Chapter 17
17
And I should sow discord between them with cunning schemes. If they fight amongst themselves, causing internal division…
Let's skip the intermediate steps for now.
The ending: they all brawl and fight, then realize it's all meaningless, lie down on the field, look at the sky, laugh, and resolve their conflicts.
I smiled inwardly, satisfied, imagining a coming-of-age story ending like, "It was summer."
In the end, they would become weary of violence and conflict, give up their rebellion, and live as ordinary housekeepers, butlers, gardeners, and cooks—a happy ending. With the lesson that an ordinary life is the happiest.
A perfect plan to protect the peace of the kingdom and make everyone happy, Mia Fortuna!
"Please do your best, everyone. I support your dreams."
I feigned a kind face, like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
* * *
The next morning, the rebels' first day of work.
Ezekiel prepared breakfast under Dante's supervision and guidance.
I wondered if he needed a stepladder because he was short, but he said he solved about 99.5% of it with magic.
I sat at the table with the suspicious employees and began to eat. The rolled omelet that Ezekiel made tasted familiar, like something I'd had at a local diner.
I savored the taste of my beloved hometown and asked Ezekiel,
"What did you make this with? It's just my taste."
"Eggs."
Ezekiel, who was eating elegantly with a napkin around his neck, gave a simple answer.
I guess I asked something too obvious.
"Master, do you have any preferred garden styles?"
Killian, a bizarre man eating with his helmet on, turned his head toward me.
I could see his eyes through the gaps in his helmet. Only in the bright morning light did I realize he had beautiful silver eyes.
"I don't really know much about that kind of thing… Please do a good job on your own."
I spoke like a timid customer at a hair salon.
I've never lived in a house with a garden, including my past life. Besides, gardening and landscaping are things only delicate and sensible people can do.
Okay, now that it's come to this, let's observe and study Killian Park Jin-oh today.
* * *
After breakfast, around 11 a.m.
I put on a straw hat, held a hoe in one hand, and went outside. My purpose today is to make it look like I'm pulling weeds while conducting a surprise inspection of Killian.
While picking out stones and leveling the field, a strong wind blew. The scent of freshly cut grass, like when using a lawnmower, brushed against my nose.
"No way! He's not butchering the trees, is he?"
I have to protect the roses. I don't want to be punished by Mathias with a chandelier under the principle of joint liability. That man might not die because of the helmet that absorbs shocks, but I will.
I hurried toward the garden.
Next to the garden tree, I could see Killian holding a sword wrapped in blue Aura.
"I've trimmed it to my liking, but are you satisfied?"
Killian, who found me, waved his hand. Cut leaves were gently falling on his pauldrons and helmet.
When I saw his work, I was speechless.
"Oh my god…"
Killian, mistaking my reaction for joy, said in a slightly proud voice,
"It's shaped like a rabbit. I thought you'd like it."
That's right. That man had trimmed the garden's arborvitae trees into the shape of rabbits.
There's no way that's Mathias's taste. He'll surely be furious, saying I turned it into a children's theme park. As the manager of the mansion, I won't be able to avoid responsibility either.
But I couldn't bring myself to utter harsh words to the armored man who seemed to be hoping for praise.
"Wow—it's really cute, but it doesn't suit the refined taste of the owner of the mansion at all… Aah!"
I covered my head without realizing it when I saw Mathias, who had appeared unnoticed. I didn't know what might fall from above. He's going to punish me!
"I didn't plan or order this."
My desperate excuse continued.
Mathias, who had been staring at the rabbit-shaped trees, turned his head toward Killian.
"Hmm, the swordsmanship is neat and good. Even delicate."
"Thank you, Master of the mansion."
Killian scratched the back of his neck as if embarrassed. I think I can see a blush on his helmet.
I stared at Mathias with a dumbfounded face, who looked satisfied.
"Mr. Mathias, do you perhaps have a taste for that kind of thing?"
As soon as his blue eyes met mine, they narrowed unpleasantly.
"For what?"
"I didn't know you liked cute things."
"Does the shape matter? As long as it's neat and tidy. It's better than you, who made it look like a club when you were supposed to be pruning."
