The Servant in the Horror Game is Suspicious Chapter 65

“A ba—bakery? A bakery?”

Dan stood back a bit, his weight shifted to one leg, and scanned Jade from head to toe. Then, shaking his head as if the idea was completely off-base, he waved his hand dismissively.

“It doesn’t suit you, mate. You’d be better off being a store greeter or something.”

“A greeter?”

The nuance of being an ‘attraction’ didn’t sit particularly well with him. As Jade raised an eyebrow in question, Dan pointed toward something in the distance.

Following Dan’s finger, Jade saw an employee in front of a shop trying to draw in customers. He was a man with a genial, likable face.

“You’re that type, man. You’ve got a pretty face.”

“I do not.”

“You don’t know? Seriously?”

Dan rubbed his chin as he watched Jade shake his head in disgust.

In Dan’s eyes, Jade was quite handsome. From their first meeting, he had found the man neat and refined. Perhaps it was his black hair and balanced features. He wasn’t flashy or excessive; he was just clean. That applied to both his looks and his aura.

Since he had an unusually likable face, Dan had once taken the time to scrutinize him feature by feature. Upon closer inspection, Jade didn’t have a single sharp edge to his face. His straight nose ended in a rounded tip, and while his eyes were clear, they curved into soft crescents like a new moon when he smiled, giving off a warm feeling.

However, because the line of his mouth was so clear and bold, his appearance wasn’t just static or delicate. He had masculine traits, but thanks to certain meticulous and soft curves, he also had a look that bordered on beautiful.

How should he put it? In short, he wasn’t the type to stand out flashily at first glance, but he was the type to leave a lasting impression once seen.

His body was the same. Not overly muscular, yet not thin—just a perfectly balanced physique. It was an attractive build that felt masculine because it was firm and straight.

Jade’s personality was exactly as it appeared, too. He was straightforward, without hidden agendas or nonsense. He wasn’t exactly sharp when it came to his own interests, either. He was great with numbers, yet oddly enough, he didn’t calculate personal gain when it came to human relationships. He was an odd one. He was honest and easy to be around.

He’s perfect.

Indeed, no matter how much he thought about it, the man was a perfect match for his younger sister. It was just a shame he seemed completely uninterested in romance.

“I bet you were popular. You’ve never heard that before?”

“Hmm.”

Hearing Dan’s question, Jade carefully combed through his memories.

Actually, it wasn’t that he was unpopular. He’d received chocolates on anniversaries like Valentine’s Day, and he’d been confessed to on ordinary days too. Among them, there was even a male junior who was a year younger.

It was just that he hadn’t dated because he lacked the emotional and material leeway in terms of time and money, not because there was a lack of people.

Come to think of it, current Jade looked quite similar to his original self. Although his eye color was brighter and his “work muscles” from various part-time jobs had diminished slightly.

Actually, maybe not.

Even those muscles had started to return little by little as he tended to the villa. It was safe to say he was nearly identical to his old self now.

After some thought, Jade nodded, conceding to Dan’s point.

“I was, somewhat.”

“You’re annoying, man.”

“Anyway, I want to work at a bakery.”

Even if they paid a lot, he didn’t want to be a greeter. It didn’t suit his personality, and it was a job where his face would be constantly seen. It wasn’t a suitable profession for someone in his position as a fugitive.

“You said there’s a port town further down, right?”

“Yeah.”

Jade pointed past the olive groves. The South was a region that met the sea. In fact, that was why he had wanted to come here. A sea meant there were that many more people coming and going, and it meant having one more mode of transportation to escape to another region.

The means of transport here were simple. Horses and carriages. And ships.

There were no separate ships operating for tourists. It was just small boats belonging to fishermen or cargo vessels for trade. Because of that, crossing the border for personal reasons required boarding a cargo ship, and even that was difficult because the fare was so expensive.

It would be great if I could go to another country entirely.

He had considered leaving the Empire altogether. That would certainly be the easiest way to stay hidden.

However, traveling between countries required identity papers and a transit pass. He had learned this information through Dan as well.

There was no way Jade, who had woken up in the snow wearing only a single layer of clothing, would have identity papers. Besides, they were expensive, so the plan to go to another country was naturally shelved.

Of course, even without papers, there were underground ways to leave by boat. One could pay a broker a fare five times the original amount. Of course, one also needed bribe money to slide to the guards in place of a pass.

Jade couldn’t possibly have that much money right now. To move to another country, he would have to stay here for at least six months to save up.

