Chapter 7
Chapter 7
A butler’s first rule is simple.
Always keep your eyes on your master.
You never know when or where something might happen, or what they might need, so you must always remain near.
The second rule is maintaining the proper distance.
Not so close that you become a nuisance by constantly standing right beside them, but not so far that you cannot respond at once.
And so, even in this moment where it feels like a world of just the two of them has formed, I remain positioned where I can keep an eye on the young lady.
Because I’m an experienced butler.
From where I stand, I can’t hear their voices clearly, but it looks like Charlotte is doing well enough.
She’s guiding the conversation so that the crown prince takes the lead, while responding with an ambiguous attitude in return.
Making it unclear whether she has feelings for him or not.
And then those subtle touches… or rather, I told her to be subtle, so why is she going that far?
Is she insane? She’s an unmarried young lady!
She’s practically pressing her chest against him!
Who told her to go that far?!
“She’s learned all the wrong things….”
…Still, it seems to be working.
Yes, it’s fine. It’s going well.
The atmosphere is good, and her smile… looks good too.
It’s a perfect smile.
So perfect I almost want her to keep making that face forever.
That smile is unstoppable. It makes you want to give the world to her.
Even before my possession of this body, I remember giving everything to her on the other side of the screen just to see her smile again.
Just looking at it gave me strength.
It seems the crown prince is no different.
Charlotte continues speaking, and the crown prince—perhaps without realizing it—lets the corners of his mouth rise slightly as he listens.
From this angle, they really do look like a fine pair.
Just then, the announcement for the beginning of the ball echoes through the hall.
Charlotte stands and extends her hand toward the crown prince.
So this is how it begins.
The ball, and the story of a love that I’ve spent five years building.
“I’ll try to fall in love.”
Yes, that’s enough.
That alone…
“……”
For some reason, I feel strange.
Is this regret? Relief?
Am I feeling lonely because my role is ending?
How ridiculous. What is this emotion now?
You were the one who created this situation. The one who wanted this.
So why…?
At that moment—
The ground shook.
The tremor grew stronger with each passing moment, until it became uncontrollable.
And then—
BOOOOOOM!!!
“Kyahhh!”
“What is happening?! What is going on?!”
With a deafening explosion, the terrace collapsed.
And with it, Charlotte fell.
Along with the crown prince.
I have to save her—!
Wait. Someone like the crown prince should be able to save her easily. If I step in now, wouldn’t I just interfere?
My body, already tensed, loses strength for a moment.
Right. This is probably part of the event.
The main event where the prince saves the heroine and earns her favor.
If I think about it that way, maybe there’s no place for me.
Do I even have the right to interfere…?
But the moment I look up—
Charlotte’s terrified face comes into view.
And the tear gathering in her eye strikes my mind like lightning.
After that, I don’t think much at all.
[“Trait: Flash” activated. 1/5]
[Lower-body muscles are dramatically enhanced for 10 minutes.]
[“Trait: Flash” activated. 2/5]
[Lower-body muscles are dramatically enhanced for 10 minutes.]
The only ability I gained after coming into this world.
A trait called “Flash.”
Five uses per day, each lasting ten minutes.
It allows me to enhance or borrow physical, mental, or technical abilities.
Even something I couldn’t originally do becomes barely possible, pushed to its absolute limit.
And what I could already do becomes something beyond that.
This is why I never once skipped physical training since arriving in this world.
BOOM—!
Two layers of enhancement on my legs.
I kick off the ground with strength beyond human limits.
The floor cracks instantly as my body is launched forward.
But I’ve trained for this. I can handle up to two activations comfortably.
Only four steps.
In an instant, I reach the edge of the collapsed terrace.
“Don’t slow down. Faster!”
There’s no time to hesitate. Charlotte is still falling.
If I’m even a moment late…
No. That cannot happen.
There’s no stable footing to jump from.
So I kick the edge of the cliff, killing my forward momentum.
The ground beneath me collapses under the force.
I twist my body midair.
There—Charlotte.
Good. I’m not late.
I plant my foot again at the edge, and leap.
Rotating 180 degrees, I dive straight down toward the ground.
Just before impact, I activate the trait again.
[“Trait: Flash” activated. 3/5]
[Body durability dramatically enhanced for 10 minutes.]
[“Trait: Flash” activated. 4/5]
[Body durability dramatically enhanced for 10 minutes.]
[“Trait: Flash” activated. 5/5]
[Joint durability of arms dramatically enhanced for 10 minutes.]
Alright… now.
All that’s left is to endure the pain.
BOOOOM!!!!
A thunderous impact echoes as I crash into the ground, kicking up dust and forming a deep crater.
If I hadn’t enhanced my body, I would’ve been torn apart.
“Ghh… damn, that hurts like hell.”
Every bone in my body screams in heat and pain.
