Chapter 541
Chapter 541
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 541
Chapter Title: Reincarnated as the Plum Blossom Sword Guard in a Count's Family
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"The Piltania Ducal House shall repay favors and grudges in full. Number 21. I acknowledge your merits and loyalty. What is it you desire?"
Those who perform great deeds naturally receive rewards.
It was the basics of handling subordinates. There was no unpaid labor in this world, and loyalty without reward was meaningless.
But I must not forget my current position.
I was a probationary butler. Not a slave, but not much different, as I could be disposed of at any moment.
"I merely acted for the sake of the Piltania family. I did only what was required of me. I desire nothing."
"......"
The Duchess stared at me intently. Her poker face was flawless, making it impossible to read her thoughts.
By my guess, this event was meant to gain the Lady's trust. But I aimed to earn the Duchess's trust as well.
Material rewards meant nothing. Items obtained here couldn't be taken back to the original world.
"Understood. Withdraw."
I retreated from the dining hall as ordered, stepping backward quietly just as Kopan had taught me. On the way, my eyes met Yuria's. Like the Duchess, I couldn't tell what she was thinking.
Afterward, a few knights and servants kept watch over me. It felt more like protection than surveillance.
The Duchess used this incident as a pretext for a purge. It seemed she wanted her successor, the Lady, to see her hands stained with blood.
'It's just a purge that would have happened eventually, accelerated a bit.'
Over twenty percent of the vassals were executed, and more than three hundred servants met their end. In the massive shake-up, vassals, servants, and soldiers alike trembled in fear.
The Duchess's bloody storm only subsided to the ground after a full month.
Chapters 2 and 3 were skipped because I ignored the advice and acted on my own. I can't imagine any other reason.
For a moment, the surroundings glitched, and suddenly I was lying on a clean bed. I reflexively looked for a mirror. It reflected my younger self, as if years had passed and I'd grown.
Following the advice, I changed into the butler uniform. The wall clock showed it was just before 6 a.m. Sleep wouldn't come, but my mood soured. I usually don't wake until after 9 a.m.
After grooming, I attended the head butler's morning assembly. All butlers start their day with the head butler's nagging.
There were ranks among the butlers too.
The head butler held the highest position, even above most vassals.
Below him were butlers managing other butlers, cleaning, kitchen, external affairs, and so on, each with slight differences in status based on duties.
As the Lady's exclusive, I was right below the head butler, but my youth meant I wasn't respected.
"Yujin!"
It was Kopan, the managing butler, calling me. The wrinkles around his eyes made him look even sharper than before.
He called me by name, not number, since I was now an official butler.
"You were three minutes late to assembly today. Starting lazy already? I didn't teach you that."
Kopan, this bastard was consistent.
My right arm's lightning power screamed to smash his face.
'If I kill Kopan here and loop back to Chapter 1? I can't redo that hassle.'
I bowed my head in apology.
"I'm sorry."
"Don't bow so casually! Have you forgotten you're Lady Yuria's exclusive butler?!"
"......"
What do you want from me, you bastard?
???
7 a.m.
Time to wake Yuria.
Nobles usually rose when they pleased, unless urgent. Servants waking nobles was rare.
I entered Yuria's room ten minutes early. Only possible as her exclusive butler.
There she lay on the grand, ornate bed, eyes closed. In comfortable sleepwear, she slept so quietly that without her faint, even breathing, she might seem dead.
I stared down at her from beside the bed. My body had regressed in age, and so had hers.
'...From this angle, the title of Lady suits her well.'
In my mind, Yuria was purely a maid. Imagining her as anything else was hard; maid equaled Yuria like common sense.
But she was Duke Helbritt's daughter. If not abandoned by him and her mother, she'd have shone as a Lady, not a maid.
'Got it, got it.'
I drew the curtains as instructed. Approaching the bed, I spoke softly. A mere butler couldn't touch the Lady's body, so voice only, and not loudly.
"Lady Yuria. It's morning. Lady Yuria?"
