I thought he was too boring, so I proposed: "I'll go downstairs to get some more books, you can choose whatever you want."
"No, I don't want to read books now."
"Certainly."
I stood beside him and could feel that he had been looking at me, which made me nervous.
"What do you want... from me?" He suddenly asked a strange question.
"What?" I was taken aback.
The baron leaned on the pillow and closed his eyes. He said, "I mean, you have taken care of me during this period and deserve a reward. Do you want money? Or something else, as long as it is reasonable, I will try my best to satisfy you."
His attitude is condescending, and you can even feel as like he standing in a high position, giving you a contemptuous glance when looking down at you.
I don't remember if I encountered this embarrassing situation in my previous life.
I tried to be humbly and said: "It is a honor to take care of your, my lord. You are a distinguished guest of Mormon Manor. As for the reward, his lordship has already rewarded me, and he said that he will promote me to a senior footman."
"...Okay. If you have other requirements, you can tell me." He looked at the two books at hand and said, "Since you are literate, read it to me. I don't want to bother to read it."
"Yes." I took the book handed over by the Baron. It was a book about African called "African Adventure".
"It rains from time to time in the dense jungle, and our group was drenched in water. We lost our way in the deep jungle, which is very dangerous because there are poisonous snakes and fierce animals everywhere. If you don't find camping at night, Earth, then our lives will be threatened." I read aloud word by word in a slow tone.
"Black-skinned humans are like beasts. They are holding sharp spears and animal bones, jumping and jumping around us." This section tells how several explorers discovered a small tribe and entered into communication. It was normal at the beginning, but when I came to the back: "...those dark-skinned girls who didn't cover their bodies pulled me deep into the jungle, and they pulled off the only fig leaf on their bodies..."
"Why did you stop reading it?" the baron asked me.
I looked at the baron awkwardly and found that he was looking at me with interest.
"This...I..." I hesitated for a long time, the text in the book was too bold, and I could hardly pronounce a word.
"How old are you this year?" he asked suddenly.
"Eighteen years old," I replied.
"Only 18 years old? So you were still a child. The day you came to take care of me was so calm. I thought you were more mature than me." The baron glanced at me and slowly said, "Keep on reading. I want to hear you read."
I turned over the two long pages of sexy fantasy descriptions, and then carefully glanced at the Baron before I started to read them. The baron smiled sarcastically, without revealing me.
In the warm afternoon, he closed his eyes and leaned quietly on the pillow. I sat next to the bed, reading for him.
Occasionally a shadow swept across the window, it was a sparrow that came out looking for food in winter. I saw that his breathing was steady, and I thought he was asleep, so I put down the book in his hand. Who knew he opened his eyes immediately, looked at me, and said, "Why don't you keep reading it?"
"I thought you were asleep."
"Your voice is beautiful."
"...Thank you for your compliment."
"Keep reading..."
This kind of leisurely winter day passed quickly in the sound of reading in the afternoon.
In the evening, I walked out of the room with the dinner plate used by the Baron. When I passed the stairs, I met Miss Catherine. She was wearing a light green satin dress and a golden wig as usual, with brilliant rubies shining in her hair.
I bowed to her. She shook her fan and smiled and asked me: "Are you Owen? How is the Baron today?"
"The Baron's body is recovering."
"He must be very boring in the room alone, what kind of pastime did he do?"
"The Baron reads a few books."
"What book? Tell me the title of the book."
"Uh..." I hesitated and looked at Miss Catherine.
Catherine seemed to realize that there was something wrong with asking about a man's privacy. She smiled softly: "It's okay, just tell me. The Baron and I often discuss favorite books."
"Yes, I mainly read a few travel notes..."
Catherine left, and I stood there, staring at her leaving back.
The brilliance of the setting sun sprinkled through the glass windows on the carpet in the corridor, and the sound of Selena's housekeeper ordering to light a candle came downstairs.
