Chapter 9

"Phew~ It's impossible for me and Grandpa to manage such a large mansion on our own~. I heard that we were going to hire temporary help when we got here, but the employer is Lord Leord, isn't he?"

In the servant's room, Shelia loudly complained. Even though no one was listening, she boldly spoke ill of her master.

However, her complaints were not entirely unfounded. Leord was a scoundrel and was often the subject of gossip among the maids.

Shelia had never been a victim herself. This was because Gilbert had made sure that Leord's malicious intentions never reached her.

However, for this trip to the border, there were no maids to take care of Leord, so Gilbert decided to bring Shelia along.

But Shelia, who was brought along almost forcibly, was not in a good mood. She had hoped that he would not be as bad as she had heard, but the behavior she observed during the carriage ride confirmed her worst fears.

He preys on the maids.

He kidnaps beautiful girls from the common folk to satisfy his sexual desires.

He enjoys having his fiancée defiled by others.

These were the rumors.

In reality, it was different. Leord had never acted on his desires due to Beluga's strict surveillance. He might have raised his hand, but he never went too far.

However, if Siegfried fails in his quest in Fate 48, there is a bad ending where the heroine is taken by Leord. Shelia had no way of knowing this.

Currently, Leord is struggling to survive and has no time to indulge in women. So, Shelia's worries are entirely unfounded, though it will take time for her to realize this.

"Will I be called to his bed tonight... Ugh~ I don't want to! I've decided that my first time should be with someone I love~"

On the bed used by the servants, Shelia writhed, kicking her legs. She was convinced that it would happen, but Leord had no such intentions.

By the time Shelia calmed down, Gilbert and Leord were discussing the future.

"Master. First, we should hire people to manage the mansion before you waste away."

"Hmm, yes. Do you have any candidates in mind?"

"I plan to recruit in town. We should prioritize hiring a cook and servants."

"Wait a moment. Are you saying that the only people in the mansion are me, Gilbert, and Shelia?"

"Yes, I'm sorry."

(I knew it, but he really has no popularity... As the eldest son of a duke, at least some people should come, even if just for appearances... This is a bit depressing.)

"I see. Well, it can't be helped. You can see why just by looking at my past."

"Master..."

(Why are you getting teary-eyed over something so trivial! What happened to the legendary assassin!)

"I'll leave the recruitment to you. For now, what should I do?"

"Indeed. How about starting with some light exercise?"

"Hmm. Specifically?"

"How about taking a walk around the mansion?"

"I see. Then, I'll leave the recruitment to you while I walk."

"Leave it to me!"

With renewed enthusiasm, Gilbert left Leord and headed to town with Shelia.

Alone, Leord followed Gilbert's advice and walked around the mansion. For Leord, it was more of an entertainment than just a walk.

"Wow~ It's really like this~"

The world he had only seen on the screen was now a reality, making everything fresh and new. He hadn't had much time to enjoy it at the academy, but now he felt he could have a good time. However, when he suddenly started jumping around, his knees screamed in pain, and he collapsed.

While Leord was rolling around in pain, Gilbert and Shelia were recruiting in town.

"Hmm. What are your special skills?"

"Yes. I—"

Gilbert had already gathered many people and was conducting interviews, quickly deciding who was suitable. Shelia called them, and Gilbert evaluated them.

However, being a border town, there were few young people. The young ones had left for the capital, drawn by its allure.

But they couldn't afford to be picky, so the two did their best.

In the end, they managed to gather ten people. These ten were elite, having passed Gilbert's rigorous interview.

Including Gilbert and Shelia, the twelve of them returned to the mansion.

"You're back."

Leord, who had only been walking around the mansion, welcomed the twelve with a battered body.

"Master! What happened to your injuries!?"

"Don't worry. I just fell."

"But it looks like you were attacked!"

Gilbert was right; Leord was in tatters, and the new clothes provided by the mansion were torn.

Well, the reason was that Leord had jumped around and rolled on the ground, causing his clothes to tear. However, he didn't have the courage to explain this and tried to cover it up.

"Enough. I said there's nothing more to it. More importantly, get to work."

"Understood, Master."

Leord turned his back on Gilbert and quickly entered the mansion. Gilbert followed, leading the others who were waiting behind.

The new arrivals were assigned tasks by Gilbert and quickly started working after receiving their uniforms.

However, except for the cook, there was not much work to do. This was because Beluga had already had the mansion cleaned before Leord moved in.

As a result, the servants were idle.

However, with the extra time, Shelia began training the new female servants.

She also spread rumors and gossip about Leord, leading to misunderstandings.

Back in his room, Leord lay down on the bed to rest his tired body.

However, his sweet thoughts were quickly shattered.

"Master, what are you doing?"

"Gil, Gil!? Why did you enter without permission!?"

"I apologize for entering your room without permission. However, Master, you said you wanted to lose weight. Why are you resting?"

"Because I'm tired?"

"That won't do. You need to move five times more than an average person."

"But it's only the first day... A little—"

"I won't allow any excuses."

Terrified by Gilbert's incredibly swift approach, Leord felt a sense of fear.

He could argue, but Gilbert's reasoning made sense.

Thus, unaware of the hellish training that awaited him, Leord replied.

"Alright. Then, I'll leave it to you, Gil."

"Leave it to me!"

(Oh no! His aura is so intense! Is that some kind of aura coming from his back? It must be my imagination, right?)

It wasn't her imagination.

Leord had awakened the legendary assassin.

From now on, Leord would never have a moment's peace.