Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 27 - Your Future Will Shine Like the Stars

Chapter 27 – Your Future Will Shine Like the Stars

 

“Huh?”

Marlin stared blankly at me before speaking.

“Training?”

“You’re not mentally prepared yet?”

“It’s not that…”

Shaking her head, Marlin slowly turned toward the bound thieves.

“What do they have to do with training? And why do they look like that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

I looked straight into Marlin’s eyes. Her new hairstyle actually suited her rather well.

“I brought them here as practice targets for killing.”

Wiping every trace of amusement from my face, I continued in the tone of a cold, merciless adult.

“If you’re going to be a Thief-class explorer, you have to become more accustomed to taking lives than anyone else. I’m sorry, but you don’t have the right to refuse.”

The thieves, their hands tied behind their backs, all turned deathly pale at the same time.

Marlin, however, simply raised her claws and tried to scratch my shoulder.

“Stop joking and explain properly!”

“I shall explain, Lady Marlin.”

Standing in the corner of the room, Butler Sergius slowly approached and spoke gently.

“The other day, Lord Kar asked Lady Rosalia for a favor, did he not? To subdue the leader of the Black Sword Guild, Maken, and bring him here.”

“He did…”

“At that time, our young master gave Lady Rosalia an additional order. To dismantle the Black Sword Guild.”

The thieves who had committed violent crimes were executed on the spot.

Those who were comparatively less wicked were merely beaten black and blue before being captured and imprisoned here.

“Marlin, what do you think? Compared to the dead ones, the people over there are at least kinder, aren’t they?”

At my words, the bruised and swollen thieves all looked at Marlin simultaneously.

There was a desperate plea in every pair of eyes.

After meeting each of their gazes in turn, Marlin nodded.

“There aren’t any people here who actually committed murder or tormented innocent people. They’re all people who devoted themselves solely to stealing…”

The workaholics who had been devoted only to their profession let out sighs of relief and slumped over.

Marlin pointed at one guild member with a rather intimidating appearance.

“He’s the vice guild leader. He really looked after Abel and me.”

“Marlin…”

The vice guild leader looked as though he were about to cry.

Of course, there was always the possibility that he was actually a master criminal who had deceived innocent children and even fooled the assassin elf’s character judgment.

So I verified him myself.

 

[Black Sword Guild Vice Guild Leader Andre (Human, 33). Despite his fierce appearance, he is a somewhat kind-hearted thief who only robbed the homes of people who bullied local residents. His skills are vastly inferior to those of the guild leader, but he is still far superior to your ward, Marlin.]

 

I wasn’t entirely convinced that “kind-hearted” was an adjective that belonged with “thief.”

Still, compared to the dead guild leader, Andre certainly leaned much closer to being a decent person.

Besides the vice guild leader, I checked the other five guild members as well.

Every one of them was a Thief whose only passion aside from the illegal art of secretly taking other people’s belongings was… well, secretly taking other people’s belongings.

“They definitely won’t stab us in the back.”

They had passed three separate character evaluations.

That meant they were trustworthy enough to keep working under us.

“Butler, let’s proceed as planned.”

“Very well.”

Stroking his chin, Sergius gripped a dagger that had somehow appeared in his hand and approached the thieves.

Marlin flinched, probably thinking he was about to perform an impromptu execution.

To reassure her, I gently pressed down on the top of her head.

“Listen carefully.”

The thieves shrank beneath the elderly butler’s calm, low voice, utterly failing to live up to both their age and their size.

“Do you wish to live?”

Nod, nod, nod!

They nodded with all their might.

Not a single trace of noble acceptance of death could be found among them.

“Then prove your worth.”

Slice.

The rope binding the vice guild leader’s hands was cut.

“I shall grant you a special opportunity.”

As he freed the remaining thieves one after another, Sergius continued coldly,

“Starting today, you will serve beneath Lord Odilon, the second son of House Brites, as intelligence agents.”

“In other words… I am offering you the chance to become members of the Faint Shadows.”

The moment the name Brites, one of Pletica’s greatest information broker families, responsible for District Four, was mentioned, every thief visibly trembled.

