Ch.22. Why Am I Getting So Worked Up?

“As you instructed, I’ve brought Luna Brillhart’s parents to the mansion.”

“Hmm, and as I mentioned earlier, you gave them a room so they can stay here for a while?”

“…Yes, but both Luna Brillhart and her parents seem confused.”

“She’s the only servant here who has parents in this place, right?”

“That’s correct. Luna was recruited from this place of exile…”

“She’s the same age as me, so she must miss her parents. Even if they sleep in different quarters, wouldn’t she be happy to be in the same mansion?”

Federicks flinched in surprise, then his eyes reddened with emotion.

“You miss your parents after leaving exile. I almost misunderstood, thinking you were up to something strange again, young master.”

…Oh, right.

If he wants to misunderstand things that way, I don’t need to explain further, but why am I getting so irritated?

“By the way, among the knights who came to exile with us, there’s someone called Rio, right?”

“Do you mean Rio Sergang?”

“Yeah, that’s him. Call him for me.”

“If I may ask, why do you need Rio Sergang…”

“He’s a man, not a woman, so do I really need to explain? Are you worried my preferences have suddenly changed?”

“N-no, not at all. I’ll call him right away.”

After Federicks left, I was alone in the study.

It’s already been two days since I possessed Selden Alphonse.

My desperate hope that everything would turn out to be a nightmare when I woke up went unanswered, unfortunately.

“I’ve put out the immediate fire, but…”

Even though Luna’s parents are safely in the mansion, I need to keep an eye on what happens next.

First, they’ve probably already borrowed money by now, and those loan sharks won’t sit quietly.

And the most serious issue is the second one—even if that gets resolved smoothly, there’s no one suitable to eliminate the monsters that are planning to invade the territory.

In the original story, Rio Sergang, a capable knight and the protagonist’s second companion, handles the monsters that reach the mansion.

The problem is outside the mansion—originally, Luna, who just awakened after losing her parents, clears out the monsters in the village.

But if Luna doesn’t awaken because of me, who will stop the monsters?

The coming-of-age ceremony is two years away, and the monster wave is coming in one year.

Even Rio Sergang can’t handle it alone.

According to the setting, he barely manages to stop the monsters inside the mansion while sustaining serious injuries. Without another knight of Luna’s awakened caliber, the village will be devastated in no time.

“Damn it, I almost resolved the situation, but how did my life expectancy just get cut by a year?”

It’s truly the butterfly effect.

Ironically, “Luna Brillhart,” who killed “Selden Alphonse” after his coming-of-age ceremony, had actually extended his lifespan by a year.

‘What a tumultuous fate.’

Knock knock-!

“Come in.”

Rio Sergang enters the study with firm steps, wearing gleaming silver armor.

Though not particularly large in build, his well-trained shoulders and solid muscles beneath the armor were impeccable for a knight.

“Why did you call for me?”

Well, look at this guy!

After the formal greeting, his tone clearly shows his annoyance.

No matter how much Rio Sergang looked down on Selden Alphonse in the novel, this attitude is worse than I expected.

“Rio Sergang.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“Do I only have to call you when something happens?”

“Pardon?”

“Is it a special talent of you people, whether butler or knight, to respond with ‘Pardon?’ whenever I ask something?”

“W-what do you mean by ‘talent’… I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Butler Federicks, who had followed into the study, mutters quietly, “Here we go again.”

Oh, my stomach hurts.

I’d rather die than rely on these frustrating idiots!!

Whatever I say will only add to the misunderstandings due to my rock-bottom reputation.

I pressed my finger firmly on the list I had prepared on the table and pushed it toward him.

“Just look at this.”

“What kind of list is this?”

“What else? It’s a list of people who lend money to commoners in the territory and charge ridiculous interest rates.”

“How did you get this when you can’t even leave the mansion due to the prohibition order…”

“Don’t believe me?”

Rio Sergang, scanning the list, swallowed dryly and nodded.

“To be honest, I don’t believe it. Couldn’t this just be a list of people you dislike, young master?”

“No, as you said, I can’t even leave the mansion, so how would I come to dislike these people?”

“W-well, that’s true…?”

Do these knights have no brains at all?

Feeling it would be pointless to explain further, I waved my hand dismissively.

