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Chapter 24
“Imperial Sanitation Officer!”
I was cleaning the corridor when Chief Aide Nathan approached.
“Oh! Chief Aide! Did you have a good vacation?”
“It’s all thanks to you, Sanitation Officer. Thanks to you, I was able to take a vacation for the first time in years.”
Nathan spoke with a deeply moved expression.
“Me?”
“I heard you advised His Majesty to value people. Ah! And there’s a gift for someone who has just started working here.”
“A gift?”
As I stood there, taken aback, Nathan gestured behind him. Second Aide Hayden stepped forward, holding out a long object wrapped in cloth.
“I worked quite hard during my vacation preparing a gift that will be absolutely necessary for your duties.”
‘An expensive gift would make me uncomfortable…’
Nathan immediately unwrapped the cloth in front of me.
It was a broom.
Nathan stared at me with an itching-to-speak expression, and when he could no longer hold it in, he leaned in and whispered so only I could hear.
“It may look ordinary, but it’s actually a broom made by a fairy craftsman. It’s made of light yet sturdy materials so your work will be a little less tiring. To get this, I pestered the fairy craftsman endlessly—no, I did my very best to request it.”
“A broom made by a fairy craftsman?”
I looked down at the broom in my hands. Just as he said, it was as light as a feather and very sturdy.
“If a fairy craftsman made it, it must be expensive. I don’t really need something this good—”
“What are you saying? Everyone in the imperial palace has benefited from you. Compared to what you’ve done, this is nothing at all. His Majesty even granted my vacation on the condition that I buy this—ah! Haha. It’s just a work tool. A tradition that started this year, a tradition.”
Seeing the aide—who usually looked so gloomy—now bright-faced and earnestly explaining made me feel good.
‘It’s not for me personally, but for cleaning the palace, so it should be okay to accept it, right?’
“Since it’s a tool for work, I’ll accept it gratefully. I’ll work even harder.”
“Sanitation Officer, this very ‘ordinary’ broom contains fairy magic, so it doesn’t wear out and can be used almost permanently.”
“A broom with magic in it, even though it’s ordinary—that’s fascinating.”
Nathan’s voice suddenly dropped.
“With magic power, this broom can even be made to clean on its own for a short time. That’s how fairies use it. Of course, you don’t have magic, Sanitation Officer. Without magic, it’s just a very ordinary broom.”
I found it fascinating that the broom could clean by itself for a short time.
If it were an ability of mine that no one knew about, just as Nathan said, I’d be able to use this broom.
But… was this really an ordinary broom?
“You even took care of what I need. You aides are all so kind.”
“Who’s kind?”
A cold voice flowed from behind me. Nathan and Hayden, startled upon seeing the owner of that voice, hurriedly greeted me and then scurried away.
When I turned around, Killian was standing there with his arms crossed.
His eyes said he wasn’t pleased about something.
Sunlight poured in through the corridor windows, spilling over Killian’s back and making the shadows around him seem even darker.
“They said it’s a gift given to those appointed to the imperial palace so they won’t suffer as much during work. I think it’s a really nice tradition, Your Majesty!”
I approached Killian with a bright smile, lifted the broom, and spoke. His cold expression softened.
“Still, Red, don’t say things like that to them. When you show them kindness, it makes me feel like I’m losing my personal sanitation officer.”
Killian looked down at me, arms still crossed.
“I will, Your Majesty!”
At my brisk reply, a faint chuckle of air escaped from Killian’s lips.
The imperial palace dining room.
After finishing his meal, Killian asked,
“You’re going down to the Cheten Estate at dawn tomorrow?”
“Yeah. I haven’t seen them for a whole month since coming up to the capital. I’ll go tomorrow, stay one night, and make sure I’m not late for work in the morning.”
As soon as we arrived in the capital, Mari, Grandma, and Brown had been sent straight to the Cheten Estate by the northern lake of the imperial city. Above all, Killian had said that having just me as a cleaner was enough and that Mari wasn’t particularly needed at the palace, so Mari went along to look after Grandma and Brown.
“Alright. Travel safely.”
