章 91: Jest
Translator: Cinder Translations
...
After bidding farewell to Quiller and his party, Paul returned to his office. Besides his chief secretary Bernard, he also called in the newly appointed advisor, Ladia.
"Welcome, Miss Ladia. May I ask you a personal question?"
"Please do, Lord Grayman."
"Why did you switch jobs? Uh... I mean, why did you give up being an adventurer to become an advisor here?"
Ladia replied, "Lord Grayman, I am a historian. I joined an adventure team to travel and broaden my knowledge. Now, I feel it is time to consolidate my knowledge. So, I needed a quiet place to organize my experiences from the past few years."
She had anticipated this question and had prepared her response in advance, so she showed no sign of panic.
Paul smirked. In a few years, with the development of industry and commerce, Alden wouldn't be so "quiet."
But of course, he wouldn't say anything to drive her away.
He reminded her, "Don't neglect your primary duties while organizing your knowledge!"
Miss Scholar nodded, "Of course, Lord Grayman. I originally planned to teach at Weis Academy, but the head administrator offered me the position of an advisor. As a scholar, please rest assured about my sense of responsibility."
Paul didn't doubt Ladia much. Someone willing to risk their life to save others likely had strong morals.
He thought of another question, "Where are you living now?"
"The Administrative Court has arranged accommodations for me in the dormitory next to the Lord's Mansion. I'm very satisfied with the environment there."
"Good, that's good. By the way, Miss Ladia, the lady you saved last time, Miss D'Arshi, is also an advisor here. You're colleagues now, so you can communicate more when you have time."
"Really?" This surprised Ladia, but finding another scholar here was a pleasant surprise. She might learn a lot of new knowledge from her.
"Lord Grayman, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now. Chief Ford is still waiting for my report."
Unexpectedly, Paul stopped her, "Ah, don't be in such a hurry, Miss Ladia."
She asked, "Is there anything else, Lord Grayman?"
Paul crossed his hands on the desk, putting on a solemn expression, "Miss Ladia, you've traveled to many countries with the Lichman Adventure Team over the years, haven't you?"
The scholar nodded.
Paul continued, "So, you're basically familiar with the situations in various countries, right?"
Ladia said, "More or less. Except for the southern countries, my understanding of other places is rather superficial."
Paul asked, "Are you familiar with the laws of different countries?"
Ladia nodded, "Adventurers must understand the laws of a foreign country before going there to avoid unnecessary trouble."
"Is that so? That's wonderful."
Paul clapped his hands, looking as if he had struck gold.
"I am planning a series of reforms for the territory, during which many laws will be enacted. To avoid constant changes and pitfalls others have encountered, I intend to carefully refer to the legal codes used historically and currently in various countries. Since you are familiar with the laws of many countries and are also a historian, I believe you can provide significant help in this area."
Ladia let out a sigh of relief, saying, "Lord Grayman, you flatter me. I am honored to assist within my capabilities."
Paul said happily, "Then it's settled. I will arrange an office in the castle for you so I can consult with you anytime."
Ladia nodded, "I will follow your instructions, my lord."
Paul was about to let her go when he suddenly felt playful.
He put on a serious face and said, "Actually, I already have some ideas. I'll tell you now, and you can help me draft a proposal for the Administrative Court to discuss tomorrow."
A task already? Ladia didn't hesitate, responding, "Please go ahead, my lord."
She focused her attention, ready to hear Paul's thoughts.
Paul suddenly stood up and said, "In this era, morals are declining, and many precious traditions have been lost."
He showed a pained expression, waving his hand, "So I plan to restore some ancient, precious traditions through legislation."
"Yes!" The scholar enthusiastically agreed with Paul's view. "Lord Grayman, which traditions do you wish to restore?"
Paul slammed the table and loudly declared, "I've decided, let's start with that particular matter!"
That particular matter? What exactly was it? Not only the scholar, but even Bernard straightened his neck, quietly waiting for the lord's next words.
Paul looked up at a 45-degree angle, speaking with a righteous tone:
"I've decided to restore the legendary lord's right of the first night! Miss Ladia, quickly draft an ordinance for me."
As soon as he said this, the large office instantly fell into silence.
Bernard was stunned, and the scholar's face turned dark.
"Pfft!" Finally, Bernard's snicker broke the silence, and he immediately covered his mouth.
"Paul Grayman, Earl!"
The scholar's eyes filled with intense shame and anger, her face turning as red as a ripe apple.
Even though she knew he was joking, this was too much.
"Teasing women in broad daylight is not the behavior of a proper noble!"
Since their conversation under the moon, she had held such a good impression of him. How could he do this?
The more Ladia thought about it, the angrier she became. Blushing, she said, "Please transfer me to teach at Weis Academy. I believe that place suits me better."
"Hahaha! It was just a joke, don't take it so seriously."
Seeing the scholar being so earnest, Paul found it extremely amusing.
"That joke was too offensive. Please don't do it again."
Ladia didn't insist on transferring to the academy, letting the matter pass since it was just a joke.
She requested, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Alright, alright, but I do need your help with the legal matters. I'll come to you next time with real business."
Paul had intended to joke more, but seeing how poorly he managed humor, he realized she might actually leave, and he couldn't afford to lose such a valuable talent.
After the scholar left, the chief secretary Bernard, still in the office, said, "Lord Grayman, today I've witnessed a very different side of you."
Paul shrugged, "What? Am I usually so rigid? Alright, let's talk about other things. I see you're holding a notebook. Is there something you need to discuss?"
Bernard looked at his notebook and said, "Yes, indeed. Earl Kent of Emden arrived in Alden Town yesterday evening, requesting a meeting with you."
Paul was surprised, "Earl Kent of Emden? I have no dealings with him."
Actually, it wasn't that they had no interaction. During the pirate invasion, Chief Ford had written to Kent for aid, but Kent had demanded Alden become his vassal, which led to nothing.
Later, Intelligence Chief Hansel caught some spies trying to steal the secret of papermaking, and under interrogation, they turned out to be sent by Earl Kent.
In short, Paul had no good impression of him.
He instructed Bernard, "Schedule a time for the meeting."
(End of the Chapter)
クリエイターの想い 
CinderTL
CinderTL Please Vote for Me Using Power Stones, There a lot more chapters coming...
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット