73
レオルドはゼアトへと帰ってきた。短いようで長かった王都での生活を終えて。
帰る際には
「病気には気をつけるのよ? これから寒くなるから温かくして寝ること。それから、たまにでいいからお手紙を頂戴。
もしも、忘れてたら直接説教にゼアトへと行きますからね!」
こんな感じでグイグイと迫って来る母親に困りながらも、最後は別れを告げてゼアトへと帰るレオルドであった。
ゼアトへと戻ってきて早一週間が経過した。
領主代理になったレオルドは目まぐるしい毎日を送っていた。
朝は政務に昼から
身体を動かすのは楽ではあるが、政務は頭を使わないといけない上に手が足りない。
なにせ、屋敷に政務が務まる人間がレオルドとギルバートしかいないからだ。
急ぎ、文官を雇わねばならないとレオルドは募集を掛けた。最初は父親に頼ったが、自分の力で解決しなさいと突き返された。
なので、ゼアトの住民から文官を見つけなければならない。読み書きに四則計算が出来るものが好ましいが中々見つからない。
さらにレオルドの心労を増やすかのように問題が発生した。
王都から帰ってきてからシェリアが仕事で失敗を起こすようになったのだ。理由は至極単純で恋煩いだ。
公私混同するなと叱りたいが、シェリアはまだ思春期真っ盛りの女の子だ。だからと言って、贔屓するわけにはいかない。
シェリアはギルと二人でレオルドにゼアトへと付いてきて、屋敷の事を切り盛りしてきてくれた。
そして、今はシェリアは一番年下ではあるがメイド長という立場にある。だが、そんな立場の人間が恋煩いで仕事を疎かにするのは見過ごせない。
「ギル。シェリアのことなのだが......」
「存じております。私のほうから厳しく言っておきますので」
「いや、この際だからはっきりと言おう。シェリアを解雇する」
「なっ!? それはあまりにも性急では!」
「ギル。お前は知らないが他の
まあ、お前はシェリアの祖父で甘い部分もあるから仕方ないが......流石に今のままだとシェリアを排除しようと他の使用人が何か良からぬ事を企むだろう」
「私がさせません」
に甘い事は知っている。だが、今回ばかりは俺も思う所がある。シェリアは優秀なメイドだが、やはり精神的には幼い部分があった。
だから、シェリアを解雇する。そして、ジークフリートにでも押し付けよう」
「それは......」
「躊躇う必要はないだろう。王都であれだけ俺にジークのことを語ったのだ。
ジークが俺と決闘した事を知らなかったから仕方がないとは言え、お前は違うだろう?」
「その節は申し訳ございません! 今更ながら謝罪をしたところで――」
「その通りだ。今更謝罪などいらん。お前が孫娘に甘いのは知っていたしな」
運命48ではギルバートはレオルドに殺される。伝説の暗殺者であるギルバートをレオルドがどのようにして殺害したかと言えば、
真人の記憶で知っているのでギルバートがどれだけシェリアに甘いかは分かっていた。
それになんだかんだと言ってシェリアには世話になったレオルドは、シェリアにも幸せになって欲しいと考えていた。
果たして、これが正しい選択なのかは分からないがこのままゼアトで一生を過ごすよりも、好きな人の側にいたほうが良いだろう。結ばれるかどうかは別として。
「ジーク、いや、ゼクシア男爵に一筆したためればシェリアを雇ってくれるだろう。
まあ、俺からだと怪しまれるから父上に頼むとしよう」
「重ね重ね申し訳ございません。本来であれば許されるような事ではないのに......」
「いいさ。お前にもシェリアにも世話になったからな。それよりも、文官の確保といなくなるシェリアの穴を埋める人材が必要だな。
文官はこれからも探すとして、メイドの方は父上にでも聞いてみるか」
恐らくではあるが使用人のほうも自分で見つけろと言われるのが落ちだろう。
レオルドは領主代理となってから、忙しい日々は終わらないなと溜息を零した。
少し前のニート生活が恋しいと憂いていた。
その後、レオルドはシェリアを呼び出して事の経緯を話す。最初は顔を真っ青にして何度も頭を下げたシェリアだったがレオルドの温情を知って歓喜する。
まさか、たかが使用人の一人である自分の為に主であるレオルドが粋な計らいをしてくれるとは夢にも思わなかったからだ。
シェリアはレオルドから話を聞き終わると、自室に戻り荷物を纏める。必要最低限のものだけを残して仕事へと戻った。
これで、いつでもジークの元へと向かえるとはしゃぎながら。
おかげで、手に付かなかった仕事も別人のようになっていた。あまりの変わりように他の使用人も驚いていたが、元に戻ってくれたのならそれでいいと肩の荷が降りた。
一先ず、一つ目の問題が解決したレオルドは背筋を伸ばして身体のこりをほぐすのであった。
Ch 73
Leolde has returned to Ze'at. He finished his short but  rich on events deals in the royal capital.
As he was leaving, his mother Olivia hugged him and  said him goodbye.
"It's going to be cold, so keep yourself in  warm.and go to bed. And please write to me once in a while."
"If you forget to write to me, I'll go to Ze'at to lecture you in person!"
