Reincarnated in an Otome game as the ugly character in the background

Chapter 78: External Affairs

Once the train blew the whistle for us to enter, it started moving soon after.

As the minutes passed we watched the capital city recede, it was an interesting feeling.

In my previous life I never left Tokyo so this was my first trip out of the city.

There are 15 wagons in total on the train.

Five of them are related to the staff, the last two is where they keep the passengers' luggage or weapons.

The third wagon is where the staff that is not working sleeps, the second one is the security in case there is someone suspicious and the first one is of the driver who is in charge of driving, the second in command as the third in command is in charge of watching the magic stone that is in charge of supplying energy to the whole train.

The trains in the game were only vehicles to move quickly, they had no more background than that. But here they are incredible.

Each wagon is ten meters long and ten meters wide, you can stretch your legs and the seats are recliners, they can even give you pillows and sheets to sleep on.

From the first wagon the social classes are differentiated.

From 1 to 3 is for those who rarely travel.

From 4 to 8 is for those who use it constantly.

That leaves 9 and 10 as the best and therefore the most expensive.

We were in carriage 9 as the princess and her bodyguard used the most luxurious wagon.

A member of the imperial family cannot travel with those who are not at her level, is what Eli said to prevent the princess from being here.

Although I think it's just an excuse since when we got in she groped Eli's butt.

She said it accentuated to her curves and she didn't like that.

In my seating section was me at the window, Eli and Lily next to me, the seating sections are up to four people. Lily is on top of Eli's legs.

It's very adorable and I weird that.

While in the front were Celia and Evelyn.

We were all chatting about what we will do when we arrive.

To Eli's right from her position was Barbara, Amy watching the window looking bored, Celes playing cards with Cordelia.

Behind them were Yukihime and Leila talking about taking care of their tails. I was surprised that Yukihime's tails took up the whole section.

Barbara said with a smile.

"I'm glad to see that everyone is happy about this trip."

Her smile was real, she really was happy about it. So much so, that from her bag... she pulled out a big bottle of wine!

"Why don't we drink some to celebrate this vacation."

Immediately Cordelia took the bottle from her.

"What do you think you're doing Madame?"

"The doctor told you that you can't drink until after several months after the baby is born."

"Don't be like that!"

Barbara pleaded with Cordelia, almost imploring her as a snot came out of her mouth.

"No is no. You can't negotiate with a woman who likes to drink like you do."

*Blink*

"No!"

*Swallowing liquid*

Cordelia was drinking the entire content of the bottle.

Barbara looked like a child was being taken from her as she begged her to stop.

"You don't understand how special wine is to me! It was my best friend during my sad times. You're drinking a part of me, you're killing me Cordelia."

Eli looked at her mother with a cold stare.

"I knew deep down you had a problem with wine... but come to that, I have to tell Glenn to sell all those bottles."

"Noooooooooo! My precious Gustave! I've been saving you the same age as my daughter, noooo."

(She even calls them names...)

It sure was what we were all thinking.

While Razel's group was heading to their long awaited vacation, at the Rosenberg mansion located in the capital the servants were working like any other day.

One of them in particular was taking orders from Glenn.

"As ordered by the Madame. I'm going to go take a day off, I'll be back by tomorrow morning."

A young man with blue-black hair and gray eyes through his glasses showed how attentive he was to Glenn's words.

He was Claude, a commoner who is currently Glenn's assistant. Who will give him his approval or not to become the future chief butler when he retires. Which will make him Razel's right hand man when he becomes Duke.

Claude asked him as he saw him stowing some documents in a briefcase.

"Excuse me, chief butler. I have a question."

"Go ahead, say it."

"You what do you think of Madame's current situation."

Glenn paused from putting the documents away and looked sternly at Claude.

"What do you mean?"

He asked him in a serious tone, he replied.

"I don't mean it in a bad way. I mean that I was taken by surprise that she and her daughter's fianc had... that."

Glenn set the briefcase on the desk and asked Claude to sit down.

"Let me tell you something, this will be the first and last time I say it."

"I'm not judging you or criticizing you. I have been working in this house for almost 40 years of my life and not once did I ever question what the family members or the head of the house did. Even if it's not something legal or ethical."

"Your job even if it is to bite your tongue is to shut up. I've seen and heard things that even Madame doesn't know, part of it is to keep her and Miss Elize safe."

"Let me tell you something..."

"I'll leave you in charge, we're leaving."

Glenn got into the limousine that had recently arrived from the train station.

Claude and the maid in charge left by Cordelia dismissed him.

They entered the mansion and he went straight to Glenn's office.

He sat down and released a big sigh.

"So that's his reason for being so faithful. He really left me speechless, a man like him for that reason... life is really unexpected."

He stood up and walked out of the room.

He remembered Glenn's words to him about Barbara as he ordered a servant passing by him to fetch someone.

