Workaholic
Workaholic
Warm morning sunlight.
"Hmm."
I swallowed the brewed tea and looked outside.
In the distance, I could see chimney smoke from people cooking meals and children playing.
It's a peaceful day, as always.
Perhaps the Grand Duke and the heroine are having a lovely time in the North right now?
Since the main crises of the original story—the monster rampage and the zombification of the barbarians—wouldn't begin in earnest for a few more months, now was the time for the fresh, budding romance of the early novel.
"Must be nice."
Of course, given the nature of the novel.
There are a few minor crises along the way, but since they're all just build-up for the Northern Grand Duke and the heroine to deepen their love, they'll be enjoying themselves in their own way.
And I'll be hearing about such news through Cecil.
"It's a shame I can't see it in person."
But it was a story that had nothing to do with me.
While it's a bit of a shame to just be a bystander after possessing a character in the original novel, I had no intention of inviting unnecessary trouble by interfering.
And right now, there was something else bothering me in a different sense.
━ Knock knock.
"Leon-nim, do you have a moment?"
"Ah... Sonia. You're here?"
That presence was the woman right in front of me.
It was Sonia Lugner.
One month after the Lugner Count family's party.
Sonia had been staying at the Silberg Viscount family's estate.
Well, there's no problem up to this point.
After all, I was the one who brought her here to get to know each other, and she definitely came with the official permission of the Lugner Count family.
But....
"I'm here to report on the grain sector I mentioned yesterday. The wheat yield in the Silberg Viscount territory increased by about 0.6% compared to last year, and the reason for that was the maintenance of the reservoir in District 8. The rest is at a 0.1% level, which is negligible, but as the valley in the western region swelled with rainwater...."
She started rattling off explanations like a real territory manager the moment she walked in.
Hey. Sonia.
Didn't you follow me here because you liked me?
Well, even if that was for the Leon Silberg before I possessed him, not the current me.
You didn't follow me here just to work like this, right?
"And here is the report on the North compiled by the Intelligence Bureau. I summarized the 730-page draft into 5 pages, but to put it simply, the existence of the hero has been confirmed with a 98.2% confidence level, and this is the data summarizing the personal information of the person presumed to be the hero. I've listed and organized their origin, background, body measurements, etc."
"...."
"Ah, and the confidence level was confirmed through Cecil-nim, who is currently staying in the North. He said he witnessed the hero in person, but since the background and ability verification haven't been fully completed yet, that's how the confidence level was measured. The details are on the last page."
"...You've been in contact with Cecil? When is he coming back?"
"Ah yes, he contacted me first. I haven't received a confirmed schedule yet. So, I've sent a message asking him to let me know when he'll be back."
"I see...."
Anyway, since she brought good news, I decided to let the momentary discomfort slide.
And out of courtesy, I decided to take a look at the report Sonia brought.
The report contained detailed information about the hero.
I didn't want it to be this detailed....
Still, since it was a profile related to the novel's protagonist, I took a rough look at it.
Thick materials attached behind the summary.
It contained everything from the hero's name, origin, background, and growth process... even their height, weight, and three sizes—things that would be hard to know unless you were the person themselves.
"How did you find out the body measurements?"
"It's a result derived from combining the clothing stores the hero frequently visits and a few matters that Cecil-nim personally verified."
"...Oh, I see."
I heard that much and just closed it.
Honestly speaking.
No matter how much I've possessed this body, it was useless information to me, as I don't want to be heavily involved in the novel.
But I couldn't say that in front of someone who had worked so hard to research and summarize it.
"You worked hard. You're doing even better than I expected."
I smiled and gave her a compliment.
"Ah...! Yes! Thank you!"
Sonia beamed with a bright smile at my compliment.
And a few seconds later.
She created another element that would bother me.
"Then, what shall we do next?"
This was the problem.
Having watched her for a month, I realized,
This Sonia... she's a serious workaholic.
I put her in that spot because Cecil was away and there was no one to talk to, but she's working so hard as if she's seized an opportunity.
