Not much happened for the rest of the day.
I maintained status quo and tried my best to adjust while making an effort to do some of the things David had done that were minor offenses but not big enough for the servants to give him mean looks.
The new maid, the one with fox ears was going to be my maid starting tomorrow and while I was probably going to keep her for a couple of weeks, I was eventually going to return her since I already had a personal maid who was trying her best- Molly. Besides, I liked Molly's tea way more.
"So," Dominic started. "Which one of you tore pages from the books?"
Damian's eyes fell on me instantly but he said nothing. He seemed to be debating something and trying to make up his mind. Was he going to cover for me? Maybe.
"I did it," I said. Although I'd done it for my plan- which kind of worked- it remained a fact that I'd done something excessively stupid. "I am sorry."
"Why? And what are you sorry for?"
"I thought it was interest… I'm sorry for tearing a page from the book."
"No, you're sorry you're going to get punished and since you don't want to be punished, you're sorry," he said.
Which wasn't totally untrue. However, "Yes but I'm also sorry for ruining a book. I know they are expensive and I should have been careful…"
"He was just excited," Damian said. "I- I would like to take responsibility-"
"It costs a thousand Bani for one of those prints. Do you have any idea how many books he's ruined!?"
How many?
But I'd only torn one page-
"I'll… I'll pay," Damian said.
"Hmph!" Dominic exhaled but stayed put. "Anyway, do not tear pages again, clear?" he gave me a glance.
"Okay… but I only tore one page."
"Now you're lying?" he glared.
"I am not," I said. "I only tore one page from one book. And I gave that page to Damian. I tore nothing else. Molly can confirm," I said.
"Molly!"
My maid meekly came forth to table. "Yes, sir?"
"How many pages had he torn? Be completely honest."
"One, sir."
"From one book?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then who tore the rest of the books?"
"I am not aware sir. Shouldn't you ask the librarian? However, I can confirm Master David only tore one page and with a rather contorted heart, as though he felt pain while doing so." Molly might or might not have exaggerated just a bit.
"You may leave."
Dinner was basically over, so I kind of wanted to leave myself but just when I stood up, I got a glare and promptly sat down.
"Maybe the librarian tore-" I attempted but then stopped. I had no proof and no real way of knowing whether the librarian had done this. I recall David hearing about torn pages before too. But back then he didn't care and he never read books to begin with so he didn't bother.
However….
"Everyone leave, Damian, stay," Dominic said.
I stood up again and while I honestly didn't know what was even going on, I kind of wanted to pummel someone.
I had a hard time falling asleep. There were so many things on my mind.
What kind of a fucking idiot would ruin books?
Sigh….
The next morning, I went to the library to check but was met with a horrible news.
I'd been banned.
You've got to be shitting me.
***
I spent the day in utter frustration. From breakfast to dinner, nothing of sort happened. I didn't read, I didn't play, heck, I didn't do anything. Just lazed around and the day was over.
No one said a thing at dinner. No one.
I asked Molly several times if she knew or heard anything but she hadn't.
So that's how the day passed by.
Towards the very end, I was so bored I started messing with the butlers.
"Gentlemen, carry me!"
He he.
God I'm bored.
I suppose sleep was going to be my best friend now.
***
The hallways were of course nostalgic and I preferred our home but I also sort of wanted to go outside. There was a problem though, David had never ventured outside and he didn't like the outside one bit. I also didn't have any valid excuse to go out in the city and explore other than the fact that I was utterly fucking bored.
There were always people in the mansion and if I wanted to talk, I could just head over to one of them and ask questions. Which was a fun way to pass the time. Mostly because the maids and butlers were more or less panicking the entire time, especially when I ordered them to carry me around. Real fun times.
"Sir, it is time for your bath," said the fox-eared maid. Her name was Mina and she made my bed, fixed my baths, and dressed me up today. She always had this stoic look on her face but I had a feeling it wasn't a professional face but rather she was just… sad?
Well, she just left her master.
"I feel like visiting Damian," I said.
No visible change on her face but her eyes… her eyes jumped up for a second. Yup, she liked working for Damian. "I suppose we can delay the bath for the time being."
Luckily Damian had already figured out something. If he hadn't, oh well.
There was a reason I needed Damian to be the one to ran the business. Firstly, as a child, no one would bother trusting me to be a proper businessman even if I had the backing of a noble. Speaking of that noble, why would Dominic trust me to run a business? Secondly, there was the issue of time and management. I didn't have enough time or the authority or even the sheer number of servants I'd need to run a successful business. Thirdly, investors. Since no one would have taken me seriously, I wouldn't get any investors and thus, my business would never take off.
Damian was going to solve all these issues but he was also going to take most of the profit. But this was going to greatly benefit me in the long run. On one hand I'd just made Damian richer and, on another hand, he was going to be more lenient towards me in the future.
Then again, this also meant I was going to be sacrificing potential income which I could have exploited some years down the line but there was of course no guarantee someone wouldn't have done it before me. To think there were no other people in this world who hadn't reincarnated and wouldn't use my shit against me, was something I wasn't stupid enough to not consider.
"Lord Damian is expecting you," the servant said.
I'd been so lost in thought, I'd wandered right in front of Damian's door. The fox maid was right behind me.
I went in; I was greeted by a familiar aroma. Sweet yet kind of bitter. Hmm… definitely tea. A maid poured me some and yup, still tea.
"How do you like this?" Damian said.
"It's fine," I said. "For tea."
He snorted. "Well, I suppose you do know tea."
"Did you get them…?"
"The beans?"
"Yes?"
"Not yet. I have contacted a supplier but it will take a while. Expect the beans in let's say… two months?"
"But that's so long…" I sighed and looked down. Of course, I'd expected it to take months. The stuff grew on an island. It'd take three weeks at the least for a one-way trip. Someone from here would have to go there, search for the stuff and come back, effectively taking well over two months. Or at least that was supposed to be the expected timeline. But what if something happened during the journey? What if a storm hit, or a monster struck, or something along those lines? What then? Would the mission still continue? Would the two-month timeline still hold?
Who fucking cares, that wasn't the point. Relax….
"In the meanwhile," Damian said. "This is tea from the capital, it's imported from Sunmin, it's touted as the best tea these days."
The aroma was indeed better but again… it was just tea. "It will suffice," I said.
He smirked. "About the books."
"I'm banned," I said.
"Yes, I know but you didn't tear any pages, yes?"
"I didn't."
"But someone did."
"Wasn't me."
"No, no, I believe you. I'm on your side. I believe you didn't tear any pages. But someone did and we need to find that someone."
"Okay?"
"And I need your help."
"How?"