HTPTMOTMM Chapter 30

What, is it too shabby for him to want to go in?

Raphael's gaze seemed to be looking at something extremely unsettling. But that uneasiness wasn't the kind you'd feel looking at something dirty or worthless—it was closer to the uneasiness you'd feel when looking at something ominous.

Eventually, Raphael and I headed to a secluded spot behind the building instead of the reception room.

But as soon as we reached this deserted place, the words that came from Raphael's crimson lips in that beautiful voice were truly harsh and crude.

"Damn, the air of the 18th world is as foul as ever. Is it because it's a place where the lower-class humans of the central world swarm like insects?"

Raphael's face, as he muttered curses and even spat on the ground, no longer carried any of the refinement from before.

Though I couldn't fully grasp what Raphael meant by those words, I could definitely tell he wasn't the elf prince I had been hoping for.

I felt the rather high first impression score I'd given Raphael completely crumble inside me. Perhaps sensing my disappointed gaze, Raphael scowled.

"What's with that insolent look? Someone who couldn't even meet my eyes back home—just because you got lucky and were selected as a surveillance personnel, have you gotten full of yourself already? You even had the audacity to speak my name with that filthy mouth of yours earlier—discipline has truly gone to hell. No matter how much the Archbishop favors you, you're nothing but a lowly 'butcher.'"

But hearing the string of words he spat out while glaring at me made me think 'Huh?'

I unconsciously raised one eyebrow.

Every word coming from this man's mouth was strange and unfamiliar. At the same time, I had an instinctive feeling that I couldn't afford to let even one word of what he was saying slip by carelessly—everything was that significant.

"And what exactly did you do after coming to the central world that even made the guide's communication completely malfunction? Really, how stupid. I told you countless times not to forget that everything you wear and use was bestowed by our Stella."

At least I could tell that Raphael was looking down on me tremendously. I felt the same kind of contempt in Raphael's eyes as when he'd spat while talking about lower-class humans.

"Still, the great Archbishop has graciously decided to permit you to use a spare guide. So from now on, don't forget to contact me regularly."

Suddenly, various pieces of information were being fed into my head, and I needed time to organize them.

But the next moment, Raphael approached me far too closely, grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him, then stuck his hand inside the back collar of my top.

Smack!

"Ugh!"

Almost simultaneously, Raphael, hit by my fist, went flying.

Oops, my hand moved reflexively without me realizing it.

Raphael, who had fallen to the ground, looked up at me as if he couldn't believe what had just happened.

"What the... are you insane?"

"Ah, you suddenly came at me so I was startled and reflexively—but you did something deserving of being hit, didn't you?"

"What nonsense are you spouting...!"

Clatter! Clang!

Raphael's indignant voice was cut off by the noise from the side.

When I turned my head, I saw Doctor Conrad with his mouth agape, having dropped his medical bag. He seemed shocked at seeing me mercilessly punch this sculpture-like ascetic handsome man. The old bag hit the ground with impact and opened, spilling out stethoscopes and other medical instruments.

"Ah...! I didn't see anything. Please continue what you were doing."

But Conrad quickly gathered those items and left immediately. It was obvious he didn't want to get involved in troublesome matters.

"You, a creature no better than a noble's dog, dare to hit me?!"

Raphael's face reddened with shame at having been knocked down by me in front of another person as he shot up. Almost simultaneously, a red line was drawn beneath his perfectly sculpted nose.

"Ah, a nosebleed."

"You, you! How dare you make my body bleed!"

Even in that sudden situation, I must have hit a vital spot too accurately. Raphael flew into a rage while wiping his nose.

"There's no way I wouldn't know you were replacing the guide, so what gives you the right to make such pathetic excuses while being insubordinate? Do you really have a death wish?"

I moved my arm to touch the spot where he had pressed with his finger earlier. I hadn't noticed it normally, but when I pressed somewhere behind my shoulder, I could feel something hard that I didn't know had been there.

My eyes involuntarily twitched.

What is this? I can feel some hard, round object.

Right then, a familiar status window appeared before my eyes.

System loading initiated...
0%

I hesitated for a moment. Could this 'guide' that Stella provided possibly be referring to the game system I knew?

Raphael clenched and unclenched his fists as if he wanted to hit me right now, seething. But he soon took several deep breaths as if calming his anger and said:

"Huff. I'd love to re-educate this impudent junior right now, but this isn't home territory, so I'll restrain myself."

Anyway, this guy is definitely not a romance target.

No matter how handsome his face is, there's no way a piece of trash who raises his hand against the player would be a romance simulation target character. Keywords like regretful male lead weren't even included from the start.

System loading initiated...
5%

• Switching to energy-saving mode.
• Basic functions available for simultaneous access.
• Identifying current location.
• Character profile viewing authorized.
• Language synchronization initiated.

