"Did you call for this Ron, Young master?"
Ron stood next to the couch Cale was sitting on. He was observing the young master as if he was studying an interesting specimen.
This young master of his...
What made him want to suddenly go out? And for what was he called here?
The old butler saw how the young master he had raised was sipping the tea from the cup leisurely, as elegantly as you could expect from a 14 years old at least. But he had that aura only a noble would have.
"Yes, please take a seat, Ron" Cale motioned towards the couch across from his,
Ron hesitated, unsure of what this young master wanted. But in the end, he did as he was instructed and sat down.
This puppy young master of his doesn't look like the fragile porcelain doll the Count had kept safe that would break at a moment's notice today. Instead, he looked like a little puppy who had its head on top of a throne.
Cale put down his cup as Ron took his seat,
"I will just cut to the chase,"
Clink
The sound of the cup clattering from the collision of the plate and the table sounded clearly,
"Ron-- no, Patriarch Molan,"
Ron's smile froze,
"What are your thoughts of taking over the western underworld?"
. . .
Cale could see Ron's expression clearly,
It was truly vicious.
.
.
Cale couldn't help but want to laugh at the expression his butler was making; He could even feel the chilling intent that was slowly seeping from the old butler.
But he didn't, at least not outwardly.
"What do you think, Ron?"
Ron's benign smile was on his face again, he was chuckling at Cale as if he just made a funny joke,
"What do you mean, young master? Why would I want to take over the underworld?" the aura around him vanished without a trace, "This one butler is simply too old to think of such thing"
"You know what I meant Ron,"
"No young master, I do not"
The young master and the old butler both had a smile on their face, none of them flinched nor did they back down.
Cale leaned to the side resting his hand towards the armrest of the couch;
It seemed like his butler wouldn't agree just like that. To be expected, but it would really be preferable if he had just accepted it. At least it would save him some energy.
"Eastern underworld, 5 households"
Ron's ears perked up at the nonchalant mention,
"Don't you want to know what happened... no, who was responsible for what had happened 15 years ago?" Cale casually said,
It was an information he had come across while he was in his birth mother's studies in the past while he was looking around to find something interesting. Who would have known he had a use for that information at a time like this?
"What are you trying to say, Young master?" Ron couldn't help but look at Cale differently now, "How much do you know?"
How much does he know?
What are his intentions?
Just how did this sheltered Puppy get so sly?
Thoughts after thoughts were filling up his mind, but all of them was washed away by his young master's answer;
"Not much, there's a lot of things I don't know, actually"
Cale crossed his legs. He truly looked relaxed at the moment, as if this was just a normal talk about the weather.
If Ron hadn't known him for so long, he would even think this was someone else possessing his young master's body.
But he had known this young master of his for so long... Ron had also known his birth mother before she died. And this puppy young master was starting to act more and more like her.
Maybe it simply runs in the blood?
So unpredictable, So hard to read;
Ron could have sworn that the count wouldn't be able to recognize the current young master if he had known how his son was acting right now.
"That's why I suggest taking over the underworld. We can gather more information that isn't available above,"
Ron stared at the young master he served,
Should he just play along?
"There's also something I want to know,"
"Something you want to know?" Ron asked,
"Yes,"
Cale nodded, taking his cup again and began sipping his tea; Ron didn't bother to care about how relaxed his young master was, but there was something he was curious about.
"But why do you want to rule the underworld, young master? I'm quite sure your father, the count, could gather this information too? Maybe more easily than a newly established group with no name"
It was true that it would have been easier if he had done that. But it doesn't mean his father would be able to obtain the information he wanted, and...
"Yes," He doesn't want to let his father know, "but I don't want him to know about this"
Unlike Ron who wouldn't care too much about what he's going to do, his father will only end up restricting him more than necessary because of how worried he can get if he were to know.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, so don't tell him about it" Cale sips the tea again, "It means you too Hans"
No one answered,
Ron didn't even bothered glancing,
"I know you're behind the door, have you heard that eavesdropping is considered to be rude?"
.
.
.
Hans stood in front of his young master's room,
He was about to call the young master that lunch was already served, but he stopped himself from knocking when he heard his young master's voice from inside the room.
"Eastern underworld, 5 households"
What does his young master mean by that?
If he had remembered correctly, Ron was called by the young master earlier. Was this related to him?
"Don't you want to know what happened... no, who was responsible for what had happened 15 years ago?"
Did something happen a year before the young master was born? He wasn't working here yet at that time, so he wouldn't know. There was also no major news related to '5 households'... as far he had known.
Hans stood in front of the door and kept on listening;
"That's why I suggest taking over the underworld. We can gather more information that isn't available above,"
Underworld?
Why would his young master be interested in the underworld? Was there something related with the underworld that's related to the changes of the young master?
Hans had a hunch, but... he wouldn't dare to confirm it.
"It means you too Hans"
He shook out his train of thought when he heard the young master called his name.
"I know you're behind the door, have you heard that eavesdropping is considered to be rude?"
Ah, he was discovered after all...
. . .
A ginger haired figure slowly came from behind the door,
Hans face was rather neutral and flat when he came in, unlike his usual self who had a sunshine smile on his face and a glowing ball of energy surrounding him.
"You knew after all, young master" Hans closed the door behind him with a sigh,
"I suppose Hans could also help," Cale gave the young butler a side eye, "You have been listening right, you should know what I'm talking about? Do you want to know several things about your birth parents?"
"No, that would be unnecessary young master"
Cale raised an eyebrow,
"I'm not interested in knowing them."
Hans clarified, "The count had let me work here even though I was inexperienced. I'm also forever grateful to the countess who brought me in and let me stay here before I even knew anything. I wouldn't dare ask something from you, young master."
The countess Hans had referred to was none other than the previous Countess and Cale biological mother, Jour Henituse.
And though he refused the offer he was given, he didn't declined the position of helping his young master. The rough translation of what Hans had said was,
You are my benefactors' son; So I'll do what you say, any payments for it is unnecessary
Both Cale himself and Ron knew that Hans was rather loyal to the late countess and her only son, that was why they even let the ginger haired butler listen in to them in the first place;
He's trustworthy enough,
"Suit yourself then," Cale closed his eyes, "But still, don't tell father about this"
Hans could only internally sighed at that, he would really get in trouble if the count ever found out. But what can he do?
"Of course, young master"
Hans replied cheerfully, A complete 180' of what he was a second ago.