Chapter 3: You’re Fired

“You’re fired.”

“What?”

“I said you’re fired. Do you have anything left to say after acting like this toward your employer?”

The butler’s face contorted at Simon’s words.

What is this sucker saying right now?

Thinking that Simon, whom he had always looked down on, was standing up to him made his anger flare uncontrollably.

“Who do you think you are to fire me?”

“The owner of this manor and your employer. Did you think I wouldn’t know what you’ve been doing in this house?”

“Ha. What are you talking about? I was hired by Mr. Dalton Grayan. If you kick me out, Mr. Dalton won’t just sit back and watch, you know?”

The butler sneered.

He wasn’t wrong.

It was certain that Dalton would scold Simon once he found out the butler had been fired.

Dalton did not tolerate Simon defying him, and Simon feared Dalton’s scolding more than anything.

However, that was the story before Simon had experienced death.

That threat no longer worked on Simon.

“What does that matter? This is my manor, and I decide who stays by my side. Get out of my house this instant.”

“But!”

“Do I have to call the police to get you out?”

Simon was not an easy target.

The butler hesitated when the police were mentioned.

If the police were called, all the actions the butler had taken in this house would be revealed.

Drinking expensive alcohol at will, embezzling Simon’s clothes, and countless other minor corruptions he had committed until now would come to light.

If Simon set his mind to it, the butler could head to prison at any time.

The butler looked at Simon.

For the first time, it hit him that Simon was the master of this manor and a man of wealth he couldn’t even hope to contend with.

Compared to that, the butler was merely an employee.

He had ignored Simon as a sucker, but that was only possible because of Simon’s patience.

“D*mn it!”

He kicked the trash can.

It was because that was the only thing he could do.

Then, filled with rage, he shouted at the top of his lungs.

“You dare fire me? You’ll regret this! You think I’ll just let this go? Ha! This kind of ghost manor!”

“What?”

“Simon Grayan! You think you’re so special? Everyone talks behind your back. They say the master of this house is as good as dead, so he’s no different from a ghost. They call this manor a ghost manor, too! After I bothered to come here and work, you don’t even know how to be grateful!”

The butler spat out curses, kicked the cabinet once more, and swept items off the desk in a fit of rage.

Then, he grabbed his bag and stomped out of the butler’s office.

Several servants, sensing the atmosphere, followed the butler out.

They were the servants the butler had hired.

Looking at the ruined office, Simon let out a sigh.

Shouting had drained all the strength from his body.

“Please sit here.”

A maid quickly brought over a chair.

Simon sat down and exhaled a long breath.

He had only intended to throw away the medicine, but he ended up firing the butler as well.

He hadn’t planned on firing him.

To be precise, the man hadn’t even been in his thoughts.

It was an unexpected turn of events, but he felt refreshed.

He hadn’t liked the butler from the start.

Furthermore, when Simon was dying, the man had neglected him without providing even the minimum level of nursing care.

From the moment the doctor said there was no hope, he hadn’t shown his face at all.

“Please have some water. Your face is pale.”

The maid quickly poured a glass of water and handed it to him.

Simon looked at her as he took the glass.

Her face seemed familiar; it looked like she had worked at the manor for quite a while.

“What is your name…?”

“You don’t know me? I’ve worked here for three years.”

The maid asked back, sounding taken aback.

Simon apologized honestly.

“I’m sorry.”

“…It’s Lizzie.”

Lizzie reluctantly told Simon her name.

“Lizzie. I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

Simon made a request to her.

“Please gather the people remaining in the manor.”

At Simon’s request, Lizzie gathered those who were left.

The situation was quite serious.

Since most of the servants were the butler’s people, now that he was fired, fewer than five people remained working in this manor.

One maid, one manservant, a kitchen assistant, and a gardener were all that were left.

To have filled the staff with his own people in just one year—whether the butler was exceptionally skillful or had acted that ruthlessly, it was an impressive feat.

Simon sat at the same table with the remaining staff and ate.

The chef had also left, so it was a pity they had to reheat and reuse what the butler had set out to eat, but it was enough.

There were few people left, and Simon could barely manage a bowl of soup anyway.

While eating, Simon heard the names of the remaining people.

He repeated them in his mind several times so as not to forget this time.

He complimented the gardener on the beauty of the garden, told the kitchen assistant he was sorry for always leaving food behind, and expressed his gratitude to Lizzie and the manservant for always keeping his room clean and warm.