Wow, how long has it been since I've seen system functions?

First, I checked the character information for the guy right in front of me.

Raphael Cardigo (24 years old)

• 44th World Central Secret Organization Stella affiliated Grade 2 Interrogator
• Third son of the Cardigo family, nobility among nobility
• Personality: Arrogant, cold, selfish, high self-esteem
• Nickname: Demon of Stella, Archbishop's lackey
• Current state: Anger
• Favorability: ?/? (inactive) (viewable from 70% system loading)

"Anyway, Lynn Dorchester. Don't forget your purpose for coming here. Just monitor the people here and report what happens to me until orders come down. Don't think about doing anything unnecessary. If you pull any tricks, the guide will immediately send communication to me. Even the most stupid hunting dog wouldn't want to disappoint the Archbishop, would they?"

Raphael continued speaking while still glaring at me with razor-sharp eyes.

I half-listened to that while examining the opened status window more thoroughly. I checked my profile as well, both to confirm information about the changed worldview.

<Lynn Dorchester (23 years old)>

• 44th World Central Secret Organization Stella affiliated Grade 3 Interrogator
• 18th World Redford Estate Caretaker/Surveillance Personnel
• Archbishop Rick Dorchester's adopted daughter/hunting dog
• Personality: Optimistic, intuitive, simple
• Nickname: Butcher
• Current state: Curiosity
• Stress level: 3/100
• Current quests: Redford Estate Investigation (completion date TBD - detailed description available)/Deliver red orange to Raphael

So I'm also listed as an interrogator like Raphael? It seems my job isn't simply a caretaker as I had known. Rather, it feels like I infiltrated the estate in disguise. Even Stella, known as an elite caretaker training institution, seems to have a different true nature. And "Butcher" is quite a sinister nickname.

But what do these 44th world and 18th world references mean?

I tried to do a term search, but the loading wasn't finished yet, so using the search function was impossible. The progress was still only at 8%—why is it so slow?

"And you know, right? If you ever discover criminals acting against the purpose for which this estate was built, immediately..."

"Lynn! There you are!"

Raphael's continuing words were cut short by Sara Rose's shout.

I checked Sara Rose's character information as she ran toward me.

Sara Rose (21)

• 16th World affiliated maid
• Personality: Kind, indecisive, highly curious
• Special notes: Possesses latent abilities
• Favorability: ?/? (inactive) (viewable from 70% system loading)

"I've prepared everything in the reception room to receive your guest, so why aren't you coming inside and staying here instead?"

Sara Rose was breathing hard from running all the way here. I looked at Raphael as if to say "you tell her."

Though he wasn't completely tactless, he sent Sara Rose a cold look and answered,

"I have claustrophobia."

"I see."

"Ah, I understand...!"

Sara Rose nodded vigorously as if she understood. Raphael's words sounded like an excuse no matter how you looked at it, but Sara Rose seemed to naively believe them at face value.

Then Sara Rose looked between me and Raphael with careful eyes and spoke again.

"Um, actually... I came because there's something I need to tell you. The carriage has broken down, so we won't be able to escort you outside the estate today."

Hearing this, I felt somewhat puzzled.

"Aren't there other perfectly good carriages at the estate? You could take one of those."

"Redford only has one carriage."

Huh, this big estate only has one means of transportation? I knew this was an isolated place, but shouldn't there at least be a spare carriage?

"Then couldn't we call for another carriage from outside?"

"Aw, where would we find a carriage willing to come all the way here at this hour?"

Sara Rose poked me as if asking why I was asking something so obvious.

Ah, the estate must be stuck in an even more remote corner than I thought. Well, it does have the gloomy, dreary exterior appearance of something that would be buried deep in some mountain valley. Looking around, all I can see are trees and fog.

"So since it's getting dark soon, it seems you'll have to stay the night, so I was thinking of preparing a guest room."

Sara Rose looked at me and Raphael as if asking for our opinions.

I shrugged my shoulders toward Raphael.

"That's how it is."

Raphael seemed like he wanted to mutter curses again but held back. From his reaction, it seemed difficult to contact Stella and have them bring another carriage.

Raphael glanced at the estate building as if there were vermin in front of him and said coldly,

"I'd rather sleep in the stables than enter such an estate."

"Oh, is your claustrophobia that severe? My goodness..."

Compassion appeared in Sara Rose's eyes. She clearly thought of Raphael as a pitiful person who couldn't even enter houses after hearing his words. It was the moment when Raphael, supposedly nobility among nobility, was relegated to being a distinguished homeless person in Sara Rose's mind.

"Lynn, what should we do then?"

"We should see if there's space in the stables."

"What? You're going to make me sleep in the stables?!"

I was just agreeing to do what he wanted, but Raphael flew into another rage.