The mansion, now devoid of everyone except Isaac and Lucia, felt unusually quiet despite the presence of a few remaining servants. The absence of the household's master and their entourage was palpable.
Seeing this as an opportunity, Isaac made his way to the annex where Melinda resided—a place he usually avoided.
(Even so, is it really this different just because of one's lineage?)
Isaac, accompanied by a maid, stepped into Melinda's annex and was struck by the interior.
Lucia's annex, where Isaac usually stayed, was elegant yet restrained, befitting the wife of a high-ranking Noble.
Melinda's quarters, however, were entirely different.
The room gleamed as though it belonged in a palace, lavish beyond measure. The word that came to mind was simply "extravagant."
Every detail was decorated, with furniture trimmed in gold. Yet, the taste was refined rather than gaudy, showcasing Melinda's sensibilities as a daughter of the Marquis family.
*(If I lived here, I'd probably be thinking, "I wonder how much this gold candelabra would sell for...")
True to his thoughts, Isaac's gaze was fixed on the gilded candelabras.
In his Previous Life, he had been the son of a local civil servant, and now, with a mother who preferred a calm environment, he had never approached something so ostentatiously golden before.
"Isaac-sama, greetings. Melinda-sama and Nathan-sama have departed for the Royal Capital," announced Bella, the head maid of Melinda's annex.
She noticed Isaac's visit with surprise, knowing that the owners were absent.
"I know that. I came to speak with you," Isaac replied.
"To speak with us?" Bella asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Yes."
Bella's expression shifted from surprise to one of intrigued questioning.
"I've brought some Confectionery as thanks for always taking care of my brother and Melinda-sama. I'd love to hear your thoughts," Isaac explained.
Melinda had always scorned low-sugar sweets as "poor Confectionery," so the maids serving her had never tasted them. Isaac wanted their honest feedback.
"...That's not the only reason, is it?" Bella asked cautiously.
Isaac feigned a slight disappointment, hinting there was more. Bella, sensing a hidden motive, pressed further. Isaac bit his lower lip in frustration before confessing.
"I don't know why, but it seems Melinda-sama dislikes me. Even if I want to get along with my brother, I'm forbidden from seeing him... So I want you to tell me about him."
Bella felt sympathy for the small Child standing before her. Though his intellect rivaled adults, here was simply a young boy longing for his brother. She could not refuse such a heartfelt request.
"Understood. Melinda-sama has departed for the Royal Capital, so there's no urgent work. I'll speak with you, and gather the others as well. Can you wait about five minutes?"
"Thank you! I'll wait with Sherry in the Servants' Hall," Isaac said, beaming as he pushed the Service Trolley laden with sweets toward the servants.
Though the decor differed, the layout was the same, allowing Isaac to move confidently and without hesitation.
(Even as a Child, trust comes easily. If I build trust now, things will be easier later.)
Being a Child had its disadvantages, but also advantages. Isaac resolved to remember the things he could accomplish "while I still can."
"Honestly, those people are the worst."
"They should be equals, yet they act so high and mighty."
Once conversation began, Isaac's excitement carried the discussion forward even without his speaking.
The maids had been provided by Morgan from the Wellrod-Marquis household, usually serving under clear connections to vassal Viscount or Baron families.
Yet Melinda favored only the servants she brought from her Wilmente-Marquis family.
The ones taken to the Royal Capital were likewise only from her side.
Unsurprisingly, the differing treatment left the maids with varying degrees of resentment—sometimes enough to forget themselves in Isaac's presence.
"It must be hard for you all to get along as maids..." Isaac observed, making no attempt to stop them.
This allowed him to gather information about Melinda and Nathan.
Though the concept of personal privacy didn't exist in this world, the maids spoke freely around him, assuming a Child wouldn't understand.
"Yes, especially since Wilmente's family customs differ," one maid remarked.
"How so?"
"Wellrod-Marquis has historically produced civil servants, while Wilmente-Marquis produced military officers. Nobles under them inherit these traits—some enjoy reading, others prefer physical activity."
(So it's like arts versus athletics.)
The basic type differed, and Melinda's preference for Wilmente servants widened the gap even further.
"I enjoy reading and playing with Patrick too," Isaac said, keeping up his Child-like demeanor to relax the maids.
They looked at him with gentle, approving smiles.
"That's a good thing. But as adults, differences emerge more clearly," Sherry added, placing a teacup on the table.
She usually sampled sweets for quality but refrained this time, reading the room.
