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The Grand Duke had accurately read the plan I’d entertained at least once before.
When I silently looked up at him, he gazed down at me with a faint smile — the kind that mocked me for scheming.
“Freya. Do you understand what it means that you know that name?”
“……”
Meaning? It’s my name — why would that have any special meaning?
No, more importantly… why is he talking as if he knows my name himself?
I could tell, vaguely, that the Grand Duke knew who the original owner of this body was.
But why is he reacting like that to the name Freya?
There shouldn’t be any connection between the name “Freya” and this body’s original owner.
There can’t be. She was from an enemy nation.
Yet, the Grand Duke had reacted sharply to the name Freya.
I stared at him, puzzled.
Don’t tell me… the original owner of this body was also named Freya?
Could such a ridiculous coincidence even exist?
My heart pounded wildly at the absurd thought.
Maybe now was the right moment to ask him — whether he knew who the original owner was, and why he reacted to the name Freya.
I looked at him and asked,
“I have a question.”
“……”
“Do you… perhaps know me?”
At that, the cold, cynical look he’d worn a moment ago cracked slightly.
“When I drank the serum, the question you asked me… and the way you speak about my name…”
“……”
“Why does Your Grace act as though you know a ‘me’ that even I don’t remember?”
The Grand Duke’s expression turned cold again.
“Ah, right. You said you’d lost your memories. …Though not all of them.”
“……”
Oh?
He had smoothly changed the subject.
It was clear he had no intention of answering my question about the original owner of this body.
Grand Duke, do you really think I’ll just let this slide your way?
I quickly spoke up,
“So, if Your Grace could share what you know, it might help me recover my mem—”
He suddenly cut me off sharply and said my name again,
“Miss Freya, who hasn’t lost all of her memories.”
“……”
His voice dropped low — almost like a warning.
“It wouldn’t be difficult to draw the truth out of you again. The serum isn’t the only means at my disposal.”
His long eyes gleamed with arrogance.
“And besides, I know ways to make you talk without using such things. Frankly, they’re just cumbersome.”
And there were usage limits on that serum too.
“The only reason I haven’t interrogated you further is not because I’ve decided to trust you.”
The Grand Duke stepped closer — so close that the scent of him filled my senses uncomfortably.
I flinched and tried to back away, only to find the wall behind me.
He continued speaking, utterly unconcerned.
“Until my suspicions are cleared and my guesses are confirmed… Miss Freya, you’re curious too, aren’t you?”
His voice was so close to my ear now.
It was low and heavy, carrying a force that made the listener shrink back instinctively.
“If you don’t share your secrets, I have no intention of solving your curiosities either.”
Then he straightened his back and pulled away.
“So, learn well from Norbert. Who knows? If you grow into someone I can’t do without, perhaps I’ll willingly share the secrets you want to know.”
“……”
This bastard…
I glared at him sharply.
“…Just watch for two years, Grand Duke. Who knows? I might grow into someone who could become your threat.”
He threw my earlier words right back at me before sharply turning on his heel and walking away.
I stared at his retreating back.
But why…
Why did he seem so angry?
Because I’m still hiding something?
Because my name happens to be Freya?
Or maybe…
Because the original owner of this body doesn’t remember him?
Probably all of the above.
When he finally disappeared from sight, I turned my head toward the hallway window.
The reflection staring back at me was still unfamiliar, yet undeniably beautiful.
Perhaps the original owner of this body… was far more important to him than I realized.
The next morning, before the sun had even risen, old Norbert came to my room.
“…Why are you awake?”
He looked surprised to see me.
“You said you’d start teaching me work today, didn’t you?”
“…So you prepared early?”
“Yes.”
I tilted my head, not understanding his surprise.
Even back in the Tenasis Empire, my mornings began before sunrise. I was always up first, running drills and swinging my sword.
Because I’d started training later than other knights, I’d had to work several times harder to overcome their prejudice and prove myself through skill.
It’s no different now.
Compared to the maids here at the Grand Duke’s estate, I lacked both skills and stamina. And my suspicious, unknown background was already notorious.
The goal of my effort has changed — from becoming a knight to surviving as a maid.
But the method was the same: start earlier than anyone else.
“Well, what should I start with?”
“……”
Norbert stared at me with a conflicted look. His eyes briefly lingered on my necklace.
“This time, don’t break it.”
