It was the kind of day that would be perfect for enjoying a leisurely ti in the morning breeze. The kind of day when you'd want to have a late breakfast, run through the forest before the sun climbed too high, and spend the entire day at the comfortable laboratory imrsed in training, books, and sweet snacks.
Esperanza, who had sluggishly gotten up, pulled back the curtains that widely covered the wall and opened the window. It was a refreshing morning as if nothing had happened the day before.
"Huh?"
It was still early. The servants were busily moving about preparing for the morning. She could see them loading milk containers received from a nearby ranch onto a cart and rattling it along. So presumably, it wasn't even seven o'clock yet.
She had woken up too early for that. Living in sync with Cider's patterns had sowhat delayed Esperanza's wake-up ti, but today was exceptional. Considering how tired she had been the day before, it was even stranger.
'Should I sleep more?'
Esperanza, who had been about to return to bed, paused. She heard a sound from below. A loud voice unsuitable for the morning hours before the mansion's owner had awakened. Esperanza hastily threw a shawl over her nightgown and left her room. Annie, who had woken early to clean in the reception room, widened her eyes.
"When did you wake up?"
"Just now. Did you sleep well?"
"Of course."
"It sounds like there's strange noise coming from below. Did soone co?"
Annie pouted with an expression that said 'who else would visit this house.' Esperanza also chuckled. Right. For a noble mansion, it was a place that rarely had guests, and even if guests ca, visiting at this hour would be rudeness that would be criticized for ages.
"It's probably nothing serious."
"Still, I'm concerned. I'll go down and check."
Going down the stairs that led directly to the mansion's entrance, Esperanza could hear Butler Coleman arguing with soone. Judging by the voice, the other party was a young man. What could really be happening? Her steps quickened.
In the hall, Cider, who had woken early, was leaning diagonally against the stair railing. Esperanza stood on the landing and looked down at Cider, Coleman, and the disheveled-haired man confronting them.
"Now, sir. What kind of misconduct is this?"
"Misconduct, yes! But! I only just heard the news that Count Avondale was at the mansion all day yesterday! How could you do this? Even the butler should have told ! I didn't even know that!"
The young man, who had been raising his voice at the end of sentences like he was drunk, stamped his foot with a bang. That threatening action completely washed away the peacefulness from monts before, and her senses sharpened dangerously. Esperanza reached behind her back and pulled a revolver from her inventory.
He didn't look dangerous, but she was prepared to shoot if necessary.
Then Cider looked up. When their eyes t, he smiled docilely.
"Co down here."
Esperanza, who had been dazed for a mont, quickly threw the revolver back and ca down to the hall as if nothing had happened.
"You woke up early."
"As you can see, there's an uninvited guest."
The man called an uninvited guest grimaced, then glanced at Esperanza and closed his mouth. Seeing him hesitate and remove his hat to greet her, he didn't seem to have aggressive intentions.
"Who is he?"
Cider sighed and said.
"The estate steward."
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An unparalleled genius. The century's magical engineer. Developer of automatons. The 13th Count Avondale.
The modifiers attached to Cider Claiborne were splendid. If a biography of him were to be written in the near future, those modifiers would decorate the pages without a single one missing.
But not a single line would ntion how negligent this gentleman was as a lord. Esperanza watched the conversation between the angry estate steward and the indifferent Cider with a blank face.
Listening to it, it was too much.
The estate steward managing Count Avondale's territory, Dylan Shersby, apparently receives nearly double the salary compared to estate stewards managing territories of similar size. But there's always a trap under treasure.
With that salary, even an excessive workload would be understandable. However, no matter how much the estate steward was delegated most of the administrative work, without the Count who needed to give final approval eting with him, he couldn't do his job properly. Docunts awaiting approval piled up, and piled up, and piled up again.
"I've made up my mind today. Now! Soon! It's harvest season! But we still haven't finished settling the first half's land rent! When will you et with the mine supervisors? Those people have been pestering only
for days!"
"That's what I hired you to do."
Cider said indifferently.
"Even though I work for double pay, there are things Count Avondale must do personally! How am I supposed to appease those arrogant landowners and tell them about raising rent? They won't even give
the ti of day!"
"Who told you to raise it?"
"Then what should I do? Taxes are rising and prices are rising too! Can't we at least raise it by the inflation rate? Our rent is already low compared to the surrounding areas. Don't you know how much attention keeping rent low draws from everywhere, and why am I the only one! Only ! taking the bla!"
Dylan Shersby, whose face had turned red, beat his chest. It was pitiful.
Esperanza clicked her tongue. It was a small sound, but sohow Cider heard it and gave her a look.
