NOVEL NEXT WORLD #39
#39
Knock knock knock.
Someone knocked on Kain’s door. Kain, who had been up since dawn looking out the window, asked “Who is it?” and a voice answered from outside.
“Master Kain, the clothes that Young Master Jersian ordered last week are ready.”
“…”
“Shall we put them away in the wardrobe right away?”
Kain had completely forgotten about this. However, for Kain who had never been interested in dressing up, it wasn’t an important matter. He replied in an indifferent voice:
“Come in.”
As soon as Kain gave permission, more people than expected poured into the room. Huh? Kain’s body, leaning against the window, straightened up involuntarily. But the procession of servants moving things seemed endless.
Swish- Clothes densely hung on mobile racks came in too. One wasn’t enough, as the servants were busily carrying in no less than three racks. Moreover, people carrying large boxes in armfuls followed behind the racks.
What in the world…
Before he knew it, Kain’s room was filled with people organizing luggage, boxes, and clothes racks. It was chaos. He had liked the empty room. He wasn’t the type to have material desires to begin with. Kain, who had been enjoying the quiet morning, looked at this situation with bewildered eyes.
Noticing this, the perceptive head maid approached Kain and said:
“It’s more than you expected, isn’t it? But to spend all seasons in the mansion, this is actually far from enough. Young Master Jersian ordered us to make sure you lack nothing during your stay. Now that we know your taste from this clothes order, we’ll place a few more orders on your behalf for things you might like. If there’s anything else you need, please feel free to let us know.”
“…I understand.”
A few more times of this in the future? Kain nodded with a nauseated look. Still, it was fortunate that he wouldn’t have to try things on and choose between options like last time, as they would take care of it for him.
“Wow! Isn’t this the vase that’s hard to order these days?”
“Look at the guild stamp on the bottom. Ah, yes! That’s right.”
The maids chattered among themselves as they unpacked boxes. They seemed excited as if the gifts were for them.
But why a vase? I definitely went to the tailor, so why is there a vase? Kain briefly thought to himself before giving up. As Jersian had said, his role was to simply accept such things quietly.
“Master Kain, look at this. It’s a brooch crafted with the highest grade emerald. It was ordered to be fixed on cloaks or robes like this. Please wear it when you go to see Young Master Jersian today.”
A maid showed Kain the inside of a palm-sized box lined with navy cloth. Inside was a sparkling jewel with a brooch intricately carved with grape vines around it. She held the box up to Kain’s shoulder and murmured in admiration:
“Oh my, it matches your eye color so well. Young Master Jersian is so romantic.”
Kain blankly looked down at the emerald in the jewelry box and slowly nodded.
Yes, things were progressing according to Jersian’s plan.
* * *
The gazes of all the people seated around the large table were directed towards Marchioness Elmerila Gerold at the center. She was intently examining a parchment in her hand while wearing a monocle on her right eye.
The parchment was densely written with numbers, showing calculations of how Gerold should manage its money this year based on the current financial state and anticipated future expenditures.
As it was an important document, Marchioness Elmerila’s silence stretched on.
Because of this, the financial manager of Gerold sitting right next to her was visibly fidgeting in tension, which could be felt even at the end of the table. After examining the data intently for a while, Elmerila removed her monocle and said:
“Good, this should stabilize our finances until this year. Pay a bit more attention to food distribution so we can get through the winter well.”
“Yes, Marchioness.”
The financial manager finally exhaled in relief as he answered.
“Everyone may leave now.”
With this, the Gerold Marquis family’s financial meeting came to an end.
Jersian, seated at the edge of the table, was also relieved that the tedious financial meeting was over. Assisting the Marchioness of the Gerold Marquis family included helping with such administrative tasks.
Of course, Jersian didn’t directly involve himself in finances, but his role was to observe whether all these processes were transparent and ensure that the family’s money wasn’t flowing into strange places. It was quite a troublesome task for Jersian, who had an unstable position and was young, apart from having Elmerila’s full trust.
Anyway, it’s good that it ended well.
As the people seated at the table rose one by one, greeting Elmerila, Jersian also moved.
It was then.
“Jersian Gerold.”
At Elmerila’s voice, the noise filling the office stopped abruptly. The same was true for Jersian, who had just risen from the table. Jersian first responded to Elmerila, who was seated at the innermost part:
“Yes.”
“Come here for a moment.”
She said, rubbing her brow bone where she had worn the monocle with her palm.
Was there a mistake? No, there wasn’t any. Jersian walked towards Elmerila with an indifferent face. There was no reason for his aunt to call him regarding the financial meeting that had just taken place, no matter how he thought about it.
Ah, is it a continuation of the failed mission from last night? There might be new information. Jersian walked right up to Elmerila with a slightly hardened face.
By now, only Elmerila and Jersian remained in the office.
The family’s financial meeting seemed to have burdened the Marchioness as much as its weight. She rubbed her face with her palm for a while as if tired, then suddenly realizing she had Jersian standing in front of her, she said:
“I’ve sent a messenger to Tesena.”
“Ah…”
A messenger? Jersian’s eyes widened slightly at the sudden topic.
It was fortunate that he wasn’t called for making a mistake, but he was a bit surprised by this unexpected conversation. Elmerila, seeing Jersian’s face, smirked and said:
“Why do you look like you don’t know anything? It’s already well-known in the castle that you’re meeting with an elf, who would try to get engaged to you now? You should have told me before things progressed. If you were meeting not just any commoner but an elf, I would have understood.”
“…Thank you for understanding. I didn’t dare mention it because I didn’t want to trouble you, Marchioness, when we’re not even in a deep relationship yet. I’m sorry.”
Hmm, Elmerila narrowed her eyes as if something didn’t sit well with her.
“That elf said the same thing. Is it really true that you’re not in any relationship yet?”
“Yes, not yet.”
“My opinion that you should get engaged soon still stands. Try to persuade that elf as best you can. From what I see, he doesn’t seem completely indifferent to you either.”
“…I’ll try my best.”
It was enough that the engagement with the Tesena royal family had fallen through. Jersian nodded, pretending to obediently listen to Elmerila’s words. Seeing this, Elmerila smiled contentedly.
“Good.”
It was a smile that even Jersian had rarely seen.
“That’s all I wanted to ask. You may go now.”
“Yes.”
Jersian was about to leave the office with a relieved face.
“Oh, and…”
Elmerila’s voice was heard from behind. Jersian slightly turned his head back. She looked down at the parchment she had been examining earlier and opened her mouth:
“Fortunately, no scar was left.”
She was undoubtedly referring to the cheek she had struck harshly yesterday. Jersian’s cheek looked clean, but until yesterday there had been a wound where the ring had grazed, and it had been slightly swollen until night. Perhaps because Kain had carefully applied effective medicine, the wound had completely disappeared by morning.
“…”
Jersian maintained a smiling face and remained silent for a moment.
Elmerila’s words were wrong. There had been a scar. It had just been completely healed.
This point is probably best known to Elmerila, who had swung her hand. But Jersian didn’t press on this point and answered:
“Yes. Thank you for your concern.”
Jersian nodded, suppressing his emotions.