By Zephyria I couldn’t understand at all why my friends were acting like hateful five-year-olds.
A long, unsightly argument ensued. Caught in the middle, I felt terrible for Ivan, but he was busy looking down, comparing various documents with an indifferent expression. Then, when Ivan offered to fix the ledgers and contract forms, I quickly handed them over and dragged all the sulking guys into the next room.
As soon as I herded them into the room, the anger I had been holding back erupted.
“Ah, fuck. What the hell are you guys? What is this sudden bullshit?”
“Ha, now you sound like Eric. What’s up with you?”
“What do you mean, what’s up?”
“No, you’re acting so damn pathetic. What is it? Did you get a new master? Huh?”
I rubbed my burning cheeks with my hands and lifted my head.
My friends, who had been grumpy the whole time, one by one sprawled out on the sofa and chairs. No matter how many good items were stocked, none of them ever handled carpets and chairs this carefully. In the first place, this reception room was our playground when we were young, and as we got older, it was used more for casual drinking sessions among ourselves than for entertaining guests. They all casually lay or sat on the floor and looked at me.
Adam, who had been the most obnoxious, blabbered on.
“That seat was originally yours. You’re sitting in the successor’s seat, bringing out ledgers one by one, fumbling and reporting. If you act like that in front of someone you’re meeting for the first time, do we have to bow our heads and crawl?”
“No, fuck. That’s the only desk there, so what am I supposed to do?”
“You should have been sitting there and he should have been standing! What’s so great about being a noble? Just a Baron.”
“He came as my husband. Now he’s assisting the Guild Master just like me?”
“‘He’ this, ‘he’ that. He was originally Sienna’s husband, someone who would have been satisfied with just being a son-in-law and getting land transfer rights. Why do you have to put him above your head and kneel to serve him?”
“He’s from the Academy, and he’s so damn smart, so I asked him first. To help me out.”
“Ah. So we should crawl for you too?”
“When did I ever…!”
“When what? Fuck, when have you ever lived so hypocritically, saying ‘Yes, yes.’ I can’t live like that. You live like that, Sienna? What a joke.”
Hmph, Adam snorted and flopped onto the sofa, covering his face with both hands. At that moment, Sophia, who was leaning casually against the armrest of the sofa, opened her mouth in a calm voice.
“I don’t like him either.”
“No, why you?”
“He treats you like a servant. If he’s a noble, he’s a noble, but does he have to treat people like that with just a fingertip? Even if you’re married, it should be an equal relationship, shouldn’t he show respect?”
“What? No, when did Ivan treat me like a servant?”
“When you were moving the ledgers.”
“That’s because I didn’t know which ledger was where! He’s not someone who can distinguish between what the person who came for the first time can see and what they can’t. What are ledgers? You guys wouldn’t flinch even if I was moving sacks of rice.”
“Are we the same as him? He’s married to you!”
“Ha…”
“I know it’s not a real marriage, but you should at least show some courtesy. Anyway, I don’t like him.”
“…What do you mean, not a real marriage?”
“You’re both men. Did you spend the first night properly? You didn’t.”
“……”
“Did you think we wouldn’t notice you’ve been completely down lately? You know, your chance for love and everything is gone forever, so how can we laugh and welcome you while you’re like that? You should act less obsequious and get a grip. That doesn’t suit you.”
I was speechless.
The first night? We did. It was amazing. But how could I tell these guys that?
Even I didn’t believe it yet, and I didn’t think these guys would understand. I didn’t want to say anything, and I was just so pissed off and heated that my vision swam. Unable to make excuses, I tore at my hair and stomped my feet, and they just giggled, finding it funny.
These enemies.
Paul, who had responded with a decent attitude even in front of Ivan, let out a shallow sigh.
“It’s not just us, but it seems like he doesn’t like us much either.”
“Well, that’s because you guys are acting like assholes.”
“No, it’s not that. Isn’t it a bit much to start with a ledger inspection on your first meeting? Unless the intention is to intimidate us from the start… Honestly, it’s true we got hired through connections, but we’ve spent our whole lives doing this, so it’s a bit much to be scolded for numbers not matching up on the first day.”
“That’s…”
…When you put it that way, it’s hard to blindly take Ivan’s side.
Hesitating, I closed my mouth, and Adam grumbled again, “See?” I considered hitting him once, then hit him twice and slumped onto the table. My butt, which had been overworked all night, cooled down to the temperature of the cold stone table.
“Hey, still… Help him out a little.”
