Episode 15: The Young Noble Works
The morning after.
Under the pleasantly clear blue sky.
“Wow, I’ve never seen such high stone walls before…”
I was looking up at the stacked fortifications alongside Emile.
The comfortable guest room bed had been wonderfully cozy, and after falling asleep with a peaceful heart, I woke up feeling refreshed. I immediately went to check on Emile.
Emile had received treatment from a doctor the day before, and although he had white bandages wrapped around his injured ankle, his complexion had greatly improved.
“That’s great, Emile!”
“Thanks to you, Luke!”
As Emile and I were playfully messing around, Emile’s mother, Marie, graciously expressed her gratitude.
“There’ve been wolves spotted, haven’t there? If you hadn’t been there in the forest, it could have been dangerous for the children. I truly appreciate you being there, Luke-sama.”
“No, I didn’t do much… It was Alexia who took down the wolves…”
I shook my head, but just saying her name sparked a secret flame in my heart.
“Guardian.”
What a beautiful name that suits her so well.
The majestic sight of her protecting me remained etched in my mind, and I could recall every detail in slow motion, like it was burned deep within me.
Even when my eyes were open or closed, that vivid scene would always come rushing back, tightening my heart like it had just discovered love.
“Are you traveling, Luke?”
“Traveling, or more like… I don’t really have anywhere to go…”
The carriage arranged when I left home was just a one-way ticket, and I had handed over the little money I had to the coachman. I was genuinely broke.
“Hey Nii-san, you said yesterday you wanted to work at the castle, right? I’ll recommend you just like I promised!”
“Thank you, Emile~!”
I hugged the proudly puffed-up Emile, and while we were joyfully goofing around, Marie scolded him.
“Emile! Luke-sama is a nobleman. You must address him as Luke-sama, not just ‘Nii-san.’”
“Marie, please don’t worry about that. Even if I’m a noble, I’m just a low-ranking one, half commoner.”
My family, the Valten Family, were upstart nobles who bought their title with money, ranking as the lowest level of baron. Plus, I was a bastard born to my commoner mother.
I was well aware that I didn’t have a status to flaunt, and my stepmother Hermine had repeatedly drilled into me to know my place.
So, being called by Emile without titles didn’t bother me at all. In fact, I preferred being treated like a friend rather than a noble.
Marie smiled at me with squinted eyes, looking somewhat bright.
“Luke-sama, please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you. You are the children’s benefactor after all. I’m happy to cooperate in any way I can.”
*
After that, I carried Emile on my back and got a tour of the castle.
The central building of the castle was the lord’s residence. Its decorations were minimal, and it had a sturdy construction. The windows were set high to prevent enemy intrusion.
The top of the castle walls had enough width for walking, allowing for overlooking enemies and attacking if necessary. I couldn’t help but admire how it fulfilled both residential and defensive purposes.
And right in front of those walls.
Looking up at the high fortifications, I exclaimed, “I’ve never seen such tall stone walls before…”
“What an incredible height. This must be a fortress that protects the borders…”
The gate of Rietberg Castle was so massive that carriages could pass through.
The heavy doors were reinforced with iron nails. The stacked stone walls were high and solid enough to withstand cannon fire.
Surrounding the castle was a protective fence, although part of it appeared worn and damaged.
I guessed that manpower might be lacking, so after getting permission, I began repairs.
“Is this good…?”
I prepared boards of the same material, cut them to match the same height, sanded them, varnished them for shine, and painted them evenly with a similar color.
On top of that, I replaced other loose nails, tightened the old hardware of the latch, and while cleaning around the gate, I polished various spots. Emile looked at me with sparkling admiration.
“Luke, you’re good at everything!”
“Thanks!”
With nails in my mouth, I answered cheerfully.
Since living with my family, the Valten Family, I had become accustomed to working.
Although the servants had sympathized with me and treated me kindly in secret, my stepmother Hermine had delighted in me doing what she considered menial work.
When I learned to clean the residence, take care of the horses, and prepare meals from the servants, Hermine seemed quite pleased.
Working felt like a disgrace and something a noble shouldn’t do. Tasks like labor should be left to commoners.
Many nobles thought this way, but Hermine had particularly strong elitist tendencies.
Countless times she had gleefully said, “You can’t hide your common blood.”
I had become accustomed to being mocked and felt no particular resentment, in fact, it left me able to relax as I wasn’t disturbed.
Therefore, I eagerly learned whatever tasks the servants taught me, and they welcomed my efforts to grasp their roles.
I knew it wasn’t very noble-like, but thanks to that, I had no resistance to working, especially if it made someone happy.
“Wow, what a magnificent garden…!”
Inside the fortress, a vast garden spread out, featuring vegetable patches, fruit orchards, and even an herb garden.
They were likely trying to be as self-sufficient as possible, preparing for the possibility of a siege in case war broke out.
I called out to the gardener watering the herb garden and asked for a few overgrown herbs to be picked.
Later, Lily joined us, and we headed towards the kitchen together.
“Good morning!”
I greeted the head chef Hans and joined in on meal preparations.
They were boiling a large pot full of eggs and vegetables, so when I made a green sauce using the freshly picked herbs, they were thrilled.
This was one of the recipes I learned from the Valten Family’s cooks, specifically a sauce meant to pair well with vegetables more than with meat.
“Yum… this is delicious…! People in the city eat vegetables in such stylish ways, huh…”
While stuffing his face with salad coated in the sauce, Hans exclaimed in delight.
“The Valten Baron family is quite wealthy, and I have heard of it, but it’s no surprise they have accomplished cooks, huh?”
“Yes, the cook who taught me how to cook is named Johan, and he was the head chef at a well-known restaurant in the royal capital.”
When I mentioned the name of the restaurant where Johan had worked, Hans jumped up, exclaiming, “What?! That famous place!?” shaking his round belly in surprise. It seemed it was Hans’s dream restaurant.
“I’ve wanted to go there at least once in my life! How lucky you are to have learned from the former head chef there…!”
Hans looked at me with a gaze full of envy while holding a spoon between his fingers, drool escaping his mouth.
The low-status Valten Family was able to hire a top-tier chef like Johan essentially because we were nouveaux riches.
For the servants, the title of the family they served wasn’t as crucial.
Higher-ranked families offered more honor but what mattered more were the conditions and pay. A baron’s household that paid higher wages was preferred over a stingy marquis or count.
As a result, even though the Valten Family was looked down upon by the upper class for being nouveau riche, they remained a popular place for commoners to seek employment. The baroness had a poor reputation, but those factors considered, the high pay was an acceptable compromise.
In fact, no matter how arrogant Hermine behaved, our popularity never waned, and there was never a lack of applicants.
With more applicants, the competition rose, and naturally, the more capable individuals got hired.
The cooks, stewards, gardeners, footmen, and assorted maids employed by the Valten Family were all top-level professionals, more skilled than those at other homes.
I had been nurtured by these high-level servants since I was a child.
I was endlessly grateful to the servants who had treated me with kindness—much more than my real family—and to Johan, who even passed down treasured recipes to me.
“I’m nowhere near Johan, but if it’s alright, I’d love to help out in this kitchen. Hans, nice to meet you!”
“That’s perfect! I look forward to working with you!”
As Hans eagerly reached out for a handshake, I headed straight to the castle garden to harvest some vegetables.
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