Duke.
He was a character who first appeared in arc one, at a party held for his daughter. If I rembered correctly, it was the opening story of the novel—the one that brought here.
According to the novel, the Duke was the coldest NPC of them all.
"..."
I didn’t expect such a person to be right in front of .
But what surprised the most was that he was different from what was described. Now, he even seed like soone who could be friendly with anyone.
"..."
Have I been too quick to judge people all this ti?
Or, is the scenario in this world slowly starting to change?
Who knows.
"..."
I just need to focus on what’s in front of first.
The Duke, who had been laughing heartily, gradually lessened his laughter, and eventually stopped.
He took a long breath. "... You may stand up straight now."
My body, which had been bent, began to straighten. My hands reflexively clenched.
"..."
The silhouette of the shadow that had been covering him slowly disappeared, leaving his body on the white sofa.
My eyes widened.
"..."
I see him now.
face of the person I called "Duke" was now fully visible. Long, dark blue hair—so dark it seed to swallow the light—and eyes that matched its color.
"..."
His expression was relaxed, settled in a way that suggested long years of composure.
My mouth slightly opened.
Now, he was sitting slightly hunched over. His hands were clasped on his thighs, the weight of his authority pressing straight toward .
... I can’t make a sound.
Not silenced by fear, but more by a sense of awe.
The Duke smiled faintly. "... So, how was it? Was your journey here comfortable?"
I was startled. My body slightly bowed. "Y-yes, Duke."
Was the reason I didn’t get special treatnt because of him?
The Duke, hearing my brief words, fell silent. His eyes widened, then a smirk appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Pffth..! HAHAHA! I DIDN’T EXPECT ANYONE TO CALL THE PERSON WHO BOUGHT THEM BY THEIR TITLE DIRECTLY! HAHAHA!"
My brow furrowed.
"..."
Was there sothing wrong with my address?
The Duke’s laughter thundered for a while, before finally stopping with a long sigh that marked its end.
He wiped the corner of his eye. His eyes turned directly to .
"... Hey, kid. Do you know that the person who buys you is usually called ’Master’?"
My eyes widened, then I shook my head. "... No, Duke."
"... Should I start calling you ’Master’ from now on?"
The eyes of the person in front of widened, then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"... No. Just call by the title you used earlier. That’s enough."
One of my eyebrows rose. My eyes stared straight at him.
I was confused whether it should really be like this. But, as long as he liked it, I would do it.
I bowed, performing Seikerei again.
"I will rember, Duke."
In the midst of all that, his eyes suddenly widened. His mouth didn’t move for a mont.
"... Hey, kid. Do you already know the purpose for which you were bought?"
One of my eyebrows rose again. "... Of course, it’s to serve you, right, Duke?"
Because it’s impossible that he bought at such an expensive price, just to take care of a place like this "Mansion."
The Duke paused for a mont, a small smile appeared on his face, before laughter thundered again.
"PFTH! HAHAHA! LITERALLY TRUE, BUT SERVE ? HAHAHA!"
My brow furrowed. What’s with him. I wasn’t even joking a bit.
His laughter continued to thunder.
"..."
Until he wiped the corner of his eye, his laughter stopped.
"Hufth. Kid. You’d be suitable as a court jester. You have talent."
My gaze lowered, my molars clenched in silence.
... What does he think I am?
I took a long breath. My eyes turned directly to his eyes.
"... Sorry if I disturbed your amusent, Duke."
He looked at .
"If I may ask... if not to serve you, will I be here to clean the Mansion?"
I tried asking like that just to be safe.
The Duke widened his eyes for a mont. His gaze looked at the ceiling, changing several tis—quickly, before finally looking back at .
"... Well. That’s possible."
My eyes widened. "Eh?"
He smiled faintly. "But, of course, that won’t be your main task."
My face slowly relaxed.
"I wouldn’t buy you just for such a trivial thing. Besides, there are many people out there who can be hired without having to be bought first."
"..."
"But, my main purpose in buying you is..."
His shoulders slightly dropped. His gaze looked deep. A smile that was so sincere was etched from him.
"... To be my daughter’s friend."
My eyes widened.
"..."
Hah? Daughter?
I didn’t expect him to say sothing like that.
... Speaking of which, who is the Duke’s daughter?
That’s what I was thinking now. From the first ti the Duke appeared, it was also because of his daughter.
My gaze slightly lowered. My fingers rose to my chin.
