Dignity, honor, and magnificence. These three values gleamed from the figure of the middle-aged man as he entered the room. His eyes were full of noble brilliance and authority as he glanced at his guests.
The moment they saw the lord entering, Grey, Yuna, and Eliza immediately stood up as a show of courteousness. Both Grey and Yuna evaluated the lord as the former was also doing the same.
"Father!" ［Eliza］
With the man's entrance, Eliza quickly rushed to his side and tightly embraced him with a bright smile blooming on her face.
"Liz, calm down. We have guests over right now." ［Lord］
"Yes!" ［Eliza］
Heeding her father's words, Eliza mannerly returned to where she previously sat with her face still full of happiness. Following her lead, the lord headed towards Grey and Yuna's direction.
The butler, Sebastian, stood still silently by the room's entrance. He was listening in carefully and would act accordingly with a word from his lord, only making minimalistic movements as he guarded the door.
"Your Excellencies, Count Grey, Countess Yuna, I bid you welcome to my manor. Please feel free to ask the servants if you need something." ［Lord］
"We're grateful for your offer, and we apologize for the sudden intrusion.... Also, if it's alright to you, I wish to talk with you casually. We're not really good with formalities, you see." ［Grey］
Grey was aware that it was rude to ask such a thing on the first time meeting a lord, but it was something he had to lay down before anything else. Grey and Yuna had experienced enough formalities for the day. They don't need more.
Of course, not just anyone could request that to a noble. Grey carefully made that request in consideration of their respective ranks and authority. He requested it because he could afford to.
Merusia's caste system is divided into 4 main ranks. From top to bottom, they are the royalty, the nobility, the gentry, and the peasantry. Each rank could still be divided into even finer subdivisions.
The royalty are those who rules the country. The nobility are vassals of the monarch which ruled large territories within the country. The gentry are vassals of nobility that consist of baronets, knights, and the landed gentry which are mostly of noble descent. Then there's the peasantry which consist of the common folk.
Nobility consists of 6 noble ranks. From the bottom, there are the barons and viscounts which are considered as "Low Nobility" and addressed as "Your Lordship". Then comes the counts and marquesses, also called the "Middle Nobility" and addressed as "Your Excellency". Next, there are the dukes or "High Nobility", addressed as "Your Grace". And lastly, there's the archdukes which are "Semi-Royalty" and addressed as "Your Highness".
Even amongst the nobles, the rank of "Archduke" is a special one. It is a rank which ranks even higher than the lower ranks of royalty. A rank which is only below that of a "King" or an "Emperor".
Grey and Yuna bearing the title of "Count" and "Countess", respectively, were ranked higher than Eliza's Father who held the rank of "Viscount". It was the reason Grey could request the lord without much hesitation.
"Is that so... Then please feel free to talk casually." ［Lord］
Following Grey's request, the lord loosened up his tense shoulders and breathed out a sigh of relief. He was now wearing a more comfortable and friendly expression.
"I believe you already know my daughter, so I'll just introduce myself. My name is Fritz von Landevar, current head of the Landevar Viscomital house and also Moterno's feudal lord, pleased to meet you." ［Fritz］
"I'm Grey of the B-rank party "Aster", it's our pleasure." ［Grey］
"I'm Yuna of the same party, nice to meet you." ［Yuna］
"Now that the introductions are done, can I ask for the reason as to why the two of you were with my daughter?" ［Fritz］
"Well, you see..." ［Grey］
Fritz reached out his hand to shake Grey and Yuna's. Following that gesture, he then asked the reason for the unusual alignment. He couldn't wrap his head around the fact why his daughter suddenly brought home two high-rankers.
In order to explain what happened in full detail, Grey asked Eliza to explain the flow of events herself. Starting from the moment they were ambushed up until when Grey and Yuna rescued them. There was no detail left untold.
"What!?" ［Fritz］
A furious yell resounded throughout the whole room. Fritz's eyes were full of rage and his fists trembled as he clenched them tightly. He was like a tiger who was ready to rip apart its enemies.
