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I COULD HEAR THE water coming out from the sink's faucet. It continues to touch my skin as my eyes were fixed on the view outside the window that's in front of me. The entire manor was dark, but the kitchen felt homey because of the windows. The view was also much better compared to the rest of the areas found of this barren land.

     "Bishop!" A voice suddenly calls out, making me flinch.

     I turn around and spot Lino and Adie. Lino was fixing a broken cabinet while Adie was mopping the floor. I then look at my hand and realize that I was holding onto a plate. Apparently, I was washing the dishes and dozed off. 

     "Turn the faucet off if you're not using it. You might be used to living the fancy life, but we have limited supplies of water here so stop wasting them," Lino scolds, making me roll my eyes in annoyance, but I still turned it off anyway.

     "I do not live a fancy life by the way," I then complain, making Lino snort.

     "Alright little prince," Lino sarcastically answers.

     "Stop it. Just because I eat proper doesn't mean I've lived a very privileged life. I know how to save water if needed," I defend, but it seems like Lino wasn't buying it.

     "For your information Mr. Lancaster, being able to know how to use all the utensils in the table is a privilege because those who can't eat have used their bare hands more than a spoon," Lino says, annoying me even more.

     "Meals are just important to me, okay? I had to eat properly all the time."

     "So you did come from a rich family then?" Lino persistently asks, but something inside me suddenly felt sick, so I decide to ignore the question and just finish washing the plates so Lino could just drop the topic.

     When everyone finally did their chores in peace, Lino - who's on a ladder so he could reach the broken cabinet, accidentally drops a nail that he was supposed to hammer on the wood. I watch as the nail rolls further before looking back at him. Our eyes then meet, but I ignore him and continue washing the plates like I didn't see a goddamn thing.

     "You little fucker," I could hear Lino say, making me grin in satisfaction.

     Lino was about to go down from the ladder, but little Adie - an angel that she is - lets go of her mop and rushes to the nail to grab it for Lino. She then hands it to him, making Lino reach out to pat her on the head. If it weren't for that scar on his face I'd think he was smiling.

     "I never really got the chance to ask, but how old are you anyway, Mr. Marcelino?"

     Lino, who was once again concentrating on his work, doesn't even look at me as he answers, "I'm forty-five."

     When I heard Lino's answer, I almost dropped the plate that I was washing because of shock. Surprisingly enough, I thought he'd be younger. Props to him for still looking young despite having that scar.

     "You got a kid? Or maybe a family?" I ask, honestly expecting Lino to find the question offensive. I still asked him about it though just for the sake of it.

     "Why'd you ask?"

     I finish the last plate that's on my hand before answering, "No particular reason. I just find your way of handling Adeline to be...gentle. It's like you know how to act around young girls."

     "You make it sound like I'm some kind of pedophile," Lino suddenly says, almost making me laugh out loud.

      After finishing the dishes, I dry my hands with a towel and approach Adie. "Do you think he's a pedophile? If you do, you have to tell me, okay? I don't like sexual abusers so I'll take care of everything if you just tell me," I tell Adeline, instantly making Lino throw a screw at me that unfortunately did not hit me right in the head, which would have easily killed me.

     "I will hammer your head," Lino threatens.

     "Oh please do. Just end my misery so I'll never have to wash dishes again," I jokingly say while leaning on the counter. Lino was about to say something back, but then the two of us stopped when we heard a soft giggle.

     Lino's eyes practically widened from shock as he slowly looks at Adeline. For a second I thought he was going to fall off the ladder.

     "D-Did you just...giggle?" Lino asks in disbelief. He was acting like Adie just said the numbers needed to win a lottery. He was obviously overreacting.

     Adie was surprised herself, so she immediately turns away from us and continued mopping the floor again so she could avoid our stares.

     "Great, you made her feel uncomfortable," I say, making Lino sigh.

     "Adeline has never said a single word ever since she got here. That small giggle means a lot to me," Lino explains, and for a second I saw a bit of human in him. He must have been taking care of Adie all this time since master Claudio had to travel a lot. He probably treats her like his daughter.

     "She must have been lonely then. After all, who wants to be stuck with a forty-five-year-old gardener who has a scar on his mouth that makes it look like he's smiling all the time?" I still manage to joke, making Lino glare at me. I then look back at Adie to see if she was going to laugh again, but suddenly, an image of a terrifyingly familiar little girl appears in front of me instead, instantly making me look away.

     Lino and Adie stares back at me, wondering why I looked like I saw a ghost, so I took a deep breath and massaged my temple before explaining myself, "I had a little sister, her name was Mathilda." 

     I don't know why I was telling them about it, but for a second I felt like I just had to. At that moment we felt like Lino and Adie were the right people to share this with.

     "She always laughed, always played in the garden, and always got scolded by our mother. She loved collecting butterflies; her favorite was the monarchs. I honestly would have given the world to her if I had the chance," I say while looking out of the window again.

      Lino and Adie were quiet. My sudden storytelling must have made them feel awkward, so I immediately laugh it off as I look back at them. "But that's all in the past. She already died years ago so there's no reason for me to continue remembering unpleasant memories."

