Aiden continued his conversation with Alfredo for another two hours after that.

It included a brief explanation of the Building Owner trait and further questions about why he had been possessed. However, even Alfredo had no knowledge of that matter.

‘Even I don’t know everything. Why you were possessed and why you came here, I have no idea.’

Alfredo also didn’t know much.

Still, Aiden felt a slight sense of relief from his initial confusion.

After gathering some information, Aiden went to see Bianca.

“Mother.”

“Aiden, you’re here?”

“Yes, how’s your room?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit small and dusty, but it seems manageable.”

If this kind of room had been offered to any other noble, they would’ve thrown a fit, claiming it was an insult to their status. However, Bianca was different.

She accepted her circumstances calmly and didn’t show a hint of complaint.

“It seems the acting lord hasn’t been doing his job properly. But it’s alright, we’ll just have to do better from now on.”

An empty house inevitably gathers dust. Dust can be swept away.

Considering how she had been treated by their family, the hospitality here was hardly an issue.

Even though the Forest of Beasts was a little frightening, it was still something she could endure.

“By the way, there really are so few people here.”

“Yes. There are no servants, and the state of the estate is a mess.”

“Ah, but something incredible happened earlier. Did you see it? I heard the noise, and when I looked, the palisade…”

“I saw that too.”

Aiden responded awkwardly.

The change in the palisade was due to Aiden’s Building Owner trait. The problem was that Bianca wasn’t aware of this.

‘When would be the right time to explain it to her?’

At some point, he’d need to tell her, but no good excuse came to mind.

The palisade’s transformation was a result of his Building Owner trait. Explaining that would require talking about the trait itself and that he came from another world.

‘That would naturally lead to me admitting I’m actually a different person.’

Could he really tell Bianca about that?

“By the way, who’s the person behind you?”

Bianca finally noticed Alfredo, dressed in a suit, standing behind Aiden.

Despite meeting Bianca for the first time, Alfredo cheekily expressed a slight disappointment.

“Oh dear, have you forgotten me? I am Alfredo, the butler who swore loyalty to Lord Aiden.”

“Alfredo? A butler? This is the first I’m hearing about it. Where did you come from…?”

Bianca reacted sharply.

It was only natural. A stranger suddenly appeared, claiming they swore loyalty to her son.

It was only right to be wary.

“Oh my, you’ve forgotten me. But soon, it will come back to you.”

Alfredo’s eyes glowed purple for a moment, and Bianca’s expression turned dazed.

Moments later, she regained her composure.

“Ah! That’s right, Alfredo. Why did I forget? I’m sorry about that.”

“No need to apologize. Given the chaos, it’s understandable.”

He smiled brightly.

After exchanging a few more words, Bianca said she wanted to look around and walked away.

As her figure disappeared, Aiden grabbed Alfredo by the collar.

“What did you do to my mother? Tell me right now.”

Faced with Aiden’s chilling threat, Alfredo let out an awkward laugh.

“Aha… It’s nothing serious. I just placed a light suggestion.”

“Suggestion?”

“Yes. I implanted a simple story in her mind—that I was a wandering outcast from a noble family who was rescued by Lord Aiden, and out of gratitude, I’ve come to repay the favor.”

“And there’s no harm to my mother?”

“None at all. You needn’t worry.”

Only then did Aiden release his grip on Alfredo’s collar.

“Couldn’t you have just explained something simple like being hired? Why go so far as to use a suggestion?”

“Well, it’s just easier to skip the trivial explanations with a suggestion. Saves time.”

“…Can you use that suggestion often?”

“No, it’s limited. I can only use it about three times at most.”

Which meant only two uses were left.

Well, at least it saved him the time of explaining everything to Bianca.

Now, he needed to decide what to do next.

First, he had to find the ledger.

The ledger contained detailed records of how Rex had used the support funds.

By using it, he could pressure Rex and possibly find out the location of the slush fund.

“The ledger is in the basement.”

In the original story, the ledger had been found in the mansion’s basement.

