Chapter 89

A few days later.

As foretold, the personnel dispatched from Urdino arrived.

It goes without saying that all the executive-level personnel of the company went out to greet them with cheers.

They must have really hated working.

But that wasn't the problem.

Among the personnel dispatched from Urdino, Cavaldi, whom I had not ordered, was included.

It was as if I had ordered a laptop and received a brick.

No, considering the duke's status, this was not a brick but a bomb.

“Uh, Duke Cavaldi? Why are you here?”

Despite being the one who caused the delivery accident, Cavaldi laughed heartily.

“Just call me Cavaldi. What's with the titles between us?”

“What are we to each other?”

“Aren't we a captain and a lieutenant! Hahaha. You make me say all sorts of things. Don't worry this time. I'll be sure to meet Mayor Emilio before I go.”

It seems the letter of protest I sent last time had an effect.

He learned that ghosting people is rude!

“No, that's not what I was asking. The contract didn't say Duke Cavaldi would be working directly!”

“And it didn't say I wouldn't be working either.”

Unexpectedly logical.

It's logical, but.

“Normally, one doesn't write a contract thinking that far ahead!”

There is a concept that is not specifically mentioned because it is assumed that all normal people have it and naturally know it.

It's called common sense.

Cavali was shattering that concept like a dog.

No, he was intentionally and deliberately ignoring it.

“No, in the first place, what about your domain? Isn't there a lot to restore?”

“Of course.”

“Of course?”

“I left it to my retainers.”

What?

“No, aren't you worried about a rebellion?”

“They'll all understand. They'll probably be moved. The lord himself is going abroad to earn money for them.”

I'm truly at a loss for words.

Mr. Cavaldi, were you always this kind of person?

Or was there some kind of mind-altering effect in prison that I didn't know about?

Did he really meet some unspeakable alien god in prison and go crazy?

“Well, I appreciate your concern, but nothing will happen. Just show me around. Now that I'm also a member of the company, I'm very much looking forward to what kind of work I'll be doing.”

Cavali squared his shoulders and entered the headquarters.

Delapin, who had followed as an escort and attendant, gave me a slight bow.

I've never spoken to this person, but he must understand my bewilderment, right?

“Lord Gryph, it must have been a difficult request, but thank you for granting it. His Highness was also very pleased with your consideration.”

“No.”

“Please don't feel burdened and work him as you please. His Highness is also greatly looking forward to Lord Gryph's future endeavors.”

How can I not feel burdened, you crazy master-servant duo.

Who wants to work with a foreign head of state by their side.

Delapin, who had simply crushed my expectations without giving me a chance to say anything, followed his master inside.

Fierce gazes poured in from the side.

They were gazes mixed with bewilderment, condemnation, and admiration.

“Our captain's guts are no joke. How did you think of employing a duke as a subordinate?”

“I didn't order it! Don't look at me like that!”

“Then why on earth did Duke Cavaldi come?”

“That's.”

Come to think of it, in this situation, whatever I said would sound like an excuse or a lie, so I just gave up on answering.

And it didn't seem like Cavaldi would be returned easily.

“Well, it can't be helped. He says he wants to work, we can't refuse.”

“Then can we give work instructions to Duke Cavaldi?”

“Wow, the day I get to give orders to a duke has finally come. My heart is pounding.”

“Can I make him work overtime?”

Huh?

“That's all fine, but why are they talking as if they're the superiors?”

An answer came back as if it were a matter of course.

“Well, of course. We're his seniors.”

“How dare a newbie try to act on our level?”

“We've probably drunk more coffee than Duke Cavaldi has in his entire life.”

Seeing them all nodding seriously in agreement, I had nothing to say.

It's true that they are seniors.

It's also true that he's a newbie.

The problem is that the other party is a duke.

Do as you please.

I don't know anymore.

Yes, I heard that pursuing a horizontal organization has a very positive effect on the organization's decision-making process.

Wouldn't this be the same?

While the subordinates were giggling and I was resigned, a secretary working in the mayor's office appeared.

“Lord Gryph, the mayor would like to see you.”

