Head Butler of the Fallen Villainess-Chapter 77 - 16th Days (7) | Hospitality 101 (2)

When the butler had proposed the Grand Question to the three ladies... they all fell silent.

"… … …"

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"…uh, ladies?" Sebas prompted, his tone as patient as ever. "Anyone here with a good idea on how to welcome future visitors?"

Unfortunately, still, none of them had spoken an answer...

He shifted his gaze first to Anastasia… but the redheaded lord of this region only looked away from his steady, expectant gaze.

Then... he shifted his gaze to both Martha and Bella, and… these two aides of the lord also averted each of their own gazes away from his.

"...You guys really don’t have any clue, huh?"

"—!"

Their response was a unified startle—a clear sign that none of them could answer the butler’s question.

Or at the very least, they didn’t have the courage to express their ideas.

Sebas let out a quiet sigh, the sound filling the heavy silence.

"You know," he began, his tone calm yet holding a hint of his exasperated spirit, "...I don’t think I should be the one leading this whole planning to begin with, so... Lady Ana?"

"—!"

"H-Huh?" Anastasia flinched again, her head snapping toward him. "Y-yes, Sir Sebas...?"

Without a hint of hesitation—

"I entrust this matter to you, my lady. Please lead the way."

"W-what...?!"

—Sebas turned the responsibility over to her.

And now, with the spotlight suddenly thrown on her, Anastasia’s mouth hung slightly open in shock.

All eyes shifted to her.

Instantly, a wave of nervousness prickled at the back of her neck.

Still frozen, her lips parted as if to speak—only for no words to come out. But after a moment, she forced herself to take a breath, smoothing down the front of her dress before clearing her throat.

"A-Ahem... Then—" Her voice wavered slightly before she straightened her back, attempting to regain some composure. "—As the lord of this region, I will now discuss how we should properly welcome any future visitors."

Her tone was stiff. Awkwardly monotone.

And, as if to make her feelings painfully clear, she shot a sharp glare toward her butler who was pretending not to notice said "passionate" gaze upon him.

"...So," she continued, barely restraining the twitch at her brow, "how do you suggest we go about it, Sir Sebas?"

Rather than answering right away, Sebas tilted his head—feigning confusion.

"Hmm... That’s a good question, Lady Ana, but..." he mused, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips, "I have not a single clue~. So surely... you must have some ideas yourself, haven’t you~?"

"—!"

Her breath hitched.

With just a single, effortless deflection, the butler had thrown the spotlight right back onto her again.

’That damn butler...!’

For a moment, Anastasia could only stand there, flustered, as her mind scrambled for a proper response. But with the weight of everyone’s attention still on her, she clenched her fists—forcing herself to think.

And then…

"What if…" Her voice softened, thoughtful. "What if we make an inn?"

"An inn—?!" Both Martha and Bella exchanged wide-eyed glances, their surprise clear in their voices.

"Think about it—if we had an inn, adventurers wouldn’t have to return all the way to the mainland just to rest. They could stay here—somewhere safe—between expeditions. It’d not only make this region a reliable stop, but it could also encourage more adventurers to explore the land. Isn’t that… worth considering?"

"...That’s right! That’s a great idea, my lady!" Martha’s eyes sparkled, fist raised to the air in excitement. "It makes perfect sense! With how dangerous the frontier is, having a secure place for adventurers to rest would make a world of difference!"

"I-I also think it’s a great idea, my lady...!" Bella chimed in with an equal amount of eagerness despite the nervousness in her voice. "I-if we build an inn that has proper facilities... it could attract many high-ranked adventurers too—! A-and if they find this place convenient, they might even treat it as their base while exploring the deeper territories—i-isn’t that right, my lady?!"

"Indeed, you two! That’s why this is a great idea!"

A hint of pride flickered in Anastasia’s chest at her two loyal aides’ enthusiasm—glad to have their utmost support for her idea.

"A fine suggestion, Lady Ana," Sebas remarked smoothly, turning his attention to their excited expressions, a proud smile evident on his face toward the upstart lord. "An inn would indeed benefit the region in the long run."

"Y-you think so too, right, Sir Sebas?"

For a fleeting second, her heart swelled at the praise.