“If you understand, take care of it.”

“What do you mean by ‘take care of it’?”

“You think I’d tell you to kill them? Just expel them from the territory so they can’t set foot here again.”

“I’m still not convinced these people on the list are actually loan sharks.”

“Just do as I say.”

“Sigh… very well.”

There it is again, that expression.

I’ve only been here two days, but I’m already sick of seeing it.

All the servants, including Federicks, have the same look.

Like they’re nodding and thinking, “That’s just like him.”

‘Do I really need to break free from my current image?’

Having a reputation as a scoundrel isn’t necessarily bad.

Especially in a place with such complicated procedures.

However.

Unlike Luna Brillhart, who won’t awaken now, Rio Sergang is a character who will journey with the protagonist.

He will become much stronger.

For the sake of future connections, there’s no need to appear in a negative light.

I let out a short sigh.

“Hah… Rio Sergang.”

At my call, Rio reflexively turned his body as he was about to leave the study.

“Yes, speak.”

“Do you know Luna Brillhart?”

“I’m not familiar with her.”

“She’s one of the servants. Her parents are being threatened after borrowing money from loan sharks. They’re staying in the mansion now, so you can ask about it.”

“They’re in the mansion, you say?”

“For details, ask Federicks over there. The loan shark is also included in the list I gave you, so handle the rest yourself.”

Rio briefly made eye contact with Federicks, and they both headed out of the study.

It’s only been two days, but it feels like I’ve been here for a month.

I’m exhausted after staying up all night recalling memories and compiling the list of loan sharks.

Leaning back in my chair, I stretched and looked out the window.

The sun was already setting behind the mountains.

I shook my head from side to side and smirked to myself.

“Right, even if I’m going to die, I should at least get some sleep.”

*

“Hyah!!”

PAANG-!

It’s the third day since my possession.

I woke up early and headed to the training ground.

Just in case, I grabbed a wooden sword and started beating a training dummy.

“Haaah!!”

PAANG-!

I thought a lot before going to sleep last night.

Being possessed in a novel means that even though I’m a scoundrel, I’m still a special existence in this world.

It means I might have my own abilities, just like the protagonist Serion Raikers.

-Is young master Selden preparing to beat someone up again with early morning exercises?

-Hey, be quiet. We don’t want to catch his attention.

-Didn’t you all know? The mansion prohibition order ends today.

-Really? Then from tomorrow, we’ll hear wailing all the way inside the mansion.

-Tsk, tsk, I feel sorry for the innocent villagers.

Damn it!

Why are my ears so good?

Yesterday I could clearly hear Federicks muttering, and now this—is exceptional hearing my only talent?

I’ve never particularly received high expectations from anyone in my life, so this level of criticism seems excessive.

If someone with poor mental health had been possessed, they might have been twisted by all these cold stares.

“Huff… hah…”

Trying my best to shut out the voices, I relentlessly struck the dummy with the wooden sword until my clothes were soaked with sweat.

Just as my consciousness was starting to fade from exhaustion, I heard a voice behind me.

“Young master, here…”

I turned my head and stepped back in surprise.

There was Luna, her face flushed, offering me a towel and water.

“Th-thanks, I’ll drink it well.”

“I heard from Butler Federicks. You let my parents stay in the mansion because you were worried about me…”

“It’s nothing special.”

“And I heard you’re even taking care of the loan shark who was threatening my parents? I didn’t even know about that—thank you so much.”

Ah… that?

I did it to save myself, but from Luna’s perspective, gratitude is natural.

“It’s fine, you can go now.”

Luna hesitated for a moment, then rushed out of the training ground as if in a hurry.

Still, it’s uncomfortable.

Even if she’s being friendly, she was ultimately the only person in this world who tried to kill me.

‘Which is the real her?’

I can’t tell anymore whether the real Luna is the crazed murderer who awakens, or this shy girl who brings towels and water.

What matters is that I still have a mountain of tasks to complete if I want to survive.

“Let’s try again.”

Despite feeling like I could collapse at any moment, I gripped the wooden sword again and was about to swing at the dummy when a hologram appeared before my eyes.

Ding ♬

【Status window activated.】

┗Permanently +1 Stamina increased.

Damn, I knew it! Eureka!!