Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 72

* * *

Because of the appearance of the boy the Emperor had supposedly found,

‘The Emperor must have displayed that boy, prepared beforehand with the nobility, just to plant this sense of insecurity in Ronen. How petty.’

Ed dimmed the lamp by Ronen’s bedside, leaning forward to meet his gaze.

If Ronen had seen the Grand Duke’s face as he watched him sleep in the carriage, and the way he carefully held Ronen when they arrived at the palace, he would never have harbored such doubts.

‘The Grand Duke was so gentle with Ronen, worried that any movement might wake him.’

The Grand Duke had looked down at Ronen for a long while after lying him in bed, brushing his hair softly.

Even after that, he stayed a while, seemingly to ensure that Ronen wouldn’t wake and feel alone, before turning off the light and leaving the room.

Though he had matters to tend to, if he hadn’t, the Grand Duke would likely have stayed by Ronen’s side all night.

In a quiet voice, Ed asked, “Why aren’t you able to sleep, young master?”

“I don’t know. I just feel… off.”

“Off?”

“Yeah. Even though Asnel said I’m surely his brother… seeing that boy standing in front of the barracks made me…”

Ronen paused, looking at Ed.

“Ed.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Didn’t that boy look more like Asnel than I do?”

Ed tilted his head thoughtfully.

“You said you saw him too, young master?”

“Yes.”

Ronen nodded with a bit of gloom.

“Did you get a clear look at him? Though the magic lights were on, it wasn’t as bright as day, so I could only tell he had the same hair and eye color as His Grace.”

Ed sensed Ronen’s intent interest in his words.

“True, people with black hair and red eyes are rare, but they do exist. At first glance, the boy might look similar to His Grace, but if you look closer, he’s probably different in many ways, young master.”

“… You think so?”

“Of course, young master. Did you know that His Grace has a small mark on his ear? You wouldn’t have noticed it until you saw it in the carriage earlier, right?”

Ronen shook his head slightly.

“No.”

“Just as you’d need a close look to find similarities between you and His Grace, you’d probably see that there are many differences between him and that boy as well. And simply looking alike isn’t enough to confirm you’re siblings.”

Ronen lowered his head for a moment, seemingly deep in thought, then looked at Ed.

“But… since the Emperor himself found the boy, it just makes me uncertain. What if I’m not Asnel’s brother? That worry won’t leave my mind, and I can’t sleep.”

Ed could sense the many anxieties in Ronen’s mind and wanted to ease his concerns.

“While the Emperor has been very involved, I trust His Grace. His Grace grew up with you, young master, so he must have reasons to be sure that you’re his true brother. I hope you don’t worry too much, young master.”

Ronen stared at Ed for a moment before speaking.

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes, absolutely. His Grace has led the frontlines of many battles and achieved victory, hasn’t he? To do so, he’d need a keen eye not just for allies and enemies, but even for the terrain.”

“Yeah.”

“So, I believe that with that sharp eye, His Grace wouldn’t mistake his own brother.”

Ronen’s eyes rolled back a bit before he retreated fully into his blankets, stretching out comfortably.

“I trust Asnel, too.”

Ed replied with a soft smile.

“Yes, so do I.”

“I think I might be able to sleep now.”

Ronen said as he closed his eyes.

Ed nodded and sat down on the chair beside the bed, planning to leave once Ronen had fallen asleep.

Yet, just as he seemed to drift off, Ronen’s eyelids fluttered open again. Sleepily, he looked up at Ed.

“But Ed, aren’t you tired? You should go to bed too. It’s late, and we have to wake up early in the morning.”

As Ronen’s gaze began to blur, Ed gently tucked the blanket around him.

“Yes, I’ll head to my room in a bit.”

“I can sleep alone, so…”

With a voice that grew softer and softer, Ronen finally drifted into a deep sleep.

Ed rubbed his eyes and yawned quietly.

‘He could wake up again, so I’ll stay a little longer before I leave.’

