CH 135

Chapter 135 – Glasses boy remembers Weiss’ words

“Lord Elle, lunch is ready.” I heard a low voice lift my consciousness from the sea of thoughts.

I didn’t realize I had spent so much time thinking.

I arrived at Krozheit early in the morning, so it must be noon now.

I was able to sleep, but not for long.

Nonetheless, I got up from the bed and opened the door.

“It’s okay to treat me normally.” I said as soon as I saw Dynawood, who had quite the grim expression on his face.

“Shut up and follow me.” He turned around and started walking.

Alright, alright… Wait, hold on.

“Am I not eating in my room?” I asked.

“You’re the bodyguard of the manager, so unless something comes up, you should eat with her.” Dynawood replied.

I see…

I feel more comfortable eating alone though.

But it’s true that everyone shows some gaps while eating.

If someone wants to kill Adyll, it wouldn’t be strange for them to try poisoning her food.

So as her bodyguard, I should be there with her, but… “Is the manager being targeted by someone who lives in this mansion?” I asked Dynawood, who was walking ahead of me.

I don’t know anything right now. Not about the lawless country, nor about the brothel district.

I don’t know what is expected of me as her bodyguard, so I would like to obtain what information I can.

“You’re the most suspicious person here. Everybody else are servants who have been here for a reasonably long amount of time already.” Dynawood replied.

I see…

“Dynawood.” I started saying.

“Call me casually.” He cut me.

“Then, Dyna, please look out for me, alright?” I asked him.

“Hah?” He seemed to be quite surprised by my words, for he stopped moving and turned around to look at me.

“If something happens to the manager, then the people here will suspect me to be the perpetrator, right?

“I don’t like that. It would make too many people become my enemies, and it would probably force me to leave this country. That would be too troublesome.” I told Dyna.

“You wanna try me?” Dyna asked.

“No, not at all.” I replied.

He seems to be thinking I was trying to cause trouble, but I was just being truly sincere.

“Then what? You trying to set me up? By using me as your alibi, so that you can throw the blame on me or something?” Dyna asked next.

“Well, I don’t mind it if you think I’m trying to do that.” I replied.

“What?” Dyna seemed to be confused.

“Regardless of what the truth is, all you can do is to keep an eye on me.

“Or well, will you ignore the manager’s wishes and attack me? Set me up? Kick me out? You won’t do any of that, will you?” I told him.

After a second of silence, he clicked his tongue, “Clever…”

That’s because I’m a hunter.

If I can’t use my head properly, then I’ll put my life in danger way too easily, and I won’t be able to get any results.

My sister might be able to do anything that she wants to do, even if she pushes forward without thinking, but that’s only possible for the crazy kind of genius that she is. An ordinary person like me cannot do that.

“Listen, kid, I’ll just say this-” Dyna started saying.

“Ah, can I have a minute.” I asked a nearby servant who was passing by.

“Yes?” The servant asked.

He was a boy around my age, and he was wearing a maid outfit.

“Listen!” Dyna exclaimed.

“Is this style of clothes your hobby? Or is it more of a rule of this mansion?” I asked.

“Eh? Uhn… Well, it’s more of a rule.” The maid boy replied.

The boy seemed to be quite confused at the situation, as Dynawood was right beside me and seemed to be quite angry, but the boy answered my question anyways.

“The young lady ordered me to wear this one. She said it suited me better than my previous outfit did…” The boy told me.

I see… So this really is Seviarow’s hobby, after all.

Well, this boy surely looks like a girl at first glance, because the maid outfit suits him really well.

“That person is full of lust, isn’t she? She didn’t even spare you.” I commented.

Essentially, the servants of this mansion are all part of Seviarow’s reverse harem, right? Maybe even Dynawood is a part of it.

The maid boy laughed wryly in response, but he didn’t deny it… This place started feeling kinda darker now that I’ve got this kind of information.

Well, I suppose it is something fitting for the mansion of the manager of the brothel district.

Still, to have a boy as young as this to serve here…

Let’s stop thinking about this. If these thoughts accidentally come out of my mouth, my head might end up being sent flying.

After I stayed silent for a small while, the boy said, “Please excuse me.” then left.

With this out of the way, I turned towards Dynawood and asked, “So, what was it?”

“… Enough. Don’t interfere too much with the young lady’s hobbies. You’ll die.” Dynawood told me.

