Frustrated, bewildered, and feeling the chill of the early autumn evening, Linus quickly headed towards the mansion. Passing through the front gates without being greeted by his vassals would be a disgrace as the head of the family. On the other hand, it was improper to simply wait until who knows when, while freezing in the cold.
Those who failed to present themselves would be punished later. He was not going to give them a half-assed punishment like a pay cut. He was going to flog them with a whip and then beat them. Then he would write a public notice to everybody that these servants have been kicked out. It would be a disgrace to let these servants who knew not even the basics of welcoming their master serve another family.
Linus opened the front door while fuming.
The inside of the house was dark. There were no light sources. Only the setting sun shone through the windows.
It looked just like a haunted house, but the air he breathed in was clean. This was a sign that the house has been regularly cleaned. Until recently, the mansion must have been well managed by the vassals and servants of the family. Then, why didn't they show up? It was as if the people who had been taking care of the house had disappeared just as Linus was about to return.
"Curses! Is anyone here?"
Linus raised his voice, but all that echoed back was his own voice. Nobody was in sight.
Not making any further progress, he grabbed the candlestick and lit it. It lit up in a soft glow.
"Follow me."
"Yes, sire!"
"............"
Linus walked slowly, staying alert for signs of life. He was followed by his faithful butler and a sulking Simone. The wife followed not because of her affection or trust towards Linus. She was simply bound by common sense that she should be by her husband's side, and reluctantly followed along.
Anyway, it didn't take too long before they ran into whoever was still in the mansion.
A room on the second floor. In one of the rooms, a dim light leaked out from the door.
"—hah......"
Not only that, but he could also hear amused laughter.
The soft illumination provided by the candle revealed Linus’ bitter scowl.
(What's with them? Did they forget to greet their master because they were fooling around?)
If that was the case, they were completely making a fool out of him. In anger, Linus quickened his pace and paused in front of the door. He took a deep breath to calm himself down. After reining in his temper, he opened the door.
"What the hell are you guys—?"
His voice was filled with anger, but it was cut off mid-sentence. It was because he was caught off guard by the scene in the room.
It was not the scene Linus had imagined, where the absent vassals were playing around, oblivious to the return of the head of the family.
"Haha. What's the matter, Count Linus Oubeniel? Why do you look so stunned?"
A noble, waited on by Linus’ servants, was sitting on the sofa in the reception room with a wine glass in his hand. As if to mock their original master, who was standing at the doorway, he threw a smile full of pleasure.
This was a face Linus recognised.
He had brown hair and brown eyes, and a well-trimmed beard that seemed to add a hint of dignity to his youthful appearance. He was in his mid-thirties, and his smile had a strong softness to it. But those with opened eyes would know that the emotion behind his handsome face was arrogant pride and burning ambition.
Linus grunted as he spoke the man's name.
"......Count Langogne. Why are you here?"
He was in the centralist faction, a spirited flag-bearer of the younger generation of nobles in the faction. They were comrades simply because they were in the same faction, not because they were friends. They’ve had their fair share of arguments.
However, they were not so casual as friends that he could be allowed to barge into his residence without a prior appointment. All the more so if he was casually having an early evening drink.
In fact, his relationship with this man tipped nearer to the side of acrimony. This was because Langogne, as a young leader, was wary of the younger Linus, who had the same rank as he and also held a larger piece of land that he himself possessed. The potential power of Linus was enough to threaten his own position, even if the Oubeniel reputation had been damaged because of Linus’ foolish brother.
As if enjoying Linus' agitation, Langogne scrutinised him from head to toe. Linus felt his annoying gaze. He was a man who could be admired for his eloquence and energy, but not for the real him he hid beneath his robe.
"Well, don't just stand there, sit down. You must be tired after your long journey. Oops, isn't that your wife there? You too, come on."
And he even said that in a friendly way.
(Stop messing with me, whose mansion do you think this belongs to......!）
Linus was tempted to throw the candlestick in his hand at him, but he managed to restrain himself. The other party was his senior and also a frontrunner in the faction. He couldn't just grab him by the collar and ask him what he was trying to do. It's not that Linus was not angry, but it was more advantageous for him to follow his advice and then speak against him.
Linus blew out the candlestick and placed it on the table while sitting down on the couch facing Langogne. He didn't bother to make a bow. It was the least Linus could do to protest his rude behaviour. Simone made a slight bow, and then sat next to Linus......though with a little bit of distance.
"Count Langogne, what is the meaning of this?"
Langogne let out a chuckle at the question.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You skipped the greeting? You must be very busy. Let's enjoy ourselves with a little conversation, shall we?"
"Speaking of greetings, where were yours?"
Linus stared at the glass held by the other man across the table.
What's the point of asking for greetings when he was having a drink in somebody else’s house without asking for permission?
"Hmm? ......Oh, by the way, the glass is empty now. Can I get a refill?"
"R-Right away."
Langogne, unconcerned, raised his glass and began to urge her on.
The housekeeper poured the liquor without delay and without question.
Linus' patience was quickly running out.
"......What do you think you're doing?"
He slammed both fists into the table and leaned forward. Simone became more and more tense from the outburst, and distanced herself.
Not caring about that, he continued.
"How dare you break into my mansion when I wasn’t present, beg for liquor, and then offer me a seat?"
He then turned his attention to the vassals who were standing beside the intruder in question..
"You too! To neglect to greet me, and to indulge in entertaining this guy, you have no idea what you're doing! Have you forgotten who your master is!"
"!?"
One of his vassals, who had been subjected to the full force of his anger, straightened her back and shrieked for a moment, but immediately afterwards hid behind the vaguely smiling Langogne.
What the heck is this situation, Linus thought with his shoulders tensing up.
His vassals were ignoring him and following the command of the man who appeared out of nowhere without warning. And the man was treating him with an attitude that could hardly be called polite.
It was as if—
"—Not feeling like you are being treated as a noble, are you? Linus Strein Oubeniel."
The man on the other side of the room, drinking his liquor, hit the bullseye.
Langogne was completely relaxed. Towards Linus’ censure, and his incomprehension, Langogne only returned a half-hearted glance.
And then, out of the blue, he said.
"By the way, if you haven't noticed yet, there must be a lot more servants in the mansion. If they were all here, the room would be cramped. I wonder where they have gone."
"......?"
"What do you mean? Count Langogne."
Simone spoke out while Linus was visibly confused.
The man replied with a worried expression.
"Oh my, oh my, I didn’t want to break the news because you would be most upset...... They have left."
"Huh...?"
"I am told that all of them have quit, except for the few in this room now. Oh, how troubling it must be, really."
"How can that be!"
Linus bared his eyes wide open and slammed the table again. Even the peaceful looking Langogne frowned, annoyed this time. In his impudent expression, Linus could now sense some anger.
"How is it possible that my servants and subordinates would resign without notice? If you had wanted to make up some rubbish, at least make it..."
