Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Battle for the Porter - Ducal Domain (1)

"Butler, I have something to discuss. Would you step into my carriage for a moment?"

Gatos asked the butler riding the brown horse outside while continuing to administer first aid on me. The butler naturally refused.

"How could one of different standing sit in a seat of equal height? I am merely grateful that you are carrying our porter."

Why "our" porter? Funny guy. I'm just a temp worker. You save the man once and suddenly I'm "one of theirs"?

I pulled my eyes away from Gatos's continuous healing and looked outside. The scenery was unmistakably medieval European. Spires soared high, and Baroque, Rococo, and Gothic styles were jumbled together.

Since the setting of 「The Bed Strewn with Rose Petals」 was nothing more than the author's subjective fantasy of the Middle Ages, was this the historical accuracy of lacking historical accuracy?

"I was simply curious."

"About what, might I ask?"

"What this porter is to the Ducal House."

Gatos asked in his ever-breezy voice.

"Is the Ducal House's creed not this singular thing? Act economically. Your current actions appear quite economical."

"We still fulfill basic human decency."

"I see. I misspoke."

Gatos said that and drew the curtain. Well, he was doing his best to heal me. The person healing me wasn't even some mediocre temple priest — he was the Second Prince of this country. And yet, weak healing was still weak healing.

"Are you alright? It's impressive that you haven't let out a single groan."

Gatos asked me. Gatos was a kind person. There was nothing to lose from getting close to him. Of course, actually getting close probably wasn't possible. He was just a warm person healing me out of goodness — beyond that, I doubted we'd share any further connection.

"I can bear it."

"How admirable. You seem quite young — would you mind if I asked your age?"

Twenty-eight...... but I didn't even know what I looked like yet. I decided to make a different choice.

"I don't know."

"Is that so? Did you cross over from Yensi to here alone?"

"Yes, I did."

"Hmm, so the rumors about Yensi's dire situation were true."

How would I know about that? The author barely described anything outside Trafviche. All I knew about Yensi was that Trafviche's people discriminated against its inhabitants.

"What is your name?"

"Appari Tion."

"That means phantom."

What? That startled me.

"How do you know that?"

"I believe it's Ancient Yensian. I enjoy studying languages."

Being a prince, he must've studied a lot. Anyway, so English was Ancient Yensian. My general knowledge was getting scrambled beyond recognition.

"Do you have parents?"

"No."

Not in this world. Ah, not in the other one either.

"I see. I won't ask any further questions. I've been rude to a patient."

Goodness, this prince kept the word "rude" on the tip of his tongue, not even realizing that itself made things more uncomfortable. Especially in a class society like this.

I only felt at ease because I already knew Gatos's personality. If I'd actually been some Yensi porter, I'd have been so overwhelmed I could've died from the sheer gratitude.

We arrived at the Imperial Capital without another word.

***

I received treatment immediately. This was a world with magic. Something like half a wrist being blown off was easily healed. Of course, it cost a fortune.

The Ducal House's butler paid for all of it. From what I overheard, it was about three thousand gold. Since one gold here was roughly equivalent to a hundred thousand won in our world, they'd spent three hundred million on my wrist alone.

"Why go this far?"

Gatos had said the same, but even before that, I'd already known the Lapitess Ducal House's reputation. Profit-first absolutism, plain and simple.

Normally, profiting excessively required justification, but for them, being the Ducal House was justification enough. That was how they scraped up every advantage around them. Airi's personality had probably been shaped by that too.

In other words, that butler had no obligation worth three hundred million to fix my wrist. That was what puzzled me.

"He was injured trying to save us. How could we not pay this trifling sum?"

"Is that so?"

Setting aside the generosity of calling three hundred million a trifling sum — something still felt off. This butler didn't even appear in the novel, so I couldn't read his intentions. Because in the novel's timeline, this butler should've already been dead. I was the one who'd saved him.

"This isn't a debt, is it?"

"Of course not. Why are you so suspicious of people?"

The butler was about to show irritation but held it back. Well, well — holding in even his annoyance. A butler of the Ducal House, deferring to a Yensi person treated as lower than commoners here, and a mere porter at that. Things were getting even more suspicious.

"However, I do have a proposal."

I knew it. There was no way he'd fork over three hundred million without an angle. I decided to at least hear him out.

"What proposal?"

"Work for the Ducal House. I'll speak to the Duke personally to make sure you receive as much pay as possible."

This was a world without minimum wage. Servants simply received whatever they were given, so there was nothing to compare against. Of course, I didn't know the realities of this world either.

Why would money ever come up when Gatess and Marina were out having fun together? A prince and a saintess on a date — was a scene about splitting the bill really going to show up?

"What would I be doing?"

"You would simply belong to the Ducal House. I'll find suitable duties for you myself."

A reckless recruiting pitch. No defined duties, no defined pay — just scouting based on the person alone. Even if I'd sacrificed my wrist for Airi, did that really warrant all this? Or maybe there was an unwritten rule of this world that I hadn't learned yet.

"Is the treatment finished?"

While the butler was talking with me, Prince Gatos pushed aside the curtain and walked in.

What — you still hadn't left? How kind could one person be?

"Hmm. What did the priest say?"

