Villain Family’s Strongest Butler

“Get some rest today, because tomorrow you will have to work hard,” the old man said as he quickly finished the contract and left the room.

Tomorrow already?

He really wants to work me to the bone, doesn’t he?

In truth, there was nothing unreasonable in the contract. And then there was the necklace.

*I touched the necklace that was now around my neck.

It is similar to the color of my eyes, isn’t it?

The gemstone attached to the golden chain shimmered in a hue reminiscent of my own.

Was it sapphire? Or perhaps a special gem that emitted a blue light?

The old man had called it a security measure.

-You won’t be able to talk about anything that has to do with the Grand Duke’s household, you won’t be allowed to enter areas without permission, and it’s also forbidden to leave the estate without explicit permission.

It seemed like a long list of things I couldn’t do. But given my secret identity and the precarious situation I was in, it all made sense.

The shackles on my wrists and ankles are gone, but now I have something worse around my neck.

I wondered if this was what a dog in a collar would feel like.

Although calling it a dog collar is a bit unfair – it is far too pretty for that.

Still, the fact that they gave me this collar probably meant that they didn’t intend to kill me, at least not right away. As long as I behaved, they’d let me live. Something like that.

Well, it’s annoying, but it’s better than being tied up and thrown back into a dungeon.

*Sigh* I finally let out a relieved breath.

So, this is the room I’ll be staying in.

I looked around the room.

Sunlight poured through a decent sized window. There was a sturdy looking desk and a bed that didn’t look shabby at all.

The room wasn’t very big, but for someone in my position, it was more than I could ask for.

The soft sound of voices came in through the window, blending with the warmth of the room to create a peaceful atmosphere.

As I stared absentmindedly at the sky, my thoughts began to wander.

So much had happened in such a short time.

I had survived what I thought would be my death by black magic.

I survived only to find myself in enemy territory.

And now I was living in the mansion of the most dangerous man in the enemy kingdom.

Me, a maid?

A maid to the infamous Grand Duke Valot, of all people.

I buried my face in my hands.

*The necklace around my neck jingled in response, a stark reminder of my situation.

Damn, this stupid necklace.

The weight of the necklace made my current predicament even more apparent.

I am now a handmaiden to the very man who put this collar on me.

How ironic. How *funny*.

Serhin would surely mock me if he knew about this.

Sia, you were supposed to bring back the Grand Duke’s head, and now you’ve ended up with his collar around your neck?

Is this your style now, Sia?

I could almost hear his mocking voice in my head.

Yeah, I better keep all this a secret when I get back home.

*Sigh*…

At least I’m not dead.

It could be worse.

I remembered exactly what I’d said in the Grand Duke’s office. My words were brimming with insolence, spoken carelessly, provoking even more suspicion.

And yet he let me live.

It is obvious.

The Grand Duke must know to whom this body belongs.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have let me live after such blatant disrespect.

The second question he asked –

-“Do you… remember me?”

This question was the most personal of the three.

He wasn’t asking if I knew who *he* was.

He asked if I remembered *him*.

At first glance, the two questions seemed similar, but the underlying meanings were completely different.

The Grand Duke is not the type to ask “Do you know who I am?” out of pride or arrogance.

And since he’d even dismissed his most trusted servant and the priest before asking…

This question was deeply private, secret, and personal.

He kept it from even his closest allies.

I wish I could see into the Grand Duke’s mind.

Perhaps I should plan to give him a dose of World Tree Sap myself one day.

And then I could ask…

Do you remember me? Do you know who I am? Who am I to you?

Not a bad plan.

But first I’d have to make sure this body was capable of anything resembling human function.

I got off the bed and sat down on the hard floor in the middle of the room.

I had survived the immediate danger.

Now it was time for the next step.

I had to turn this body into something that could survive in the long run.

That meant that from now on I had to use every free moment to train.

They said I would start working tomorrow.

They also told me to rest today.

That makes now the perfect opportunity to awaken the aura within me.

I looked out the window.

Though the day had felt incredibly long, the sky remained bright and calm.

It was just after noon.

Time is precious.

I would awaken the aura before nightfall. And if I couldn’t, I would stay up all night until I could.

The aura has already manifested in this body, I just need to awaken it. Just a little bit.

Ordinary people with untrained bodies wouldn’t be able to awaken their aura. In fact, they’d probably die trying.

But that’s for ordinary people.

I’m different.

I’ve never had to awaken my aura in an untrained body, but my strong will alone would keep me alive.

Still, I won’t be reckless.

I closed my eyes.

*Sigh*…

My consciousness instinctively began to search for the dormant aura within me.

I inhaled and exhaled slowly, focusing all my senses to find it.

All I saw was darkness.

Of course – this body had never been trained, so it had to be a blank slate.

In a way, it was like an untouched expanse of snow, or a vast, empty universe without a single star.

The human body has countless pathways that are invisible to the eye. The basic step in using the aura is to circulate it through these intricate, complex pathways.

I decided to begin with the basics.

Cautiously, as if groping in the dark, I focused on the faint energy I felt around my heart.

There it was – the faint throb of my heartbeat surrounded by a subtle, flickering energy.

It was a thin thread of aura swirling gently around my heart like a gentle breeze.

A blue aura.

It was a clear, pure blue, like a cloudless autumn sky. Or the color of an emerald lake where you could see all the way to the bottom.

It had a refreshing, invigorating quality, like a drink of cool water that instantly cleared your mind.

This color…it’s the same.

Strangely enough, it was the same color as the aura I’d used in my previous body.

No way. It’s probably just a similar hue.

The aura is determined by a person’s nature. Although it wasn’t unheard of for two people to have the same color, it was rare.

On the other hand, maybe my soul is the same, and that’s why my aura is similar.

Whatever the reason, it felt familiar, almost comforting, as if I was returning to a time long past.

I pushed those feelings aside and focused on the blue energy in front of me.

So this is my aura.

Well, now that I’d found it –

Let’s get along, shall we?

Every relationship has its awkward first meeting.

Who knows? Maybe today is the beginning of something historic.

I gently coaxed the aura and cautiously moved closer.

‘There, there. Good. Stay calm, okay?’

I took a deep breath.

Then, ever so gently, I reached out and embraced the aura surrounding my heart.

‘Good, good.

With as much tenderness and caution as I could muster, I treated it like a fragile child, soothing it with care and respect.

Perhaps my sincerity reached it because the aura that had been swirling outside my heart began to settle inside.

Huh, that was easier than I thought.

Thank goodness.

Just as I breathed a sigh of relief –

*Crack!*

“…What?

A strange sound came from my chest, like something shattering.

What was it? Did my bones break?

No, it doesn’t feel like that…

It was more like the sound of delicate glass breaking.

Wait, my collar?

But I didn’t have time to look.

Before I could even open my eyes, a wave of excruciating pain shot through my chest, paralyzing me.

The aura had begun to run wild.

Breathing became difficult.

I take it back! It’s not calm at all!

I forced myself to concentrate, clinging desperately to the aura inside me.

‘Come on. Let’s do this.

I’ve survived in enemy territory. I faced the Grand Duke and lived. I’m not going to die because of some runaway aura!

I have to survive.

No matter what!

And then…

*Splurt!*

‘…Huh?’

Blood poured from my mouth as I fell backwards.