It was just the expected reaction from him. There was no sane father who would stay calm when their daughter was attacked. It was only natural for him to be furious at whoever committed such grave actions.
"To think that that happened while I wasn't watching..." ［Fritz］
"I know what you're feeling right now, but before that, I want to ask if you have any idea who might have been behind the ambush. It's very likely that this situation will repeat itself if no proper measures are taken." ［Grey］
Fritz froze for a moment as soon as he heard Grey's question. It was a valid point that he had no way to deny.
"Sebas..." ［Fritz］
"Yes, Your Lordship." ［Sebastian］
He didn't even need any further explanation. As soon as the butler heard his name being called, he immediately knew what to do. He was tasked to take Eliza outside the room for a moment.
Heeding his lord's order, Sebastian gently took away Eliza outside, leaving only Grey, Yuna, and Fritz inside the room with a serious atmosphere about them. It was easy to tell they were going to talk about an important topic.
"So... It looks like you do know who was behind this." ［Grey］
"It's only a suspicion. There is only one person I know who's despicable enough who would pull this kind of scheme." ［Fritz］
"And that is...?" ［Grey］
"... Goldstone Company's President... Algerio!" ［Fritz］
Fritz clenched his fist tightly once again as he mentioned that name. It was clear that he was on hostile terms with the said person. His anger only grew when he recalled what just happened to his daughter.
According to Fritz, ever since two weeks ago, Algerio had been currying favor with him in order to obtain early access to the Labyrinth of Death. But of course, as a lord, he needed to be fair to his subjects. That is why for that period of time, he had been declining Algerio's gifts.
Then, three days ago, Algerio suddenly stopped sending gifts to him. That time, Fritz thought that he had given up already, but that wasn't the case at all. Since he couldn't win over the lord with gifts, he resorted to more drastic measures.
Just yesterday, Fritz had an assassination attempt on his life. Thankfully, Fritz survived the assault unscathed and the assaulters were caught. They tried to investigate but other than the request letter for Fritz's assassination, there weren't any evidence gathered.
The only reason why Fritz suspected Algerio was because the handwriting on the request letter and the letters attached to Algerio's gifts were the same. He wanted to arrest Algerio, but with just the similarity of handwriting as his evidence, he would not be able to. He also investigated Algerio but all his efforts had only gone to waste.
Having heard Fritz's reasoning, Grey and Yuna understood where he was coming from. The timing of the events were just too perfect for it to be called a coincidence. Not to mention the similarity of handwriting.
From those bits of information alone, it was obvious that Algerio was the type of merchant who would do anything for wealth. And with a headstart in exploring the labyrinth, one would be able to collect a lot of treasures. A labyrinth won't regenerate its treasures until the next activation, after all.
"Despicable..." ［Yuna］
Even Yuna, who was silent ever since Fritz had entered, couldn't help out but voice her disgust towards the man named Algerio. He was someone who could be deemed trash amongst trash.
Fritz wanted to protect his daughter, but when even his guards were outsmarted by the enemies, he didn't know what to do anymore. It was then that a sudden idea struck him like a bolt of lightning.
"Grey, Yuna,,, I know this is unreasonable of me, but I would like to make a request for the two of you." ［Fritz］
Fritz lowered his head as he spoke his words. His actions were so out of the blue that neither Grey and Yuna had anticipated it.
Of course, Grey and Yuna made Fritz lift up his head without wasting any time. While they were of higher rank, the man before them was still a respectable lord. It felt wrong when such a man lowered his head towards them.
"So umm... This request, what is it about...?" ［Grey］
"This might come as a surprise, but I want to hire the two of you to become Liz's personal bodyguards." ［Fritz］
"Huh...? But don't you have bodyguards here already?" ［Yuna］
"Yeah. And isn't it the same as saying that they're not trustworthy if you hire other people to do their job?" ［Grey］
"I am aware of that, but you witnessed what just happened today. If it weren't for you two, Liz would have already been abducted. And if they send stronger men, then I'm afraid..." ［Fritz］
A moment of silence engulfed the room as Fritz expressed his reasoning towards his request. It was the only solution he could think of in order to protect his beloved daughter.