"But—"

The word dropped like a stone in the air.

"—not highly recommended at the moment."

"W-what...?!"

His sudden declaration had completely deflated the joyous mood of the three ladies—especially Anastasia herself.

"P-pardon me, Sir Sebas... b-but what do you mean that you don’t recommend it?" Anastasia inquired, her voice wavering with confusion.

Sebas’s own expression turned almost apologetic, feeling a tad guilty for raining on their parade, but this was a "necessary evil" he had to do.

"Listen, my lady... an inn requires a significant amount of labor, you know," he began, his tone even and measured.

"W-well, indeed so, Sir Sebas...! I-I do know that we would need a lot of laborers to build one!" Anastasia tried to argue, scrambling to defend her idea. "B-but we can leverage it with our own labor—"

"—NOT just to build it, mind you... but to ACTUALLY run it."

"R-running it...?" the mistress echoed, blinking in disbelief.

The shock and confusion on Anastasia’s face—and those of her two aides beside her—were clear evidence that they hadn’t fully considered this idea’s biggest flaw.

The butler couldn’t help but let out another sigh…

"Okay, please listen carefully," he said, his voice firm with quiet patience. "Any sort of large-scale accommodation facility would need a massive labor force to function properly. You wouldn’t just need people to build the structure—you’d need people working around the clock to keep it running..."

"...From housekeepers to maintain cleanliness, cooks to prepare meals, staff to manage guests, and security to ensure safety… an inn isn’t just a place with a roof over one’s head—it’s an operation that requires constant attention and manpower."

"And considering the four of us are already stretched thin in our daily schedules... trying to also run an inn would be an impossible endeavor—unless, of course... you want to change your profession from lord to innkeeper, my lady."

"Ugh..." Anastasia grimaced, her excitement draining as reality set in.

The mood instantly dampened—erased even, with not just Anastasia feeling the brunt of disappointment, but even the eagerness of her two aides wilting under the same weight.

And as Anastasia’s own shoulders sagged as the weight of reality settled in...

"...You’re right—this is a bad idea," she finally admitted, a sigh slipping from her lips. "It’d be too much for us to handle right now."

"Lady Anastasia..."

"M-my lady..."

Both Martha and Bella sympathized with her, sharing the disheartened feelings of their mistress.

"I apologize, you two, for trying to rope you into something quite impossible—"

"Hey now! I still haven’t finished yet, my lady~."

"H-huh...?"

The sudden interruption from Sebas had halted her apology as she quickly looked back to the butler… who was smiling.

"I never said that it’s a bad idea, my lady—just not the right time," he clarified, "an inn is definitely something worth keeping in mind for your region’s future… once you have the manpower, alright?"

"I-Indeed, Sir Sebas, but… what are you trying to say here?"

"Well… until we get that huge labor force in the near future," he continued, folding his arms, "why not start small?"

"…S-start small…?"

"Yup, something more manageable—like a simple lodging house. A place not just for visitors… but for future residents."

Anastasia blinked, taken aback by his suggestion… before her eyes widened as she began to understand where he was going.

"A-a lodging house…" Martha echoed, her voice brightening. "That… actually sounds doable, doesn’t it?"

"I-it is! A-and it wouldn’t need constant staff if it’s only meant for occasional guests," Bella added, nodding along. "We could maintain it ourselves in the meantime! W-well… I could try cleaning it once a day, but… yeah! I-I think a simple lodging house would be great!"

Their renewed enthusiasm lifted the atmosphere once more.

Anastasia, still absorbing the butler’s words, found herself slowly nodding.

"…A lodging house," she repeated softly. "I… I like that idea."

Sebas’s lips curved into the faintest smile. "Then it’s settled."

She nodded to his affirmation, before stepping forward and taking a stance in front of her servants, the flickering firelight casting shadows across her determined expression.

Anastasia took a breath, her previous hesitation replaced with a newfound resolve… as she straightened her back, her gaze sweeping over her three loyal servants.

"Then hear me well… our next step in developing this region of mine… will be to construct a lodging house for our future guests!"

Martha, Bella, and Sebas exchanged determined glances before bowing in unison, a smile etched on each of their faces as they turned toward their mistress.

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"As you wish, my lady!"