This time, I won't forget what the Duke said.
Before I left the room, the Duke said something to me. He said, "When you have some free time later, keep me company for a game of chess, Kid Touji."
That was the message I would always remember before replying with a nod.
And now, I was outside the room—currently walking down the long corridor. The Duke's room that I left behind was already shrinking in the distance. The Head Butler and I had been walking for some time, heading toward "My Lady's" room, which was in the opposite direction from where I had met "Big Brother Fukuro."
The servants around us watched us walk by. They stopped for a moment. The cheeks of a female servant carrying a stack of folded clothes slowly turned red as she whispered to her friend beside her. And the expression on the male servants' faces was slightly different, appearing to frown with their eyes staring sharply at me.
I also heard some of their whispers. One side was saying,
"Wow, that kid is so handsome."
"I wonder if he'd be interested in someone older?"
"I want a partner as handsome as him."
And there was another side that sounded like they were gossiping about me,
"It's just genetics."
"Tch, he's so lucky. I wish he was born ugly like us."
"Yeah, that's right."
A thin smile took over the corner of my lips, then I combed my hair back with my right hand.
Well... it's tough being a handsome man.
In the midst of my surging confidence, something stuck to the wall stopped it.
A "Painting Frame."
I slowly slowed my pace, before finally stopping. My gaze locked for a long time on the large frame on my left Inside was a painting of a woman sitting on a sofa—her long brown hair flowing behind her, the ends cut neatly and straight. Her face was not very clear, covered by the light of a lantern not far from her. But judging from the proportions of her face, she was clearly a beautiful woman.
I looked a little below it, and my eyes widened. The floral skirt noble dress she was wearing blended with the sofa and the wall behind her—half of it inside was white, and the other half outside was dark blue.
I was silent, my eyes locked on the frame before the Head Butler called me from afar.
"Touji!"
I turned around, looking at the Head Butler and the displayed frame a few times, before finally my steps moved again, a little fast to catch up with the Head Butler.
"Y-yes, Sir."
I chased after the Head Butler's steps. From him who seemed far away, he was already close beside me. His face now seemed indifferent as usual. Especially with the "Painting Frame" that I saw earlier. I let out a long sigh, my gaze fell to the red carpet below. My fingers clasped to my chin.
...Who is the person painted in that large frame? Seems like an important person.' My gaze returned to the front. 'Was that... the Duke's Mother?
"..."
I don't know.
Her face was also not clearly visible. I couldn't just speculate before hearing the information directly from him.
I smiled thinly. ...Actually, even if I wanted to ask, it seems impossible. Because he himself has to reveal it to me—
"Hey, Touji."
A heavy voice emerged from my left ear. I turned around, seeing the Head Butler who was still staring at the road. My eyes narrowed. Just now, it seemed like he called me—
"You." The Head Butler turned to me. "Do you already know the name of our job?"
My eyes widened for a moment, before narrowing again. What is the name of my job now besides just Servant?
I let out a short sigh. "...No, Sir."
After he heard my short answer, he let out a short sigh before returning his gaze to the front. It was silent for a few moments, before his mouth opened again.
"...The name of our job is Personal Servant."
My eyes widened for a moment. Personal Servant? Wait.
My eyes narrowed again, this time even deeper. "Isn't that the same—"
"No. Our job is not the same as ordinary servants," he interrupted.
My eyes widened again. I didn't know why the Head Butler said that. My gaze fell again. My fingers clasped below my chin.
...What's the difference? It's the same as taking care of things.
The Head Butler glanced at me from the corner of his eye. He sighed after seeing me, before his gaze returned to the front.
"In short, a Personal Servant takes care of the master's needs, while an Ordinary Servant is responsible for the cleanliness and operation of the 'Mansion'."
My eyes widened hearing what he said. My gaze slowly changed towards him who was talking while walking. All the information is clear, but there is still something that makes me curious.
He looked at me again. "Do you understand so far?"
I nodded, softly.
Before he had time to return his gaze to the front, I immediately asked a question.