“Your primary duties will be intelligence gathering and infiltration. These are normally handled by House Brites’ Faint Shadows. However, due to our current circumstances, my lady and the young master were driven out of the main family. As a result, I have handled every duty alone until now.”

Though every thief had been freed from their restraints… None of them dared move.

The proposal had simply been too unexpected.

“For one month… Do your utmost to prove that you possess the ability to work alongside me.”

“…And if we fail to satisfy your standards?”

Summoning his courage, the vice guild leader asked.

Sergius answered indifferently.

“You did not commit violent crimes. So I shall merely cut off both of your hands to ensure you never steal again… and return you to the slums.”

“……”

The elderly butler had somehow already put away his dagger again.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he declared,

“Prepare yourselves. I shall personally oversee your evaluation.”

He was a professional butler who simultaneously served… A mother who was one of history’s greatest spoiled brats… and her utterly self-centered sociopathic son.

A veteran retainer of House Brites.

And… A Level 7 Thief – Stalker.

 

[Sergius, Butler of House Brites (Human, 73). Suddenly, you can no longer read this old man’s information. It seems he normally maintains a Mystery that conceals the rank of his soul. He appears to be a Thief who has reached an extraordinary level.]

 

After silently surveying the subdued thieves with a stern gaze, Sergius turned toward Marlin.

The icy aura from moments ago disappeared completely.

Instead, he smiled warmly, like spring sunshine.

“Lady Marlin. I would like you to participate in the training as well. I shall build the proper foundation for you to become an outstanding Thief within one month.”

“Wait…”

Marlin, who had been quietly observing everyone’s reactions, cautiously raised her hand.

“Yes?”

“You’re… going to teach me?”

“Yes.”

“Lord Kar requested it. He asked me to train you thoroughly, as you are destined to become the leader of the Faint Shadow agents serving beneath the young master.”

“…What?”

Marlin’s tail sprang upward before slowly lowering again.

“Did I hear that wrong?”

“No.”

“You heard correctly. Lord Kar recommended Lady Marlin to become the leader of the Faint Shadows.”

The person who would command the agents serving as Odilon’s eyes and ears.

The future’s extraordinary Thief.

Marlin.

I hadn’t actually asked for her consent.

But then again… Marlin had never asked homeowners for permission before robbing their empty houses, either.

So it hardly seemed like a major issue.

“What? Do you simply not wish to learn from the butler because he seems too sinister?”

“So that’s how it is. How disappointing.”

Sergius lowered the corners of his eyes sadly.

“My apologies, Butler. I’ll apologize on her behalf.”

“How truly unfortunate.”

“I’ll educate her properly so this doesn’t happen again.”

“And what meaning would that have? My wounded heart will not simply heal…”

With the two adults joining forces against her… The tiger beastkin girl completely lost her bearings.

“N-No! That’s not it!”

“It’s just… You suddenly said I’d have to become a leader, so of course I’m shocked!”

“It’s fine. That won’t happen for quite some time.”

“But still…”

She continued hesitating.

Naturally.

She simply lacked the confidence to shoulder the responsibility of leading an entire organization.

Fortunately… I already knew exactly how to restore her confidence.

“Remember what I told you before?”

Bending down, I met Marlin at eye level.

“If you follow your patron’s teachings… your future will shine as brightly as the stars.”

I never doubted it.

Marlin would grow exactly as I’d hoped she would.

“One day… I’ll find the constellation in the night sky that will belong to you… and build the road leading there.”

I rested my hands on the shoulders of the young girl who had worked so hard raising her younger brother.

Then I gave them a reassuring pat.

“You only have to walk along that road. Simple, isn’t it?”

“…That’s way too easy.”

Only then did Marlin finally relax.

“Okay. I’ll do my best!”

“That’s my girl. From now on, you’ll learn every fundamental Mystery shared by the Thief class from the butler… and you’ll learn sleight-of-hand techniques from those thieves.”

Once her education was complete…

At the very least, no one of the same level would be able to match her fundamental abilities as a thief.

Watching us with pleased eyes, Sergius elegantly extended his hand toward Marlin.

