“Why?”
The librarian stepped closer and held something out to me.
“As a token of my gratitude, Miss Windsor, I-I would like to give you something. It’s not much, but…”
“Oh, um, sure.”
I accepted it almost reflexively, then lowered my gaze to see what it was.
“This is…”
A card with ornate golden decorations on all four corners. In the center was an illustration of a raven and a thick book.
[You have obtained a “Special Library Pass.”]
“This is an access pass. You may enter the library at any time regardless of the hour…”
Her voice softened as she continued.
“It also grants access to the secret archives, which are not open to ordinary visitors. There is a high chance the books you are looking for can be found there.”
“Oh?”
“However, please do not tell anyone about this. Normally, one would need Duke Belmond’s permission to receive such a pass.”
As if worried whether her words were truly appropriate, the librarian’s hand trembled slightly.
“Hm. But wouldn’t you get in trouble if someone found out? Why would you hand something like this to me so easily? What if I go around telling everyone?”
“Miss Windsor…”
The black void that served as her face stared directly at me.
She scrutinized my face as though trying to determine whether I was sincere or deceitful. Then she gently shook her head.
“For some reason, you don’t seem like the kind of person who would cause harm.”
“Th-thank you.”
With the librarian seeing me off, I left the library.
Perhaps because of my strangely elevated mood, my steps felt unusually light.
Until now, I had always thought territory-management games and farming simulators were all basically the same, so I never bothered seeking them out.
But seeing my actions produce meaningful results was surprisingly satisfying.
And what about the reward?
A special pass that even granted access to the restricted archive. Was this setup for a future quest?
I wanted to find out immediately, but there was something I needed to do first.
Namely—
“I’m here, Assistant!”
Complete the quest!
Bang!
The moment I opened the door, a welcome message appeared.
[You have entered a new area for the first time. Exploration reward granted. +300 Diamonds]
[New Area <Belmond Ducal Castle: Assistant’s Office>
The office where Duke Belmond’s assistant works.
He harbors a secret that no one knows…]
Huh? What secret?
The first time I received a quest from him had been in the castle corridor.
Now that the quest was complete, the head maid had personally guided me to his office.
But a secret?
“M-Miss Windsor? How could you come here without any notice…?!”
The first thing I heard was the assistant’s startled voice.
And then what caught my eye was—
W-What is all this?
A wall covered in portraits of an unfamiliar old man.
An old man holding a book.
An old man striking a dignified pose while holding a cane.
An old man carrying a lamp against a dark background, creating a dramatic contrast between light and shadow.
There were truly countless variations of the same elderly gentleman.
“U-um, well…”
Apparently in the middle of reading, the assistant hurriedly snapped his book shut and jumped to his feet.
But I understood the situation immediately.
So this is what kind of obsessive fan he is.
Just as the quest title had hinted, by modern standards he was basically a hardcore fangirl—well, fanboy—of Lorax.
To be so devoted to a bent-over old man who looked at least eighty years old…
Well, the world was vast, and love came in many forms.
Nodding inwardly, I asked casually,
“Hm. Is the person in those portraits perhaps this ‘Lorax’?”
“C-cough! Ahem! Yes… that is correct. Is there a problem?”
Ah, so he was going to shamelessly own it.
With a sly smile, I gracefully pulled a chair over and sat down in front of his desk.
“You know what I did today? I asked the librarian to gather every book related to Monk Lorax. There were more than I expected, so I couldn’t carry them myself. Fortunately, she gladly agreed. If you visit the library tomorrow morning, you’ll be able to see them.”
“What?!”
For a brief moment, he seemed embarrassed at being exposed, but his voice quickly brightened like that of a true fan.
“No matter how many times I asked, she wouldn’t even open the door for me!”
“Hm… really?”
Maybe the librarian simply hated listening to his nagging.
Or perhaps they were both equally strict personalities who just didn’t get along.
“Anyway! This means you’ll be able to enter the library freely from now on.”
Resting my chin on my hands, I looked at him expectantly.