Nothing seems to have changed, only my heart has changed. At that time in my previous life, When Miss Catherine condescended to talk to me, how happy I was, such a noble and elegant lady, I was overjoyed. And all this has led to my tragedy. The self-righteous people will eventually be disappointed. How can a noble lady like her fall in love with a humble servant like me?
Suddenly thinking of Oscar, my heart became sour. Maybe there is a noble who would fall in love with a humble servant like me, but it was a pity that I had fallen into the abyss of dreams at that time. I couldn't see or hear anything clearly. I just feel how disgusting and dirty it is to be fancied by a man, that my dignity has been insulted, and the hatred and dislike for Oscar take root in my heart, not to mention that he might even marry my beloved Miss Catherine.
The thoughts in my heart are mixed, and I suddenly regret to approach Oscar again, am I planning to use him again? I approach him with the purpose of using him because deep in my heart I want to avenge those who have hurt me and punish them. And Lord Oscar will be a powerful tool for me to implement revenge, so I deliberately took advantage of his illness to take care of him and win his favor. What is the difference between my despicable action this time and my betray in my previous life? Do I want to deceive him again and hurt him?
The setting sun had set, and I was standing alone in the dark corridor. The murals on the corridor looked like a cloud of ink, transformed into various strange shapes.
"Oh!" a woman exclaimed: "God, you are Owen? What are you standing here? It's dark here, and there is no candles lit."
"Annie? Sorry, I scared you." I hurriedly apologized to her.
"You are getting weirder recently. If this goes on, the butler Aaron will be angry." Annie put the candles in the corridor one by one.
"I will pay attention, thank you," I said with a smile.
Annie looked at me blankly, blushing suddenly, and muttered: "No wonder the new girl is fascinated by you, you are really..." After a pause, Annie turned to say, "Master Oscar's valet is coming tomorrow, will you continue to serve him?"
"The new valet is here, how could I still be needed." I shook my head and said, "I have been promoted to a senior footman. Butler Aaron will train me for a while and then arrange for me to serve meals."
But that night, Viscount Bruce suddenly called me to the study room.
The Viscount's study room is full of bookcases, but most of the books are just displayed as decoration. Our Viscount doesn't like reading. He prefers food, wine, and beautiful women.
I still remember the previous life. He patted my shoulder and said, "Oscar, he likes you. As long as you pretend to accept him, he must be very happy. When he trusts you, you will be able to enter his study... Our Bruce family will remember your kindness will definitely repay your sacrifice. And Catherine, the poor girl, who likes you, but was forced to marry that hunchback..."
However, after they got everything, their ugly face turned to me coldly. Viscount Bruce pointed at me in the court and said, "Your Honor, he stole my belongings and should be sentenced to hang!"
While I was in jail waiting to be hanged, war broke out in Yorkshire. I managed to escape. After that, I lived in hiding and fled until the day I died of typhoid fever...
At this moment, I looked at the gentle Viscount with a humble smile: "My lord, do you have any orders?"
"Oh, you are that brave boy. I heard that you took care of my nephew Oscar. It seems that your actions have won his trust. Today he told me that he hopes that you will continue to serve him and serve as his valet ."
I was stunned when I heard that, Lord Oscar actually appointed me to continue to serve him. Is it because I took care of him when he was sick, so everything is different from the previous life.
I began to hesitate, the idea of 'use him' once again disturbed my thoughts, God allowed me to be reborn again. Could it be mean that I should live a despicable life again? If the person who killed me in the previous life was the Viscount family, then I was the one who killed Oscar. I should stay away from him and leave him far away...
"Why don't you talk, eh? When taking care of Oscar, you have to be more careful and let Aaron train you." The Viscount said: "Report to me the things around the Baron regularly, do you understand?"
"But, I..."
"But what!" The Viscount had a temper, and said softly, "My child, I know you are a good boy, but I am Oscar's uncle, I am very worried about him, do you understand?"
"...Yes, I understand, my lord."
I almost forgot, as a footman, whatever the Lord ordered me unless I want to be cast out, there is no room for rejection.