“Lady Marlin. Shall we begin?”

“Yes! What should I start with?”

“We’ll begin with dagger techniques. You lot are joining as well. Prepare yourselves.”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

After watching the thieves scramble to their feet…

I quietly slipped out of the room.

There was still someone else I needed to see.

‘Now it’s Abel’s turn.’

I’d found a teacher for the older sister.

Now… It was time for the younger brother.

 

***

 

The kitchen of Odilon’s mansion.

Beside the magical refrigerator, a magical device invented by the Magic Tower that had brought Mages enormous wealth…

Various cooking utensils were neatly arranged.

Abel, who had silently followed me the whole way, curiously looked around the kitchen before asking,

“Why did we come here?”

“To decide your future.”

I opened the refrigerator, took out a snack resembling a sausage, and placed it in Abel’s hand.

“Abel. What did you think while eating today?”

I could already tell the answer just by looking at his slightly rounder stomach.

“It was incredibly delicious. To the point where everything I’d eaten until now felt like nothing more than burnt ingredients.”

“Was it really that good?”

“I mean it.”

If that was how he felt… Perhaps the decision would be easier than expected.

“Have you been studying dungeons diligently? To be honest… I’ve spent far longer reading than my sister, who struggles to study even one hour a day.”

“Well done.”

While he chewed on the sausage… I vigorously ruffled his hair.

Compared to Marlin… Abel’s passion for becoming an explorer burned much brighter.

Marlin viewed dungeon exploration primarily as a means of making money.

For Abel… Dungeon exploration itself was the goal.

Neither way of thinking was wrong.

Still… It was hard not to find the child whose outlook resembled my own just a little more admirable.

“Abel. It’s time to choose the path that will shape your future as an explorer. Think carefully.”

I offered him two choices.

“First. Become a Berserker.”

A Warrior-class fighter whose combat style was simple but overwhelmingly powerful.

They devoted themselves entirely to Strength.

It was a class particularly suited to Beastkin and Orcs.

Tiger Beastkin, especially, possessed physiques that matched Berserkers perfectly.

If I were still merely a <Nightmare Dungeon> player…

I’d have pushed him down that path without hesitation.

But… This world wasn’t just a game anymore.

“Second. Become a Craftsman-class Cook.”

A choice tailored specifically to Abel’s talents and preferences.

Not as a gamer… But as his patron… and as an adult… This was the path I wanted to support.

Once… I’d dreamed of becoming a chef myself.

Only to abandon that dream after colliding with reality.

Perhaps that was why I felt so strongly about it.

“Well?”

“……”

This was essentially the same as asking a child attending soccer lessons whether they preferred soccer or baseball.

Abel slowly glanced around the kitchen one more time.

Then, without much hesitation, he looked directly into my eyes.

“I want to become a cook.”

It seemed… Both Abel and I had already known the answer from the very beginning.

“Are you sure you won’t regret it? Once your class is chosen… You can’t change it.”

“I’ve already thought about it dozens of times while studying dungeons. This is the class I chose.”

“I see.”

Then there was no reason to hesitate.

Let’s get started.

“Chef?”

“Yes~!”

The guest I’d asked to wait outside entered the kitchen.

She was a maid with somewhat shabby clothes and freckles.

The very person who had delighted the siblings with such exquisite food.

She carried a bottle of liquor in one hand.

Judging from her flushed face… She’d already had a drink.

 

[Charlotte (Human, 25), maid of the Brites family villa. Though officially a maid, she became a Craftsman – Cook after helping in the kitchen due to staff shortages. Her skill is so exceptional that when Odilon’s mother was expelled from the family, she insisted that Charlotte absolutely had to come with them. She is the perfect instructor for your ward Abel!]

 

“So this adorable little one is the child I’ll be teaching?”

“Yes. Would you be willing?”

“Hehehe! With pleasure!”

After quietly listening to our conversation, Abel approached Charlotte.

Then he bowed deeply.

“I look forward to learning from you…”

“Master.”

It was an impeccably polite greeting… Remarkably mature for a child his age.