Clayton Family

By the time they returned home and finished making the necessary arrangements, it was nearly noon. Hahn had no choice but to see to lunch for the time being, while Lucius went back to his room and locked the door.

Lucius still couldn't figure out what "George III" was really after.

He had let me choose to become a "Demoness," yet directly conferred the title of "Countess" on me. That was clearly meant to let the whole world know that "I was a woman."

But what use was a "Countess" like me? Was I supposed to infiltrate the "Demoness Church"?

That wouldn't make much sense, though. If he could get everything "George III" had promised, he could raise countless Assassins. Wouldn't it be better to let them slowly get their feet wet on their own? Even if I became a "Demoness," the Demoness Sect would have to be stupid to think I was one of their own rather than a "spy."

"Young Master Lucius, lunch is ready."

Hahn's voice interrupted Lucius's thoughts. If he couldn't figure it out, there was no point dwelling on it. He just needed to learn "George III's" ultimate goal. At worst, he could report him when the time came.

Because of the "special circumstances" during this period, lunch today wasn't as lavish as Lucius remembered it being. There was only a simple meal of steak, salad, cream of corn soup, and a few desserts such as ice cream.

After watching Lucius finish eating, Hahn arranged for the staff to clear the table and prepared to leave.

"Hahn, come with me for a moment." Seeing Hahn after lunch reminded Lucius of Uncle-in-law Lev's suggestion that morning.

Hahn Clayton was a little surprised to hear this. Under normal circumstances, Lucius would be going to take a nap by now. In the past, he'd always ordered that no one disturb him.

Still surprised, Hahn followed close behind.

Drawing on his memories, Lucius found his study on the second floor, opened the door, and went inside. Hahn followed him in and shut the door firmly behind them.

Lucius sat down wherever was convenient and said to Hahn, "Find yourself a seat."

Once Hahn had sat down, Lucius explained why he'd asked to speak with him:

"Hahn, you're a Beyonder too, aren't you? Which Pathway are you on?"

Hahn wasn't at all surprised by Lucius's question. He calmly replied, "I'm a Lawyer, Young Master. To better serve the Sheffield Family, every Clayton chooses the Lawyer Pathway."

"I'm a Sequence 9 Lawyer on the Lawyer Pathway."

Hearing Hahn's answer, Lucius immediately asked, "What about Rex? Has he chosen to become a Beyonder?"

Rex Clayton was Hahn's son. He was already seventeen and was studying at Eton College with the Sheffield Family's support. If nothing unexpected happened, he would become Lucius's butler in about three years.

Hearing that Lucius was asking about his son, Hahn calmly replied, "Rex has already started learning about the Beyonder world, but he hasn't taken a Potion and become a Beyonder yet. Under normal circumstances, he'll take a Potion at the end of this year. He'll study law at university, and after graduating, he'll start preparing to take over my work."

Hearing Hahn's answer put Lucius at ease. Given his circumstances, joining the military was no longer suitable for him, but he couldn't just give away what belonged to the Sheffield Family. So he'd accepted Uncle-in-law Lev's suggestion to cultivate a "White Glove" to take his place. But where was he supposed to find a suitable candidate? He went straight to the point:

"Hahn, you know the Sheffield Family's current situation. There's a very good chance I won't join the military, but what belongs to the Sheffield Family can't be given away. So we need to cultivate someone suitable to take my place in the military. Your family has worked for the Sheffields for a long time, and every one of you has served us wholeheartedly. That's why I'd be happy to recommend Rex. You can think it over and ask Rex whether he'd be willing to go."

Hahn was stunned by Lucius's words. Lucius had only recently arrived in this world and hadn't attended many gatherings, so he didn't understand the value of what he'd just said.

But as a member of a family that had always served the Sheffield Family, Hahn understood exactly what those words were worth.

Even if the family's military position would eventually be taken back, no one could take away what they gained during that time. The most obvious benefit was that the Clayton family would have military connections from then on.

If Hahn had to describe how he felt, the most apt words came from Emperor Roselle: "A pie fell from the sky! No, saying a pie fell from the sky doesn't do it justice—it was practically a noble title!"

No Clayton had become a butler because he was poor. They had become butlers because of the name "Sheffield."

After hundreds of years of accumulation, the Clayton family's net worth was no less than a Viscount's. Of course, they hadn't gotten that money by "stealing" from the Sheffield Family.

They'd earned it through their own investments, using information they'd obtained while serving the Sheffields. For example:

In wartime, they could learn where the Loen Kingdom would wage war, when it would begin and end, and which goods would skyrocket in value during that period.

In peacetime, they could also hear about promising investment opportunities, and even take part in the Sheffield Family's investments. After all, they only took a little of the scraps and didn't grab much. Even if the head family found out, they wouldn't blame them—in fact, they might praise them for being clever and having a good head for business.

With access to information from the highest levels of the country, anyone who still couldn't make money would be less clever than a "Curly-Haired Baboon."

They also didn't have to bear the risks of military service. The arrangement had been passed down almost perfectly from one generation to the next. The Sheffield Family generally sponsored and raised the children until they came of age. After that, they had a steady job with food and lodging provided. They could raise the next generation to take over from them, and once the transition was complete, return to the Sheffield Family's fief to manage their own family's land and the head family's estates, then enjoy a peaceful retirement.

The Clayton family also had excellent discipline. Nearly every generation understood that they owed their success to the Sheffield Family, so they made a point of not causing trouble for the head family. They were even more protective of the Sheffield Family's interests than the Sheffields themselves.

Once Hahn came to his senses, he said solemnly, "Don't worry, Young Master Lucius. Rex will certainly follow your wishes and join the military."

Seeing Hahn Clayton's serious expression, Lucius felt a little baffled. All he could say was:

"You should still consider what Rex Clayton wants. If he isn't willing, I won't force him."

"I'm sure Rex Clayton will agree, Young Master Lucius." That was all Hahn could say aloud in response. But what he was really thinking was:

"If my son doesn't agree, I'll beat him until he does. An opportunity like this only comes once in a hundred years."

If Rex turned down this opportunity, it would go to another family. Old Clayton had more sons than just him.

If he heard about this, he would surely return to Bexland and beg Young Master Lucius for mercy, asking him to give their family another chance. Then his younger brother or someone else would go instead. Even though they were all Claytons, he still had his own selfish motives.

The reason was that the Claytons also wanted to replicate the Sheffield family's success. If they became nobles first, they'd lose their butler's position and the protection that came with it, leaving them vulnerable to being gradually swallowed up by other nobles.

Most who joined the military ended up as ordinary soldiers. Even if they asked the head family to pull strings for them, they wouldn't achieve much. They'd be caught in the middle—neither rising high nor staying low—and it would cost them money. Guided by the principle of "better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix," they had gradually given up on military service.

But the desire for their own family to become noble had never changed.

"You can discuss this among yourselves. Just get back to me as soon as possible." Seeing how obviously delighted Hahn was, Lucius spoke calmly.