The Crown Prince Who Raises a Side Character

Episode #38 Servant Cedric (4) – This Servant is Quite Competent

Episode #38 Servant Cedric (4) – This Servant is Quite Competent

Geumwoon Palace, Ijzern Empire.

While the Crown Prince diligently immersed himself in paperwork, Lucid, observing his actions through Cedric’s shadow, asked him with a dubious expression.

“…So, this concept is… servant, right?”

The Crown Prince answered without lifting his gaze from the documents.

“Indeed. If possible, I’d prefer something more segmented, like a butler or a chef, with clearer personalities, but since one can never know what tasks the employer might assign, I chose a rather broad concept.”

“Regardless, it’s all the same in the end, working under someone else. But… will that actually *work*?”

No matter how she looked at it, he wasn’t a servant. He was something else, disguised *as* a servant.

Whether he knew what she was holding back or not, the Crown Prince answered with ease.

“Didn’t I tell you? The servants of Geumun Palace are known to speak their minds.”

“No, from what I’ve seen so far, I don’t think there’s been anyone quite this…unhinged.”

The Crown Prince Hmm’d, paused for a moment, then said,

“Well, given that my image is mixed in quite a bit, there may be a slight difference from the original.”

What sort of being even resides as a servant in that man’s head? Perhaps making the employer miserable is their supreme mission? And he’s even on the hiring side?

Lucid, feeling a sense of absurdity, refocused on her observation through the shadows.

In any case, it was a spectacle hard to come by anywhere else.

*

“Hmm, a most satisfactory contract. I will continue to do my best! Milady!”

“Yes…”

The atmosphere in the room was truly peculiar.

Cedric wore a bright smile on his face, whereas Claudia was slumped on the sofa as if all the energy had drained from her body.

Inwardly, she gnashed her teeth.

‘How did it come to this?’

Tracing back to the start of things, it all began when Claudia decided to handle the servants’ labor contracts herself this time, instead of Bestian, the head butler.

The head butler, knowing that Claudia had never once negotiated employment in her life, was horrified and tried to dissuade her, but once Claudia started being stubborn, there was simply no stopping her headstrong nature.

Of course, Claudia had a plan of her own.

Resenting how frequently Cedric would say things like, ‘That’s not in the contract, so I can’t do that,’ or ‘According to the contract, there’s no problem with doing this,’ she intended to put all the contract terms she wanted, and then control him as she pleased.

In truth, it was all a rather futile dream, looking back.

“This clause here, stating ‘the obligation to perform sundry tasks as requested by the employer,’ feels excessively vague. It would be best to specify the nature of these tasks explicitly. Or, failing that, at least a right of refusal is necessary.”

“Work hours of twenty-four? That simply isn’t possible, young lady. A worker deprived of proper rest becomes mentally and physically depleted, a misfortune for the individual and the workplace alike.”

“Do I know who you are? Aren’t you Miss Claudia Redbell of the Redbell family? Fearful of repercussions, you ask? I’ve committed no wrongdoing, so what is there to fear!”

“Allowing you to strike my cheek? While I respect your…inclinations, Miss, indulging in such personal desires within the hallowed halls of labor is hardly seemly behavior. You wish to exchange fifteen silver Virka for fifteen gold? Haha, no means no, even then!”

*Employment Contract*

-The employee shall faithfully serve the employer and is obliged to perform household chores and sundry tasks within the estate, as requested by the employer.

-The employee may exercise the right to refuse sundry tasks separately requested by the employer. However, tasks once agreed to must be completed without fail.

-If the employee fails to adequately perform their duties, the employer may impose appropriate disciplinary action upon the employee.

-Work hours are to be sixteen hours per day, excluding designated break times.

-The employer shall provide food, lodging, and clothing to the employee, and compensation shall be paid at a rate of fifteen silver Virka per month.

-The contract period is three months, and the employer may not arbitrarily dismiss the employee within the contract period.

-The employee is obliged to conceal the secrets of the employer… (omitted hereafter)

……………

………

…

Signatures:

Employer: [Claudia Redbell]

Employee: [Cedric]

Claudia shuddered, staring at the contract laid out on the table.