“The problem is that it’s inside a safe. How do I get it out?”

“Are you thinking of retrieving the contents of the safe?”

“Yeah.”

“And the safe is located somewhere within this mansion?”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s simple.”

“Simple?”

“Yes, my lord, you are the owner of this mansion. A lord and, more importantly, the Building Owner.”

Though “owner” would typically be the correct term, Alfredo deliberately emphasized the term “Building Owner.”

“A Building Owner can move freely anywhere within their building. Whatever is hidden within it also belongs to the Building Owner. This is my gift to you.”

---

[Skill Acquired: The Building Owner Has Arrived.]

[The Building Owner Has Arrived.]

In my domain, if I wish to go somewhere, who dares block my path?

The Building Owner’s path is a royal road.

No one can obstruct their steps.

A Building Owner can move anywhere within their building.

Cooldown: 30 minutes.

[You have acquired the Building Owner’s Key.]

[Building Owner’s Key.]

In my domain, nothing is out of my reach.

The Building Owner is the king of the building.

No one can prevent them from doing what they wish, and no lock or seal can stop them.

---

“…”

Aiden stared at the new skill and item.

The golden key was encrusted with jewels.

Aiden’s lips curled into a wide smile as he reviewed the descriptions of the skill and item.

“Being a building owner is the best.”

At that moment:

“What is this commotion all about?”

“What’s going on outside…?”

It seemed they finally heard the news about the palisade. Rex and the knights were seen heading out.

The perfect opportunity had arisen.

Aiden’s lips curled up mischievously.

“Time to loot the empty house.”

---

Noble Drawing Room

The noble drawing room of the mansion was much smaller and humbler compared to the one at the Duke’s household.

Aiden sat in the drawing room, with Alfredo standing neatly behind him. Across from them sat Rex, and behind Rex, a knight stood with a sharp gaze.

The distinction between master and servant was clear.

The knights were sent by the family.

Until now, they had served under the proxy lord, but now that the true lord had arrived, they were expected to pledge their allegiance to him.

“Why are you standing there?”

“Are you talking about me?”

“Yes, I am. The Lord of Hestia territory is now me. So shouldn’t you be standing behind me, not the proxy lord?”

“…”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, the knight hesitated to answer.

“My apologies, my lord. This knight has been by my side since I came here as a proxy. It seems the habit has remained,” Rex intervened smoothly.

“And even though you, my lord, have arrived, there is still much work to be handed over. During that time, I will be staying at the mansion, and wouldn’t I need some protection? I beg your understanding.”

Rex’s words flowed like oil, his tone polished and composed.

Though Aiden could sense he was laying the groundwork for something, he feigned ignorance and played along.

“Is that so? Well, that makes sense. I understand.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Rex smiled brightly, but beneath his pleasant expression, his mind worked furiously to assess the situation.

Why did he suddenly call me here?

Is he seeking my advice? But something feels off…

Typically, a noble visiting this territory would be consumed with anxiety over the Forest of Beasts.

Even those who had visited before fled in fear after hearing the howls of the beasts resonating from the forest.

Under normal circumstances, Aiden should also be trembling with unease.

But.

Why does he seem so calm?

Aiden appeared completely unfazed.

His composed demeanor made it hard to believe he was someone just thrown into this world.

Unable to bear the uncertainty, Rex spoke up first.

“So then… my lord, may I ask why you summoned us?”

“Well, it’s about the subsidies, of course.”

“Subsidies, you say…”

“The funds sent by the family to manage the territory. I’ll be taking over their management from now on.”

“…”

Though Rex was slightly taken aback, he quickly regained his composure and spoke.

“Ahaha, but of course. The subsidies belong to you, my lord.”

He made it seem as if he had no problem handing over the funds.

However.

“My lord, you’ve been here in Hestia territory for less than a day.”

“And so?”

“In contrast, I have served as the proxy lord in this dangerous territory for over five years.”

His point was clear.

Aiden had only just arrived and knew little about the territory.

