Today’s Beast Who Doesn’t Remember Yesterday - Chapter 32

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My heart ached, but I knew now was not the time to back down.

Archeus would never like me, but at least if he continues to be hostile, I might have plenty of restrictions to move forward.

Anyway, he was a vassal of Edlade, and he was one of the greatest wizards in the Empire.

If the relationship continued to be bad, there was nothing good for the Philemon family.

“I’m not going to ask for approval, so don’t put me down so openly.”

“…….”

“I don’t want to lose you who Edlade cares about.”

It’s hard to make friends with arrogant people. I tried to approach him as a sweet tooth, but I failed.

He liked Edlade and the family more than I thought.

The bigger his heart, the bigger his hatred for me.

I didn’t think it would work even if I tried hard to get to know him, and even if I tried to punish him as Halbert said, I understood his feelings, so I didn’t get angry.

Wouldn’t it be the right choice to take a step back even if I was wounded by dozens of needles?

Looking at Archeus who was stiff with an improbable expression, I turned my back.

“Oh, you can really eat that. It should be delicious.”

* * *

When I came out of the greenhouse, Lasha was trembling with anxiety.

“My Lady, are you all right?”

Seeing Lasha running to me with a worried face, I could imagine how Archeus had entered the greenhouse.

“Is Lasha okay? Didn’t Archeus say anything harsh?”

“I’m OK. I just heard that I am not ashamed of serving a person, but I am proud of serving My Lady.”

I thought she might have heard something worse than that.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. Don’t thank me.”

My prickly heart was healed by Lasha’s concern.

Just as there are hostile Archeus, there are also those who care for me in the mansion.

I smiled while holding Lasha’s hand, who was taller than me.

“Let’s go to Halbert. I have work to do.”

“Great! If possible, I think it would be better to mention Vassal Archeus’s behavior.”

“Hoo-hoo, I’m a grown-up to hit a boy.”

“…… You’re nineteen now.”

To Lasha who was much older than me, I and Archeus looked younger.

The adults in the Serbian Empire are seventeen.

‘In other countries, they say that you have to be twenty to be an adult.’

I understood a little about Lasha’s feelings. I’ll look like a poor woman who just married into a strange place.

“But adults are adults.”

When I said that I didn’t like being treated like a child, Lasha laughed and said three times that she knew.

I didn’t like it because it seemed to soothe the child again, but it wasn’t bad.

Halbert’s office was opposite Edlade’s.

The aide usually works in the same place as the person they serve, but Halbert was an exception.

Although the number of tasks he took on was comparable to that of Edlade, the reason was that he did not want to see his master relax in the same place.

Although Halbert met me in the morning, he wasn’t surprised to see me show up unexpectedly in the afternoon.

‘Halbert’s office is the same as before.’

It was no different from the office I had seen in my previous life.

The pile of papers resembled Edlade’s office, and the bookshelf was full of rare books.

The long sofa next to the top seat had a cushion and a soft-looking blanket.

“Halbert, do you sleep here?”

“Oh, that’s often the case when there’s a lot of work.”

“…you certainly have the rank of count, don’t you?”

“Ah, for now.”

“Didn’t you get a knighthood and a mansion?”

“Well, I suppose I’ve received it.”

“… … Haven’t you been?”

Halbert responded with a look of indifference when he poured some tea.

“I didn’t have time. The mansion was received with the count’s estate.”

“… … Don’t you have a mansion in the capital?”

“I only use it once in a while when something happens. Fortunately, there is a good butler who takes over the management. And what’s the point of having a house in the capital? This is a very remote place, so it’s hard to commute.”

“…….”

I accepted the tea that Halbert offered while I thought,

Halbert, the son of the younger brother of the father-in-law, was apparently of Philemon’s lineage.

Edlade’s cousin, Halbert, used Philemon’s surname and became a vassal of the family.

Nobles with territories can inherit. Halbert was given the new surname ‘Asta’ along with the title, and he might pass on the title if he marries someone and has children.

He has power completely different from a title that is only a name.

Nevertheless, he did not go to his mansion and did not even look at it, leaving his estate to an agent.

“Strange?”

“Eh?”

“You thought it was strange that I am here to serve Your Excellency without going to the estate.”

“Ah, a little…I’m not saying that we don’t like to have Halbert here.”

I waved my hands in case he misunderstood.

Halbert smiled helplessly with his dark eye bags.

“I often hear such questions. I answer externally that I have nothing to do with my rank, as I have devoted my allegiance to the Philemon family.”

“…What is Halbert really thinking?”

“That’s because of Your Excellency.”

