A mid-level (middle-aged) office worker's laid-back industrial revolution in another world - Chapter 151

Translator: Jasper Kadowaki | Editor: NovelMultiverse

The story will back-pedal a bit, time-wise. This is a scene from just before lunch…

A single carriage stopped in front of the entrance to the Elvis manor, and a single lady got out of it. 

“Ah, we’ve arrived. I wonder if everyone is doing well?”

Two men followed her out of the carriage.

“We’re finally here.”

“Ah, I’m tired. I didn’t think it would actually take four days… I guess it didn’t matter much that we had such a tight schedule.”

“Father – you do know that we probably wouldn’t have made it here if it weren’t for the schedule?”

“You’re right.”

Frederick came out to greet them. 

“Welcome. Thank you for making the trip,” said Frederick, “Welcome, your highness. Welcome, oh third son of his highness. Welcome, oh third daughter of his highness, Layla-sama.”

“We’re sorry for coming on such short notice.”

“Thank you for having us.”

“Yes. Frederick, you look well!”

Frederick smiled and nodded, then extended his arm toward the manor to welcome them in.

Smith came to the entrance to welcome them in, as well. 

“Welcome. Thank you for making the trip,” said Smith, “Welcome, your highness. Welcome, oh third son of his highness. Welcome, oh third daughter of his highness, Layla-sama.”

“Hey, you’re the heir to the Elvis house, Smith, right? It’s been a while. Thank you for coming out to greet us,” said the King Azupal. William and Layla nodded. 

“My grandfather is waiting for you in the parlor,” said Smith. 

Everything was formality up until this point.

“Your highness, third son of his highness, welcome. Welcome back, sister Layla.”

“Yes. Thanks for having us.”

“Thank you for coming to greet us.”

“I’m back, Smith. I’m bigger than I was two years ago!! I’ve grown up quite a lot!” said Layla, getting emotional and teary-eyed.

“Grandfather and the others are waiting in the parlor.”

“All right. Father, William – Let’s go.”

Frederick knocked on the door to the parlor, and a voice from within said, “Come in.” Upon getting permission to enter, he opened the door. 

“Excuse me. His highness, the prince third-in-line to the throne, and the princess third-in-line to the throne have come for a visit.”

“Hmm, yes. Let them in.”

Three people entered the room. 

Grandpa Elvis got up, bowed, and walked over to them.

“Excuse me. Duke Elvis, I’m here!”

“Ah! Your highness. Thank you very much for visiting our home.”

“Duke Elvis. It’s been a while.”

“Ah! Third-in-line prince – it has been a while, indeed.”

“It’s been two years.”

“Ah! Third-in-line princess Layla – it’s a beautiful thing to have you here for a visit.”

“Yes.”

Everything up to this point was a formality. 

“…Again, Grandpa, I have returned.”

“Layla, welcome back. Your highness. My lord. Welcome.”

“Yes, we’re sorry for coming on such short notice.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Hm, yes… First of all, please – sit down and relax.”

The three of them each took a seat upon hearing Grandpa Elvis. 

Frederick pouted some tea, placed it in front of everyone, and took a few steps back. 

“Your highness. What brings you here, today?”

“Hm? Well, I heard that your youngest granddaughter got married.”

“I spilled the news,” said Layla, without any sense of guilt. 

“Layla… Setting aside Alice, for now… Takeo is a commoner…” said Grandpa Elvis, with disappointment in his voice.

“Hm? No, no. We are not angry at all, you know? This…Takeo, was it?… I have nothing against him. I mean, it’s just a marriage with the royal house’s emblem. It’s not a problem. For what it’s worse, we put the title ‘A runner-up prize for the achievements of Alice from two years ago’.”

“To tell you the truth… I’m relieved by this tolerant way of handling the situation,” said Grandpa Elvis, bowing his head to King Azupal in gratitude.

“For you to back him so fully, Duke Elvis… Is he really that outstanding?” asked William.

“…He is outstanding… but…” Grandpa Elvis was at a loss as to what to say. 

“Hm? Is he not actually that outstanding?”