What was bound to come has come.

“Please tell him I'll be there shortly.”

“No.”

“No?”

“Right now.”

The secretary cut me off with a murderous voice.

I could fully guess the reason.

It seemed Mayor Emilio was also very upset about Cavaldi ringing the bell and running away last time.

A foreign head of state visited the city and left without meeting him, so he couldn't help but think he had lost face.

But now, he's not just visiting, but joining the company, so from Mayor Emilio's perspective, no matter how positively he tries to look at it, he would be wondering what this is all about.

Cold sweat trickled down my spine.

“Is the mayor very angry?”

“What can I say?”

“He wouldn't believe me even if I said I didn't do it, would he?”

“Haha. Who would believe that.”

“Sigh. The sorrow of a middle manager.”

“You reap what you sow. Why did you do that in the first place?”

No.

I'm really being wronged here.

***

Three days had already passed since the personnel dispatched from Urdino joined the company.

With a considerable number of personnel added, it became possible to seriously push forward with the defense treaty work.

Thanks to that, I also gained the leisure to add coffee drinking time to my schedule, and now it had become a daily routine to find peace of mind and body while smelling the aroma of coffee brewed by Theo.

I'm not just saying this, Theo's coffee-making skills had improved a lot.

It was because he only brewed coffee while assisting with work on the side.

“Today's coffee.”

“Theo, your coffee-making skills have improved a lot.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“No, really. You could be a barista somewhere.”

“What was that again? I think I heard it before.”

“It means a coffee expert. I acknowledge it. Your coffee-making skills are on par with or even better than mine.”

At that, Theo grinned as if pleased to be acknowledged.

“Of course, I'm better. You're really bad at making coffee, young master.”

“What? Hey, say that again!”

“Honestly, the coffee you brew tastes so bad even Rhom would run away without being able to drink it.”

“Damn it. Is it okay to beat me up with the truth here.”

I've tried hard since the coffee was imported, but the coffee I made strangely tasted terrible.

Even if I followed what others did exactly the same, only the coffee I made tasted particularly bad.

Fortunately, Theo was good at making coffee.

As I took a sip of coffee, my reflection on the cafe's glass window came to mind.

For a moment, I was lost in nostalgia, missing the modern life I could not return to.

Hmm, warm coffee is nice, but for a modern person, it has to be an iced americano.

It would be nice if I could get some ice even in the summer.

It was when I was enjoying the aroma of coffee.

Wajangchang!

“Hey, grab that bastard!”

“Where do you think you're going alone!”

“You can't escape, hehe.”

Suddenly, a loud noise from outside pulled me out of the nostalgic scene and back to reality.

A sigh escaped me naturally.

“It only took three days for his patience to run out.”

“Still, he lasted longer than I thought.”

“This one doesn't count.”

“Hurry up and give it to me. You promised.”

“Tsk.”

I took a shiny gold coin from my wallet and flicked it to Theo.

Theo snatched the gold coin from the air and put it in his pocket with a grin.

“I guess I underestimated Duke Cavaldi too much. I think Dame Eleonor lasted a week.”

Kwang!

Just then, the office door opened and a deranged Cavaldi appeared.

His eyes were bloodshot and in his hand, he held a broken chair leg.

It was true.

Cavali pointed the chair leg at me as if it were a sword and shouted.

“Are you even human? Are you!”

“What do you mean by that. I have never forced you. Didn't you volunteer for everything, Your Grace?”

“Even so, how! How can you give me so much work!”

“Hey, grab him!”

From behind the raging Cavaldi, countless requests for a handshake poured in.

The owners of those hands were, of course, the company's executives.

“Ah, he ran all the way here.”

“Let's not make others suffer and go quietly.”

“You're running away because you can't even handle this much?”

The hands grabbed and wrapped around Cavaldi, covering his mouth.

Cavali struggled wildly to avoid being dragged away, but it was useless as there were too many hands.

“Eup! Eueup!”

Cavali glared at me with bloodshot eyes and shouted something, but I couldn't hear anything.