With Grey and Yuna being B-rank adventurers, it was only reasonable to request aid from them. After all, a single B-rank adventurer was enough to fight against hundreds upon hundreds of knights.
"Haah... Alright, we'll take the job. You're also fine with it, right, Yuna?" ［Grey］
"Un. It's a nice change of pace." ［Yuna］
Convinced by Fritz's determination to protect his daughter, Grey and Yuna were left with no choice but to take the job. It was their first time handling an escorting job so the two were also quite excited.
As an agreement was formed between the three, they then decided about the terms of the contract. It was decided that it will become a formal request through the guild and that the reward will be given at the end of the contract.
Since Grey and Yuna were tasked to protect Eliza, at least one of them has to stay by her side all the time. Fritz would provide accommodation towards Grey and Yuna and let them stay in the mansion. They were also free to do what they wanted as long as they could protect Eliza.
"Are you done with your talk...?" ［Eliza］
Just as the contract was signed, Eliza suddenly opened the door with a meek attitude. She didn't come inside and just peeked from the doorway.
"Come in, Liz. I have something to tell you." ［Fritz］
"Hm?" ［Eliza］
With her father's permission, Eliza entered the room in a timid manner. Curiosity was painted on her face as she approached his father. She didn't know what to expect from him.
The moment she was within his grasp, Fritz extended his hands and gently stroked Eliza's head. It was a scene where a father gently showered her daughter with his love and affection.
"This might be a bit sudden, but I've decided to hire new bodyguards to protect you. For the time being, Grey and Yuna will be in charge of your safety." ［Fritz］
"R-Really, Father?!" ［Eliza］
"Yes. Make sure you don't trouble them too much, okay?" ［Fritz］
"Yes!" ［Eliza］
Eliza's eyes glimmered brightly as excitement and happiness appeared on her face. She wasn't happy because she would be safer, but rather, because she'll be able to spend more time with Grey and Yuna.
While Eliza wasn't an only child, her older sister was in the capital with her mother. She only has her father with her, and even then, he was busy most of the time. She was happy to have more people in her company.
"Elder Sister Yuna, Elder Brother Grey, I'll be in your care!" ［Eliza］
"Un. We'll also be in your care, Liz." ［Yuna］
Although it wasn't part of the plan to get involved in a noble's affairs, Grey and Yuna were happy to receive a quest from Fritz. It was a good opportunity to improve themselves as adventurers.
While they've only met Eliza just recently, after seeing her bright and innocent smile, they knew they made the right choice. As adults, it only felt right for them to protect that precious and innocent child.
Time passed after that and evening has arrived. During the few hours they were together, Eliza listened to Grey and Yuna's adventures with an enthusiastic attitude. She looked up to Grey and Yuna as heroes.
It may have been because she has mostly spent her time alone, or with her maids only, but when she had the chance to interact with other people, she was like a little child who never ran out of energy.
"Grey, are you done?" ［Yuna］
"Just a minute. I only need to add some honey." ［Grey］
As it was already evening, the time for dinner had also come. After hearing stories about Grey's cooking from Yuna, Eliza asked Grey if she could also have a taste of the cooking Yuna was so proud of.
Grey decided to cook curry with the use of red-eyed boar meat, courtesy of Yuna's request. She has been craving for it since neither of the two had any lunch due to the sudden flow of events.
Grey wasn't cooking alone either. Along with him was the Landevar household's head chef. It was because the chef wanted to learn something new while also making sure nothing strange gets into Liz's food.
"Mister Rhodes, could you check on the rice for me?" ［Grey］
"Oh, sure." ［Rhodes］
Following Grey's words, Rhodes checked on the rice Grey briefly told him about. He wasn't just helping Grey, he also helped out the other chefs who were also preparing other dishes.
Some more minutes passed, and it was finally time to serve the food. Everyone headed to the dining room where Fritz and Sebastian were waiting. Eliza in particular was very excited to try out the curry.