(Madame is someone I can say I've known since she was a little girl when the son of the former master of the house was alive.)

(She always smiled even though he knew she was suffering because of her family. For that reason, Miss Elize's grandfather had a special place here for her.)

(After that tragedy happened, she carried all the weight of the territory and the house by herself. If she wants to be happy together with her daughter's fianc, we are no one to stop her.)

"I charge you."

Glenn finished ordering the servant and returned to the office.

"If I want to be trusted in this house I must earn the family's trust first. It will be difficult since our interaction has been minimal since I arrived."

Inside the Rosenberg mansion there is a special room which is used.

It was a gymnasium where the knights could train and exercise.

All the equipment available to them was at their disposal.

The knights of Rosenberg Household had to be strong and reliable to defend the family members as the territory... but right now their self-esteem was at rock bottom.

"925..."

"926..."

They were looking at a beautiful girl with short, plum-colored, neck-length hair tied in a ponytail with the sides of her hair reaching to her chin and a fringe on the left, her eyes a light purple color.

It was not rare to see female knights, far from it, in the mansion. What was rare was seeing how much the girl lifted.

Her sportswear that matched her hair and eyes was totally engulfed in sweat.

She was lifting a weight that is gripped with two hands in one hand. She was doing it with two.

Each weight was equivalent to the same as what a heavy truck weighed.

"999..."

"1000."

When he finished he went to make bars. The count was the same, 1000 each. He had been doing this for two hours.

The knights were supposed to push their physical limits, but she left them cowering like children watching an adult lift a door.

Their masculinity was broken as they watched her flexing her arms on a machine where she had to work her back muscles.

Her screams of agony were not of what they thought, they were screams of overcoming.

The girl's name was Emily Crossbell and she is part of the twelve candidates to be the next sword saint.

She belongs to a prestigious baronet household which considers it inappropriate for a woman to practice the profession.

Like Razel, she was sent to the war of Lautreamont where she was saved by him. Seeing him fight and defeat a multitude of enemies, she was captivated by him.

After returning she was kicked out of her home and kept her family name just for being a candidate for a sword saint.

She joined the new knights of Rosenberg Household for the War Game and was praised by Barbara for fighting heroically.

She upon learning what Razel did at the time was even more captivated by him.

He was synonymous for strength and masculinity.

She wanted to be as strong as he was.

She wanted to be someone who could fight alongside him.

That's why she had to push her limits.

Having just completed the training, her body was weighing her down. She was just noticing the exhaustion.

(I am still weak. I must increase my hours of exercise if I want to be able to fight powerful enemies.)

A servant entered the gym and called out to her.

"Miss Crossbell, is Miss Crossbell here?"

"Yes, I'm here. Is something wrong?"

Approaching her, the servant said.

"The chief butler's assistant would like to speak with you... but first please take a shower."

Emily lowered her gaze and noticed all the sweat running down her toned belly like her strong arms and legs.

Her back showed the pinnacle of physical exercise and yet she said she lacked training.

Emily after changing went to the office where Claude was.

As she entered she greeted him. He said to her.

"Please have a seat. I will ask you a few questions."

She sat down and a little curious said.

"Excuse me. Is there a reason for me to be here? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no. You haven't done anything wrong. As part of my probationary job, I have to know everything about the mansion employees and territory officials."

"That's why I'll start fresh and you'll be my first consultation. Just relax and answer the simple questions honestly, okay?"

"Understood. I'll put all my effort into them."

Emily replied in a strong tone full of confidence.

Claude looked at her and smiled.

"Good, that's the answer I expected from one of the knights of Rosenberg Household. Now..."

He took out a notebook where he began to write down her details.

"First question, why did you decide to join Rosenberg Household?"

Emily thought for a moment, her answer had a short meaning, but she didn't want to reveal it because it was embarrassing.

She gave her answer once she started talking.

"Knowing that they were originally a house in ruins because of debt, it made me very happy to know that they managed to get over that wall. That the one responsible for it all was the future duke."

"Not only that. He's also been involved in other trouble spots I heard. Like the lawless city, the Lautreamont war and those shadows."

"Each and every one of them he has defeated and dealt with. It is a wonderful determination he has to improve the status of his future home. As a woman, I am in admiration to see a man with such high determination, I am sure that's the reason why the duchess decided to be his mistress and his daughter approved it. Honestly, I'm jealous forget that, it was just a digression of mine!"

Claude listened to what she said.

(In short. You are in love with the future duke.)

(I think that reason is valid, but it's also disturbing since she said she was jealous, so she would certainly opt to want to be a concubine.)

(I will talk to the duchess about talking to her daughter and making her an official mistress. It would be good to have someone who can become a possible sword saint as a protector of the future duke.)

The questions continued. Claude was amazed at how enamored Emily was with Razel to the point of mentioning him without having anything to do with him.

Emily's future as a member of Razel's harem was assured.