Year 388 of the Touya Holy Calendar - Titan Castle back garden
(Alastor POV)
"And... I am lost" Alastor
By the time I realized it, I was in the middle of a garden.
"Poop" Alastor
Maybe, I should have followed the old butler...
"Well, this is fun too"
I was going to resume my adventure when I remember what mom always tells me.
("If you get lost, don't move from where you are and pay attention to your surroundings") Mom
"My surroundings..."
Okay, let's do this slowly.
Today is a sunny day.
This seems to be the back of the mansion.
I am standing on the decorated stone path.
There are square fields to my right and my left.
"They should fire the gardener"
The fields are almost empty, and the few flowers that remain are withered.
"...Will there be worms in this land?"
As I approach the almost desert field...
("Focus!") Dad
Whoa!
I stopped my hand that was about to sink into the dirt.
"Dad's scolding is really powerful"
I can almost feel him pinching my ear.
...Back to my surroundings.
If I continue walking this path, I would be entering the forest behind the mansion.
Having monsters eat me wouldn't be a good idea.
I turn to see the mansion in front of me again.
...
The back of the mansion has some windows, but no doors.
I am close to a corner of the house.
"Okay"
I see two solutions.
"I could try to reach one of those windows and look for the butler, or I could go around the house and meet Mom again"
Then I will...
"?" Alastor
What is that?
"..." Alastor
There is a climbing plant that leads to the roof...
"..." Vine
I... must... not...
"..." Vine
Maybe just a little...
......
...
A woman in a nightgown stood in front of me with her eyes closed.
"Maria?" Alastor
She must be the owner of this house.
"!!!" Maria
And my ideal goal for the future.
"Maria, The Crimson Wind?" Alastor
"Where... where are you?" Maria
She can't see me because I am hanging upside down from the window.
"Here! at the window!" Alastor
Mom told me everything about her.
The commoner Maria. The A+ rank adventurer originated from an isolated village.
Even without the help of the gods, even without a prominent lineage, and even without an ample magic aptitude.
She faced hordes of demons in the last demon war and was one of the companions who helped the Isekai Hero defeat the Demon King.
I...
"I'm your biggest fan!" Alastor
She is the pure example of the power of the commoners of Gaia!
"..." Maria
"Jijiji" Alastor
She seems really surprised.
*ksss*
"..." Alastor
I struggle with the vines that cover my body.
*ksss*
But, I can't get out.
"Um, Could you help me?" Alastor
It's not my fault, it's the climbing plants!
(Sebastian POV)
After feeling the madam using wind magic, I rushed into the bedroom.
"Madam, are you okay?!" Sebastian
And inside the room...
"Jijiji" Alastor
"Good kids should not climb on vines" Madam
"Sorry" Alastor
My lady was cleaning the hair of the new apprentice with her back pointing at me.
"My apologies, Madam"
I bend forward, as the manners of any butler told me.
"This child is the new butler apprentice, he just arrived today" Sebastian
"Hmmm" Madam
Is she angry? After all, she didn't want anyone in here.
"I will take him out immediately!" Sebastian
I take a step forward when...
"..." Madam
She gazed at me, like a dragon looking at a hare.
"...!" Sebastian
I immediately and unconsciously, take a step back.
"?" Alastor
The child didn't see it, so he only tilted his head to the side in confusion.
"I will teach him, you can go out"
My lady signals me to leave with her left hand.
"But lady you don't..." Sebastian
A gust of wind throws me out of the bedroom and closes the door before I finish my sentence.
"... know anything about a butler's job..." Sebastian
... In my 40 years in this castle, I was the only servant at the service of the lady. Not because of any kind of financial trouble or weird scheme, but because she insisted that a commoner doesn't need that many people.
And in those years, this was the first time I saw that expression on her face.
When she pushed me out of the room, to the child, she was...
Smiling.