But Rex, with his five years of experience, was well-acquainted with the territory and its dangers.

Therefore.

“Right now, I am in the best position to make effective use of those funds. So how about I manage them for the time being?”

In other words, he was saying, “Don’t touch the funds.”

On the surface, his argument seemed reasonable.

Aiden was new to the territory and unfamiliar with its state or the ecosystem of the beasts.

Rex, on the other hand, had spent years in the territory and was experienced with its management.

He could ostensibly put the funds to better use.

Of course, the truth was that Rex had never used the subsidies for the territory’s benefit, only for his personal gain.

“What do you think? It would only be temporary. Once the handover is complete, I’ll leave, and then you can handle everything as you see fit.”

Rex smiled warmly.

He was confident Aiden would accept his proposal.

After all, this was unfamiliar ground, and the Forest of Beasts added another layer of uncertainty.

For someone Aiden’s age, having an experienced adult to rely on would seem logical.

After mulling it over for a moment, Aiden finally opened his mouth.

“No.”

“Very well, then. Let’s start with the handover— Excuse me?”

“I said no.”

“W-Why is that? Could you explain your reasoning…?”

“Why else? Because I don’t trust you.”

“…”

Rex’s expression momentarily contorted in displeasure at the blatant distrust.

But he quickly masked it with a calm demeanor.

“Haha, it’s natural for you not to trust me. But still…”

“No.”

“Please, my lord. I’ve been protecting Hestia territory as a proxy for five years. If you’ll just listen to reason…”

“And yet, you’ve let the territory become a mess?”

“This is because of the beasts—”

“No.”

“Please don’t interrupt me…”

“No.”

By this point, Rex’s frustration was beginning to show.

This was infuriating.

Every time he tried to say something, Aiden shut him down with a firm “no,” leaving no room to negotiate.

“Why don’t you trust me? Is it because of the poor accommodations?”

“…”

“I admit our hospitality has been lacking, but as you can see, the state of the territory left us no choice. Please, I implore you to reconsider. I will serve you without fail.”

Watching Rex speak, his fist clenched in frustration, Aiden chuckled derisively.

“See? You should’ve done a better job from the start.”

“That is…”

“Enough. Look at this.”

Aiden cut him off and tossed a stack of papers onto the table.

Rex’s eyes wavered as he looked at the documents.

“This is…”

It was the ledger.

It shouldn’t have been possible.

The ledger was securely hidden in the underground vault of the mansion.

It was concealed so well that no one could ever find it. Even if someone did, they wouldn’t be able to open the tightly locked vault.

“H-How did you…?”

“You’ve been skimming quite a lot, haven’t you? Do you have multiple lives to risk? Embezzling funds from the Duke’s family…”

“…”

How the ledger ended up in Aiden’s hands no longer mattered.

What mattered was that it was there, in plain sight.

He already knew the truth.

A chilling glint flashed in Rex’s eyes, and in the next moment—

Thwack!

The knight standing behind moved.

Even if he was sent by the family as a lord, if he was exiled here, it meant they didn’t care whether he lived or died.

This was Hestia territory, a land adjacent to the Forest of Beasts.

Even if the lord died, it could simply be blamed on a monster attack.

The body?

Just toss it into the forest, and the monsters would handle the rest.

Hadn’t that been how they dealt with those they didn’t favor until now?

“He’s only 17! Even if Saronton is renowned as a family of swordsmanship, this guy’s nothing but a useless fool, isn’t he? I’m a knight who has been fighting monsters all along!”

He could kill him.

The knight judged so and smoothly drew his sword from its sheath, swinging it.

He was briefly wary of the unknown butler standing behind, but the man didn’t seem to intend to move.

At that moment, Aiden, who had been sitting still until now, moved.

---

[You have used the Building Owner’s Buff.]
[All of the Building Owner’s stats are increased by 300% within their territory.]
[The Building Owner’s attack speed, movement speed, and reaction speed are enhanced.]

Aiden dodged the knight’s simple, straightforward slash with ease and reached out to grab his face.

