Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 74

“Oops! Eileen, Cordelia.”

 

Andrew stopped as well, noticing the two of them. Laquerta looked back at him and said coolly.

 

“I called you because these two wanted to know what I was doing.”

 

“Aha. I see.”

 

Eileen’s expression was blank as she looked at Andrew, who nodded. He’d always seemed a little suspicious, and she’d worried that he was doing something dangerous, something with a dark edge.

 

But what they were doing was 100% pure manual labor.

 

“How many weeks have you been doing this, using up your free time, and how did you two end up working together in the first place?”

 

Eileen wracked her brain. It was baffling enough that Laquerta was carrying loads at the construction site, but to have a man who was Verotanis’s senior in his class laying bricks next to her was beyond her comprehension.

 

“I bet you’re too busy studying!”

 

Andrew replied, “I just happened to know that Laquerta was looking for a job. I thought it would be good for me to break a sweat once in a while, so I brought him to the site where I knew and got to know him.”

 

Getting to know Laquerta.

 

Eileen and Laquerta’s ears perked up. The sudden noise startled them, and Laquerta exclaimed.

 

“Stranger, stranger! What is the use of such words between men! This is it! A fellow!”

 

“Yes, a fellow, then.”

 

Eileen gaped at Andrew, who skillfully defused Laquerta’s tension.

 

‘My kid has a friend.’

 

Eileen realized she’d judged him before she’d gotten to know him. Andrew was just a normal, nice guy.

 

Andrew covered his mouth slightly and smiled at Eileen, who seemed touched.

 

Everything was going according to plan.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Andrew Roswin. Age 17. Second son of a baronet. His life was in question from here on out. 

 

In an empire where first-born heirs were the norm, the second-born son, no matter how good he was, was destined to be thrown out with a few pennies after his second coming.

 

‘But me, Andrew Roswin. I can’t just disappear into the dustbin of history like that!’

 

So Andrew set out for Verotanis with one goal in mind.

 

‘I will find my lord here.’

 

Andrew Roswin’s biggie, lining up. He may have gotten the umbilical cord order wrong, but he was determined to get the promotion line right.

 

‘I’ll give my life to my lord, whose power seems to last forever, and I’ll be loyal and eat beans.’

 

So, even before he entered the school, he drew up a list of potential lords. At the top of the list were Neumann Kamar, his classmate and the likely next Marquis of Kamar, and Lucian, the likely heir and transcendent of the Duke of Gaudium.

 

‘But Neumann’s a bit of a pouty brat with his grades, and he doesn’t seem to be able to keep his surroundings in check, and if he’s a lord of questionable character, old age may not be kind to him.’

 

With Neumann quickly eliminated from consideration, Lucian was the only one left. But Lucian, coming from a large noble family, was the type to draw the line at relationships. Andrew, who was not from the same family or even the same grade, was not allowed to approach him.

 

‘I even spied on him and changed my club to the Scrapbooking Club, but it didn’t work.’

 

Eventually, Andrew decided to target Lucian’s circle of friends. Eileen, the girl Lucian seems to have a crush on, was the perfect target. The only catch was that she was more guarded than he expected.

 

‘So helping Laquerta to get to know her was the right choice.’

 

‘I, Andrew Roswin, am not wrong.’

 

Andrew let out a long, satisfied breath. He’d used all his contacts to find a job for the human-hostile Laquerta.

 

A cook in the cafeteria, a groundskeeper at the academy, a coachman, a café worker, a fruit vendor, a shoemaker, and so on. They were all people he’d built up himself, helping with menial tasks and assisting with difficult administrative tasks.

 

‘The real information comes from the grassroots. It’s foolish to discriminate based on status.’

 

It all came together when Andrew was able to bring Laquerta to a construction site where a good-natured carpenter was working. He had originally intended to introduce him to the job and leave, but after helping him settle in, he found himself unable to leave.

 

“Laquerta. He’s such a nice guy, it’s funny how he looks so scary!”

 

After a long day of physical labor, Andrew was exhausted, but the chicken skewers he bought on the way home with Laquerta tasted fantastic. What will they eat tomorrow, what will they talk about tomorrow, and so on and so forth, until all that was left were the bonds of friendship and the muscles of hard labor.

 

‘But we’ve made a good impression on Eileen, so the plan is working.’

 

Andrew smirked slyly as he glanced over to where Laquerta and Eileen were talking. But despite his expression, his legs were wobbling like a newborn deer.

 

Cordelia stared at the brick Andrew was carrying on his back with salty eyes.