     Lino stares at me with an almost pitiful look. He was about to open his mouth to say something, but then the bell from earlier suddenly rings throughout the manor again. The only difference was that it wasn't a long one like earlier, it was two loud and consecutive rings.

     As soon as the bell stops ringing, Lino looks at me and says, "You can leave us here. The young master's calling for you."

     "How'd you know it's me?"

     "One long bell ring is for all of us, two for the butler, three for the maid, four for the cook, and five for the gardener, so head to his room now. He might have a specific task for you," Lino explains, making me sigh and walk out of the kitchen to head to the upper floor where the master's bedroom is.

     Surprisingly enough, I have only been in this manor for an entire day, but I feel like I've been here longer. There's also the fact that I was fingering myself in the art room and Claudio heard everything, so there's that.

     I guess I've just been really productive. Winter usually takes over, and honestly, all the things I've done today are almost equal to all the things I could have done in a week if I was only allowed to call for the little one.

     "Master Claudio, you called for me?" I say as soon as I arrive in front of the master's bedroom.

     I knock on the door once, and a voice instantly answers, "Come in."

     I take a deep breath, preparing myself for no apparent reason, before finally heading inside. I wasn't really expecting much–like Claudio lying in bed naked–but the situation still surprised me when I saw the master standing around wearing only a robe.

     "Good, you're here," he says as I close the door behind me. The room was a mess as tons of clothes were scattered on the bed. There were also shoes, neckties, and belts everywhere, which finally made me realize what the hell he was doing.

     "Bishop, I'll be attending an important party tonight and I can't seem to find the right clothes to wear. As my butler, I want you to give me some advice," Claudio says while checking his collection of neckties.

     The task was actually surprising because I thought he was going to order me to kill someone in town, but I approached him with no judgment and took his request seriously. "What type of party are you going to attend? A banquet, a dinner party, a cocktail party, or maybe even a soirée?" I genuinely ask.

     Claudio was still busy with his necktie picking when he answered, "A dinner party at the mayor's house. All the important people in town will be attending it so I have to make the right impression."

     "So it's like a white tie kind of party," I say as I look through the different coats that are on the bed.

     "Since it's at the mayor's house, wear something like...this..."

     Claudio looks at me as I start picking different clothes that are on the bed. From all that mess, I was able to find a white waistcoat and a black evening tailcoat that matched with his black trousers. I then looked at the floor to scan the five pairs of shoes that are lying around the room. When I finally saw a black patent leather shoe, I bent over and grabbed it before handing it all to him.

     Claudio looks at me with furrowed brows so I explained to him, "Since it's a dinner party with a mayor, it's probably white tie themed. Those are the most basic dress code for that theme so it's safe to wear it there."

     I could tell that Claudio was surprised, but he doesn't say anything as he placed everything that I gave him on top of the table. Without any warning, he then removes his robe, revealing his naked upper body to me.

     I'd lie if I say I'm not disappointed by the fact that he's wearing his undergarments, but seeing his perfectly toned body is enough for now.

     "Let's see..." Claudio starts wearing the clothes that I gave him while he stood in front of a standing mirror. When he finally wore everything, he looks at himself for a couple of seconds before turning around to face me again.

     "You're good," he praises. "I'm glad that you know all these things. It seems like I chose the perfect butler after all," he then compliments, making me feel awkward all of a sudden because I wasn't sure on what to reply to him after that.

     So I clear my throat and answer instead, "D-Don't mention it."

     Don't mention it? Seriously? I could literally hear Krimson and my other alters laughing at me right now. Winter would have even thought of a better response.

     "Is there anything else that you'd like me to do?" I ask, and Claudio looks around the room before saying, "Do you know how to tie a bow?"

     The question made me laugh for some reason, but I went to where the bowties were and took a white one before walking back to Claudio. "Lower yourself a bit," I say as I stood in front of him.

     Claudio doesn't complain and stretches his legs on the side a little so I could reach his neck better. But when his face was finally leveled with mine, I couldn't help but gulp at the sight of his tantalizing brown eyes.

     "E-Excuse me," I immediately say as I start tying his bow for him.

     The atmosphere was quiet, and it was the perfect mood to make a move on someone. Sadly I had to remind myself that I'm here to work and not to satisfy my sexual drive, so I immediately finish the bowtie so I can finally move away from him.

     Claudio turns around again and checks himself in the mirror for the second time.

     "This is perfect," he says before walking towards a cabinet. He then opens a drawer and pulls out a watch for him to wear. He checks the time and starts looking for something in his suitcase that he has actually not cleared up yet.

     While he was doing so, I approach a vanity that has a couple of perfumes. I give each one a sniff before picking the one I liked best. I spray it on my wrist so I could smell it better, but when I turned around, Claudio was already in front of me.

    My eyes widened as the young master grabs my arm. I thought he was going to scold me for trying out his perfume, but then he lifts my hand closer to his nose and suddenly sniffs the scent on my wrist. The action made my entire body turn stiff.

     "You have good taste. Put some on me too," he suddenly says, making me pull my hand away from him out of panic.