“No, the head chamberlain, Frederick as well as the head chef both agree with me in thinking that he is an outstanding person.”[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com]

“What? All three of you attest to it?” asked Layla, surprised. She expected at least one of them to object.

“Is that right?” asked King Azupal, looking at Frederick. 

“Yes, sir! There is no doubt about it. All of us who are employed by the Elvis household are in agreement that Takeo-sama is an outstanding individual.”

“That many people… Hm? Do you mean to say all civil officials and military officials, too?”

“Yes! At the very least, the top figures in our military – the head of the Elvis house’s knights and his right-hand man can vouch for him. In addition, I, along with the rest of the management team of civil officials, consider him an outstanding individual.”

“What… Grandpa… What kind of person is Takeo-san? Usually, no matter how great someone is, they aren’t respected by all civil officials and military officials at once.”

“Hm, yes. He is outstanding… but… It’s hard to explain.”

“…Is it his lineage?”

“Yes. It is an unbelievable story to us… He says he is… from a different world than ours.”

“That’s a questionable story.”

“Yes. He acknowledges that, himself. When people tell him that they don’t believe him, he replies, ‘Well, of course.’”

“Ironically, that lends him some credibility.”

“Yes… Well, I’ll have Takeo himself explain the rest to you.”

“So you let this Takeo into your inner circle… You must trust him quite a lot.”

“Yes. He is a good person. He has plenty of empathy, he is logical and clever, and he’s knowledgeable in war and tactics.”

“He sounds like a catch.”

“Yes, but he has low-self esteem, and so he has a tendency to look down on himself.”

“…Hm, well now that might be hard to deal with.”

“Yes… Your highness – I will ask you for this directly. Please do not take him away to the royal capital.”

“Oh? Is he really that extraordinary? You think that I’d want him?”

“You will definitely want him.”

“Hm… I may end up saying so. What do you think will happen if I do?”

“Takeo would leave this house,” said Grandpa Elvis, and Smith and Frederick nodded in response. 

“What? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” King Azupal let slip some language unfit for a king.

“I think he will stay in one place, as long as there is some residual excitement from arriving there.”

“…If he’s clever, as you say… Would he use the Elvis manor, and then moved to the royal capital?”

“That should be stopped, too.”

“Hm? Really?”

“Yes… It’s a good opportunity. Smith, state your opinions on the matter.”

“What?!… Oh, all right,” said Smith. He was caught off guard, at first, but he put on a serious face, and said, “Well, then. Considering all of the conversations I have had with Takeo-sama thus far, I don’t actually think he would move to the royal capital.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“Well, probably… Takeo might feel like he was being forced to move somewhere.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Analyzing Takeo-sama without him being here might give the wrong impression. By the way, he is kind to the people he is indebted to, but he actually works better with his enemies.”

“…Now that is a dangerous characteristic.”

“Yes. Smith and I thought the same thing. I believe he could work compatibly with the royal capital without actually having to go there. Remember – good employees are always better than good land.”

“…All right. I will promise to not devise a plot to take him away from you.”

“Ah! Thank you very much.”

“Any minute now, Lady Alice and Takeo-sama should be returning, and so I will excuse myself for just a moment.”

“Hm, all right… By the way, your highness – How is your health?”

“Grandfather – have you not said anything to Alice and Takeo about us visiting?

“Ah, yes. You’re right. Everyone in the manor already knows that you’re here, but I didn’t mention it to Alice or Takeo.”

“I think Alice will figure it out almost immediately. 

“Yes. I think three years ago was the last time I saw her.”

“…Layla, I’ll leave it up to you.”

“Father, you’ve forgotten about me, haven’t you?

“Yes, yes. Grandpa Elvis, by the way – what does Takeo-san think of me?”

“…He probably just knows that she has a sister.”

“Hmm… that’s quite interesting,” said Layla, laughing lightly, “Father, William… Don’t you like being called ‘Sir’ every so often?”

“Hm?… Ah, yes. That might be good.”

“I wouldn’t mind it, either.”

“Father, we’ve decided!”

His Highness had his son by his side.

“Is it okay, your highness?”

“Since this is a private conversation, it’s fine.”

Ah, Takeo… please do your best and finish early… 

Duke Elvis shrugged his shoulders.[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com]