Stranger’s Handbook
Page 130Chapter 129: Turn Calamity into Good Fortune
“Damn it, I read something terrible…….What the hell is this?…….”
I had an awful headache caused by the shock from reading this thing and the lack of sleep. I soon heard a knock on the door of my office.
“Master, you’re pulling an all-nighter again? You should rest a little, otherwise your body will won’t last…….”
Suu, looking worried, prepared some tea for me.
Today, as well, she was dressed in male clothes.
This way, if she entangles with me the impression given by this……wait, what the heck am I thinking!?
Is this the power of rot and decay? Too scary.
“By the way, master. What were the contents of that letter? Was it an urgent matter?”
“……Do you want to read it?”
Suu took the letter and started reading it, her eyes turning the size of a chestnut.
Well, I did expect that.
“Master, this is a frightening text…….”
“Right? Right?”
“If you change the names and let it circulate…….It will inflict some terrible damage. Not to mention that for the locked-out elves this will most likely make them pull back. As expected from my master’s thoughtfulness. I, Suu, admire your craftiness.”
“……Right?”
I had this option too, huh?…….
For a married person, this story could inflict some major damage, but for a single person it could mean a fatal wound. This could turn out to be a useful trap.
“Prepare the paper without delay. Gather as much paper as you can.”
“Yes. I’ll ask Calfa to make the arrangements.”
Great, she is suitable for this task.
Fortunately, General Callis is unmarried; I’ll prepare a good present for him and the Prime Minister.
They’ll cry of happiness.
“Also, you shall ask my son-in-law prince Mars about the Prime Minister’s habits, hobbies and plans and add them all to the story. It will increase the credibility.”
“Fufufu, it’s a wonderful idea. We will mix in information only the high ranked nobles could know, right?”
“Indeed. However, be sure to avoid the things which only son-in-law-dono knows, okay? The only thing I want to achieve with this is……….”
“When people become suspicious, they start to doubt everyone in their surroundings. If it goes smoothly, then great, but if we fail, we at least spread some shameful rumors.”
“Understood. Did you know master, that you recently started to smile in the same way as the Frontier Count?”
The last remark heavily injured my tofu mental state…….
Was she praising me with that?……
Suu showed a dark smile, seemingly full of meaning.
“And so, I have a request, your excellency!”
“I see……”
That afternoon, the festival of visiting nobles started.
The pretext was Bea’s delivery and its celebration.
The real motive however…….
“Please! Take my daughter…….Accept my daughter into the war maidens’ unit!!”
This was the eighth person who asked me the same thing.
My maids’ unit is quite popular now under the name of the war maidens’ unit.
‘I can’t believe that my daughter, who only devoted herself to training and weapons, is now such a fine lady!’
Due to Suu’s strict training, my maids became rather decent, and their parents came to thank me for this, feeling great joy.
The other nobles who heard them made a huge fuss about me accepting their daughters too.
“All right, at first, I’ll have her work for me as a maid. After that, we’ll see.”
“Yes! Thank you very much!”
A talent recycling factory, Duke Zest’s domain……And so I started to gain more and more capable personnel…..
Great, I have more maids now!?
“You have a strong influence now, master. It is delightful! Please rest assured for I will thoroughly train them.”
Suu laughed and said, but the maids’ unit’s opinions were…..
“Ah, our poor juniors.”
“They’re all fools.”
“They intentionally entered hell.”
“What’s with those words you just used! As punishment, you’ll stand still until tomorrow morning with books placed on your heads.”
“ “ “ “Please forgive us!” “ “ “
Even my master was shocked when he saw Suu’s spartan-like training style.
Thanks goodness I didn’t have to go through that……Yes, as I thought about this, I drank some more tea.
“Your excellency, excuse me.”
Albert entered my office, sending fluttering glances at the situation on the corridor.
There were about ten new maids waiting there.
It was quite the spectacle.
“What’s the matter?”
“Ah, yes! It is dinner time, so what do you want to do? There are a few newcomers among the black knights too………so, once in a while…….”
Right, one section of the imperial capital’s elite unit expressed their desire to join the black knights.
They received the Emperor’s permission and I’m planning to attach them to my black knights’ unit.
However, all of them are muscle brains who joined me because they wanted to test their own powers on the duke’s domain, already famous for its dragon pets.
“True……But, last time it was rather awful, so…….”
If they take to that ‘Fluffy Paradise’ again I won’t be able to endure it.
This time, I’d like to pass.
“Your excellency, I did a lot of learning. In order to avoid the riskiness of entering a place without researching about it first!”
“Albert, that is common sense, actually.”
I took a mouthful of tea, as I listened to Albert’s talk.
At any rate, I’m sure it’ll be a worthless place, so I’ll refuse him as soon as he tells me the name of the shop.
“This time, the shop is called ‘Well-Established! Flower Garden of the Palace Ladies’. It is a place with tradition that even the hero from the past favored, and this month is the service enhancement month.”
“Circumstances changed. Continue.”
“Yes sir! The women wear uniforms in the so-called Japanese style and they do all sorts of stuff for you! At this time, for only three gold coins, you’ll receive the daimyo 1 course!”
“Albert, we’ll go there immediately! Prepare the horses!!”
And so, I took the black knights along and hurried towards that place.
“Aah, this is magnificent.”
“Your excellency…….I, Albert, am deeply moved.”
It was indeed a flower garden.
Beautiful women wearing Japanese style clothes stood up in lines.
I paid for everyone’s fees……Of course, we bought the daimyo course.
The kimonos more or less set in the patterns of this world, but…
They made me remember my home.
Then, the service started.
“Come now, please use this.”
We took the scissors that the girls gave us.
…….We took the scissors.
“Because you chose the daimyo course, you can get as many flowers as you can carry.”
The Flower Garden of the Palace Ladies was a flowers’ shop……
It is a high class flowers’ shop where you reap the flowers directly from the field.
“Albert, once we return, we’ll need to talk.”
“Yes!”
Alberts was shaking severely, but since I managed to see some dearly missed Japanese style clothes, I’ll forgive him with a light punishment.
I was thinking about these things when I heard the voice of an unexpected person.
“Oh my, isn’t this son-in-law-dono! Do you plan to give these flowers to Bea for your wedding anniversary? Wonderful dedication you’ re showing there! But, the date will change very soon……Will you make it in time?”
It was mother-in-law Lamia……We-wedding anniversary?
Was it today!? This is very bad!!
“Albert, you did great! Take your time and enjoy this place with the youngsters!!”
I threw towards him a bag of gold coins, grabbed as many flowers as I could and the hurried back to Bea’s place.
Please…….please, let me get there in time…….
1. Japanese feudal lord