Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 133

* * *

“Ah, hello… h-hello.”

Ed stammered, biting his tongue multiple times before finally managing a proper greeting.

The Grand Duke’s mother, Mela, smiled warmly at him as she watched his flustered attempt.

“Yes, I’m very glad to meet you too, Ed.”

Ed was still dazed.

‘Am I really dead and in heaven?’

He considered pinching his cheek to confirm, but before he could, Mela clasped both his hands in hers and spoke.

“It’s truly wonderful to see you in person.”

As Ed looked down at her hands holding his, she failed to hide her shy expression.

“Oh dear, my excitement got the better of me, didn’t it?”

Though Ed was still bewildered, he could tell that Mela was genuinely happy to meet him.

“N-no, it’s fine.”

Mela offered a gentle smile.

Then, noticing that Ed was still standing, she gestured towards the air.

With a soft pop, a table and chairs appeared a short distance away.

When Ed’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of the furniture, Mela gently guided him to a seat.

“You’ll get used to little things like this here. Come now, it must be tiring to stand. Why don’t you sit and have some tea with me?”

Following her lead, Ed sat down and watched in fascination as Mela conjured tea and a selection of snacks with a simple wave of her hand.

‘The Grand Duke really does take after his mother.’

Ed couldn’t help but marvel at the elegance and strength imbued in her every action.

“It’s been so long since I served tea to a guest. I hope it suits your taste,” she said as she handed Ed a teacup.

Ed received it with both hands, bringing the cup close to his face to savor its aroma before taking a sip.

He nodded slightly in appreciation.

“It’s wonderful. I could tell from the way you prepared it, but it tastes just like the tea the Grand Duke makes.”

Mela, who had been visibly nervous, relaxed at Ed’s words.

She poured herself a cup and continued the conversation.

“That’s high praise. To say it’s like my son’s tea is the best compliment I could ask for.”

Ed squirmed a little, feeling a warm flutter in his chest at her genuine delight.

Mela chuckled softly, the corners of her eyes crinkling with warmth.

“You seemed curious earlier. Shall I show you what my sons were like as children?”

With a wave of her hand, a book slid out from a nearby shelf and floated gently into her grasp.

Rising from her seat, she moved to sit next to Ed and handed him the book.

“…Does this contain childhood pictures of the Grand Duke and Ronen?”

Mela nodded lightly, and Ed cautiously opened the book.

As he turned the pages, images of the Grand Duke as a child and then a young man unfolded before him.

“Even as a child, he looks so composed. I can see traces of the person he is today.”

“Right? Unlike Ronen, who always wore his heart on his sleeve, Asnel kept everything bottled up inside. It gave us no end of worry.”

“Oh…”

“To be honest, I’ve always been more concerned about Asnel than Ronen, despite Ronen being the younger one. Asnel always tried to act like an adult, even when he was barely more than a child. And now, years after he first took charge of the North, I’m afraid he’s still carrying the weight of everything alone.”

She gestured to a portrait of their family of four and spoke with a touch of sadness.

Ed recalled the last time he saw the Grand Duke and replied, “When I first met him, he seemed exactly as you described—unstable, as if he might break at any moment.”

At this, Mela lifted her teacup to mask the faint shadow passing over her expression.

Sensing her worry, Ed hurried to reassure her.

“But after finding Ronen, he’s regained his smile. He’s protecting the North with the support of his loyal retainers.”

Ed thought back to the Grand Duke seeking his counsel in the research lab during a hectic winter, sharing his burdens and discussing the Northern budget.

“He’s learning to show his vulnerabilities and lean on those around him when he needs help. Please don’t worry too much. From what I’ve seen, he’s doing well.”

Looking at Mela, Ed was reminded of his own mother, who had passed away long before his possession.

‘Did my mother watch over me like this too?’

The thought of his mother, who had died when he was young, brought tears to Ed’s eyes.

Without realizing it, he clasped Mela’s hands, which still held the teacup.

“Not just the Grand Duke, but Ronen too is settling in well in the North. A few months ago, he brought back a fox, and its laugh is so unusual. It sounds like—”

As Ed shared stories about life in the Northern castle, Mela’s smile grew brighter.

