Help, I'm in Another World and All the Men Are So Hot! [BL]-Chapter 245: A Morning of Preparations

"Master, I will accompany you," Lysander said, as usual.

At first, Damien had refused every time, but Lysander had insisted so much that Damien had eventually given up and allowed him to come along.

And so, once again, the two of them shared their morning shower time.

After finishing the shower, Damien felt refreshed, though a bit worn out, while Lysander seemed completely revitalized and glowing.

They both emerged from the changing room.

Elyric was still asleep.

Damien headed to the lounge, where, just as he entered, Zima had just finished preparing breakfast and was stepping out of the kitchen.

"Good morning, Zima."

As Damien greeted him and sat down, breakfast was already neatly arranged on the table, as if it had been prepared just for him.

Today, since everyone’s schedules didn’t align, it would only be Damien and Lysander having breakfast together.

So, as soon as they sat down, breakfast was served, and the timing was perfect.

Normally, Damien’s breakfast was served after everyone gathered, so the timing was always irregular, but Zima always managed to perfectly match the timing.

Even when Leonide and the others had been handling things, it hadn’t been this smooth.

The only other person who did the same was Sebas.

Damien couldn’t help but wonder how Zima managed it.

He had asked once before, but Zima had put his index finger to his lips and whispered, "It’s a secret."

It had been very... enticing.

Thinking about that moment, Damien found himself looking at Zima’s face.

Zima smiled and winked at him.

Damien couldn’t help but feel that something about it was just... alluring.

On top of that, Zima seemed to be inviting him with a secret gesture they had both decided on.

How Damien responded to the gesture, however, remained a secret.

In the morning, Damien approached Lupusregina with a request to work at the dormitory.

To his delight, she readily agreed, securing their first employee.

Lupusregina was skilled in cooking, so Damien considered assigning her to manage the kitchen duties.

Since he hadn’t had a chance to meet everyone in the morning, lunch became a time for updates and discussions while they ate together.

Afterward, the afternoon’s task was set—visiting the slave merchant.

After discussing with his retainers the previous evening, they had decided that turning to the Servant Guild would be a last resort.

Since his household was still obscure and relatively unknown, there was little confidence that reputable candidates would be willing to join them.

An recruiting from the domain’s population was also postponed for the time being.

Hiring locals would require either asking them to work under the guise of being employed by Theo’s household or outright lying about it.

Damien couldn’t bring himself to cross that line yet.

It was a simple matter of steeling himself to fully embrace his role as a lord, but he still hesitated—something that filled him with frustration and self-reproach.

As for seeking acquaintances of his retainers, that avenue also proved unfruitful.

Most of the people Leonide and the others knew were already employed with their families or at Theo’s estate.

Meanwhile, Zima and Ithnan had no clear idea of where any of their acquaintances might be.

Thus, the plan for the day was to visit the slave merchant.

Just like the last time, Damien disguised himself as a servant and took a carriage to the outskirts of the noble district.

Today, Lysander and Ithnan were accompanying him.

Ithnan, as expected, was armed, but even Lysander carried a sword today.

With his solid build, Lysander looked particularly striking when armed.

Among the group of four retainers, Lysander had the most imposing physique and was said to be the most skilled swordsman.

Recently, Ithnan and the others had been training with him during their free time.

Ithnan had even remarked, "He’s skilled enough to handle actual combat."

Walking between these two, Damien felt safe even in the crowded streets.

However, something about it felt different compared to when Cedran had guided him previously.

With Ithnan, a Dragonewt, drawing attention, and two handsome men flanking him, there were already plenty of reasons for people to stare.

But without Cedran’s experienced lead, Damien found himself struggling—bumping into people, nearly tripping, and even getting lost in the crowd several times.

It was proving to be quite the ordeal.

As if that wasn’t enough, every time something happened, the two handsome men flanking Damien would fuss over him with meticulous care.

It was deeply embarrassing.

"Ah, Master Damien, please watch your step," Lysander cautioned as Damien tripped over something, immediately catching him before he could fall.

"Th-thank you, Lysander," Damien stammered.

"Master, you mustn’t stop here," Ithnan interjected, pulling Damien close by the shoulder before a hurried passerby brushed past the spot Damien had just occupied.

"...Thank you, Ithnan," Damien said, glancing around to ensure no one else was approaching before expressing his gratitude.

"Honestly, Master Damien, you’re so reckless sometimes. I-it’s worrying, so let’s, um, hold hands for safety," Lysander suggested, entwining his fingers with Damien’s in an intimate grip.

"It’s true," Ithnan agreed. "Master, you are quite precarious. This is for your safety." He linked arms with Damien as well.

Wait, are we really going to walk like this? Damien wondered, his cheeks burning.

Admittedly, he had been stumbling and causing concern, and the two of them seemed to be enjoying themselves, so he couldn’t quite bring himself to protest.

People aren’t staring.

No one’s looking.

It’s just my imagination.

People aren’t staring.

No one’s looking, Damien repeated in his mind like a mantra as they continued their trek toward the slave merchant’s shop.

Upon reaching the shop, Damien introduced himself and explained his purpose.

Before he could get far, he was promptly escorted to the luxurious room he had been shown to on his last visit.

Apparently, the slave merchant was currently tied up with an unavoidable matter and would need Damien to wait.

Although there were other attendants available, it seemed Damien’s case was specifically assigned to the merchant, and the attendants profusely apologized for the inconvenience.