Following John, I arrived before the main gate of the official residence.
Waiting there at what could be called the end of the line of torchlights was a woman I recognized, accompanied by servants.
Mary.
A girl I had once rescued from a slave trader, who later became John's wife, and who, even after being dispatched into the world, was my retainer just like her husband.
Mary knelt before me in a fluid, practiced motion, prostrating herself to the ground in a deep bow.
With John, I had pointed it out because he held an official public office, but Mary held no formal position, so she simply observed informal etiquette as a servant.
Behind Mary, the servants looked on in astonishment.
Why is the mistress doing that? Just who is this person?
Their utter bewilderment was plain to see.
"I have been awaiting your arrival, Master."
"At ease. Or rather, an abbreviated greeting would have sufficed."
In any form of etiquette, there is a formal version and an abbreviated one.
What Mary had just performed was remarkably formal even within informal etiquette—one could call it the full-course treatment of manners.
That was why I told her an abbreviated version would have been fine, but Mary kept her hands and knees pressed to the ground, raising only her face.
"Perish the thought! Getting to see you, Master, is something that happens barely once every few years at best. Please permit me to do this whenever we meet. If I do not show proper respect to my deeply benevolent Master, I will be so racked with guilt I won't be able to sleep at night!"
"Is that how it is?"
"Yes."
"In that case... John."
I turned around and called John's name.
"Sir!"
"There will be times when you travel to the capital on duty to have an audience with Me. When that happens, bring Mary along with you as husband and wife....That way, you will be able to see Me from time to time, will you not?"
"Th-thank you very much!"
"Thank you very much."
While John hurriedly bowed his head, Mary offered an additional bow with absolute composure.
Compared to John, who still retained a bit of boyish restlessness, Mary seemed to have acquired a great deal of mature, womanly poise.
Mary then rose gracefully to her feet, stepped back, and turned sideways to clear the path leading into the official residence for me.
"Please, come inside, Master."
"Mm."
I nodded and stepped inside.
The married couple, John and Mary, followed behind me, followed immediately by their bewildered-looking servants. And bringing up the rear, Peiyu quietly trailed along.
Upon entering the official residence, I was first shown into what appeared to be a reception room.
"...Oh?"
Stepping inside, I couldn't help but let out a soft exclamation.
The moment I set foot in the room, it felt as though I had entered an entirely different world.
Despite it being nighttime, lights were burning abundantly to illuminate the room, and incense of such fine quality that one could tell with a single breath hung in the air.
Furthermore, the sofa where I was presumably meant to sit was lavishly adorned with embroidery, and on the table before it lay an assortment of fresh, succulent fruit.
It was an extraordinary display of hospitality that anyone could recognize at a glance.
"I apologize that this is the best we can offer here. It falls far short of the capital, but we will make up for it by serving you with all our might."
"Come, Master, please have a seat over here."
Guided by the couple, I sat down on the sofa.
It wasn't just decorative; it was a fine sofa filled with generous cushioning.
I sat down and looked around the room.
"...Where did the money come from?"
I asked John and Mary directly.
The two of them wore awkward expressions.
"Hospitality like this could never be covered by your salary. If you're not careful, an entire year's worth of wages will vanish in an instant."
To say the salary of a low-ranking imperial official was modest would be an understatement.
That, too, was an area I planned to address eventually—but right now, John was the priority.
"Oh, that's not a problem!"
"Oh?"
"I borrowed it from a merchant in town. Ah, I wrote a proper promissory note, of course! He promised that as long as I pay it back by the end of my term, it'll be fine."
"Hm."
"Please rest assured, Master. We understand completely. We would never, ever dream of bleeding the people dry to pay for it."
Mary backed John up.
Originally slaves, tracing back even further, they had been born and raised in a village so impoverished that children were sold into slavery.
They would never make the mistake of exploiting the common folk; I had judged their character carefully before sending them out as my retainers.
My judgment had not been mistaken, but I hadn't expected them to go so far as to take out a loan just to entertain me.
"Now then, Master, your shoes."
With that, Mary knelt at my feet.
She then respectfully removed the shoes I was wearing.
After taking off my shoes, she took a basin filled with water from a young servant waiting behind her.
Then, she washed my feet.
Ever since my days at the Thirteenth Imperial Prince Mansion, whenever I returned home at night, I would have a servant wash my feet to relieve fatigue.
This was something everyone did, and since washing one's feet and getting a simple massage after walking all day relieved a considerable amount of exhaustion, I had felt bewildered right after reincarnating, but before I knew it, having it done had become second nature.
