The Villain Family’s Strongest Butler
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
I stepped out of the formation and approached the Grand Duke. Then, I offered the greeting I had prepared in advance.
“I offer my heartfelt congratulations on the safe return of Your Grace and the Mars Knights. Every servant in the Grand Duke’s Residence has eagerly awaited Your Grace’s return with one heart and mind.”
I also added that all this honor and glory would brightly illuminate the future of the Valot Grand Duchy.
An even, steady pitch; a pace neither too fast nor too slow; and precise, clear enunciation.
‘Flawless.’
Maintaining a polite demeanor, I quietly praised myself inside.
The fruits of hard work were truly sweet!
Straightening my posture, I looked directly at the Grand Duke. Behind him, the Mars Knights came into view.
Perhaps because I had stepped forward as the servants’ representative to deliver the welcome, the rigid atmosphere among the knights began to stir.
Some knights might have heard through word of mouth that I had become the Grand Duchy’s butler, while others likely had no idea at all.
I could understand their commotion.
Meanwhile, the Grand Duke standing before me stared at me in silence for a long moment. Only after the murmurs among the knights subsided did he slowly speak.
“……So this is our first meeting, Butler.”
“…….”
That pleasant, deep voice addressed me as the butler.
Just from that alone, it felt as though I had earned his acknowledgment, and an indescribable emotion pounded against my chest.
How long had I waited for this moment?
‘But I can’t let my guard down.’
This was only the beginning. I had to stay sharp.
Quickly pulling my thoughts together, I wore the smile I had practiced countless times in front of the mirror.
“I have done my utmost to keep the promise I made to Your Grace.”
At that, the Grand Duke gave a quiet chuckle.
“I suppose I’ll see about that in time.”
His words held a pointed edge. It was an obvious attempt to shake me and see how I reacted.
Yet I was not someone to be rattled by a single remark.
Maintaining my smile, I turned to make way.
“Please, step inside. The bathwater and a meal are prepared, Your Grace.”
With a nod, the Grand Duke turned back toward the knights.
He slowly swept his gaze over the knights, who were still standing at attention with tension lingering in the air.
Deliberate and unhurried, as though locking eyes with each and every one of them.
Then, he dropped a single word.
“Dismissed.”
“…….”
In that instant, a roar of cheers erupted from the previously silent knights—“Woooaaah—!”
Leaving the cheers behind him, the Grand Duke turned and walked toward the Grand Duke’s Residence.
He hadn’t said anything like “well done” or “you worked hard.”
Yet somehow, I felt I understood what that single word meant.
‘A word that only those who returned alive can say, and only those who returned alive can hear.’
The look he had cast over the knights before uttering that single word had carried so much meaning.
I thought I understood.
Behind my back, the knights’ cheers crashed like endless waves.
The Knights’ Quarters was rowdy for quite some time.
It was because passionate greetings were exchanged between the returned knights and the servants welcoming them.
On the first floor of the Knights’ Quarters, a lavish spread of food and barrels of alcohol stacked like towers awaited them.
When someone shouted, “Let’s drink till we drop!”, someone else yelled back, “We barely made it back alive, don’t talk about dropping dead!”
Everyone laughed in unison at even the silliest joke.
Having finally let down their guard, the knights were thoroughly enjoying the moment.
As the mood heightened, tales of valor began pouring out from all around.
How many necks they had severed in a single day, what feats they had performed on the night of an ambush.
Knights and servants. The time of storytellers and listeners stretched late into the night.
Splosh— I dipped my hand into the bathwater I had prepared earlier and swirled it around.
‘Good.’
Hot enough to melt the tension beneath the skin and loosen tired muscles, without being scalding enough to peel away flesh.
It was my favorite temperature.
After spending a long time on the battlefield, one couldn’t help but crave a tub filled with piping hot water.
‘The Grand Duke wouldn’t be any different.’
Let’s see, it looks like preparations are about complete.
‘Towels for drying, mild-scented soap, a sponge, and a bath brush.’
I neatly arranged the items the Grand Duke would use for his bath on the small side table.
Then, my gaze lingered on the soap resting beside the bath brush.
After hesitating for a brief second, I picked up the bar of soap.
Inhale—, exhale—. Inhale—, exhale—.
Bringing the soap to my nose, I took several deep breaths of its scent.
‘Mmh. Not this either.’
How strange. I tilted my head. The fragrance from the soap was different from the natural scent that lingered on the Grand Duke’s body.
‘It’s not as if he wears perfume or scented oils separately.’
How could a man who lived steeped in blood and sweat on the battlefield possess such a scent?
‘It was almost like the crisp dawn air in the depths of a forest.’
A forest rich with the smell of earth, carrying a vitality from towering pine trees that cleared one’s mind.
‘It definitely isn’t the scent of this soap.’
I set the soap down and turned around.
At that moment, my eyes met a pair of violet irises.
Gasp!
A sharp breath caught in my throat.
It was the Grand Duke.
‘Wh-When did he come in?!’
I hadn’t felt the slightest presence. He had likely concealed his presence on purpose.
‘You sneaky bastard…….’
