Chapter 22: Date
In the carriage heading to Gran City from Noval Mansion, Reid and Lena sat across from each other.
The theoretical knowledge from the etiquette class had basically concluded, and the next step was practical assessment.
It was similar to getting a driver’s license; after the written test, it was time for the road test.
Thus, Lena decided to go on a date training with Reid to Gran City.
Although it was supposed to be a date, the distance between Lena and Reid felt somewhat awkward now.
The reason for this was quite simple—
Lena was still preoccupied with what had happened last time.
How could I have fallen asleep leaning on Reid’s shoulder!?
No matter how tired I was, I shouldn’t have acted so out of place.
Did I do anything inappropriate while I was asleep?
While Lena silently listened to Reid’s report, she recalled the scene from then.
How could I expect to establish authority in front of him after he saw me like that?
Though slightly distracted, Lena still made an effort to listen carefully to what Reid was saying.
“So, Veronica just left like that?”
“Yes,” Reid nodded, “After Veronica left, I organized a self-check at the mansion. Other than the unusually high consumption of toilet paper on the day Miss Veronica left, there were no other abnormalities.”
Lena had been busy with military affairs these past few days, and the missing cult goods still had no leads, leaving her overwhelmed.
But fortunately—
Lena’s expression softened considerably, and her gaze towards Reid was filled with appreciation.
It’s always reassuring to leave things to Reid.
Lena didn’t assign Reid any extra work; the self-check at the mansion was organized by Reid himself.
Lena even started to consider keeping Reid around after their contract ended—
Of course, in the capacity of a superior and subordinate relationship.
After all, working with a capable subordinate like Reid as a superior was a truly happy thing.
“Speaking of which, my dear Employer Miss,” Reid flashed a familiar smile, “Would you like to take a nap in the carriage?”
Lena couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth; was he really bringing that up?
Though Lena had indeed been so busy lately that her sleep time had significantly decreased.
If it weren’t for the extra foundation she applied in the morning to cover the dark circles under her eyes, they would be much worse than Reid’s right now.
Lena felt that as long as she relaxed a little, she would instantly fall asleep with her head leaning against something.
She had Reid report on recent work in the carriage to keep herself thinking and not dozing off easily.
“Rest assured, Employer Miss, I prepared this.”
Noticing Lena’s concerns, Reid quickly took out something:
“This is called a U-shaped pillow; you just need to put it around your neck, and it will provide support for your neck and head, perfect for a nap while traveling.”
This U-shaped pillow was designed by Reid himself, with the maids at the mansion sewing it 1:1 based on the pre-transmigration design.
Although the inside was filled with ordinary cotton instead of memory foam, it was sufficient for Lena’s needs.
This wasn’t Reid being overly considerate.
Managing the employer’s physical state was also an essential aspect of being a subordinate.
If Lena were to faint at a social gathering due to exhaustion, just thinking about it was enough to give Reid a headache.
Balancing elegance and intimacy while properly taking care of Lena in front of everyone would require paying attention to countless details.
Moreover, Lena would certainly arrange various challenging tasks for Reid to complete to make up for her reputation loss if she fainted.
Reid found the thought overwhelming.
Instead of making up for things afterward, it was better to prevent them beforehand.
The best crisis management is to have no crisis at all.
Lena took the U-shaped pillow.
Reid, oh Reid, how many surprises do you still have for me?
It’s easy to go from modesty to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to modesty.
Having a subordinate like you makes it hard for anyone else to satisfy me.
At this rate, I won’t be able to part with you.
However, just as Lena was about to put the U-shaped pillow around her neck, the carriage suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
“Who told you to stop this carriage?” A rugged male voice came from a distance, tinged with panic. “Did you not see the Noval family crest?”
Then, a slightly immature voice chimed in, growing quieter, “Didn’t the leader say to stop every vehicle for inspection…?”
“You fool, didn’t we just let a Noval family carriage pass?”
Through the carriage window, Reid finally saw the scene outside.
