Chapter 42 (2/2)

So, Tom had to pick them up in a hurry.

“The running insects are not food. You can throw them away,” Liszt reminded him.

“Oh, o-okay, my lord.” Tom threw the insects out in a flurry. There was no telling if it was because his lord was around, but he couldn’t grab them and sweated hard.

Not far away, Thomas, who was examining the rocks, saw Thomas’s embarrassment and gloated internally. He was the most excellent of the three footmen in the castle; he was a suitable choice for the next butler.

On the other side, Jesse failed to capture any of the shrimps and clamps that his lord wanted. He had no idea that he should dig into the holes through which the creatures breathed.

How useless! he thought to himself.

He knocked the rocks happily, picking up the seafood, and he even found a few crabs.

He then broke the shells and dug the fresh meat out.

Before they left, his lord claimed that the meat of shellfish was delicious.

Thomas was not convinced that this ugly, soft thing was delicious, but he still carried out his orders dutifully.

It was no trouble at all.

There were clams and mussels everywhere on the bare rocks after ebbing.

After only two hours, Thomas had filled the two buckets he carried. One of the buckets contained only the meat of the shellfish.

He looked at Tom. Tom’s buckets were also full, but he picked up a lot of things that their lord asked them not to.

He couldn’t recognize the same animal at all.

How stupid.

As for Jesse, he could be ignored. He was sweating like a pig, but the bottom of his bucket was barely covered. There were only a few fat lobsters inside.

Thomas put down his buckets laden with trophies and held his head high, waiting for his lord’s inspection.

…

Liszt, who spent most of the time in the shade of the coconut tree, stopped the fishery experiment when the sun was high.

He checked every bucket on his horse.

“Tom, you need to work harder to distinguish seafood from vermin. Not everything from the ocean is edible.”

Tom lowered his head in shame. “I’m sorry, my lord. I’m too stupid to tell the difference.”

“It’s all right, Tom. It’s perfectly normal for your first fishing experience. Don’t feel guilty.” Liszt comforted him and turned to Jesse’s bucket. “Well, Jesse, I can see that you worked hard, but you apparently did not do what I taught you.”

“My lord, I dug hard, but the holes disappeared every time I did.” Jesse was anxious.

“You need to dig along the holes.”

“I… I can stay here and keep digging. My lord, I can certainly fill my bucket.”

“If you stay here, nobody will fetch water for the castle. Jesse, I’m not blaming you. It’s not an easy task to dig up shrimps and razor clams.”

In the end, Liszt reached Thomas’s buckets. One of the buckets was full of meat, and the other contained crabs and other sea creatures.

“Job well done, Thomas.”

“Thank you for your praise, my lord. I will always try my best for my lord.” Thomas was delighted.

Liszt responded with a big smile, acknowledging Thomas’s work. He knew what was on Thomas’ mind. Carter told him a long time ago that Thomas had ambitions, but he was not bothered as his lord, because Thomas’ ambition couldn’t be greater than to be the butler of the castle.

If the man was truly capable, he could always appoint Thomas as the butler when Carter was too old.

No servants could drift out of his control.