DLBF Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Settling Down

Chapter 1, Part 1.5

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*

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At that moment, there was a knock. The stern Madam entered, pushing a cart with a silver tea set.

In this grand, old mansion, the classical silver tea set seemed perfectly fitting.

However, what Madam silently poured into the cups wasn’t tea. It was coffee.

Fujimori, expecting tea when he saw the silver set, was pleasantly surprised since he indeed preferred coffee.

Julian gestured towards Madam, who placed the cups on a small table without a smile.

“This is Frau Gessner. She oversees the household chores, such as cleaning and laundry.”

Though Fujimori considered that it might be better to wash his clothes himself, aside from sheets, he bowed slightly again.

“I’m Fujimori. I look forward to working with you.”

Frau is a title used to address women in Germany. It is the equivalent of Mrs. in English.

Even the unsmiling Madam now clasped her hands in front of her and returned a slight nod.

Noticing that there was no seating around what seemed to be a coffee table, Fujimori felt a bit puzzled.

Just as he wondered if they were supposed to drink coffee standing, Julian effortlessly lifted and brought over a heavy wingback Chesterfield armchair.

Whoa… Fujimori didn’t say it out loud. But for a moment, his eyes widened in surprise.

It was an incredible display of strength.

The sofa looked hefty, easily weighing fifty or sixty kilograms, yet Julian carried it to the table’s side as if it were a piano stool.

Although Fujimori had suspected Julian’s size and arm strength, he couldn’t help but be impressed. He thanked the man with a forced smile as he was offered the chair.

To see if it was just for show, Fujimori gave the chair a slight push, but it didn’t budge. If Fujimori had tried to move it himself, it would have taken considerable effort and perhaps a shouted command.

However, the well-worn sofa was quite comfortable to sit on.

Julian brought over a solid-looking desk chair from his writing desk and placed it by the coffee table, inviting Fujimori to enjoy some coffee.

The aromatic coffee indicated Madam’s efficiency. Despite her stern demeanour, she seemed competent.

Fujimori had brought a box of sweets as a traditional Japanese gift, wondering if it should be given to Madam later.

“Please just relax today. I’ll show you around the house tomorrow.”

Julian sipped his coffee, seemingly savouring it, while looking at Fujimori.

Previously, Julian had hardly looked Fujimori straight in the eye. But today, it seemed he was looking at him quite a bit.

Even so, Julian would quickly avert his gaze at crucial moments.

Unlike most Germans, who usually maintain direct eye contact when speaking, Julian seemed to have a different approach. It perhaps indicated a shy nature or simply him being the eccentric as the agent described.

Julian continued, uncharacteristically verbose:

“Feel free to walk around the house. But please refrain from entering Frau Gessner’s room, the linen room, laundry room, pantry, or the private quarters of the servant Paul and the cook Forst without permission.”

“Understood.”

While Julian wasn’t the most talkative, his clear articulation of conditions was typical of Germans, who tend to be direct and upfront.

To them, this wasn’t rude but rather a sincere effort to avoid misunderstandings and complaints later.

Fujimori recognized Frau Gessner as the stern Madam, the cook as the person mentioned by the taxi driver who was particular about ingredients. But as for the other person… Julian called out towards the door, “Paul.”

A slender man in his early thirties stood there, having entered unnoticed.

He wore a wing-collared shirt with a bow tie, a black dress coat, a greyish mustard vest, and knee-length grey knickerbockers. It was a classic style not often seen nowadays.

Underneath the pants, he wore white tights and opera pumps.

Overall, the outfit had a classic feel. It was not quite mediaeval but certainly old-fashioned. Fujimori, lacking knowledge of fashion history, could only think it looked quite outdated.

The attire was more old-fashioned than what one would typically imagine for a male servant, perhaps even older than Frau Gessner’s maid uniform.

Fujimori recalled a portrait he once saw in England, depicting a gentleman from the Hanoverian era in a tailcoat. This was giving off a similar vibe.

Unfortunately, Paul was slightly hunched over. Fujimori thought to himself that such uniforms would look better with a straight posture.

Paul’s large, blue, slightly upturned eyes and his ashy blond hair, almost greyish, reminded Fujimori of a cat.

He secretly nicknamed him ‘Cat Man’. If Julian was a bear-like figure with a burly build and beard, Paul had a more feline air to him.

Despite the old mansion’s setting, their attire didn’t feel like cosplay. Like Frau Gessner, Paul wore his outfit impeccably.

The friendly taxi driver had mentioned their hearty appetites. With Julian and several other servants, it was understandable that they would consume large quantities of food. It made Fujimori wonder if Frau Gessner and Paul had been brought over from Germany.

Hiring and bringing servants overseas was uncommon in Japan, where the concept of household staff is almost nonexistent. It is rare for people to stay abroad long-term without work. This seemed to be a different world, reflecting the lifestyle of overseas celebrities.

Julian had told the agent that he was not staying in the mansion for work. It was more like a long vacation. However, Fujimori wasn’t privy to the details.

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*Translator’s Note: He’s not savouring the coffee, he’s savouring looking at you, Fujimori-san. -K

☝🏻Wingback Chesterfield armchair

Next update: 2024.10.25

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