"The head maid and I are both from the Wellrod line. We've known each other for a long time. Now, serving Lucia-madam and Melinda-madam separately, differences appear even within the same household," she explained, spreading her hands to show the "size" of the gap.
(Indeed, it's significant.)
Despite wearing her formal maid uniform, Isaac noticed Sherry's chest swaying slightly. Being a Child, he felt no inappropriate interest—though he thought to himself:
(When I become king, building a harem will be first.)
Since it's a game-inspired world, even "average" faces like Sherry's were praised in the Previous Life; if someone asked, they would bow deeply in gratitude. Isaac doubted his future self would fully control his impulses.
"Adults are complicated, huh," he muttered.
"Yes. Especially since Isaac-sama is the heir of the Marquis family. It's not easy. Please do your best," Sherry replied kindly.
Isaac sipped his tea and then spoke.
"Could you tell me about my brother? I rarely see him, so I want to know how he is."
Until now, Isaac had asked about Nathan's life indirectly through Wilmente servants. This time, he wanted insight into the person himself.
The maids exchanged glances, pondering before answering.
"Well... he's very energetic," one began.
"Very... noble in demeanor," another added.
"And has a hearty appetite," a third concluded.
There wasn't much praise to give, but after all, they were servants of his household. Criticism was hardly appropriate, so the maids offered only perfunctory comments.
(Hmm... energetic means mischievous, noble is cheeky, hearty appetite probably just means he eats too much...)
It wasn't really serious. For a Child, these were trivial things. There was nothing here that normally would be hard to speak of. Compared to Isaac, their comments seemed childish, but Nathan had done nothing wrong. The "weaknesses" were flimsy at best.
"Is there anything else?" Isaac asked, his eyes bright with genuine curiosity.
He wanted to know about his brother, purely as a younger sibling admiring an older one. Whatever the reason, there was no harm in asking.
"Now that you mention it..."
One maid, Dora, started to speak but hesitated.
"Dora, please, anything about my brother. I want to know," Isaac said, looking at her with the innocent gaze of a child.
Dora, caught by his sincerity, couldn't refuse.
"It seems he was playing duels with the guarding knights. Even after winning, he would... strike them," she said, then immediately regretted it. The room went silent at her words.
(Was it out of frustration or fun? He actually torments the knights... how foolish, thank goodness!)
Isaac felt satisfied—he had found the best tidbit of information so far. Collecting small details like this over time might one day serve as leverage if needed. The maids of Melinda's annex seemed likely to be reliable sources going forward.
"I see. So my brother, even when he believes he's won, doesn't let his guard down and makes sure to finish the task properly," Isaac added, supporting Dora's statement.
He knew that leaving an awkward impression might mean no future information. Keeping her talkative was essential.
"That's right. He must have a strong will to win," Bella chimed in, following the lead.
No one wanted to tell a four-year-old Child, "Your brother is abusing power to beat those who cannot resist," so she preferred that Isaac continue to see him simply as a careful, competent older brother.
"Isaac-sama, shall we head back?" Sherry suggested, reading the mood.
(Better to keep visits brief; more interactions will give more material, but it's time to wrap this up.)
"Yes. Everyone has work to do, and we shouldn't bother them too long," Isaac agreed.
He worried that staying too long would be annoying or that pressing for more details might arouse suspicion. Sherry's excuse to leave was welcome.
"Thank you for the sweets. They were just the right sweetness and delicious," he said politely.
"But they are easy to eat, so it's easy to overdo it," one maid added, laughing.
The maids shared their impressions freely. Some preferred sweeter treats, but most enjoyed the moderate flavor. Isaac realized his tastes weren't unusual in this world. Perhaps one day, an idea of his might prove useful. For now, simply seeing that his ideas could be accepted was a small victory.
"Thank you all. Please tell me more about my brother next time," Isaac said with a smile, leaving the room with Sherry.
The maids followed, seeing them off to the entrance.
"By the way, how did he know our names when he rarely comes here?" Dora whispered.
"Eh... I don't know if you ask me that..." her colleague replied, flustered.
"He remembers the names of most who work in the mansion. Only those who visit rarely haven't been memorized yet," Sherry explained.
"He's so young, and yet amazing!"
"Even just having your name remembered makes you unexpectedly happy," another added.
Not even Nathan, and sometimes not even Melinda, made the effort to learn the servants' names. Even those brought from Wilmente only had a few remembered. Nobles treated their staff as tools, after all.
Yet even the servants had hearts. Something as simple as having their name remembered brought them a quiet joy.