The Return of the Devil of All Nations
The moment Elliot Trayer stepped through the grand entrance, the head butler Tepes stepped forward with a perfectly polite bow.
“Welcome to Viscount Juan Trayer’s estate, Instructor Rai Redford.”
“...Hello, long time no see.”
“Indeed. It is truly an honor to welcome back Instructor Redford after all these years.”
Eliot smiled softly, but Tepes remained the picture of aristocratic composure and answered with solemn dignity.
Philia, who already knew the full story, watched him with eyes full of respect and quiet admiration. She had believed he was dead for a decade, yet his expression showed not the slightest ripple of emotion.
“I’m going to have a chat with this old rascal,” Elliot said, gesturing toward Juan. “You lot can take it easy. I’ll be staying a few days, so go out and explore the city.”
“I’ll show you to your rooms, young masters,” Tepes replied quickly.
A young man who looked to be in his early twenties stepped forward, bowing respectfully to the group.
He appeared to be still in the midst of his training as a junior butler and seemed utterly unaware of Elliot’s identity.
“Thank you for your generosity, Viscount.”
Philia, eager to catch up with her old comrade, stepped forward before the others could speak.
Diana, who looked eager to join the conversation, found herself gently but firmly ushered along by Philia and had no choice but to follow.
“This way, please,” Tepes said, leading them not to the reception room but directly to the study.
As Elliot and Juan walked the corridor together, they took in the changed surroundings. The atmosphere was the same, yet much had altered over the years.
The old servants were gone; only Tepes remained, and no familiar faces greeted them.
Passing through the doorway, Elliot caught sight of a doorframe marred with scratches from the time when he and his little brother had been playing as children. A small, private smile crossed his lips.
Understanding his gaze, Tepes simply waited in silence, allowing him a moment to drift into memory.
Juan took his seat on the central sofa, and moments later Elliot joined him.
Tepes brought out the tea tray and began preparing the cups without asking for preferences.
“So, you’ve been living comfortably after swallowing the Devil of All Nations’ territory.”
Elliot grinned, and Juan laughed along with him.
“The pestilence of the kingdom had me working my tail off. Damn, if only there were something to show for it besides wheat.”
“When I wasn’t there, Tepes handled everything alone. Thank you.”
“It was my duty, Young Master.”
At the familiar title, Elliot chuckled and shook his head.
“You seem to have mistaken me for someone else. I’m not the Devil of All Nations anymore—I’m Rai Redford.”
“Of course, Instructor Redford, the Young Master I once served. Since I can no longer address you as before, I will continue calling you that for now.”
The once-stoic butler’s expression softened as he placed the teacup before him.
Elliot accepted his tea, and Juan laughed heartily.
“Look at that—after ten years away, I’ve been reduced to cold leftovers.”
“I’m grateful you bothered to serve the tea at all.”
They had been close friends for ten years, and watching them now, Elliot took a sip of the extremely sweet milk-based tea laced with honey and sugar.
“Your tastes haven’t changed one bit. Lucky for me.”
“Even after ten years, you still love the same childish sweets.”
Juan frowned as if questioning why he was even drinking it.
After a moment’s pause, he set the cup down and asked the question that had been weighing on him.
“How did you survive?”
“Thanks to His Majesty the Benevolent Emperor.”
Elliot raised his arms high in a theatrical gesture, then let out a self-deprecating laugh and leaned back against the sofa.
“He must have judged me still useful. Right now I’m teaching at the academy.”
“Tch— the old man still refuses to waste even a single breath.”
“Just like always.”
“That’s why we managed to survive. Not that I have anything else to say…”
Juan trailed off and looked at him directly, the tension in the room easing under Tepes’ watchful gaze.
“You were supposed to be a fox who played nice and let us go, weren’t you? And yet here you are, walking around alive. Of course you kept it hidden from the Empire.”
“Correct.”
“So even meeting me is forbidden?”
“Wrong. Nothing was officially forbidden. The only problem was that the people managing you became desperate to let the public know.”
Juan thought quietly as he watched Elliot sip his tea with a mischievous grin.
Finally he sighed. “You never know a day of peace, do you?”
“I didn’t start it. There are just too many people who keep interrupting.”
“You came back for the kingdom you abandoned, didn’t you?”
“Aren’t you being a little too cold?” Elliot protested. “I wanted to see Tepes and the old man too.”
Juan burst out laughing. “Whoa, you’ve grown up. Grown up! Tepes, look at this kid—he’s finally matured. Well, I’ve seen your face, so what’s next?”
Elliot scratched the back of his head, then shrugged helplessly and spilled everything.
“I need just one favor from you, Old Man.”
“Why? Want to topple the Empire again?”
“Why would I do something that boring?”
Juan’s tone was joking, yet the smile on his lips remained genuine.
The only sound in the study was the quiet clink of Tepes refilling their cups.
“Honestly, it feels weird relying on the fox all the time, especially after I ignored his final orders.”
“You mean Mikhail?” Elliot asked.
“Yeah, he came to me too, begging me to send the ghosts back to their proper places.”
Juan said nothing.
Sending the ghosts back would mean wiping out the entire resistance army.
At Ketlangca Gate, Juan had demanded the right to govern the Trayer territory after surrendering. Most imperial administrators opposed it, but the Emperor and Edelian had approved the request.
While some raised objections, the Empire granted the same equal status to Juan and the other lords without any punishment.
Juan had asked for the Trayer territory to protect his former commander’s domain. He owed the Empire a debt of loyalty in return.
But he had also been unable to touch the resistance army that still held so many of his old comrades.
They had fought side by side for the same country, bled together on the battlefield.
Since he was now loyal to the Empire, he could not aid them, so he had simply ignored their existence.
