Berserk of Gluttony (LN) - Volume 1 - Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

To Pluck and to Eat 

UPON OUR RETURN to the Hart family’s mansion, we found everyone busy with dinner preparations. I asked the maids what I could do to help but was promptly rejected. Instead, the maids pointed to my muddy clothes and told me to take a bath. 

I was a mess, which was only natural, considering I’d worked hard harvesting grapes all day. A lovely maid named Maya led me to the servants’ bathing quarters. The small bath was just large enough for one person. The warm water flowing from it smelled different from the fresh water I was used to. 

“Wait,” I said. “Is this…?” 

“It’s a hot spring,” Maya said, giggling. “A few sources are located across the Hart estate. The bathwater’s drawn from one such location. It’s a perk of being a servant of the family here.” 

“It’s amazing. So this is one of those hot springs everyone talks about.” 

I’d never seen a hot-spring bath in my life. I scooped up some water in my hand. 

“It’s transparent, yet there’s a kind of weight to it. A thickness.” 

“That’s right,” said Maya. “The water’s good for your skin, and your dirty body will sparkle once you bathe in it. Put your clothes in the basket there, and I’ll leave your change of clothes here.” 

“Thank you very much.” 

Once Maya had taught me the workings of the bath, she left, and I quickly stripped off my clothes. 

Hm? 

I realized the door to the bath was slightly ajar, and behind it was Maya, peeking into the bathroom with a smile. 

“Can I help you?!” I asked. 

“Shall I wash your back for you?” 

“I…I’ll be fine, thank you! I can do it myself!” I cried, flinching in surprise. 

A bored look crossed Maya’s otherwise sweet-faced features and she closed the door. 

What a shock… Perhaps she was just being thoughtful? 

In any case, I was glad the servants here could make jokes. This estate had the same warm, considerate atmosphere I felt at Hart Manor in Seifort. I washed the mud and dirt from my body and entered the bathtub. 

Wow… This feels like coming back to life. 

The temperature was just right, and it enveloped my body. I melted away, wishing I could live at the mansion like a family member, all while knowing that was a pipe dream… 

*** 

After my bath, I headed to the dining room to help with dinner preparations only to find they were already finished. I stopped one maid and asked what I could do to help, but she told me not to worry. It was like she was treating me as a guest Lady Roxy had brought to the mansion. As a Hart family servant, I couldn’t help feeling uneasy. 

Finally, a maid approached me with a message. 

“Lady Roxy has called for you. Please head to the large room at the end of the hall.” 

“Understood.” 

I went where I was told and found a massive door, which I opened. Inside was a dining table spilling over with an incredible variety of beautiful foods. Lady Roxy sat at the end of the table, alone. In the corner stood a line of maids, ready to serve at any moment. 

Ah, I see. So it’s like that, huh? 

Without missing a beat, I joined the maids. Even if they treated me as a guest, I was still Lady Roxy’s servant, and my role was to serve my master. This was a chance to demonstrate the skills I had acquired at the manor in Seifort! It didn’t matter whether my task was pouring wine or serving soup, I’d be on it in a flash. The time had come to show my true skill as a servant of the family! 

Then Lady Roxy pointed to the seat to her right. “Fate, you sit here. Not over there, here.” 

“Eh?!” 

Is that…even okay? 

Nervously, I glanced at the line of maids. In one synchronous movement, they all pointed at the empty seat to Lady Roxy’s right. The gesture spoke for them: Sit, dummy! 

I surrendered and took the empty seat, but I couldn’t relax. This was unprecedented; at the manor in the kingdom, I always ate with the other servants. Here I was, for the first time ever, having dinner in a spacious, luxurious hall, surrounded by maids. Sure, I knew table manners, but as a server, not a diner. I couldn’t believe this was happening. My head whirled as Lady Roxy, who looked pleased with herself, leaned over and spoke to me. 

“You don’t have to mind your manners here,” she said. “You eat just the way you like.” 

“Is that all right?!” 

“I know your appetite, Fay, and worrying about your table manners is only going to slow you down.” 

It was true, I was ravenous, so I took a slice of bread and placed it in my mouth. The luxurious fat of butter spread and filled my cheeks. It was exquisite! I began stuffing myself with bread as a maid arrived to top my glass with wine. Perhaps she was worried I’d need something to wash down all the bread…or perhaps I was eating too quickly? I emptied the wine glass in a single gulp. 

“Wow, this is delicious,” I said. 

“I’m so happy to hear you like it. But you haven’t touched a thing aside from the bread, Fay.” 

“Oh, really?” 

Next, I ate a river-fish sauté Lady Roxy recommended. It was savory, rich, and flaked like a dream. In fact, this whole meal was like a dream, and yet one thing bothered me. 

“Lady Roxy,” I said, “I see Lady Aisha is absent.” 

Lady Roxy sighed. “It’s always like this. Whenever I come home, she gets all excited and rushes out to greet me, but it’s so exhausting she spends the rest of the day in bed.” Realizing I had stopped eating, she smiled. “It’s nothing for you to worry about, Fay. Like I said, it’s always like this. She’ll be fine come tomorrow.” 

I got the feeling Lady Roxy wasn’t being entirely honest. If I touched her hand, I could read her true thoughts with Telepathy, and I wanted to know. However, as I was about to reach out, I reconsidered. What could I even do for her with that private knowledge? I retracted my fingers. 

“Well, let’s not let this food go to waste,” Lady Roxy said. “I’m counting on you to take care of my mother’s share, too. So eat up!” 