Especially my arms—the ones I stretched out to reduce the impact on Charlotte—are screaming in protest.
So even with the trait, this much… huh.
Without it, my arms would’ve snapped for sure.
But it’s fine.
Charlotte is breathing in my arms.
That’s all that matters.
She seems to have fainted from shock, her face still wet with tears.
She looks like she’s simply sleeping.
An angel, really.
As long as she doesn’t cause trouble, she’s adorable.
…Well, even when she does, she’s still adorable.
Her skin shows no visible injury.
She didn’t hit her head or anything.
She should be fine.
Once I confirm she’s safe, the strength leaves my body.
“Haa… it’s been a while since I used all that.”
I hesitated for just a moment, and that nearly cost me everything.
Pathetic.
Calling myself a butler and still thinking of leaving her safety to someone else.
I really am unqualified.
I sigh deeply and brush her hair aside gently.
There. Now she looks pretty again.
“…Sorry, young lady. For everything.”
She can’t hear me, of course, but I still let the words out.
Because something in my chest feels unsettled.
“…I think I might not like the idea of you getting married.”
Pfft.
Even I laugh at how ridiculous that sounds.
Honestly, what am I supposed to do?
I bend slightly and lift her onto my back.
“Are you getting heavier…? No, maybe I’m just tired.”
No, it’s probably just her growing.
Right. That must be it.
I carry Charlotte on my back and slowly walk toward the carriage.
My leg muscles are trembling from the final 180-degree jump, so I’m limping slightly.
Ahead, I see the crown prince.
His once brilliant golden hair is now covered in dust, dulled to a dirty shade.
His expensive clothes are torn and stained, but he doesn’t seem to care.
His eyes are locked on me.
“…What… are you…?”
He can’t even finish his sentence properly.
Well, that reaction is understandable.
What I just showed would be considered top-tier ability in this world.
To him, I must look like a monster that suddenly appeared.
I look around.
No one else is here. Everyone must have evacuated inside.
Good.
I bow my head.
“Greetings, light of the empire. I am Raon, a humble butler serving Lady Charlotte. I ask your forgiveness for not being able to kneel due to my injuries.”
The crown prince twitches his expression for a few seconds.
“…A butler? You’re telling me a mere butler has that level of strength?”
“…”
This is going to be troublesome.
I already made eye contact with him earlier when I turned midair to catch Charlotte.
There’s no way to hide it now.
So I choose a compromise.
“I only possess speed. Nothing more.”
“Speed? If you hit the ground at that speed, you’d die!”
“…Fast and slightly durable, that’s all I—”
“Enough of your childish lies. Are you trying to insult the imperial family?”
Damn it. So that won’t work.
Then I’ll just have to be honest.
“It is not my intention to deceive you. My ability is difficult to explain.”
“Explain it.”
“I possess a form of body enhancement magic, but it does not follow conventional principles.”
The crown prince narrows his eyes.
“Don’t lie.”
Right. Honesty doesn’t always work either.
“…As I said, it is difficult to explain. My magic exceeds normal enhancement standards. It doesn’t even use mana directly, and instead has usage limits.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“Believe it or not is your decision. I swear on my honor that I speak the truth.”
“Can you prove it?”
“I cannot. I’ve already exhausted my uses… and as you can see, I am in no condition to demonstrate it again.”
I slightly turn my body to show Charlotte on my back.
Seeing her unconscious form, the prince clicks his tongue and looks away awkwardly.
“…Fine. I apologize for holding you up in an urgent situation.”
“Not at all.”
I bow slightly and walk past him, still limping.
Then his voice calls out again.
“Wait.”
His tone is more serious now.
“Would you consider joining the imperial royal guard?”
The imperial royal guard.
Not even the standard knight order, but the elite unit serving directly under the imperial family.
An extraordinary offer.
But my answer doesn’t change.
“I’m honored, but I must refuse. I already serve someone.”
“I see.”
The prince glances at Charlotte and nods as if understanding.
After a brief exchange, I finally leave and board the carriage.
My body and mind feel completely drained.
I let out a deep breath and rest Charlotte’s head against my shoulder.
“Let’s go home, Charlotte.”
The ball ends in a way no one could have expected.
The main character fails to capture any route except the crown prince’s ambiguous attention, and even the dance becomes meaningless.
And yet…
I don’t feel bad about it.
Somehow, it just doesn’t matter anymore.
The carriage begins to move.
Carrying a battered butler and the unconscious young lady he protects.
“…Hmm.”
Charlotte slowly opened her eyes, as if waking from a dream.
The familiar ceiling.
The soft feeling beneath her back.
Her own bedroom.
But something was off.
“Ah, you’re awake?”
“…Huh? Ra…on?”
“…?! Why are you here?!”
Her personal butler was sitting beside her bed.
Looking down at her with a mixture of relief and mischief.