Ed turned off the lamp and settled into the quiet, dark room.

How much time had passed?

A strange floating sensation pulled Ed from his light doze.

He blinked several times, trying to focus his eyes, until he murmured, “Huh?”

Behind him, he felt a firm yet gentle hold, as if someone was carrying him carefully across the room.

In the darkness, he was laid down on a bed with the utmost care.

As the hands that had supported him slowly withdrew, Ed blinked, then whispered,

“… Your Grace?”

A low voice resonated from beside him.

“I tried to be careful so you wouldn’t wake.”

Ed looked up at the Grand Duke, who clicked his tongue softly, almost regretfully.

“It seems I dozed off without noticing.”

“It’s only natural—you’ve had a long day.”

“And Your Grace must be just as tired.”

The Grand Duke seemed to pick up on Ed’s unspoken suggestion to get some rest himself, and he nodded gently.

“I stayed until Ronen was fully asleep, but he stirred once in the middle of the night.”

“Oh, yes. It seems he dozed off only to wake up briefly.”

When the Grand Duke had opened the door to check on Ronen, he had felt something unexpected upon seeing Ed dozing off in the chair beside Ronen’s bed.

‘Ed must be just as tired as anyone, yet he chose to look after Ronen rather than himself.’

Reflecting on the day’s events, the Grand Duke felt grateful for Ed’s attentiveness.

After confirming that Ronen was peacefully asleep, he lifted Ed carefully to take him to his room.

Ronen, so filled with worry, had been comforted by Ed, and it only seemed right for the Grand Duke to now tend to Ed’s fatigue.

With Ed’s eyelids drooping heavily, the Grand Duke laid him on his bed and took a seat on the chair beside him, intending to leave once Ed had fallen into a deep sleep.

However, as Ed seemed to slip into slumber, he opened his eyes slowly and looked up at the Grand Duke, speaking in a soft tone.

“Your Grace, if I may… I have one small request.”

“What is it, Ed?”

“If there’s nothing urgent that requires your attention, could you stay by young master Ronen’s side tonight?”

In the faint light spilling in from the window, the Grand Duke looked down into Ed’s deep blue eyes, then nodded.

“Yes, I’ll do as you suggest, Ed.”

With a faint smile, Ed closed his eyes, murmuring a quiet “Thank you…” as sleep finally overtook him.

The Grand Duke lingered for a while, watching Ed’s peaceful expression, before drawing the curtains and whispering softly.

“No, Ed… it is I who should thank you.”

Ronen woke up early in the morning.

He let out a small yawn and murmured, “Oh?” in quiet surprise.

‘It’s Asnel hyung?’

His older brother was lying beside him in bed, holding him close and offering his arm as a pillow.

Ronen blinked softly and snuggled a bit closer to the Grand Duke.

He gazed at his brother’s face, illuminated by the light slipping through the gap in the curtains, and gently traced his small hand along the Grand Duke’s features.

‘From here to here is his straight forehead, and from here to here, his sharp nose.’

Ronen stared intently at him, as if engraving the Grand Duke’s face in his mind, and thought about something he hadn’t managed to say yesterday.

‘But, hyung, what would happen if that boy really is your biological younger brother?’

He had wanted to ask this, but the words wouldn’t leave his mouth.

Because it felt like he might be abandoned if he did.

So he kept his other question hidden, too.

‘Even if I’m not your real brother, I hope you’d let me see you every once in a while… No, no, I’d at least like you to reply to the letters I send.’

Pressing down on his still-pounding heart, Ronen thought quietly.

‘Even though that worry hasn’t completely gone away yet… Ed said Asnel is sharp-eyed, after all.’

So when the Grand Duke slowly opened his eyes and woke up, Ronen greeted him with a bright smile.

“Did you sleep well, Asnel hyung?”

The Grand Duke opened his eyes, sensing the soft stirring of the little one, and smiled faintly.

* * *