Concealing his presence when entering his own bathroom? This was definitely a trick to mess with me.
For a moment, my temper flared to the crown of my head, but I hid my emotions completely and offered an eye-smile.
“Have you arrived, Your Grace?”
“…….”
Yet the Grand Duke did not reply. He merely tilted his head slightly and let out a low hum from his throat.
I swallowed dryly without realizing it.
‘Why… why is he looking at me like that?’
Just then, the Grand Duke cast his gaze behind me.
I knew exactly where his eyes landed.
‘The soap……?’
Yes, there was no mistake. He was looking at the soap right now. The very soap I had pressed to my nose and sniffed.
No way!
‘Don’t tell me he saw that! The Grand Duke?!’
I groaned inwardly in despair. Of all the things to be caught doing, to be caught doing that!
‘How many times did I sniff it? Three times? Or four?’
In my panic, I couldn’t clearly recall what I had just done.
The corners of my mouth, held in a forced smile, twitched faintly.
“…….”
“…….”
A suffocating silence stretched between us.
The Grand Duke’s gaze returned to me. His violet eyes, framed by sharp, narrowed lids, pinned me down like daggers.
One of his eyebrows seemed to rise subtly, followed by a slight, creeping smirk at the corner of his lips.
This made it indisputably clear: the Grand Duke had seen everything I did.
Damn it!
A wave of shame washed over me. Feeling my ears burn as if branded with a torch, my face was surely flushed a deep crimson by now.
I decided I had to get out of this bathroom immediately. Otherwise, either my head or my heart was going to burst from sheer embarrassment.
Straining to keep the corners of my mouth lifted, I spoke.
“I was not nimble enough and failed to time everything properly. This will not happen again.”
“…….”
Apologizing politely, I edged toward the door while avoiding the Grand Duke’s gaze.
“Then, I will take my leave now. If you need anything, please ring the bell on the side tab—”
It was at that exact moment. Before I could even finish speaking, the Grand Duke began to undress.
Gasp! My breath hitched in my throat. Along with my breath, my feet heading for the exit came to a dead stop.
Wherever he had discarded his armor, the Grand Duke was clad in only a thin linen tunic.
A beige tunic and the black leather cord around his waist that held it against his body.
With a couple of movements from the Grand Duke’s hands, the black leather cord dropped to the floor with a soft thud.
Naturally, the tunic, which had relied entirely on that single cord, fell straight to the floor as well.
‘That crazy……!’
It felt as though my heart had plummeted to the floor along with it.
Through the billowing plumes of white steam, I saw the Grand Duke stepping into the bathtub without a single stitch of clothing on.
Thanks to the steam, his back wasn’t visible in complete detail. Even so, the glimpse I caught was extraordinary.
It was so utterly shocking that I couldn’t even run away, standing frozen with my jaw hanging open for the longest time.
‘That is…….’
That is the Grand Duke’s body.
Of all things in life…… now I’m even seeing the Grand Duke naked.
Splash—
As the Grand Duke lowered himself into the tub, crystal-clear water cascaded over the edge like a waterfall.
That sound snapped me right back to my senses.
‘I can’t take this anymore. Time to run!’
Whether from the hot steam or my heart racing wildly at the Grand Duke’s unexpected actions, the world felt like it was spinning around me.
‘At this rate, my heart’s going to burst before my head does!’
Now was my chance while the Grand Duke had his back turned. I immediately lunged toward the bathroom door. But just as I reached for the golden handle—
The past two years flashed through my mind like a revolving lantern.
‘……Wait.’
Run away? Just because I sniffed the Grand Duke’s soap and caught a glimpse of him naked?
No, I couldn’t throw away the butler position for such an absurd reason.
‘Because I am now the one and only butler of this Grand Duchy.’
I lowered the hand that had reached for the doorknob. Then, I quietly turned back around. There, the Grand Duke’s back inside the tub came into view.
‘Right. I’ve seen countless naked men before.’
Staring at the back of the Grand Duke’s head with an impassive expression for a moment, I bent down as if nothing had happened and picked up the clothes he had casually cast onto the floor, piece by piece.
Having practically lived on the battlefield, I had seen more than my fair share of naked knights.
So there was no reason to be flustered or shocked now……
‘There shouldn’t be, but…….’
After gathering all the clothes from the floor, I straightened up and stole a glance at the Grand Duke in the tub.
It was certainly the largest and most luxurious bathtub I had ever seen.
Yet with the Grand Duke seated inside, the tub appeared small.
His broad arms rested spread wide against the rim of the tub, accentuating the contours of the muscles that sculpted his physique.
Without realizing it, my gaze traced along those sculpted curves.
‘Ah!’
What on earth am I admiring right now?
Quickly snapping out of that improper trance, I shook my head vigorously and turned away from the Grand Duke.
‘Now I really have to get out.’
Before another unexpected situation arose. Wrapping things up like this was more than enough.
Cradling the Grand Duke’s clothes in my arms, I stepped toward the exit, muffling my footsteps as much as possible.
Just then.
“Butler.”
The Grand Duke’s voice, heavy as shackles, caught me by the ankles.
