Chapter 52
After being jostled by the carriage for a while, we arrived at a fairly large town just as it began to grow dark.
The towns in the ducal territory are managed by magistrates, except for the territorial capital. In small towns, the magistrate's residence is fairly modest, but apparently the ones in larger towns are quite luxurious. The ducal family builds the magistrate's residences, so they probably serve to display the family's authority as well.
This town was fairly large, and the magistrate's residence was spacious, so apparently there was plenty of room even for all of us to stay.
We passed through the town by carriage, entered the grounds of the magistrate's residence, and stopped in front of the entrance. The servants got out first, followed by me, then Frederick-sama and the others in the same order as before.
In front of the magistrate's residence stood a man in somewhat splendid clothes who looked like the magistrate, with many servants lined up behind him. They had quite a lot of servants, too.
I had heard earlier in the carriage that the magistrates of large towns were generally third sons or younger of lower-ranking noble families. Apparently, quite a few people became magistrates after being hired by nobles rather than working as officials in the Royal Palace. The magistrate of this town was one of them, apparently the third son of a baronial family. I suppose that made him a quasi-noble.
The man who had been bowing in front of the residence raised his head. He was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. He had a large belly and was quite fat.
"We have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. It is a great honor to welcome everyone from the ducal family. We will provide you with the finest hospitality we can offer, so please make yourselves comfortable."
The middle-aged man said that with a cheerful smile. He looked very friendly, but... there seemed to be something behind that smile. Why did I feel that way?
It was a somewhat fake-looking smile, as though he were fawning over those in power...
For now, I decided not to get too close to him.
"Morgan, it's been a long time. It's only for one day, but I am counting on you."
"Richard-sama, it is a pleasure to see you again. I am delighted to see that you are well. Now, please come inside. I will show you to your rooms."
So this man's name was Morgan-san. We entered the residence with Morgan-san leading the way. Its layout was not much different from the ducal family's residence in the royal capital. It was simply smaller and more modest than that one.
Actually, even this residence would be a perfectly fine mansion if it had existed in Japan. I guess I've been getting used to this world's standards.
Our guest rooms seemed to be on the second floor. After climbing the stairs, Richard-sama and the others were shown into rooms at the far end of the hall.
"Richard-sama, please use this room. Catherine-sama, this one is yours, and Frederick-sama, this one is yours."
I thought I was next, but no one showed me to a room. Why...?
"Morgan, where is Leon-kun's room? I told you to treat Leon-kun the same as us, didn't I?"
"I understand. However, I am terribly sorry, but these are the only three guest rooms we have. Would it be possible for Leon-sama to use an available servant's room?"
"A servant's room? There are other rooms here, aren't there? Aren't those guest rooms?"
When Richard-sama asked that, a hint of panic seemed to appear on Morgan-san's face. Since I was still short, I could see his expression from below, which was probably why I noticed it. The others likely hadn't.
"That room is being used as a storeroom. There have never been more than three of you when you visited before, so I thought it would be better to make effective use of the other rooms as storage... I am terribly sorry for taking such liberties."
It was strange to use a room that could be a guest room as a storeroom. Was that really true?
I had some doubts, but I kept quiet because speaking up here seemed likely to make things more complicated.
"Morgan, since the rooms exist, make sure they are properly prepared as guest rooms. Add two or three more guest rooms. There just happened to have been three or fewer of us until now."
"Understood. I am terribly sorry."
"Now then, what should we do today...?"
Richard-sama began pondering what to do. I was a commoner, so I didn't mind using a servant's room.
I hurried to tell him that.
"Richard-sama, I don't mind using a servant's room."
"No, but I can't have you treated like that..."
"But given our respective statuses, it would be out of the question for me to take a room while someone else used a servant's room. It's only for tonight."
When I said that, Richard-sama seemed quite troubled, but he eventually agreed.
"Then, I'm truly sorry, but could you use a servant's room, Leon-kun?"
"Yes."
With that settled, I parted ways with the ducal family and, together with Roger, was shown to a servant's room.
"Please use this room."
Morgan-san used polite language, at least, but he looked at me with contempt.
Ah, so this man was the type of noble who looked down on commoners. Could it be that the guest-room issue earlier was simply because he didn't want to let a commoner like me use a luxurious guest room?
"Thank you."
When I said that, Morgan-san glared at me fiercely and then left.
Is that man an idiot?
Didn't he understand that Richard-sama had specifically requested that I receive the same treatment as him? Even just now, Richard-sama had hesitated to make me use a servant's room. If he gave it even a little thought, he should have realized that I was a very important guest.
Didn't he realize that if he treated that guest with such contempt, he'd be finished the instant I told Richard-sama about it? He probably had the ingrained belief that, as a noble, he could do whatever he wanted to a commoner.
Morgan-san may have hidden it well in front of Richard-sama and the others, but could he belong to a faction opposed to the Townsend ducal family? Perhaps I should tell Richard-sama about it.
Sigh... Even though it was only for one night, this looked like it was going to be a pain.
Just as I was thinking that, Roger came to the room.
"Leon-sama, I was able to borrow the servant's room next door, so I will be staying there. If you need anything, please call for me immediately."
"All right, thank you."
"Even so, making Leon-sama, a guest of the ducal family, use a room like this..."
Roger's displeasure was plain on his face. It was unusual for him to show his emotions.
"Besides, this room is a little dusty."
"That's true. Could you give it a quick cleaning?"
"Certainly."
I had noticed it as soon as I entered the room, but it really was quite dusty. It probably hadn't been cleaned at all.
Wouldn't he realize that harassing someone this blatantly was only backing himself into a corner? He was being such an idiot that I almost couldn't bring myself to get angry.
If I told Richard-sama about his behavior earlier and the state of this room, Morgan-san might be fired immediately. But if he was competent as a magistrate, perhaps it would be better not to do that? I only had to put up with it for one night, after all.
But his way of thinking put him at odds with the Townsend ducal family's faction, so perhaps I should have him fired after all? I still didn't know enough about how nobles operated to say. Maybe their factional loyalties and their work were separate matters.
For now, I would wait and see.
Roger cleaned the room thoroughly, then brought a bucket of water so I could wipe myself down.
"Leon-sama, there is no bath in this room, so would you please make do with wiping yourself down today?"
"Just wiping myself down is fine. Thank you."
With Roger's help, I cleaned myself and changed into the clothes I wore around the house.
Some time later, it seemed to be time for dinner, and a servant from the residence escorted me to the dining hall. The servants seemed to be merely avoiding defying Morgan-san; they did not appear to be actively considering harming me. Well, they were commoners too, so they probably wouldn't take such a risky course of action.
When I reached the dining hall, Morgan-san was already seated, while none of the ducal family had arrived. I braced myself for something else to happen, but Frederick-sama arrived almost immediately and averted any trouble. This was exhausting...