DLBF Chapter 41

Chapter 41 – Lost Contact

Chapter 3, Part 4.1

Novel Title: ルーデンドルフ公と森の獣 (Duke Ludendorff and the Beast of the Forest)

Author：かわい有美子 (Kawai Yumiko)

Illustrator: 周防佑未 (Suoh Yuumi)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 藤森賢士 (Kenji Fujimori -MC), ユリアン ルーデンドルフ (Julian Ludendorff -ML)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

֍֍֍

“This kind of thing is really a hassle. When someone can’t be reached for this long after the deadline, there’s talk of removing them from the adjunct faculty list…”

The woman in her late thirties from the administrative office bit into him harshly, questioning his professionalism. Fujimori, carrying a box of sweets as an apology, bowed his head repeatedly in apology.

When he got home, sure enough, there were multiple messages on the answering machine. Both his landline and his cellphone were filled with voice messages. He had a mountain of emails that needed to be checked and replied to.

There were messages from his parents, friends, the cram school where he worked part-time, the families he tutored, and the administrative office of the university where he served as an adjunct lecturer—all of them asking him to call back.

Some expressed concern, while others, like the woman from the university, were clearly angry at being unable to reach him. The evening he returned home and the morning before he had to pick up the professor’s appointed architect at Narita Airport were consumed with nothing but returning calls and replying to emails.

The following day, the professor summoned him and urgently tasked him with translating a paper.

In addition to that, there were letters of thanks to be written to contacts in the UK, reports to be checked—endless tasks that took him two or three days to complete.

Some of the tasks had already been assigned to him via email while he was staying at Julian’s mansion. Since Fujimori hadn’t even checked his emails, Professor Fushimi was understandably upset.

He pointed out that in today’s world, it’s possible to check emails at fast food places or manga cafes. So it was only natural that Fujimori should have kept up with them.

He had a point. But Fujimori couldn’t recall seeing such urban conveniences anywhere near the mansion or the train station.

Still, Fujimori had to admit that he should have made at least one trip back to Tokyo. So he couldn’t place all the blame on others.

Even today, from morning, he had been running around to the cram school and university administrative office, apologising repeatedly.

In the midst of this, he tried several times to call Julian’s mansion. But no one answered, which bothered him.

He knew Julian disliked phones and was notoriously hard to reach, as he had heard from his agent. But still, Frau Gessner, at least, should have answered.

Or is it decided that Julian will always be the one to answer calls coming from Japan?

“The renewal confirmation documents have already been accepted. So you will need to write a reason statement here, and you will have to contact the faculty council yourself…”

While nodding along to the sharp, biting words of the other person, Fujimori was mentally calculating how he could possibly finish translating the still incomplete paper by tonight.

***

In the end, Fujimori jumped onto the train early in the morning, two days later than the promised date with Julian.

Normally, a simple notification that the schedule would be slightly delayed would suffice. But he felt a strange sense of anxiety at not being able to contact him. Although it’s a classic method, he now regretted that he hadn’t even sent a telegram.

Julian himself had been quite reluctant for Fujimori to return to Tokyo. And perhaps because he had heard that melancholy howl last, he couldn’t focus on the book that Julian had given to him.

All he could do was impatiently wait for the train to arrive at the station.

The taxi driver he hopped into at the station was, by coincidence, the same one who had driven him to Julian’s mansion the first time.

He was as talkative as ever. But yesterday, while waiting for customers in front of the station, he said that Tanba had brought a foreigner with luggage to the station.

Curious if it could be Julian, Fujimori asked for more details, and the driver described a sturdy, well-built middle-aged man, not particularly tall, and appearing to be in his fifties. Fujimori concluded that it was likely not Julian but rather the chef, Forst. The driver mentioned that the man had not been carrying ingredients or kitchen equipment, but rather a large trunk.

However, Fujimori couldn’t help but wonder why Forst would be carrying such a trunk and boarding a train at this particular time.

If it were just for sightseeing in Japan, it wouldn’t be a concern. But if Forst, who was in charge of all the mansion’s meals, left the kitchen, who would prepare the meals in his absence?

Could Frau Gesner be taking over... Fujimori, feeling increasingly downcast, didn’t engage in conversation with the driver as much as last time.

Since he hadn’t contacted Tanba either, the mansion’s gate remained firmly closed with a heavy chain.

Forced to climb over the gate, Fujimori threw his bag over first and then clambered over himself.

The area in front of the gate was still wild and overgrown, making it impossible to tell whether anyone was inside the mansion.

Left alone, Fujimori began to feel a bit uneasy. It was as if he had been tricked by a fox demon.

Picking up his bag, Fujimori started walking the long path toward the mansion.

֍֍֍

*Translator’s Note: You guys have no idea the kind of anxiety I felt when I was reading this scene and the next for the first time. Rereading this reminded me of how it was for me back then. *Sigh* -K

Next update: 2024.11.30

֍֍֍