The Male Lead I Raised Is Obsessed With Me

Episode 42

“H-Huh…?”

Surprised by Naol’s energy, I unconsciously stammered.

To be honest, even in broad daylight, those bloodshot eyes and dark circles that were reaching down to his chin were a little frightening. 

“If you two leave for the capital, I have to do all that paperwork alone!”

Naol shouted, pointing to the mountain of documents.

As the size of our territory grew, the numbers of tasks needed to do increased tenfold. But only me, Treon and Naol could do the paperwork.

‘But if Treon and I leave for the capital……’

I understood Naol’s crying heart well, so I had nothing to say.

If I was told that I had to deal with so many papers by myself, I would have resigned right away.

I spoke carefully.

“I’ll double your salary…”

“No need! What’s the point of making money when you don’t even have time to spend it?”

Patting Naol’s back, who was crying on the ground, I asked.

“That’s why we decided to hire a new administrator. Right, butler. How did it go?”

Suddenly, Treon’s expression darkened.

“About that……there is only one applicant, madam.”

“What? Only one?”

Originally, the number of people we intended to recruit was more than 10.

That was the amount of people needed to handle that much paperwork without working overtime.

“Why is there only one? Is there something wrong?”

After a moment of hesitation, Treon spoke cautiously.

“As you know, you need to have a considerable level of skills to be an administrator.”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why the only people working in our castle is you and Naol.”

Administrative officers who work on paperwork in this world, where few people even know how to write, had to be a professional.

Moreover, it not only required literacy, but also mathematical skills to collect and calculate taxes.

In my case, I was able to do it thanks to my previous experience studying in Korea before coming here.

“That’s why the people who become administrators are mainly low-ranking aristocrats who graduated from the Capital academy. They’re usually the second or third child of a family that has no land to inherit.”

“…Don’t those aristocrats mainly live in the capital?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

There was no need for further explanation. 

The cold and barren land of the Valfurga.

Due to the rugged mountains, it was not easy to come and go from the capital and not to mention our history of being ruined, so who would be willing to come.

‘It’s really……even I wouldn’t go to a land like that. It was like working in the North or South Pole.’

Thinking about it again, the first Duke of Valfurga was really too much.

Wishing for the warm South now seemed like too much of a desire.

There was both the East and West side, so why did it have to be the North?

If he really wanted to protect the Emperor, he should have just done so in the centre.

“But it’s too much for one person.”

I watched Naol lying on the floor, sobbing in despair.

“I heard that not one of them has seen the success of the hair loss medicine or the victory of the war against Viscount Schtrim. Apparently, only a few nobles have been to the North, and the people’s perception was not good.”

Listening to Treon’s words, I pondered deeply.

And a good idea came to mind.

If we succeed, there’s a chance that we could hire a lot more workers.

I raised Naol up and patted his hand.

“Don’t worry, Naol. When I go to the Capital this time, I will definitely bring back a lot of paperwork slaves, no I mean, employees to work with.”

Naol sniffed and asked.

“Cough……really?”

“I’ll even let you take a vacation too.”

“V-Vacation…? Are you serious?”

“Of course! Trust me.”

“I, If it’s a lie……”

Naol threatened in a sullen voice.

“I’ll……go on a strike.”

It was the scariest threat I have ever heard since coming to this world.

“I’ll definitely bring them here! If they refuse to come, I’ll kidnap them! So let’s cheer up a little.”

“Are you really bringing back someone to work here from the Capital?”

“Yes, I will!”

I nodded desperately.

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The journey to the Capital was boring, but it was alright.

One thing I didn’t expect was the weather.

“It’s hot!”

I pulled the collar of my dress to fan myself.

Unlike the Valfurga Duchy, where it snowed even in the middle of summer, summer in the Capital was a real summer where the sun was bright and you got sweaty even from not doing anything.

“Madam, is it very hot? Shall we get some ice nearby?”

Bella asked, seeing me getting sweaty in the carriage.

Bella, who had been living in the Valfurga Duchy since birth, suffered from the heat more than I did as her face was bright red.

“It’s common in our land, but can we find any in the Capital?”

Then, Blackie, who was sitting in the opposite seat, suddenly raised his head and proudly stood on all fours.

“But madam is heating up. I’ll go out and try to find one.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

When Bella got up, Blackie stretched out his neck even further.

Only then did my gaze turn to Blackie.

“Blackie, what are you doing?”

“What did Blackie say?”

After revealing Blackie’s identity to Luc the other day, I also revealed his identity to my aides, including Bella.

At first, everyone was surprised, but soon they seemed convinced, saying ‘Certainly, you have to at least be a divine beast to be the madam’s pet.’