… Those were quite the worrisome words. I might have really lost my head if I let my tongue slip.

I’ll be careful. I’ll be really careful with this. I don’t want to die due to this kind of accident.

******

I was guided to a large dining room.

Whoa… It’s gorgeous. There is a chandelier on the ceiling, and the table below it is very long and is covered by a dazzling pure white tablecloth.

It’s a sight that really makes one wonder if this is really the lawless country.

“Elle, sit here.” Adyll told me.

… Oh, right, I’m Elle. I’m still not used to this.

Following her instructions, I moved to her left side.

Adyll was sitting at the corner of the long table.

Seviarow sat in front of me.

Behind her Seviarow, stood her bodyguard, Tyran.

And even though Dynawood was right here, exposing Seviarow’s hobbies with his mere presence, Seviarow did not seem to mind it in the slightest.

“Please excuse me.” Dynawood pulled a chair for me as he said that.

For a moment I wondered who this well-mannered person was, but I ignored this thought and sat down anyways.

I’m glad I got to hear my master talk about what it was like to eat in a fancy restaurant.

He told me that someone pulled his chair for him, so I was able to react to it appropriately.

It still felt a bit confusing, but I don’t think my expression betrayed my confusion.

“This is incredibly magnificent.” I said.

Since I’m being employed here, I tried being polite, but… I don’t think it came out well.

I was taught to be careful with my tone and words in this kind of situation, as my behavior could ruin my work, make negotiations fail, or maybe even cause fights.

But I’m really not good at this. I feel absolutely clumsy, and I don’t want to deal with this…

“At least try getting used to it. It’s practice for when we go eat out.” Adyll told me.

I see… So this is part of my job too?

… Ah.

I suddenly remembered that there was a table that was similar to this one in the underground training room of Haidiga.

Perhaps it was there to let our instructors teach us table manners?

“Elle, use the knife and spoon from the sides.” Seviarow told me, while also demonstrating how to use the tableware with her own hands.

I can see it, but I’m still quite confused about how I’m supposed to do it.

The difference in our upbringing is clearly visible.

Differently from the awkward me, both Adyll and Seviarow seemed to be completely used to this kind of thing.

They are so good at it, that they actually look elegant while eating.

I had never realized that there were good and bad ways to eat before.

… And for some reason, this sudden awareness of the existence of proper table manners, made me start remembering the words that I heard back then.

Weiss told me that the work of an assassin is quite sensitive and delicate.

There are hundreds, or maybe even thousands of ways to do a single job.

How do you figure out which way suits you? How do you choose the way that is ideal for the situation?

Weiss Leavant told me this kind of thing when he invited me to the assassin training school.

… If I knew table manners, I could use this to plan out an assassination.

If I knew who would eat what, at what order, with which tableware, then I would be able to assassinate as many people as I wanted in a single dinner.

Where to put the poison? When? Which is the ideal location to put it, so as to let it take effect at the timing that I want?

To make an assassination successful, one has to not only be sure to kill their target, but also to not get caught, nor to be suspected of being the assassin.

… I don’t want to think about this kind of thing too much, but contrary to what my feelings are telling me, the possibilities of assassination are entering my mind one after the other.

It’s like being in the middle of a forest.

Like in those times where I was ready to move as soon as my prey came out.

…. Well, I won’t do it. I’m not an assassin.

But if I think about it on the other way around, understanding how to plan an assassination allows me to figure out what kind of plan someone may try using to assassinate Adyll.

I’m her bodyguard for the time being, and it seems like I’ll have to accompany her while she goes outside, so thinking about this kind of thing is worthwhile.

… Wait, hold on a second.

If I’m gonna leave the mansion together with Adyll, then I’ll be right next to the ruler of the brothel district.

As in… I’ll be standing out.

I’ll be standing out while going to places where I might meet the other rulers…

Won’t my face get exposed? Isn’t there a high chance of me meeting the other trainees on this kind of outing? They’ve probably already been found by the other rulers, after all.

Moreover, if I meet Chace or Florentine, I don’t think they’ll remember to refer to me by my pseudonym, even if I tell them to.

And even if they are able to do it, will they be able to hold a fluent conversation without stopping each time they want to mention my name?

… This is bad.

If things keep going like this, more of my personal information will be leaked.