“Ghosts… You picked that word well.”
“Ermene told me.”
“Ermene? The third prince is still alive?”
“Yes, and he carries the Seal of the Children of the Grave.”
“If you’re talking like that, does it mean you’ve broken the curse?”
Juan and Tepes exchanged glances.
They were the ones who had watched the old man suffer for years and endure the full weight of Margos’ control.
On the battlefield, Juan had fought beside him. On the estate, Tepes had ruled the lands in silence for a decade, believing his master was gone.
“It was simply covered by another curse.”
“Hah— the old man always did things the hard way. Even after all this time, I still feel a little resentment.”
“Don’t worry about that. Compared to the days of Margos, you’re living like royalty.”
Juan’s face cleared when he realized Elliot’s smile was completely sincere.
The knowledge that the man he had seen as pitiful was actually living happily brought a long-buried weight off his shoulders.
He had never experienced the full horror of the decaying kingdom himself, but watching Elliot struggle so hard to hold it together had been heartbreaking.
While the realm rotted around him, no one gave him credit for the work he did, and he was treated more like a dog than a hero.
“Well, tell me about the ghosts. I’m curious what kind of story you’re going to spin next.”
They remained in the study long after the sun had set, talking for hours.
***
The conversation had grown too sensitive for Tepes to remain in the room.
Even though the Young Master he had mourned for ten years had finally returned, his duties as head butler would not stop for a single moment.
While he had stepped away briefly to check on the preparations for the guests’ meal, Tepes now walked toward the lower floor.
As he descended the central staircase, he spotted Philia standing before the portrait of Juan.
The other students had gone out to explore the city, but she had stayed behind.
It was common for noble mansions to display the lord’s own portrait in a prominent place.
After learning a few years ago that wealthy households throughout the Empire did the same, Tepes quietly took his place beside her.
Philia sensed his presence but continued gazing at the painting without a word.
“This is the work of Triyanus, known as the Master of the Brush. He captured the Viscount’s noble presence with bold, sweeping strokes.”
Philia’s eyes remained fixed on the canvas even after Tepes’ explanation.
“Was there a self-portrait of Elliot Trayer hanging here ten years ago?”
“No, Young Master never had time to paint one. He was always so busy.”
Memories flashed across Tepes’ face, and a self-deprecating smile appeared.
“Instead, the Trayer family portrait was displayed. Everyone urged the servants to replace it, saying it was inappropriate for a child to have his own image, but Young Master refused to change it.”
“He wanted to see his family even a little, didn’t he…”
Philia’s voice was soft and melancholy as she stared at the painting.
Tepes’ composure finally cracked.
“You know our Young Master very well. Yes, he always missed his family. When he became head of the house, the Trayer family suffered.”
“I see… Are you happy now?”
Philia’s meaningful remark broke the last of Tepes’ restraint.
For an instant his dignified mask slipped, revealing surprise, before returning to stern composure. He studied her closely.
Even though the portrait was Juan’s, Philia was clearly imagining the original family painting, and her eyes shone with quiet longing.
Quietly watching her, Tepes asked, “The portrait here is dusty and not suitable for visitors, but would you like me to show you where the Trayer family images are kept?”
“Thank you for offering. I would love to see them.”
Reading the affection in her calm brown eyes, Tepes led her to the attic.
The attic, filled with the family’s history, was dusty but warmed by sunlight streaming through small windows.
Passing between furniture shapes shrouded in cloth, Tepes brought Philia before a large canvas leaning against the wall.
“Please excuse the dust.”
With a warning, Tepes gently lifted the white cloth covering the painting.
When the fabric slid away, the long-lost family portrait was revealed.
A man with red hair and a gaunt frame, estimated to be Elliot’s father, sat on a sofa holding the hand of the woman beside him.
Philia slowly turned her gaze to the woman.
“Elliot Trayer’s eyes… they must have come from his mother.”
“Yes, the lady was known for her beautiful red eyes. When Young Master inherited them, the Viscount was overjoyed.”
Even for a woman, those eyes held a mysterious, almost hypnotic beauty. Philia stared at them for a moment before shifting to the child nestled in the woman’s arms.
It was not red-haired, so it must be his younger brother.
Philia’s expression darkened with sorrow at the memory of Elliot’s words about killing his own sibling.
Thinking that this once-happy family would soon fall into tragedy years later made her chest feel heavy.
Later, spotting a young Elliot playing with toys on the sofa, Philia couldn’t help but smile.
“You’ve always been a handful, even as a child.”
“Yes, both the Viscount and the lady suffered greatly. The servants tried to hide it, but they would always sit secretly behind me while I played with the toys.”
Recalling the story, Philia laughed softly.
Studying the adorable little boy in the portrait, she bowed politely to Tepes.
“Thank you for showing me this.”
“It’s nothing. I was happy to see it again after so long. Besides the portraits, there are many toys and mementos Young Master loved. Would you like to see them?”
Tepes spoke with the hopeful eyes of a proud father as he guided her deeper into the attic and began recounting stories of Elliot’s childhood.
As the dignified butler gradually transformed into a warm grandfather, Philia listened for a long time, lost in memories of the past.
Late in the evening, Elliot caught sight of Philia wandering alone and stopped.
His eyes fell on the wooden duck carving she held.
“What’s that?”
“This? The butler gave it to me as a gift.”
Philia shook the duck toy and laughed brightly.
“He said the Devil of All Nations once treasured this toy. Isn’t it cute?”
Elliot’s stern smile widened as he reached for the duck.
Philia clutched it to her chest and shook her head.
“No. It’s mine now.”
With a mischievous grin, she turned and fled down the hallway, leaving Elliot staring after her.