"We’ve arrived. Eleonora-san, this will be your residence and office starting today."
I had been directly involved in the zoning of this particular street. The buildings lined up here were designed with an aesthetic inspired by the Georgian style of Earth. It might have lacked a bit of flair due to my own aesthetic limits, but it was perfectly functional as a home.
"I don’t care for gaudy things myself, so I find this calm atmosphere quite lovely. By the way, this building… as well as the two flanking it, seem slightly larger than the rest."
"There were some zoning issues with the original structure that stood here, so dividing it into three units was the most practical solution. Also, right as I was getting this place ready—"
I started to explain as we stood before the office, but the sound of the front door next door opening cut me off. When I glanced over, a group of familiar faces came filing out. They were the young adventurers I had been looking after—former delinquents who were now honestly trying to make a living.
Just as I was about to call out, they noticed me. Their expressions, which had been slack with fatigue, instantly snapped into focus.
"Good work today, Big Bro!"
"Ah, er, yeah. Good work to you too."
Those kids… I guess the thrashing I gave them when we first met really left an impression. They were still treating me like some kind of underworld boss. Oh, right—I needed to introduce them.
"Eleonora-san, these men are effectively my juniors in the adventurer’s guild."
I turned back to the boys and gave them a brief introduction to Eleonora-san as well.
"So, if you have any business with me while I’m away, you can talk to her. Just try not to be a nuisance."
"Understood, sir! We look forward to working with you!"
"Y-yes. I look forward to working with you as well."
Eleonora-san, usually so poised and sharp, looked a bit bewildered. Even if they were working hard now, they were still former delinquent adventurers. It was only natural for her to be taken aback when a pack of rough-looking young men bowed their heads to her in unison.
"Do they live here as well?"
"Actually, about that—"
I was about to explain when the door opened again.
"What is the matter, young ones?! Did you forget something?! Or do you have more questions?!"
A booming voice thundered out, drowning out the click of the door. The sound was so loud that a flock of small birds perched on a tree across the street took flight in a panic. The owner of the voice was a sturdy elderly man with a magnificent, well-groomed beard.
"Hmm?! Well! If it isn't young Ryoma! Has something happened?!"
"Hello, Sanchez-sama. I’ve come to show the house to the woman I mentioned before, the one who will be serving as my secretary."
"Oh! She’s arrived already, has she?!"
"Eleonora-san, this is Garcia Sanchez-sama. He’s the former legal officer I told you about."
"It is an honor to meet you. My name is Eleonora Lansol. I hope for your kind acquaintance."
"Umu! I am Garcia Sanchez! I may have retired from the bench, but if you ever have trouble with laws or contracts, you may rely on me at any time! And not just for specific questions—if you ever feel the urge to study the law properly, I will gladly set aside time for you!"
"As he said, Garcia-sama provides individual legal lectures to anyone interested. I’m currently having him hammer the basics into these adventurers—starting with what constitutes a violation in their daily lives and the consequences that follow."
"Equality Before the Law! The benefits and punishments of the law are granted to all people equally! Therefore, I believe knowledge of the law should be accessible to all as well! I have far too much free time in my old age! Please, feel free to call on me whenever you wish! Now, you likely have much to do in your new environment. I shall take my leave!"
"Ah, we’ll be going too, then."
"Excuse us!"
Sanchez-sama retreated into his house, and the rookie adventurers hurried off as well. A sudden, heavy silence descended upon the residential district, the quiet feeling even more profound after the previous clamor.
"He’s a bit of a shock at first, isn't he?"
"…He was like a storm."
"Rest assured, his voice is just loud; he isn't actually angry. In fact, he’s a remarkably kind man."
"Equality Before the Law" was more than just a slogan to him. I had heard that during his active years, he followed that creed to the letter, never showing favoritism even to opponents with immense power or wealth. He had maintained that integrity until the day he retired.
It was because of that track record that the Ducal House had given him their highest recommendation… but I knew how difficult it was to actually live like that. I didn't take it for granted as simple "professional ethics." Even on Earth, lawyers and judges were just human beings doing a job, and humans are fallible.
