to be my friends.
"By the way, Baroness Lin Benzas, Viscountess Juliana Tess. I didn't know you two were so close to Louise, but I see you here? No, wait. Should I use honorifics now? Anyway, did you come here to show me that you two are switching from Lugner to Zahel?"
I pointed them out specifically.
It was one of the teachings Cecil-nim had taught me someday.
She said that when facing multiple enemies, one must clarify the first target of the attack.
"N-no, Sonia. That's not it. I didn't know you would come."
"Yeah. That's right. Sonia. I just...."
What the meaning of those words was.
I felt like I knew after experiencing it in practice.
"Baroness Lin Benzas. Viscountess Juliana Tess. If you respect the other party, please use honorifics. Do I look that easy to you? Or do you find the Lugner Count family laughable?"
"Ugh...!"
She said that only then could I make them feel that I was not the weak one, and imprint on them that I was not an easy existence.
Like that, out of the ten young ladies.
I pressed down on two of them.
Eight remained.
Originally, it would have been right to deal with them one by one while arguing.
That was the daily power struggle in high society, and it was the way to gather followers and grow one's power.
But Silberg, including Cecil-nim, took a different approach.
"So, Louise? What did you want to ask me?"
"Are you speaking informally to me right now?"
"I did enough with honorifics as a greeting. No, then how far should I go for someone who made me come a long way for the purpose of embarrassing me? Huh?"
Making the opponent move, which is the final goal.
That was Silberg's way of acting.
From the past until now, Silberg had acted like this.
Making the opponent move in the direction I want with unexpected actions.
Just like the Lugner family I belong to was treated that way.
Just like Leon-nim made me come here.
'Guiding' the opponent was the great teaching Silberg gave me.
Of course, it's not an easy method.
Because there is a high possibility that the opponent won't move as desired, and to achieve the goal in that way, one needs a wide insight to the extent of being able to sense the future.
That's why only Silberg could do it.
Also, since they only accepted people who could do that as retainers, I wanted to pass this test in Silberg's way.
"Causing a scene as soon as you arrive! I heard your family was ruined, have you gone crazy?"
"No, I'm fine. And I'll say it clearly. Lugner hasn't been ruined yet. As long as I'm in Silberg, it's not ruined yet."
"What nonsense! Hah! Do you think Silberg will protect you?"
Louise, who was shouting and pointing her finger at me.
It was not only against noble manners, but also a serious act of insulting the other party, but it didn't bother me much.
My current goal is not to make Louise angry.
It's to hold a weakness that makes everyone here, including the Zahel Count family, unable to move.
That was my goal.
To do that, I had to go one step further.
"Well, they might protect me, or they might not. But you know too. What kind of family Silberg is! At least they aren't devious like the Zahel Count family. Not like you!"
Please. Please take the bait!
I shouted with an earnest heart.
And Louise.
"Hah! Don't make me laugh. Where in this world is there a family more devious than Silberg? Silberg is the lowest, worst family in history! A woman who tries to enter such a place and spread her legs like a whore, how dare you...!"
She got caught in the net I set.
I was so happy that a smirk leaked out.
"Heh heh."
Ah, this is the taste.
The joy of having achieved something permeated my whole body.
At the same time, I felt pity for Louise.
Daring to insult Silberg in front of the head of the Silberg family?
"What? You're laughing?"
"Heh heh. Yeah. It's funny. The clown fell down on its own, but the sight of it still trying to entertain, thinking the audience will applaud... I didn't know it was this funny. Haha. Ha. Ah~ tears are about to come out. Heh heh heh."
But Louise, who didn't realize the situation, showed an expression of disbelief.
Looking at her, I had to fall into thought for a moment.
Should I explain it to her even now?
Before that, I looked at Leon-nim to ask for permission.
But at that moment.
"You were always like that! How long are you going to look down on me! You crazy bitch! Dieeeee!!"
"No! Lady Louise!"
Along with an annoyed scream, the wriggling of magic power was felt.
Surprised, I turned my head and saw Louise trying to use magic.
It wasn't strong magic.
At most, a fireball.
But the distance was too close, and this is a garden surrounded by flowers.
It's a place full of pollen and grass leaves, so if it catches fire, it would be an uncontrollable situation.
If something went wrong, an explosion would occur, and it was obvious that everyone here would be seriously injured.
"Ugh...!"
An attack prepared for self-destruction.
I tried to respond somehow to the emotional magic activation where she lost her reason, but it was too late.
'No!'
I felt time flowing slowly like a flashback.
I had to move somehow, but my body couldn't keep up with my thoughts.
In a split second.
I gave up on defensive magic.
And I threw my body to shield Leon-nim.
Leon-nim must not get hurt because of my mistake.
I, who made a mistake at the end because of the feeling of having achieved something.
Even to pay the price for that, I had to become a human shield.
Even if... even if I die!
"Haa!"
I stood with my arms stretched out in front of Leon-nim.
Eyes squeezed shut in fear.
The heat flew in front of my eyes.
An explosion will happen soon.
"...?"
However, what followed was not an explosion.
A silent silence.
The heat in front of me was still strong, but it felt like not only the explosion but even the people's voices had stopped.
What on earth happened?
I opened my eyes slightly out of curiosity.
Then what I saw was.
"...!"
Louise, who was frozen with her hand stretched out, unable to fire the fireball, and a group of black shadows pointing swords at her from all sides.