As the sun set and cast a warm glow over the mansion, the recently dismissed servants stood in a daze, unsure of what to do next.
It was already time when they would normally be preparing dinner.
“What do we do now…?”
“There’s nothing we can do. The soldiers over there won’t let us back in. I’ll try contacting some acquaintances,”
The servants were at a loss, but the head butler’s words seemed to bring them some resignation.
With heavy hearts, they picked up their belongings and split off into small groups, each searching for a new path forward.
“What about you, Wolf?” The head butler asked, but there was no answer for some time.
“I’ll stay at a hotel tonight,”
“Then you should leave soon. Carrying all that luggage and walking on the streets at night is like asking to be mugged,”
After the defeat of the Demon Lord, law and order had improved in the city of Londian.
However, the streets at night remained as dangerous as ever.
The latest trend seemed to be “stranglehold robbers.” One thief would strangle the victim while the other stripped them of their belongings.
The victim, with their throat crushed, could not even call for help.
“I’ll try going to the nearest Chandon Hotel,” I said.
“That sounds like a good idea,” The head butler replied.
Seven years ago, I had joined the Demon Lord’s subjugation army as my half-brother’s servant.
I was only 17 years old at the time. I was taught how to use weapons, and it seemed like I was naturally talented.
My instructor was a renowned knight who even invited me to become his disciple.
However, my crazy, jealous half-brother did not allow me to take advantage of that opportunity.
So, under normal circumstances, it would be possible to repel one or two robbers. However, with both hands full of bags, I could barely even draw my sword from my waist.
“That looks like heavy luggage. Why don’t you take a rest at my place? I’ll give you a discount,” a woman who looked like a prostitute called out to me as I stepped out onto the street.
Though she had an attractive figure, I couldn’t bring myself to indulge in such a luxury considering my empty wallet and the upcoming expenses.
“Maybe another time, thanks,” was the best response I could muster as someone with no experience with women.
I hurried to the Chandon Hotel, which was conveniently located near the mansion. After checking into my room, I finally took a breather. By then, darkness had completely fallen over the area.
The room was small, with only a bed and a side table, but it was clean.
I was surprised that it cost 6,000 gil for just one night, even though it was smaller than my room back at the mansion.
Even though I only had 42,000 gil in my wallet, I wanted to stay in a cheaper large room, but I couldn’t because of my luggage.
If I had stayed in a room like that, my luggage would have been stolen in no time.
At that time, I still didn’t think my father would be hanged so soon.
So, I was taking it easy and thinking about going back to the mansion tomorrow to gather more information.
Looking back, if I had acted quickly and found a new job, I wouldn’t have had to rush into my current occupation.
Even so, I’m not a prophet, and they say spilled wine cannot be returned to the glass.
Life is full of regrets.
The next day, I returned to the mansion early in the morning, but the iron gate remained firmly closed, and no one responded no matter how many times I rang the bell.
Having no other choice, I decided to try reaching out to my other relatives, but to my surprise, even my father’s siblings and uncles had all been arrested.
And to make matters worse, I learned from the public bulletin board at Enviro Square that the Sullivan Clan’s public execution was scheduled for two days.
It was at this point that I finally understood that my life was falling apart.
I felt like the cornbread I had for breakfast was churning in my stomach.
I had to think quickly about my next move, but what could I do?
Even if I tried to find a new job, I couldn’t get hired anywhere without a letter of recommendation.
I heard that day laborers and dockworkers were always in demand, but would I be able to handle such work? I heard it required a lot of physical stamina.
A few years ago, conscription officers used to recruit soldiers in the square, but since the defeat of the Demon King, I have never seen it happen again.
Recruitment for civil servant positions won’t begin until spring, so it will still take some time.
The best course of action would be to have someone hire you as a butler in some mansion, but that kind of job is not something you can find conveniently.
I stood frozen in front of the public bulletin board, racking my brain for ideas, but nothing clever came to mind. While feeling a growing sense of unease and desperation, two days had passed without any progress.
During that time, my father and the others had been killed, and my wallet was now only half full. At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to make ends meet for much longer.
Realizing this, I made the decision to leave the hotel and search for a place to live. I had heard rumors that there were houses that rented out rooms for around 20,000 gil per month, but finding one that was available and affordable wouldn’t be easy.
These types of houses usually had signs advertising for tenants looking to rent out a room, so I would have to scour the town in search of a suitable place to rent.
If possible, I’d prefer a landlady who is a widow with a big chest… Even having a daughter around my age would be okay.
With such thoughts running through my mind, it seemed like I still had some room for levity.
