Chapter 91: My Home, but with Unexpected Guests (2)
The servants moved about busily. It must have been quite a commotion to park dozens of carriages and move all the goods loaded in them. Anyone watching would think that the mansion had changed owners and that someone was moving in!
The butler took charge of guiding the club members who started to descend from the carriages one by one. They were no different than luggage, and I would have preferred to hand them off to the other servants. However, to avoid any whispers, it was essential for the highest-ranking individual in the mansion to guide them personally.
Based on my experience so far, the trio probably didn’t care much about who guided them. Was it because everyone else was of a lower status? Guess all commoners and most nobles were beneath them anyway.
“This is quite a splendid mansion.”
“Such a size in the capital…”
I could hear the whispers of the club members trailing behind the butler. This mansion was indeed quite large. Even if one was the Inspector General, it was excessive for a noble offspring who didn’t even have a title yet.
But what could I do about it? I was the one who was told by the Crown Prince to use it. Initially, I wanted to refuse, but since it used to belong to the Marquis of Asilon, I accepted it gratefully. “By the way, your mansion—I’m using it quite well,” seems like the perfect thing to flaunt, right?
Thanks to that, Ainter, who was already quiet, became even quieter. It had been ages since he cut off ties with his maternal side, but I’m sure this must feel a bit ironic.
“I’m sorry.”
But hey, this situation isn’t my fault. Blame the Crown Prince for it instead. Every time something happens, about half the time it has something to do with that brat. So, it’s fine to curse him out now and then.
“So that’s the reason you didn’t come back to your territory, huh?”
“Haha, with such a fine place nearby, why would I hike all the way back?”
I caught Erich mumbling this to himself. It seemed he interpreted my staying here as a luxury rather than considering my troubles.
In reality, I used this place just for sleeping. I often ended up sleeping in the corner of the Prosecutor’s office more than in this mansion. To think he’d treat my hardships as indulgence simply because of a mansion…
Once Erich graduates, I’ll need to write him a recommendation letter. He needs to experience civil service life firsthand to truly understand my struggles. The family head manages legislation; I handle administration, so sending Erich to the judiciary would fit perfectly.
Krasis’s separation of powers.
My chest swelled with pride.
When my mansion first turned into an inn, I felt utterly lost, but upon arriving at this mansion, I found a sense of peace. Well, just because royalty was visiting didn’t mean the mansion would split in half or explode.
It’s a pity that a space meant for relaxation was overwhelmed by work. As long as I could suppress that feeling, things were manageable. Yes, it was no different from my time at the Academy.
Now that there were butlers and servants here, I felt more at ease than back at the Academy. In a way, the situation here was better.
“I heard the square in the capital is beautiful.”
“They did decorate it well.”
Everything was smooth sailing until Rutis spoke. The kids had been quietly unloading their luggage earlier; I didn’t expect them to want to gallivant right after arriving. Didn’t they just spend a long time in the carriage?
“Aren’t you tired from the journey? We could rest today. There’s plenty of time.”
“Wouldn’t it be a waste to only see the capital during our vacation? We should explore while we can!”
How much were they planning to roam around? Hearing this shook me to my core. They were seemingly intent on filling the entire vacation with escapades.
I briefly imagined myself contacting the mayors of tourist cities every day, repeating, “Royal family members are coming today!” From the perspective of those mayors, I’d probably be akin to a reaper!
This isn’t going to end well in the social scene.
I could almost hear rumors floating around that the Inspector General was wielding connections instead of fists now. They wouldn’t consider that I was suffering because of those connections too; it’s just that they enjoy gossiping for the fun of it!
“Shall we eat before going out?”
“Ah, we plan to eat outside.”
“All right. Let’s go out later.”
“Haha, I’ll wait for you.”
Even though it was troublesome, I acquiesced and sent Rutis on his way. They came here to enjoy themselves, so how could I bar them? Given the square’s usual crowd, I had a lot to prepare since they planned to dine in the capital’s restaurants.
However, I had no idea about the good dining spots in the capital, and I couldn’t just shove the royal family members into any random place. I felt frightened to ask the butler, fearing he’d bring back an extensive list.
After much contemplation, only one name popped into my head, so I made contact through the communication crystal.
— “Executive Manager? What’s going on?”
“Do you know any good restaurants near the square?”
The 2nd Manager scratched his blonde hair. Given that he had roamed the capital more than anyone else, I was sure he would have some suggestions.
— “There’s a three-story building with a red roof to the southwest of the square. That place is good.”
As expected, he didn’t let me down in this regard.
“Any other options?”
