HTPTMOTMM Chapter 33

I looked at Olivia's noticeably different outfit today and asked.

"But that dress—did you wear it because a priest visited the manor today?"

Her dress today was somewhat unusual. It was all white with gold and silver thread embroidery, and at first glance, it almost looked like a wedding dress. But the other decorations were extremely restrained, giving off a solemn and ascetic feeling.

Sergio, standing next to Olivia, was also wearing clothes that looked similar to a priest's vestments.

"Well, not exactly that—I just felt like wearing this with Sergio today."

Olivia spoke while showing off to me.

"See this? I even draped the hair ornament like a veil—I thought of that myself."

She had just told me not to act friendly, but from what I could see, Olivia was being more forward.

Maybe she didn't have anyone else to show off her clothes to, so she grabbed me for this?

Sergio also stood next to Olivia, turning his body as she directed, raising his arms, all while wearing an expression as if his soul had left his body.

I also checked both their character information while half-listening to Olivia's words.

Olivia (25)

• 9th World origin (Sarubia Preliminary Caregiver Training Institution affiliate)
• Redford Manor Room 5 Sergio's caregiver
• Personality: Impulsive, prickly, direct, simple
• Nickname: Spear keeper, King of beggars
• Current state: Excitement, elation, pride, satisfaction
• Affection level: ?/?(inactive)(available from 70% system loading or higher)

Sergio (12)

• Redford Manor Room 5 member
• Personality: Calm, cold, patient, strongly independent
• Current state: Annoyed, irritated
• Attribute: Evil
• Affection level: ?/?(inactive)(available from 70% system loading or higher)

But there was something peculiar in Olivia's character information that caught my eye.

'Huh? King of beggars?'

Why would Olivia, the most glamorous person at Redford Manor, have such a nickname?

Moreover, the maids had said that the shopping demon was Olivia from Room 5. She was famous for calling people almost daily to buy all sorts of things.

Also, Sergio's personality was unexpected.

With that gentle and mild appearance, having "coldness" as a personality keyword. Plus, he seemed quite upset from being tormented by Olivia right now.

"Anyway, the priest is in a fasting prayer period, so he won't come down to the dining room."

At that very moment, Olivia's movements, which had been showing off her beauty like a peacock, stopped abruptly. Her smiling face also hardened, and simultaneously her current state changed from "excitement" to "disappointment."

"Fasting prayer?"

"Yes."

"He's returning tomorrow morning?"

"Mm, yes."

"If he's fasting, then not just tonight's dinner but tomorrow's breakfast won't be in the dining room either?"

"I suppose so?"

Since he's someone who'd rather starve than eat the food here.

"Hah...! When I saw him in the hallway earlier, he ignored everyone's greetings, and now he won't even eat with us! Is he being picky because he's clergy, or what?!"

But Olivia was jumping around and getting angrier than I expected. Her face, which had looked happy, changed like a child whose Christmas present had been stolen.

I recalled Olivia's status window I had just seen.

"Did Room 5's caregiver also look forward to meeting the priest? By any chance, where you used to live, did you also not have many opportunities to see clergy?"

I said this remembering how Sara Rose had also said there were hardly any clergy where she used to live. But Olivia jumped at my words.

"What are you talking about...! Where I lived, clergy were common as dirt on the street! I'll have you know I lived in an upper world! It's just... I was interested because that priest's face is my type!"

Ah, damn. Right. Come to think of it, it could be personal interest in Raphael rather than clergy.

Since I had excluded him from my list of potential romantic interests within one minute of talking to Raphael, I hadn't even considered that others might view that bastard that way.

I had been slightly uncertain about Sara Rose's attitude earlier, but ultimately that was also a misunderstanding... So I thought it really wasn't the case.

But certainly, considering only Raphael's outer appearance, Olivia's interest wasn't completely unreasonable.

The face I had seen of Olivia earlier looked purely excited like Sara Rose, but this time it seemed I was the one who misunderstood.

"And Room 7, that comment seems to really disrespect me. What about me makes it look like I'd live in such a lower world? Look at me now! Do I look poor to you?"

Then, perhaps triggered by something, Olivia glared at me with fierce eyes. It was like a lizard getting angry after being hit by a carelessly thrown stone. She was so upset it seemed like I had hit a nerve.

Anyway, one thing was certain.

This lady talks very much like Raphael.

However, if Raphael was immersed in aristocratic arrogance to his bones and was used to looking down on others, Olivia seemed to be bristling with thorns after having her inferiority complex triggered.

Moreover, based on what both of them said, there seemed to be places here called "lower worlds" that were looked down upon and "upper worlds" that were envied.

'Is this really some kind of universe worldview? Or is it just a metaphorical expression referring to each region?'

