My Domain Runs on KPIs

Chapter 006

“Beanpole!”

Garrick shouted at the top of his lungs.

A rustling sound came from somewhere inside the vegetable garden.

A moment later, a skinny figure crawled out from behind the weeds.

The instant Luke got a good look at him, he finally understood why everyone called him Beanpole.

The name fit perfectly.

He was barely five foot three, with messy hair, arms as thin as chopsticks, and a set of ragged clothes hanging loosely off his body.

Standing there, he looked like a strong gust of wind could carry him away.

“Beanpole, the lord is here.”

Garrick gestured toward Luke.

Luke was just about to greet him and get acquainted with his newest employee.

He had even prepared what he was going to say.

Then-

Beanpole looked at him once.

And bolted.

Just like that.

Luke stared after him.

What the hell?

What did I do?

I haven’t even said anything yet!

“Beanpole! Get back here!”

Garrick shouted after him.

Beanpole didn’t stop.

If anything, he ran even faster.

But instead of fleeing the vegetable garden, he sprinted straight toward its deepest section.

Luke and Garrick instinctively started after him.

Luke had barely taken two steps when-

“My Lord! STOP!”

Garrick’s shout nearly made Luke stumble and fall flat on his face.

“Close... that was close.”

Garrick hurriedly pulled him back, looking genuinely frightened.

“My Lord, you almost stepped on a trap.”

Luke froze.

Only then did the situation fully register.

He sucked in a breath.

“Just how many holes did that guy dig in this garden?”

Garrick scratched his head awkwardly.

“Probably... more than sixty.”

Luke’s jaw dropped.

“More than sixty?!”

“That many?”

“Isn’t he afraid he’ll forget where he put them one day?”

“And step into one himself?”

The moment Luke finished speaking-

“Ow!”

A cry came from the distance.

Luke looked up.

A large net woven from vines suddenly sprang up from the ground.

Beanpole was scooped clean off his feet and left dangling in midair.

Garrick glanced over.

“No, My Lord.”

“He does forget sometimes.”

Luke looked at Garrick.

Then at Beanpole, who was hanging helplessly from the net and staring back at them with an innocent expression.

Luke was silent for three seconds.

Then he asked,

“What exactly was he running from?”

Garrick sighed.

“He’s scared of strangers.”

“Whenever someone comes into the vegetable garden, he panics and runs deeper inside.”

“Because of the traps?”

Luke asked.

“Exactly.”

Garrick nodded.

“He knows how to avoid the traps he made, while outsiders don’t.”

“So whenever he stands in the trapped area...”

“He feels safe.”

“And because he dug so many of them, he’s basically covered the entire garden.”

Garrick didn’t need to say anything else.

Luke understood.

So Beanpole was severely socially awkward.

The kind who could only relax after retreating into his own safe space.

Still-

Luke frowned.

“Then how did he get caught this time?”

“Well...”

Garrick looked a little embarrassed.

“Like I said, My Lord.”

“He dug way too many.”

“So many that even he can’t always remember which one is where.”

Luke stared at Beanpole.

“Talent.”

He couldn’t stop himself.

“This kid is a damn genius.”

Luke and Garrick carefully made their way toward him.

The moment Beanpole saw Luke getting closer, his whole body started trembling uncontrollably.

Unfortunately, he was still hanging in midair.

The shaking made the net swing-

straight into Garrick.

“Ow!”

“You brat!”

Beanpole was so light that the impact itself wasn’t much.

Unfortunately, he hit Garrick right in his bad leg.

Garrick reached up and lightly smacked Beanpole on the head a few times as punishment.

“Sorry, Uncle Garrick.”

Beanpole immediately apologized.

Garrick snorted.

Then pointed toward Luke.

“Beanpole, this is our lord.”

“Say hello.”

Beanpole nervously looked at Luke.

Not a single word came out.

Luke immediately realized this was where his professional expertise came into play.

As an experienced HR professional, he had dealt with dozens-probably hundreds-of socially awkward employees.

Granted, he had never seen anyone this socially awkward before.

Normal communication clearly wasn’t going to work.

He needed another approach.

As long as he could get Beanpole talking, everything after that would be much easier.

Luke gave him a gentle look.

“Did you dig all these traps?”

Beanpole’s expression immediately changed.

For a moment, he looked almost offended.

Anger flashed across his face-

only for him to forcibly suppress it.

Then he said quietly but firmly,

“They’re not traps!”

Luke’s eyes sharpened.

“So... it’s a vegetable garden?”

That clearly mattered to Beanpole.

Someone this socially awkward would never react this strongly to the word trap unless this place held serious meaning for him.

Which meant-

Luke had found his pressure point.

Beanpole visibly relaxed.

“Yes.”

Luke nodded.

“Hungry?”

As he spoke, he took the only short sword Garrick carried and cut through the vine net.

Garrick helped Beanpole back onto his feet.

Luke brushed some dirt off him.

Then he turned toward Garrick.

“Garrick, do you still have the food I gave you?”

“Of course.”

Garrick nodded immediately.

He reluctantly pulled out his ration.

Then he closed his eyes and pushed it forward.

Garrick had experienced this kind of thing far too many times.

Military rewards.

Equipment.

Food.

Everything he had earned through his own efforts.

Those above him only had to say a few words, and they could take it all away.

And they never had to repay him.

He had thought that this new lord might actually be reasonable.

Apparently...

he was the same as all the others.

Luke frowned.

“Why are you closing your eyes?”

He casually took one portion of food from Garrick’s hands and gave it to Beanpole.

Beanpole’s stomach immediately growled.

But instead of eating, he carefully held the food in both hands.

“Go ahead.”

Garrick looked at him sympathetically.

Meanwhile, Luke picked up a leaf from the ground and scratched several marks into it with his fingernail.

Then he handed it to Garrick.

“Here.”

“This is your reimbursement receipt.”

“When we get back, give this to me and I’ll replace the portion I took.”

Luke said it casually.

He had handled reimbursements countless times in his previous life.

To him, this was completely normal.

Garrick, however, stared at him in disbelief.

“Wh... what?”

“A reimbursement receipt.”

Luke frowned.

“Why are you just standing there? Take it.”

“Oh. Right!”

Garrick hurriedly accepted the leaf.

He stared at it for several seconds, still looking shocked.

Then he carefully tucked it into the only pocket he had, treating it like some priceless treasure.

“Eat.”

Luke looked back at Beanpole.

When Beanpole still didn’t move, Luke urged him again.

Beanpole glanced toward Garrick.

Only after Garrick nodded did he finally start eating.

And once he started-

he absolutely devoured it.

Luke watched him eat and couldn’t help thinking that if this were his old life, Beanpole would be exactly the kind of person he’d bring to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Just watching him eat would probably make Luke finish two extra plates himself.

“Slow down.”

Luke reminded him.

After Beanpole practically inhaled the entire meal, he finally raised his head.

Something had changed in the way he looked at Luke.

Over the years, plenty of people had taken food away from him.

This was the first time anyone had ever given him food.

Luke looked toward the horizon.

The sun was already sinking.

“Let’s go.”

He turned to Garrick.

“Where’s our last employee?”

“Probably time I met him too.”

Then Luke glanced at Beanpole.

“We can talk on the way.”

This time, however, Garrick’s expression became visibly uncomfortable.

“My Lord...”

He hesitated.

Then finally said,

“I think maybe you shouldn’t meet that freak.”

“Just pretend he’s already dead.”

Luke stared at him.

“What?”