Chapter 3

(Lancelot’s POV)

It was a mistake to say I will die soon, really. The warm air turned cold, and the gazes of thse two people in front of me didn’t help to ease the awkwardness at all.

In the end, I’m able to only laugh.

“...I was just joking, you two. Don’t look at me like that.”

In an instant, the two jolted as if just being set free from a glamour. They blinked at me in confusion.

“Is it... really a joke, Master?” Taylor sounded careful.

I giggled again. “Of course it is. But the part where I want to give you bonus is true, okay? You have to take it or else I would get mad.”

The butler and the stable boy swallowed nervously. The two seemed to understand what Lancelot getting mad is. As someone who doesn’t skip any part of the novel, I can tell you that Lancelot has bad temper.

“U-Understood, Master.” Taylor finally abides.

I nodded my head happily as a satisfactory gesture and resumed to eat a few pieces of cake, before inviting Hans to join me eating the breakfast.

Time passed by and it was almost lunchtime. Deciding that it’s best that I explore this unknown fief which a notorious mob called Lancelot Ral Constance had, I ordered Taylor to return home while asking for Hans to accompany me to the town.

“B-But Master-” Taylor somehow seemed very worried. To add to the strangeness, Hans too looked quite nervous as he kept of avoiding to look at me, despite still keeping his straight expression.

“W-Won’t it be better if I am the one who accompanied you tp the town. I am an experienced person who knew about the places around this region.”

I nodded as an agreement. “Indeed you are wise. But don’t you think...” My hand moved to gently hit the upper part of his chest. “Don’t you think I will be safe if I have Hans with me? He’s stacked.”

Taylor looked at me in shock while Hans suddenly flushed.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing, master.” Taylor cleared his throat. “If it’s your wish, then please be safe in your journey.”

“Yeah, I will.” I smiled at him.

After gaining permission to wander around the town, me and Hans were deciding which horse we should take to go to the small town.

“Taking Ildian might be better for the two of us.” Hans suggested while referring to a huge black stallion, that is bigger and more handsome than me, like, in a sense. I mean, just where can you find a stallion with a beautiful hair and healthy body? I thought there were none in this fief because of the stinginess of Lancelot in giving funds for house management.

“He’s beautiful.” I commented. I stepped closer to the majestic looking animal and offered my hand to touch it. Luckily the stallion named Ildian is quite the gentle horse.

“He wasn’t like this to anyone usually.” Hans informed while setting the reins.

“Really? That kind of makes me happy.” I chuckled and continued to rub his face.

“Now then, shall we go?” Hans tugged the reins to climb up the horse but suddenly halted when I gave him a strange look.

“Is there a matter, sire?” Hans blinked.

“Nothing. Does this means the two of us are going to ride Ildian?”

Suddenly the stable boy flared again. “D-Do you not want to ride together?”

Why is his tone shy? What is wrong with him?

“It’s convenient too if the two of us ride on one horse, but won’t it be uncomfortable? I mean...” I stepped near him and fathomed my arms. “I am indeed smaller than you but we might want to have our own personal space, don’t you think?”

For a quick moment, I swear I saw his eyes glint. He then fell into an awestruck state for a couple of seconds.

“...Yeah, you are right.”

“I told you, right?” I giggled. Because of the long amount of time we spent just to choose a horse, Taylor who was waiting inside the horse carriage stuck his head out to check up on us.

“Master, is there something wrong?”

I shook my head as a reply. “Nothing. We have chosen our horses so you can go now.”

Hans then immediately released the horses that we chose before putting an individual seat on each of them.

With that, the three of us went to our separate ways.

(Lancelot’s POV)

As an avid fan of ‘The Love OF My Life’ I am well informed of this town’s agricultural situation. I used to scorn Lancelot for abusing his fief people but never expected to be transmigrated as him. What a karma.

The Constance estate was small so in just about a few minutes, I am able to reach the town inside my fief.

Parallel to my expectation, the town is really in shambles. Although magic is supposed to be well known in the entirety of this world, this town has no advancement as such.

Additionally, I could feel people staring daggers at me as me and Hans galloped inside the town. Given all the torture I gave to all of these helpless people, there’s no telling how much hatred they stored for me. If I won’t get killed by the prince, sooner or later one of these grudging people would do it.

“Hans.” I pulled the reins of Ildian’s and the stallion stopped. Following behind me, I heard Han’s horse slowly galloping towards my side.

“Yes, sire?”

I spared another glance to my surrounding and to the far distance of the path we’re in, where the view of rundown and badly managed houses filled my eyes.

“It’s disastrous.” I muttered, causing Hans who heard me to stay silent. The stable boy probably knows who was behind all this, if not others, it was the person who’s beside him.

Memories of what that bastard Lancelot did to this town resurfaced inside my mind. The torture, the tax, the drought and the abandonment, all of them were what caused this town to stoop this low in life quality. It is a prove of how bad he was as a noble who was supposed to take care of others.

But I probably won’t do well as a noble too. I am a middle aged man who was a burden to others, shied away from any will of being useful. At least I was useful at the very end of my life, when I gave my heart to my nephew.

My nephew, I wonder how she’s doing right now? I hope she’s doing well.

The view of the starving people snapped me from my daze. Kicking my sense back in, I decided that it’s time to make changes in this town, but not when I’m this oblivious.

“I need to know what happens to this town.” I implored.

“Yes?” Hans turned to me, looking like he was half listening to what I just said.

Blowing a sigh, I turned to look at the stable boy and smiled. “Bring me to the chief’s house.”