“I told you, I wasn’t the one who—”
The necklace, which had cracked during my aura awakening yesterday, had been replaced by Norbert. Since then, he’d been scolding me every time he saw me.
“Do you know how much that thing costs? More than your entire year’s salary.”
“I told you, I didn’t—”
He turned away grumpily and stepped out.
“Follow me.”
I clenched my fists tightly.
Endure. Just endure.
Well, at least he wasn’t making me pay for it.
I followed him quietly.
Norbert immediately began dragging me around every corner of the Grand Duke’s estate.
“Today, you’ll just learn the layout. Starting tomorrow, you’ll learn the actual tasks at each location.”
“Yes, sir.”
The main building was five floors, connected to four annexes and over a hundred storage rooms.
After touring the entire place, we finally returned to the main building.
“Wait here a moment.”
“Yes…”
I steadied my trembling legs by gripping the stair railing.
I can’t use aura freely because of my poor stamina…
If I hadn’t occasionally channeled aura to my legs, I wouldn’t have lasted this long.
I need physical training too.
Otherwise, I might collapse in front of Norbert — and that was one humiliation I had to avoid.
I’ll sleep less from now on.
As I mentally reorganized my schedule, a middle-aged woman approached us.
Norbert introduced me to her in front of the main staircase.
“Barisol, this is Freya. She’ll be working here at the Grand Duke’s residence as a probationary servant.”
Barisol looked delighted.
“Oh my. Welcome. I’m Barisol, the head maid of this estate.”
Ah, the head maid. I knew how important that position was.
I maintained a calm face and greeted her politely.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Head Maid. My name is Freya.”
“Please, just call me Barisol.”
“That… might take a little time.”
“That’s fine. Whatever’s more comfortable for you.”
Her warm smile didn’t falter despite my reserved tone. She had the kind of kind expression that made you think she could accept anything.
She grasped my hands tightly.
“Let’s get along well from now on, Freya.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best.”
Norbert then spoke to her,
“I’ll be in charge of Freya’s training.”
“Oh my.” Barisol widened her eyes. The atmosphere shifted.
Again.
Everyone always reacted with surprise when Norbert took someone under his wing.
Their reactions weren’t admiration or envy — they were closer to pity.
I didn’t know exactly why, but I’d already learned a few things.
First, there was currently no butler in the Grand Duke’s estate.
Because of the Grand Duke’s many enemies, assassins often targeted the estate — and the butlers had been the first casualties.
The estate was even called the butler’s grave.
All those poor butlers died for nothing.
Then again, assassins capable of killing the Grand Duke weren’t exactly common. Targeting a high-ranking butler was both easier and served as a warning.
If assassins could kill the Grand Duke — someone even I couldn’t defeat — that’d be absurd anyway.
I’d also learned that Norbert Millard, Count of the Empire, was a legendary figure in the butler world.
He was the founder of Leonhardt, the empire’s only butler academy, and a loyal retainer of House Vallot.
And he’s the one training me…
Judging by everyone’s reactions, his reputation for having a nasty temper was well-earned.
As I stared at the back of his head, a thought suddenly struck me.
Wait a second.
There’s no butler right now, and it seems no one new is coming anytime soon.
Which means… the butler position is vacant for a while.
If I want to learn about this body’s original owner, I need to get closer to the Grand Duke.
By “closer,” I didn’t mean physically. I meant earning his trust — proving my loyalty and competence until he trusted me wholeheartedly.
And there’s no better position for that than a butler.
The butler’s role itself was built on trust.
The danger that comes with the position is actually good for me.
Protecting the Grand Duke from assassins would be the fastest way to earn his trust.
As time passed, my aura and stamina would grow stronger again. Once I regained my former peak, assassins would be no problem.
The real issue is proving my skills as a butler.
And the answer to that problem was standing right in front of me.
I stared at Norbert’s back like a thirsty deer spotting an oasis. He turned, sensing my gaze.
He raised an eyebrow.
“…What?”
“……”
“What kind of thoughts are you having, looking at me like that…?”
I met his gaze with sincere, shining eyes.
With the same delicate reverence as when I awakened my aura — as if greeting a noble figure — I said earnestly,
“Master…”
“…What? M-Master…?”
His wrinkled eyes twitched violently.
What kind of lunatic is this…
His gaze said it all.