To him, Monk Lorax was basically an idol.
And I was the benefactor who had provided food to a starving superfan.
“Well?”
“Hmm.”
After letting out a strange sound, the assistant slowly sat back down.
“…Regardless of the library reopening, it was thanks to you, Miss Windsor, that Lord Lorax’s books have been gathered in one place so that the ignorant masses may gain enlightenment.”
Yep, that’s exactly what I thought.
“It was nothing.”
The moment I finished speaking, the assistant’s favorability—which had seemed permanently stuck at zero—shot up dramatically.
[Favorability +20]
Wait, seriously?
It went up that much?
Had he and Lorax perhaps been star-crossed lovers in a previous life or something…?
The thought was absurd, but since the outcome was undeniably positive, I simply smiled.
“And since you have kept your promise, Miss Windsor, I shall keep mine as well.”
[Quest Complete.
Would you like to view the rewards?]
I desperately wanted to check them immediately, but I focused on my conversation with the assistant instead.
“Thank you! Hehe.”
“…Of course, it would be a lie to say I have no concerns.”
The assistant let out a deep sigh before launching into a lengthy lecture.
“When principles are bent, gaps inevitably form. Gaps lead to laxity, and laxity eventually leads to disorder.”
In short, adjusting working hours would make the servants lazy.
However, the lecture that seemed destined to end in rejection soon changed direction.
“…That being said, I still do not believe this decision is the best one. However, I owe you a debt, Miss Windsor. Therefore, I will make an exception this one time.”
Oh, come on. Don’t act so magnanimous.
Perhaps noticing how much brighter my expression had become, the assistant quickly added in a stern tone,
“However! If I observe even the slightest sign of negligence, I will immediately restore the original schedule. At that point, no matter what you say, Miss Windsor—”
“Ah, yes, yes. I know, I know. But.”
I leaned back slightly.
Honestly, I could have simply accepted the good outcome and left it at that.
But the longer I listened to him, the more something inside me stirred.
The blood of a Korean worker runs through my veins.
After all, these were people he had worked alongside for years.
Hearing him openly label them as “lazy” and “slothful” rubbed me the wrong way.
Especially when the reality was that they weren’t lazy at all.
They simply hadn’t known how to do things efficiently.
“You know, after helping with the division of responsibilities this time, I realized something.”
“…?”
“The servants working here aren’t lazy. They were just confused because nobody had clearly told them what needed to be done or how to do it.”
The assistant remained silent.
Which allowed me to continue all the way to the end.
“Actually, once I clearly explained their duties, they started handling everything well on their own without needing constant instructions.”
I expected him to immediately explode in anger.
Instead, he remained silent.
Is he angry?
Well, regardless, I needed to say my piece.
“Rules are important, but I think it’s equally important to trust the people actually doing the work.”
Was he only holding back because I was the duke’s fiancée?
The quest was already complete, so there shouldn’t be any consequences.
Still, I watched him nervously.
Then—
[Favorability +5]
Huh?
“…Understood, Miss Windsor. Would you please leave now?”
“What?”
“I need to calm my mind by reading Lord Lorax’s books.”
Thunk.
Before I knew it, I had been ushered out and was standing blankly in front of the closed door.
What was that?
Why had his favorability increased?
And as if my choice had been the correct answer all along, the rules changed.
[I. The servants working in the ducal estate must work from 4:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. the following day.
→ I. The servants working in the ducal estate must work from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.]
[V. Important figures reside within the ducal estate, excluding Duke Edwin Belmond.
(…)
<Noble Etiquette> is a book advocating the immediate execution of rude nobles. Rather than listening to its sermon to the end, it is recommended that you throw yourself out a window.
→ V. Important figures reside within the ducal estate, excluding Duke Edwin Belmond.
If you require an audience with the duke or have any related inquiries, please contact the Belmond family’s assistant at any time.
He will provide assistance as promptly and courteously as possible according to proper procedures.]
Two rules had changed.
…That means it all worked out, right?
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