Since Simon usually stayed cooped up in his room and ate haphazardly, eating while talking with people was very enjoyable.

The employees, for their part, were happy to sit together at the table only the master could use, sharing food and talking with Simon.

He hadn’t liked a single thing about the butler, but he felt grateful for the fact that the man had laid out food in the dining room.

After the meal, Simon called Lizzie aside.

There was one person he had been thinking about throughout the meal.

Marriott Rut.

She was the person who had worked as the manor’s butler until a year ago.

Starting as a maid, she rose to head maid, and when Simon inherited the manor, he made her the butler, but she suddenly resigned.

She was someone more than just a butler to Simon.

As far as Simon could remember, Rut was always by his side.

The nanny had quit early on, so Rut had looked after him instead.

Simon learned his letters from her, learned the names of flowers, and learned the most basic ways of the world.

There was a time when he felt she was like a mother who had passed away early.

After his father died, it was because she was there that Simon was able to endure.

“By any chance, do you know where Rut is?”

“Why? Don’t tell me… you’re going to bring Ms. Rut back?”

“If possible.”

“You just stood by when Ms. Rut resigned, didn’t you? Ms. Rut was so disappointed back then.”

Lizzie, feeling emotional, questioned Simon.

Simon couldn’t say anything to her.

It was true that he had done nothing when Rut had to leave over an unfortunate matter.

“…….”

Lizzie hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“It’s for Ms. Rut’s sake. Because Ms. Rut really, really liked the Master. She’ll be happy to see you again.”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know exactly where she is either. Instead, I know someone who might know. I’ll guide you there.”

“Alright.”

Lizzie said she would prepare a carriage and left the butler’s office.

Simon returned to his room and prepared to go out.

Since there was no servant to help him, he changed his clothes alone for the first time.

Once he was finished, his appearance was somewhat clumsy.

If Rut knew he was walking around looking like this, she would nag him, he thought, but Simon couldn’t do any better with his own abilities.

While riding in the carriage, Simon leaned his head against the wall and exhaled ragged breaths.

The swaying of the carriage made him nauseous, but it was bearable to this extent.

After all, he did go out once in a very long while if it wasn’t a long distance.

Rut had submitted her resignation and left very suddenly last year.

She said a problem had arisen with her family and she had to resolve it.

Simon was hurt that she was leaving him.

He ignored her until the day she left because he was throwing a tantrum.

Inwardly, he hated that she was leaving, yet he didn’t even make an attempt to hold her back.

He didn’t ask what exactly the family problem was, or if there was anything he could do to help.

Because Rut didn’t tell him first, because she was going to leave him anyway, because she chose her family over him—there were many excuses, but in the end, Simon had simply done nothing, as he always had.

After that, he hadn’t heard a single word of news from Rut.

Inwardly, he was both hurt and missed her, but Simon had never attempted to contact her first.

Thinking about it now, he felt he was a person so lethargic it was sickening.

‘Once I find Rut, I’ll tell her I’ll help with anything, even now.’

If the problem was serious enough for her to quit a long-held butler job, it must mean the family issue is severe.

Of course, he still didn’t know what help he could be, being poorly educated and ignorant of the world, but he intended to do his best regardless.

The carriage stopped in front of a building in the city.

The first floor of the building was a pretty cafe, and on the second floor, a suspicious sign that read ‘Clint Detective Agency’ was hung.

The moment he saw that sign, his heart, which had been quiet all along, began to thud.

Simon couldn’t take his eyes off the sign as he asked Lizzie.

“Could it be that this is where we’re going? The person who might know, could it be….”

“Mr. Clint Evan.”

“Clint, Clint….”

Simon repeated the name.

“Ah, is it a bit uncomfortable? Mr. Dalton doesn’t like Mr. Clint, does he? Still, he’s a good person. There are a lot of bad rumors, but they’re all just rumors, and above all, he’s competent….”

“…….”

As Simon stood there dazed, Lizzie asked back worriedly.

“Or would you rather just stay in the carriage? Shall I go by myself?”

“No!”

Simon yelled out.

As Lizzie looked at him with a surprised expression, he let out a dry cough.

His face was flushed bright red.

His heart was pounding.

He looked at the sign once more.

Clint Detective Agency

‘Clint. I’m meeting Clint?’

Clint Evan.

He was the person Simon was passionately, unrequitedly in love with.