Villain Family’s Strongest Butler - Chapter 8

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 11

That single book was, to exaggerate only slightly, thicker than my palm.
My mouth had run away with me.
All those promises to memorize five books, ten books—cancelled.
‘At this thickness, it’s got to be the equivalent of ten ordinary volumes.’
I washed up hastily and began turning pages in earnest.
There would be no sleep for me tonight.

***

The following day.
In a corner of the ground floor of the Balot Duchy Mansion stood the Laundry Room, where all soiled linens were managed.
The space was vast, and thanks to the towering windows that occupied an entire wall, natural light poured through unfiltered.
Though indoors, whenever the windows were opened the breeze flowed cool and steady, and the warm sun spilled down without restraint.
The air hung thick with the fragrance of soap and sunlight.
“…Count. Are you absolutely certain this girl is new to servant work?”
“….”
Lydia, the maid overseeing this section, posed the question with an expression of bewilderment.
Norbert remained silent, his gaze fixed on Freya, who was absorbed in her work.
Freya sorted the piled laundry by washing method, organizing each category with deliberate care.
Heavily soiled garments she set aside for a preliminary wash, and before beginning the main washing, she adjusted the water temperature precisely.
Though when lifting the water-soaked cloth and wringing it out, she had faltered momentarily, as though the weight tested her strength.
“Count.”
Lydia addressed Norbert in a measured tone.
“You know we’re short-staffed in our section, don’t you? If you could assign this girl Freya to us—”
“Is the shortage of hands unique to this section?”
Norbert cut short the proposal with a single sentence.
Lydia clicked her tongue softly.
Norbert pressed his brow, furrowing it.
He could not make sense of this situation.
‘That makes five now.’
First Ters from the Wine Storage, then Patrick from the Garden. And now Wilter from the Blacksmith and Delson the stable master as well.
Even the staff of the Laundry Room were requesting that Freya be assigned to their section.
In every section, the knowledge and understanding of work that Freya displayed had exceeded ordinary standards.
—”Ah, this is Feldedor Wine from the Billedro Kingdom. The terroir of that region shines through beautifully—the tannins are robust and it’s famous for its distinctive fruit notes.”
—”I know it well. The Marine Hawk—its blue petals are used in making medicines, but the roots, when dried and ground, become an ingredient for creating deadly poisons, or so I’ve heard.”
—”Armor forged from Planite Ore? I understand it’s difficult to obtain and tricky to work with. But looking at it now, you’ve elevated the carbon content to increase both strength and hardness, haven’t you?”
—”A well-trained, fine animal. A horse that’s been properly trained and bonded carries it in their eyes first. And the coat’s lustre—excellent nutrition. Might I attempt to groom it?”
She spoke without hesitation or reservation.
It was not the recitation of memorized facts.
‘She claimed to have only remembered the names, but that too was a lie, it seems.’
Or perhaps, if she truly had lost her memory, all of this was even stranger.
‘The wine and the garden—I can accept those. But how in the world does she know about the Blacksmith and the Stables?’
It was enough to confound him.
At this point, one might wonder if she’d forgotten that she’d ever claimed to have lost her memory.
‘Or perhaps she never intended to hide it in the first place.’
As though understanding Norbert’s unspoken doubt, Freya shook out the linens matter-of-factly and replied plainly.
“Don’t you remember? The book you gave me last night.”
A book?
‘Ah….’
Norbert recalled the volume he’d had sent to Freya’s room.
It contained the management regulations of the duchy and the duties of each work section.
Naturally, it also detailed precisely how work was to be conducted in each area.
“You read all of it?”
“Read it? You instructed me to memorize it as well. Have you forgotten that?”
“…So you’re telling me you memorized all of it? In a single night?”
Freya answered with a simple nod of her head.
Yes, if that were true, it would explain a good deal of what I’d seen so far.
But then.
‘Could it really be?’
Or was it all just bluster?
‘No.’
One couldn’t memorize that much in a single day.
Just reading through it all would take a week.
Yet she’d claimed to have memorized it?
‘She’s definitely putting on airs.’
But if she hadn’t memorized it, then none of her actions made sense either.
Norbert turned his gaze toward Freya, who was sorting through the freshly arrived laundry.
Lydia, standing beside Norbert as they watched Freya work, spoke in a hushed murmur.
“He’s asked her to memorize books again? I wonder how many Academy students ran away because of that.”
“…….”
“I thought she was just beautiful, but her hands are quite deft too, aren’t they? She’s the survivor who was found on Teridana Beach, isn’t she?”
“……Yes.”
“So which section are you planning to assign her to?”
“…….”
Norbert didn’t answer.
He’d already decided which section to assign Freya to.
Before that, he intended to show her around various parts of the mansion and let her sample the work of each area.
‘I didn’t expect her to manage so well, though…….’
Her striking appearance was troublesome wherever she went.
‘Aside from her stamina being weaker than the others’, she handles nearly everything she attempts with almost perfect execution.’
It was a moment that made sense of what Freya had said last night—that she wanted to build up her strength.

