I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 35
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 35
After dinner and even after taking a bath, Callix Crowbell was still nowhere to be seen.
“He doesn’t seem to have any intention of coming today.”
Which meant I had to sleep here tonight.
I couldn’t help but sigh, though the soft bed and cozy bedding provided some comfort.
“Let’s just sleep.”
I was worried I wouldn’t be able to sleep due to nervousness, but such worries proved pointless as sleep poured over me the moment my head hit the pillow.
Just as I was about to fall into sweet dreams—
Click—
I sensed someone’s presence along with the sound of the door opening.
‘Who came in?’
The drowsiness that had covered my eyelids instantly vanished.
The presence slowly approached the bed where I lay.
Thump thump, my heart beat roughly. My hand naturally tightened its grip on the pillow.
“…!”
The moment the person grabbed the blanket I was covered with, I swung the pillow with all my might.
But they caught the pillow far too easily. Not only that, they snatched it away and threw it far across the room.
My surprise at this was brief, as I was even more shocked upon seeing the person’s face and bolted upright.
“L-Lord?”
“Pillows aren’t meant to be used as weapons.”
His voice was no different from usual, but perhaps due to the situation, it sounded particularly eerie.
I hurriedly got out of bed and stammered out excuses.
“Well, I thought a thief or pervert had broken in….”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
Callix Crowbell crossed his arms and snorted.
“There’s no way a thief could break into my castle.”
“…But sneaking into someone else’s room is pretty similar to being a thief.”
His reproachful tone made me so indignant that the words I meant to keep to myself slipped out.
I realized my mistake, but I couldn’t take back words already spoken.
“Why is this your room?”
Fortunately, he didn’t seem offended, as his expression remained the same.
“This is my room in my castle.”
The response that followed was somewhat childish, leaving me speechless and only able to blink.
Callix Crowbell stared down at me, then continued slowly.
“You’re the first person to sleep so peacefully while confined for wrongdoing.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong.”
I knew Callix Crowbell disliked people who talked back, but I couldn’t help it.
I had to clear up the misunderstanding to get out of here.
“How did you do nothing wrong? You ignored my warning.”
“I didn’t ignore it, I was trying to refuse, but you arrived at that timing.”
“Timing? What’s that?”
Ah, I guess they don’t have that word here.
“I mean… you came at that moment. Anyway, I was definitely going to refuse. Really.”
I spoke while clearly showing my sense of injustice.
“Fine. I’ll believe you just this once.”
It worked!
My deep sigh of relief was brief.
“However, since other unsavory characters might approach you, stay here for the time being.”
I widened my eyes at his following words.
If the misunderstanding was cleared up, he should let me go back, so why was he still keeping me here?
“Could I just go back home?”
“Why?”
Why? I want to go to my own house, so why do I need to give a reason!
“Well… my father will worry.”
“Those unsavory guys might work on your father too, so it would be better to bring him here.”
“N-no! That won’t do!”
I could clearly picture how much timid Tabin, despite his large build, would suffer if he came here.
“It’s also uncomfortable staying here….”
“What’s uncomfortable about it?”
Callix Crowbell continued as if he didn’t understand.
“This place is bigger and more comfortable than your house, isn’t it? The meals are good too.”
Though I hated to admit it, it was true.
This bedroom alone was larger than our living room. The bed was incomparably softer than mine too.
‘The problem is that this man is here.’
Callix Crowbell was the very existence that instantly negated all the advantages.
“There’s no privacy here.”
Since I couldn’t say that, I expressed it indirectly.
“I value privacy highly, but I feel like it won’t be respected at all if I stay here. Like now, I can’t sleep comfortably worrying someone might come in.”
How about that. You can’t argue with this, right?
“Fine. I’ll protect your privacy.”
I thought my words had gotten through this time.
“I’ll make sure no one, including myself, enters without permission, so stay comfortably.”
As always, he shattered my expectations.
* * *
It had been five days since I was semi-forcibly made to stay at the Lord’s castle.
Perhaps keeping his word, Callix Crowbell didn’t come barging in unexpectedly.
Though it was more like notifications, he contacted me in advance about when he would visit and what business he had.
The servants’ attitude had also become much more respectful.
Rather than being confined here for offending the Lord, I seemed to be receiving treatment like an honored guest.
Still, it remained uncomfortable.
No matter how well I was treated, this wasn’t my home.
‘Well, that place isn’t really my home either.’
But it was still Eileen’s home. I could be much more at ease there than here.
“The commute is nice though.”
When I was in the Hunters’ Village, I had to leave home at six-thirty to get to work, but from here, twenty minutes was enough.
Getting off work was much faster too.
Even after finishing dinner, it wasn’t past 8 o’clock.
“This is why people say living close to work is the best welfare.”
Though I still wanted to go back home.
Having left my room thirty minutes early to be safe, I looked out the window.
It was winter, yet flowers were blooming abundantly in the garden.
This was because the entire castle was protected by magic, completely unaffected by weather.
Thanks to this, District 1, including the Lord’s castle, was always warm and cozy.
“I heard magical protection is expensive, but is it okay to use it so freely?”
Well, it just meant the Lord had that much money, right?
After all, Belheim was said to be the second wealthiest land in the empire after the capital.
‘But what about the Main Quest?’
To go to Nuviar, I needed to persuade Callix Crowbell, but he didn’t seem to have even the slightest intention of going.
‘I have to convince him somehow.’
I couldn’t let my life be cut short over something like this.
“Miss Eileen.”
As I was heading to work, pondering how to persuade the Lord, a familiar voice called out and stopped me.
It was the Administrative Officer of District 3.
“Have you thought about what I asked you last time?”
Ah, come to think of it, there was that.
I had completely forgotten about it because of the Nuviar incident.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can fulfill your request, Administrative Officer.”
Callix Crowbell had said it was fine for them to accept their proposal and take bribes, but I didn’t like it.
I absolutely detested getting involved in dirty money relationships.
As if he hadn’t expected me to refuse, the Administrative Officer’s face hardened.
“Why not?”
“Well, I don’t set the construction schedule by myself. If you want it that badly, I think you should ask the Lord, not me.”
“If that were possible, would I have asked you?”
The Administrative Officer frowned deeply as if I was talking nonsense.
“I’m sorry.”
That didn’t change my mind.
“Then you persuade the Lord for us.”
You’d think he’d give up by now, but the Administrative Officer was more persistent than I thought.
“Me, persuade the Lord?”
“Yes. The Lord seems to have a favorable impression of you, so wouldn’t he listen if it came from you?”
What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this?
I wrinkled my nose.
“I don’t know why you think that, but absolutely not.”
“No?”
The Administrative Officer tilted his head as if he couldn’t believe it.
“Then why did the Lord bring you into the manor?”
“That’s because of people like you, Administrative Officer.”
“What?”
Apparently flustered by my words, his eyes widened.
“Because there are too many people like you making strange requests, the Lord was worried I might go down a bad path, so he brought me into the manor.”
Now that I think about it, I’m getting angry.
I didn’t do anything wrong, so why do I have to be confined like a criminal?
Irritation surged up from deep inside, and my face naturally scrunched up.
“So.”
When I took a step forward, the Administrative Officer flinched and stepped back.
“Stop bothering me and get out of my way. I need to get to work.”
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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