I raised my coffee cup towards Cavaldi and saw him off.

“I will not forget your hard work, Captain.”

“Eueup!”

Cavali disappeared beyond the door looking like an alchemist who had witnessed the truth.

Rhom, who had come to get Cavaldi, bowed his head.

“My apologies. The newbie seems to still have some rebellious spirit left, so he keeps causing trouble. He'll quiet down once he gets used to it.”

“Still, how could you let him come all the way up here? It's not like he's the only one suffering, what will the other newbies learn from watching him?”

“I'm sorry. I'll be more careful.”

“Alright, let's do well.”

“Yes.”

Rhom bowed his head and left.

He seems to have become a bit more dignified after being promoted to a managerial level with the recent personnel replenishment.

As I was admiring his appearance, my coffee cup had become empty.

“Oh, I've finished my coffee. Theo, can I have another cup?”

Theo sighed and picked up the coffee pot.

But his eyes were cursing, ‘You evil workplace boss.’

I, with a clear conscience, did not avoid his gaze.

What could I do?

Even with personnel dispatched from Urdino, there was still a lot of work.

With the pirates almost gone from the Golden Sea, the amount of work to be done had increased accordingly.

The demand for merchant ships had increased, the troops to be deployed had to be reorganized, and in short, everyone was clamoring for food from all sides.

It was by no means an easy task to carry all this out with medieval administrative power.

I'm really not doing this because I want to.

“Try saying that in front of others.”

“I'd never.”

“……I'm really worried someone might poison your coffee one day, young master.”

“So that's why you were sticking by my side? What a commendable fellow.”

“I have to brew it first, I can't let someone else take my chance.”

“……”

I pretended not to hear and silently accepted and drank the coffee.

Fortunately, there was nothing in it.

In fact, Theo had every right to have a lot of complaints.

Because if I work overtime, Theo also has to work overtime.

As a result, Theo's work processing ability improved day by day, to the point where it was unclear whether he was a guard or a professional secretary.

The reason our company friends don't rebel and hang me, despite this much work, is not because my leadership is amazing, nor is it because my subordinates are nice.

It's just that if you look around, I'm also working overtime right next to them.

In the end, I have to give the final approval, so I'm in the same boat of not being able to leave on time.

As a result, within the company, it's accepted at the level of ‘Sigh, I'm pitiful, but so is he.’

Are you pitying me now?

Don't pity me…….

“Let's just hang in there a little longer.”

“Yes……”

There was no energy in Theo's answering voice.

This was the first time his motivation had hit rock bottom.

It felt strongly like he wanted a break, not needing extra pay or bonuses.

It seemed his disappointment was great because he thought he would have more leisure once new personnel came in, but that wasn't the case.

If Theo was like this, the rest of the staff were needless to say.

They were probably melting like a swamp of the netherworld.

This won't do.

One shouldn't whip a running horse too much.

I have no choice but to take drastic measures.

“Theo, go down and tell everyone to go home.”

Theo's eyes widened as if he had heard something unbelievable.

“Are you serious? You're not lying, are you?”

“I'm not lying, so hurry up and move, and bring me Selvi.”

“Understood.”

Realizing I was serious, Theo moved like the wind and presented Selvi before me.

Selvi looked gaunt.

It seemed that repeated overtime was too much even for a vampire's stamina.

It was unfortunate, but given the situation, it couldn't be helped.

“What is it, Captain? Is there something you need me to do?”

“Yes, as we discussed before, you've set up an information network in Pescara and Messina, right?”

“Of course. It's already complete and working well.”

As expected of a capable talent, his work speed was impressive.

I hadn't expected much, but to think he had already established an information network.

“Then spread some rumors there. Duke Cavaldi has joined the Black Company, but he still holds a grudge against other nations for being betrayed before. Isn't this dangerous? Shouldn't we do something too? Create that kind of atmosphere.”

This time, even Selvi tilted his head, not understanding the order.

“Are you trying to provoke the other nations? What are you aiming for?”

“People.”

I clasped my hands and said confidently.

“I'm going to make people flock to the company.”