I just casually threw one thing at her, and within a day or two, a report the size of a book would come up.
'It looks like it might rain a bit today. I wonder how long it will last?'
I recited my thoughts while looking at the weather, and the next day, a three-month weather forecast was on my desk.
'Huh? There's dust on the floor.'
Even at a lightly dropped comment.
'Leon-nim! I've cleaned it up!'
'...Did you do it yourself? You could have just told the servants.'
'I feel more at ease doing things like this myself. The servants of Silberg are each performing important duties, aren't they? It's only right that I, who have the least to do, handle things like this.'
From what I can see, Sonia is the busiest one.
She would say she had nothing to do, so she would create work that didn't exist or finish tasks that didn't need to be done.
'Leon-nim. How is it? Are you satisfied?'
'Yes... you worked hard. Well done.'
'Hehe... I'm glad I'm useful.'
'?'
And every time, Sonia would report to me and crave praise.
So now I was certain.
This woman.
Is a serious workaholic and a praise addict.
"Haa~"
Anyway, for that reason, I was worried.
Right. Being good at work.
That's fine.
Honestly, Sonia was convenient.
Not only did she bring solutions like Dora○on whenever I needed something, but she also performed some of the tasks I had to handle as the lord of the territory, allowing me to spend more comfortable days.
But the more that happened, the more my worries grew.
Because I didn't bring her here to make her work.
Putting aside the issue of Sonia's affection, I had brought her here after promising her parents that I would take good care of her.
But if Count Lugner found out that I had made her work to death even after saying all that and taking his daughter... would he leave me alone?
Even if Count Lugner is a good-natured person whom I refer to as 'hyung-nim', he wouldn't be able to tolerate that.
He would probably come to catch me with an army the day he finds out.
And I would lose.
Even if our territory's knights are quite brave and reliable,
Count and Viscount.
They wouldn't be strong enough to overcome the difference in rank.
For someone like me who wants to live comfortably and quietly, war was a factor I absolutely had to avoid.
Anyway, because of that.
"Sonia. Why don't you take a break?"
I wanted to make her rest.
Watching her is one thing, but...
I felt like my stress would only pile up if I just kept watching like this.
"I'm fine! I can still work more!"
But my suggestion didn't work.
Well, why else would it be called an addiction?
It must be because they can't control themselves.
Still, I had to stop her now.
Isn't there a good way?
Then a good idea occurred to me.
"Ah, right. By the way, are there any invitations?"
"Invitations...?"
"Yes. Like the party you had at your Count family's estate before."
It was attending a party.
I felt it last time, there's nothing as relaxing as that.
In any case, just leaving the territory is an act of distancing oneself from work, so there would be no better way to stop a workaholic like her.
But there was one thing I overlooked.
"I haven't... received any invitations."
"Oh... really?"
"Yes."
It was that there were no invitations that had arrived.
Come to think of it, invitations didn't come every single day before either.
Invitations were things that flew in when you'd almost forgotten about them, so there were more times when there weren't any than when there were.
Still, it had been a month since the last party, so it was a bit strange that there wasn't a single one.
I'm sure the intervals weren't this long before....
"I'm saying this cautiously, but... perhaps, isn't it because of the last party?"
"The last party...? The one at your house? Ah... that could be it."
But soon.
At Sonia's one word, I felt like I roughly understood the situation.
Unlike before, when they invited me without knowing any better.
Many nobles who got to know me at the Lugner Count family's party.
They probably realized it right there.
'Ah, there's no big gain in inviting this person.'
...that.
At that time, I didn't bring a big gift, and my connections weren't wide, so I was stuck in a corner at the beginning.
It's not like I was a high-ranking noble whose mere attendance would grace the occasion either.
In other words, they realized that I wasn't someone who would be of any benefit even if they invited me.
Come to think of it, most of the invitations I had received until now were ones that used elegant noble language to tell me not to come.
'The last party was also an invitation sent out of courtesy, but I just attended it recklessly.'
In the end, a person who attended the party while ignoring the noble language.
