Chapter 40: Unexpected Visitor

It was a slightly windy night. I was working on an assignment given by Nowald-sensei. There’s a potion test on the weekend, and I’m studying for it.

Char had already gotten into bed, breathing peacefully in her sleep.

“Father, it’s apple pie…… Munyamunya……”

After putting back the blanket that she had kicked off, I went back to my desk.

I decided to study a little bit more tonight.

I took a sip of tea to wake myself up and looked down at a book called “Magic Potion Ingredients”.

There is a wide variety of medicinal herbs available on the island of Gandalcia. I need to memorize their appearance and efficacy. If the level of the vegetable garden increases, I will be able to create a medicinal herb garden.

I think it is fun to make something like that eventually.

“Fuwaa~”

I was reading a book while stifling a yawn when suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Who could it be at this time?

I cautiously came to the door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Paul.”

Paul-oniisan!

Mmm, that’s strange. He has a restaurant reservation, but it is still in three days. Moreover, it is not normal to be coming at this time of the day.

When I cautiously opened the door, I saw four hooded people standing outside.

One is Paul-oniisan.

Right behind him is an elderly woman…….

“Cedie-sama……”

“Mary!”

Tears welled up in my eyes, looking at her familiar face. The one in front of me is my wet nurse, the kind Mary. And even Mary’s sons are with them. Her sons are about the same age as Paul-oniisan, and they’re much older than me. The complexions of the four of them were gloomy that it was easy to imagine that something was wrong.

“Dawsill and Cawsill are here too? What is going on? Oh, come in first. It’s cold outside.”

Entering the cottage, Mary quickly glanced at every corner of the room.

“This is the place where Cedie-sama lives……”

Mary let out a sad sigh.

I’m sure she felt sorry for my situation.

The cottage is a detached house, but the floor space is smaller than the room I used in the mansion, and the interior is incomparably simpler. That just shows how big the Dantes mansion is. From Mary’s point of view, she may have thought I am having a hard time.

“Don’t worry, it’s still a comfortable place to live. Everyone, please take a seat first. I’ll make you a cup of tea.”

I was about to prepare the drink when Paul-oniisan stopped me.

“Cedie, listen to what I have to say first. You should take a seat too.”

At the urging of Paul-oniisan, I sat down in a chair.

“I’m sorry to visit you in the middle of the night. Mary has been kicked out of the mansion.”

“Why!?”

Mary, with her voice and body trembling, explained what had happened.

“I overheard a conversation between My Lord and the head butler, Sebastian-san…….”

Apparently, on that day, Mary was cleaning the study. While she was wiping the dust from the bookcase, Alexei-oniisan and Sebastian entered the study. They must have thought there was no one in the room.

Mary said that they came in while talking in a low voice. At that moment, Mary heard these words.

“It was supposed to be Cedie’s, but it was the right thing to keep them in my possession.”

“Yes. The net income for this month is over 1 million crown coins.”

That was all of their conversation, but Alexei-oniisan, who met Mary’s eyes, looked very ill at ease. Then, he angrily ordered Mary to leave.

“I was given leave the next day, for no particular reason. The same is true for Dawsill and Cawsill.”

Her two sons also worked at Dantès’ mansion, but they were all suddenly fired.

“That’s terrible! All three of you have always been doing your jobs well.”

Paul-oniisan then confessed painfully,

“There was a falsification of the will, and Alexei took the inheritance that Cedie should have received.”

“So that’s what it was……”

My father didn’t show much interest in me, but he wasn’t mean enough to leave me with only one deserted island.

I thought it was strange……

“I’m sorry Cedie. I knew the truth, but I couldn’t stop Alexei.”

“It’s all right, Paul-oniisan. The other party has inherited the status of an earl after all. I don’t think I could have done anything about it even if I knew. I just can’t forgive him for kicking Mary and the others out.”

“Alexei must have felt guilty. Anyway, Mary and the others who had nowhere to go came to me for help.”

I’m sure they were grasping at straws.

“I’m indebted to Mary, and I wanted them to work on the ranch. I’d be happy to take care of them, but there’s one problem.”

“What’s that?”

“You see, Alexie comes and goes at the ranch.”

Indeed!

Alexei-oniisan has an eye for famous horses, so he often comes to Paul-oniisan’s place. There is a concern that if they do it poorly, they may be noticed.

“So that is why we are here. What do you think? Can I leave them here, Cedie?”

Mary looks at me with an anxious look on her face. When I think about it, I have always been protected by this person. Now it’s my turn to protect Mary.

“Mary is welcome, as well as Dawsill and Cawsill. It’s already late tonight, so stay at the auberge for now. We’ll talk about the future tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Cedie-sama. I……uu, such a small boy has now become a fine young man.”

Mary was in tears.

The number of jobs on the island has increased, so Mary and her sons should be able to make ends meet.

I am also delighted to welcome Mary and her family here.

A utopia where everyone can help each other and live happily, that is the goal of Gandalcia.

　　　＊＊＊

Alexei was sitting at his desk in his study, receiving a report from Sebastian, the head butler.

“Mary and the others have left the mansion, haven’t they?”

“Yes. They left yesterday. I think they went to rely on Paul-sama.”

“That doesn’t matter anymore. Just hire a little younger maid next time.”

“Understood.”

Alexei goes through the accounting documents.

“Hn? What happened to the sale of dried fruits and cured meat that we talked about the other day?”

“Well…… that deal fell through….”

“What!? Did you send a sample?”

“Yes, I did. But they said that they had found a more delicious preserved food, so they no longer need our product.”

Alexei stood up and banged on the desk angrily.

“That’s impossible! We are delivering to Admiral Granritz! This time it’s a small deal, but if he likes it, the Navy might buy it. I have ordered you to deliver the highest quality, haven’t I!?”

Sebastian winced at Alexei’s anger.

“Y-yes. I delivered the one that looked and tasted the best, but then I still received a letter of refusal from the Admiral.”

“A more delicious preserved food….. Maybe the merchants around Simpson’s Estate have managed to get in on their side then.”

“That….…”

Alexei glared at Sebastian, who flinched in response.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s just a rumor, but…… it was said that what Admiral Granritz liked was the product made by Cedie-sama.”

“Cedie? Wasn’t he on that deserted island?”

“Yes. But I heard that a restaurant was opened there recently, and it seems to be popular with travelers on the main road. The chef there probably came up with the preserved food.”

“Hmmm…… okay, let’s do a little probing then.”

“What do you mean Master?”

“Isn’t it natural for an older brother to worry about his younger brother? Send someone to find out how he lives and have it reported back to me.”

“I understand.”

Alexei’s expression didn’t look like he was worried about his younger brother, but Sebastian still bowed deeply.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

---

Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next

---