Why do you only hate me? I made a very sulky expression.
"Why… am I less liked than a new person, even though I've been with you from the beginning?"
Then Mathias turned away and disappeared with a disgusted look on his face.
He's got the potential to be a regretful male lead. The women who liked that man must have suffered a lot.
I asked Killian, who I thought was wearing a somehow proud expression even though I couldn't see his face.
"Mr. Killian, you and the others knew about Mathias's existence before you came here, right?"
"Yes. If he were an ordinary person, we wouldn't have come here. It's a place everyone avoids."
So, we can freely establish suspicious gatherings and rebellion plans. I looked down at my toes with a gloomy expression.
"I'm ordinary, but I'm here."
I just wanted cool older sisters with good personalities. How did only dark-hearted handsome men gather?
Killian, who put his sword back into its scabbard, said,
"You're not ordinary."
"What is it then? It's not just polite words like 'pretty' or 'cute,' is it?"
Tell me quickly that I have a special hidden power too. I want to proceed with an adventure story where I go on an adventure to draw out my power, not a revolutionary one.
"You have courage and mettle. You didn't run away from this mansion, and you accepted us."
"That's because I don't want to die. I was desperate for manpower because I was suffering from the cleaning ghost. But do you perhaps feel any hidden Aura or Magical Power from me?"
Killian approached me as if observing me. Perhaps because of his large build, a large shadow was cast over me like a big tree.
"May I be excused for a moment?"
"What kind of excuse are you going to make? I'll decide after hearing it."
He held out both hands toward me, who was suspicious.
"I mean to hold your hand."
I reached out and clasped his gauntlet. It was hot, perhaps because it had been warmed by the blazing sunlight.
He concentrated as much as possible while holding my hand. I looked at him with expectant eyes.
His silver eyes, which had been fixed on our clasped hands, eventually turned to me.
"Your hands are very small."
That's it?
That's absurd, really. I quickly pulled my hand away and glared at him up and down.
"Were you just measuring my hand size?"
I think I've been tricked by a common male tactic. Did this man read a book called "100 Ways to Make a Girlfriend"? I'd only be excited if I could see his face.
Killian shook his head in denial.
"No. And I don't particularly feel any power."
Killian, seeing the disappointment in my eyes, continued,
"Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. Isn't it human to live by complementing each other's shortcomings?"
"You're saying the same thing as my grandfather."
A faint laugh leaked out from inside the helmet.
"Master has the ability to make others feel comfortable."
Don't force yourself to find strengths and praise me. When I pouted with a dissatisfied feeling, his silver eyes in the helmet curved kindly.
"It may seem like nothing, but it's a desperate ability for someone."
Why is he saying it so seriously?
I stared at Killian, who was still wearing his armor, and asked,
"Isn't it uncomfortable to live in armor?"
"It's for controlling my Ability. I'm used to it now."
Is he a god of destruction who destroys things with just his eyes?
Then suddenly, I remembered that Ability Users suffer tremendous side effects if they overuse their Abilities.
So, they usually suppress their Abilities.
I put my hands together and fidgeted, asking cautiously,
"Does it hurt a lot? Is it hard…?"
"Not now. I don't think there will ever be another day as peaceful as this."
What happens when side effects occur? I pondered for a moment, chewing over the knowledge I had gained from the original work and this world.
But does he wear armor when he washes?
While searching for information, the subject of my consciousness jumped to an absurd place.
As if reading my thoughts, he added,
"I take it off when I sleep or wash."
"Ah."
I don't know how to react. Suddenly, that image came to me as an explicit fantasy, and I quickly stepped back and waved my hand.
"Please continue your hard work. I have to finish my dry seeding."
An admiring voice leaked out from Killian.
"It seems you have separate training. Was coming to this remote mansion for secluded training?"
He said it as coolly as a martial arts protagonist, but it's actually an agricultural term for sowing seeds in dry rice paddies.
I quickly turned around and left the spot.
* * *
I headed to the kitchen with slumped shoulders. I'm hungry because I used my body to plow the field.
Okay, this time the target of the surprise inspection is Ezekiel!
I hired the mastermind as a housekeeper
