Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 30

* * *

Ed opened his eyes to a bright morning with the sun fully risen.

After a good night’s sleep, his mind felt clear.

He had expected a hangover from drinking wine, but as he gently opened his eyelids, he felt refreshed and stretched his body while still lying down.

His body felt light, like he was lying on fluffy clouds.

…But that thought quickly vanished as Ed’s heart sank.

He felt something at his fingertips.

‘Huh, what, what’s this?’

The sensation was hard and solid.

Thinking he had the entire spacious bed in the third-floor room of the count’s mansion to himself, Ed turned his head slowly, creaking like a rusty robot.

He hadn’t expected anyone beside him since he was sleeping in the corner of the bed, and his eyes widened in surprise.

‘Wha-what?’

Why is the Grand Duke sleeping here?

Startled, Ed tried to jump up but froze in place.

At first glance, it looked like the bed was neatly divided in two, with the Grand Duke on the right side and Ed on the left, as if they hadn’t encroached on each other’s space.

However, the blanket and pillows had all migrated toward the Grand Duke.

It was as if the Grand Duke had fallen asleep at the very edge of the large bed, trying his best to avoid getting close to Ed.

‘…Isn’t that uncomfortable?’

It would be troublesome if the Grand Duke, exhausted, were to wake up because of Ed’s movements.

It would be even worse if he accidentally rolled off the bed in his half-asleep state.

Ed quietly rose from his spot and circled around to the side where the Grand Duke was lying.

He folded his arms, deep in thought.

‘Should I wake him up or not?’

As he looked down at the peacefully sleeping face of the Grand Duke, Ed scratched his forehead.

He vaguely remembered drinking with Jaynon last night.

He also remembered the Grand Duke silently entering the room and chopping Jaynon on the top of the head with the edge of his hand.

He was unsure about the events afterward, but he was certain that he had gotten up and come to bed on his own.

So when did the Grand Duke fall asleep beside him?

Everything had been fine until the middle of his drinking session with Jaynon, but by the end, he was completely drunk.

‘I really overdid it since it was the first time I drank after possessing this body.’

Ed deeply regretted it. He promised himself never to drink that much again.

Just then, the Grand Duke’s eyelids fluttered open.

His clear, bright red eyes looked up at the ceiling before turning toward Ed.

Ed, who had been fretting about the possibility of the Grand Duke rolling off the bed, locked eyes with him.

“Did you sleep well, Ed?”

“…Ah, yes. Your Grace.”

“Really?”

The Grand Duke’s lips curved gently into a soft smile.

“I didn’t sleep that well, though.”

Then, without warning, he grabbed Ed by the waist and pulled him toward him.

It was a surprisingly strong grip for someone who had just woken up.

Before Ed could even resist, he was dragged across the bed and flopped down onto the Grand Duke’s body.

Ed’s face landed squarely on the Grand Duke’s chest, and he immediately tried to push himself up.

But the Grand Duke, having wrapped Ed tightly in the blanket, held him firmly in place.

“So stop hogging the blanket.”

The Grand Duke’s drowsy voice trailed off lazily.

“Let’s sleep a bit more.”

And with that, he rested his chin on top of Ed’s head and pulled him into his embrace.

Ed, now serving as the Grand Duke’s body pillow, held his breath.

The Grand Duke’s chin pressing into his scalp felt impossibly real and solid.

He couldn’t move a muscle.

Though he didn’t feel fatigued or hungover, Ed’s forehead started to heat up as if he hadn’t slept all night.

When he felt the soft breath of the Grand Duke on his head, Ed squeezed his eyes shut.

It was a bright, dreamlike day.

“Ed, are you bored?”

Standing absentmindedly in front of the table, Ed quickly shook his head.

“N-no, not at all, Young Master Ronen.”

Ed was currently in an outdoor kitchen set up in a corner of the garden.

It was a place Tens had prepared for Ronen.

After Ed had been poisoned, Ronen had taken to visiting the kitchen frequently to watch the cooking process.

He poked around curiously and interfered, refusing to leave.

So, Tens had brought Ronen outside, suggesting they make cookies together.

Making cookies wasn’t difficult. Tens had prepared the dough in advance, and all Ed and Ronen had to do was shape it.

