Chapter 510
The Second Manager sent me a temporary contract along with a map marking shops that sell strawberries. Honestly, if he had shown this level of insight and consideration even half the time, I might have considered him a really great subordinate instead of just a smartass.
‘Just a clever bastard, as always.’
His brain is doing just fine, but it’s all focused on messing with his boss.
Still, today, I’d let it slide since I was able to find what Mar wanted.
‘Not bad at all.’
As I walked toward the shop, I quickly skimmed through the contract.
The terms were short and to the point. Unless the Second Manager was having a moment of insanity, there was no way he’d sneak anything under the table. I had no intention of pulling any weight around my subordinates’ families either. Clean financial relations were the best—no noise, no fuss.
Anyway, the contract looked solid, and since I received this little courtesy from the Second Manager, it seemed worth positively considering.
‘Should I expand the scope?’
For example, instead of a personal contract lasting just during the wives’ morning sickness, maybe a massive contract covering the territory.
Of course, having a deal with the Earl of Tailglehen was out of the question since I already had a contract for resource distribution with someone else. But the other territories in the North, including Count Wiridia’s territory, are pretty much blank slates. If I’m going to entrust someone with a contract anyway, it makes sense to go with someone I know. After all, the term “connections” exists for a reason.
‘A Baron family, I can trust that.’
Plus, the current head of the Baron family and the Second Manager’s father was a commoner who was granted a noble title. While I don’t fully trust the Second Manager’s judgment, I can put my faith in the Baron family.
Alright, when I get back to the mansion, I’ll seriously think this through.
“Welcome, Your Grace! We prepared everything when we heard you were coming!”
“Oh, really? Thanks.”
When I arrived at the shop the Second Manager pointed out, the owner was already at the entrance, holding a basket of strawberries.
‘Held it, huh?’
I craned my neck back to check the shop’s sign.
There it was, the unmistakable emblem of the Baron family.
‘That little sneak.’
Not just any shop he knows, but the one operated by his family. The guy is seriously dedicated.
‘The price better be fair, though.’
But seeing his sincere dedication actually put me at ease. If the Second Manager was this involved, there’s no way the contract would be shaky even if the head of the house changed.
I was living a peaceful and fulfilling life, procuring food that Mar and First Snow wanted in real time, greeting Trixy’s three kids nestled in her arms, chasing after Titi who was running off with something in her mouth, and responding to congratulatory messages from friends.
“Long time no see, Executive Manager! I came to share some good news!”
“Hope you’ve been well.”
It had also been a while since I’d seen some guests.
“You both came! It feels like ages since we last met.”
As if they heard about Mar developing a taste for fruits, the Third Manager and Fifth Manager showed up, each holding a basket of fruits. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth upon seeing them. Unlike the Second Manager, who frequently drops by to confirm how things are going with the Prosecutor’s Office, or the First Manager, who is his girlfriend, these two were people I hadn’t run into at all.
Furthermore, since I had appointed them both as Chief Executive and Deputy Executive, they were likely buried in work too. How frustrating would it be if the person who pushed you into the grind asks, “Hey, you busy?” I would’ve flipped if I were them.
“Not so long, is it? Didn’t we meet at the wedding?”
“Feels like that was ages ago.”
I laughed softly at the Third Manager’s words as I accepted the fruit basket.
All the heads from the Prosecutor’s Office attended my wedding with Trixy, but so much has happened since then that it feels like months have passed.
“Oh, are you both free? Why don’t we grab a meal while you’re here?”
“Yeah, I mean, if I hadn’t eaten yet, I’d have been biting my tongue off a long time ago.”
The Third Manager’s words, tinged with worry, made the usually quiet Fifth Manager hang his head in agreement.
It was a short conversation, but I could easily feel the burdens they’ve carried.
‘I am the sinner here.’
Seeing their expressions, I quietly averted my gaze. The decision to promote them to their positions was entirely mine. Even though I’m younger than them and yet became the Judicial Minister, it doesn’t erase the fact that my struggles don’t alleviate theirs.
What’s worse is that even though I feel sorry about it, I don’t regret the decision. Honestly, there was no one else I could trust to handle the leadership roles. To seize control of a newly established department quickly, I had to position trusted people in high offices.
Plus, I could easily imagine a future where the Third Manager would be gleefully joking with his colleagues when I took the position, so I struck first with the promotion card.
– Woof!
In the midst of this awkward silence, Titi suddenly bounced over to the Third and Fifth Managers, wagging her tail and barking. It seemed she was excited by the unfamiliar scents.