"...Why are you looking at
like that?"
"No, I was just thinking you've been quite good at avoiding work and running away."
For an estate steward to talk back to a lord to that extent, he was either quite looked down upon or truly filled with resentnt. It definitely wasn't the forr. Esperanza looked down pitifully at Dylan Shersby. Despite being a handso young man with a good impression, his haggard eyes made him look ghastly.
"Madam? Miss? Anyway, please save
and tell that Count over there to please do so work."
Cider said as if making an excuse.
"I gave you the seal."
"How am I supposed to! How do I stamp it! Count Avondale's seal!"
Moreover, it wasn't just Esperanza and Dylan who heard those words. Old Butler Coleman's eyes widened.
"You gave him the seal?"
Cider wrinkled his forehead. He sighed like a teenage boy about to be scolded by his mother. Coleman lanted.
"Did I raise Count Avondale like this? What kind of seal is that to be handed out?"
"You didn't raise ."
"Is this the ti for nonsense? Millen, you co here and speak!"
Millen had sohow co down to the first floor and was talking with Annie, who had followed Esperanza down, when he was suddenly dragged in. Even though Coleman and Dylan were ganging up on him, Cider half-listened and said.
"Shersby, whether I stamp it or you stamp it, the seal's shape doesn't change, so don't be needlessly scared and just stamp it. Coleman, as you can see, would Shersby, who trembles with fear at stamping a seal, actually sell the seal? Leave him alone. Now, is this over?"
"It's no use saying that. I brought all this year's docunts that need approval, and I won't leave until you finish them. I've prepared letters to send to the landowners as docunts, so please copy them."
"Hire a scribe. That's what I gave you money for."
"No, Count Avondale will do it!"
Dylan just lay down and shouted loudly. When the maids gasped "Oh my," his face turned bright red, but he was resolute.
Cider quietly clicked his tongue. There was no sign of backing down. Research still had a long way to go. The technology itself was complete, but applying it was another problem. Perhaps even the generously estimated 20 days might not be enough, and yesterday he had even lost an entire day. There was no ti to waste on estate managent that could be delegated to others.
Then his gaze reached Esperanza. At first, Esperanza had been staring blankly thinking 'what a pathetic sight this is,' but he could see she was gradually starting to enjoy that pathetic sight.
...Perhaps it would be okay to be delayed a little?
The longer the stay at Avondale, the longer Cider could monopolize Esperanza. In Nine Holder, there were many people who would bother Esperanza. From friends to enemies. He decided to enjoy this brief peace as much as possible.
"I'll handle everything within today, so call anyone you need to call. You can manage that much, right?"
"Ah, yes, if you would... what?"
"If you don't want to, forget it. You can stamp the seal yourself."
Cider tapped Dylan's shin with his shoe tip and pushed him away. Then he turned around as if regretfully and looked at Esperanza, declaring.
"For this reason, we can't do research today either."
"Do your work."
Esperanza chuckled and shook her head. Cider said as if feeling wronged.
"You're talking as if I've been playing around until now?"
Of course, in the general sense, it wasn't like he had been playing. But Esperanza answered with a snort.
"You were playing. You said it was a hobby."
"When I'm working through the night for you, you shouldn't say that."
Who started talking about hobbies first? Esperanza pouted.
"Then the lady should take a vacation. And I..."
"Butler, you need to keep Count Avondale in place. Really, seeing all that money still unprocessed makes my hands shake..."
"Don't worry, Mr. Shersby."
Coleman stated calmly with certainty.
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The capable estate steward Dylan Shersby unloaded a year's worth of ledgers and docunts in Cider's study. Moreover, after briefly going sowhere, he had efficiently scheduled appointnts. It was a display of his determination to make the most of the day.
"As Count Avondale said, I've cramd everything into one day. At twelve o'clock you'll have lunch with the landowners, at three in the afternoon you'll et with the mine operators, and in the remaining ti, please finish the approvals using these ledgers as reference!"
Dylan, who had shot out these words as if he had been waiting only for this day, watched Cider, who was sitting with his chin propped on the study desk. He was worried that the Count might change his mind.
Fortunately for him, Cider was willing to cooperate. However, thinking about Dylan Shersby, mine operators, landowners... the guests rushing in all day, and Esperanza's temperant of finding it tireso to deal with people she wasn't close to, he decided to sacrifice a little more while he was at it.
"Millen, tell Esperanza that I'm sorry, but she should stay at the laboratory today."
Millen glanced at Cider with a strange look, then bowed and left the study. Even to Millen, it seed like excessive consideration.
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