His name was Lucius Vindictus, Cassius's right-hand man. But if it should be more accurate, then he was basically his main butler and servant who does whatever his master desires him to do.
He had joined the household that Cassius was living in separately from his family at the tender age of 8, after a vigorous selection process, and was chosen to be the personal servant of the third son of the Holyfield family.
From then on, he was the most loyal servant who followed around his master wherever he went and did whatever his master asked for. From bringing him breakfast early in the morning to carrying him back in a carriage after he got drunk in a brothel, he was the ideal servant that any noble could only dream of.
And for one reason or another, even though his own family despised Cassius and the world mocked him for being the pitiful person he was, Lucious never once looked at his master with any disdain whatever.
Even after he grew out of being a child, he always managed to serve his master with the utmost loyalty and consideration, not even thinking about the several offers that came from other nobles to poach him, and h would probably even sacrifice his life if Cassius were to ask of it some day because of how fervent his need to serve his beloved master was.
So, yes, in a certain sense, just like Lucious told, it was very weird for Cassius to ask him about his gender when he spent his entire life by his side as a boy.
But that still didn't stop Cassius from having any distracting thoughts, nor did it give him any assurance about Lucious's gender because of how pretty he looked, almost as if he were a cute little girl in a butler's outfit.
That's why he decided to say something to a man that he never thought he would say in his life.
"Lucious, don't take this weirdly...But could you take off your top completely and show me what you have hidden inside?" Cassius coughed and asked awkwardly, unable to believe that he was asking such a favour of a man.
Of course, the easiest way to check if Lucious was a man or not was to see if anything was hanging underneath. But Cassius couldn't handle the mental damage of asking to see another man's ding-dong if he were an actual man, so he decided to go with the more safe method.
Cassius thought that Lucious would be thrown off guard by his request and even look at him with a certain level of disgust after his master asked him for something that resembled a sexual favour. But to his utter shock, Lucious actually blushed in an adorable manner when he heard his master's request and fiddled with his fingers like he were really shy to do so.
It wasn't like he didn't want to do it. But more like he was embarrassed to do so in front of his master, which flabbergasted Cassius, who actually thought that his flustered face was actually quite cute.
"I don't know why you slapped me out of nowhere, young master, nor do I know why you are suddenly asking this servant to undress...But as long as young master is fine with someone like me, you can do whatever you desire with this frail body of mine."
Cassius said with a limpid look in his eyes as he slowly took off his coat.
"W-What are you talking about, you bastard?!"
Cassius couldn't help but point and scream when he heard the horrible misunderstanding his servant had.
"Why are you talking as if you think I'm going to take you straight to bed after you undress?!?!"
"Huh?...Are you not, young master?"
Lucius tilted his head and asked in an innocent manner with his sweet little voice, which made one's heart swell.
"I thought for sure that this servant's innocence was going to be taken by the young master's hands."
"Of course not, you perverted little butler!...Does your young master look like someone who likes to take it from behind rather than giving it from behind?!"
Cassius exclaimed at the top of his voice again at the butler, who for some reason was acting like the pitiful servant who was going to be devoured by his master. He then shook his head in a frustrated manner and continued saying,
"I mean, it's not like I have anything against men who like other men, and I completely respect their decisions...But at the same time, I hate to be called something that I so obviously am not, and so exactly should you."
Cassius pointed at the oblivious Lucious.
"So, why in the world are you so accepting of the thought that your young master, who's a man, wants to sleep with you when you say that you're a hot-blooded guy?...It's because you're actually a girl in disguise, isn't it?" Cassius asked with a proud look on his face like he found out his deepest secrets. "Tell me, Lucious, your young master figured it out, didn't he?"
Cassius started to throw accusations since he was way too desperate to prove that Lucious was actually a girl.
The fact that he actually found Lucious to be really cute and pretty made him doubt his own sexuality for the first time in his life, which made him feel so uncomfortable. So he wanted to prove that he was actually a girl so that he could clear his name and not be known as the guy who fell for a trap.
"Of course I'm a man, young master, and it's always been like that...Of course, if you desire for me to become a girl, I can cut that 'thing' off and present it before you in a tray."
Lucious casually said some horrific lines with a cute smile on his face, which made Cassius gulp at how loyal his servant was, going so far as to mutilate himself for the sake of his master. Lucious then placed his finger on his lips like he were thinking and continued saying in a thoughtful manner,
"As for why I'm fine with sleeping with young master, that's only natural since young master isn't a being who can be classified based on gender and is someone so great and mighty, that this servant is ready to warm your bed every day regardless of whether you are a man or a woman."
Lucious bowed his head to show his utmost sincerity to serve his young master in any way possible, which even made Cassius a little bit guilty for doubting his loyal servant.
"Actions speak louder than words, Lucious, so quickly take your clothes off and show me your true self."
Cassius couldn't help but request even more, given the guilt he was feeling, as he just had to know if he was a man or not.
Lucious still didn't know why his master was asking him to get naked. But his master's words were his orders, so he immediately got to stripping down.
