Episode 5: Obedient Servant (Provisional)

The place I was led to was the Count’s office, adjacent to the reception room where I first met Eleanore.

The smell of paper and ink filled the air, and as expected, a large amount of paper documents and bundles were piled up here and there.

Being a noble must be tough too.

“What you mentioned before seems like it will work out.”

As soon as I sat down on the glossy black sofa, Adalbert got straight to the point.

Apparently, the request I had made before was approved.

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, starting next week you’ll be a member of the Anciness household.”

Saying that, what was placed on the desk was a steaming coffee cup and a jet-black tuxedo that anyone could tell was high quality at a glance.

At the same time, pants and a gray vest were placed neatly folded underneath.

“Ooh! This really gives off a Sebastian vibe! Thank you very much!!”

“Sebas…? …Mm, well, it wasn’t that difficult. I just had to ask the director and decide which category to put you in.”

What I had asked of him.

It was for me to become a servant of this mansion.

A few days after becoming Eleanore’s friend, I made this request.

Whether for meeting with her or for my own sake, it was more convenient that way for various reasons.

“But are you really sure about this? Making such a decision?”

He asks while taking a sip of coffee and looking through documents.

“Of course, or rather I should be the one asking you. I can save myself the trouble of commuting, and I’ll be able to see Eleanore-sama right away. However, on your end, Count-sama, you end up having to employ a child like me, and there’s a lot of preparation involved—”

Really, accepting me was like a happy miscalculation.

During these past few weeks, I had been lodging at an inn in town and commuting from there to this mansion.

It was a desperate measure since I couldn’t keep commuting from my home village, spending a long time and no small amount of money.

“I could have… provided you with housing at least.”

“No, I wasn’t comfortable with that. It would be strange for a commoner like me to be a special case.”

“…I don’t care about class distinctions.”

Oops.

Adalbert makes a slightly stern face.

He’s rare among nobles in that he doesn’t particularly care about noble-commoner distinctions.

When I asked to work here, he had this same attitude when I said, “It would be strange for a commoner to come and go from the mansion, so it would be better in various ways if I became a servant…”

Well, thanks to that I got permission to be a servant, and as a fundamental premise, I was able to build a friendship with Eleanore.

“…That’s right. But I don’t want to do anything that looks like I’m taking advantage of Adalbert-kyo’s authority.”

When I said that firmly, he made a slightly puzzled face before showing a gentle smile.

“I see. To be able to say such things at the young age of 7, that’s commendable.”

“That’s what you evaluated when you made me Eleanore-sama’s friend, right?”

“So you understood that much. Well, I wasn’t trying to hide it.”

If you listened to the conversation between the orphanage director and him, you could somewhat guess.

Apparently, Adalbert had been looking for someone to become Eleanore’s friend from the start.

However, people were afraid of the power and appearance she was born with, and he couldn’t find anyone among fellow nobles or townspeople.

So he asked the director, who knew the old days and owed him a favor, to introduce a promising child.

As a result, I was selected, with my intellect and physical abilities uncharacteristic of a normal child.

“I ask for your continued cooperation from now on.”

“Of course. Please leave everything from cleaning to laundry to cooking to me!”

“…Cooking isn’t your assigned duty, though.”

He smiles wryly with slightly drooping eyebrows, looking somewhat exasperated.

After that, we completed the servant contract and various procedures… well, it was just confirming identity on documents the director had signed, and such.

Thus I became a member of the Anciness household.

Honestly, isn’t this quite a promotion?

From a commoner orphan with no connections or pull, to a Count noble’s servant.

Even with various restrictions, it’s a step up that would have been unthinkable a short while ago.

Well, in exchange for that, I need to exceed expectations.

“By the way,”

After all the various discussions ended, I brought up another topic.

“Right now, may I go see Eleanore-sama wearing this uniform?”

The Count made a dumbfounded face.

***

Opening the door slightly, I peek into Eleanore ojou-sama’s room.

As expected, or rather, she had a sulky, dissatisfied look on her face.

A maid was desperately trying to improve her mood, but she remained looking down with no sign of changing her attitude.

Hmm, did I make her wait too long?

“Eleanore-sama,”

I slowly open the door wide and call her name.

Then she whips around vigorously and makes an expression as if to complain about the misfortune and unreasonableness she’s suffered.

“Arcs-sama, you’re late!! Was talking with Father so enjoyable!? While I was feeling—”

She rapidly fires off words, but as soon as she recognizes my appearance, she freezes with her mouth hanging open.

“I apologize for being late, ojou-sama. This footman Arcs Leefort has now arrived.”

I make my most sparkling smile and greet her imitating the manners of fictional gentlemen I saw in my previous life.

Yeah.

About 30% of my reason for becoming a servant was for this.

While my appearance is quite handsome, my clothes were frankly uncool.

Well, it wasn’t particularly gaudy or anything, and it was traditional folk clothing, but standing next to the noble Eleanore, the rusticity stood out.

My face also had more of a noble young master handsome vibe rather than a simple handsome look.

In that regard, with this servant’s tuxedo, I’m a handsome gentleman that’s a perfect match for my face.

“Wh-why…?”

While opening and closing her mouth, the words she finally managed were naturally a question.

“Well, you see—”

I explain the results and circumstances in detail.

The shock must have been too strong because she kept making a dazed face, so probably only half of it entered her head.

“So then, Arcs-sama has… become my servant?”

“Well, that’s right. The employer is Adalbert-sama, but since I’m entrusted with matters around Eleanore-sama, you could say it that way—”

Suddenly, my body is pulled forcefully.

I’ve done a fair amount of training until now, so my core shouldn’t be weak enough to topple from ordinary force, but I was completely off guard and the force was unexpectedly large, so I lose my balance.

And what welcomed me was the softness and pressure I felt on my right arm, and a sweet fragrance that tickled my nose.

“Then, then, then. Does that mean Arcs-sama, Arcs-sama is mine…?”

“Eh? No, that’s…”

Wait, was I just pulled by Eleanore…!?

Even though I was off guard, to have this much force… or rather, the force gripping my right arm is strong!!

“Fufu, then, I look forward to continuing with you from now on… okay?”

And also, her smiling face is somehow… somehow scary!?

There’s no light in her eyes!

Her smile is so dark it’s like she’s releasing magical power…!

“Arcs…”

From behind, a voice mixed with exasperation.

“A-Adalbert-sama! Wait, Eleanore-sama is…”

“It seems you’re deepening your relationship, which is wonderful.”

No, Father-in-law!!

Your eyes are scary too!!

Don’t make me feel the parent-child blood connection in such a way!!

After that, Eleanore’s arm-linking continued for about an hour, and Adalbert-kyo’s treatment of me became somewhat cold.

I don’t get it.