Stranger’s Handbook Chapter 78

Chapter 78: An Important Gift

“Son-in-law-dono…….If you don’t pay more attention to women, you won’t be able to live a long life, you know?”
“Your Excellency, I brought the jewels you asked for!”
“Your Excellency, since this place is famous for its perfumes, won’t that be a good choice as well for a present-nya?”
“Oh my! It seems his Excellency is busy. And I came all the way here to let him know that the pregnancy is progressing well.”

Media, get out!

My office was currently a fighting ground, and everyone was talking to me as I was desperately trying to write the letter.
Thank you everyone…….But I have to finish this letter quickly, so you must wait…….

“Woooa, such beautiful jewels-nya! Will he find out if I take one for myself-nya?”
“Miss Katalina…….That is a bad idea…….”

“Eh? Lord Albert, how can you even say that-nya? How can you claim that………”
“Miss Katalina, maybe if you take only one, he’ll think it was an accident or something, so it might be safe.”
“You two, son-in-law-dono can probably hear you talking about this, so try to keep it moderate, okay?”

………………Keep it moderate? No, master, you have to stop them.

Well, I couldn’t say anything, since it was I who was in the wrong this time.
I completely forgot to take Princess Tsubaki into consideration.
But because everyone was collaborating, I could deal with it really quickly; even though there were a few misappropriations and a lot of noise, I decided to ignore them.

While listening to the turbulent and intriguing voices surrounding me, I frantically wrote the letter.
‘After the war, I couldn’t really take any time off.
But now that I finally got a moment of break, I immediately wrote you a letter.
I’ll be very happy if you like the present I’ve sent you.
I want to see you soon.’

I wrote this letter the way a n.o.ble would do.

“Albert, hurry up and deliver these. I won’t allow any mistake.”

The cur grinned and saluted, then left the room.
He dares to laugh at other people’s unhappiness……Shall I reduce his salary?
Well, it’s all right. I’m too tired for this anyway.

I stood up and stretched my body a little.

My right hand and my shoulders were sore.
I decided to take a break and drink the black tea that the Maids Unit prepared for me.

“……..By the way, son-in-law-dono, you did write a letter to Bea, didn’t you?
“…………………”

“Are you tired? Didn’t you hear me………”
“…………………”
“Sonia-sama, his Excellency is crying-nya.”
“………Don’t tell me…”

“I didn’t………write to her…….”
“ “…………………..” “

It was the moment that announced that a second fighting scene would surely take place.

That day, late at night, we finished with Bea’s letter-set at last, but we were feeling completely exhausted.

“……..Son-in-law-dono, you are not to forget about these matters ever again, all right?”
“……..Your Excellency, I’m expecting an overtime pay-nya.”
“Your Excellency! If you really are tired, what about holding a sham battle!?”

“Master, thank you. Katalina, you can expect your overtime pay…….I’ll also pretend I haven’t seen the jewel incident.”

Albert……don’t look at me with those flickering eyes.
There’s no way I’ll fight in a sham battle at this moment.

“It will be all right now. Thank you very much, everyone. You were very helpful.”

I stood up and bowed my head.
At this point, there were only people I could trust inside my office, so it was all right for me to bow to them, even though I was a n.o.ble.

I trusted Katalina too, after all.
Just in case, I investigated her past to see if she had any hidden motives or something.
I wasn’t such a softhearted person to unconditionally trust everyone around me.

“Stop, son-in-law-dono.”
“Please stop-nya!”
“Please stop, your Excellency, there’s no need for you to thank your subordinates.”

So they said, with bitter smiles on their faces.
Haha, I was blessed with a great master and wonderful subordinates.

We all went to eat something light and to discuss about the plans for the near future.
It wasn’t very clever for me to act this familiar with my subordinates, but master was part of my family and the other two were trusted friends. That’s why it was more or less all right for me to act like that.

Since Katalina has joined us, the office work’s efficiency has improved considerably.
The people in the old royal capital have settled down, and more and more of them started to talk about what was going to happen with the castle: constructing a new one or repairing the old one!?

“So? Are you going to repair the old castle, son-in-law-dono?”

Master asked me with a serious expression, like he was trying to test me.
……..Oh dear!

“I won’t. if I end up using a castle, the imperial capital would make a huge fuss about it…….Therefore, I will build a mansion on the site of the former royal castle and use it as my home.”
“………but in this case, you won’t be able to protect it in case of an attack, you know?”

“There’s an expression in my homeland, saying ‘The people are the castle, the people are the stone walls, the people are the moat; compa.s.sion is my ally, resentment is my foe’ or something like that.”

These were the words of that famous daimyo 1 from the Warring States period 2………Or was he a strategist?
Hearing this, my master sank into silence…….However, he was smiling.

“I have Albert to lead the knights and Katalina to think about strategies. I don’t need a castle, because I feel safe with my subordinates close to me.”

Both of them fell silent and looked at me.

“I have no great ambitions, after all. I really don’t want to build a castle and be suspected of treason.”

Yes, since I’m in possession of a very large territory now, there’s the likelihood that the imperial capital will be suspicious of me.
I must be very cautious in order for them not to be too vigilant, otherwise it could get dangerous.
Master already understood these things, so he wanted to make sure I understood them as well.

“I won’t say anything else, my excellent son-in-law-dono.”

Master said and started to laugh.
It appears that I pa.s.sed the test.

“However……You are a little too excellent……..”

……………..Eh?

“Your Excellency, Duke Zest!! Do you really……..Do you really trust us to such an extent!!?”
“Woooa-nya! It’s the first time-nya…….It’s the first time someone actually acknowledged me-nya! I was always made fun of for being a filthy kemon.o.bito–nya!”
“For us, the Intelligence Unit, these words are much appreciated…….We will die for your Excellency at any time.”
“We, the Maids Unit, swear unwavering loyalty to your Excellency until the end of time!”

Did they somehow multiply?
Ah! The Intelligence Unit is always around……..And the Maids Unit is always waiting to serve.
…………Why is everyone crying?

“……………..Son-in-law-dono, there is no feudal lord who holds no castle, you know? They’re crying because you spoke those killing words with such a serious expression; you don’t need a castle when you have such wonderful subordinates…….Really now, don’t cause a rebellion or something, okay? If you leave it to these children, the imperial capital would fall in 3 mere days, you know?”

Master patted my shoulder as he informed me in a low voice.
It was also meant as a warning for me to keep this chaotic place under control.

“……..You people are my castle as well as my own hands and feet. I have great expectations from you!”

“ “ “ “ “Your Excellency…..!” “ “ “ “

As I looked at how my subordinates burst into tears, I started to cry as well.
………..I failed to………keep them under control…………