NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 30: - Mondark Family
On the 14th morning since his reincarnation, Tooi woke up at a leisurely pace. It was almost noon. He had slept late last night, so naturally, he woke up late as well.
Anneliese and Rosalina were already awake. It was a shame he couldn’t see their sleeping faces.
“I’m sorry for not having breakfast ready.”
They might not have eaten dinner last night either. Even though he had deposited money for them, he doubted they’d use it. He felt regretful for not considering their needs properly.
“No, it’s not a big deal.”
“We’re fine.”
They couldn’t dine outside due to the unresolved thief issue. They had the grilled pond squid, labyrinth cow skewers, and sandwiches Tooi had bought the previous day. The three of them enjoyed their late brunch together.
“So this is grilled pond squid! It looks delicious!”
Rosalina’s eyes sparkled as she took a bite of the pond squid. Didn’t you have this yesterday too? Are you that fond of it?
“Oh… It’s delicious!”
That was good to hear. Having a tasty meal was important.
“The sandwich here has a great balance with the saltiness of the dried meat.”
Sliced vegetables, dried meat, and a white sauce harmonized perfectly. Tooi thought the dried meat might be tough, but it was thinly sliced, so it didn’t bother him. He was more concerned about the hard and dry bread. Nonetheless, it was delicious.
“I’ve never had labyrinth cow skewers before. They’re really delicious!”
The three of them chatted happily while having a belated brunch that served both as breakfast and lunch. Tooi’s parents had both worked, so he always ate alone—breakfast and dinner. Thanks to that, he learned to cook for himself and prided himself on his skills.
He didn’t have memories of such lively meals. It felt nice, and his heart warmed up because of it.
—
At the government office, there was a lot of commotion. Soldiers were constantly going in and out. It seemed like the Duke had made a move.
“What’s happening?”
Tooi asked a soldier, feigning ignorance.
“The government office is currently closed. Please come back tomorrow or later.”
They wouldn’t reveal what was happening. They might spill the beans if he bribed them, but he decided against it.
Tooi activated Stealth in a hidden spot near the government office and sneaked inside.
“We have completed the verification of everyone’s record cards.”
“We have finished collecting the evidence.”
A slightly arrogant soldier reported. Arrogant, not because he was acting cocky, but he seemed high-ranking.
From this report, Tooi understood that the individuals who were cooperating with the thieves had been exposed. It seemed the Duke was as decent as Tooi’s instincts had suggested. He was relieved that his impression from last night was confirmed.
The Duke had told him to come at night, but here he was in the afternoon! Tooi had no intention of following the Duke’s words to the letter!
In the Duke’s private room from last night, no one was present. Perhaps there was a separate room for work, or maybe they were busy dealing with thief-related matters.
The room Tooi discovered felt like an office. It was as spacious as his apartment in Japan would fit inside comfortably.
Near the large window, there was a desk where the Duke sat. There was also a sofa set. Very elegant.
The desk was piled high with documents. He shouldn’t procrastinate his work; it would trouble his subordinates.
Behind the Duke were soldiers on both sides of the window. There were soldiers on both sides of the two doors as well. Additionally, there were three desks next to the Duke, where civil servants seemed to be working.
But there was another person in this room. This person was incredibly dangerous. The Duke was ominous, but this one had an entirely different level of menace. Just his sharp gaze alone seemed capable of killing a villager.
Tooi didn’t need Detailed Appraisal to sense how dangerous this man was, but when he used it, it turned out to be even worse than expected.
What’s with Guardian Knight Level 42!?
Tooi had seen various soldiers in town and even inside the Duke’s castle, but it was rare to find someone above Level 20. Level 42 in this world where Tooi didn’t have a deep understanding? This guy was a monster.
While Tooi was observing from the corner of the room, a soldier knocked on the door and entered. This soldier seemed a bit arrogant, the same person who had reported in the government office earlier.
“I have a report, sir.”
He saluted properly.
When the Duke prompted him, the soldier reported that the collaborators among the government office staff had been exposed. There were eight people who had cooperated with the thieves from among the government office employees. Tooi had seen six of them last night, but apparently, two more had been added by morning.
They confirmed everyone’s record cards, so there was no mistake in the identification.
“Eight is better than I expected. That’s a relief,” the Duke murmured without changing his expression.
“Zaigen, what do you think should be done next?” the Duke asked.
“Well… Let’s periodically check the record cards. That way, we can regulate their activities.”
“That sounds reasonable. How often?”
“Once a year should suffice. However, we could also do it twice a year, aligning with the biannual Grand Council meetings.”
They probably hadn’t expected things to be this bad. They were discussing tightening the reins on the officials. They should have done it much earlier. At least one person in this room wouldn’t have suffered if they had.
“I see. Once a year it is. That should bring about change. Zaigen, Balkan, make sure this information reaches everyone, from nobles to the lowest officials and soldiers.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Understood.”
The person sitting at the desk closest to the Duke and working looked grumpy. His name was Zaigen. He held the position of Administrative Executor, assisting the Duke in administrative matters. He was the top civilian official. The second person, Balkan, was the dangerous one. He was the Knight Commander of the Duke’s household, the top military official and the third in the Duke’s hierarchy.
The Duke was acting diligently. With evidence, he could take action. So, Tooi decided to present the evidence.
Just as he stepped forward, Balkan tensed, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. The Duke had a sharp intuition, but Balkan’s instincts were even sharper.
Tooi froze in his tracks, taking a step back.
“What’s wrong?” the Duke asked.
“I felt like there was someone here…” Balkan replied, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
“I see. I told you to come at night, yet you’ve come already.”
