章節 11: The Mansion in the Mountains
With John's new mansion near the village, their journey to his home was a pleasant mix of walking and rest stops along the way. When they finally arrived, John could hardly believe his eyes. He'd once told Leo that at his previous pace, it would take him until his fifties to gain his freedom, let alone have a home of his own. Yet here he was at twenty, standing before an impressive mansion he could now call his own.
The place was pristine, ready for John to settle in. To his surprise, a human servant was already there, tidying up and acting as a guide. The servant was assigned to help John adjust and even show him around the nearby town. Seeing John's overwhelmed expression, Leo could tell that his friend was still processing the sudden shift from a life of servitude to the reality of owning a grand home.
After a final exchange of excited handshakes and heartfelt congratulations, Leo and Justin bid farewell to John and set off toward Leo's own new home—a mansion that lay in the complete opposite direction, much farther and more isolated. Leo chuckled to himself, realizing he'd probably be the one visiting John rather than the other way around. As they walked, his mind drifted to the system's message about his quest starting once he arrived. He wondered if the location of his mansion had anything to do with it, but he quickly shrugged it off. "No use thinking too much about it now," he muttered.
He did, however, entertain one lighthearted hope. "I wonder if there'll be any maids in my house," he joked to himself, grinning as he imagined them dressed up in cosplay uniforms.
Justin caught the look on his face and raised an eyebrow. "Don't get your hopes up. With how isolated your mansion is, there's no staff waiting for you. Just you and the mountain silence."
Leo's grin faded, and he let out a sigh, calling out to the system in his mind. *"Hey, system, can I change the location of my mansion? I mean, I don't mind solitude, but I might go a little mad up there by myself."*
The system responded in its usual calm tone. *"You won't be alone—I'll be with you. We can play card games in your mind. Plus, you'll have plenty of quests to keep you busy."*
Leo let out a small laugh. *"Fine, I guess I'll rely on you to keep me company. Let's hope these quests are interesting enough."*
The idea of a quiet life in the mountains was starting to grow on him, even if it meant being far from everyone else. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the unknown as they continued toward his new home.
As they walked on, Leo's curiosity got the best of him. "Hey, Justin," he said, "when we were waiting for you back at the contractor's mansion, you came in like you'd been on a mission or something."
Justin nodded. "Yep, I was. Turns out the place you chose up in the mountains had some… unexpected guests. Bandits had taken it as their hideout. Originally, my job was to check all the properties in the book for anything out of the ordinary, but who'd have guessed you'd pick the one with a bandit camp?"
Leo's face went pale. "Wait—bandits? What if they come back?" he asked, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.
Justin chuckled, shaking his head. "Don't worry. They won't. Even those knuckleheads know not to mess with Mister Aisen's properties. I made it clear that they're not welcome there. So you're safe."
Leo relaxed a bit but then crossed his arms, frowning. "Alright, but if you cleared them out, why didn't you clean up the mess? That's a whole mansion! It'll be impossible to get it spotless on my own!"
Justin smirked. "Well, you did pick it, didn't you?" he teased, grinning. "That mountain place has charm, sure, but it's remote. And with all those empty rooms… yeah, cleaning won't be easy."
They continued walking, soon entering Chanter Forest, a dark, dense wood rumored to be full of monsters. Justin kept his movements light and his eyes scanning the shadows, taking extra care to avoid any creature that might put Leo in danger.
Eventually, they emerged from the forest and found themselves at the foot of the mountain. Leo looked up at his new home, perched high above, rugged and secluded. As he stood there, he felt a strange thrill—and a bit of dread—wondering why the system picked it of all place.
Justin looked at Leo and grinned. "I know there are stairs, but they're long—way too long. I'll get us up there directly." With that, he lifted Leo effortlessly, then crouched down, springing high up the rocky face of the mountain. Justin leapt from ledge to ledge, scaling the steep walls with five powerful bounds until they reached the top.
Setting Leo down, Justin gestured for him to take in the view. "Go on, look out there."
Leo glanced across the vast, breathtaking vista, stretching across the valley below. The sight was incredible, with rolling green forests and glimmering rivers that snaked through the landscape. But as he turned around to admire his new home, his jaw dropped. The yard was an absolute disaster. Scorched patches of earth, overturned stones, and scattered debris filled the once-beautiful grounds. Bits of broken wood and torn canvas lay everywhere, the aftermath of Justin's "clearing out" effort.
Leo clenched his fists, fuming. "You call this a *bit* messy?! You completely wrecked the yard! And you're telling me to admire the view? Do you have any idea how long it'll take to clean this up? Probably a week—at least!"
Unfazed, Justin handed Leo a folded paper with a smirk. "Here. Directions to the nearest market and a few other essentials," he said nonchalantly. "Oh, and Mister Aisen's assigned me another mission, so I'll be gone for a while. See you next week—hopefully, it's spotless by then!" With a playful salute, Justin turned and disappeared back down the mountain, leaving Leo to seethe in frustration.
Sighing deeply, Leo took a reluctant step toward the entrance, mentally preparing himself for the daunting task ahead. He pushed open the heavy doors and stepped into the mansion's gloomy interior. Dust coated every surface, and cobwebs hung like veils from the high ceilings. Faint shadows seemed to flicker in the corners, and an eerie silence blanketed the place, broken only by the soft creak of the floor underfoot.
He took a shaky breath, feeling a wave of dread wash over him as he moved from one dusty room to the next. The enormity of the cleanup weighed on him, and he had barely begun when he heard a familiar chime in his mind. The system's voice echoed, calm and unsettlingly clear: *"Daily quest for today is…"*
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