No matter how cleverly she twisted words to insert poisonous clauses, no matter how she leveraged the Redbell name to apply pressure, no matter how tempting the exorbitant fee, Cedric hadn’t budged an inch.

If anything, he’d even included terms Claudia hadn’t even considered, adding a full five pages to the document.

Claudia wanted to flip the table over a dozen times, wondering if it was truly necessary to go to such lengths just to snag a single servant, but regardless, the contract was now complete.

‘At any rate, this fellow is now my servant. I’ll torment him thoroughly…!!’

She glared at Cedric, eyes blazing.

“Hey.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“My throat aches from speaking at length, so fetch me some tea.”

“Understood! Please wait just a moment!”

He offered a spirited bow and then practically zoomed out of the room.

Left alone, Claudia watched his retreating back with obvious displeasure, but soon, a wicked smile bloomed on her lips.

The truth was, she wasn’t particularly fond of tea.

She might dab at it at social gatherings as a sort of affectation, but frankly, she couldn’t comprehend what anyone saw in the stuff.

The taste was bitter, the aroma subtle, and all in all, utterly lacking in flavor.

But that made it all the better now.

No matter how perfectly Cedric brewed the tea, she could reject it in a heartbeat.

Perhaps she’d dump the contents of the teacup onto Cedric’s hands, complaining about drinking such swill?

Or she could make him brew it again and again until she got a satisfactory result.

She thought the idea was wonderfully amusing.

“Hoo, heehee, heeheeheehee. Hiss.”

Lost in a delightful daydream, Claudia was giggling to herself when a knock sounded at the door. She quickly composed herself.

– Milady, may I come in?

“Yes, enter.”

Claudia’s face was as cold as if she’d never smiled, not a moment before.

As Cedric wheeled in the tea cart and began preparing the tea, she watched his every move, wordlessly, piercingly.

She knew from experience that this would usually make the servants nervous and prone to mistakes.

But inwardly, she had to click her tongue in annoyance.

No matter how fiercely Claudia glared, Cedric remained unfazed, calmly setting about his task.

‘Honestly, such an unappe–’

Claudia’s internal complaint broke off.

Her eyes had been involuntarily drawn to Cedric’s movements as he brewed the tea.

It was true that a master’s movements, once they reached a certain level of artistry, possessed a power that captivated people.

Cedric’s technical inspiration came from none other than the Golden Cloud Palace servants, and his skill and proficiency could be justifiably considered the best in the industry.

Splendor and restraint.

His movements, paradoxical as they were, holding both concepts within them, held Claudia’s gaze as tightly as any work of art.

As the black tea deepened within the pot, releasing a subtle fragrance, Cedric carefully poured its contents into a teacup and placed it before Claudia.

The bewitching crimson liquid shimmered delicately within the white porcelain.

Entranced by the perfectly harmonized aroma and color, Claudia brought the cup to her lips.

The temperature, neither scalding nor tepid, was perfect.

A flavor sharper and sweeter than ordinary black tea, precisely the profile to Claudia’s liking.

The aroma became a rush, shaking her head, and the warmth that flowed down her throat spread through her body, soothing her taut nerves.

“Haa…”

A soft sigh escaped Claudia’s lips.

Lost in the afterglow, half-caught in sleep, she then snapped awake with a, “Ah!”

And, with movements as creaky as a wooden doll’s, she turned her head.

Grinning ear to ear.

A smile so bright and cheerful it would brighten anyone’s day, yet utterly loathsome in Claudia’s eyes, was plastered across Cedric’s face as he gazed at her.

“I’m glad you seem to have enjoyed it, truly.”

“Shut up!!”

Claudia’s face flushed crimson, and she hurled her teacup.

Cedric nonchalantly caught the teacup and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, placed it back on the table.

Their dangerous game of catch with the teacup continued until Claudia was completely spent and collapsed.

*

“Clean. Clean where? The entire mansion, of course! Don’t even *think* of resting until you’re finished!!”

