CHAPTER 36: DUTIES OF A LORD

As his eyes shot open, he found himself laying against his desk with a bit of drool pooling beneath his cheek.

"Ah...?"

Sitting himself up, he wiped his face, discovering that he never left his office. The morning sun glared at him through the window, making him squint as he picked himself up.

’I fell asleep here?’ He thought with a yawn.

Throughout the early hours, he explored the entirety of the mansion, double checking everything and making sure it was in proper order. Though the servants assured him it was all checked, he felt restless until he confirmed it himself.

"Alright," he sighed, finally completing his walk through the vast abode, stepping into the garden with a sigh of relief.

"You seem tense, Master."

"Ah—?"

He jumped slightly from the sudden presence from behind, turning to find the presence of the quiet maid of jet-black hair kept in a neat bob-cut.

"Good morning, Emilia," he greeted as his heart rate settled down.

"Good morning, Master," she returned the greeting with a smile.

The bench beside the active fountain made for a good place to sit while taking in the view of the lively garden. As he sat there, biting into the fruit he brought with him, he could see the meek maid standing to the side as if waiting for his affirmation.

"You can sit, y’know," he said, patting the spot beside him.

There wasn’t a second of hesitance before the maid placed herself beside him, straightening her skirt over her lap, "Excuse me."

"I know you’re trained and all, but you don’t have to be super formal with me. I’m not a stickler for formality and all that," Leon assured her.

While he certainly didn’t dislike the respect he got, being friendly with those that worked at the mansion was what he preferred. After all—each maid was definitely his type, though he tried to put aside his more "boyish" motivations.

"I was thinking, I don’t know much about you, Emilia," Leon remarked, looking towards the fruit-bearing trees in the garden.

"About...me?" She repeated as if shocked she was worthy of a topic of discussion.

"Yeah, I’ve gotten to know the others: Ruby is energetic and maybe childish at times, but she’s genuine and definitely loves fighting. Irene is earnest and quietly supportive, and likes knitting animal dolls—seriously, have you seen her room? It’s like a zoo. For Iris, she doesn’t talk much but she’s a hard worker, and she is a workout freak—I mean, like she seriously pumps iron," he read off everything he knew from his mind, recalling his experiences.

As he went on, the maid sitting beside him laughed with genuine joy. It was somewhat embarrassing to hear laughter after his personal retelling, though shared the moment with a chuckle of his own.

Emilia swung her legs, easing herself, "Well, I love rabbits, bunnies...As for what I do in my spare time, I’m trying to learn how to make music."

"Music? That’s great," Leon said, wearing his joy on his lips. "What kind of instrument?"

"Oh, ahh...I prefer singing, but—I’m not good enough as I am!" Emilia waved her hands before any idea could form.

Leon laughed, leaning forward on the bench, "Well, I’d love to listen, whenever you’re comfortable."

"I’ll...keep that in mind. Thank you," Emilia nodded with a chipper smile before standing up, brushing off her uniform. "I should get back to work. Irene scolds me if I get distracted."

"Scary," he playfully said.

Venturing the perimeter of the estate, he found the witch by the gate, knelt down as she planted an amethyst crystal into the soil.

"Is it almost complete?" Leon asked, standing by the hedges.

Beatrice tapped the crystal as it released a subtle hum, picking herself up, "Only a few more wards are needed then the barrier will be raised."

"That’s good. If you need mana, I’m your guy," he offered with a suave wink, though the attempt at looking cool was utterly dismissed by the witch.

"I need to remind you: this barrier’s main function is hiding this land from the attention of monsters. First and foremost, it’s a deterrent, not a total defense," Beatrice explained succinctly, waving her finger.

"Yeah, I understand that," he nodded.

"Good," Beatrice waved her hand as she walked away. "Then stay prepared. Without a doubt, some fiends will find their way through."

As everybody worked to prepare the estate for the coming phenomena, he walked the perimeter, following the walls that stood tall around the estate. Atop the stone barriers, cannons forged of white steel, humming with magical essence waited to be used.

It was settling in just what kind of event he was setting up for, not a simple graze with danger—it was confronting death.

As he stood by the edge of the estate, a great hum filled his ears, soon followed by an eruption of cerulean light. Expanding from the sky above, a dome of ethereal force drew a curtain over the land.

’Beatrice’s barrier will hide the presence of this area from monsters. There’s a smaller barrier past it, but it’s not strong enough to hold back every monster. There won’t be any way to avoid conflict here,’ he readied himself.

The next time the sun’s light faded, it may be the last time feeling its warmth for some time. As the hours of the day passed, he sat on the steps leading to the mansion’s entrance, watching the gates.

A distinct rumbling of carriage wheels filled the tranquil silence, soon finding the sight of many coaches approaching the gates.

Leon stood up, calling out to the guards, "Let them through!"

As the metal gates slowly opened, the army of carriages pulled in, quickly filling up the vast courtyard.

Phoenix stepped out of the front doors, watching the countless people coming in, "I know this mansion is huge and all, but not even this place has enough room for that many people..."

"I know. Good news is, the barrier reaches roughly a few hundred yards past the gates in each direction. Beatrice is raising another set of walls, so a lot of people will be left camping out," Leon explained.

"Better than dying to monsters," Phoenix sighed, placing his hands on his sides.

As he watched the carriages settle in, up the courtyard came a familiar, old face.

"Norbert! Good to see you’re well," Leon greeted with a welcoming smile, meeting the mayor halfway.

The elder laughed, looking back as the citizens of Newfard settled in, many sharing carriages.

"I was surprised to hear your offer, Lord Schoeller. I’ve experienced three Nebula Eclipse as major...Each time, Newfard has experienced dozens of losses," Norbert recalled grimly before wearing a warm smile. "This time, we may survive, under your protection."

The servants of the estate helped the merchants unload the supplies needed for the three days. Already, Ruby was entertaining the children, bringing laughs to the courtyard.

Leon smiled, watching the lively scenery, "It’ll take a combined effort from everybody, but we’ll make it."

"Of course. Newfard is not helpless—we do not expect to be protecting without chipping in. The adventurers of our town are here to support you," Norbert said, turning towards a certain rowdy crowd.

A grouping of carriages at the northwest section of the courtyard hosted a plethora of capable individuals. From the armor they wore to the swords they carried, he could tell there were quite a few respectable warriors.

"I’m surprised it didn’t take more convincing," Leon remarked, watching over the influx of people.

Phoenix stood beside him with a giddy smile, "That’s Norbert for ya’. Everybody in the town respects him enough to trust his decisions without a second thought."

"Oh, I wouldn’t go that far. It’s simply that everybody saw the benefits of Lord Schoeller’s generous offer," Norbert laughed, looking up at the recent hire. "I am pleased to see you’re doing well for yourself, Phoenix."

"Guess you can say that," Phoenix bashfully chuckled.