"Yes, Your Highness. The treatment was successful, but the nerves need time to reattach, so he must not overexert himself for the time being."

"I see."

It felt like two guardians hovering over a patient. This situation couldn't have been more uncomfortable. Meeting supporting characters was all well and good, but I needed to get a handle on myself before making any moves. I hadn't even unlocked all my skills yet.

"Very well. Butler, I'd like to speak with this boy for a moment. Would you mind stepping out?"

"Pardon? What kind of...... Never mind. I'll step outside."

The butler started to object but took one look at Prince Gatos's expression and made a swift retreat. No matter how kind Prince Gatos was, a prince was still a prince. His honor wasn't his alone — it belonged to Trafviche.

There was that cliché too. The kind ones like Prince Gatos were terrifying when they got angry. I'd seen it once, and it really was terrifying. The butler had made the right call getting out.

"Is your wrist all right?"

"It's fine."

I said, rotating my wrist in front of him.

"I intended to have the Imperial House cover your treatment, but the Ducal House butler insisted they'd pay themselves. They're so stingy when it comes to taxes, yet now this — I can't figure it out."

Gatos grumbled. His demeanor was so ordinary it nearly made me laugh.

"So, what did you discuss with the butler?"

That was when I faintly noticed it — a slight sharpness creeping into Gatos's gaze. The look of someone aiming at something. I briefly debated whether to lie or tell the truth.

But life had taught me something. If there's no reason to lie, you don't need to. And even if there is a reason, you should only lie to someone you can smooth things over with when it gets found out.

Right now, I had no reason to lie and no standing to smooth anything over with Prince Gatos. I decided to tell the truth.

"The butler told me to work for the Ducal House."

"Is that so? I figured as much."

Gatos nodded. How did he already know that? Had he dropped a hint or something? I hadn't even been thinking about it. The butler's behavior had just seemed suspicious.

"Doing what?"

"I'm not sure either. He just told me to come to the Ducal House for now."

"That's quite suspicious."

Saying it right to my face. By the original setting, the Second Prince's faction and the Ducal House's faction weren't exactly on good terms.

You know how it goes. The First Prince and the Second Prince were destined to contest the throne, and each noble house picked a side.

The Lapitess Ducal House was a prominent standard-bearer supporting First Prince Gatess.

"Then may I make a proposal as well?"

"What do you mean?"

The words alone made me uneasy. Somehow, I had a feeling I already knew what was coming.

"Work under me. I'll make sure your pay doesn't leave you wanting."

"I'm nothing of note, yet you'd go this far for me. I'm taken aback."

I hadn't shown them anything yet. Well, I had cut down the spider. The butler might've been swayed by that, but the prince hadn't even seen me do it — so why was he doing this? Was rescuing the destitute simply a hobby he fulfilled as princely duty?

"What would I be doing if I went with you?"

"You'd likely serve as someone's attendant. Not mine — I already have plenty of attendants."

At least he was clear about the duties. I liked that.

"I don't know Trafviche's etiquette properly. In fact, I can't even read the script."

"You speak well enough, though? Ah, I suppose that's possible."

The prince gazed into the air for a moment, then made me one more offer.

"I'll teach you the script and the etiquette as well. How does that sound?"

"Why are you going this far for me?"

I was genuinely curious. Unlike the butler, who'd given vague answers, the prince responded immediately.

"Do you not possess a spirit willing to sacrifice for others? Such people are rare. You wouldn't know, not being from the Capital, but there's nowhere harder to find trustworthy people than the Imperial Capital. Because everyone wears a mask."

Was that so? Come to think of it, as a prince, he'd be surrounded by nothing but sycophants, making it near impossible to discern the truth. That was why he'd want someone like me.

"My eye for people isn't as sharp as my brother's. My brother is a cold and incisive man. Compared to his, my eyes are dull and clouded."

Gatos pointed at his own luminous green eyes and smiled.

"And yet, if even my dull eyes noticed you, that means you're a remarkably large rough gem. The butler must have recognized it too."

"Is that so?"

Gatos had given me a reasonably convincing answer. I liked that. But what choice should I make?

Many people say they live with their own goals, but there's one goal in life that people openly hide.

That goal is life itself. The purpose of all life is life. There's no denying that.

But as someone who'd already lost it once, I couldn't grasp what to use as my driving force.

"May I have a little more time to think?"

"Of course."

At my words, Gatos stood up.

"I'm sorry for putting pressure on you. Perhaps the stress might even slow the nerve regeneration."

"I'm not that fragile."

"Then I want you under my command all the more."

Gatos left the treatment room with a smile. Now I was alone. I couldn't grasp what I should be thinking about.

I opened the Skill Window, full of its squiggly worms. As expected, skills containing words I didn't know remained locked. Frustrating as hell.

A thought occurred to me. The Skill Window here served remarkably many purposes. You could read e-books on it, jot down magic incantations.

A private, cozy secret notepad, so to speak. High technology is utterly out of place in this medieval era.

I wrestled with the Skill Window, trying to find its functions. It was touch-responsive too. I pressed my palm against it and swiped. A tab labeled "Bookshelf" appeared.

What good was a bookshelf? It'd be books from this world — there was no way I could read them.

But when I saw the contents of the Bookshelf, my eyes went wide. Why on earth were these here?