CHAPTER 23
1135 Words
The true colors of that master finally went out from hiding. It's no longer wonder how can he easily threatens his servants because of the attitude he has. Will he really go as far as killing everyone here if I get to escape?
Thinking about that possible outcome had I pursue with my plan to escape will just become a burden in my back that I will have to carry around if ever these people will perish because of me.
A day after the master left for his visit in that place he called 'caldera', I decided to look around for anything I could do while I remain his prisoner here. At first, I decided to move around and tried out most of the rooms that could entertain me.
After watching about three movies in a row varying from comedy, romance, and sci-fi, I then decided to quit it as sitting for nearly five hours straight made my bottom cramps like an old lady.
When I was done with the movies, I then move to play around the arcade that I never tried even once. I was only fascinated to play one Super Mario game which always ends so quickly. This made me lost my patience immediately and thus forcing me to move on to another room.
This time, I came to see the hot bathroom and took a nice one filled with milk and rose petals. Some servants even help me out to scrub my back, hands, and feet. It was as though I am living a royal life with this kind of treatment. It was embarrassing since I am fully naked but I needed this to relax my mind. After the bath, I was treated next with a whole-body massage. I had a good Swedish for two hours while enjoying soothing spa music in the background. The whole experience made me sleep for the next hours.
The whole day ended at the dining hall as I sit alone eating a dinner which appears it's good enough to serve five more mouths. If only I could, I'd like to reprimand these people about excessive servings. I understand if the master is rich enough to afford all of these but perhaps trying to be reasonable with expenditures will not hurt their egos. If the Master is wise enough about finances, he'd even appreciate knowing his servant is utilizing his money accordingly.
"Leandro, if I may ask, who's taking care of your finances?" I ask. If there would be someone from this household who would best know the finances, of course, it would be no other than Leandro. For a butler, he seems to be working all-around just like I thought of him as no ordinary butler.
If there's a chance that Leandro would be open enough to discuss with me the way he handles the finances of this household, perhaps I might actually be of help. Back in La Sobelle, I used to do most of the troubleshooting with the finances. I basically handle the accounting of the office back then so I already have a background on how to handle the finances, but still, Leandro will need to give me the go signal if I can interfere with their finances.
"It's my Master, of course, miss Emalia." It wasn't the answer I was expecting from Leandro. I was completely surprised to know that that ill-tempered man is the one handling the finances. Well, I get it now why everything here appeared to be excessive with lavishness. It was that master's doing after all. Pathetic how he even tried lecturing me about hating people who have excessive leftovers when he can't even plan out service the right amount to be served during meals in the first place.
I was pretty much occupied by my thoughts when Leandro added saying, "Why do you wish to know, Miss Emalia?" Or more like curiously interrogating. At this point, I suddenly feel hesitant to ask him further if I can actually take a look into the finances. I guess it's not my place to interfere after all and so, I just replied to him something else. "I was wondering, maybe starting from now on I only want a single serving in each of my meals," I told him.
From how I see it, Leandro seemed to be wondering about my sudden request. But not until he asked, "I wonder what does your request have to do with asking who's handling the household's finances?"
Leandro can be very clever, but not clever enough to trap me within his feeble fence.
"I was actually thinking about helping with the finances since I find everything here too excessive and unnecessary, but knowing my position now and learning about the fact that it was your master who takes care of it, I'd rather not meddle into anything that doesn't concern me in the first place. So perhaps, helping out by reducing anything I consume would help." I told him. My answer somewhat startled Leandro but he didn't say anything.
"There is no need of that Miss Emalia." He said back. I saw how proud Leandro was when he told me there's no need for it at all.
"And why not? I remember your master telling me how he hates excessive leftovers but pathetically, he doesn't even seem to see how enormous are all the servings every time he dines."
"Humbly speaking, my master owned so much wealth you'd even find too hard to count overnight, Miss Emalia."
"Leandro, Did you know that there are two things that define every person?" I suddenly came to tell him.
"I'm not certain if my knowledge is as same as yours. What do you mean by it, Miss Emalia?" He immediately replied. His eyes were curious. I believe I caught his attention too quickly.
I give him that winning gaze as I replied, "First, your patience when you have nothing, and second, your attitude when you have everything. Where do you think your master currently falls in?" which is more like a probe.
But I was surprised when he told me, "My master plays the role in between, Miss Emalia. If he takes one from any of the two options, the balance he's been trying to maintain will collapse. It will not only affect him but the entire household as well."
Hearing this from Leandro made me look like the one who's defeated. It's pretty hard to play idioms around someone as clever as this butler after all. Next time, I might just consider giving him riddles from ancients civilization which he won't be able to answer just so he could actually know how it feels to be struck back by your own words.
My evening went about just like that—defeated by Leandro.
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- Writer
