While he was kneading his forehead, the stairs finally rose up from the ground.

“Sir, we are outside.”

Sera, who looked a little flustered by the incident that just happened, quickly got off as she called out to him. So, he quickly followed after her as the mechanism underneath his legs started to go off again as it seemed to descend back to the original position.

When he looked back, he noticed that on the top of the stairways was a stone statue of some kind of woman. She had pointy ears, so his guess was that she was an elf or something like that.

Then he looked around and noticed that they were right in front of the gate leading to the garden.

“This is the entrance to the garden, as you surely know. There are some secret corridors leading straight to the garden, but Miss Gardener would not tolerate it as it would be invading her private place.”

Sera started to explain all kinds of character traits of the tenants living here which would definitely make his life much easier, making him grateful. The more he knew about this place, the more he could achieve.

As they talked, they entered the garden. It seemed to be completely abandoned, but he knew that all those overgrown plants could move at any time, trying to kill him.

“Every plant here is quite rare, and some of them are even extinct at this very moment in most places outside of this realm. This place is their sanctuary, and so they aren’t very keen on outsiders coming this way.”

However, hearing this gave him a new perspective on what happened. Was it unreasonable of them to almost kill him? Yes. But was it understandable? Probably yes, too.

They were just plants, after all.

‘But if you don’t consider them as living beings but just the beauty of the background, then they are indeed splendid.’

As someone who liked to play in the forest, he liked this kind of garden where the road almost merged with the rest of the garden as the gigantic trees towered over them, hiding them from the sun.

The small rivers went around or even through the roads, which were then overstepped with the help of small wooden bridges. Everything was extremely pleasant to the eye and other senses as he enjoyed the walk with Sera.

That was until the owner’s voice suddenly resounded all around them.

“Human, what did you come for?”

He and Sera stopped their walk as they looked around. Of course, they didn’t see anyone.

“Ah, Miss Gardener, long time no see! It’s been quiet for a while, isn’t it?”

Sera greeted the Gardener with a slightly nervous expression.

“Oh, it is also the little dullahan.”

‘Where is the ‘failed’ part you talked about before? Won't I say in front of her? How hypocritical!’

While he was laughing inside of his mind, two women started to talk about their responsibilities in this realm as if they didn’t have anyone to talk to properly all the time.

‘That is probably also true. Damn, this realm is really harsh to their tenants…!

“So, what brings you here?”

Gardener asked in a curious manner. It was obvious to him that she was quite happy to have another company so soon even though she liked to act distant and unreachable.

And so, as someone who understood her plight, he decided to humor her in hopes of getting a little closer to her. This would subsequently help him in his journey towards the Housekeeper position.

“Ehm. You see, Sera was teaching me all kinds of passwords and whatnot of the hidden corridors leading through the house. Lately, I started to meet the nightmare creatures on normal corridors and as I am quite weak I need to hide. One of those hidden corridors was leading straight in front of your garden. We took advantage of it as we visited. After all, you promised that I can take the fruits and the sacred water when needed.”

At the end, he mentioned her promise if she forgot or played dumb.

Fortunately, no such thing happened.

“What are you talking about? Of course, you can visit whenever you need to, human. But that aside, you said you met along the way nightmare creatures?”

‘Again, she diverted the topic. She really wants to keep talking, huh.’

His mouth curved when he thought about the Gardener’s behavior. He found it extremely endearing and funny.

“Yes. I also kicked the bucket today if not for Fel.”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Kicked- what?”

“That I almost died.”

Realizing that she didn’t understand what he talked about he was more specific.

“Oh, I see. So the little werewolf helped you out? She must have really liked you if she was willing to help you so soon after your arrival.”

‘You have no idea.’

However, he didn’t plan to divulge this inf-

“Actually, sir became the leader of her pack earlier this morning! Isn’t that amazing?”

Unfortunately, Sera, whose mouth was quick said this with a slight smile. From one look, it was obvious that she meant this from the bottom of her heart. After all, she knew Fel for a very long time yet it was only him who managed to get so close to her. And in such a short time too!

His expression twisted a little. He didn’t want to talk about this much. Firstly, Fel was his trump card that could save his life. Secondly, he didn’t know the relations of the tenants and if there was someone who didn’t like her and knew that he was her so-called leader then he wouldn’t be able to establish contact.

“Oh? Interesting. Tell me more.”

And just like he feared there was a hint of change in Gardener’s voice. He didn’t know the reason for it but he quickly explained.

“You see, she is quite strong and since she was so rowdy I needed to calm her down somehow. That’s when she bit me and called me her leader. In the end, since it isn’t dangerous and it helps me to rein her in, I think it is quite a good perk.”

“Hmmm…”

She just hummed as she stayed silent.

‘What the heck… You didn’t seem to hate her when you talked about her before… So what is the problem?’

