CH 153

After we finished listening to their story, Sword and I looked at each other.

――Yep, so you think so as well?

These people are trying to die, aren’t they? You also somehow think that they’re trying to die after lightening the burden on their hearts by crushing all seeds of regret, right?

We conversed telepathically.

I cleared my throat, “I see. I’ve heard something great there. …As a matter of fact, this mansion is way too large and thus it has become quite a burden for the servants and maids over here to manage the whole estate. Just the other day, one of our maids collapsed from overwork… To be frank, we’d be able to easily maintain it if I were to lend a hand, but the maids have their pride, so I’m immediately scolded by them if I try to help out, going as far as them starting to cry… I’m in a bind here. Anyway, it’s an urgent matter for us to increase the personnel here, but we’ve already hired most of the available workforce in Ys.” Taking a look around me, I grinned broadly, “You mentioned that you harbor feelings of repentance towards me, didn’t you? Then show it through actions. Words are cheap. Work here. Pay back the debt you incurred towards me by working to your heart’s content until those feelings of repentance have disappeared.”

The butler and everyone else was taken aback.

“In the first place, I had Sword buy this mansion for the sake of brewing liquor. That’s why, you see, everyone has their hands full with brewing. It’s my failure for having paid no heed to things like the mansion’s maintenance. So do something about it so as to amend my blunder. …With that out of the way, maids, your workforce has grown. Now you can get some rest, can’t you?”

Once I told so to the maids behind me, they answered, “””As you desire, Lady Indra.”””

In that case, take a break, will you?

＊

That’s great. It might be a pitiful story for the seniors, but thanks to that, we gained plenty of new personnel! I had already thought that I’d need to head out with Sword to scout again!

I mean, look, we don’t really pay all that much salary, do we? Well, as all necessities of life are provided for, the costs for buying necessities falls flat, and since we have most of the things to entertain ourselves gathered over here as well, they don’t need to spend any money outside. I was told that they don’t need any pay (even by Mr. Amato), but you see, it’s a sum of money where I was told it’s dirt cheap when I suggested the salary to a stranger.

Either way, the mansion is spacious and we still have plenty of vacant rooms! is what I thought, but the servants insisted on living outside the mansion. I mean they told me they can’t live in the same house as their master and mistress, and certainly not in some rooms of the mansion instead of something like a semi-basement. Probably because of their old way of thinking.

…Since it couldn’t be helped I built a new building! A detached outhouse! And I also increased the number of guard Ryokus!

I won’t mention it, but that way took more time and effort than having them stay in the mansion’s rooms! But, I won’t mention anything!

＊

I asked the head maid and butler to take care of the overall management.

“The maid probably collapsed because of this. It’s fairly difficult, and Sally is the type of girl who takes over work if she can’t find someone else to do the job… I told her to just leave things be if she can’t handle a task, but it seems like that was not an option for her.”

“Sally has a strong sense of responsibility after all,” commented the butler.

“…Well, there are ways to adjust things in order to lower the amount of necessary work, but if you lack manpower, your options are limited. I understand. I will keep an eye on things from now on.”

“Please take care of it.”

“Of course, I will pass some of the work to you as well, Sally. If I remember correctly, I didn’t teach you about this kind of management work.”

“Okay, I am looking forward to your guidance.”

Somehow Sally was standing straighter than usual. Are the seniors making her nervous after all?

At that point, the head maid smiled wryly, “No need to treat me like your superior. If anything, you are the senior in this place.”

“That will not do!”

Sally is quite the stubborn girl, isn’t she?