The Arrogant Head Butler!!!!!

"Stop right there!!!"

Jinwoo didn’t hesitate. He had never once overlooked injustice happening right before his eyes. And to think it was the torment of a frail young girl. That was utterly unforgivable.

"Hmm…"

The middle-aged man known as the head butler openly furrowed his brow even though he knew full well that Jinwoo was the young master. The gaze he leveled at him overflowed with naked disgust.

Jinwoo activated his emotion skill on the man without delay.

Just reading the description made it painfully clear how much the man despised him. In a world steeped in daughter-preference ideology, it was only natural. Not only had Jinwoo been born male, he was also the disgrace of the family—a notorious troublemaker. Expecting any goodwill from this butler was laughable.

Even so… assassination? Against the young master? Was this guy out of his mind?

"Head butler. Would you care to explain exactly what crime this girl committed to deserve that kind of punishment?"

Yet Jinwoo chose to press forward with absolute confidence. After all, he was currently the young master of a prestigious house. He could not afford to act like a coward in front of the head butler, who wielded considerable authority within the mansion. Besides, the warning about the assassination attempt was something he could not ignore.

After seeing that note, Jinwoo had guessed the truth. The original owner of this body had likely suffered that so-called “accident,” and while he lay unconscious, an assassination attempt had followed. From the earlier conversation, it was obvious who had ordered it.

‘It must have been Jiyeon.’

As his exclusive maid, Hwang Jiyeon would have had the easiest access to carry out such an order. But one thing didn’t add up. If she had truly attempted to kill him, a caution notice should have appeared for her as well. Yet none had.

Could it be that she had never even considered it?

‘Wait, it can actually fail?’

A new discovery. It seemed the skill wasn’t quite omnipotent. He accepted the limitation; after all, total invincibility would break the balance.

‘Still, this attitude is unacceptable.’

Jinwoo found the head butler’s insolence extremely displeasing. There were lines that should never be ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠crossed. This man had not only plotted assassination but was now displaying outright hostility toward the young master himself.

"How dare you!!! Who do you think you are, speaking to me that way!!!!!"

"!!!"

The thunderous voice rolled out like a war cry. The charisma and overwhelming pressure behind it were no joke.

‘Wh-what is this voice…!’

The head butler couldn’t hide his shock. That was not a sound the old Park Jinwoo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had ever been capable of producing.

‘Since when did he have lungs like that?’

Compounded by the Charisma stat, Jinwoo’s shout completely froze the butler’s body. He couldn’t even move his lips. This was the fear response that appeared before an overwhelmingly superior presence—the common phenomenon of total rigidity.

Stat-wise, Hong Cheol clearly held the advantage, yet the indomitable soul that had possessed Park Jinwoo’s body exerted influence far beyond mere numbers.

"Speak!! Why did you inflict such brutal punishment on her!!!!"

Left with no choice, the head butler gave a curt answer.

"I was merely providing feedback regarding a work error."

Jinwoo strode forward and positioned himself protectively in front of Jiyeon before continuing.

"Threatening and physically assaulting such a delicate maid! Have you no shame as head butler!!!!"

"……"

The head butler remained silent for a moment. Jinwoo’s pressure was immense, yet he refused to show it on the surface. Then, with a sneer, he shot back.

"Ha! You’re the one lecturing me?"

He refused to yield so easily. Hong Cheol raised his head with open mockery and continued.

"Are you even aware of how much trouble you have caused everyone in this mansion up until now? And that’s not all! The one who threatened and assaulted the maids was you! Who is the one who has continuously tarnished the name of the Parkmyeol Park family—renowned as a prestigious house of magical girls! Do you honestly believe someone like you has any right to criticize me?!"

The head butler was strong. His mental fortitude surpassed even his Charisma stat. On top of that, his hatred for Park Jinwoo ran bone-deep.

Honestly, Jinwoo had no rebuttal. In truth, the original Park Jinwoo had been an absolute piece of garbage who had mercilessly abused the servants. For that same person to suddenly act like a saint would only look like hypocrisy in the butler’s eyes.

‘I can’t exactly tell him someone else possessed this body.’

No one would believe such a thing anyway.

