Adrian Lewin POV
"Huh?"
Maybe it was very easy to differentiate them? Is it just me being an idiot? But in the novel, many times situations happened because they couldn't be told apart. Was it just for comic relief?
The commander said then, slowly,
"I don't know."
He… doesn't know?
I asked,
"Don't they hate being confused with each other?"
He looked shocked, then looked down and muttered in a voice so silent that even with Omniscient it was barely audible,
"Is that why she is so harsh with me?"
I sighed. I couldn't ask many questions, or rumors would slowly start to fly that I investigated whether my butler is dogkin or wolfkin. I had only one more chance.
I asked another question,
"In this city, according to you, who is she closest with?"
The commander had an expression like I asked him to kill himself.
"M-my wife," he replied.
His wife? Doesn't she have family?
I asked,
"What about her family?"
He said,
"She is an orphan."
He was human, so she must also be human. But there are other species that don't like being confused too, so I would ask just in case.
I asked,
"And your wife is?"
He replied slowly,
"Dogkin."
This bastard!!!
Of course, it might look like my Buttler must also be dogkin, but it isn't necessary that the butler must also be dogkin.
I told him,
"Alright, I am going to your house today."
The commander looked shocked but nodded.
He said slowly when leaving,
"Is that why the previous lord and my wife always smiled when we were together?"
I shook my head and said,
"Where the hell are you leaving? Did I allow you?"
The commander quickly came back and apologized,
"I am sorry, my lord."
Yes, you should be. You are useless. Sigh.
I asked him,
"So, what's the frequency of demon attacks?"
He replied like he was answering a test and finally saw something he studied,
"There is no pattern identified as of yet. However, recently the attacks have slowed down."
Slowed? Why?
I asked again,
"In this map, show me where they mostly attack from."
He pointed to a few spots and showed their movements, then continued with how the army was spread out.
I said,
"Since attacks have slowed, concentrate a little more effort on finding spies in the city. Report any changes in their movements, even small ones."
I continued before he could say anything,
"You may leave."
He quickly left.
The next demon attack— not a small skirmish— will happen after two months, according to the novel. Though I couldn't say the exact time, as it was just mentioned in a conversation between the main cast while they were talking.
I didn't have anything to do, so I could pay attention to even small movements for now.
---
After some time, the butler arrived.
I told her,
"While I was at the gate, I talked with a guard."
She asked without drawing any conclusions of her own,
"Something happened? Should I look into it?"
"Well, we had a bet," I smirked, thinking of the bet, and said,
"Call him to the castle tonight."
She asked,
"What kind of treatment should be given?"
Did she misunderstand something?
I said,
"Hmm… maybe like I am asking for a project report. Not too kindly, not too harshly."
If treatment is too kind of too harsh he might die of heart attack.
She nodded.
Soon, night fell. The guard was brought.
I met him where I met the commander.
"Remember the bet?" I asked.
He said, still frightened,
"Yes, my lord!!!"
I said,
"Hey! A little slow… hah. Well, I am going to the commander's house for dinner. You're coming with me. Buy a drink… not expensive, something you would buy for yourself. And come with me."
The guard's body left his soul, but he stood like a statue.
Soon the commander came and informed me he would be leaving soon. I nodded and said,
"He lost a bet, so he comes with me and buys a drink."
The commander smirked. Wow! He's happy he isn't the only one suffering.
I stood up and said,
"Well, let's go."
When we started leaving the castle, four knights were moving behind me. At first, I thought they were going to the same place, but even after a few turns, they were still behind me.
I frowned and asked,
"Are you four following me?"
They looked at each other, then one said,
"We are your escorts, my lord."
I laughed,
"Escorts? For me? Who will you protect me from? You can handle who I can't?"
They looked down. Well, at least they knew they were useless.
I waved my hand,
"Go back. Tell the butler it was my order."
I could guess it must be her. They all returned.
Then we resumed our journey.
Along the path, we passed a wine shop and entered.
The guard said,
"Give me the most expensive wine you have."
I looked at him and said,
"You drink the most expensive wine? You must take a lot of bribes. Should I investigate you?"
He looked down and shook his head and said
" I don't take bribes nor do I drink expensive wines."
I said strictly,
"Order the one you buy."
The commander, meanwhile, was having fun. The guard bought a cheap wine.
We continued and soon arrived in front of the commander's house.
He knocked on the door.
Soon a beautiful dogkin—most probably his wife—opened the door. She had a knife; maybe she was cooking?
She looked at him, then me in normal clothes, then at the guard with the wine, and finally back at the wine in his hands.
She made a fist and hit the commander so hard he was flung to the other side of the street.
Is the commander sure she is not a wolfkin?
His wife screamed angrily,
"You bastard! The territory is under attack, your subordinates are working overtime, and you dare come home to drink and enjoy life?"
The guard was smiling now.
The commander slowly stood and looked down,
"It was the lord's order."
She threw the knife at him, which the commander barely dodged, and screamed even more angrily,
"You bastard! Lying using the lord's name?"
I coughed and finally came to his rescue,
"It really wasn't exactly an order… more like my request."
She stared at me, then processed it, and a smile bloomed on her face as she said,
"Oh my lord! It's my honor."
She glared at the commander and welcomed me inside.
I don't exactly know why she glared. For not informing lord stood before her or she was still angry.
We all sat at the table, and the food was served. The guard gave the commander's wife the wine he bought, which she served.
I lifted my glass and muttered mostly to myself,
"Let's see how it is."
Then I said to the others,
"It's my first time drinking wine."
The commander, the commander's wife, and the guard all went wide-eyed.
The commander's wife asked,
"Lord, you've never drank alcohol before?"
I shook my head.
Never in this life, nor in my previous. In fact, Adrian had never consumed anything remotely unhealthy. Though he didn't because of his conditions.
In this world, one can drink from the age of 15. Well, it's not illegal to consume alcohol before that,it's just how it is.
I drank it but didn't like it.
"Yeah, not drinking ever… yuck!"
The commander said,
"I never met anyone who said this."
I laughed,
"I am not anyone. I am Adrian Lewin."
They laughed.
After the meal was over, I said to the guard,
"You should leave. I won't overexert you."
He ran away.
Was this really that hard?
The commander understood what I was going to say.
I turned to the commander's wife and said,
"I heard you are a close friend of my butler."
She asked,
"Lyra?"
I nodded.
She said, nodding,
"Yes, is there a problem?"
I coughed
Ahem.
I asked slowly,
"Is she a dogkin or wolfkin?"
She froze, then smiled, looked at her husband, then back at me, and replied,
"She is a wolfkin."
I nodded then I requested,
"Can you please keep this between us?"
She giggled and agreed.
After that, I took my farewell and started walking toward the castle.
"Wolfkin…" Well, I now didn't need to worry too much about being hated.
I soon reached the castle. After a minute, I saw Lyra coming quickly.
I could see she was breathing a little heavily, though she tried her best to hide it.
But with Omniscient hiding was useless but I won't say anything.
She came and said,
"My lord, are there any orders?"
She is hard working, I mean it's not like I summoned her.
I shook my head and said,
"I am going to sleep. If there is anything I should know, don't hesitate to inform me, even if I am sleeping."
She nodded.
I then went to my bedroom. It was large and luxurious, befitting a lord. It was clean and well-
maintained.
I still hadn't decided about my future.
Sigh.