2/4 Bonus chapter thanks to @Crescent subscribing to Dragon Slayer Gram Tier on Ko-fi
The next day.
I sat in my room, deep in thought.
“Menosorpo, where should I test it?”
Last time, I tested it in the mansion’s courtyard. I thought it was just an insignificant rune.
But now that I know it’s an ancient rune, things are different. Regardless of the danger, it’s unpredictable what might happen.
“It’s a relief it didn’t activate.”
This time, I’ve learned how to properly activate it. I have to say “Menosorpo.”
If it’s a needlessly noisy and flashy rune, doing it in the mansion’s courtyard would make it impossible to hide.
And doing it at the Constel is even more out of the question.
There’s a personal training room, but it’s just as worrying.
“If an explosion happens, no, that’s unlikely, right?”
After much deep thought,
I realized.
This isn’t something I can figure out on my own.
“…Sigh, I really don’t want to do this.”
I got into position.
I’m about to go through a very difficult process.
It’s painful as if carving out bones and flesh, but all of this will help me take a step forward.
I took a deep breath.
And then.
“─Is anyone there?”
I shouted towards the door.
I felt the hair on my body stand on end.
Shortly after, I heard calm yet quick footsteps.
Creak-
As the door smoothly opened, an elderly man bowed to me.
“Butler Vikar is here.”
…Wow, right now.
Did I just speak informally to someone older than my father in my original world?
It feels like I’ve committed a sin. I was just going to call any passing maid.
“Um, yes. Vikar… sir.”
“…Master Frondier?”
No good.
I can’t drop the honorifics from my speech.
“No, wait.”
A butler holds a significant position within the mansion. Even a noble’s child would use honorifics out of respect for a butler.
The problem is I don’t know how Frondier would have behaved originally.
‘But now that it’s come to this!’
I decided to just go for it.
“Mr. Vikar. Recently, I’ve been troubled by various matters.”
I swallowed as I spoke.
Worried that my use of honorifics might sound strange to Vikar.
“…Yes, I see.”
Vikar responded to my words plainly.
But he was so plain that I couldn’t tell if he found my words strange or not.
As expected of the prestigious Roach family, even the butler is high-class…!
“Is there a place where I can rest without being disturbed by anyone?”
To use Menosorpo, there must be no one around anyway. Even if there were a massive explosion, it should only be noticeable to passing wild animals.
A place no one would find and isolated.
…Could there be one?
“Hmm, then how about the cabin you used to frequent in the past?”
“The cabin?”
“Yes. Our family’s secondary house. You used to play there often when you were younger, with Elodie de Rishae and…, oh pardon me. It’s now Elodie de Inies Rishae, right?”
Frondier and Elodie? They were really close.
…But this is problematic.
I don’t know the way.
“If you intend to go, I’ll have a car ready for you. The chauffeur knows the address.”
Nice, Vikar! Nice chauffeur!
As expected of the high class!
“Very well. Let’s go right now.”
“…Right now, you say?”
“Yes.”
But then, something I said seemed to make Vikar think, as he stroked his beard for a moment.
And then he said,
“However, Mr. Frondier. You have changed a lot.”
Thump.
“…Have I?”
I asked nonchalantly, but my heart felt like it was about to leap out.
Was it my tone that was strange? Or was it strange to say I’m going right away?
“Normally, in such cases, you would have taken a rest in your room. The distance to the cabin is quite far…. Honestly, I thought you would find it bothersome.”
Ah, that’s what it was.
So saying “right away” was what made it strange.
“I’ve become too lazy to even sleep now.”
“Ha-ha, that’s so like you, Mr. Frondier. Then I’ll go ahead and inform the chauffeur.”
“Please do.”
Then Vikar bowed politely and left the room with smooth movements, just as he had entered.
I finally let out a sigh of relief.
‘…The cabin.’
It was the place I chose to test Menosorpo.
The place where the old Frondier and Elodie used to be.
I became slightly interested.
I rode the car to the cabin.