Surprisingly, the Beast didn’t say much throughout breakfast or even afterward, when Butler Almond personally—or rather, using his feet—poured my tea. I was prepared for him to immediately kick me out now that the sun was up, but he remained strangely silent. Only after sipping his tea did he finally speak.
“Did breakfast suit your tastes?”
“Hm, it was fine.”
What was up with this suddenly normal question? Fine, if he wasn’t going to start, then I’d do it myself.
I’ve already planned everything out.
Given his attitude yesterday, I was certain the Beast would do whatever it took to drive me away. I’d deliberately provoke him until he snapped and said something nasty. Then, I’d claim that his open hostility made me want to stay even more.
The classic reverse psychology operation.
“Shall we continue our conversation from yesterday? Let’s avoid unnecessary effort. Just send me away peacefully.”
“…”
Unexpectedly, the Beast just glared silently, saying nothing for quite some time. Eventually, Butler Almond flew softly onto his shoulder and whispered something in his ear, prompting the Beast to finally speak again.
“…If you want to go, then go. If you’re so desperate to stay, I suppose you can.”
“Who said I wanted to stay? I clearly said I want to go home. You said yourself I’d be useless here anyway.”
“True, you’d be useless. But if you insist on staying, I won’t stop you. I’m not so impoverished that one freeloader would break the bank.”
“…”
“…”
What was with him? His attitude today was completely different from yesterday. Had he undergone some change of heart overnight? This completely derailed my original plan. Should I subtly agree to stay?
No, absolutely not. If I surrendered control from the start, I’d be at a disadvantage the entire time I worked here. Besides, the last thing I wanted to see was that Beast gloating smugly as though he’d predicted this outcome.
The more lenient he was, the harsher I had to respond—until he was thoroughly annoyed and wouldn’t dream of asking me to stay.
“As if I’d want to stay here. Why would I ever choose to work under someone with such a rotten personality when I have my own perfectly comfortable home? I’m obviously going back.”
“Ha! You think you have the right to criticize my personality? You’re utterly shameless.”
“Yes, yes. This beautiful, shameless young man will now disappear. So you’ve officially granted me permission to leave?”
I deliberately made a show of standing up. Predictably, the Beast flinched and waved his hand irritably.
“Fine, hurry up and go. No matter how understaffed I am, someone like you in my castle… Ack!”
Butler Almond, who had remained near the Beast’s ear, had now stuck his beak directly into it. I even heard a faint sound like fur being plucked out just now.
Anyway, everything was going according to plan. Not missing the opportunity, I promptly pressed him further.
“What do you mean, ‘someone like me’? I’ve been wanting to point this out since yesterday—you’re way too rude to someone standing right in front of you. Exactly what about me irritates you so much?”
“…I’ve changed my mind.”
“What? Changed your mind?”
Everything had been going perfectly—why was he suddenly acting like this?
“You know my identity, and you’re hardly trustworthy. I can’t just let you leave freely. How could I possibly trust you?”
“And what if you don’t let me leave freely?”
“Choose. Either stay here as my employee, or leave the castle forever unable to speak again.”
Um, was it just me, or did his fangs gleam especially ominously when he mentioned ‘unable to speak’? What the heck, why did this suddenly change genres?
This wasn’t one of those ‘you know too much, now you must die’ storylines, right? This guy really was straight out of some old-fashioned fairy tale, complete with outdated threats.
Sure, he’d ended up trapping me exactly as I’d planned, but staying here under threats wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.
“What kind of choice is that? That’s straight-up blackmail. If you don’t want me to leave so badly, just admit it.”
“In what universe is such hopeful thinking even possible?”
“The universe where the person who was dead set on kicking me out yesterday suddenly tries to keep me for ridiculous reasons today.”
He flinched. I definitely saw it. Smiling sweetly, I spoke softly.
“You could’ve just honestly asked me to stay. I might’ve pitied you enough to consider it.”
“Ridiculous. Asking favors is reserved for those who deserve it.”
“And what if I happened to be someone who deserved it?”
“Deserve? More like disaster. You’re nothing but trouble.”
Wow, first I was treated as a useless object, now I’d been upgraded to a full-blown disaster. Actually, this was perfect—it was exactly the reaction I’d been aiming for.
The fact that my voice was a bit louder now was merely part of my performance. Definitely not because I was genuinely annoyed or anything.
“How can you be so sure? You’ve never even seen me work.”
“Do I need to? Seeing a little tells you a lot.”
“That’s a great saying, but the problem is you’ve barely seen a fraction of even that one thing. You’re far too quick to judge.”
“Heh, and just where is this confidence coming from?”
“My confidence is completely justified.”
I straightened my index finger, listing out each point clearly and deliberately.
“Firstly, you’re the one who urgently needs help, not me. From what I’ve seen, there isn’t a single human employee in this mansion. Imagine how inconvenient that must be. Even if you manage internal matters somehow, you’ll still need someone to deal with outsiders. I’m sure there’s plenty of work piled up.”