     "Y-Yes master..." I say as I grab the perfume so I could spray it on his neck and wrist.

     "Thank you," he then replies before walking back to the mirror to check himself for the third time.

     While I watch him from the back, master Claudio suddenly tells me, "Do you have any formal clothes with you?"

     The question confused me a bit, but at the same time, I somehow knew where it was going to end. "No, it would be strange of me to have such clothes," I answer.

     Master Claudio nods his head and adjusts his bowtie a little before looking at me through the reflection.

     "Alright, we're heading to town. There's still a few hours left for us to choose a suit for you," he answers just as how I expected him to.

     Usually, dinner parties are seen as another way to flaunt your power and wealth. From what you wear, how you behave, and who you bring, it will all reflect on what kind of person you are in society. This is why these masters would bring their butlers or even escorts to such events to show their status.

     If he's really going to make me come with him then it means he found me worthy since people will also check how trained and skilled your butler will be. The same thing goes to their escorts, or in a cheaper term, their courtesans (prostitutes). How pretty or handsome your courtesan is will also determine your status. The elite world is that ridiculous.

     "If you have a butler's uniform prepared for me then that would be fine," I honestly say.

     "Yours, Marcelino's and Adeline's uniforms are still being altered so I don't have them with me. Besides, you're not going as my butler anyway," Claudio answers, confusing me even more.

     "I'm not going as your butler? Then what am I—" I pause for a second to think about it, but when I saw the mischievous look on his face, I knew that this man was up to no good. This party will definitely be a night I might not be able to forget.

...

"It seems like you have found a new hobby, young master," I tell master Claudio who was sitting beside me in a car that Lino was driving, which surprised me because I didn't know Lino could drive at all.

    Master Claudio, who was reading through some documents, doesn't even look at me as he answers, "And what would that be?"

     I give him an annoyed look first before looking out of the window. "It's to make a fool out of me."

    When Claudio heard what I said, a low chuckle suddenly escapes from his mouth as he defends, "Don't be ridiculous. I would never make a fool out of my direct employees, isn't that right, Marcelino?"

    Lino, who was wearing his military clothes, looks at us through the rearview mirror before saying, "That's right, master."

     I almost kicked Lino's seat, but I tried my best not to because I knew I was going to be scolded. So instead of fighting, I look out of the window again to check where we were going. Apparently, there was a road at the manor that directly leads to the town. The master explained that no one else knows of this road, or rather, they're too afraid to check, so it's the safest passage to use when we want to sneak to the town without looking suspicious.

     The car drives down a hill and through the forest. After a while, I could finally see a welcome arch up ahead. The arch has the words "Welcome to Capo di Monte" written on it.

     Since Winter was the one who was out when we went here, I had no idea what the town looked like, so when we finally reentered the town, I felt a bit excited. The town was covered in grass fields and trees, and then there were old buildings and cute little houses. There were people who were riding bikes, and some kids were even running around. It was a surprisingly lively town.

    "Look there," master Claudio suddenly says as he points out of my window. I look at where his finger was pointing and spot a hill. I squint my eyes a little to get a better view, and when I saw the roofing, I realized something.

     "I-It's the manor..."

     "The road we used goes around the manor, so even though the manor is placed in the middle of the town, you still have to drive out of the town to use the road that leads to there," Claudio explains, surprising me.

     Lino drives a little further until we reached a tailor shop. For a second I was curious about how the people would react if Lino steps out of the car, but then Claudio looks at him and says, "Wait for us here, alright?"

     "Yes, master."

     I sigh in disappointment because I really wanted to see how the townspeople would react after seeing a man with a terrifying scar, but I guess it would make more sense to make him stay inside instead. It helps that the car windows have curtains too.

     "Alright, let's go," Claudio says, and I immediately step out of the car to open his door for him.

    The people who were walking on the pavement minded their own business, but as soon as Claudio stepped out, everyone instantly stopped to look at him. For a second I thought they were just mesmerized by him, but then they approached him and started chanting his name like he was some sort of celebrity.

     "Master Claudio! You're back!"

     "Master Claudio, I heard you went to Paris? How was your trip?"

     Everyone wanted to see Claudio like he was some kind of god. Even the old ladies who were buying fruits dropped everything just so they could approach him too.

     At least ten people were surrounding us that I had no choice but to back away a little. I didn't know if I was supposed to push them away, but even if I wanted to, I don't think I could because Claudio was happily conversing with them. It would be rude of me to step out now.

     "I can't believe he's back," a kid suddenly says as he stood beside me.

     I look at the young boy–maybe around ten years of age–and bend over a little to ask, "Do you know him?"

     The kid looks at me like I was insane as he asks back, "Do I know him? Everyone in this town knows who he is! The Romano's are practically heroes." He then explains, confusing me even more.

     "Heroes? What do you mean? What did they do?" I continue to ask.

     The boy looks at me straight in the eyes and smiles widely before saying, "Didn't you know? They're the ones who got rid of the plague doctor. They're the ones who helped cure our town of that wicked doctor's curse."

to be continued...