He was a Hunter.

Even as an E-rank, he had undergone basic training at the Hunter Association and had even fought monsters before.

Although he was more of a porter, he had still accumulated a modest amount of experience from his time as a Hunter.

Thanks to those experiences, he could respond to the knight’s movements.

“With the buffs, my stats and reaction speed have increased,” he thought.

Because of this, the knight, caught off guard, was forced to slam his head onto the table.

Boom!

“……!”

“Why? Were you really planning to kill me with just this?”

“……Despite being called useless, you truly are of Saronton blood, aren’t you…?”

At Rex’s signal, four knights entered through the door.

“Tsk, Lil got taken down.”

“Don’t get too full of yourself just because you took down that guy.”

“He’s the weakest among us. Don’t think you can take all of us on your own.”

A menacing aura emanated from the knights.

Even with his buffs, Aiden couldn’t easily handle four knights at once.

Feeling emboldened by the arrival of reinforcements, Rex crossed his legs, took out a cigar, and lit it expertly, puffing out smoke.

“Haah. Didn’t I tell you it’d be better to accept my proposal? Why do you insist on doing things you’ll regret?”

“…….”

“I was willing to talk things through peacefully, but since you’ve chosen this path, it can’t be helped.”

At Rex’s gesture, the four knights smirked and advanced toward Aiden.

“Indeed, facing four of them at once is difficult.”

For now.

That’s why Aiden decided to use his Building Owner abilities.

He hadn’t acted recklessly.

“Estate status window.”

Among the abilities he gained as a Building Owner, there was one that allowed him to bring up the estate’s status window when he registered the estate as his own.

---

[Estate Status Window]
The estate lord’s mansion built for the lord of Hestia territory.

The entire territory is bound to the mansion.

As the Building Owner, you can designate targets and expel them from the property.

As your Building Owner level increases, more precise controls become available.

Durability: 35,445/50,000
Servants: 1
Knights: 5
Gardeners: 0
Chefs: 0

[Omitted]

A brief description of the estate appeared.

Aiden focused on a particular feature mentioned in the description.

He casually watched the four knights emitting their menacing aura.

Then, he spoke.

“Expel Lil, Rals, Hetin, Kal, Clo.”

As he said the command, a message appeared.

---

[Do you wish to expel Lil, Rals, Hetin, Kal, and Clo?]
[Expelling a target costs 10 gold per individual.]

Expelling wasn’t free.

Each expulsion required 10 gold.

With five knights, the cost would be 50 gold. But in this situation, there was no need to save gold.

“Expel.”

Flash!

In a burst of light, the four knights and the subdued one disappeared.

---

“W-What!? Where did they go!? What on earth have you done…?”

Rex was startled, his expression showing complete disbelief.

He frantically searched for the knights, but they were nowhere to be seen.

His gaze shifted to Aiden.

“…….”

Rex, being quick-witted, quickly grasped the situation.

The knights had vanished.

Standing before him was Aiden, clenching his fists.

Aiden looked at him and said,

“Legs shaking?”

“……Yes….”

“And one more thing.”

Aiden snatched the cigar from Rex’s hand and extinguished it on Rex’s thigh.

“Argh!”

“This place is non-smoking. Who’s going to take responsibility if I get lung cancer?”

“L-Lung cancer…? What’s that?”

Apparently, this world didn’t know much about diseases like lung cancer.

Or perhaps it went by another name here.

Anyway, that wasn’t important now.

---

“Now then….”

At Aiden’s signal, Alfredo closed the door the knights had entered through with a smile.

Thud!

“…….”

“Let’s have that talk you wanted so badly.”

Thwack!

Aiden immediately punched Rex in the face.

“Ugh! Y-You said you wanted to talk!”

“We are talking.”

“What kind of talk is this!?”

“It seems this is the kind of conversation you prefer. Ah, we’ve found common ground here.”

A sinister smile spread across Aiden’s lips.

“Because I find this kind of conversation more comfortable, too.”

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