And a person who, despite attending like that, not only brought no benefit to the host, but even took their daughter and made her work and exploited her.
...Thinking about it, really.
If Count Lugner wasn't a good-natured person, I would have had nothing to say even if I were beaten to death.
And because of that appearance, I must have been branded as a bad guy to the other nobles who attended the party.
Anyway, the current situation is the price for forgetting that the last party was my socialite showcase.
"Hmm... I just need one... an invitation."
A party is the best way to make Sonia rest,
but unfortunately, there were no invitations, so there was nothing I could do.
Is there some good way?
I needed another alternative.
"Leon-nim... do you need an invitation that badly?"
But Sonia, who was listening to me, pondered for a moment and then took something out from inside her clothes?
"Hm? Why?"
"Actually, I have one invitation that came for me...."
I received an invitation with a brown seal on a white envelope.
An invitation with the words 『To Lady Sonia』 written in cursive.
No, Sonia.
If you had something like this, you should have told me sooner!
"Can I read it?"
"...Yes."
Since it was an invitation with the seal already broken, I asked for permission and decided to read the contents.
The content was simple.
It was riddled with elegant noble language, which was a bit annoying, but to summarize, it was an invitation to a tea party where noble ladies would gather to hear the aftermath of the last birthday party, so please make time to come.
"Hmm"
Judging by the slightly crumpled left and right sides,
I could tell that Sonia had been agonizing over whether to attend while holding this invitation.
"It's from the Zahel Count family. Is the Zahel Count family far?"
"...No. It's a day's distance, so it's not that far. As you know... it's a territory attached to the opposite side of Silberg, starting from Lunia."
Yeah, I don't know.
But I nodded roughly.
Because what was important right now was checking if it was a distance worth going, rather than where it was.
Anyway, it wasn't bad.
The distance was appropriate, it wasn't a big event that would be burdensome, and above all, it was the most suitable place for my purpose of making Sonia rest.
"What shall we do...?"
Sonia asked for my opinion cautiously while I was reading the invitation.
I don't know what she's worried about, but she didn't seem to have any desire to go.
It seemed like she was trying to defer the judgment to me.
But my answer is already decided.
"We're going."
She needed a break.
Above all, the invitation contained the reason.
Among the contents written on the invitation.
One sentence that was particularly annoying.
「To present a moment of rest to Lady Sonia Lugner, who must be exhausted from serving day and night...」
One particularly plain sentence among the elegant noble language stabbed me in the heart.
The content was simple, but it contained a lot.
The part about serving day and night must clearly refer to Sonia's workaholism, and if so, it means Lady Zahel knows that fact well.
Since it was also a neighboring territory, it was certain that the Lady was a close friend of Sonia.
In the end, Lady Zahel called her out in the form of a tea party to force a break on Sonia.
That must be why Sonia was agonizing over it.
She wants to keep working due to her addiction, but her close friend is calling her out.
In a situation where she was wavering, I was looking for an invitation....
Maybe she took this out to solve her dilemma and also to ask for my opinion?
"I see.... So we must go."
Even in the midst of that, Sonia made a tearful face as if she regretted the work she was leaving behind.
...Just what,
how addicted to work are you?
She was showing clearly that she didn't want to go.
So I said more firmly.
"Yes. We have to go. It's right to go."
And while we're at it.
I decided to take a break too.
Well, I was already resting, but... it just so happened that I was bored again.
"And I'll go with you. That's fine, right?"
"R-really?"
So I said I would go with her.
Anyway, if Cecil wasn't there and Sonia wasn't there, it was obvious that my boredom would grow even more.
Perhaps because of the relationship between noble and servant, there wasn't anyone else who would talk to me if it wasn't those two.
"Then I'll go!"
And Sonia too.
It seemed like she had an expectation that she might be able to do some work if I went with her... so this was the best way to persuade her.
Well, like that.
We both ended up heading to the Zahel Count's territory.
But Sonia won't know.
I won't create any work for you to do.
So let's go and have a good rest.
Got it?