Chapter 28
When I nodded enthusiastically, today’s instructor, Rose, clapped her hands with delight.
“Right? I think so too! How could the employment office distort the candidate profile like that! I must tell the butler. Oh, and also…”
As Rose gained momentum and started chatting away, we soon arrived at our destination while I listened quietly.
It was a small room attached to the annex kitchen.
“You saw during the bell tower cleaning, right? I’m quite strict when it comes to training. Please don’t take it personally.”
“Heh, no problem.”
I’ve never met anyone stricter than my master.
As that thought crossed my mind, a surge of fighting spirit welled up, and all sleepiness vanished.
Well, even though I’d started with blazing confidence, things did get a bit rocky from the start.
Not long after, Rose clutched her cheeks and shook her head in dismay.
“Horrifying! I don’t even want to imagine it!”
“…Is it really that bad?”
“Iris, you left the master’s guest waiting at the door for five whole minutes! If that ever happens, we’d be struck by lightning and die! By the master’s lightning bolt!”
Judging by her loud voice, Rose was somewhat like my master too.
Moreover, her training on “Essential Etiquette for Greeting Guests” demanded much more than I expected.
“Remember this, Iris. Unless you want to be struck by lightning!”
“So… the point is, I must greet the guest within five minutes, right?”
Silently listening, I suddenly stood up.
Bang!
And before Rose could say another word, I slammed the door shut and went out. At exactly 4 minutes and 59 seconds, I reentered.
“Wow, perfect, Iris! As if you were reading the clock!”
Rose clapped her hands in admiration.
Soon, she rattled off dozens of tips for greeting guests.
First was how to quickly change out of dirty work clothes when a surprise guest appears.
“This much is easy.”
“Oh my! You’re just as fast as usual! Wonderful!”
Next was how to pretend you hadn’t rushed over and strike a graceful pose.
“Like this? Oh, and I’ve heard my left profile looks more elegant. What if I stand like this… how is it?”
“Ooh, perfect!”
Even down to the elegant way of receiving a calling card without looking clumsy.
“If I tuck my chin a bit while doing Rose’s recommended pose, it looks even better. Like this.”
“Incredible! Absolute perfection!”
Before long, Rose was shaking her head and admitting she had nothing left to teach me, as if I already knew it all.
“One last thing—could you help me with a small task? There’s a door I need to open that hasn’t been used in a while…”
“Of course! What door is it? Let’s go!”
“Oh, yes? Yes! This way!”
As the sun began to rise outside the window, I felt even more fired up.
Thanks to finishing training early, it looked like I had some free time now.
Wait for me, Butler.
The time was still only 7 AM.
* * *
7 AM. The beginning of a new, yet ordinary morning.
Through the faint mist, several blurry shadows appeared.
“Confirm?”
One person whispered and handed over a letter. The others checked the contents and nodded in unison.
“Disperse.”
A sudden flame flared up in the mist, then disappeared just as quickly.
All that remained in the suspicious shadows’ place was a sprinkle of ash.
“Hmph.”
Edwin jumped lightly down from a large zelkova tree, brushing his bangs neatly back.
As I thought, this isn’t something to take lightly.
Even those who had been silent for years were starting to move.
And this happened less than a week after a suspicious maid entered the mansion.
No, that’s not quite right.
Things had been strange since the very day she arrived.
Someone had definitely broken into the western annex’s jewel room, smashed a window, and escaped—a skilled intruder who even managed to shake him off.
The surveillance crystal, Archmage Lulu’s Visual Stone, had only captured a brief image of a veiled woman (he was certain it was Iris Flang) slipping under a tree.
There were only three of those stones in the entire Empire.
If he had one more, he might’ve at least identified the intruder that day.
At the very least, if the stone hadn’t run out of mana at the worst possible moment…
Honestly, even the timing of that mana depletion was suspicious.
Lost in thought, he found himself in front of the stables.
“From now on, finding the intruder is your responsibility.”
Neighhh.
He handed a carrot to a cheerful horse and walked away.
Soon after he left, he could hear someone grumbling, but he ignored it.
Benjamin Dawson’s habitual complaints had long become less than barking dogs to him.
…Things are definitely complicated.
Taking in the cool morning air, Edwin replayed the events of the previous day.
First, there was the recommendation letter bearing Fernand’s seal.
Then there was the girl who drank his specially modified herbal tea and remained bright-eyed.
The girl who deftly picked locks.
The girl who moved quickly and low to the ground.
The girl who effortlessly deflected his attacks.
And then…
…
That girl was definitely suspicious.
Suspicious… and probably not in her right mind.
“Oh my, you’re still cleaning? But what are you two doing with your heads so close together…?”
“We were just finishing up cleaning the butler, actually.”
And then, as if nothing was wrong, she shamelessly tried to lay a dust-filled duster right on his shoulder…
Tomorrow, again.
By mutual, silent agreement, they had backed off last night. But Edwin hadn’t slept a wink.
He had never been this bothered by someone before.
And he had never not eliminated someone who bothered him.
Because—
“Oh my, my! Amazing, Iris! I couldn’t open it no matter how many times I tried!”
Yes. No one had been able to open that velvet box.
The con artist girl seemed to think it was because she made the box enlarge, but no.
Until now, no one had even managed to open it the tiniest bit.
So how the hell had she…?
“How did you open it?”
Yes! How did she—wait a minute.
Where have I ended up?
Suddenly realizing how far he had walked without caution, Edwin nearly panicked but quickly pulled himself together.
He was now standing in front of a small side door behind the annex.
He must have instinctively walked toward the source of presence he felt…
Even for Edwin, this was unprecedented.
If Benjamin Dawson had seen this, he would’ve laughed while flinging stable muck at him.
“Why is this door… or rather, why is it even open…?”
It was a door that was normally locked from the inside because no one used it.
And yet—it was wide open.
“Oh, Butler! You’re here early! Look at this—it’s really wide open, isn’t it? Thanks to Iris. She was amazing at cleaning the bell tower too. She must be really talented!”
“Hehe, it was nothing.”
There stood Rose clapping like a seal, and the fraud named Iris, hands on her hips and looking proud.
He noticed a faint glimmer inside her hand near her waist—it looked like she’d used a hairpin again, like the night before.
She’s being openly suspicious now.
Perhaps she realized she’d been found out and wanted to wrap things up quickly before leaving the mansion.
She must know she couldn’t simply walk away with the Star of Indio.
So she’s not leaving immediately. She’s still searching for another way out.
Still, one could never be sure. Con artists were nothing if not fickle.
Under normal circumstances, he would’ve thrown her out himself. He never let such swindlers walk out on their own.
But this time was different.
Five years of overwork behind him.
And the box he could never open—she opened it.
“…You think so too, don’t you? I’ve never seen anyone open that lock so easily!”
He couldn’t let her leave. At least not until he figured out more about the lead he finally got after five long years.
His scattered thoughts snapped into sharp focus.
“Iris is really suspiciously…”
“Not at all! Not suspicious in the least!”
He responded firmly to Rose’s chattering, leaving no room for doubt.