A young soldier awkwardly gripped his spear, while a middle-aged soldier was desperately pulling at his sleeve.
This was near the city gate of Gran City, where several soldiers from the City Defense Army were setting up a checkpoint for routine inspections of passing vehicles.
It couldn’t really be blamed on the City Defense Army for being overly cautious.
Lena had previously discovered that the group coming to Gran City was not just any group, but the infamous Silent Cult.
Multiple countries classified the Silent Cult as a cult, and their rituals to summon demons had even destroyed several city-states.
Now, the goods of the cult merchant, which could easily obliterate a city, were not only unaccounted for but also lacked any leads.
If I were a resident of Gran City, I’d be anxious too.
Thus, the City Defense Army had no choice but to resort to such clumsy methods.
This was actually how most cases are solved in reality; while detective stories may be exhilarating, the majority of cases ultimately depend on a large manpower effort to comb for clues.
A flurry of hurried footsteps sounded outside the carriage, followed by a middle-aged soldier with a beaming smile knocking on the carriage door.
“Sorry, my lord, the new soldier doesn’t understand and stopped your carriage. I will let you pass right away—”
Lena raised her hand to interrupt.
The sound of her military boots hitting the ground made both soldiers straighten their backs simultaneously.
The middle-aged soldier, still grinning, stepped forward slightly, using his burly body to block the young soldier.
“Name.”
“My name is Ron—”
The young soldier barely began to speak before he received a slap on the back of his head from the middle-aged soldier.
“I am Gareth, the head of the City Defense Army here.”
Lena’s gaze swept between them, the crest of the Noval family on Gareth’s collar gleaming fiercely.
It hadn’t struck Ron while they were blocking the carriage, but now he began to feel a sense of dread.
No matter how young Ron was, he understood the consequences of provoking the Noval family.
The Noval family was the de facto ruler of Gran City, and even the City Defense Army were merely private troops of Duke Noval.
For a member of the Noval family to squash a mere soldier would surely be simpler than squashing an ant.
“Very well,” Lena’s sheathed sword suddenly touched the ground, “Now, check my carriage.”
“This…”
Gareth had thought of countless possible scenarios, but had never anticipated that Lena would say this.
How could a noble lady voluntarily request her carriage to be searched?
After the inspection was completed, Gareth and Ron’s backs were already drenched in sweat.
Lena explained to them, “This is a serious matter; every carriage must be checked.” Her tone softened considerably, “I understand you have your difficulties; if you encounter any problems, just report my name, Lena Noval—you can place the responsibility on me.”
“But if I find that a carriage was missed or someone accepted a bribe…”
Lena’s tone shifted sharply, and her gaze became icy.
Gareth and Ron jumped in fright, hurriedly saluting:
“Yes, my lord!”
After they finished inspecting, the carriage started moving again.
“Sorry, Reid, I need to stop by the City Defense Army headquarters first.”
The soldiers of the City Defense Army were hesitant to inspect noble vehicles, which would normally not be an issue, but now it was a matter of the lives of the city’s citizens.
Lena had to resolve this issue with the headquarters.
“There’s no need to apologize for such matters, my dear Employer Miss; it is my luck to have an employer like you.”
This was indeed Reid’s heartfelt words.
Lena was truly an excellent superior.
[You go ahead and do your job; I’ll take responsibility.]
It was no exaggeration to say that anyone who could say such a thing had already surpassed ninety percent of the leaders in Reid’s previous life.
Working under such a leader indeed felt fortunate—
If only Lena wasn’t the one who almost killed him.
Reid stood up and personally placed the U-shaped pillow around Lena’s neck.
“We still have some distance to the headquarters. You can rest for a while, ‘dear.’”
Lena’s eyelashes fluttered.
At this distance, she could smell the faint cedar scent on Reid.
She suddenly remembered that when she dozed off on his shoulder last time, she had also caught a whiff of this comforting fragrance.
“When you get up… make sure to hold down your shirt hem…”
Lena’s voice grew softer, and her body honestly sank into the soft cushion.
