Villain Family’s Strongest Butler

The rich smell of freshly baked bread and sweet, thick caramel syrup filled the air. Inside the oven, juicy meat sizzled away, and stew simmered with aromatic spices. The kitchen was in a frenzy, preparing to welcome the Grand Duke.

Tap-tap-tap-tap. Young maid Meriel was whipping cream in a big bowl tucked against her hip.
Noticing me, Meriel flashed a bright smile.

‘Freya, the eggs are really fresh today! Do you think the chickens know it’s a special day?’

‘It’s because you take such loving care of them, Meriel.’

Meriel’s cheeks flushed pink as she gave a shy laugh.

‘Oh, Freya. You say the nicest things.’

I cheered Meriel on a little longer, then headed toward Head Chef Rend.

‘How’s the lamb doing?’

‘Really good, Freya. Changing our supplier was the right move. Costs less, plus the quality’s better.’

Rend burst out laughing.

After becoming the estate’s butler, the first thing I did was shift our trade agreements with the merchants.
Even though Master was filling the vacant butler position, there were limits to what he could do.

He wasn’t actually the butler of the Grand Duke’s estate, but rather a vassal. Even if he was a legend among butlers, going back and forth between Count Millard’s estate and the Duke’s made it tough for him to keep track of every last detail inside the Vallot household.

Still, his presence must have kept the merchants cautious. Nothing was too out of line during the time the position was empty, but some oversight had crept in.

And I refused to overlook any matter, even small ones. So I made an example of the old supplier of our ingredients.

‘I can’t forgive people who mess around with food.’

I grinned with satisfaction.

‘Good thing. Please let me know if you find any other problems with the supplies.’

‘Of course!’

‘By the way, the Grand Duke and the knights will be here in about two hours.’

‘That soon?!’

‘They might arrive even earlier if they ride fast, so please have the meal ready by then.’

‘Don’t worry! I’ll make sure everything’s perfect right on time. Leave it to me!’

Rend proudly thumped his chest with his burly fist.

I gave him a quick smile and turned away.

‘Kitchen check complete.’

We were well-prepared at both the annex and the main building’s kitchens.

‘Perfect.’

Exiting the kitchen, I made my way to the central hall. As though I were the Grand Duke himself, I imagined his path while walking.

Checking the corners of the stairs, the curves of the banisters…
Everywhere my eyes landed, I ran a gloved hand over it to inspect for dust.

Upon reaching the top of the fourth-floor staircase—where the fifth floor began—I was happy to see the fingertips of my white glove remained perfectly clean.

‘Flawless. Truly flawless.’

From the first to the fourth floor, I couldn’t find a single problem. It thrilled me as much as winning a battle. Actually, maybe more.

I was staring at my pristine gloves in delight when my gaze drifted to a black iron door nearby.

Fifth floor.

-‘You’re forbidden from stepping onto the fifth floor of the main building. Don’t even think about going up there.’

I remembered Master’s scolding.

Hmm. Once again, I found myself testing my own patience while looking at that door.
Even though it was just a large iron door, for two years it had stirred my curiosity without end.

‘Such a tempting thing!’

If by chance it had ever been left open, maybe I would’ve gone in without hesitation.

But while the Grand Duke was away, that door stayed sealed shut.

‘I’ve noticed the aide going in there sometimes, but…’

I didn’t think a butler was lesser than an aide. Perhaps one day I would be able to cross that door, too.

Isn’t that the reason I became a butler?
To earn the Grand Duke’s trust so I could uncover the secrets behind this body. And to seize the Grand Duke’s head and offer it to Serhin.

Once I became a butler, I could stand closest to him—within arm’s reach of the Grand Duke’s heartbeat.
That was the only reason I took on this job.

Of course, getting here wasn’t easy.

When Master halted my maid training and began training me as a butler, it was like he’d made up his mind to push me to the brink.

‘He’s the founder of the butler academy, so they said.’

They said the number of students who ran away after training under him could fill the lake behind the estate several times over.
I could definitely sympathize with that.

If I hadn’t had a goal, I might’ve run away myself.

-‘A butler who can’t count spoons, forks, and knives doesn’t exist!’
-‘Doesn’t exist!’
-‘If a silver candelabrum loses its shine, that household is doomed! Polish it until your fingerprints wear off!’
-‘Let’s polish!’
-‘What color is the fifth lamp on the second floor of the east annex?’
-‘…Pardon?’
-‘And how many folded fingers does the statue of the goddess have at the four o’clock position in the garden fountain?’
-‘….’