So how should he counter this?

"Ha…! You really have nothing to say, do you? If you still possess even a shred of conscience, place your hand over your heart and think carefully."

Convinced he held the upper hand, the head butler pressed his attack even harder.

But at that moment, Jinwoo brought up the one thing he had been holding back.

"Even so… do you truly believe attempting to assassinate me is something that can be forgiven?"

"…..!!!"

The head butler, who had never expected those words, showed a flash of panic before quickly feigning innocence.

"How ridiculous! Have you resorted to false accusations now?! No matter that you are the young master of the house we serve, this is simply too much!"

"I heard it clearly with my own two ears."

"Stop spouting nonsense!! No amount of baseless insistence will change this situation!"

No matter how he looked at it, Jinwoo was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at a disadvantage. The original owner’s absurd behavior had created an enormous negative impression. Even if he spoke the truth, almost no one in this mansion would believe him.

‘No choice, then. In that case…’

Right at that moment, Jinwoo decided to gamble. Even if the odds of failure were higher…

"Jiyeon. Tell me the truth. Is what the head butler said accurate?"

When Jinwoo suddenly turned to the woman behind him, the maid Hwang Jiyeon was caught completely off guard. She could only open and close her mouth in shock.

"You may speak honestly. No matter what you say, I will not hold it against you."

"Ah… th-that… um…"

While she hesitated, the head butler shot her a murderous glare. His eyes clearly warned that if she said anything unnecessary, she would pay for it with her life.

"Ah… uhh…"

In the end, Jiyeon squeezed her eyes shut and chose silence.

The head butler, satisfied with her response, gave an unpleasant smile as he stared at Jinwoo.

"You see? The young master has insulted me with completely groundless claims."

Meanwhile, Jiyeon avoided Jinwoo’s gaze as if ashamed. That much was understandable. The head butler’s influence over her was absolute, and to her, Jinwoo was nothing more than her former abuser. If a few simple apologies were enough to earn forgiveness, laws would not exist in this world.

‘This has become truly troublesome.’

Jinwoo found himself in an awkward position. The head butler, having seized the initiative, smiled with wicked satisfaction as he prepared to deliver the finishing blow.

At that exact instant—

"Just what is going on here?"

-Click…!

A woman appeared, her heels ringing against the polished floor. It was none other than Jinwoo’s mother and the current head of the Parkmyeol Park family—Park Chiyou.

"M-Madam!"

The butler, who served Park Chiyou, jumped in shock and immediately bowed his head. Jiyeon, standing behind Jinwoo, quickly followed suit.

"I thought I heard voices coming from a quiet area. What exactly were the three of you discussing?"

Park Chiyou’s icy gaze stabbed straight into the head butler. Trembling, he carefully opened his mouth.

"Ah… well, the young master was framing me with baseless accusations, so as head butler I was in the middle of disciplining him."

Normally, a mere servant should never speak such words. It could easily be interpreted as an insult toward the young master. Under ordinary circumstances, such disrespect would warrant severe punishment.

But the head butler knew the truth. He knew that Park Chiyou despised Park Jinwoo. He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠knew she viewed the youngest “son” born into a magical girl family with distaste. On top of being male, his behavior was utterly detestable. He had tarnished the family name more times than anyone could count. It was only natural that she would hate him.

Would she believe the words of that worthless troublemaker, or the words of her loyal, long-serving butler? The answer was obvious.

‘Therefore, the madam is on my side.’

The head butler was certain. With this golden opportunity to thoroughly humiliate Jinwoo, he looked at the young master with a triumphant smile.

"……"

Park Chiyou turned her head toward the head butler and opened her previously closed lips.

"Head butler…"

"Yes, Madam."

"Are you daring to insult my son right now?"

…..?

"Pardon? Madam?"

Thinking he must have misheard, the head butler looked at her with puzzled eyes. However—

"Head butler, did you not hear what I said?"

"Ah… that is…"

"I asked whether you dared to insult my son."

"N-no…! That’s not…!"

In that instant, the head butler’s pupils trembled violently. It seemed the effect of the Crazy Plausibility Passive that had activated on Park Chiyou was far stronger than anyone could have anticipated.