Cock-a-doodle-dooooo!
"Ugh, is it morning already? I hate mornings," I groaned.
A knock came at the door.
"Master, are you awake? Can I come in? I brought the clothes you're going to wear today," a voice called.
"Wait, Yara! Not yet!"
"Think about Grandma. Think Grandma," I whispered to myself.
There was a mischievous reason why the boy was thinking about his grandmother.
"Please let me in! If Sister Yelena sees me waiting outside, she'll yell at me again," Yara cried.
"You can come in now," I replied, finally managing to relax.
Yara entered the room, a breathtaking girl with golden hair, eyes that reflected the sky, and lips as red as roses. She didn't look like a servant but a princess. Before her stood the young master, trying not to succumb to his growing embarrassment.
"How many times have I told you not to call me 'Master'?" he muttered.
"I know, Kratosus, but if your grandmother caught me calling you anything else, she'd slap me senseless."
"Fine, fine. So, why did you bring me clean clothes?"
Yara held up a set of clothing: a white shirt, a coat, black leather pants, and white boots.
"Don't tell me you've forgotten. Today is the day your grandfather returns from his expedition."
"Oh, damn! I knew it was this week, but not today. Did they say when he'd arrive?"
"No, that's why Sister Yelena told me to wash you and bring you these clothes," Yara explained.
She opened the door and picked up a metal cauldron of hot water she'd left outside.
"Let me carry it," Kratosus offered. "You can help by tossing out the leftover cakes on the nightstand."
He went to the bathroom—a simple space with stone walls and a small tub. His bedroom wasn't particularly large either, just a bed, a nightstand, a wardrobe, and a desk scattered with drawings.
As Kratosus began to undress, Yara approached the nightstand. She couldn't resist eating the cakes; servants rarely had the chance to enjoy such treats.
Meanwhile, Yara's mind raced. She knew she'd need to enter the bathroom soon to help. Her heart pounded at the thought of seeing the young master naked—it would be her first time seeing a boy like that. Her anxiety mixed with fear of Sister Yelena's wrath if she didn't perform her duties well.
Finally, she decided to approach.
"Yara…" Kratosus called out, now fully undressed.
The door opened, and Yara stood in front of him.
"You can leave now! Aghhh! CLOSE THE DOOR!" he shouted, scrambling to cover himself.
But Yara was frozen in place. Despite being a year older and taller than Kratosus (Yara was 175 cm while Kratosus was 170 cm), she was stunned. The young master's silver hair, deep blue eyes, and godlike physique left her speechless.
"Only if you were a bit taller…" she whispered under her breath.
"What?! Close the door, please!" Kratosus pleaded, panicking.
Her eyes inadvertently fell on him again, and her face turned crimson. Suddenly, Kratosus reached for the door handle to close it, brushing her hand.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" she screamed, slapping him hard before slamming the door shut.
Both of them stood on either side of the door, shocked.
"I'm sorry," Kratosus finally said. "I didn't mean to show myself to you like that."
"I thought you wanted me to wash you! You didn't say anything," she replied nervously.
"When did I ever say that?!"
"When you asked about your grandfather earlier…"
"I must've missed that," Kratosus muttered. "Was it an order from my grandmother?"
"Yes… Master."
"I see. Fine, you may stay until I finish."
"Thank you, Master."
And so, an awkward bath unfolded.
*****
After finishing his bath, Kratosus called out, "Yara, you can leave now. I'm done."
There was no response. He peeked out and saw she had already left.
"Oh no," he thought. "I hoped we could talk a little more."
Shaking off his thoughts, he decided to head downstairs for breakfast. "I'd better eat something before I get lost in these naughty thoughts."
Kratosus' room was on the second floor. On the first floor was a large dining hall used for guests, and behind it, the kitchen where the servants cooked and ate. Unlike some nobles, Kratosus had no issue eating in the servants' kitchen.
*****
As he entered the kitchen, the first thing he saw was Yara struggling to carry a heavy vase of flowers. Being naturally helpful, he walked over to assist her.
<...Silence...>
Yara quickly placed the vase down and left without saying a word.
"She must hate my guts now," Kratosus thought, watching her retreat.
"Did something happen between you two?" a warm voice asked.
Kratosus turned to see Chef Kordon, a towering bald man with a kind demeanor. Despite his intimidating size, his spotless white chef's uniform and pink apron gave him an unexpectedly charming look.
"N-no, it's just… Grandma's been yelling at her a lot lately," Kratosus replied awkwardly.
"Ah, yes. God bless her fiery soul," Kordon said with a chuckle.
"Kratosus just wait 10 minutes and I will bring you food"
*****
Moments later, two small boys entered the kitchen. They were twins, about 130 cm tall, with brown hair and matching brown eyes. Each wore color-coded outfits—one in yellow, the other in green.
"Good morning, Chef Kordon!" they chimed in unison.
"Well, good morning, Kurt and Kevin!"
The twins turned to Kratosus and immediately shouted, "Teacher!"
"Kurt, Kevin! Please don't yell in the morning," Kratosus said, rubbing his temples.
"Sorry, Teacher. We just couldn't wait to see you!"
"What do you mean? I was with you all day yesterday!"
"Well, it wasn't enough!"
"Oh, so you enjoy my lessons that much, huh?"
"Yes!"
"Well, I hope you haven't eaten breakfast yet, because Chef Kordon is cooking for us," Kratosus said with a smile.
"We knew it! That's why we didn't eat—Kordon's food is the best!"
"This is why I like teaching kids so much," Kratosus said, laughing.
"And I love feeding you all"
"Thanks, Kordon," the three said in unison.
*****
Halfway through the lesson Kratosus was teaching the twins, the door slammed open, and a rough voice interrupted.
"Get up, Kratosus. I'm going to murder you today!"