“What? You’re done already? Ha! You jest? There’s dust right here… no, wait, there isn’t. A leaf, there, on the… no leaf. Water spots on the windows… but why aren’t there any?!”

-Finding fault with the cleaning. Failed.

The servants’ respect for Cedric increased.

“Bring me a dish that satisfies me, without using meat, eggs, fish, or milk. If you can’t even manage a proper course meal, the least you could do is this, right?”

“Hold on, isn’t this meat? It’s not? Mushrooms and tofu? Ha, just a shoddy imitation, isn’t it? Honestly, you think you can satisfy my palate with such garbage… …….What’s with that lukewarm look!! Get it out of my sight!?”

-Finding fault with the cooking. Failed.

Claudia’s appetite increased.

“I have to take care of my blood beasts. Let me say this upfront: hitting or strong-arming them is forbidden. You can’t call someone who beats animals a proper handler, can you? If even one of them expresses dissatisfaction, you’ll be the one entering the animal enclosure, so be warned.”

“Tch, they’re more docile than I thought. Well, at least he seems to be getting them to nap alright, but even without you, if the weather is nice… What? ‘Paw’ you say? …Paw! Right paw! Left paw! Right foot! Left foot! Belly up! Hahaha! What is this! Hey, tell me. What other tricks do you… This isn’t what I meant!!”

-Finding fault with animal handling. Failed.

After that, Claudia was often seen by the servants, playing with the blood beasts, issuing them all sorts of commands.

*

“Just what is he!”

Claudia pounded the pillow on her bed with her fists.

The highest-quality bedding, which an ordinary commoner couldn’t afford even by selling their entire fortune, was mercilessly torn to shreds beneath her hands.

After ripping at the pillow until white feathers fluttered, she threw it aside haphazardly and gritted her teeth.

“Cedric, Cedric!”

Never in Claudia’s life had she so passionately uttered the name of a mere commoner.

Nor had she ever experienced such frustration at being unable to bend a single commoner to her will.

He was that much of an anomaly.

As a servant, his abilities themselves were unmatched, perhaps even overwhelming, compared to anyone else, yet his attitude was courteous on the surface, but subtly insolent.

He served Claudia according to their contract, but lacked the unconditional fear and reverence for nobles that a commoner should rightfully possess.

Claudia, rolling around on the bed, lost in thought, suddenly turned her gaze toward the large mirror on one side of the room.

Disheveled.

But all the more captivating for a man, and in that moment, an idea sparked in Claudia’s mind.

She didn’t bother to adjust her attire, merely pulling the covers over herself before rattling Cedric’s personal bell – created specifically for her, given how often she summoned him.

“You called, Mademoiselle?”

Cedric’s voice, accompanied by a knock, reached her. Claudia, a smile already playing on her lips, bid him enter.

Then, with an imperious air, she declared, “The pillow is ruined. Dispose of it. And tidy up the surroundings.”

Naturally, clearing away the feathers strewn haphazardly across the bed necessitated directing one’s gaze in that direction.

Which, of course, meant that Cedric would be forced to behold Claudia in a state even more disheveled than usual.

If, even for a moment, Cedric’s eyes lingered on her exposed skin, he would be guilty of the gravest impropriety.

But, if he averted his gaze, writhing with discomfort in an effort to avoid looking at her, that, too, would become fodder for her amusement.

Claudia smiled at the thought.

“Understood, Mademoiselle!”

Claudia nearly staggered back at the sight of Cedric, a bakery bag (eyeholes unpunched) now covering his head, launching into the cleaning operation.

“What is that! What is *that* supposed to be!”

“Ha ha ha, anticipating perhaps such an occasion, I have been diligently practicing focusing on my duties without looking. There were never opportunities to apply it in my daily routine, but thanks to you, Mademoiselle, I am finally able to utilize it! Ah, Mademoiselle, I am deeply grateful for your benevolence!”

Claudia hurled a handful of pillow debris.

The bakery-bagged creature, with an unnecessarily courteous and precise movement, caught it, then proceeded to deposit it into a leather sack before resuming his cleaning.

Claudia grimaced.