“Help with what? We’re not his friends, we’re your friends, Eric. We can work together, but being overly friendly is a bit… Unless he makes an effort first.”
“But he won’t, will he? He’s a noble, after all.”
“Ha, shit… He’s really not like that. He’s not that kind of person.”
“Uh-huh. He seems like that kind of person.”
“That noble… he’s really damn… He’s damn smart, I tell you. He could make your bonuses double or triple. If you just listen to him…”
“Eldos is already huge, you idiot. It’s in the top five in the capital, what more do you want? I just want to live like this forever, unchanging. Oh, right, I’m going to Grimsvein this month. Should I take fifteen people?”
“…Ha… Fifteen? Who? With Uncle John’s family?”
“Yeah. With Uncle John and three more mercenaries. Bring back some gems and pick up a few Mana Stones too.”
“Uh-huh. Approved.”
“Alright. We’re leaving the day after tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Make sure to keep the expense receipts…”
“It’ll be less than three gold coins anyway. Got it. I have to watch our new groom’s mood, you know.”
“Are you pissed?”
“Yeah, I’m damn pissed. I hope you show a more confident demeanor when I return from this long trip, future Guild Master.”
“……”
Would things have been different if I had prepared the documents properly and worked a little earlier? I don’t know. The ledgers, which must have looked like a motley crew to Ivan, and my friends who grumbled and didn’t treat him as my husband, made me feel ashamed and hurt.
I wanted to look a little prettier and better in his eyes, but it felt like I had completely messed up from the first day. The more I thought about it, the more unfair it felt, to the point of madness.
In the end, I was the only one who returned to Ivan’s office.
Ivan, who had maintained a proper posture even while alone, glanced up and beckoned me over. As I approached as if in a trance, I finally understood why my friends had been so agitated. It was clearly my chair, yet Ivan looked like the master of this place, of this guild.
So damn sexy.
Without realizing it, I stood in the seat opposite the desk, with my hands behind my back. Ivan, looking up at me, slowly curved his lips. Why was he smiling? Was it strange for me to be standing here? But it felt awkward to go to the seat next to where Ivan was sitting. There was an atmosphere that felt like something would go wrong if I got any closer.
Standing my ground, I lowered my gaze slightly, and a few documents were handed to me.
“Could you please look at this?”
“…Ah, this is what you mentioned earlier.”
“Yes. I was concerned that the ledger formats were not standardized, so I have compiled and organized them to be used by all six of you. Leave this column blank, and here, write the name or signature of the person in charge.”
“Well, sometimes there are people among the staff who can’t read. Filling out this entire form…”
“That’s fine. Even if they can’t read, they can count numbers, can’t they? As long as these two columns are filled out correctly, I can fill in the rest. If you organize it now, it will be a great asset in the future. What I just showed you is the monthly statistics form, and we distribute this weekly form to the field staff. How is it?”
“…Yes. Then I will use it as is.”
What am I going to do with my sexy-brained man?
Indeed, the documents shown for field use were much simpler and easier to understand. Since there were few letters and many input fields for numbers, I figured I could manage somehow. Consolidating and organizing this would be hell, but that was for later. Looking at the excellent document formats, I reflected on why I hadn’t thought of this before.
Then, after a moment of hesitation, I quietly apologized.
“…I, I’m sorry.”
“……”
“My subordinates, no, my friends, were rude. I… I want to apologize on their behalf.”
“…It’s alright.”
It wasn’t alright. They had openly disrespected him and shown territorial aggression. Ivan, who only ever showed a slight smile or a neutral expression, nodded his head with his usual composed face and continued.
“I’m not very good at interpersonal relationships. I don’t mind at all, so you don’t have to worry.”
“…But.”
“Sienna.”
Ivan reached out his hand again. What was this? What did he want? Hesitating, I extended my hand, but Ivan shook his head. Then, was it this? As if by chance, I cautiously lowered my head, and cool fingers immediately traced my cheek and earlobe.
I’m going crazy. I couldn’t even breathe properly and closed my eyes tightly. The lips that touched and then withdrew smelled of mint, as always.
“……”
“I have you, don’t I? Isn’t that right?”
“……Th-that’s right.”
I don’t know. Ivan’s words sounded like the world’s innovation, like an incantation, like truth. After a bit more sweet talk, we decided to add another desk and chair to the same office, as I needed a place to sit. I believed that my friends would eventually see how well Ivan treated me, and that everything would work out in the end.
It was truly a naive thought.