For The Money [2]

"I assume you are aware of the rumors calling the Young Lady a villainess. Because of that, it must have been difficult to hire even a personal maid, let alone a butler, until now."

There is a villainess in the House of Salvatore.

It was a well-known saying even in my previous life.

The maids or butlers assigned to the Young Lady never lasted more than a week.

Misfortunes constantly befell those who stayed by her side.

Of course, all of it was false.

The Young Lady's unique circumstances and mere coincidences had made it appear that way.

The House of Salvatore's fierce demeanor and blunt personality also played a role.

In the Empire, there's a saying: even a worm can become a dragon if rumors spread.

That was exactly the case here.

"The rumors say that serving Young Lady Frey will get you torn limb from limb within months."

That was what the beggars I had chased off just before meeting the Young Lady had said as they fled.

Vasello's brow furrowed slightly.

"Finish answering my question."

Wetting my lips, I added,

"I don't care if I die."

"What?"

"I'm just a beggar from the streets, am I not? Rather than dying a miserable death on the roadside, I'd rather serve someone noble and earn some money before I go."

Of course, that was a lie.

I had no intention of dying until I saved the Young Lady and everyone else.

However, lies always leave a trail. This time, it was time to speak the truth.

"To put it another way, I'm saying I'm prepared to die for the Young Lady."

I added it like a self-deprecating joke.

It was a wish I had prayed for countless times in my previous life. For them to take me instead of the Young Lady.

That was how I concluded my words.

If I came across as a money-hungry beggar, it would make me easier to use. They would casually approve and move on, showing no further interest. This was how I became the Young Lady's butler in my second life.

But the Count's reaction was unexpected.

"Pfft!"

He burst into laughter.

After laughing for quite a while, he removed his gloves and extended his right hand.

"You win."

"Win? What do you mean?"

"It means I'll pretend not to know."

"Pardon?"

While I stood there confused, he quickly grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

"I look forward to working with you, Yuri."

"…Yes, Head of the Family."

"Head of the Family! You're already calling me that? It's as if you've already received butler training!"

Of course, I have, you old man.

If I go through it again in this life, it'll be my third time.

"I like you! I really like you!"

"Thank you."

Though something felt off, I decided not to dwell on it.

As long as the results were good, that was all that mattered.

"Alright, while we're at it, call me Father!"

"Yes! Father!"

In the end, I was able to become the Young Lady's exclusive butler in this life as well.

"Are you insane?"

"Pardon?"

"You actually did it just because I told you to?"

Please, let this be the last time.

***

"I don't understand."

In the now-empty office, where even Yuri had left—

A man who had been hiding his presence stepped out from behind the curtain.

"It was all lies, wasn't it?"

It was Vasello's bodyguard knight, Lloyd.

As someone who had reached the advanced level of Sword Expert, he could see through everything about the beggar boy.

The altered breathing.

The sweat that seeped out.

The trembling gaze.

Even when the boy said his reason for becoming a butler was money, or when he claimed he didn't mind dying.

The boy's entire body revealed that he was lying.

Vasello let out a small chuckle.

"You're lacking training, Lloyd."

"Lacking training?"

"Are you saying I might have seen it wrong?"

Lloyd asked, just in case.

"May I ask what you mean by that?"

"Of course, naturally."

Vasello's eyes gleamed red.

"Not everything was a lie."

"Are you saying there was truth in it?"

"Correct."

Still leaning against the sofa, Vasello turned his body to face Lloyd, who looked dissatisfied.

"There were exactly two times it wasn't a lie."

Vasello raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers, then folded the middle finger first.

"You said you were prepared to die for Frey. That part was genuine."

Lloyd was taken aback.

"Couldn't you have misunderstood?"

Being prepared to face death was not something one could decide so easily.

Let alone for someone else, it was even more unthinkable.

Vasello asked leisurely.

"What's my nickname, Lloyd?"

"…The Wizard of Truth."

"Then why act like this when you know?"

The Wizard of Truth, Vasello.

The reason he could surpass the 7th Circle was because he wove truth and lies into his magic.

He could effortlessly discern even the lies of spies trained under harsh conditions.

"Well, even I found it hard to believe."

A mere twelve-year-old child, prepared to die for someone else, and for his daughter, no less.

"That's why it's all the more intriguing."

A hint of madness flickered in Vasello's smile.

It was the intense curiosity unique to wizards flaring up.

Lloyd's voice interrupted that curiosity.

"Doesn't it worry you?"

"Not really."

Surprisingly, it didn't feel worrisome. Somehow, he felt he could trust that boy.

Yuri was a decent fellow.

It was the intuition of a 7th Circle Archmage.

If he had asked to become his butler instead of Frey's, he would've accepted without hesitation.

He thought his daughter was fortunate to have such a connection.

"Anyway, from the moment Yuri finishes his butler training and returns, keep an eye on him for a while. Don't delegate it to others; you do it personally, Lloyd."

"Yes, Head of the Family."

Lloyd bowed deeply to receive the order. When he straightened his back again—

Lloyd hesitated about something.

"Um… Head of the Family?"

"What is it?"

He tried to suppress his curiosity but failed.

In the end, he cautiously asked Vasello.

"What was the other one?"

"The other what?"

"You mentioned there were two things that weren't lies."

"Ah, that?"

Vasello pressed his remaining index finger against his cheek.

"He said I'm handsome."

"…"

Meanwhile, in Frey Salvatore's room.

"Yuri."

"Yes, Young Lady."

"I'm going to have to beat someone up soon."

"Pardon?"

This was a farewell moment before Yuri left for a few days of butler training.

Frey asked with a serious expression.

"Is it against the rules to hit someone in the crotch during a fight?"

Yuri, who had served her three times already, thought once again how she always managed to surprise him.