Living as a Butler to the Northern Duke chapter 29

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‘That letter must be the one I sent from the orphanage with its official seal, right?’

Ed looked at Jaynon.

“The news that the Grand Duke was searching for his younger sibling spread far and wide. We received dozens of reports every day.”

“….”

“Even orphanages hoping for patronage would send letters, claiming to have a black-haired child. Herbalists living deep in the mountains sent several letters a day, saying they were sure they’d seen the Grand Duke’s sibling.”

“….”

“But none of them knew Ronen’s real name. The true names of royals aren’t widely known. Ronen was no exception.”

Ed nodded slightly.

The true names of those born of royal blood were not freely spoken.

Even if someone knew, it wasn’t something just anyone could utter.

Until they came of age, only family and a few trusted individuals were privy to such knowledge, which was kept in strict confidence.

“So I thought it was a trick by the imperial family. No one had ever used the correct name before, so I believed the imperial family was playing some game, sending someone similar to the Grand Duke to mess with him.”

It was understandable.

The imperial family’s jealousy and underhanded tactics toward the Grand Duke knew no bounds. They would seize any opportunity to exploit his weaknesses and humiliate him.

“When I reached out to the orphanage where the letter came from, I was told that while the seal was legitimate, the letter hadn’t been sent by the headmaster but by an individual. So I thought someone was playing a prank.”

Jaynon bowed his head deeply in apology.

“I’m truly sorry, Ed.”

Ed scratched his forehead.

Well, it made sense that Jaynon had his doubts.

Of course, it would’ve been ideal if they had arrived a bit earlier, but since they were here now, that was what mattered…

Without saying anything, Ed grabbed the wine bottle.

In Korea, there was no better way to break the awkward tension than a round of “soju” mixed with beer, but since that wasn’t an option here, Ed poured more wine into his glass.

“You have to drink this all at once.”

“All of this, in one go?”

“That’s how it’s done. It’ll make you feel better.”

Insisting they drink it in one shot, Ed clinked his glass against Jaynon’s.

The clear sound of the glasses touching echoed brightly.

They downed the wine quickly, the drink sweet yet slightly bitter.

Ed refilled both of their glasses, and they clinked again, downing the wine in one go.

The sound of their glasses clinking added a lively energy to the atmosphere.

They were drinking fast.

It wasn’t long before the glasses were emptied and refilled in rapid succession.

And soon enough, both of them were drunk.

Jaynon had always been a lightweight, and Ed, having taken over this body, had no idea what his tolerance was.

Besides, he was already exhausted.

“Hey, Jaynon. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask.”

Ed’s eyes were bleary, and his voice was slow and lazy.

“Yes, Ed?”

Jaynon wasn’t much better off.

“About… when the Grand Duke was fighting in the rift…”

“Oh, yes. He’s quite charismatic, isn’t he?”

“Well, yes, but also…”

“…Also?”

“Yes, it seemed like he was… softening a bit…”

“Softening? What do you mean?”

Jaynon frowned, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“The rift is a place where you’d get scolded if you let your guard down, and no one would be surprised if you got kicked in the shins for losing focus. But softening? What kind of Grand Duke would do that? I’ve never seen or heard of such a thing!”

As Jaynon passionately ranted, Ed took another gulp of wine.

He had wanted to ask if it was normal for the Grand Duke to kiss staff on the forehead when they were panicking…

But he closed his mouth instead.

After a while, Jaynon finally paused his rant and raised his glass again.

“But, Ed.”

“Yes, Jaynon.”

The area around Jaynon’s eyes, damp with tears, gleamed under the light.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, considering whether to speak or not, and then it seemed he blurted out his thoughts due to the effects of alcohol.

“…So, it really is true that you’re not a spy, right?”

“Spy? What spy…”

“Right? But when I think about it, sometimes you seem to have an exceptional head for things, but at other times, you’re so careless…”

‘Is this a way of indirectly criticizing the strategies I used?’

Ed was also reflecting on this.

There had been a part where his joy at meeting the Grand Duke led him to speed things up.

Perhaps he was so eager to wrap up matters related to the Count Herins and make his departure that he rushed through things that should have been handled more slowly alongside the Grand Duke.

It was understandable to be suspicious.