Yet, despite the simplicity of the task, Ed kept stopping and drifting off into thought.

He couldn’t focus at all, still preoccupied by the Grand Duke, who had held him in his sleep that morning.

The Grand Duke, who had fallen into a deep sleep while using Ed as a pillow, hadn’t woken for quite some time.

Ed hadn’t wanted to wake him.

The Grand Duke carried many burdens on his shoulders.

There had even been a battle the previous day.

Although the Grand Duke had walked away from it as if it had been nothing, the dark stains on his fingertips told a different story.

‘The Grand Duke needs rest, too.’

Even in the original story, and since coming to this count’s mansion, there hadn’t been many days when the Grand Duke had been able to fully relax and sleep deeply.

Every time Ed had moved, the Grand Duke’s soft breath would tickle his scalp, making him freeze in place.

The Grand Duke didn’t wake until the sunlight started to seep through the curtains at midday.

His clear, serene eyes reflected how deeply he had slept.

On the other hand, Ed, who had been trapped in the Grand Duke’s embrace, was now dealing with a stiff neck and a foggy mind, despite having gotten up feeling refreshed.

The Grand Duke, after showering Ed with radiant smiles, had dragged him off to breakfast.

They even had tea together afterward, chatting leisurely. It was an ordinary, peaceful moment.

‘…Am I the only one who’s reading too much into everything the Grand Duke does?’

The Grand Duke probably didn’t even think twice about it.

As Ed kneaded the cookie dough, his mind wandered deeper into thought.

“Young Master Ronen! Is that a cat-shaped cookie?”

Tens’s energetic voice brought Ed back to the present.

Ronen blushed under the enthusiastic praise.

“When we were in the carriage last time, we saw a stray cat dart by, so I imagined it.”

“It’s so cute!”

Tens, with his energetic encouragement, was perfect for boosting Ronen’s confidence.

And he was just as good at snapping Ed out of his distracted thoughts.

As Tens showered Ronen with compliments, clapping his hands like a seal, Ronen’s cheeks turned bright red.

Unable to handle the embarrassment, he fiddled with the cookie dough again and shaped another cat.

“Wow! Young Master Ronen! Is this a baby cat? It’s even cuter because it’s so small!”

Ronen blushed even harder, his cheeks and ears glowing crimson.

Soon enough, they had created a whole family of cats.

A daddy cat, a mommy cat, and a baby cat…

The cat family had even invaded Ed’s tray of cookies.

---

The count’s study was lively and busy.

Although the Grand Duke had woken up much later than usual, he hadn’t asked for any urgent reports or demanded fast-paced work.

But seeing how unusually good his mood was, his subordinates had started to flock to him, bringing tasks for him to review.

Normally, the Grand Duke would become sharper and more irritable after using his powers at the crack, but today, he seemed different.

His smooth face was glowing, and his red eyes were filled with warmth.

A slight smile played at the corners of his lips as he drank his tea, and his gaze was kind as he looked at his subordinates.

It was a side of him rarely seen.

Usually, if someone didn’t grasp his orders or handled a task sloppily, his sharp gaze would immediately cut through them.

But today, that wasn’t the case.

“Alright, Noah can handle that matter, but let’s move the schedule up a bit.”

His tone was gentle, and the way he handled the work was incredibly smooth.

So, his subordinates hurried to bring their tasks to the Grand Duke.

It was easier to get away with mistakes when he was in a good mood like this.

However, that peaceful atmosphere didn’t last long.

“Grand Duke Asnel, a message has arrived from the imperial family.”

Irtel entered the study, saying a message had arrived from the imperial family.

After sending away the subordinates lined up outside the study, Irtel placed a letter before the Grand Duke.

The Grand Duke nodded while sipping his tea, having anticipated this moment.

“They are asking for evidence that young master Ronen is your biological brother at the upcoming celebration in a few days.”

The Grand Duke showed no particular reaction, as he had expected the imperial family to demand this.

“And they also wish to have an informal drinking session.”

But this part was unexpected, and the Grand Duke glanced up at Irtel.

“Not as a stiff, formal relationship between the emperor and a loyal subject, but as cousins who share blood, and as dear friends, Your Grace.”

* * *

*Summary page is only available for login users. Non-users can view the chapters on the chapter list.*