“How long does it take to get to the port?”

“About thirty minutes from here if you go by horse.”

“That’s close.”

The place where Dan’s house was located was one of the villages on the edge of the South. And a little further on was the port town that met the sea. It was the true end of the South and the end of the Empire.

“You’re going to work there?”

“Yeah, if possible. After I find a job at a bakery near the port…”

“There aren’t any bakeries in Ardel.”

“What?”

“None.”

Beside Dan, who spoke firmly while picking his ear, Jade just blinked in disappointment. No bakeries. He hadn’t expected that.

“Not a single bakery? Seriously?”

“None. And it’s too far to commute from my house anyway.”

“I was planning to move locations later.”

“Regardless, there are no bakeries there. Sailors prefer meat and booze.”

What kind of village was that? They ate bread like a staple food, yet there were no bakeries. Even the person passing by right now had a baguette in his hand, didn’t he?

“Wait, no bakeries…?”

Jade muttered, coming to a halt. Was it said that crisis is another word for opportunity? An idea flashed through Jade’s mind.

If there was a town without a bakery, it was basically a land of opportunity. It was rare to find a neighborhood anywhere without a bakery. No matter how much sailors preferred meat and alcohol, they couldn’t live without eating bread.

Especially in this world, there were many people who did business just by setting up a stall. That meant it didn’t require much initial capital. Perhaps he could fulfill his dream from his past life—the dream of opening a bakery—right here.

Alright. I’m going to Ardel within the year.

Jade’s eyes shone with determination as he set his jaw. He had a new goal. After adjusting here for a few months, he would head to the port town and sell bread.

“So, you’re set on working in a bakery then?”

“Yeah. I’m going to rest today and start looking tomorrow.”

“I know a bakery; I’ll ask for you.”

After thinking for a moment, Dan put his hands on his hips and snapped his fingers. Jade’s eyes widened instantly. To even introduce him to a job! For a moment, Dan’s bald head glistening under the sunlight looked like the sun itself.

“R—really? If you do that, I’d be so grateful!”

“Don’t get your hopes up too high.”

He said that, but it was likely possible. Dan seemed to have quite the network in town.

From the moment they entered the village, everyone was greeting Dan. Then Dan would wave his hand like a politician running for office. Jade had clearly seen him greeting the owner of a bakery earlier with his own two eyes.

“Thanks, man. Seriously.”

“Why are you being so weird?”

When Jade grabbed his hand in gratitude, Dan let out a groan and pulled it away. Still, he seemed to appreciate the thanks, as he rubbed his bald head sheepishly.

“Oh…?!”

Just then, past the sheepish, retreating Dan, something caught Jade’s eye. Jade’s mouth hung slightly open as he pointed behind Dan.

“What? Why? What is it?”

As Jade reacted as if he’d run into an old flame on the street, Dan turned his head in curiosity.

“A br—broom!”

A broom was standing there. The broom Jade had searched for so desperately and missed so much.

Even on the day he had gone down to the Northern village, Jade had tried to buy a broom first. But he hadn’t found a suitable one. Since it was the North, there were more yard brooms for sweeping snow than indoor ones, and the status window’s standards were too high.

That day, Jade had held all sorts of brooms in his hand. But no matter which one he picked up, the status window wouldn’t appear. The skill effects didn’t show up either. How his heart had ached as he looked at the empty air.

“It’s a broom!”

“Yeah, a broom. What about it? Is this the first time you’ve seen a broom in your life?”

Dan looked at the beaming, delighted Jade as if he were a madman. Regardless, what was important to Jade right now was something else.

“My broom!”

“Hey, kid! Where are you going! We have brooms at my house too!”

Jade ran toward the shop where the broom was leaning. Dan followed hurriedly behind him.

“Oh my, good heavens. What’s the rush, young man?”

“Whoops, I’m sorry.”

Seeing Jade charge toward the broom as if he were going to tackle it, the shop owner was startled and dropped her feather duster. Dan apologized on his behalf and picked it up.

The shop where the broom was displayed sold household goods—everything from coat hangers to shoe polish. Naturally, cleaning supplies were also in stock.

“I told you we have brooms at home!”

“Yeah, I know. But I need my own broom.”

“What kind of crazy talk is that? Are you a witch or something? You planning to fly through the sky on a broom?”

Dan tried to stop him from the side, saying they should just go home, but Jade didn’t hear a word of it. He was simply staring at the broom with intense focus.