He was troubled by his mother who was pressing him like this, but in the end he said goodbye and went back to Ze'at.
A week has passed since he returned to Ze'at. His father, Beluga, had entrusted him with full authority over Ze'at.
Leolde, who had become the acting lord, lived a fast-paced life.
In the mornings, he had to do political work, followed by a training in the afternoon, and then again in the evenings, before going to bed to study magic.
Although it was easy to move his body, he had to use his head to do political work, and he was short on hands.
At any rate, the only people in the mansion who could handle the administration were Leolde and Gilbert.
Leolde  urgently needed to hire a servants , so he advertised for one. At first, he turned to his father, but he was rebuffed and told to solve the problem on his own.
So, he had to find a servants  from the residents of Ze'at. It would be preferable if  they could read, write, and do arithmetic, but it was difficult to find one.
As if to add to Leolde's worries, a problem arose.
Ever since he returned from capital  Shelia had started to make mistakes at work. The reason was quite simple: she was in love.
He would like to scold her for mixing public and private life, but Sheria is still a girl in the throes of puberty. But that doesn't mean he  can't favor her.
Shelia and Gil have been following Leolde to Ze'at and running the house for  him .
And now, although she is the youngest, she is in the position of head maid. But it's hard to overlook that someone in such a position would neglect her work because of her private life.
"Gil. It's about Sheria. ......""
"Yes, I know. I'll  talk with her ."
"No, I'm going to make this very clear. Shelia is fired."
"What? That's too hasty!"
"Gil. I don't know about you, but the other servant maids have been complaining to me. Not to you, but to me."
I can't blame them because you're Sheria's grandfather and you have a soft spot for her. ...... If things continue as they are, the other servants will try to do something bad to get rid of Sheria.
"I will not let that happen."
"I know you have a soft spot for granddaughter ., but for once I have my own opinion. She is an excellent maid, but she is still a bit young mentally."
That's why I'm dismissing her. I'm going to fire her and send  her to Siegfried's  side .
"That's ......."
"There's no need to hesitate. You told me so much about Zeke in capital .
He  can't blame him for not knowing that Zeke had a duel with  him , but  he can't blame him, can  he ?
"'I'm sorry about that!' Now that I've apologized to you--"
"You're right. I don't need an apology now. I knew you had a soft spot for granddaughter."
In Destiny 48, Gilbert is killed by Leolde . How Leolde  killed Gilbert, the legendary assassin, was by taking his granddaughter Shelia hostage and killing the unresisting Gilbert.
He knew how sweet Gilbert was to Shelia because he knew  him from his  past life  memories.
And what's more, Leolde, who had taken care of Sheria, wanted Sheria to be happy.
I don't know if this is the right choice, but it's better to be around someone you love than to spend the rest of your life in Ze'at. Whether or not  they can is another matter.
"If I write a letter to Zeke, or even Baron Zexia, he will hire Shelia."
Well, it would look suspicious coming from me, so I'll ask my father."
"I'm sorry again and again. I shouldn't have allowed this to happen. ......"
"It's okay. You and Shelia have been good to me. We need a civilian  srvant and someone to fill Shelia's  place .
(I'll keep looking for a civil servant, but I think I'll ask my father about a maid.)
(I'll probably be told to find the servants myself.)
Leolde let out a sigh, saying that since he became the acting lord, his busy days never seem to end.
He gloomily said that he missed the neat life he had not long ago.
After that, Leolde  called up Shelia and told her what had happened. At first, Shelia's face turned pale and she bowed her head several times, but she was delighted to learn of Leolde's warmth.
She had never imagined that Leolde, the master of the house, would be so kind as to do such a thing for her, a mere servant.
Shelia finished listening to what Leolde had to say and went back to her room to gather her things. She left behind only the bare necessities and went back to work.
She was so excited that she could  see Zeke anytime she wanted.
Thanks to this, she  was able to do the work she  hadn't been able to get done, but now she  was like a different person. The other servants were surprised at how much she had changed, but  they felt relieved that she was back to normal.
Now that the first problem was solved, Leolde stretched  his back and relaxed   his body.
Eroge Reincarnation, Struggle of a Golden Pig Aristocrat Against Fate
エロゲ転生　運命に抗う金豚貴族の奮闘記
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/eroge-reincarnation-struggle-of-a-golden-pig-aristocrat-against-fate/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Romance Shounen Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Age Progression Aristocracy Beautiful Female Lead Broken Engagement Butlers Character Growth Complex Family Relationships Cowardly Protagonist Crafting Dense Protagonist Domestic Affairs Doting Parents Elemental Magic Emotionally Weak Protagonist Empires Fallen Nobility Fantasy Creatures Fantasy World Fat Protagonist Fat to Fit Galge Handsome Male Lead Hard-Working Protagonist Harsh Training Kingdom Building Kingdoms Knights Late Romance Lost Civilizations Loyal Subordinates Magic Magic Formations Maids Male Protagonist Management Manipulative Characters Marriage Misunderstandings Modern Knowledge Monsters Naive Protagonist Nobles Reincarnated in a Game World Royalty Sadistic Characters Sword And Magic Sword Wielder Time Skip Transmigration Underestimated Protagonist Weak to Strong Wizards
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4214gk/
名無しの権兵衛