“I’ll be back soon, Your Majesty.”
After greeting Killian, who smiled at me with clear satisfaction, I returned to my room and packed my things.
‘We could’ve just taken a hired carriage.’
Early the next morning, under Sir Lloyd’s escort, I boarded the luxurious carriage Killian had prepared in advance and headed for the estate.
Guided inside by Head Butler Godwin, I entered the mansion—and there stood Killian beside Mari, Brown, and Grandma.
‘No, why is Killian here?’
I was taken aback by Killian’s sudden appearance, but I soon forgot about it while exchanging greetings with Mari, Brown, and Grandma after so long.
“Since you were coming, Big Sis, Butler Godwin and I went deer hunting by the lake and even caught fish!”
“Red, after we eat, let’s go to the lake and the Molburn District plaza. There’s so much I want to show you.”
Brown and Mari spoke excitedly, eagerly listing all the things they wanted to do.
Only after all that did I finally go up to Killian and ask,
“Why are you here, Your Majesty?”
Killian tilted his head.
“Red, this is my private residence. I can come whenever I like. I’ve also been working far too much lately and needed some rest.”
‘If that’s the case, you could’ve just come together with me. Coming separately only made things more complicated with carriages and escorts.’
“Your Majesty, next time you can just come with me.”
“Shall I? Since ‘Red wants it,’ that’s what I’ll do.”
Killian smiled with narrowed eyes, then handed out gifts to each of us.
‘When did he even prepare these? He’s gotten so considerate. How admirable.’
Mari received a dessert that was currently all the rage among the young ladies of the capital; Brown received a child-sized bow and arrows; Grandma received a chair with wheels; and I received a bracelet.
After exchanging gifts, we moved to the dining hall.
When venison steak was served, Brown exclaimed excitedly,
“Big Sis, it’s the deer Butler Godwin and I caught together!”
“Wow, that’s amazing! Brown!”
At my admiration, Killian asked Brown,
“Did you catch it yourself?”
“The butler caught it, and I ran errands.”
“Godwin was an excellent archer. If you learn archery from him, you’ll grow into a fine archer yourself.”
At Killian’s words, Brown’s eyes widened and sparkled.
“I can become an archer too?”
“If you learn with all your effort from a great teacher like Godwin, you could even become the greatest archer in the Empire.”
“Then… I want to become a great archer!”
Killian spoke sternly to the excited Brown.
“You can. But you’ll have to give up the idea of seeing your sister often.”
“But…”
As hesitation briefly crossed Brown’s face, Killian continued in the same strict tone.
“To become an archer like Godwin, you’ll have to train from morning till night. You’ll need to learn horseback riding and how to use a sword. If you become the Empire’s greatest archer, your sister will be happiest.”
Desire gleamed in Brown’s green eyes.
“I’ll work hard! And then I’ll protect my sister!”
“No, that won’t be necessary. As long as your sister is by my side, she’ll be safer than anyone. You protect the Empire. That’s how you protect your sister.”
“Protecting the Empire is protecting my sister…”
Brown murmured to himself, then exclaimed,
“Ah! Your Majesty! I’ll become the greatest archer in the Empire!”
At Brown’s declaration, we all cheered him on.
After finishing our meal in high spirits, everyone except Grandma went out for a walk by the lake.
As we approached the lakeside, the birds floating on the water all took flight at once.
The red-tinged leaves of the trees surrounding the lake blended with the blue water, making the scenery breathtaking. Because of the breeze blowing over the lake, it felt rather chilly even though it was still morning.
Mari and Brown ran down to the water’s edge and began splashing around.
“This place is really beautiful.”
“I wanted to show it to you.”
At the low, deep voice, I turned to see Killian smiling down at me.
The morning sun poured down over him. In the dazzling light, Killian seemed to glow.
He looked like a sculpture.
His dark black hair reflected the light with a subtle bluish sheen, and his golden eyes sparkled beautifully. Sunlight resting on his refined nose made him look like an angel descended upon the land.
“You’re right. It’s truly wonderful. Thank you for letting Mari, Brown, and Grandma stay in such a beautiful place, Killian.”
