CH 17

Chapter 1, Episode 17

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

We entered through the back door and were ushered into the reception room by Gaspar.

「Hey, there’s a guest. The tea, bring it in.」

Gaspar called out to an employee in the back and then sat down rudely. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

「Gaspar?」

Since we introduced ourselves to each other, he knows that Ryniel-sama is a nobleman. And yet, Gaspar’s attitude could be taken as disrespectful to Ryniel-sama, and I furrowed my brow.

Ryniel-sana let the groggy Gaspard off the hook, saying,『There are times like that,』but at the very least, manners are necessary. It’s no wonder that Gaspar, who runs a jewelry store frequented by aristocrats, is unaware of this.

「…Why, I thought that since you brought him all the way from the back door, he was someone I could trust, didn’t he?」

「I know you didn’t!」

It’s not about whether you can or cannot be trusted.

「Fine, Gaspar. Courtesy is a minimum requirement, no matter how close you are to the person you are talking to. It’s something that must never be forgotten in order not to offend the other person. It’s also a way of showing respect.」

「Marsha-dono.」

「No. I have to say these things properly.」

I glare lightly at Gaspar for not saying enough, despite Ryniel-sama’s efforts to stop me.

「I do trust you, Ryniel-sama. That is why I came with you to see him. That’s not a mistake. But I’m here today to introduce you to my friend Gaspar, owner of Anemone Jewelry.」

I looked down at Gaspar, who was sitting up.

「Marsha-dono, please calm down.」

「I’m already calm.」

「Now, let’s take a deep breath, shall we?」

That is to say, you are saying that I am excited. But I have to say this, whether Ryniel-sama stops me or not, whether the atmosphere here is bad or not.

「Missy, I don’t think you should be snickering in front of a man.」

「If that’s what you think…!」

I gingerly put my hands between Gaspar’s face.

「You should at least take care of yourself!!」

The body temperature transmitted to the palms of his hands was hot and sweaty.

「… I didn’t realize…」

「How could you not notice?」

I let out a sigh of relief that my prediction was right.

This man did not sit down rudely. He wobbled and collapsed onto the couch.

「I would never introduce a fool with no sense of propriety to Ryniel-sama.」

“You idiot,” I said, as if to spit it out.

「It never occurred to me that you were so weak that you couldn’t mend your ailments.」

When Miranda-san told me that he was acting strangely, I thought it was mental, but I didn’t realize that he was physically exhausted.

「I’m glad you trust me. But I’m not always right. There are many people in the aristocracy who are willing to condemn your attitude, whether it’s bad or not. There is no guarantee that I won’t bring such a person with me.」

I turned to Gaspar and plucked his cheek as hard as I could.

「Be prepared to respond at any time. You and I both have many enemies, and you never know when or where we might be caught flat-footed. And since there’s no way they’ll take your physical condition into consideration, you’ll just be easy prey for them.」

The lives of nobles and commoners are not of equal weight. Courtesy leads to the preservation of life, and the life of a commoner can easily be lost if it is neglected. That is the society we live in today.

「Haw cwuel if yuu, Misshie.」

The weak resistance and dumb face of Gaspar, a man of one end of the spectrum, makes me gawk. The gap is intense because he is usually so strong.

「Well, I apologise that I came without considering your availability. I’m sorry.」

If we had entered the store from the front, we would’ve been refused a meeting with Gaspar. Because we tried to enter the restaurant through the back door, Gaspar couldn’t hide his ailment and was forced to reveal his disfigurement. It’s Gaspard’s fault for not taking care of himself, but it’s also my fault for moving for my own convenience, even though I didn’t know it.

「No, I told you to come anytime… Missy is right, I let my guard down.」

Gaspar says with a wry smile, rubbing his pinched cheek.

「I’m also sorry about Ryniel-sama. I, Gaspar, had no idea that my ailment was this bad, and I guided you through it.」

「No, I’m glad you’re aware. For a while I didn’t know what to do.」

Apparently, Ryniel-sama had noticed that Gaspar wasn’t feeling well and tried to stop me. He must’ve noticed it at that time because they had shaken hands earlier.

「It turns out that we are closer than I had heard, and that’s a bonus.」

I heard Ryniel-sama’s small voice muttering the line firmly in my ears, but I don’t know how to react. What kind of information gathering is harvesting?

「Err… erm… I need a cold towel…」

And I decided not to ask here. Because I feel something scary.

「Yes, please do that for him.」

I nodded lightly to Ryniel-sama, who readily agreed.

I called out from the reception room to call someone else, but my head twisted when no one answered. Usually there is always someone there.

「Gaspar, I’m sorry, but may I take the liberty?」

It’s no use if there’s no one here. If I go to the hot water room, there will be at least one person there because he have asked them to prepare tea.

Gaspar fluttered his hands without effort. He seemed to be too tired to even speak, and his complexion was very pale. I had better hurry a little.

「I’ll be back in a bit.」

I said this, and after making sure Ryniel-sama nodded, I strode to the hot water room, where there would be people.