Leaving my luggage at the hotel, I headed out into the city to find a place to stay.
Unable to return to the mansion, I was desperate to find a boarding house. However, my search proved to be futile.
It wasn’t that there were no rooms for rent; rather, the living conditions were problematic.
The first room I looked at was in terrible condition. To put it simply, there was no wall on the western side. The large, broken-down wall exposed the interior of the room to the neighboring apartment complex.
As someone who isn’t an exhibitionist or a pervert, I politely declined the offer since I couldn’t even change clothes without being seen.
Next, I found a room that was fairly decent, but the landlord, an old man, seemed a bit sketchy.
He definitely didn’t seem like an upstanding citizen.
It was also strange that the guy in the next room was still sleeping even though it was daytime.
The smell of alcohol and opium lingered in the air inside the room.
My survival instincts were screaming “get out of here!”
It might have been some kind of den for thieves or something.
I came up with a quick excuse and fled from there.
There were also other rooms where fleas were having a party, or where the neighbor was suffering from tuberculosis.
It was unfortunate for the sick person, but there was nothing I could do to help them.
I was struggling just to take care of myself.
Anyway, finding a place to live and a job to support myself were urgent matters.
At the end of the street, there was a homeless person slumped over with a bottle of Giselle (a cheap distilled alcohol with a high alcohol content).
His body was thin, and his skin had a blue-gray tint, with signs of skin disease all over the exposed parts.
He probably had some illness inside his body as well.
If I kept dragging my feet, there was no doubt that I would soon become one of those people.
Once you fall, it feels like there’s a hell opening up in front of you that you can never crawl out of, consequently I shuddered at the thought and continued my search for a room.
I visited seven houses in the morning, but I couldn’t find a decent room.
It was lunchtime, but I decided to skip it given my empty wallet.
I turned right onto Oliver Street and walked towards Count Street.
This was a neighborhood where high-end restaurants gathered.
Of course, I didn’t come to eat.
I just thought I could ask someone I knew to help me find a job.
I walked through Count Street with a faint hope of conveniently running into an acquaintance who could help me, even though I knew it was unlikely.
Just as I arrived in front of Restaurant Lingaert, a carriage stopped in front of me, and a gentleman stepped out.
I immediately recognized who it was.
“Baron Foster!”
Desperately clinging to a straw, I called out the man’s name, but it seemed that the baron had forgotten my face. It was understandable, considering it had been about four years since we last spoke face to face.
“Who are you?” he asked.
“It’s me, Barton. Barton Wolf.”
“Barton?”
He still couldn’t remember.
“I’m Robert Sullivan’s Earl…”
As I said this, the baron finally seemed to recall who I was.
“Ah, it’s you! I’ve heard about your father. This must have been a tough time for you.”
“Yeah…”
Baron Foster is my father’s cousin, but the two of them have always had a terrible relationship. It seems they were even political enemies.
That’s why, even though all of the Sullivan family has been arrested, this person was probably an exception which was why he had remained unscathed.
However, when I was a child, he gave me candy at a festival. No other relative had ever done something like that for me, so I felt like maybe he would have some sympathy for my current situation.
“Did you go to see your father’s execution?”
“No… and I’m not even sure if I should call him ‘father’.”
I felt more like he was a benefactor than a father.
“I see. It must be a complicated situation for you. Even though we had our differences, I can’t say I feel entirely at ease. So, what are you doing now?”
The baron seemed a bit fidgety.
Maybe he has people waiting for him inside the restaurant.
“I’m actually looking for a job. Is there any need for a new butler at the baron’s mansion?”
“You want to work for me? No, we have enough staff there.”
I gathered my courage and tried to sell myself, but my proposal was quickly rejected. However, seeing my disappointment, the baron’s compassion seemed to be stirred.
“But you’re my cousin, so it pains me to just say goodbye like this. Well, what kind of work would you be willing to do?”
My mind stopped working as if struck by a bolt of luck. Like a dog jumping at a piece of meat hanging in front of its nose, I eagerly jumped at the baron’s offer.
“Could you introduce me to something, please?”
“If you’re okay with a lower level government position.”
“Please, I’ll take it!”
I replied immediately.
I felt like I couldn’t bear any more pressure. The uncertainty of my future has seeped into my bones and made me feel so powerless.
Seeing my demeanor, the baron immediately went back to his carriage and wrote me a letter of introduction.
“Take this letter to the warden of Alban Prison, Blackberry. We were friends in our school days, and he should be able to help you out.”
With that, I found myself heading to the prison without much knowledge of what I was getting myself into.
Leave a Reply