Oops. While the news about the baron’s territory was important, it wasn’t why we’d come here.
Time to get to the real reason.
“My apologies for interrupting, but may I move on to the main matter?”
“Oh, right. Yes of course. You came to my estate for a reason, didn’t you? Has something happened?”
Grateful for the smooth transition, I decided to bring up the lakeside cottage.
“Is the Lord familiar with the beautiful cottage by the lake?”
“Oh, that place? I know it well—it’s one of the lodgings run directly by my household.”
Eh!?
So that cottage was run directly by the Viscount’s family.
Then, isn’t the assistant manager’s attitude really bad?
Sue seemed to share my feelings, holding her hand over her mouth in shock.
Then, Shiro and the others continued the conversation.
“You see, a big man told us that we are poor folks. That we should leave and he kicked us out!”
“He glared at Fran too!”
“Mm. Mm. He was really, really mean!”
“Ah? Is that true?”
The lord asked, his tone sharpening.
“Yeah!”
The three of them chorused.
The lord’s expression changed as he repeated the question, clearly shocked that such behavior could occur at a lodge under his family’s direct management.
“Shun, Sue, is what they’re saying true?”
“Yes. The one responsible was the deputy manager.”
I answered back.
“He didn’t even hear our side of the story and just threw us out, assuming we were a troublesome group with children.”
Sue added.
“What nonsense!”
The lord muttered, his voice is low but with controlled anger.
“Such tyranny will not be tolerated in my domain.”
The lord listened to our account, his face tightening until he finally sprang to his feet.
Well, it’s as expected. If words spread that a lodge directly under their family treated guests like that, it would stain his reputation as well.
He turned sharply toward the butler standing behind him.
“Prepare a carriage and a squad of soldiers at once. We are going to the site immediately. Also… ready a cell.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The butler quickly replied, bowing deeply before leaving to carry out the order.
The urgency in the room was obvious as we rose to follow the lord out of the reception room. Our steps quickening with the weight of what was about to unfold.
◆◆◆
The lord sighed, leaning back in the carriage as it rumbled along the forest path.
“It was unfortunate timing. The head manager happened to be on leave, so the deputy took charge.”
“I see… then we truly were unlucky.”
“Unlucky or not, such arrogance cannot be excused.”
The lord replied firmly.
“I had already noted the deputy’s… rough tendencies. But it seems they were worse than I imagined.”
From my perspective, rough isn’t really the term for it—it’s more like outright belligerent.
The carriage moved on the road smoothly and soon, the familiar lakeside lodge came into view.
However, this time, we were not arriving as wandering travelers. It will be interesting to see how the assistant manager responds seeing us.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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