Chapter 22: Enlightenment Thinker Salon
In the eighteenth century, it was a social venue for nobles and intellectuals, and a place of learning where scholarship was shared.
A large room lavishly decorated in the Baroque style formed the backdrop as gentle music played.
Chairs and tables were arranged around a stage that anyone who wanted to make their opinions known could use. With light refreshments, tea, and coffee provided so people could easily grab a bite, the place showed—without holding anything back—exactly what the word "high society" meant.
Looking at that scene, so stuffed with the "modern noble" buzz just from the sight of it, I was…
dozing off.
"Hey, hey, Guillaume! Get up!"
"Ughhh. Mathieu-hyung. I worked until four yesterday and then slept… can't you see my dark circles?"
"You're the one who said we should come together. How can you doze off?"
"Yeah, well… that's true, but…"
I seriously felt like I was going to die at this rate.
Thanks to people thinking my express hiring notice was an employment scam, even though it had been two months since I posted it, I was still handling that massive paperwork load alone.
My goal is to earn money so I can eat well and live well—I'm not working because I'm driven by greed for money. A life where I only earn and earn—no thanks. I hate this kind of life.
On top of that, Grouchy-hyung's older sister had invited us and still had not shown her face at all, just kept making us wait. Aside from Mathieu-hyung, there was not anyone I could even talk to. That doubled my fatigue.
If I had not had Mathieu-hyung to talk to, I would have already gone home—no, what home?
There was a mountain of work at the office. Where would I even go? I had to work.
"…Hyung, should we just leave?"
"Still, we should at least see the face of the person who sent the invitation before we go."
"I'm very sorry. To invite guests and then make you wait like this."
At that moment, a clear, lovely voice rang out behind us.
Mathieu-hyung and I reflexively turned our heads.
A beauty in her early twenties with brown hair was standing there, gazing down at us calmly.
I stood up from my chair and held out my hand.
"Ah—hello."
She took my hand and spoke.
"Nice to meet you. Are you Guillaume de Toulon? I'm Sophie de Grouchy. I've heard a lot about you from Emmanuel."
"Oh, really? He didn't badmouth me or say anything negative, did he?"
"Badmouth you? Hoho. You're an interesting person."
After that, Sophie shifted her gaze to Mathieu beside me.
"Then this gentleman here is Mathieu, correct?"
"Uh—huh? Ah, yes! That's right! I'm François Mathieu."
"Nice to meet you, Mathieu. Don't be so nervous—relax and enjoy yourself, then go."
"Y-yes! Thank you!"
"Oh my, what a spirited person you are. Hoho."
As soon as Sophie spoke to him, Mathieu-hyung's face flushed red, and his voice began to tremble.
Hyung. Don't tell me—
"Ah, look at me. I forgot there's someone I want to introduce to you two. Please wait just a moment. I'll be right back."
Sophie finished speaking and headed toward the reception room inside the salon.
Mathieu-hyung stared at her like he had been bewitched, then muttered,
"W-wow. An incredible beauty!"
"…I'm going to lose my mind."
I muttered quietly.
When Sophie returned, she came in arm in arm with a plump man in his forties.
And it was no secret that the instant Mathieu-hyung saw that, his eyes began shaking at an incredible speed.
"Guillaume, this is my fiancé, the Marquis de Condorcet."
"Hello. I'm Guillaume de Toulon, from Gehenne."
"Nice to meet you, Guillaume. I am the Marquis de Condorcet."
After the marquis and I exchanged a handshake, Sophie introduced him to Mathieu-hyung.
"Nice to meet you, Mathieu. I am the Marquis de Condorcet."
"…Yes… hello… I'm François Mathieu of Dijon…"
Mathieu-hyung answered in a voice that crawled along the floor, looking completely crushed—as if he had never been excited in his life.
Then he looked at me and said weakly,
"…I'm not feeling well… I'm going to go rest."
"Uh… okay."
After that, he trudged out.
Eliminated in five minutes. Poor Mathieu-hyung.
While I was watching him with pity, the Marquis de Condorcet spoke.
"Guillaume. I'm very interested in you."
Pardon? Why would someone as high as a marquis be interested in someone like me?
"Um… may I ask why?"
"If I don't take an interest in someone who built more than seven shops in the enormous city of Paris at only fifteen, then what would be the point? Hahaha."
"No, how did you…?"
"I buy your quick meals often. When one is doing research, it is quite hard to eat proper meals on time."
As he spoke, the marquis made a gesture like he was rolling a pen between his fingers.
For people who just need to eat quickly, sandwiches really are ideal.
"Research—are you perhaps a scientist?"
"Ah, I work more in mathematics and philosophy than science. Though I do know someone well in the sciences. Why—do you need a scientist for something?"
I did not need one right now, but engineers are always useful to a businessperson. Anyone can make sandwiches, but not just anyone can make motion-sickness medicine.
"No. Right now, the business I'm already running is overwhelming, so I can't start anything else."
"Is that so? If you ever need help, I'll have my people ask around. Tell me anytime."
Why was he treating me this well?
There is no kindness without a price, and there is no free lunch. That was drilled into me back when I was in school.
"Why are you being so kind to me? Is there something you want?"
At my words, the Marquis de Condorcet blinked, then answered calmly.
"No. Isn't it natural for someone ahead in life to help someone behind?"
Ah. He really was just a good person.
"And it is also what one ought to do as a fellow Enlightenment thinker."
…Excuse me?
"An Enlightenment thinker?"
"From what Emmanuel de Grouchy told me, you are completely an Enlightenment thinker."
So that was it.
"Marquis, I'm sorry, but I'm not an Enlightenment thinker."
At that, the marquis tilted his head.
"Why not?"
I'm not, so I'm saying I'm not.
Whether he noticed my resistance or not, the Marquis de Condorcet continued.
"Wages far higher than elsewhere, employee welfare at a level I can't even tell whether you discovered or devised yourself, and three times a week you hold fellowship gatherings along with charity work for the poor. Even the name of your fellowship is the 'Equality Club.' With all that, how are you not an Enlightenment thinker? You seem closer to the public than even I am."
Huh.
Was I… an Enlightenment thinker?
After being thoroughly grilled by the Marquis de Condorcet at the salon, I returned to the Isaac's People office to finish my paperwork.
When I entered, I pulled my wallet and notebook from my coat and tossed them onto the desk.
A calling card slipped out and fell to the floor.
It was the card the Marquis de Condorcet had given me earlier.
I picked it up and set it back on the desk.
—This is my card. It has my laboratory and home address. If you ever need anything, come see me anytime.
He did not seem like a bad person.
"Ugh. Fine. Let's work."
Just as I picked up my pen, there was a knock at the door.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
"Yes, yes. I'm coming."
I opened the door.
A man in his late twenties, slightly taller than me, stood there.
"Is this the Isaac's People office?"
"I came because I saw the hiring notice."
"Wow—welcome!!!!!!!!!!"
I bowed at a full ninety degrees.
Finally.
At last, I could live like a human being again.
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