Now, the man before me must be the so-called Duke Albad.
I don't want to be tested by others again.
"I'm so sorry, young master, but the master has already met with young master Leon and seems to be quite satisfied with him!"
At this moment, the butler stepped forward and explained it to me in this way.
"Oh...? Is it possible to gain Father's approval?"
The man said this, then walked straight towards me, sat on the sofa directly opposite me, and gestured to the maid waiting nearby to make tea.
He took a sip of the black tea, seemingly enjoying the taste and still savoring it.
"Oh...right! We need to say hello!"
I suddenly realized that the reason the man hadn't spoken was probably because I hadn't introduced myself yet.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Leon Cabadorn."
Having learned from my previous experience, I was much more cautious this time.
“Yes, I am Cecil Albad. When greeting someone, you should place your left hand on your chest and then extend your right hand forward. Remember, don't go above your head. Your manner is too stiff; it must have offended the lord.”
"…I see……"
I do remember that the Duke of Croggs taught me that, but I somehow forgot, and I habitually bend my back very low, which makes me look very insecure.
Furthermore, the gesture, which resembled asking for something, was no wonder it angered the lord.
"Like...?"
I recalled how I had just learned aristocratic etiquette, and tried to raise my body, then placed my left hand on my chest and extended my right hand forward, without raising it above my head.
"Hmm...not bad, looks like you've studied this before?"
Duke Albayd picked up his teacup again and began to savor it, seemingly noticing that my movements were not as clumsy as those of a beginner.
"It was Duke Croggs who taught me, I've completely forgotten, I'm so sorry!"
Thinking back on his behavior just now, he realized that he had really made Duke Croggs lose face.
"Krogers? What's your relationship with him?"
When I mentioned the name Krogh, Albad seemed thoughtful.
"I previously worked as a governess for the Croggs family for a year, and the subject of my work was Ilotie Croggs."
"Hmm... Is that so? You're the tutor who can chant without incantation... I think I've heard of you somewhere before, but it was definitely a few years ago."
Duke Albayd rested his hand on his chin, shifting his gaze from me to the table, and muttered something under his breath.
"Please sit down!"
He glanced at me every now and then, who was still standing there, before gesturing for me to sit down.
"No way? Has word already spread among the nobility that I'm a governess in the Croggs household?"
As instructed, I sat down on the sofa, and a sense of accomplishment welled up inside me. Although it happened three years ago, it still sounded quite impressive.
Although he was Ilotie's tutor, the time he could actually teach her magic was only about two or three months when her other personality appeared. The rest of the time, he was just wasting his time.
"Alright! Tell me why you're here! I remember you should be recuperating at the palace at this time!"
After a moment of contemplation, Duke Albad finally spoke, but from his tone, it seemed he knew everything that had happened to me in the palace.
"Uh... how is Julius doing?"
Now that the topic has come to a crucial point, there's no way to dodge the question anymore. Besides, I really am here to learn about the situation of "Julius".
"You seem quite concerned about that cat... However, I can tell you that it's perfectly fine."
"That's wonderful!"
Hearing Duke Albad's reply, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, he was the one who brought "Julius" into the palace. If something had happened, how would he explain it to Katya?
"Is there anything else?"
Indeed, it would be rather presumptuous and impolite to bother Duke Albad with something like this.
Nobles who can usually rise to the rank of duke should be very busy on a daily basis.
"I'm so sorry to bother you, young master, with something so trivial!"
However, I can only apologize, because it seems that there is really nothing else besides the matter of "Julius".
"It's alright. I can tell Katia likes you a lot. Just don't do anything to confuse her, otherwise, given Father's temper, I'm afraid..."
It seemed that even the Duke of Albad didn't know what was going to happen. In any case, his words carried a hint of warning, which made me feel very uncomfortable.
"Please rest assured, young master, I will not do anything to confuse your daughter!"
"That's good. But Katia isn't my daughter; she just lives in the manor. So, while I won't restrict her movements, it doesn't mean I'm indifferent to her affairs. Cherish her, Leon!"
Like the lord, Duke Albad left the room after saying those words.
"Like father, like son, they're so alike, talking to themselves."
I don't care that Katia isn't the Duke of Albad's woman.
But what exactly does the following phrase, "cherish it well," represent?
Do you cherish your friendship with Katia?
Thinking about it this way, it seems I really should cherish it, after all, I don't have much time to spend in Kylorans.
After getting up to say goodbye to the butler, he left the Duke of Albad's mansion.
Although they are a family that likes to mutter to themselves, my impression of them isn't too bad. It's not bad for Katya to live in such an environment.
With my hands behind my head, strolling down the street, this leisurely feeling is truly wonderful.
"I really hope nothing else happens."
I felt a deep sense of emotion in my heart.
Next, I need to go to the guild to cancel the previous commission. After all, the commission period has already passed, and if it continues to drag on like this, I'll have to pay a penalty for breach of contract.
~~~
Upon arriving at the guild, I handed the request form and nameplate to the receptionist, feeling very apologetic.
The receptionist saw that I was a child and that I hadn't been able to complete the task, but she didn't make things difficult for me. After processing the relevant procedures, she asked me to pay the corresponding compensation.
In the end, I still have to pay the penalty for breach of contract...
Although we are not short of money now, such waste will eventually run out.
After paying the corresponding compensation, the receptionist finally showed her usual smile, proving the adage that money can make the devil turn the millstone.
I thought I had escaped unscathed, but I was just overthinking it.
"What should we do next?"
If you accept a case right after paying the penalty for breach of contract, you'll be seen as a strange kid.
I have no choice but to head back home. I won't be accepting any more commissions for the next few days. It's just too difficult to bring myself to say it.
Actually, I could find a small team and serve as a temporary member, but who would actively seek out a kid like me as a member?
Unlike Pro, who knew in advance that I was a King-level mage who could perform incantations.
"Damn those fraudulent flowers!"
Therefore, I blamed all the sins on the flower-cheating scheme, even catching just one would have been good enough.
He complained to himself, then left the guild.
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