"So young man - talk quietly. We're not like the people who abuse you. Both I and this old man are very good people."
'Old man? I think I'm really old enough but'
That's what the duke had said, making Oliver sigh after hearing what he said.
They were already in the Duke's office. First, the Duke wanted to take a tour of his household and see how much he's changing, another reason was to break free from his daughter's behavior. So he decided to wander around, only to see an unexpected little young man crawling into the tiny household hole – the back walls of it.
His eyes widen for a moment as he sees such a determined boy enter his household, unaware that it was the household of a nobleman.
It made a great impression on the duke and with that - he had already found his answer
'Well, I guess Livia wanted to tell me that someone was about to come to change my daughter for the better, and that future was already in front of my eyes. I think it's time for a fresh start. Aside from helping this kid, I only have one condition to fulfill for him.'
"Th-thank you for letting me into your household, sir - even if you never know me."
A voice so soft and like a whisper that the duke still heard made the child smile even more at him. In no time at all the duke was in front of the seated child – whose eyes were already so wide that the duke had to smile.
"Take it easy, I'll never hurt you, because from now on you're part of our household. May I ask you to be my daughter's butler instead? I'll be free from everything - I just hope you can become a part of our family here- oh! Be my daughter's butler."
Having said this, the duke was already kneeling in front of the wide-eyed child, and his mouth did the same. As for Oliver, what the child did was also to depict his current facial expressions
'The duke never knelt before anyone! My goodness! I guess Lady Charlotte has been giving him so much trouble these days!'
Oliver didn't know how to react as he felt like he'd taken a cold bath, every inch of his muscles seemed to be stuck as if someone had controlled his body, although at the moment all he could think of was the way the Duke was kneeling in front of one little young man he didn't even know about
"So I must take silence for answer, that you already agree to my proposal, little child."
After saying these words, the Duke rose from his knees and smiled while shaking the little child's magnificent silver hair, leading the child to watch every move the Duke made until finally he was in his previous position
Until then, his wide eyes were fixed on the Duke's smiling face
"Oh! I forgot to tell you little kid that my name is Fred Carlile and that old man next to me is Oliver. May I ask what your name is, little child?"
'Wait, isn't it too fast? I was just a child - but am I going to be butler to the lady of this household? Am I Qualified? But this person in front of me as a noble doesn't even see what I'm capable of, so why? I am very confused-----'
However, Louis wasn't able to finish what he was thinking as the Duke giggled and made him aware of where he is now as he was previously spoiled with his thoughts
"M-My name is L-Louis....."
He was then looking around the room to come up with a last name when he saw a word on a piece of paper that made him say the last name he had
"...Crest"
***
Charlotte, has been in her room ever since and no one bothered to go in without her calling someone in.
That's her main rule in the household - but the girl formerly named Ana doesn't seem to take the rules seriously as she even walked into the lady's room and offered her a dress that the lady never likes. So she was immediately fired by the lady, only to - when the duke had known such things - be sent back to her country estate.
After writing her plans down on paper, she immediately called some of the maids to her room, only these maids were shaking with fear that if they never did their job properly, they might be fired just like the maid before the young lady sought
"Bring a comfortable dress and make sure you also bring a strong perfume, a perfume that smells like sunflower."
"Y-Yes M-Milady."
"Now get out of my room in three...two...-----hmmmpfff, I guess you already know my rules, unlike the maid before."
As soon as Charlotte had counted beforehand, the two maids looked at each other and hastily ran from the room, without even bowing respectfully to the lady, thinking that they might be fired if they didn't get the final number out of sight of her count
A few seconds had passed and by then there was already a knock on her door - she already knows it was the maids who had specifically ordered what she wanted. Without hesitation - she let them in. Until she saw the things on their hands that made her grin
'Hmm, looks like today isn't going to be Shiela's day, is it? I guess that she and her mother will be the ones who will always visit us. Still, with just one strong perfume - I sense that Ophel - that old hag who is so in love with my father that she comes every day just to talk to him - will taste some allergies today instead. I'm fed up and that's why I don't care!'
With these deep thoughts she had in her head - she couldn't help but laugh and the kind of laughter that made the backs of the two maids tremble as they felt another fear in their heads
'My lady is scary enough to be planning something again! The other day she dismissed the gardener of the household only for pruning her favorite berries, and that night she instructed a maid to burn all the gardener's clothes, and early in the morning left him weeping with no clothes, which the Duke took pity on and gave him his unused clothes. Well - this morning she fired Ana - our maid and the one who is so nice she can hardly beat an ant! Milady is such a villainess! And we never know what the reason is! I guess the way I think it started that night! My goodness, I don't even want to remember such a horror scenario!'
One of the maids got stuck in her current position as if someone was maneuvering her movements while everything was in her head
"Alright, let's get down to business"
After saying those words with such authority - the maids already knew what to do, the maid having these deep thoughts seemed stuck in her world until Charlotte called for the hand and made her gain an inch move
"What you are doing?!"
After hearing these words, she immediately went to the lady and changed her dress. They just changed her clothes and sprayed her with the perfume while Charlotte sat on the chair in her room while the maids were now fixing her golden cream hair.
After waiting a few seconds, Charlotte looked in the mirror only to grin, knowing she could overcome both people's egos by being so beautiful. Her bright golden eyes paired with her cream colored hair arranged in an upward bun, her dress that looked floral with a sunflower pattern and her perfume that smelled of sunflower.
The smell can penetrate even through the far door. At that time she grinned
'Let the game begin'
***
"Well, here's your room from now on. Let me introduce myself again, I'm Oliver - the head butler of the Carlile household. For now I'll let you enter your room and helping you escape those people must have been painful."
'I didn't even tell them anything, but I think with those eyes that seemed so sharp, they already know what happened to me.'
Louis just sighed as he followed Oliver from behind until they were already in his room. It was tiny but it was clean. They were already in the men's servants' chambers when the Duke had previously told Oliver to show him around after helping him, and he will do that to the boy
"Your name was Louis Crest, right?"
"Y-Yes"
Then Oliver chuckled when he heard such a voice, which appeared to be a whisper instead
"Don't worry about us, we're all nice here - except for one person and I hope you can be her friend."
'A person, her friend? So the person was a lady? And not nice at all?'
"I guess when I see your face you're already confused. To explain further - since the Duke gave you a right and he hired you directly. Whatever you do that might upset that person, you'll never get fired by their words, okay?"
After saying those words, Oliver giggled again while helping Louis with his facial expressions
"I mean, the lady you're about to serve was the one in a bad mood and I hope you can be her friend. That is why the Duke has made you her butler."
'What?!'