"If that's the case, which of the two has a higher social rank?"
His eyes widened for a moment hearing that, before finally he stared sharply at me. I could only raise both of my shoulders, while looking at him from the corner of my eye.
The Head Butler let out a long sigh. "Touji. I remind you not to ask like this to other people again. Because they will definitely think that you are looking at something from its status, understand?"
I nodded. Understanding what he said.
He let out a short sigh when he saw me, before his gaze returned to the front. "...If you ask which is higher, of course I will answer our job, Personal Servant. As for the reason, the same as yesterday. More difficult. But it seems you won't understand before experiencing it."
I unknowingly stared at him without blinking. A few moments after his explanation, I came back to my senses, changing my gaze this time to the front. Our steps continued to echo. The servants looked at me as they had before. My eyes narrowed, seeing the gazes of the servants from various directions. The longer I feel it, the more uncomfortable I become—
"It seems you're popular."
Just like that, the Head Butler spoke. I stared at him for a moment before my gaze fell back down.
A thin smile appeared at the corner of my lips. "Well, that's not something special—"
"No, Touji. In my opinion, it's the same as your ability to play chess. Both are something special and great," he interrupted.
I froze for a moment, before my gaze fell back down. "But—"
"Not all the things you say are special abilities come from things that have been appreciated by other people."
I turned to him.
"Indeed, you think that the ability you have is not something special." He looked at me, staring deeply into my eyes. "But what about other people? Are your thoughts the same as what they think?"
His gaze returned to the front. "In fact, maybe they are very envious of the ability you have now. And also, it seems you have already gotten what I just said."
My eyes widened. I looked around. Many people paid attention, both liking and envying me. I began to understand what he was saying. My gaze returned to him.
"So, accept it. Accept that what you have is something special, without having to deny it. If you keep refusing it, believe me, it will only push you into the abyss."
My eyes widened after hearing his words. My gaze fell down after a few moments. What he said made a lot of sense. My hands clenched tightly, before a few seconds later they went limp again.
Accept without denying, huh.
My gaze returned to the front, starting to feel confident. It turns out what I lack is a sense of acceptance. Accepting that my abilities now are something special that I have.
A few moments later, before I knew it "My lady's" room was already in front. Why I could know, because there was only one room there—there was nothing else besides there. In the middle of our steps towards the two-leaf brown door in front, someone with black hair ran—Her short hair flowed behind her as she ran. The servants seemed to keep their distance from that person when they wanted to pass them. The furrowed brows on their faces made the mood clear as that person passed—"Princess Reina."
Before I realized it, she had already opened the door, and closed it from the inside.
The Head Butler's steps slowly stopped, making me do the same. We stood, facing the door in the distance. The Head Butler's eyes narrowed—not hating.
"...It seems, we can't meet her now, Touji."
He slowly changed his gaze towards me. "It seems, you yourself have to come to her room starting tomorrow—" one of his eyebrows rose, seeing me unblinking. "Touji?"
My eyes locked for a moment seeing the door in front. My gaze looked around slowly, paying attention to the servants who were frowning. Why are they acting like that to My lady? Isn't she also their superior?
From the servants who started gossiping softly, I didn't hear, while staring at the brown door there—making me realize. My eyes widened for a moment. The Head Butler who saw me like that was only silent, leaving me while telling me to return to my room afterwards.
...Is the princess not appreciated by other people all this time? Is my view wrong all this time? But in the novel, doesn't it say that she is an evil woman? I reproached.
For a few moments I was silent, a strange feeling surged in my heart.
Guilt? Pity? Or, a feeling of being deceived?
I didn't understand.
I let out a long sigh. I clenched my hand, getting stronger over time.
Screw what the novel tells. It doesn't mean the story inside is a hundred percent correct, right? What's more, it's from a different point of view from the person I serve. But if it's the same...
A small smirk appeared at the corner of my lips. "I just need to change the contents inside, right?" I muttered.
For some reason from this moment, I felt that in the future I would change the entire storyline that had been made. And because of that, I couldn't wait for it.