The Duke was sharp!
“Your Excellency?”
Balkan and the others looked puzzled.
“He’s the one who gave me this ledger.”
“Meaning, there’s an intruder here?”
“Seems that way. But they aren’t here to kill me; otherwise, they wouldn’t have left this behind.”
The Duke seemed to understand Tooi’s intention. That made him even scarier. In a different way than Balkan, but scary nonetheless.
“You came at this hour; there must be something you urgently want to convey. Go ahead. If there’s something, show it to me.”
Tooi’s heart pounded so hard it felt like it might leap out of his mouth.
The Duke moved to the sofa set. Balkan sensed his movement and, while still on guard, shot him a sharp glance. It was an eerie feeling.
Tooi placed the ledger on the table and immediately retreated. To the Duke and others, it probably seemed like the ledger had appeared out of thin air.
One of the civil servants picked up the ledger and handed it to the Duke. As the Duke examined it, his brows twitched. He seemed oddly delighted.
He showed the ledger to Zaigen, who had moved in front of the Duke.
“Oh, this is…”
Zaigen unintentionally exclaimed.
Then, the ledger passed to Balkan.
“What!?”
He exclaimed in astonishment.
“Balkan, gather all the soldiers immediately, including those off-duty. Also, check the record cards of those who haven’t been confirmed yet. Do not leak this information.”
“Understood!”
Balkan sent his subordinates running as messengers. He probably didn’t come himself to keep an eye on Tooi.
“Now, the one who gave me this. Are you still here?”
There was no reply. Balkan was scary, after all. If he approached Tooi aggressively, he could cut him down instantly.
“I’m busy right now, so I assume you want to convey something urgently. I don’t mind. If you have something, show it.”
The answer didn’t come. After slipping through the wall, Tooi left the room.
The Duke was accepting of suspicious Tooi. Becoming close to him was dangerous, but as a partner for mutual use, he seemed trustworthy.
—
Tooi returned to the inn.
“I received a message from Gorteo’s shop. The mansion and servants are ready.”
Anneliese seemed to have received the message in his absence.
“Well, shall we go to Gorteo’s shop then?”
“Yes.”
As a precaution, Tooi decided to activate Stealth and leave the inn without being seen.
By the way, how effective was Stealth? How far could it hide his presence?
“Could you hold my hand for a moment?”
Tooi asked Anneliese to hold his hand and activated Stealth.
“Oh, Master and Anneliese disappeared!”
She released his hand.
“I only saw Anneliese disappear!”
In other words, if he made physical contact with them, he could hide their presence too.
A great skill. Even during Stealth, he could communicate. This communication was limited to people physically in contact with him.
What a useful skill Stealth was!
Tooi held hands with the two of them and activated Stealth. He chose a moment when the inn staff wasn’t looking to avoid causing a commotion.
There was one thief near the inn, seemingly keeping watch over all the inns. It must have been quite a hassle for them.
Two thieves were near Gorteo’s shop. They seemed to be desperately searching for Tooi. Had they realized he had the ledger? But he didn’t think they would suspect him. Perhaps they assumed Tooi had done something because the killer, Upas, had gone missing. That was more likely than them suspecting the ledger.
Tooi deactivated Stealth as he entered the shop. The shop assistant came over, and Tooi provided his name and house details.
He was led to a separate room, where Gorteo and three men and women were waiting.
“I apologize for the wait.”
“No, we weren’t waiting long.”
“These three will be working at your mansion, Tooi-sama,” Gorteo introduced.
Tooi learned they were a family: Mondark, a brisk man in his forties who had previously worked as a butler in a noble’s household; his wife Melris, who used to be a maid in the same household; and their son Jewel, who was now training to become a butler. They were about the same age as Tooi.
Although Tooi was curious about what had happened to that noble’s household, it seemed they weren’t nobles of this country.
“Their identities are confirmed, and they understand the confidentiality requirements,” Gorteo assured.
“I’m Tooi. I work as an explorer,” he introduced himself.
“You don’t need to use honorifics with us,” Mondark replied.
“I see. I’m not very good with formalities, so I appreciate that,” Tooi said.
He then introduced Anneliese and Rozalina.
“These two are slaves for various reasons, but I want them to be treated the same way as me.”
“Understood,” Mondark replied.
Their combined monthly salary was 100,000 grills. It sounded like a lot, but hiring exceptional butlers would cost even more. Gorteo assured Tooi that the Mondark family was outstanding, but due to certain circumstances, they agreed on this amount. Although Tooi was curious about their circumstances, Gorteo mentioned they couldn’t talk about their previous employer.
As long as they had good personalities, Tooi didn’t mind. Besides, he didn’t have a designated role for them as servants, so he decided to hire the Mondark family.
Gorteo told him that if he liked them, he could increase their salary later. The other two who would join tomorrow would start at 20,000 grills each and would have their salaries raised based on their performance. It seemed like a trial period and then full employment.
They exchanged magic contracts at Gorteo’s shop. These contracts had a confidentiality clause, which was reassuring for Tooi. It prevented his information from leaking outside. If anyone attempted to leak the information, they would be forcibly immobilized, he learned.
These magical contracts could also be used on slaves who had served their term, ensuring they wouldn’t divulge their former owner’s information. They were also popular among nobles’ servants and soldiers, offering peace of mind. Although a bit expensive at 1,000 grills per contract, Tooi thought it was worth the security it provided.
Since the Mondark family knew where Tooi’s mansion was, Tooi paid Gorteo a finder’s fee and bid them farewell with gratitude.