Chapter 13
Where does trust come from?
Surely, trust between people starts at almost zero when they first meet.
If that's the case, people can't always speak only with those they believe they can trust.
Could Kaide truly say he fully trusted me, the person he called Kana?
No one could know that, but at least one thing was certain: after our conversation earlier, Kaide had come to trust me to some degree.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have let me meet his son starting today, get acquainted with him, and introduce myself.
Though he probably didn't know that Aiden and I had briefly crossed paths once before, giving me that opportunity and time was proof that he trusted me to some extent.
“The annex and the main residence are about a seven-minute walk apart at a leisurely pace. Even if you find it a little tiring, it won't take long, so please bear with it for just a bit.”
“Oh, this is no trouble at all. Thank you for your consideration.”
At my words, Kaide simply nodded and began walking slowly, as if to lead the way, while I merely watched his back.
There was no way for me to know what he was thinking right now or what plans he had in mind.
I quietly sank into my own thoughts, wondering whether I had twisted the course this world was supposed to take for the sake of my own selfish desire.
Trust was built on one person placing complete faith in another, so I ought to show my true self to those who trusted me.
But wasn't I simply deceiving them for my own safety, for my own ends?
As I wondered whether I might be doing the one thing I should never do and felt guilty about it, I sank into self-reproach disguised as thought.
What I was doing now, after all, was betraying Kaide's trust and thoroughly deceiving him.
Paradoxically, though, Kaide might trust me because I, too, wanted Aiden to grow into a warm person who understood kindness, just as Kaide did.
If so, if I had simply wanted this world to follow its natural course, would this moment exist now?
The answer I could give to that question wasn't no, but I don't know.
After all, a supposition was only speculation about something that hadn't happened; there was no point dwelling on the possibility unless it actually came to pass.
Especially when I had no time to spare wondering how things might have gone differently in the past.
It was clear that I had to focus, at the very least, on the task I'd been given. That was my role now.
“...This is the main residence of the Grand Ducal House. Aiden is probably inside, quietly reading or taking swordsmanship lessons, so please come in without worrying.”
As he spoke, Kaide opened the door to the residence and quietly gestured to Miguel, who came over to me.
“Is this the person you've appointed as the tutor? Unlike what Your Grace feared, it seems a rather gentle person applied for the position.”
“Well, fortunately, that's the case. Ah, Miguel? Please show her around. I'm rather behind on work. You may treat her as an honored guest, so please be courteous.”
As Kaide bid me farewell, I bowed respectfully, then quietly turned to look at the head butler.
After all, I only knew him through my knowledge of the game. We'd never introduced ourselves, and we'd never met.
“I'm Hart Miguel, the head butler of this residence. And what might your name be, miss?”
“Kana. My name is Kana de Glaysia. Please feel free to call me Kana. I'll be starting as a tutor here tomorrow.”
Since I had a different role from the maids and butlers, I was an outsider who was about to become part of the household, so I made sure to show proper courtesy first.
If I was going to live here from now on, I would be seeing these people often.
“If you don't mind, I'll call you Miss Kana. The young master is currently taking swordsmanship lessons. If it's all right with you, how about meeting the staff of this residence before then?”
“Yes, I'll be meeting them and seeing them around sooner or later anyway. I think it would be better for us to introduce ourselves in advance.”
Besides, getting to see in real life the people I'd seen in the game was a good thing in itself.
There were certainly things about them I'd been personally curious about, so I nodded happily.
I could put off thinking about trust and human relationships, which had been on my mind this whole time.
“First, as you know, I'm the head butler of this residence. And where there's a head butler, there must be a head maid as well, wouldn't you say?”
Miguel let out a small laugh, then carefully headed to the right side of the first-floor corridor and lightly knocked on a door.
Knock, knock—
“This is Miguel, the head butler. May I ask if you're inside?”
“Yes, I'll be right out.”
Then, with a gentle voice coming from behind the door, a girl with striking silver hair and silver eyes opened it and stepped out.
“Mr. Miguel, the other maids are all away assisting the young master right now. What... brings you here?”
As she spoke, the girl met my eyes, cautiously stepped out of the break room, and stared at me.
Perhaps she wasn't particularly pleased to see someone new arrive.
“Ahaha... Please don't be too wary. I'm Kana de Glaysia, and I've just joined the Grand Ducal House as a tutor.”
“...I'm Melia Eterinel, the head maid of the Grand Ducal House. I've never heard the surname Glaysia before... Where are you from?”
Melia Eterinel, third daughter of the Count Eterinel family, one of the more prestigious noble houses in Karts. She had been sent to the Grand Ducal House as a maid, ostensibly to build ties with the family.
But the work suited her, and she wasn't the sort to go against her family's wishes, so eventually she became a maid worthy of being called perfect.
No—now she was a real person.
“Ah, I... came from quite far away. I don't really remember where, sorry.”
“...There's no need to apologize. In any case, we may be seeing quite a lot of each other for a long time, so I hope we can develop a good relationship.”
“Yes, I feel the same way. Would it be all right if I called you Miss Melia?”
At my question, Melia nodded as if it were only natural, then looked at me with her characteristically expressionless face.
“That's fine. By the way, how old are you? You don't look that old, and tutors are usually not quite so young... It feels a little unusual.”
“I'm twenty-one this year...”
At my answer, Melia tilted her head slightly.
My heart sank with worry that she'd noticed something strange, but outwardly I kept smiling as naturally as I could.
At the very least, I couldn't let myself get found out already.
No matter how perceptive Melia was, at this point in time, when Aiden was only nine, she was a girl of barely fifteen herself.
And yet, she was capable enough at her work to serve Kaide and the Kalinix Grand Ducal House as head maid.
So if you asked who was the most unpredictable person right now, it would undoubtedly be Melia.
“Twenty-one... You really aren't as old as I expected. I know a tutor's job is supposed to be just teaching etiquette and manners, but... are you confident with administrative work?”
“By administrative work, do you mean things like handling documents? If that's the case, I can do as much as you need~ I'm not as inexperienced as I might look.”
When I said that with a smile, Melia nodded as if she had nothing more to say.
“Yes, in that case... While you're staying at the Grand Ducal House, I'll be responsible for your meals and keeping your room clean, so I hope we can have a good relationship.”
Melia also greeted me with proper courtesy, so I returned it with a bow.
“I look forward to working with you, too. I'll be living here from now on, after all.”
“I think that's enough introductions for now. Shall we go meet the young master? He should be waiting with His Grace in the office.”
“Ah, yes. We should. Since I've come here as both a tutor and a guest, it would be a problem if I kept him waiting.”
Now I had something more important to attend to, so I quietly followed Miguel.