“Thank you for today, Ed. I had such a wonderful time. I’d love to hear more stories about Asnel and Ronen, but it seems our time is up.”

Mela looked wistfully at the nearly empty teapot.

Ed, too, glanced at the diminishing tea, realizing that this dream-like moment was drawing to a close.

With a flick of her wrist, Mela cleared the table. This time, a glowing orb appeared in her palm.

“Now then, Ed… or should I call you Seonyu?”

Ed wasn’t particularly surprised that Mela knew his real name from before the possession.

‘I mean, I’m meeting the deceased mother of the Grand Duke here. Why wouldn’t she know about me?’

Mela smiled softly.

“I’m grateful to you, Seonyu, for sharing stories about my sons. But I have to ask—what is your wish?”

Ed blinked at the glowing orb, momentarily dazed.

“…My wish?”

“Yes, Seonyu. The wish you’ve carried in your heart, long before you came here and even now.”

“What I… wish for…”

Without realizing it, Ed confessed his innermost thoughts and stared down at his feet.

Before he knew it, the surroundings had grown dim.

“The blessings of the dragon kind are unpredictable, but this time, I truly hope Seonyu will get what he desires.”

“…Pardon?”

“It was short, but I was glad we could talk. Both my sons are quite a handful, so Seonyu will face many hardships ahead. Please take good care of our children.”

At the sudden farewell, Ed lifted his head. Mela vanished, leaving only a glowing orb of light where she had stood.

“Huh?”

Ed’s surprise at Mela’s abrupt departure didn’t last long as the surroundings grew darker.

Soon, the study was left with only Ed and the glowing orb.

‘I’m sure I was just having tea with Lady Mela…’

As he examined the orb floating midair, Ed realized he couldn’t recall anything after he had first seen it.

“Oh, and if you see my timid eldest son, could you give him a good smack on the back? He’s probably sulking over this incident all by himself.”

As soon as Mela’s voice faded from nowhere, the light lunged toward Ed.

Thud.

A loud noise followed.

Startled, Ed opened his eyes wide.

The constantly changing environment disoriented him, leaving him unable to distinguish dream from reality.

“Ouch.”

Blinking at the ceiling in a daze, Ed turned his head.

There, Ronen, who had dozed off in a chair and fallen to the floor, quickly scrambled to his feet with wide eyes.

“Wow, Ed! You’re awake! Did you sleep well?”

At Ronen’s cheerful voice, Ed fully regained his senses.

“Are you… alright, Young Master?”

Ed was startled by the raspy voice that escaped his lips, almost unrecognizable as his own.

Thankfully, after drinking water from the bedside table and clearing his throat, his voice returned to normal.

Hearing Ed’s worried question, Ronen waved his hands in dismissal.

“Oh, no! I didn’t fall asleep and tumble! I… uh, I just tried to stand up and tripped…”

As Ronen’s voice trailed off, Ed propped himself up, his arms trembling.

“Let me see.”

Reaching out, Ed gently rubbed the reddened bump on Ronen’s forehead.

“It’s already a little swollen. Does it hurt?”

“Huh? Oh, no! Not at all! What about you, Ed? Are you feeling okay? Shouldn’t you rest a bit more?”

As Ronen hurriedly moved closer to support him, Ed stopped rubbing his forehead and instead patted his head gently.

‘If only I could introduce the young master to Lady Mela from my dream.’

Surprised by the sudden gesture, Ronen looked up at Ed with wide eyes.

“Huh? What’s this all of a sudden, Ed?”

“It’s just… being here with you makes me happy.”

Hearing Ed’s still slightly rough voice, Ronen’s eyes welled up as he leaned into him.

“Me too! I’m so happy you’re here with me, Ed.”

As Ed sat on the edge of the bed, warmly embracing Ronen, he felt himself being slowly pushed back by the younger man’s weight.

“Um… Excuse me. I’m really sorry, but if this keeps up, I might end up just like you, Young Master—Young Master? Please, wait a moment!”

Barely regaining his strength, Ed almost fainted again, but he was unexpectedly saved by an intruder.

Creak.

“Huh?”

Ronen, who had been excitedly clinging to Ed, turned his head at the sound from behind and broke into a radiant smile.

“Roa!”

* * *