It was still a secret from the outside, so there hadn’t been much change in his attitude, but Blackie seemed satisfied that Bella was no longer feeding him grass.

Blackie looked at me sourly.

[Sometimes, Master seems to forget what I can do.]

“Huh, why would I forget your ability?”

I remember Blackie painstakingly writing it down for me.

It was clearly a shield, make a glass of water, freeze water…

It was only then did I realise the reason why Blackie had been appealing to me since earlier.

“Can you make some ice, Blackie?”

At my words, Blackie raised his head.

His blue eyes twinkled.

[Yes!]

Eating the ice that Blackie made, we arrived at a townhouse in the centre of the Capital.

I couldn’t hide my excitement as I entered the townhouse.

‘I bought a house! I bought a house in the Capital!’

I bought a house here that I couldn’t even afford before transmigrating here.

High ceiling, luxurious furniture and even a glass greenhouse in the garden.

It was extremely expensive, but it was such a pretty and luxurious house that was well worth the price.

I looked around the room with Luc.

“Do you like it that much, sister?”

Noticing that I liked it, Luc asked.

“Yes! Very much!”

I leaned out the window and looked at the bustling capital city.

“Then, I’ll buy you a better house in future.”

“A better house than this would have to be the imperial palace, wouldn’t it?”

Luc answered my joke with a serious look.

“Do you want the imperial palace? Then……”

Luc said with a grave look on his face.

“Wait 10 years, sister. I’ll let you live in the palace.”

“That’s treason, Luc.”

“It’s not treason.”

Luc shook his head resolutely.

“Treason is called a rebellion for standing against your master. My master is not the emperor, but you. So it’s not treason.”

If you listened closely, it sounded sophistry, but I wondered if it was because Luc spoke with such a serious tone.

Come to think of it, even in the original story, Luc had never treated the Emperor as his ruler.

“Nevermind. Don’t I already like this house? Instead, why don’t we look around all the dessert shops in the Capital before the grand 5th meeting? But before that, there’s something I need to do……”

I did not finish my sentence.

I remembered what Naol emphasised until the day I left.

‘Administrator! A new administrator, madam!’

Recalling the uncharacteristically wide-eyed Naol, who had always been docile, I thought I should settle this matter before the meeting started.

＊  ＊  ＊

Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

Balder, the only applicant for our castle, was an average regular young man.

He seemed like a good and sincere young man, although his clothes were a little torn, probably because he was struggling in life.

His grades in the academy were mediocre, and in the discerning eyes of Treon, he had zero talent.

‘Even so, there’s no one else to work for us, so we have to hire them.’

It didn’t matter.

After all, what Balder will do will serve as a good billboard.

It was clear that the more ordinary Balder was, the more brilliant his role as a billboard would be.

Balder, whom I met in the makeshift office in the townhouse, was stiff as a stone from nervousness.

“Congratulations on working on our land.”

Balder bowed his head at my smile and thanked me.

“T-Thank you. I, It’s…It’s my first time meeting such a high-ranking noble……Well, so my etiquette……”

Balder continued to mutter gibberish as though his head was empty.

Still, he kept his head lowered to show that he was sincerely grateful.

“I was originally a commoner, too. You don’t have to be so nervous.”

“Ah, I know. That’s why I tried to apply. Other places don’t accept commoners very much.”

In any case, as it was a social status system, there was quite a bit of discrimination towards the commoners.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed that the Balder guy had already been rejected several times by other aristocrats.

If there was only one thing that the North had that was better than other places, it was that there was less discrimination towards the commoners.

Due to the cold and barren environment, there is always a shortage of people, so what’s the use of social status?

To be sure, I asked Naol, the only administrator around and he only asked one question with his bloodshot eyes.

‘Is that why you gave me a good position?’

Before coming here, there was no class system, so I hadn’t thought about this, but it appears that this could be a good appeal point in this world.

“Oh, I forgot the most important thing. The salary, I mean. I’ll be paying you this much, how is it?”

Balder’s eyes widened after seeing the amount I was giving.

“Th, T-This much?”

It was natural for Balder’s eyes to pop out.

It was a much larger pay than any administrator would normally receive.

“Yes. And since it’s your first time in the North, it won’t be easy to find a place to stay. I’ll help you with that, too.”

“A-Are you sure? No, if you can help with that…Thank you! I will work really hard!”

“Good. Now, there is something you can do for me.”

I asked with a twinkle in my eyes.

“Is your class reunion happening soon by any chance?”

“Huh? It’s next Saturday……What about it?”

“Perfect. Then, there is something for you to do.”