The coat was slowly slid down his arms, and then he unbuttoned his white shirt underneath, which was also done in a rather delicate and girly manner, which made Cassius even more sure that he was actually a girl.
"Here you go, young master!" Luscious called out while slowly spreading his shirt to show his open body with a gentle blush on his cheeks. "T-This is the naked body you wanted to see."
Cassius ignored the embarrassed look on Lucious's face as if he were forced to strip down by a depraved noble and then looked closely at his chest, expecting to see something that would prove that he was a girl.
But to his disbelief, the only thing he saw that resembled that of a girl was his flawless skin that looked to be made of porcelain, his delicate frame like a dainty little flower, and also his navel, which looked like it belonged to a girl because of how sunken it was.
Other than that, he had the torso of a man, judging by the bone structure that could be seen through his skinny body, and he also didn't have the most obvious attribute, which were breasts, small or big.
This confirmed that his trusty butler was a man after all, and he was basically asking a dude to strip down for him.
Cassius still had some severe doubts about his gender even after seeing the clear evidence. But he couldn't do anything about it, as it would be even weirder to ask him to take his pants off, so he decided to stop here.
"Y-Young master, can you stop staring at me so intensely...It's rather embarrassing when you stare at me with such a fierce gaze." Lucious covered his chest like his breasts were exposed and looked away in a fluster.
"You little!-...Stop acting as if I'm trying to devour you whole and quickly put your clothes back on!"
Cassius facepalmed as he thought about how he should deal with his butler, who was a little too feminine for his own good. He then glanced at him putting his buttons on with his dainty little fingers and asked with a sigh,
"And could you also stop acting so sweet and adorable since it's bothering me in a very different way?...Like instead of behaving like a shy little girl, could you act a little bit more like a manly butler?"
"...Actually no...You know what, never mind."
Cassius waved his hands as he changed his mind, as he was sure that if he commanded him to act more manly, he would definitely force himself to be someone he wasn't, which he didn't want to see.
"Just act like you always have and treat me just like you treated the old Cassius."
"Old Cassius?...What do you mean by that, young master?" Lucious curiously asked as he quickly went to his master's side. "Is it possible that you're going through some personal change that's making you refer to your past self as the old Cassius?"
"Oh, that's rather keen of you, Lucious...You're quick on the uptake."
Cassius smiled as he wasn't expecting the little butler by his side to figure out so much just from a few words, while Lucious himself was secretly in shock and elation as this was the first time that his master had directly praised him.
Cassius then ignored the butler, who was in a daze from being complimented, and walked towards the massive window in his room that had a perfect view of the beautiful Holyfield estate that was full of lavish gardens and majestic buildings. He gazed into the distance and even beyond and replied, saying,
"And yes, it's just like you said, Lucious...You're young master isn't going to be like he was before. From here on out there are going to be a lot of changes that you are going to see in me and everything around you...Changes that wouldn't ever dream of happening."
"So, my little butler, who has always been by my side." Cassius turned to look back at the butler, who looked too pretty to be a boy with an inviting look on his face. "Are you willing to follow me on this journey like you always have, or do you wish to stop right here, knowing that your life will never be the same again?"
Lucious's eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, he was struck silent by the gravity of his master's words. However, as Cassius's piercing gaze bore into him, unwavering and resolute, Lucious felt a fire ignite within his chest. His loyalty, as eternal as the heavens above, surged forth like a flood.
"Young Master..." Lucious said, his voice trembling, though not with fear but with emotion. "How could you ever doubt me, even for a moment?...From the day I was entrusted to your service, my life has been yours to command."
"I have walked beside you through trials that would have broken lesser men. I have witnessed your brilliance, your struggles, and your sorrows. Do you think a mere change in the winds would cause me to falter?"
He straightened, his delicate features now set with a determined expression as he lifted his head to meet Cassius's eyes.
"If this journey leads you to the heavens, I will walk beside you into their light. If it drags you into the depths of despair, then I will descend with you into the darkness...And if, by some cruel twist of fate, it should lead us both to the grave, then I will follow without hesitation, for there is no place I would rather be than by your side."
Lucious's voice grew softer but no less resolute.
"So please, do not question my loyalty again, young master, as I am yours, now and forever, and there is nothing that could ever change that."
'Damn son...I was just asking you a 'yes' or 'no' question...Why are you suddenly going into an epic monologue of your own like we're going to face the end of the world?...I mean, we kind of are. But not in the sense that you could think.'
'Well, since he's going so far to play his part as my loyal butler, I should also respond in a worthy manner that will command his respect.'
"Good." Cassius murmured, turning his gaze back toward the horizon. "With such a loyal subordinate by my side, even taking over the world wouldn't be a difficult task, much less than carrying out the mission given by the Goddess up above." Lucius's eyes gleamed as he wished he could forever imprint how heroic his master looked at the moment.
"...But before we do any of that, we should first catch the bastard that poisoned your young master and give him a punishment that he will never forget for the rest of his short life."
Cassius announced with a cruel smile on his face as he imagined how he was going to torment the imbecile who dared to poison him...