While it was uncommon for servants to join in on the meal, Sebastian and Rhodes had always eaten with them since Fritz's wife and eldest daughter were absent. It made the table feel livelier.
""""Thanks for the meal!""""
Without waiting for another second to pass, Eliza quickly took a spoonful of curry and fed it to her mouth. She was very excited because of the stories Yuna told her about it.
"Delicious!" ［Eliza］
Eliza commented as she savored the curry. Her reaction was just like Yuna's when Grey first cooked it for her. Even their eyes were sparkling the same way.
After the first bite, the rate at which Eliza fed herself sped up drastically. Even when her mouth was full, she kept feeding herself, making her look like a chipmunk with nuts inside its mouth.
"Liz, mind your manners. The food isn't going anywhere" ［Fritz］
"But ish shoo dewicioush!" ［Eliza］
"See, didn't I tell you, Liz?" ［Yuna］
"Yuna, stop encouraging her. And Liz, listen to your father. You don't want to choke yourself, now do you?" ［Grey］
"Alright..." ［Eliza］
"Sorry..." ［Yuna］
Yuna and Eliza replied with a slightly crestfallen voice as they were scolded by Grey and Fritz, respectively. Though even when they had a little sad tone in their voices, their hands still continued moving.
While Eliza had slowed down, it was worth noting that the rate fed herself was still amongst the fastest in the table. It was only second to one person, and that person was Yuna.
"Grey, this... curry, is it? It really is delicious." ［Fritz］
"I agree with His Lordship. In my thirty years as a chef, I haven't tasted anything like this. Lord Grey, where did you learn to cook like this?" ［Rhodes］
A slightly troubled expression loomed on Grey's face as he heard Rhodes question. He didn't know how to respond to it. After all, he just couldn't say that he learned it from the internet.
"Umm... Trial and error, I guess...?" ［Grey］
Grey decided to go with the safest option. He wasn't lying either as it took him a few trial and errors to create the perfect curry powder which resembled the store bought ones on Earth.
With the difference in availability of resources between Earth and Merusia, it isn't an exaggeration to say Grey "created" curry in the latter. After all, it was a dish which only existed a few weeks ago.
"Trial and error... Lord Grey is a cooking genius..." ［Rhodes］
Rhodes' eyes were painted with admiration as he looked at Grey. His wariness towards Grey was now completely gone. He now looked at Grey as a fellow chef.
After dinner, Grey and Yuna were brought to their own rooms by a maid. The rooms selected were just a few doors away from Eliza's so that they could easily respond if ever there was a threat.
"Wow..." ［Grey］
As soon as Grey entered his room, a luxurious scene greeted him. There was a fancy king-size bed, complete with drapes and canopy, high-quality chairs, desks, and drawers, full of intricate designs, and even the curtains looked very expensive.
While Grey could probably afford it, the thought of damaging something expensive in the room made quite the toll to his mind. It was mentally exhausting to think how much he'll have to pay if ever he got himself in such a situation.
"Ah!" ［Grey］
As Grey saw the bed and the bedroom appliances, a sudden realization came to him. It had totally slipped his mind due to the happenings he had experienced.
Grey had remembered that they were still lodging in the "Blue Spring". He realized that he still needed to inform the inn that they'll be canceling their remaining stays and return the keys to them.
"... Nah... Let's leave that problem to future me..." ［Grey］
Deciding to leave things be, Grey changed from his adventurer attire into his casual clothes and cleaned himself with magic. He then jumped towards the large bed as he decided to retire for the day.
As soon as he laid down on the bed, a feeling of comfort and sleepiness started to envelop him. He could feel the fatigue he had accumulated during the day leave his body slowly.
While the comfort of the beds from the "Rabbit's Den" and the "Blue spring" were already terrifying, a bed in a noble's household was on another level. It was as if one was lying down on the clouds.
As the comfort of the bed slowly engulfed him, Grey's eyes started to close and his consciousness started to fade. In just a few minutes, Grey was already snoring as he peacefully drifted into dreamland.
CHAPTER 40 END