In short, the survey proposal was very successful.
Baroness Pavron was so moved that she shed tears as she gladly accepted my offer.
All the various strategies I had prepared to convince her turned out to be unnecessary – it was just too easy.
While I was trying hard to hide my surprise at how quickly the “negotiations” ended unexpectedly, she wiped her reddened eyes and added:
“Ma’am, I am a fan of comic books, but if that was the only reason, I would not have agreed to participate in writing the story.”
“Oh, so why…?”
“Because you are a good person, ma’am. I want to work with you.”
Am I really a good person?
But when I saw the firm certainty on the Baroness's face, I couldn't bring myself to argue and just nodded.
“I was just following my heart.”
In the end, helping Baron Bavron, and improving his relationship with the Marquis and Marchioness Ambrose, was all ultimately to my own advantage.
Maybe it was because I received an unexpected compliment, but even after getting into the carriage, my mind remained confused.
"my lady".
As we were about to reach the teleportation circle, Bonita, who was unusually quiet, called out to me.
“Hmm?”
She was strangely silent for a while. Did something happen?
After hesitating for a moment, Bonita seemed to have made up her mind and spoke slowly.
“I'm glad things went well.”
"Oh, right? I honestly wasn't sure what I'd do if I said no, so I'm relieved."
When I answered with a bright smile, Bonita looked at me hesitantly, her expression turning to worry.
“But… ma’am, you look very tired these days.”
"I?"
“Yes, your skin looks pale… and you didn't sleep well last night either, did you? Right, Sir Ian?”
Ian, who accompanied me this time because working conditions had changed, nodded in agreement with Bonita.
“I think so too.”
Moreover, his gaze was extremely sharp…
“What is this look?”
Whenever he does that, he always reminds me of the Duke, maybe because they look alike.
anyway!
This made me reflect on my daily routine recently.
“Last night, I couldn't sleep because I was thinking about all the possible variables related to Baroness Bavron's appointment.”
Since I started working in the comic book business, everything has been so meticulously tied together – from buletta skins to mug production – that I've had no time to rest.
But it was logical. I was the one overseeing and moving everything forward.
Without me, there was no one else to take over.
“But, well… it's not like I can ask for help.”
Besides, my original goal was “independence,” so relying on others would go against that principle.
When I saw Bonita still frowning, I mumbled as if I was making excuses.
“I took care of this matter myself, so I think it's only right that I follow it to the end. Haha.”
But the more I talked, the weaker my excuse seemed.
Hmm...yeah.
Honestly, I was a little tired.
But work naturally comes with a certain level of fatigue, and since I needed to paddle during high tide, taking a break felt like a luxury.
Even for someone like me, he loved staying home.
“Ma’am, though, I think you’ve overworked yourself lately.”
"I'm fine. Plus, thanks to the magic teleportation circle, I can travel long distances easily, so I'd say I have a very relaxed working style, don't you think?"
The only problem was the worsening motion sickness.
While I was mentally reviewing the letters I needed to write to the Marchioness Ambrose and Madame Golbru, I tried to hide my fatigue with a bright smile.
“Okay… if you say so, ma’am. But please, if you feel very tired, be sure to rest.”
“Yes, thank you, Bonita.”
For some reason, it felt strange to realize that there were people around me who truly cared about my health.
Maybe I should invite her over for some snacks when we get back?
“We have arrived.”
I was deep in thought, and I barely noticed that the carriage had stopped.
Fortunately, Baron Bavron's home was near the capital, so the teleportation circle was not far away.
Standing between Ian and Bonita, I stepped into the now familiar magic circle under the wizard's supervision.
But just before it was activated, a sudden thought occurred to me.
“Hi, Ian.”
"Yes?"
“That friend of yours… who also suffered from motion sickness caused by teleportation.”
Ian looked at me strangely, as if my question had appeared out of nowhere.
“Did they receive the necessary treatment?”
As mercenaries, they must have needed to travel long distances frequently. This made their work difficult.
Humans always try to find ways to overcome inconvenience.
I was just hoping to hear about any helpful treatments.
“That friend is…”
Once the wizard finished his spell and a bright light surrounded us, Ian's voice took on a serious tone.
“They are no longer in this world.”
"…What?"
Before I could even process his words, light flooded my vision, and an intense, twisting sensation took over my body.
“Oh, I feel dizzy!”
Even on my way here, I was feeling worse than usual, but now the dizziness was unbearable.
What was happening?
When my sense of direction completely collapsed, I became extremely nauseous, and I fell.
Or at least, so I assumed.
“Ah… I feel like I'm dying.”
The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was a scream.
* * *
Bonita
A native of Blair, a northern province of the Empire, Bonita was a lucky girl who entered the Grand Duchy at an early age and became the head housemaid earlier than most girls.
Better treatment than other noble houses! Generous salary! And even a kind-hearted master!
In a place where even those with high-ranking letters of recommendation from far-flung regions were rejected, serving as an official maid was a source of true pride.
But lately, Bonita has been very worried.
"No, that's not true. I need to propose a more effective compromise."
“Ugh, I need to come up with a new mug design... Do I have any ideas?”
“How many hours will today’s meeting take this time…?”
It was all about the lady who served her.
When Bonita first met April, she never expected her to worry so much about her.
After all, when April had first arrived in the Grand Duchy, the staff had whispered among themselves, calling her suspicious.
It wasn't until she started her own comic book business that April's true nature became clear.
“Ah, ma’am… are you sure you don’t need to rest?”
"I'm fine. I need to finish at least this much, so the others don't have to work overtime."
“But is there really a need to overwork yourself? Naturally, the remaining work will be handled by the appointed artists...”
This was a no-brainer for Bonita.
But April, looking puzzled, asked in return:
"They get paid by the hour, right? If I can't pay them overtime, I can't have them work at a loss."
"…pardon?"
“Oh, I haven’t finalized the overtime pay agreement yet – it’s okay, don’t worry about it.”
At the time, Bonita barely understood half of what April was saying.
But later, when she saw the contract that stipulated that workers who exceeded their set hours would receive 1.5 times their regular pay, she finally understood April's true intentions.
“There are a lot of people who expect employees to work overtime without complaining because they are already getting paid. Maybe she is an angel sent by the gods?”
Although April was a suspicious lady at first, her reputation improved day by day, and Bonita took great pride in her service.
I resolved to continue helping her wholeheartedly.
But…
My wife worries me.
April had become so busy that it was impossible to know how much sleep she was actually getting.
Bonita did her best to support and care for her, but since April wasn't sleeping properly in the first place, her condition seemed to deteriorate.
So, on her way back from meeting Baroness Bavron, Bonita cautiously expressed her concerns.
jingle.
"my lady!!!"
Indeed, the moment they reached the teleportation circle near the Grand Duchy, April collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut.
“Oh my God! Ma’am, are you okay?!”
But April didn't move.
She was lying there, her pale face covered in cold sweat. Seeing her in this state made Bonita's heart skip a beat.
She looked like she might actually die at this rate...
“Moves.”
Suddenly, a cold voice cut through the tension.
Contrary to his usual behavior, Ian lunged at them and now issued a terrifying command.
"Yes!"
Bonita instinctively stepped aside. Ian quickly scooped April into his arms and took off running.
One moment please. That voice a moment ago... and that tone...
Bonita's eyes widened as she stared absently at his distant form.
“Is that possible?!”
But this was not the time to dwell on her sudden realization.
Bonita woke up from her daze and hurried after them.
This was an emergency!