Villain Family’s Strongest Butler

I never expected to face the Grand Duke again so soon.

‘I’m not ready for this…’

Just this morning, I’d been making plans to return home with his head. But now that we were suddenly about to meet, I felt my nerves fraying.

‘That wretched old man…’

The moment he promised me a private training ground, I should’ve sensed something was off. Still, there was no turning back. I followed Norbert inside the Grand Duke’s office, taking my place behind him.

The room was dark.

‘Is that man always in these dim surroundings?’

Shouldn’t he be out training knights or at least strolling in the garden…?

Then I noticed the towering stacks of documents on his desk, piled higher than the Grand Duke’s own head.

‘Wow. This is even more than what Serhin used to go through.’

Serhin would at least toss half his paperwork on me whenever he got overwhelmed.

‘So he handles all of that alone?’

Grand Duke… I guess I misjudged you.

‘I used to mock him for being some sword-crazy guy with a big house. Now I actually feel a little bad.’

While these thoughts ran through my mind, the Grand Duke removed the glasses he’d been wearing and placed them on the desk. He lifted his gaze, looking between Norbert and me, then addressed Norbert:

“What brings you here?”

Norbert inclined his head slightly before speaking.
“Please grant me permission to renovate my office in Verdant Tower.”

“…”

Verdant Tower? Renovate his office?

‘Huh?’

I couldn’t fathom what this was about, so all I could do was glance around in confusion. The Grand Duke’s voice dipped lower:

“Reason?”

He must have guessed it was a serious request. The shift in his tone was noticeable.
‘It’s awkward having this conversation with me here…’

Norbert answered, “With Your Grace’s permission, I’d like to turn it into a private training ground.”

“Oh?”

I blinked at the back of Norbert’s head in surprise.
‘So that’s what this is about?’

He’d brought me along for this?
‘I don’t know what Verdant Tower is, but he wants to tear out his own office and build me a private training room? He really does keep his word.’

Even if I’d had some doubts about him before, seeing this made me feel a little guilty.
‘I misjudged you, Old Man.’

Still… I realized something:

‘Wait a minute. Didn’t he forget to verify whether I actually memorized the book?’

Before I could dwell on that, the Grand Duke spoke again:

“A personal training ground? And you brought this maid here to discuss it—why?”

Norbert replied matter-of-factly, “I made a promise to Freya, Your Grace. If she read through and memorized ‘Valot’s Rune Book’ in one night, I’d build her a private training space.”

‘Valot’s Rune Book’—that was the thick tome I’d stayed up late reading.

At his words, the Grand Duke’s gaze landed on me.

“…”

“…”

I stared right back, almost defiantly.

‘He’s probably going to say no.’

Because, let’s face it, in his eyes I’m just an ominous stranger with no memory. He only gave me a maid’s job and stuck me with Norbert so they could keep an eye on me. Of course, he wouldn’t agree to let them tear up a loyal retainer’s office for my sake.

So I braced myself, preparing for disappointment.

‘Yes, I do realize I should be grateful just to be alive.’

But still… it would be amazing if he said yes. If he gives me that training ground, maybe I’ll rethink that plan about bringing his head back to Tenasis.

Time dragged on. The Grand Duke didn’t say a word. He merely kept staring at my face—more precisely, my eyes—without blinking. I refused to look away, meeting his gaze head-on.

‘That’s strange…’

I’d spent years facing that violet stare on the battlefield, so I’d thought I’d be used to it by now. But today, it seemed oddly… mesmerizing.

In truth, those purple eyes used to trigger my adrenaline. Even in the chaos of war, I could always pick him out by that piercing color. Yet for some reason, they didn’t spark violence in me right now—they just seemed…

‘Kinda… nice.’

I found myself thinking they looked beautiful. The thought was only momentary, though—until a sudden hum rang in my ears.

Zzzing—

‘Ugh!’

A headache struck so fast I momentarily squeezed my eyes shut. It was a sensation I’d had more than once, especially when I came face-to-face with this man in the past.

‘Even in this new body, the migraines stay the same.’

Shaking my head slightly, I looked up again—just as the Grand Duke was turning away. He set his glasses back on and, almost as an afterthought, said:

“Don’t tear up your office for it. Use the lower floor.”

“Huh?”
Norbert sounded surprised.
“But, Your Grace, that lower floor is—”

“Do as I say.”

Norbert hesitated a moment before bowing his head.
“…Yes, Your Grace. Thank you.”

There was something peculiar about their exchange.

‘What’s so special about that lower floor?’

Curiosity gnawed at me, so I asked outright:

“What’s Verdant Tower? And what’s this ‘lower floor’ you’re talking about?”

Both Norbert and the Grand Duke turned sharply to stare at me.

“Why? Am I not allowed to know?”

Norbert sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Your Grace, forgive me. I should have warned her earlier—”

“No.”

The Grand Duke lifted a hand to silence him.

“Have the old man step outside and leave this maid behind.”

“…Your Grace…”

“Go.”

“…Yes, Your Grace.”

Norbert had no choice but to obey, though he looked like he wanted to say something to me first—probably along the lines of ‘Watch what you say.’ But honestly, the Grand Duke already knew I had a habit of running my mouth. After all, I couldn’t stop babbling under the effect of that world tree sap.

Once Norbert was gone, silence fell.

“You wanted a private training ground, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“So I gave the okay. What’s the problem now?”

“It’s not that there’s a problem. I’m just curious about where I’ll be training.”

“Do you have to satisfy every single piece of curiosity in your life?”

“I guess so, more or less.”

“More or less?”

“Honestly, I’m also dying to know what’s inside your head, Grand Duke, but I’m barely holding back my nosiness. After all, I have no idea who I am, and I’m desperate to find out.”

“That’s—”

“I know, I know. I’m supposed to ‘prove’ myself first. And I do plan to do that. Anyway, thank you for the personal training room.”

“…”

“As for the question I asked, I was genuinely curious. Please don’t take it as me being impertinent. I just want to know about the place I’ll be using—”

“Who said you’d be using it alone?”

“…What?”

Leaning back in his chair, the Grand Duke relaxed, the corner of his mouth curving slightly at last.

“I never said you’d be training by yourself.”

“…”

What was that supposed to mean? Did that mean multiple people from House Valot used the same personal space?

Tentatively, I asked, “So… I’ll be sharing it with someone else?”

“The lower floor of Norbert’s office already has an owner. You’ll be using it together.”

“Ah… I see.”

My voice emerged rather flat. So there was already a rightful occupant—maybe another high-ranking retainer. Well, if we just trained at different times, it would be fine.

I was still mentally puzzling over who might be down there when the Grand Duke added:

“It’s me.”

Caught off guard, I lifted my gaze.

“…Sorry?”

He tilted his head in that slightly arrogant way of his, repeating:

“I’m the occupant down there. You’ll be sharing it with me.”

“…”

‘Woof woof.’

Suddenly, in my imagination, it sounded like a dog barking somewhere in the distance.