 

‘If it’s heavy, you can put it down, you idiot.’

 

More harmless idiots. Cordelia didn’t know whether to be amused or saddened by this.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Finally, the exhibit is ready.”

 

“It was a close call.”

 

“Andrew, do you want to go to the cafe with me?”

 

“Okay.”

 

Last club time before the festival. The five of them, with Andrew casually joining them, walked out of the cafeteria. Andrew spotted Lucian and Felix walking right in front of him and inwardly felt proud that his plan hadn’t gone awry.

 

He was about to decide whether to get a latte or a milk tea when a figure appeared in front of him.

 

“Laquerta, Andrew. I’m sorry, do you have a minute?”

 

It was Neumann. Eileen and Cordelia exchanged a wordless glance.

 

The two of them, having unexpectedly witnessed Neumann’s performance in this case, had forgotten their animosity toward him, but that’s another story for Laquerta and Andrew, who had been the most victimized by Neumann’s group.

 

No matter the circumstances, the fact remains that Neumann hurt Laquerta. Laquerta narrowed his eyes as if to gauge his intentions.

 

“Tell me here.”

 

Neumann nodded, took a moment to catch his breath, and then bowed deeply.

 

“I’m so sorry, I said some terrible things to you, and I hurt you.”

 

Eileen’s eyes narrowed. This was a different Neumann than the one from earlier in the semester, and while she had expected him to apologize, she hadn’t expected him to bow so low on the sidewalk where everyone else was walking. As she looked around, she noticed that several students had stopped and were chatting.

 

Laquerta stared down at the top of Neumann’s head. Andrew scratched his head beside him, thinking.

 

‘Hmm, a reformed Neumann. I guess I could use him as my second choice.’

 

He’d gotten tired of the assholes who’d gotten Neumann on their backs earlier in the semester, but when all he could think about was his future master, the snide remarks of the greenhorns didn’t hurt.

 

But not Laquerta, for he has a much kinder heart than he looks.

 

Andrew glanced back at Laquerta. The reanimated Neumann wasn’t bad, but if Laquerta didn’t forgive him, he was willing to remove him as a friend from the list of candidates.

 

Breaking the stifling silence, Laquerta spoke up.

 

“You’re a scumbag.”

 

“…I’m so sorry, and I know that no words can heal the wound.”

 

Laquerta shot a small shiver down his spine. He was still an annoying human. But the way his head hung down, he wasn’t as annoying as he had been.

 

Partly because he’d been told he’d helped Eileen in the mess, but mostly because it was the first time a human had ever come to apologize to him.

 

“You’re recycled garbage.”

 

“…Huh?”

 

“If you act like trash again, we’ll have no choice but to incinerate you.”

 

Neumann looked up slightly, puzzled. Andrew cut in in front of him.

 

“So, yes, you are an asshole, but you changed, so I’ll let you off the hook for now. But if you do anything similar again, I’ll kill you!”

 

He grinned, interpreting Laquerta’s words perfectly.

 

“Oh, and I’m okay with that, but I guess you can consider yourself indebted to me for one thing?”

 

Andrew grinned, seizing the opportunity to pull a fast one. After a moment of confusion, Neumann nodded forcibly.

 

“Of course. If I ever need you all to do anything, I’ll do everything in my power to help.”

 

“No need.”

 

Snorting, Laquerta walked past him. Andrew, who had gotten an unexpected gift, followed with light steps. Eileen cast a warm glance at Laquerta’s back, then turned to Neumann.

 

“Are you all right?”

 

Jessie, who had regained consciousness, knew that Neumann had thrown himself at her to save her.

 

“Yeah, thanks for asking. And Eileen, Cordelia, I’m so sorry about you guys, too.”

 

Neumann’s head dropped again, almost touching the floor. Eileen waved him off.

 

“That’s okay, I feel better now that Jessie’s safe, but what made you decide to apologize?”

 

Eileen asked out of pure curiosity. It was strange that a man who had been a nobleman all his life and had a stiff neck would have a change of heart one day, and bow his head to save someone.

 

Raising his head, Neumann looked a little embarrassed and said firmly with a red face.

 

“Even if I don’t become someone special, I don’t want to be a jerk.”

 

Eileen nodded, though it was hard to understand what he meant. Cordelia spoke up as she broke away from Neumann and went after Laquerta.

 

“Looks like Neumann found his dance partner. Now we just need to find Eileens’.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Eileen’s eyes widened at the sudden outburst. She had forgotten in all the commotion, but the bet was still open.