Just as she had done at the imperial prince's residence, Mary washed my feet.
Behind her, the other servants stood waiting.
Particularly in the case of an imperial prince or higher, only servants of a certain rank or above were permitted to serve meals or wait on someone directly.
In this setting, Mary, who was also my retainer, met those criteria.
To put it bluntly, the other servants lacked the standing to serve.
While this was common knowledge to nobles, it was rather difficult for commoners to grasp.
Even now, Mary's servants wore expressions that practically screamed, Why is the mistress doing such menial chores?
After she had finished washing my feet:
"Peiyu."
"Y-yes!"
Called upon by me, Peiyu hurriedly trotted over to my side.
"Paper and pen."
"Right away!"
Peiyu retrieved a sheet of paper and a pen from the bag she kept close at hand and handed them to me.
I took them and jotted down a quick draft across the table.
Then, understanding the procedure, she held out my seal—the Emperor's seal.
Taking it, I stamped the written paper.
With this—though informal—an imperial edict was complete.
I handed it to John.
"Take this."
"What is this?"
"Submit a proper claim to the Imperial Household Department for the amount spent entertaining Me. I have written that they are to disburse the claimed amount."
"No, you can't!"
John let out a cry that was practically a shriek.
Mary, too, froze in place while still in the middle of wiping my washed feet dry.
"I am so sorry! If there was anything lacking, we'll gather whatever is needed right away—"
"It is the opposite."
"Eh?"
"Entertaining Me is not something you should take on debt to do. I have properly received your sentiments of filial devotion. That is enough."
"Master..."
"As expected, our Master is truly an incredible person..."
John and Mary were deeply moved, their eyes welling with tears.
"Now then... perhaps you could show Me to the bedroom. We shall continue our talk tomorrow."
"Understood!"
The couple nodded in unison.
Mary then began directing the servants into action.
Whether due to thorough training or natural diligence, the servants moved briskly in accordance with Mary's orders.
"I-I'm just an ordinary maid, so—"
Because Mary's servants were treating Peiyu like a guest, Peiyu began to panic.
"Never mind that. You're our junior, which makes you a guest of higher standing than these girls," John said.
Even so, Peiyu cast a look of appeal toward me, seeking help.
I gave a faint smile in return.
"Do as he says. You are My maid; there is no need to be overly deferential to anyone else."
"Y-yes. Please take good care of me, Mr. John, Ms. Mary."
Perhaps feeling a bit more at ease thanks to my instruction, Peiyu accepted the situation.
I was then shown to the bedroom by Mary.
There, too, was an array of blatantly expensive bedding, but I deliberately chose not to point it out and let it be.
Once Mary and the servant who had accompanied her to the end exited the room, I was left alone.
Master, do you have a moment?
"Hm? What is it, Leviathan?"
The instant I was entirely alone, Leviathan spoke up.
"It is rare for you to speak to Me first."
My apologies. I judged it best to bring this to my Master's attention.
"Hm?"
Sitting on the bed, I tilted my head slightly, prompting her to continue.
Among the maidservants, there was one who radiated intense hostility toward you, Master.
"Ah, you mean that clever-looking girl?"
I nodded, recalling the girl behind Mary who had left a strong impression.
Her age was around twelve or thirteen—no, considering John and Mary's background, that girl was likely from a poor village as well, so taking malnutrition into account, she might actually be fifteen or sixteen.
That child had directed hostility toward me the entire time.
Yet, she concealed that hostility remarkably well.
Her eyes were not those of a person who saw only immediate, materialistic things, but rather the kind typical of a deeply calculating, thoughtful individual.
As expected of my Master, you had already noticed.
"With that much hostility directed at Me, it would be hard not to notice."
How do you intend to deal with that girl? If you so command, I can easily teach her her place.
"You are always so dangerous."
I laughed out loud.
"Leave her be. There is no need to fret over hostility that can neither help nor harm."
If you say so...
"Besides, there is no issue whatsoever. Even if that hostility were to escalate into action, could she ever bypass your protection?"
Not in a million years.
Leviathan replied instantly.
"Then there is no problem. After all, you are protecting Me."
—Understood.
Leviathan responded.
Though she was merely a voice echoing in my mind with no visible form, the tone of her reply made it easy to picture her trembling with deep emotion, kneeling before my eyes.
Leviathan, whose moods swung wildly and who possessed a far more passionate temperament compared to the others, had a correspondingly dramatic reaction at times like this.
That night, I fell into a deep sleep.
Since leaving myself defenseless was proof of my absolute trust in her, I decided to relax and sleep even more soundly than usual.