Some day, I was sure he’d tell me to figure out the number of hairs on the Grand Duke’s head.

So I memorized the entire layout of the household until it was as natural as breathing. Master was only satisfied when I could recite not only the main building but also exactly where every single small vase was placed in the far corners of the annex.

Running around that huge estate was so grueling that my toenails felt like they fell off hundreds of times.
It was exhausting enough that I barely needed separate stamina training.

‘I remember my nose bleeding until it was raw.’

I got by purely on stubbornness. After all, normally you’d have to graduate from a butler academy to earn this position.

‘Me, with no clear background, wanting to be the Grand Duke’s butler? I had to endure it physically.’

My burning determination to become a butler saw me through. Meanwhile, my aura ran wild so many times that I nearly died, and my legs kept tearing muscles, leaving me covered in bruises.

Ugh… hold on.

I pressed a hand to the wall and lowered my head.

Darn it.

Thinking about the past made my nose prickle.

‘Stop. There’s no use dwelling on it now.’

I’d already achieved my goals, and the Grand Duke was finally returning.
Soon, all my hard work would bear fruit.

I glanced once more at that black door.

Truly. I was so curious about what lay behind it. But…

‘The finish line is right here. I can’t risk everything by snooping and getting kicked out at the last moment.’

I wasn’t that desperate. Pushing back my curiosity, I turned away.

To be honest, I had fiddled with the lock a bit under the excuse of cleaning.
That much was enough, to silence the fleeting temptation.

After confirming that everything was set, I went back to my room to fix my clothes one last time.

It was very important. It would be my first time facing the Grand Duke as an official butler.

I’d been butler for half a year, and the Grand Duke had been away at war all that time.

-‘His Grace has already granted permission,’ was all Master said.

At first, I was suspicious. I wondered if they were trying to lure me into the butler’s job just so some assassin could kill me off.

But seeing how ruthlessly Master pushed me, I realized that wasn’t the case.

Adjusting the frills around my neck, I tightened the knot at my waist. Then I checked the fancy metal chain and attached pocket watch, glancing in the mirror to meet my own gaze.

Two years. It had already been two whole years since I started living in this body.
By now, I was mostly used to it.

‘I can run in it, I can use aura, and I can handle a sword.’

But still…

-‘Hide it as much as you can. If you keep it secret, that power might save you one day.’

Heeding Master’s advice, I never let anyone see how far I’d come.

Probably even the Grand Duke had no clue. No idea how strong I’d grown.

Hmph. I let out a small snort and headed out of my room.

By then, the rumble of hooves on the ground drew near. The Mars Knights, led by the Grand Duke, were arriving at the main gate.

All the estate’s staff paused their tasks to welcome him, lining up in neat formation along the path between the front gate and the main building.

Perfectly aligned, as though measured with a ruler. My chest swelled with pride at the sight.

And there I was among them.
Though I was practically an outsider—an enemy by some standards—I stood here in line.

Creeeeak, clank—!

The huge iron gate of the Grand Duke’s manor gave a heavy metallic groan as it opened on both sides. Beyond it, I saw them approaching:

Knights in armor of a somber gray, etched with the crest of the Vallot family, helmets spiked like devil’s horns.

This was the Mars Knights, the elite force of the Vallot Duchy. They had returned after a victory parade in the capital.

Leading them at the front was, of course,

‘Cardian Vallot, the Grand Duke.’

Slowing their pace, the Grand Duke and his knights came to a complete stop near the main building.

Thump, thump, thump. Their horses stomped in unison, creating a steady beat that shook the very foundations of the estate.

I felt that rumble like a heartbeat, and I gazed at the Grand Duke, perched atop his black warhorse and clad in black armor. He looked like a grim reaper, come to claim my neck.

His cool purple eyes studied me, not in suspicion but as if I was something curious.

Yes, the very same man from the battlefield, the one I never expected to see alive again. My fingertips tingled with the memory.

After a moment of staring down at me, he raised one hand. The horses all halted instantly.

The earth stopped trembling. The powerful vibrations that had thundered in my chest gave way to a heavy silence.

It felt like everything was being crushed under the weight of this tension.

At last, the Grand Duke dismounted.