Ed scratched his forehead and chuckled lightly.

He realized anew how challenging the days spent with the Count’s family had been.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if I’m a spy.”

Jaynon’s voice, swaying between high and low tones due to intoxication, was accompanied by his trembling hand pouring wine into an empty glass.

“I don’t know what the imperial family gave you or what they handed over, but we’re stronger and will treat you much better. So, even if you’re a spy, it’s fine as long as you turn around… Ouch!”

At that moment, a hand came down on Jaynon’s head, which had been beckoning to come over.

Rubbing his sore head and lifting it, Jaynon’s bleary eyes met the Grand Duke’s face.

“Ah… Your Grace.”

While Ed and Jaynon were exchanging drinks, the Grand Duke and Irterel, who had quietly entered the room, watched them.

Jaynon, frowning and blinking his eyes, suddenly stood up and bowed to the Grand Duke.

‘Oh, it was a room not far from the study.’

Ed, feeling parched, took another sip of wine and, with a dazed mind, thought about it.

As it was time to part ways, Jaynon, waving his hand, was being pulled away by Irterel.

Ed looked down at his shaking wine glass and shook his head slightly.

He wondered if it was really time to go to bed and closed his eyes.

He put down the glass, rubbed his eyes, and got up from his seat.

“…”

“…”

Or rather, he thought he got up, but it was the Grand Duke who quickly supported his swaying body and carried him to bed.

“I can walk, you know.”

“Yeah, sure.”

When Ed, whose words trailed off, was laid on the bed, the faint scent of grapes from the Grand Duke’s lightly brushed skin tickled his nose.

‘Just how much has he drunk?’

The Grand Duke, having adjusted the pillow and placed it under Ed’s head, looked down at him.

Ed’s eyelids, which followed every adjustment of the pillow and blanket, slowly closed.

He seemed very sleepy.

The Grand Duke silently observed Ed’s blue eyes as they were covered by heavy eyelids.

Seeing Ed fall into a deep sleep, he was about to leave the room.

Then, Ed’s eyelids lifted again.

He looked up at the Grand Duke without saying a word.

Under the soft light of the lamp, the blue and red eyes met.

Ed, who had been studying the Grand Duke’s face with his gaze, spoke.

“…Why do you keep asking if I’ll give you a kiss? Even though it’s on the forehead…”

With a slightly drunk voice, the Grand Duke chuckled softly.

“Ed taught me.”

“…Me? I did?”

“Yeah, Ed.”

“When did I ever?”

Ed shook his head, insisting it was never the case.

The Grand Duke carefully pulled the blanket up to Ed’s chest and covered him completely.

That night we spent together, when you kept pulling me closer because you were cold.

Although it wasn’t a kiss on the lips, it was the night that showed me that whenever you touched me, the chilling cold that was stuck inside me would dissipate.

Ed, there were times I doubted you. So I treated you politely and followed you.

The more I treated you politely, the more I noticed that the more the other person seemed to have weaknesses, the more they would let their guard down in front of me.

But now it doesn’t matter anymore, Ed.

Yes, it really doesn’t matter anymore. Ed.

Because I have come to see you for who you are, regardless of who or what you are.

Watching Ed’s eyelids slowly close, the Grand Duke smiled faintly.

Drinking in an odd way by pouring wine into the glass and gulping it down, I saw that there was a tougher side to him than it appeared.

The Grand Duke watched Ed, who had fallen into a deep sleep with a harmless expression, from a distance.

The pale moonlight filtering through the curtain gently illuminated Ed’s white face, rising and falling with his breathing.

The Grand Duke adjusted the canopy above the bed.

He couldn’t allow even the faint moonlight’s envy to disturb his deep sleep.

As Ed, who was tucked neatly into the bed, kicked off the blanket, the Grand Duke covered him again, and when he kicked it off again, he covered him once more.

When Ed, not satisfied with kicking off the blanket, rolled over onto the mattress and even onto the Grand Duke’s thigh, the Grand Duke couldn’t help but smile.

‘Could he really be doing this on purpose?’

As the Grand Duke quietly looked down at Ed, he gently brushed his bangs aside.

Tonight, it seemed he could put down the heavy burden on his shoulders and fall into a sound sleep.

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