"Now then, let’s try that again—"
They say things happen in threes. Sure enough, I heard another door opening. This time, a refined elderly man with a cane emerged from the house on the opposite side of Sanchez-sama’s. He walked slowly toward the property line and beckoned us over.
"Steuer-sama. Hello, today we are—"
"I could hear you quite clearly. Honestly, that man… he isn't a bad fellow, but can he really do nothing about that volume? My apologies. Lady Eleonora Lansol, I am Müller Steuer. Like you, I was introduced by the Jamil Ducal House to assist our young friend here, utilizing my background as a former tax collector. We will likely be seeing much of each other. I look forward to our acquaintance."
"Y-yes. I look forward to working with you as well."
"I shall leave it at a greeting, then. The sun is a bit much for these old bones today."
Steuer-sama dragged one foot slightly as he turned and headed back into his mansion.
"And that was…"
"Steuer-sama, the former tax collector. He’s a bit of an impatient man, so he might not seem very friendly, but he’s a good person."
Steuer-sama appeared surly at first glance, but he actually enjoyed talking to people. However, he also believed that "long-windedness steals the other person’s time" and was therefore a nuisance, so he tended to strip all waste from his conversations. Or at least, that’s what his grandson, who had come along to look after him, told me.
"Judging by his gait, his leg must be in poor condition. Since he went out of his way to come outside despite that, I take it he was welcoming me in his own way."
"Exactly. So if you ever have questions regarding taxes or accounting, feel free to visit him anytime."
He, too, had been the definition of a dedicated civil servant during his active years. Bribes and favors never worked on him, and his ability to sniff out fraud was top-tier. I’d heard he was absolutely terrifying to the people he audited.
The reason for his bad leg was partly age, but it was also a lingering injury from an attack by someone whose tax evasion he had uncovered. Tax collectors are often depicted as villains in stories, but a serious one is more likely to be hated to the point of risking his life.
"Well, now that we’ve finished the neighborly greetings… as I was saying earlier, these three buildings are larger than the others because I needed space for those two. Also, there was some talk that it was about time I had a proper home in the city, so I just prepared them all at once."
"Is this house your residence, Takebayashi-sama?"
"Oh, don't worry, we aren't living together."
I’d prepared it partly as a tax measure, but with Space Magic, my morning commute was instantaneous anyway, so I had ended up never using it. I was simply letting Eleonora-san move in.
"Even if it were a live-in position, the treatment would be more than generous, so I had no intention of refusing… but I understand."
"I felt it was a waste to leave it empty, so I’m glad you’re using it. I’ve kept it clean and maintained, so the interior is in good shape. Though you could also say it’s almost completely empty."
I unlocked the front door and showed her inside, though there wasn't much to see.
The layout was a spacious 5LDK. I had envisioned the first floor as the office, so there were three workrooms, a toilet, and the stairs leading up. The second floor was the living quarters, equipped with a bedroom, a living-dining-kitchen area, and a bathroom.
However, furniture was only present on the second floor, and even then, only the bare essentials. Eleonora-san didn't seem particularly picky about her living conditions, so the tour ended quickly after a brief look around.
"How is it?"
"It is far more than I expected. It is a bit shameful to compare, but at my former husband’s estate, I lived in an annex that was little more than a neglected storage shed."
I see. Her standards were apparently much lower than I had anticipated.
"However, the workrooms on the first floor will need some attention. At the very least, we must make the guest waiting room and the reception room presentable."
"Then, after we finish our rounds, I’ll leave those arrangements to you as your first official task. Use the business expenses to set them up however you like."
"Understood."
Now that the house tour was over, where should we go next? There were plenty of places to see, but I figured it was best to focus on the essentials, like the market. I decided to ask for her preference.
"In that case, please prioritize the locations related to my duties. To be perfectly honest, I am not a skilled cook. I can manage simple boiling or grilling, but I usually buy my meals from stands or rely on preserved rations like bread and dried meat. I have a full set of clothes and daily necessities in my luggage already."
"So work and food are the priorities. Got it. In that case, let’s do a loop around the city with this house as our center."
I planned to introduce her to the people I knew. I had several shops in the area, including a restaurant. We could meet the manager and pick up lunch at the same time—killing two birds with one stone.
Eleonora-san readily agreed, so we left her luggage behind and headed back out into the city.