Anyway, one more thing I could guess was that places they called lower worlds had almost no clergy. And since people like Olivia reacted sensitively to this, it would be better to be careful when talking about this in the future.

I spoke calmly as if to show I had no ill intentions.

"No. That's not what I meant. Since clergy isn't exactly an active profession, you can't always see them in any world."

It was too mean to deliberately provoke her when Olivia's face looked so sincere. She really seemed to feel shame and humiliation from my words.

In front of someone with such an expression, I became somewhat softer even though this was a game.

"Besides, Redford's employees continuously live only inside the manor, so people who've stayed here long have fewer opportunities to see outsiders."

Olivia didn't seem to twist my current words, and gradually relaxed her expression.

"Hmph, I've only been at Redford for six months."

"Ah, is that so? So you were acting territorial?"

"When did I act territorial?!"

Then a small voice came from below.

"Olivia, aren't you eating?"

Sergio sighed deeply again as if fed up and tugged at Olivia's hem. It was a signal to hurry into the dining room.

"Oh my, look at me. Our Juju is hungry. Let's quickly go eat something delicious."

Rumble, crash!

"Ah, that startled me!"

Suddenly, loud thunder rumbled from outside. Olivia, who had been speaking tenderly to Sergio, shouted in surprise.

"Ugh, why is the thunder so loud?"

"The thunder was quieter than Olivia's voice..."

In contrast, Sergio muttered in his usual bored voice.

As if she hadn't heard that, Olivia's eyes, which had been grumbling alone, glanced toward me.

"What are you doing? Are you going to keep standing here alone?"

I took my gaze away from the window I had been staring at upon hearing Olivia's call.

"Don't tell me you want us to enter the dining room together like friends?"

"Who said that?! I'm just saying I won't specifically stop Room 7 from following behind me."

Olivia rolled her eyes and snorted.

I frowned at Olivia, who had taken Sergio's hand and started walking ahead. Then I also started walking and turned my gaze back to the window.

'Did I see wrong?'

Raphael's figure that I had briefly glimpsed outside during the lightning was now gone, disappeared into the darkness.

"What? The priest is in a fasting prayer?"

About half the people had gathered in the dining room.

Room 1's Marianne and Lusca, Room 2's Cheswick and Minuel, Room 4's Raven, and Room 5's Olivia and Sergio who came with me.

"What, I was going to ask him to make some Morose-repelling charms."

Room 4's caregiver Raven, who saw me, glanced around nervously and then muttered to himself while subtly avoiding eye contact.

Raven (27)

• 14th World origin (Campanula Preliminary Caregiver Training Institution affiliate)
• Redford Manor Room 4 Leo's caregiver
• Personality: Fickle, sociable, emotional, petty
• Nickname: Lying con artist, bragging bat
• Current state: Anxious, excited
• Affection level: ?/?(inactive)(available from 70% system loading or higher)

I grimaced and smiled while looking at Raven's character information.

'This guy really wasn't from Stella.'

But to boldly deceive the people at the manor like that—in some ways, it was admirable.

"Ah, what the hell. That's annoying. Then I came down for nothing! If he can't come eat because of that prayer or whatever, he should have said so from the start!"

"Minuel was really looking forward to seeing him, so it's too bad. I was also curious since he was Ms. Lynne's guest."

Next to the irritated Minuel, Cheswick laughed lightly as always. I also checked these two people's character information.

Cheswick (24 years old)

• 41st World origin (Lunox Preliminary Caregiver Training Institution affiliate)
• Redford Manor Room 2 Minuel's caregiver
• Personality: Kind, prudent, self-sacrificing, thoughtful, gentle
• Nickname: Pure-hearted man
• Current state: Bored
• Affection level: ?/?(inactive)(available from 70% system loading or higher)

Minuel (12)

• Redford Manor Room 2 member
• Personality: High self-esteem, very lonely, fickle, passionate
• Current state: Irritated
• Attribute: Good
• Affection level: ?/?(inactive)(available from 70% system loading or higher)

Cheswick and Minuel's character information was almost exactly as I had imagined.

Wow, Cheswick's nickname is even "pure-hearted man." Moreover, all his personality keywords were good ones that matched his nickname. After confirming Cheswick's character information, my trust in him increased slightly, and my affection level seemed to rise as well.

"Lusca, let's get up."

"Yes."

Meanwhile, the Room 1 pair got up from their chairs as if there was no longer any reason to stay in the dining room without Raphael.

Whoooosh! Clatter!

Then suddenly, the dining room door burst open and strong wind swept in from outside. All the candles illuminating the dining room went out at once.

"What, it's dark! Cheswick, hurry and light the candles!"

"Don't move and stay still so you don't get hurt, Lusca."