“Exactly right! Very perceptive, Master Briel!” Butler Almond chimed in enthusiastically. I knew it. After yesterday’s spectacle, with Almond disguised clumsily as a human, this much was obvious.
“Secondly, I’m extremely adaptable. Once I accept a situation, I adjust to it quickly. Considering the unique circumstances of this mansion, that’s a significant advantage.”
I’d adapted seamlessly even to reincarnating into another world. I’d even managed to live unnoticed among complete strangers without causing suspicion.
“And how am I supposed to believe that?”
“I think I’ve proven it already. Isn’t the fact that we’re speaking comfortably after just a single day enough evidence?”
Honestly, most people wouldn’t be able to handle him casually like this. Even I, knowing about the Beast beforehand, felt intimidated when he flashed his fangs. Thankfully, he seemed to acknowledge this and didn’t argue further.
“Lastly, because I adapt quickly, I learn fast. Since I learn quickly, I become competent in no time. I’ve never once been called incompetent, despite working in various roles.”
“Various roles? Your father claims you’ve done nothing but lounge around at home since birth.”
“Oh, that’s misinformation. My father simply isn’t aware, but I’ve worked hard in my own way.”
Technically, it wasn’t a lie—just that the hardworking person wasn’t Briel but the previous me. Since reincarnating, I’d enjoyed a leisurely life, but back in my previous life, I’d constantly juggled part-time jobs from the moment I graduated high school.
“In short, given this mansion’s peculiar circumstances, you’ll have trouble finding anyone better than me to quickly and flexibly handle all the accumulated tasks.”
Of course, the biggest reason was that, no matter how difficult it became, I had no choice but to stay here for two years. But I wasn’t foolish enough to reveal my weaknesses myself.
“That concludes my points.”
Not bad at all. Seems like my job-interviewing skills hadn’t gotten rusty. Considering I’d prepared this hastily this morning, it was an impressive presentation.
While I congratulated myself internally, the Beast’s expression remained skeptical.
“What? Something you’d like to refute?”
“No, frankly, I’m surprised. Your analysis is accurate, and your reasoning was unexpectedly persuasive. But…”
Was he seriously trying to find fault with my perfect pitch? Fine, let’s hear it then.
“You seem suspiciously enthusiastic.”
Ah, damn it!
“Now that I think about it, you’re the one whose attitude changed dramatically since yesterday. Did something make you desperate to stay?”
“Th-that’s just a misunderstanding! I simply couldn’t tolerate my value being underestimated!”
Idiot! Why the hell did I start stuttering at such a crucial moment? Thankfully, the Beast didn’t seem to notice my slip-up. He tapped thoughtfully on the armrest before finally nodding.
“Fine. If you’re that eager, it won’t hurt to give you a chance. You’re hired—as a temporary employee for three months. Whether you stay longer depends on your performance.”
Yes! I secretly clenched my fist behind my back, careful not to show my excitement. Instead, I deliberately responded more arrogantly.
“The same goes for me. If the working conditions turn out to be lousy, I’ll leave even before the three months are up. Don’t even think of begging me to stay.”
“Hah. You’re the one who should worry about repaying your father’s debt. The day you’re kicked out, I’ll demand the full amount immediately.”
Just as sparks flew between us, both smirking provocatively, a parrot fluttered into view—Butler Almond.
“Both of you have made excellent decisions. Allow me to explain further using this employment contract.”
Almond carried a luxurious, thick parchment. When had he prepared this? Seeing how quickly it appeared, he’d clearly anticipated this long before I’d announced my decision.
“I’ll explain your specific duties and precautions later. For now, I’ll briefly outline the basic terms of employment.”
“Yes, please do.”
“The standard workweek is five days, from 9 AM to 6 PM, including one-hour breaks each for lunch and rest.”
…This was actually far better than I’d expected. I’d worried about terrible working conditions, but these were surprisingly reasonable—even by modern Korean standards. Considering most people here worked from sunrise to sunset, this was exceptionally generous.
“As commuting isn’t feasible, accommodation and meals are naturally provided. While employees usually can’t leave the premises, we’re allowing you special permission to leave the mansion twice per month. However, you’ll need to inform either me or the master about your destination and expected return time beforehand.”
Personalized perks? This went far beyond merely “reasonable”—these were exceptional benefits. But one critical question still remained.
“Um… What about the salary?”
“You’ll be paid monthly. However, due to the artwork your father took, we’ll deduct 20% from your monthly salary to cover the cost.”
Damn it. When I inherit the family business, that painting is the first thing I’ll burn—or better yet, sell overseas, never to be seen again.
“After those deductions, your monthly salary will be about this amount.”
Almond skillfully picked up a fountain pen with his foot and neatly scribbled a figure onto the corner of the contract.
“Wait… Is this really…?”
“Yes, Master Briel. That’s your monthly salary after deductions.”
Holy crap!
Forget an exploitative job—this was a dream position!
No wonder they’d been acting so arrogantly despite their severe staff shortage. The salary was so high, I’d almost mistaken it for my yearly pay.
