The Marquis Next Door’s Beloved Slave – Chapter 003
“Ah! You’re finally here.”
Ella looked blankly at the man from next door who was hovering near her front gate.
Speak of the devil, she thought. Just thinking about him seemed to summon him.
Because of his tall height, Ella had to crane her neck just to meet his eyes. It was easier to look at him from a distance.
He slowly walked toward her, step by step, wearing a warm, disarming smile.
But no matter how good-looking he was, it didn’t matter.
He was absolutely no help when it came to saving her house.
Still, she couldn’t ignore him entirely, so she reluctantly spoke.
“What do you want?”
“I have something for you.”
Looking closely, she saw that he was holding something in his hands.
Honestly, Ella wasn’t thrilled to see him.
As it turned out, the two investigators weren’t scammers, he wasn’t in on it, and even though she didn’t borrow the money, it was true that her house was being used as collateral.
But still, shouldn’t he have taken her side as her new neighbor?
She was annoyed, but she couldn’t be rude to someone who came over to say hello.
“I heard that when you move in, you’re supposed to greet your neighbors so… cough cough… I look forward to getting along.”
He suddenly started coughing badly. His face looked pale and sick.
“Um… okay…”
“This is—cough, cough—a meat pie. Please try it. I made sure to wrap it up carefully.”
His coughing was so bad that it made Ella feel sorry for him.
“Thank you.”
Ella took the plate and gave him a small bow. The man seemed embarrassed by his coughing and made a point of saying how well the food was packaged.
But still, was it okay to accept gifts from a neighbor when she might lose her house in a week?
“Are you going to sue me?”
“Huh?”
“Earlier, when you left, you said if you were right, you’d sue me…”
She suddenly remembered what she had yelled at him earlier. She wasn’t sure if he was clueless or just enjoyed picking fights.
“Ah, no.”
“So… I don’t have to kneel either, right?”
Was he teasing her?
She had only accepted the pie because he looked unwell and had waited outside in the cold.
She was already stressed out about the loan, and this was pushing her patience.
“Excuse me, I’ve been meaning to ask…”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you always this rude?”
“…Was I rude?”
Ella nearly lost her temper.
That’s a question? Seriously?
“For the record, I didn’t borrow that money. I’m going to the police to report it. So if you don’t want to see your neighbor collapse from high blood pressure, keep your mouth shut.”
“Understood.”
His short, clipped reply was oddly annoying, but Ella didn’t have the energy for a petty fight.
“Just go. I’m tired and heading inside.”
“Ah! Wait!”
“What now?”
“It tastes best when eaten warm.”
That’s it? Ella held back a sigh and nodded politely.
“Thanks. Take care.”
“Make sure you eat it right away!”
– CLACK! –
Ella shut the door loudly, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Now she stood there with two things in her hands: a warm meat pie and a cold bank foreclosure notice.
Thud—
Walking across the yard, her foot hit the basket she’d forgotten about.
“Oh, right… I still need to sell those raspberries.”
The basket she had left that morning was still full of fresh fruit.
But she was so exhausted that she decided to leave them for tomorrow.
Creak—
Clack—
Ella made sure the door was locked and put the plate down on the coffee table.
The plate was still warm underneath. She opened the wrapping.
It was a meat pie—flaky pastry filled with meat, vegetables, and sauce.
Ella plopped down on the floor, leaning against the couch.
Her body felt completely drained.
She hadn’t eaten all day.
Smells good.
Maybe there really wasn’t such a thing as a bad person who gives food.
Trying to forget her worries, she focused on the meat pie.
“Ow, hot!”
She carefully split it in half, releasing a cloud of steam.
Her mouth watered. With ingredients like this, it had to taste good.
She took a bite, hoping it would be a little comfort after such a rough day…
Pfft.
Ella immediately put the pie back on the plate.
It tasted terrible.
***
“You don’t look any better, my lord… I really don’t feel good about leaving you alone in a place like this.”
Andrea, the butler, hesitated to leave. He was full of worry for his master.
“Just lying around at the mansion isn’t going to cure anything, is it?”
Hayden gave a faint smile at Andrea’s concern.
News of the Marquis of Langtenbear’s incurable illness had spread throughout the empire.
Until just a few years ago, it had been a tightly kept secret even within the family.
They had secretly called doctors and healers from all over—even top mages known for miracle cures—but nothing had worked.
Eventually, they could no longer hide it.
“Don’t worry about Langtenbear. Just focus on getting better, my lord.”
“Don’t worry.”
The moving was nearly done, but Andrea still hadn’t stopped fussing.
“Make sure to take your medicine on time too.”
“Got it.”
That was the fifth time he’d said that. Andrea probably didn’t even realize how many times he’d repeated himself.
“My lord!”
A young voice called out.
It was the librarian assigned to manage the Marquis’s personal library.
Since the Marquis loved books more than anything, they had brought this person especially for this move.
His job was to organize the bookshelves and even bring in new releases before the Marquis asked for them.
“Volume 2 of All the Medicinal Herbs of the Empire just came out. Where should I put it?”
“Perfect. That’ll help clear my head.”
“Haha, herbology is good for the brain, after all.”
The librarian had a knack for smooth talk. He smiled without hesitation.
“Put it on my desk, not on the shelves.”
“Yes, sir!”
“And what’s that?”
Hayden pointed to a book tucked under the librarian’s arm.
“Oh, this? It’s a new book that’s popular in the empire right now. I thought it might be helpful for you.”
The librarian scratched his head sheepishly.
“Nice touch.”
“Haha…”
He handed the book over.
The title immediately caught Hayden’s attention:
“101 Secrets to Fitting In with Your New Neighborhood”
[Chapter 1: Never Ignore a Neighbor in Need]
The moment he read the first line, Hayden slapped his knee.
This book was exactly what he needed to enjoy life in this peaceful, nature-filled village while recovering from his illness.
Why need it~