"Who said a villa can only have one butler?"
Dubois suddenly understood, then flipped straight to the last page of the folder and pointed, "In that case, Madam Gorin must be the most suitable housekeeper. Her speciality is managing the maids and the household finances."
"Mhm, I see."
Edward tossed the folder aside and gestured for him to sit.
"The reason I insist on staying in this so-called haunted villa is that I want to get closer to Trier's nobility, to have more chances of integrating into their circles. You already know that, don't you?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then tell me—why should I hire you?"
Dubois looked as though he was seriously considering the question.
"You're curious…why I'm still alive, aren't you?"
Edward smiled faintly, giving neither agreement nor denial.
"Well," Dubois began, "even though I was expelled from the Church, I'm still officially a cleric of Trier's Grand Cathedral. After all, I did nothing that truly betrayed the Church. On the contrary, during my tenure, I worked diligently, brought in wealthy believers, and secured generous donations."
…The way you said "brought in" doesn't sound the least bit proper.
But then again, a priest who sells his body for the sake of the Church's development—somehow that almost sounds…noble?
"Then why did Trier's Cathedral expel you?"
Dubois sneered, "Because I slept with a woman that 'Son of Steam' had his eyes on."
What the—?!
Edward instantly perked up, gossip-mode activated.
Dubois shrugged, "That lady had already agreed to spend the night with him, but by sheer accident, she ended up in my bed instead. He waited in the cold all night, while I spent the night 'comforting' her in the next room."
"…"
Edward was left speechless. "So Roselle retaliated against you?"
"You know how much the Church values him. Of course they indulged him over such a trifle."
"And his 'revenge' was just throwing you out of the Church?"
"Heh. He wanted to use that to force me to bow my head and beg for forgiveness!"
"Oh?"
Dubois raised his brows in surprise. "You don't know? That 'Son of Steam' and I both came from the same little town. We arrived in Trier together. Before he became the 'Son of Steam,' we were…friends."
Ah, so that's how it is.
"When Roselle first came to Trier, it was like he suddenly awakened. He changed overnight, began inventing all sorts of things, and quickly gained the Church's favour, becoming the Son of Steam.
"But me? The longer I stayed in Trier, the worse things got. I didn't want to accept his charity, so I could only rely on my own…charm."
Edward was silent for a moment.
"I'm not sure your kind of 'self-reliance' is any more dignified than accepting his help."
Dubois laughed bitterly, "Hahaha, back then I was young and stupid. I just couldn't stand the idea of someone I once looked after suddenly standing so far above me, looking down. I couldn't accept that reversal of roles. My pride wouldn't allow it."
"And now?"
Dubois's eyes twitched slightly.
"Now? I've already endured so much hardship because of that pride, even nearly lost my life multiple times. If I bow my head now…wouldn't that make all the suffering I endured completely meaningless?"
…Fair enough.
Flawless logic.
You're innocent!
Still, Edward couldn't help but admit—this Dubois had just given him an unexpected surprise. With his connection to Emperor Roselle, getting an introduction to Arrodes would be much easier.
Step one: get Dubois to beg Roselle for help.
Step two: Roselle brings Edward to see Arrodes at the Cathedral.
But the problem was…this stubborn fool would rather sell his body than swallow his pride and beg Roselle. How could Edward make him "see reason"?
Force him with an Imperius Curse?
No—that would be too risky. He still had to deal with the Church eventually. If discovered, it'd be troublesome.
Best to wait. Didn't Dubois have his eyes on the things in the basement? Catch him red-handed, and then…
"Mr. Sparrow."
Just as Edward thought this through, Dubois suddenly said, "I want to confess something."
"Hm?"
"In truth, when I came to apply for this butler position today, I didn't have the purest intentions."
Dubois looked sincerely guilty.
"I heard recently that this villa's basement still holds some antiques left behind by the previous owner. So…I originally planned to take advantage of your unfamiliarity with the place to sneak one or two out and sell them."
"…"
What the—why aren't you playing by the script?!
Why confess on your own?
Edward kept a blank expression.
"Then why suddenly confess to me now?"
"Mr. Sparrow, you're a Beyonder, aren't you?"
He lowered his voice, "I've seen the inside of this house before—it looked nothing like it does now. Such a transformation couldn't have been done overnight, nor without alarming anyone.
"And the way you show no fear of this haunted villa…it must be because of your extraordinary ability, right?"
Edward leaned back on the sofa. "And then?"
"I… I also want to become a Beyonder."
"Oh? You should've had many opportunities before, no?"
"I did, but I turned them all down—because I was afraid. Afraid of the dangers, afraid of losing my mind, afraid of becoming a monster."
"And now you're not afraid anymore?"
"I'm still afraid! But…somehow not as much as before. Unfortunately, with my situation now, it's nearly impossible for me to get another chance to enter the extraordinary world."
Edward said lightly, "You could always go to Roselle."
"…Then I'd rather die!"
For f*ck's sake…
"I'm curious," Edward said after some thought. "If in the future I reconcile with Roselle, as my butler, what will you do? Resign in outrage?"
"Of course not! I just don't want to bow my head to that guy. It's not like I have some deep hatred with him."
