The Count Family's Young Master
Chapter 6 - A Small Smile (3)

Alister placed a smooth, shiny hollow wood over Valias' thigh. Put the plate with meat and vegetables as Valias saw yesterday with a knife and fork.

Not wanting to let himself linger a room with that arrogant old servant Valias began to devour bribes of the bribes the food served to him.

"Do you know what kind of king the man is?"

Valias decided to get Alister to talk after he finished eating. "King Chalis had two sons and one daughter. I propose that the young master follow young master Danial's movements if the young master is nervous about the invitation."

Valias had only been a year into a noble family. And his dislike of nobles made him lack of knowledge and experience in attending such formal events.

Alister tried to observe the expression of the eldest young master of the noble family he served. The 18-year-old boy did not look nervous at all. His face showed no change. "No need to worry about me. I'll act like I'm following the groove there."

Oh?

Alister did not expect such a playful answer. Alister had no idea what awaited the young master before him, but Alister was looking forward to the new show that his young master would show him.

Even if this quiet rat caused trouble, I would just watch everything as usual.

Valias felt his neck goosebumps.

I felt a sudden chill.

"Then I'll be back in the morning. May the young master rest well."

"Hm."

Alister showed off a smile and left. Valias was completely uninterested in the old man's movements. Before he realized, the room had already become darker than before and the door was completely closed.

...***...

The next day Alister returned and took care of Valias' morning affairs. Valias had thought of doing everything herself— except preparing bathwater—but Alister just showed off his fake smile and Valias started to give up on that thought.

Getting help is not bad either.

Which is actually ridiculous because, rather than assistance, it is more appropriate to be served. And Valias doesn't know that he can get Alister a variety of jobs that he might not have thought of in his mind and Alister will do them all with all his heart.

Valias returned to the reading room. Did what he did yesterday. This time with Alister.

Alister hadn't left his side since this morning. Even when Valias says that he wants to be alone, Alister will show off a smile as if it is the only thing he can be proud of, and ignore all Valias says.

"May I ask, what does the young master want to find out?"

Valias didn't expect Alister to ask that. Actually Valias thought Alister wouldn't care about anything he did.

But he saw me peering at books but not reading them. Maybe he was curious.

"If I answer, will you help me?"

"I think it's been my duty, young master."

"Huh." Valias did not stop doing his business while replying to Alister's every word.

"I thought I wanted to do something different."

"Is there someone the young master wants to get rid of?"

Ha's?

This time Valias felt himself having to look at the old servant.

Put away? Strange word selection.

"What are you talking about?"

"We Murim family are experts at such things."

....Like that's what?

Valias was too confused by the direction of the conversation and chose to ignore whatever the servant might have meant. Trying to straighten. "I feel like I know less about the other areas out there. I just want to know more."

"Is this because the young master is worried about the invitation?"

"What's? No."

Why should Valias be worried?

Well, if this whole scenario about Valias and the Bardev family's background fits my guess.

Valias secretly admires his imagination and observation.

But maybe it's not that hard.

"Do you know about elves?"

"I never saw them in person. But books and people say that they really exist."

"You think everybody thinks like that?"

"Yes, young master."

Valias thinks. If people think elves exist because of books and people's sayings, they do exist. But they hid their whereabouts and only a small portion of people had ever found the evidence outright.

But the book that I had read a little in Valias' room, the author wrote that he had actually found a pointed ear carcass.

Valias believed more or less in the confession of whoever wrote the book.

Unlike the books here, if I remember again, the book in Valias' room does not have an introduction like a book in general. Maybe more like a personal notebook. "Alister, do you think you can answer all my questions?"

"I will try, young master. Anyway this Alister hasn't read as many books as the young master and maybe my knowledge doesn't match your expectations."

Valias smiled wryly unconsciously.

Be humble with that smile? You think I don't know if you're playing me?

Valias suspects that Valias' servant is a fraud.

But at least, with his words I know that the real Valias has a familiarity with books.

Look at the books and the paper in the room.

Valias thinks that the real Valias is a reader and writer. "Any creature besides humans?"

"Does this young master want to show off his amazing knowledge?"

Valias completely ignored Alister. He did not want to stop peeking at the books knowing that Alister must still be putting on his fake smile.

Now who's actually playing who?

Valias really could not guess whether the old servant was just playing around with him or he really did not know. "Jawab it."

"I've never seen it in person, nor have most of the authors of the books. There is no definitive proof. The evidence presented by the author cannot be proven. But as far as I know besides the elves there are tribes of dwarves, fishmen, and werewolves."

"Other of them?"

"There shouldn't be, young master. Or perhaps the young master knew more and was willing to tell this servant his knowledge?"

The young master quietly put on a sour face.

Valias knows nothing either. But at least the fictional knowledge from before he became Valias allowed him to name more fictional creatures than Alister knew.

Although I'm not sure if they're really here.

Valias thought, maybe some, and some don't.

"Have you ever heard of the Crystal Forest and the skull forest?"

I can also find out if the books in Valias' room have also been read by people.

But Valias did not hear Alister's answer.

When Valias turned his head, Alister was watching him. This time the fake smile was gone. Replaced by a flat face. "Did the two forests really exist?"

Valias decides to use the words that Alister uses. "I found it in one of the books I read. Are you thinking of going to the Crystal Forest to sell the crystal?" Valias seduces.

"Does that Crystal say it has a selling point?"

Valias' eyebrows slightly raised. Whahuh? There are no crystals here?

Valias.

Then why was this old man silent?

"Rather than the Crystal Forest and the name I have never heard of, I am more interested in the skull forest that the young master mentioned earlier."

Then Alister's friendly smile returned.

"....."

Valias could not guess as weird as what the old man's tastes and mindset were.