“So, the problem with the nightmares is solved with this, isn’t it?”

She asked tentatively.

“Eh? Not really. It seemed that whenever I sleep I get in the dream realm. Also, she isn’t always with me. Just as now. I would rather look for other ways to defend myself.”

He said this sincerely as he really felt that if he would not do anything then he wouldn’t be able to withstand this for too long.

Silence ensued in the garden as he waited for Ms. Gardener’s answer.

After a while, she finally made a noise as she seemed to ponder about something.

“Hmm… In that case… Wait a minute here, I need to retrieve something.”

Then, her ethereal voice diminished.

“Ehh.. What was that?”

“I have no idea, sir.”

Even Sera didn’t know why she suddenly disappeared. The young man just hoped that it was not anything bad as he was already too tired. If something happened then he would probably just lie down and accept his fate.

“I have never seen Ms.Gardener being so easy to talk to. I guess you are really worthy, sir!”

Sera was muttering something to herself and then with twinkling eyes she stared at him as she gushed some nonsense.

‘Worthy? Worthy my ass…’

He knew more than anyone else that he was just the average joe trying to go through school, to later on find a proper job with hopes that he would find a loving life to have family with. As time passed, he already stopped having any grand ambitions that children tended to have as he didn’t have the talent or passion. Lately, he even thought that he would just take some cat or dog home and live ascetic life.

‘And now I am here in this shithole…’

He shook his head in ridicule as he thought that Sera’s words were rubbish-

‘Wait…’

“Did you just say that now she is acting ‘more’ talkative?”

“Yes. Usually she talks with one or two words. She only talked so much when her emotions spiked. Like when she got angry…”

Showing a scared expression, Sera put her hands together.

‘Was she so scary when she was angry?’

He reviewed his memories of this mysterious gardener and then he realized that when he met her for the first time he almost shat his pants because of her domineering voice.

‘I guess she is.’

While they were waiting, he didn’t just stand idly as he started to take some of the fruits that were hanging on the branches.

He remembered which he picked up yesterday and so he didn’t fear that they would be poisonous. Most of them looked unique so it didn’t seem likely that he would mistake them.

“You probably don’t know which fruits can be eaten here, right?”

“I apologize, but I never got this information.”

“I see.”

As he was picking some of the fruits the branches seemed to dodge which irked him. He stopped moving for a moment and thought. Then he reached out once again which prompted the branch to move in the opposite direction.

However, that was just feint as his second hand safely secured the fruit.

“Tch~”

Suddenly two big eyes and mouth opened on the tree and frowned in disapproval at him. But he already stopped caring as he showed it his middle finger and abandoned it after seeing it was fruitless.

He stopped collecting more as he didn’t have how and started to munch on one.

This one had an impressive yellow peel but once he chewed its inside flesh which was blue he almost fell on the ground as his legs wobbled.

The harmony of sour and sweet played a symphony on his tongue.

‘Can’t believe that such fruit can grow on such ugly tree!’

“Oh, is it sweet, sir? Good for you!”

Sera looked at him enviously as she stared at the fruit.

“What? You can't eat those?”

This surprised him as he thought that they normally ate him.

“My body is spirit right now so the only food that would give me some nutritions are spirit foods which could only be cooked by the Master Chef. Even if someone else could, all the ingredients are inside the kitchen where that gluttonous girl resides…”

Hearing about another tenant he felt a headache creeping in but he ignored it as he asked.

“But you could touch me despite the fact that I have my body.”

“Yes, I can touch material things such as you or other items in this place.”

After saying that she tilted her head thinking why he asked her this.

He furrowed his brows.

“Then can’t you still eat those fruits?”

“Eh? But I can’t abso-”

“So? It is not like you need to eat for that reason. The taste alone is enough. The only reason why I didn’t collapse yet was because of this sweet treasure.”

“Eh?!”

“...”

‘Wait… Don’t tell me…’

“You… Never thought about it?”

“Umm…”

When she shed her eyes he could only roll his. How could such a girl survive so long without anyone supervising her?

“You are really silly.”

“B-but… But! It is not my fault! I-! I…!”

Her face turned red as she started to mumble unintelligibly while putting her finger against each other.

“You see, my father was militaristic and I was brought up by him to act that way… Eating while not needing to do so was almost a heretic thing to do… I had to be as much prepared for…”

She talked so quickly that he couldn’t almost understand her while she sweated and was looking everywhere else except at him.

‘So it is daddy issues, huh. Classic.’

He rolled his eyes as he ignored her mumbling and made several long steps to get closer to her.

She opened her eyes wide as she wanted to say something but he suddenly pushed a big fruit into her opened mouth and then closed it with his other hand. As the fruit was almost overripe, the juices squirted inside of her mouth and then flowed on her chin.

But she ignored that as her eyes widened even more. She stared at him for a few seconds before she burst into tears.

“It ish shoo gud!”