It was the expected answer, but I was still a little surprised.

I knew in my last life that he worked for Edlade more than anyone else.

However, I have never seriously considered the reason.

“Because if I leave his family to him, he’ll surely be ruined.”

“… … Haha.”

“Oh, that’s what I said as a cousin. Your Excellency is sure to say I am arrogant again when he hears it.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep it a secret.”

“Your Excellency is so stubborn that if he decides one thing, he doesn’t care about anything else. He doesn’t know ‘moderation.’ It’s been like that since he was a child.”

“First time I’ve heard of Edlade’s childhood story.”

“I’m also talking for the first time.”

Halbert looked at the hot, steaming tea and took a sip.

“It was up to me to take care of him because he was of such a personality.”

“It’s hard.”

“Thank you for your understanding. But, sadly, Your Excellency is taking it for granted now.”

He didn’t stop his talk as he pulled out his handkerchief and wiped away the invisible tears.

“Then he suddenly came up to me and told me what had happened.”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s something I need your help with. He said he wanted something.”

“… … Edalde wanted something?”

“Yes.”

Halbert clenched his handkerchief and closed his eyes.

“The Philemons are the guardians of the imperial family. Even if it wasn’t, he was overworked saying that he would have a lot of work.”

“Ah.”

“That was the first and last time he asked for help. Foolishly, as a young child, I agreed to help blindly and made a promise.”

“Alas.”

Halbert let out a sigh with a face full of regret and released his strength from the handkerchief he was holding tight.

“So? Did Ed have what he wanted?”

I also wondered what it was. But even if I asked, Halbert didn’t seem to answer.

He was telling the story of his childhood casually, but his vague words were hiding something.

‘It seems like a secret that I shouldn’t know.’

I didn’t want to dig in and make my relationship with Halbert get awkward.

“…… He has. Certainly, Your Excellency’s obsession is beyond imagination.”

“It’s good, but Have you earned the reward for the effort you put in?”

“I’ve received a lot of things, but…… I am satisfied.”

I nodded quietly.

It was the first time I had heard that Edlade wanted something so badly since he was a child.

‘Ed! Do you have anything you want? It’s your birthday soon. I want to give it to you as a gift.’

‘I am happy with anything you give, so please choose whatever you like.’

‘Then it makes no sense. A birthday present should be what you like. Don’t you really want something? Ah! Of course, there is nothing that you, the head of the Philemon family, cannot obtain… … Ummm, even if it’s just you thought about it and haven’t gotten your hands on it yet!’

‘No, because I already have what I want the most. Other than that, everything else is the same to me.’

‘Oh my! Tell me what you like. Because I have no clue.’

‘… … I like lilies. Give it to me, Lily.’

Come to think of it, Edlade said he had already obtained it.

If you tried so hard, you would probably have nothing else you want. 

A smile spread across my face as I remembered his birthday.

‘In the end, I made a bouquet of lilies myself and handed it over to him.’

Even after receiving such a modest gift, he rejoiced with a smile brighter than the sunlight.

Had it not been for Halbert’s staring gaze, I would have been drowning in memories again.

“Then why are you giving up your estate and staying here because of the promise you made when you were young?”

“That’s the way it is…”

He glanced at the scrolls piled up in the corner of the sofa and nodded silently.

“The story is going elsewhere. You must have come to see me because you have something to say.”

“Oh, yeah. I met Archeus a little while ago……”

“Did he disrespect my Lady? Just tell me, I will fix his habit.”

“No.”

After taking a sip of tea, I held the teacup in both hands and warmed my cold hands.

Halbert diverts the topic well.

“Of course he was rude, but it was okay. It’s not that I don’t understand his feelings.”

“No matter what he said, My Lady doesn’t need to take what he said to heart.”

“Yes, but you are the hostess of the Philemon family, aren’t you? I also… … I want you to be recognized.”

Halbert’s body stiffened as he tried to drink tea with careful words.

“I’m also learning about my job. But I know I can’t be recognized for that. Halbert, do you need someone to work with?”

I did not avoid Halbert’s gaze when he was looking at me with two wide eyes.

I smiled softly at Halbert, who was stiff.

He was busy enough to take a nap in the office. There were no people who knew everything about Philemon, and no one could be entrusted with the work.

That meant Halbert was doing a lot of work on his own.

“There must be something I can do to help.”

My abilities have already been verified to some extent through internal affairs.

Halbert’s dark circles’ eyes were shaking in astonishment.

“I will do anything. That way I will be recognized and Halbert will be able to sleep in a decent bedroom.”

Like a sweet temptation, I whispered what he wanted the most right now.