‘What did she eat now?’
Glancing at Titi’s mud-stained mouth, I couldn’t help but chuckle. They say kids put everything in their mouths when they see something new; Titi seems no different. Sure, she’s getting bigger, but she’s still a puppy at heart.
Or perhaps this is just a dog’s nature. Either way, there’s no changing that tendency, regardless of how I try.
“Oh, is this Titi?”
“Wow, she’s bigger than I expected. I thought you said she’s still a puppy.”
Anyway, Titi’s arrival quickly thawed the previously awkward atmosphere. The Third Manager squatted down to pet Titi, and the usually reticent Fifth Manager took a few steps closer to praise her as well.
I hadn’t realized they had a fondness for animals. This was a new discovery.
“She’s a Retriever, so she grows fast. She was small enough to fit in one hand just a while ago.”
Honestly, I’m amazed too. Just a short time ago, she was tiny, and now she’s ballooned out of nowhere.
“Woof.”
“Woof.”
Titi’s sudden antics made both me and the Fifth Manager instinctively bite our lips. As she panted excitedly, she hopped onto the Third Manager’s knee and began licking his temple.
The sight was like a lollipop being enjoyed, and it sparked a sad thought about the future: First Snow asking, “Dad, why don’t you have a diploma?” and “I hate you, Dad!” during puberty.
“What an affectionate little one.”
The Third Manager didn’t seem the slightest bit disturbed by Titi’s behavior; instead, he laughed it off.
‘What a weirdo.’
But no sooner had the Third Manager finished his sentence than disaster struck again. Titi, who had started licking the temple, began inching closer to his forehead.
Please, please stop there! Anywhere but there!
“My wife says animals can tell who the good people are, and it seems that’s true.”
“Is that so? Sounds legit.”
For a moment, I felt like letting out a “What the heck?” but I held back. If that came from my wife, I couldn’t just roll my eyes.
‘It’s probably not because she’s being good.’
Watching Titi go to town licking the Third Manager’s forehead reminded me of the chef in the mansion. Everyone in the mansion thought Titi was adorable, but the chef especially treated her well, grilling her meat personally. And he’s got a shining bald head.
Sadly, the Third Manager is also bald.
‘What a coincidence, both are large too.’
Somehow, it seemed Titi was recognizing the familiar chef in the unfamiliar Third Manager.
How does she distinguish between scents so well…?
*
Since the summer vacation began, I had been living quietly in the territory. Aside from attending my brother’s wedding or visiting Sister Zenobia, my days were consumed solely by training.
As a man of the Krasius family, I’ve never been lax about training, but with the start of the third-year second semester approaching, I was reminded that my sparring with Rutis would soon be coming to an end.
Thinking like that only fueled my desire to train harder. Rutis was a remarkable sparring partner and friend that I wouldn’t come across again. Naturally, it’s only fitting to want to raise my win rate in our matches before graduation. I couldn’t accept a low win rate as a martial artist.
“Erich!”
Yet, my resolve faltered as I heard Sera’s voice.
“I told you not to come this far; it’s dangerous!”
Letting out a small sigh, I walked over to Sera. This was the place where the family’s knights trained and sparred just like me.
Of course, the knights would take extra care with a delicate lady like Sera around, but still, there’s no such thing as “what if” in this world. If Sera got nicked by a blind wooden sword, it would be a catastrophe.
“You were planning to skip dinner again if I didn’t show up, weren’t you?”
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. Saying I wasn’t would’ve made my conscience prick.
Indeed, I had been extending my training sessions lately. Just wielding my sword had sometimes felt like I was on the verge of grasping something, causing me to lose focus.
Because of that, I had skipped meals several times, resulting in the nanny’s nagging. And today, I seemed poised to skip a meal again, and the nanny had likely sent Sera to fetch me.
“What’s the point of training on an empty stomach? You need to eat properly to have strength!”
Sera’s gentle but firm hand grasped mine, leading me away. Naturally, her strength was far too inadequate to pull a full-grown martial artist like me—
“Just go at my pace. You’ll trip if you don’t watch out.”
She was strong enough to guide me along.
How strange. Isn’t this a scenario where a fiancée wants to put something in her fiancé’s mouth? If anything, needing extra strength would be the weird part.
“Really? If I don’t eat again, will you tell Sister Zenobia too?”
“That’s kinda scary.”
Being led by both hands by my fiancées isn’t exactly a good look.
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