In the midst of all that, the Duke ca back to his senses. He looked at , while observing like that.
He smiled faintly. "... How about I bring my daughter, so you can see her directly?"
My gaze returned to him, then my body was startled. "Ah... Y-yes."
Damn. Was I daydreaming just now?
"... Alright then. Razoru!"
The sound of hinges behind creaked softly, like a door being forced to move.
I turned slowly, my body also turning following that movent.
Razoru? Who is he? I’ve never—
My eyes widened.
"Yes, sir. What is it?"
It turned out that the person called "Razoru" was the servant who brought here.
The Duke looked at . A small smirk appeared on his face.
"... It seems, you haven’t gotten to know each other well yet, huh."
The Duke scrutinized the servant near the door.
"Even though I already told you to get to know each other well."
The servant remained silent, his gaze locked on the man sitting in the chair.
For a mont they stared at each other, before the Duke finally realized my presence again.
"... Oh, yeah. You haven’t t the servant there yet, right?"
I nodded, slightly.
He smiled faintly again. "... Then let introduce him."
The Duke looked directly at the person in front of him, not far from the door. He was silent for a mont, before his mouth moved again.
"... He... Is Razoru, the Head Butler here."
My eyes widened, then changed the course of my gaze to the servant near the door.
Head butler?!
"And he... will be your etiquette teacher, from now on. So, you have to be nice to him, okay," the Duke continued.
The Head Butler’s gaze looked at for a mont, before finally looking back at the Duke in front of him.
"... Sir. Didn’t you call earlier to do sothing?"
His body was startled, followed by his eyes widening.
"... I just rembered that."
The Duke looked back at the Head Butler not far from the door.
"Razoru. Please call my daughter. There’s soone I need to introduce to her."
The Head Butler was silent for a mont. After that, he bowed, one hand politely placed in front of his chest.
"... Yes, sir."
Without many words, the Head Butler retreated slowly towards the door. Both of his hands reached for the handles on the right and left sides, then he disappeared behind the door that closed with a nearly inaudible sound.
... Should I wait here?
Without realizing it, I had been standing for so long, trapped in an awkward feeling with the Duke not far from .
***
Several minutes had passed, the knock on the door had not yet been heard.
My eyes slightly narrowed, looking at the door in front.
... Why are they taking so long, huh?
I scrutinized the Duke. He was still in the sa position—slightly hunched over, his eyes staring straight at the door.
That even made my eyes widen.
... Wow. He’s so consistent with that position.
I don’t know what’s making him like that. Even though he could relax a bit on the sofa.
Ah... It’s a sha that the sofa is just sitting there unused.
If I were him, I might have fallen asleep a long ti ago.
Especially since this seems like it will definitely be—
The Duke’s eyes widened for a mont.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
The sound of the door from outside was heard. Slightly loud, but not to the point of startling the people inside.
I looked back at the door. My gaze this ti was so relaxed, as if there was nothing to be tense about.
... Have they arrived?
In the midst of all that, a whispering—quick—slowly beca more audible. The whispers almost referred to the sa direction. And in every word, there was the word "Darling" that was clearly heard.
"Hi, darling... how are you—No."
I glanced at the person.
"Hello darling, have you eaten—That’s also no good."
"Father has a gift for you darling—No that must be wrong."
I furrowed my brow.
"..."
Turns out, soone like the Duke can act like that too, huh.
Even though it all seed a bit strange.
After the sound of knocking, three tis, was heard—two pairs of shoes seed to be visible below. One was high-heeled, black in color. And the other was black, but like it was specifically for n.
They were silent there for a mont, before a slightly heavy voice finally erged.
"... Sir. I am here with the, Young Mistress."
The Duke was instantly startled, his eyes widened for a mont, before finally bowing again. His eyes this ti sharpened, with a slight crease in his mouth.
"... Please bring her in, Razoru."
For a mont the sound seed calm. There were no excessive sounds, except for the sound of the door trying to open.
Click!
The door slowly began to open. Little by little I saw the Head Butler who was pushing the door. Then slowly, I saw soone being blocked by his body.
"..."
Until the door stopped creaking—the Head Butler moved his body aside, while he widened his arms inward.
"... Please, Young Mistress."
That was the word I heard, before I shifted my gaze to the person standing in the doorway.
My eyes widened. My mouth slightly opened when I saw her.
It turned out.
She...!
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