“Even with my appetite, all this might be a little too much for me.” 

“I said, eat up!” 

Lady Roxy seemed to find the act of feeding me amusing. She put plate after plate in front of me, and my stomach ballooned to its very limits, grumbling audibly. I had never in my life consumed so much food. 

Eventually, Roxy’s fun-filled feeding frenzy came to an end, and Maya showed me to my guest room. 

“I’m grateful you came,” she said on the way. “It’s been too long since we’ve seen Lady Roxy look so alive.” 

Given all the hardships in Lady Roxy’s life—her father’s sudden death in battle, her mother’s illness, and her demanding new duties in the kingdom—the maids were fretting about her return and whether she was in good health. Seeing her delight for themselves was a powerful relief. 

“Rest well, Fate,” Maya said. 

“Thank you,” I said. “Goodnight.” 

I bowed politely to Maya and closed the door. My first day of work on the estate as a Hart family servant had ended without issue. It was time for my other job. I reached out and grasped what Maya brought to my room for me earlier: the black sword Greed. 

“Well, well, someone looks happy. You big softie. Better get your game face on if you don’t want to end up as dinner for kobolds.” 

“From what I’ve heard, kobolds are a level up from goblins, but nothing crazy. With my current stats, they shouldn’t be an issue.” 

“Pride goeth before the fall, my friend. But you did your research, didn’t you?” 

“I did. Thoroughly.” 

During the day, while helping the people of the estate with grape picking, I had casually brought up kobolds. They were dangerous monsters that wrecked farmlands and attacked villagers at whim, so they were well-known to all. 

Every year, the kobolds moved from a ravine to the north down to the estate. Just yesterday, someone had scouted the ravine and discovered a kobold group on the hunt. When I remarked on how dangerous it was to search such a place, a villager said it was actually quite safe, because the wind traveled from north to south. As long as you were careful, the kobolds wouldn’t pick up your scent. 

The people of the estate had spent years dealing with damage and loss wrought by kobolds. I suspected they were even more knowledgeable than seasoned adventurers when it came to these particular monsters. 

With Greed in hand, I waited for midnight. 

“It’s time,” he said. 

“Let’s go.” 

I padded out of the Hart mansion into a cloudless night. The moon shone full-faced on the ground below, the perfect conditions for a night hunt. I proceeded north up a narrow mountain path. 

“Hey, Greed,” I said. “I met a strange Galian today. A girl. She had the same eyes I do when Gluttony is starving.” 

“Hm. I see. What did she call herself?” 

“I don’t know. I couldn’t use Identify on her. It was useless. Do you know what caused that?” 

“She’s carrying something with her. Something special, unique. But, without a name, I can’t give you any answers. Did she say anything else?” 

“She said we’d meet again.” 

“Ha. Then you’re bound to do so. Just forget about her until you do.” 

“What do you mean?” 

But Greed dropped into his trademark silence. He obviously knew more, but he wouldn’t tell me anything when he got like this. There was nothing to do but drop the topic. 

I focused on the mountain path. Occasionally, I heard rustling from the bushes. Rabbits, perhaps, or foxes. Monsters were more prone to leaping out to attack than staying hidden. 

At length, Greed and I arrived at a short, wooded cliff overlooking the ravine. 

“So this is where the kobolds come from.” 

“Finally, we can kill something new. The goblins were getting so very monotonous.” 

“After we’re done scouting and gathering intel.” 

Even in the trees’ shadows, hidden from the moonlight, Night Vision let me see everything. Wherever the kobolds came from, I would spot them from here. 

After a short time, two kobolds appeared near the valley mouth, using the trees as cover. These dog-faced monsters bristled with bushy blue fur. Though they were canines that walked on two feet, they weren’t the least bit cute. As they neared, they came into Identify’s range, and I analyzed them. Both kobolds were the same. 

Kobold Junior, Lv 25 

Vitality: 880 

Strength: 890 

Magic: 350 

Spirit: 400 

Agility: 780 

Skill: Strength Boost (Medium) 

I changed Greed to his bow form and took aim . The magic arrow cut through the air with a whisper and hit the kobold straight in the forehead. One down. 

Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +880, Strength +890, Magic +350, Spirit +400, Agility +780. Skill added: Strength Boost (Medium) 

At the sight of its suddenly dead partner, the remaining kobold’s eyes darted about. It tensed, preparing to lunge at whatever it saw, but I wouldn’t give it the chance. I fired the second arrow. The kobold collapsed into the brush as the magic arrow passed through its forehead. 

Gluttony skill activated. Stats increased: Vitality +880, Strength +890, Magic +350, Spirit +400, Agility +780 

I waited a moment longer, but no more kobolds appeared. I was disappointed. Just two… I hungered for more. 

“This is supposed to be the season for kobolds,” I said. “They come through the ravine and into the Hart family estate. But there’s not nearly enough of them.” 

“My hunch is they’re playing cautious,” said Greed. “Every year, a holy knight drives them away, so they send the junior kobolds to scout ahead. They’re probably biding their time and waiting for the opportune moment.” 

“Ah, so that’s what they’re up to.” 

However, if they sent scouts and those scouts never returned, the kobolds might not come at all. The next time I climbed here, I’d have to give them more leeway before I acted. 

My Gluttony was far from appeased, but there was no other choice—I had to endure it for now. Ignoring the hunger of my empty stomach, I returned to the path to the mansion.