***

Even in death, I would die on the battlefield.
That was my resolve when I lived as a knight.
Now I am a maid.
So where would I die?
‘In a laundry basket, probably.’
I poured out the murky water that had accumulated in the blackened basket, turned it over so it could dry properly, and went back inside.
In that time, the laundry that had been drying in the sun had been brought inside and was completely dry.
The other maids gathered around the pile of incoming garments. I picked up the soft, fluffy laundry and folded each piece crisply and neatly, sorting as I went.
I made sure not to forget to attach labels for easy identification and then moved everything to its designated place.
“Quick hands.”
“Good sense for the work too.”
The maids I was working alongside tossed comments my way as they passed.
‘Is that so?’
I tilted my head curiously and refocused on my tasks.
Perhaps because it was my first day.
Compared to Norbert’s warning—that I shouldn’t take this work lightly, that it would be harder than I expected—it was…….
‘Honestly, it’s rather enjoyable?’
Since I’d already done all the work Norbert had shown me in every place he took me, nothing felt particularly difficult.
‘I suppose I should thank Serhin.’
Serhin, the Crown Prince of the Tenasis Empire, suffered from severe Obsessive-Compulsive Cleanliness.
Since I alone had attended to him, I’d had to reach a level where I could handle every task by myself to match his standards.
Everything Serhin ate, every garment he wore, every horse he rode and every sword and piece of armor he wielded—even the single flower placed in his bedchamber.
I was Serhin’s shadow and his blade, his hands and feet.
It wasn’t something I found bothersome or disagreeable.
Repaying a debt to someone who’d saved my life and taught me the blade was only natural.
‘I wonder if, in some childhood I don’t remember, I was a maid already.’
Such a thought crossed my mind occasionally.
In any case, if this is what maid’s work entails, if this is what a steward does……
‘Maybe being a steward really is my calling?’
I found myself not caring which assignment I received. After all, my ultimate goal was to become a steward.
Specifically, the steward of Grand Duke Balot.
There was still one thing I found myself wanting for, though.
This wretched stamina, that’s the real culprit.
If only I could improve my physical condition…….
‘But the Kitchen is absolutely off-limits.’
I’d have less time to build my strength.
“Huff…….”
I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand and drew a deep breath.
Ah, so this is the true taste of meaningful labor.
It felt entirely different from spending days and nights in the field, cutting down opponents without rest.
It seemed trivial compared to battlefield victories, yet this swelling sense of accomplishment held something altogether different from the feeling of taking a life.
Hmph.
‘I’m something else.’
What’s gotten into me.
Anyone seeing me now would think I’d devoted my entire life to servant’s work.
I felt oddly embarrassed.
‘Anyway.’
The sun was already setting.
The red orb dipped below the mountain ridge, leaving only a faint afterimage in its wake.
‘Are we not stopping at any other sections?’
I glanced sideways at Norbert. The old man stood against one wall, conversing with a Maid.
From the look of things, today’s work seemed to be ending here.
‘Could he be assigning me to this area?’
Since morning, I’d moved through several sections, learning each task.
Of all of them, I’d spent the most time here in the Laundry Room.
‘Well, anywhere but the Kitchen is fine with me.’
This place was far better than the Kitchen, where we worked past midnight—here, once the sun set and the dried laundry was folded, the day was done.
And the sun was setting now.
Just then, my eyes met Norbert’s.
“…….”
“…….”
A moment passed before Norbert beckoned me with a jerk of his chin.
“That should do for today.”
It was the signal to leave.
I quickly set down the laundry in my hands and followed Norbert toward the door.
“See you tomorrow!”
“I hope you’re assigned here with us.”
Despite having worked alongside them for only a few hours, the Maids called out cheerfully to my back.
I turned to face them and bowed my head respectfully.
‘They’re all good people.’
There was no wariness in their eyes, no territorial hostility to speak of.
Being assigned to this place did seem like it would work out.
I plodded along behind Norbert, my mind wandering through these thoughts.
Then he suddenly stopped in front of a certain door.
‘Huh?’
This is…….
I stared at a door I’d seen before somewhere.
It was the Grand Duke’s Study.
“Your Highness, it’s Norbert. May I enter?”
What is this? I thought we were heading home?
Why are we suddenly at the Grand Duke’s Study? And why is he bringing me along?
Oh, don’t tell me.
‘Could this be about when I asked to borrow the Training Grounds…….’
Then, a voice came from beyond the door.
“Come in.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I suddenly felt urgent and called out to Norbert.
“Wait, Master. Why are we suddenly—.”
Shh. Norbert cut me off.
“Be quiet and follow me in.”
“…….”
Ugh.
So it’s done.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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