"Alright, you said it yourself."
"Uh…" Dubois let out a nervous sound, suddenly feeling uneasy.
"You want to be my butler? Fine. You want to become a Beyonder? Also fine. But first, complete the first task I'm giving you—help me find a way to cross paths with Roselle and get to know him."
"…Why?"
"Why do you think? You've offended nearly every noble in Trier. Apart from Roselle, what other avenue do I have to integrate into Trier's aristocracy?"
Dubois hesitated. "Actually…maybe we could try some other way?"
"Oh? Don't you still have connections with Trier's Cathedral? You could introduce me to some higher-ups there. Through them, I could just as well meet nobles."
"This…"
Edward stood and patted Dubois on the shoulder.
"The opportunity's here. Whether you seize it or not, that's up to you."
"Oh, and one more thing—the butler's room is on the first floor. Without my permission, no one is allowed upstairs. As for the antiques in the basement—you can deal with them however you like. Whatever you make from selling them counts as your first year's salary."
With that, Edward put on his hat, picked up his cane, and walked out.
"I'll be out for a while."
———
Trier Cathedral.
Roselle sat quietly in a dim meditation chamber, carefully adding ingredients one by one into a glass beaker. As the mixture bubbled and fused into a clear liquid, he let out a deep breath, lifted the beaker, and drank the potion in one gulp.
The cool liquid slid down his throat into his stomach, and almost instantly dissipated, absorbed fully by his body.
No discomfort. No rejection. He knew with certainty—he had successfully advanced to Sequence 6: Artisan (Machinery Specialist).
As the information surge from the advancement settled, Roselle opened his eyes and murmured:
"At last…I have the ability to create that mysterious silver plate that caused my transmigration."
Perhaps then, he could finally uncover the true reason behind it all.
Excited, Roselle strode out of the chamber and bowed slightly to the Archbishop who had been guarding him.
"Thank you, Your Eminence."
"No need for thanks."
The Archbishop of Trier Cathedral was a middle-aged man with dark hair and beard, wearing a monocle on one ear, exuding the air of a solid, scholarly researcher.
"Oh, about that staff…"
Since it might have involved another transmigrator, Roselle had only said it was left behind by a Beyonder intruder in his home, asking the Archbishop to determine its origin or hidden dangers.
The Archbishop shook his head.
"It may have once been imbued with some extraordinary ability, but now it's just an ordinary stick. I'm sorry—I couldn't find anything useful."
"I see. Then perhaps it was just a joke that Beyonder played on me."
"Do you need me to send members of the Machinery Hivemind to check your home?" the Archbishop asked.
Roselle pointed at the enchanted accessories he wore and smiled.
"With the items you've given me, even a demigod wouldn't be able to harm me immediately. And if a true demigod did come for me, these protections would hold long enough for you to arrive."
"…Very well." The Archbishop didn't insist, simply nodded.
"Then I'll be going."
——
Meanwhile, Edward also arrived at Trier Cathedral.
He hesitated slightly—coming to a true god's cathedral wasn't something to be taken lightly. But he knew this was inevitable. If the God of Steam truly watched the cathedral at all times, seeing through his identity at a glance, then…
Forget it. May as well give up.
All those plans about mingling with nobles, meeting Roselle, and borrowing Arrodes through the Church—they'd all be nonsense.
The cathedral's design reminded him somewhat of Saint Hierländ's in Backlund. Blending in with the devout congregation, Edward found an empty seat, sat down, and listened solemnly to the Archbishop's sermon.
Later, following the wealthy parishioners, he stepped up to the donation box and placed in 100 Felkin, making sure the Archbishop remembered his face.
"Thank you, sir. May the Lord bless you."
"Thank you."
Edward traced a triangle over his chest, then glanced at the massive holy emblem hanging on the wall.
…Nothing happened. Exactly as the divination had shown beforehand.
He couldn't help but breathe a little easier.
After thanking the Archbishop once more, Edward turned to leave the cathedral—only to see a group of five or six men striding quickly inside.
At their head was a man with wavy chestnut hair, sharp blue eyes, a tall nose, thin lips, and a well-kept moustache. He wore a dark-red coat embroidered with gold thread. His face was lit with excitement, his eyes brimming with anticipation.
Originally, they seemed about to leave directly. But spotting the Archbishop with the donation box, the man suddenly changed course, pulling out a thick wad of cash and stuffing it into the box.
The Archbishop smiled warmly.
"You're as generous as ever, Mr. Gustav."
"Hahaha, of course! No one in Trier is more generous than me! Well then, I'll be off—see you next time."
He waved casually and led his men out at a brisk pace.
"…Emperor Roselle."
Edward watched their departing figures in a daze.
"To think our first meeting would happen like this…As expected, in your youth, you radiated confidence, flamboyance, and boundless energy."
"There's no denying it—right now, you are truly the protagonist of this world."
Edward's unrestrained gaze naturally drew Roselle's attention.
He turned back—seeing a man in his thirties, not bad-looking, his eyes filled with admiration and awe.
"Heh, looks like I'm getting more male fans by the day."
Roselle grinned smugly, waved cheerfully at Edward, and then strode out of the cathedral.
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.