"Adventurer Alan. This is the illustrious Minarl Earl's Knight Order. House Minarl carries the noble bloodline that has been passed down continuously since the founding of the kingdom..."
For some reason, I was being told by the Knight Commander about my future master's
glorious pedigree
—someone who had supposedly promised to employ me in his expansive garden.
Seriously, I couldn't care less. How do I get out of here?
"Um, I have no intention of joining the knight order, you know."
"You— are you looking to be struck down for insolence?! Were you never taught to listen to someone until they finish speaking?! You climbed to Silver rank in a short time and caught my lord's eye, so don't get full of yourself!"
"And yet, I don't see the Earl anywhere."
"You lowlife! To lay eyes upon my lord is a hundred years too soon for the likes of you! I'll beat that brazen attitude right out of you. To begin with, for a commoner to be taken into service by nobility— do you have any idea how great an honor that is..."
Another long-winded speech began.
Just as I was thinking that, a man in butler's attire and a gloomy-looking old guy showed up.
◇◇◇
Rewinding time just a bit.
"Lord Geese."
"What is it, Ward?"
Very few people were permitted to interrupt the lord as he wrestled with documents in his office.
Ward was the head butler who had served Geese for many years and held that privilege.
"The pendant that was given to Sir Alan has left his possession."
"...What did you say? Where is it?"
"Minal Earldom, at your service. Someone with magical power different from Lord Alan currently possesses the pendant."
"Surely they didn't take it from Alan by force? I can hardly imagine anyone capable of that."
"Indeed, an earl house whose sole merit is having maintained its status since the founding era could never have—"
"—such a formidable—"
"—warrior in its ranks."
"I've got a bad feeling about this. Ward, go see for yourself with your own eyes. I'm entrusting you with full authority on this matter."
The next instant, the faithful butler's figure vanished without a sound.
"Good grief… I just sent out a notice to the nobles under my banner that they must never show the slightest discourtesy to Alan. If this ruins my relationship with him, I'll have no choice but to cut the Minal house loose…"
◇◇◇
Ward raced toward the Minal earl's residence at full speed.
Yet he did not so much as break a breath before immediately requesting an audience with the earl upon arrival.
The Minal butler who came to greet him was a leisurely sort.
The very fact that Ward had arrived without prior notice should have been enough to sense something was amiss, but the man did not seem sharp enough to pick up on that.
Ward suppressed his inner irritation at the sluggish response, thinking to himself that this household would surely be discarded by its master, and was finally escorted to the room where the earl awaited.
"Well, well, Lord Ward! What business brings you here? You've come at just the right time. We apprehended a young adventurer — barely more than a child — who was in possession of your household's pendant. Rather than letting such a brat have it, I was just considering whether you might grant me the pendant instead."
"My master issued a document stating that 'one must not judge by appearance, for this person is a benefactor of the ducal house.' Have you not yet read it?"
"Oh, I read it right away, of course. But my subordinate reported that the boy didn't have an ounce of silver dignity about him. I made my judgment based on the bigger picture, respecting the assessment made on the scene."
Useless — every single thing was being misread.
That was precisely why the pendant, a symbol of Geese's trust, had never been entrusted to this household.
And without even understanding that, the earl was so desperate for the pendant that he would disregard Geese's own words — the height of insolence.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
Skills: [Reverse][Divine Eye][Sword God][Phantom Gentleman][Dark Magic][Rock-Iron Magic][Holy Magic][Space-Time Magic][Scorching Heat Magic][Freezing Ice Magic][Magic Hand][Temptation]
Rank: Silver
Thank you for always reading😊