I thought she'd bolt up at her name. But she didn't wake easily, reminding me she was nobility, not a maid.
'......Does status mean nothing? Isn't that lèse-majesté, punishable by execution?'
Doubts arose, but advice was never wrong, so I gently shook her shoulder. After a few tries, she slowly opened her eyes. Even just awake, her blue eyes sparkled coldly bright.
"......"
"It's morning, my Lady. Did you sleep well?"
"......Yujin. What's today's schedule?"
I recited the advice word-for-word.
"The usual. History studies in the morning, court etiquette in the afternoon."
"I see."
Yuria was still young. Her days ended with lessons.
She rose and went to the large mirror.
'...Dress her? Me?'
Isn't that for maids or handmaids?
'No, servants are treated like objects. Gender doesn't matter; they're not seen as people.'
I fetched the prepared underwear and dress. She glanced but stood silently.
'I know that. Can't dress without undressing.'
I removed her soft sleepwear.
Her white naked body was revealed. She wore not even panties.
Instinctively, I scanned her. Breasts budding in preparation for growth, hips starting to develop. It reminded me of our first meeting.
"Ah."
Yuria spoke.
Did I stare too obviously? Startled, I asked hurriedly.
"W-what is it, my Lady?"
"Hair is starting to grow there. Just as the books said, my body's changing."
Looking closely, silver pubic hair sprouted like down on her white mound.
"Congratulations."
"No joy in celebrating what everyone goes through. Yujin, don't you experience body changes too?"
"Ah, yes. I do as well."
I was around her age now.
"Yujin's must have grown too."
"......Yes."
Conversing like this with a Lady. Was she innocent, or did she see me as an object? Hard to judge.
I helped her with socks, panties, and dress. Unfamiliar, I fumbled a few times. Then I messed up—my hand brushed her budding breast. A soft squish.
"S-sorry! It was a mistake. Please spare my life!"
I dropped to my knees instantly.
"Yujin, you seem off today. Caught a cold? Rest if you're unwell."
"No! Spare me!"
"I won't dispose of you over something like this. Yujin, brush my hair."
"......Yes."
'What's this now...'
I followed. Maybe a special event.
'......'
Baited.
Nothing happened.
'...Well, Yuria seems in a better mood.'
???
'Whew, damn it.'
I'm a genius. In this world's setting, at least. Cooking, cleaning, combat, administration—perfect at all. And proven loyalty.
Thus, at a young age, I became exclusive butler to Piltania's heir, Lady Yuria. My position makes most vassals wary. In family power rankings, top 50 easily.
With time and experience, top 10.
'From maids' or handmaids' view, I'm the ultimate catch.'
Being with me would bloom their lives.
'Piltania Ducal Castle is full of beauties, men and women. Appearance reflects dignity, so not odd. I've eyed several... but seducing is impossible.'
I tried using my power and future prospects on maids and handmaids. Didn't say it, but urges built up. Even non-types aroused me.
The problem?
This damned message.
Moment I approached a maid, warning popped. Ignoring led to failure and Chapter 4 restart.
'Good it doesn't loop to 1... fuck....'
Rage-inducing.
Rape? Instant restart from chapter start.
Only relief in this world: masturbation.
'Even after real-world sex, this body craves it fast.'
Need to return soon, but Chapter 4 goal unknown.
'Auto-progress works to my point, but beyond that, avatar screws up. Must manual.'
Sigh escaped.
At least skip function at key points.
"Yujin. Since becoming Lady Yuria's exclusive, your posture's stiffened. Need retraining?"
Kopan, always nagging.
Now I shrugged it off. Otherwise, I'd have killed him.
"Kopan, what's this sudden?"
"You have a mission. Stand straight. Slacking already? Don't forget you're the Lady's exclusive! Your mistakes tarnish her reputation!"
Fussing over toes slightly apart.
"I haven't heard anything from the Lady..."
"Not the Lady. It's a mission from Viscount Karos, the vassal."