BXBX NOVEL Chapter 20: Chapter 1, Episode 20
Chapter 20: Chapter 1, Episode 20
Translated by KaiesV
Edited by KaiesV
「I hope you two were done talking.」
「Hyaah!」「Kyaaa!」
I–I stuttered. I sounded so unladylike.
In response to Karie’s lovely scream, I was so dumb that I wondered where the voice came from, and it wasn’t even a scream.
「Don’t just appear out of the blue, Neil.」
Looking down at us through the doorway is Neil, the manager.
How long have you been there? As I recall, weren’t you the one who was taking care of the two ladies on behalf of Karie?
「No, no, I know you two were talking at the door.」
「Okay, but…」
I won’t deny that I was engrossed in a conversation with Karie, but if she had appealed to me in a slightly more attentive way, I wouldn’t have stuttered so much.
「And I’m not the only one you guys have interfered with, though. Come on.」
When he said this, I turned my face toward the direction indicated by Neil and saw a female employee in distress with a tea set. Our eyes met and our gazes wandered awkwardly.
「…」
It’s only natural that they would be bothered if I was talking to her, even though they have to pass through the doorway we are in to get from the hot water supply room to the reception room. It’s nothing but a distraction.
「…I’m sorry.」「I apologize…」
Karie and I both had to bow our heads.
「Well, it’s alright. Karie, get yourself patched up quickly. And you, I’ll take the tea. About you, Miss…」
「I’ll take this one.」
I hold the water bucket that I had been allowed to put on the display shelf in the hallway. I almost forgot, I had gone to get this for Gaspard.
The employee who brought the tea gave it to me, as Neil had said, and went back with Karie.
「Water buckets… is it for the owner?」
「Yes, I’ve barged in where the heat is on.」
「I don’t think you need to worry about that, do you?」
「I didn’t say that.」
You are still very hard on Gaspard, aren’t you? He is your employer, after all, so you should at least show a little respect. Well, I guess it’s useless to say.
「Why don’t you just leave him alone? That was just a self-inflicted wound.」
「Self-inflicted wound?」
How inadequate you have been, Gaspar.
「Yes. I wonder what Miss thinks of a man who willingly gets rained on all night this time of year.」
「Eh, a lover?」
「That’s the owner.」
「…」
Although it’s getting somewhat warmer, it’s still cold in the mornings and evenings, and being drenched in the rain all night long is a hardship. It’s no wonder that people get sick, even if they are not in poor health.
「Why is he doing that again?」
「That… Well, you’ll find out soon enough.」
That means you don’t want to tell me.
「Well, okay but…」
Knock, knock.
Knocking on the reception room door, Ryniel-sama’s voice came right back from inside.
「Sorry for keeping you waiting.」
As I stepped into the room saying this, for some reason Gaspar was chatting happily with Ryniel-sama.
「…Gaspar. You’re not well, are you?」
What the heck was going on when I left the room, he was definitely limping.
「Ohh, my bad, Missy. I was talking with Abrams-dono and I was feeling a little better, so I invited him to come by the store and take a look at some of our special items.」
「I told him not to take it too hard, but…」
Ohh, he didn’t listen to Ryniel-sama and was selling his special products….
「I told you it would be useless…」
A small voice came from behind me. I can’t deny it at all. What about my concern? I should pour this bucket of water over his head.
「Ohh, Neil. Come here for a second.」
Unaware of my feelings, Gaspar called Neil close to him.
「Please excuse me for interrupting the pleasantries. My name is Neil. I am the manager of this jewelry store.」
Please make my acquaintance. Neil greeted him with a refined movement, and Ryniel-sama nodded with a cocked head.
「Ryniel Abrams. I was just now listening to his story. I heard that you are an excellent person who isn’t much older than I am and yet you are in charge of a manager.」
「No, that’s not true. I am a young man compared to Abrams-sama. I believe Abrams-sama is the one with the most prestigious name.」
「You are as humble as I thought you would be. My name and other family names are what they are.」
「I think you’re being too modest.」
Yes, this is this. This is the correct answer. It’s definitely this that is being exchanged between Ryniel-sama and Neil. It is outrageous to respond with Gaspar’s tameness.
However, I laughed out loud in my mind that the word “humble” doesn’t suit Neil as much as it does him. The Neil I know is a black-hearted, tongue-in-cheek type of guy, who would never be humble in the slightest. But whether or not Ryniel-sama will ever know about it will depend on their future associations.
「By the way, what happened. You’re late if you were just going to get some water.」
「Yeah, the thing is…」
I turned my gaze to Ryniel-sama.
「What is it?」
「Errm…」
I asked Neil to take over the water bucket I was holding as I finished serving the food and decided to tell him what I had just seen.
「As we feared, Countess Bower and Viscountess Bolellan were there. And for some reason, without their maids and squires.」
「Just the two ladies?」
「Yes, at least I’m not seen in the store. They were so agitated, they didn’t care about being seen, and they’re violent towards the employees.」
Nobles are concerned about appearances. Even though this place is a jewelry store in a commoner’s district, it’s impossible for a noble to raise their hand to an employee in this store, which is also visited by aristocrats, without a maid or a chamberlain, after having been emotionally outraged without being noticed.
「Which one of them raised their hand?」
Gaspar said with anger in his voice at his store employee being violated.