— “There’s one on the east side, but… Are you planning to conduct a tax investigation focused on popular eateries? You might find some gems if you look closely.”
“I’m going there myself.”
— “Oh, are you coming to the capital?”
The 2nd Manager said that as if he really didn’t know. He was tasked with managing intel, but why was he so slow to catch wind of things?
“I’m already here. I came with the pastry club.”
— “Ah.”
The 2nd Manager’s expression went awkward. It looked like something was bothering him.
— “So that was actually true.”
“What are you talking about?”
— “I heard from the 1st Manager that you were coming to the capital along with the royal family members.”
“That’s right.”
— “You should have just said that. But she also mentioned that you’d stay at your mansion throughout the vacation, so I just hit her and told her to stop talking nonsense!”
For the first time in ages, I found myself mentally agreeing with the 2nd Manager’s words. Even from the perspective of the Prosecutor’s Office, this was absurd. But somehow, the Crown Prince pulled it off. The guy destined to be Emperor is something else entirely.
— “If I had known that was the case, I wouldn’t have acted like that.”
“Trust me, if you don’t believe what she says, she’ll hold a grudge for ages.”
— “I got hit too, so we’re even.”
These guys should be grateful they were with the Prosecutor’s Office. If someone from a different department caused such a ruckus, they’d be picked up and thrown behind bars.
Anyway, I jotted down the list that the 2nd Manager provided. He also mentioned cafes and theaters, suggesting that plain restaurants might not be sufficient.
Damn it!
I felt a tad annoyed thinking this brat was probably out gallivanting while I dozed off in my office. But now, here I was on the asking end, so I needed to hold it together.
Instead, I would just rewrite my mental list of duties.
— “I’ll inform the Senior Manager about your arrival.”
“Thanks, good job.”
After hanging up, I reached out to Villar. I needed to send someone to secure seats at the places the 2nd Manager had suggested. It would be an absolute nuisance if the entire escort force showed up, attracting too much attention.
Sending three or four people should suffice.
I sighed while looking at the communication crystal. I was prepared, but it was still a hassle. Ideally, I should be the one receiving attention, not taking care of someone else.
Thinking about this made me even more irritated with the Crown Prince. Seriously, how does he stay in my head so much?
We should have just wrapped things up quickly; why wait until the afternoon?
Originally, when the pastry club entered the capital, the Crown Prince should have greeted them. However, he delayed the welcome to the afternoon, claiming they’d be tired from the long journey.
If we had just held the welcome now, they wouldn’t have messed with wanting to visit the square since I could easily have used the crowd as an excuse, stating that it was overwhelming out there.
— “Executive Manager?”
“Ah, Sir Villar.”
Well, what could I do? When asked, I had to oblige. Since when have I been able to act on my own whims?
“We’re thinking of heading to the square soon.”
Thank goodness I have someone to suffer alongside me.
Originally, local recommendations are always better than those ubiquitous tourist spots everyone knows about. The 2nd Manager, being quite the capital expert, was invaluable.
“So, places like this existed in the capital?”
Even Ainter sounded amazed.
“Thanks to the advisor, I’ve spent quality time. How did you discover such spots?”
“I have a friend who knows how to enjoy life. When I inquired, he opened up like a floodgate.”
“Really, I want to see who this person is.”
Lather agreed, nodding with a laugh. Thankfully, it seemed the schedule had satisfied even these gentlemen of high status.
Wanting to see this friend? Both of them seemed like they’d give anyone a run for their money in desire, so they might hit it off surprisingly well.
“A fun acquaintance? Now I’m curious too.”
Marghetta chimed in with a smile.
Well, I’m a bit nervous about introducing someone like Marghetta to a guy like the 2nd Manager. She might get a major culture shock, and I’d rather never have to set that up.
“You might get the chance if the opportunity presents itself.”
“Fufu, I’ll look forward to it.”
Thus, the thorough square tour organized by the 2nd Manager ended with enthusiastic support.
Upon returning to the mansion, an unexpected figure caught my eye.
‘What’s going on here?’
The Crown Prince did mention that the Ministry of Intelligence had plenty of downtime recently. The only ones I had a close connection with from that department were those masked folks, so I anticipated they would come this time too. However, never in my wildest dreams did I think we’d meet like this!
While I was flabberghasted, an individual in the garden, who was pruning plants, turned to look my way, seemingly sensing my presence. She’s got this bizarre combo of a straw hat and a maid outfit going on. Wait, why on earth was she pruning in the first place?
“Master.”
The woman removed her hat and bowed politely.
“It’s an honor to see you again.”
“…Oh, right.”
The 4th Manager was here.
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