Chapter 26: The moment he said “Next Time Too”.

The change was sudden.

It happened that evening when I entered the dining hall to prepare the Duke’s meal.

“Jay! You’re finally here.”

People who should have been stuck in their own rooms were gathered in droves.

“It’s time to bring the Duke his meal. Is something wrong?”

The people who had shown excessive delight at seeing me all shut their mouths tight.

“Well…”

The one pushed forward was Paul, the coachman. However, he soon waved his hand with an embarrassed expression.

“No, never mind. Do what you were going to do. We won’t disturb you.”

“I will.”

As I moved toward the pantry, they cleared the path all at once as if they really didn’t intend to disturb me. That sight gave me certainty. The Duke’s Rut, it had ended.

The Rut that definitely lasted two weeks last time ended in just one week.

Those who could feel pheromones, even just the pressure, had noticed the change in the Duke. While I couldn’t sense anything.

I found condensed milk in the pantry and took it out. While grinding beans, boiling water in the pot, brewing coffee as strong as possible, and cooling it to a temperature the thin glass cup could handle, I felt the gazes of people focusing on me throughout the entire process. There was an impatience stemming from not having the confidence to check the facts themselves. However, I handled every step of brewing coffee slowly and carefully. People couldn’t rush me.

When I poured the condensed milk over the coffee without mixing it, the onlookers let out an exclamation of “Oh…!” momentarily. It was then that Butler Philip appeared belatedly.

“Fortunately, it seems I’m not too late.”

Seeing him in outdoor clothes, it seemed he had come back from investigating Miller’s affairs. He also looked much more flustered by the unexpected situation than relieved.

“Everyone stay on standby. Tell those still in their rooms to come out too.”

Paul and the housekeeper Anna selected a few people and went out of the dining hall. Philip turned toward me as if to give me instructions as well.

“Go up quickly. I hope you can inform us of the news about the Duke’s condition quickly.”

It sounded more like a plea than an order from a superior. After answering that I would, I stepped outside. I felt the presence of people following hesitantly. Even though Philip, who is strict with servants, was there—no, even Philip was following behind me with his characteristic barely audible footsteps.

I walked slower than usual. I didn’t want to ruin the shape of the well-made Cafe Bonbon this time either. It’s a pity; if I knew how to use magic to strengthen glass, I could have matched the temperature perfectly too.

Only after unlocking the corridor leading to the main building, crossing over, and locking it again from the inside could I escape the gazes of people watching me anxiously.

I passed through the still dark corridor of the main building with slightly quickened steps.

True. I was quite twisted. I disliked the wretched sight of them fidgeting and pushing my back even though they could feel the change in the Duke’s pheromones.

The Duke during this Rut didn’t fit the word monster at all. He was just a boy who had only just begun to look forward to the future.

When I turned the corner of the stairs with hurried steps, I saw a light. Although it couldn’t brighten the entire corridor, it was bright enough to show me the way I had to go.

It was a light originating from the Duke’s bedroom. The door, which had been tightly shut without a gap, was wide open. As if waiting for me.

My steps quickened on their own. When I entered the open door, I was slightly out of breath.

Under the bright light, the Duke stood. Inside a magic circle made of gems that had absorbed his pheromones and lost their light. The time I forcibly pushed the door open and found him covered in wounds seemed like something that only happened in my imagination.

I was glad and happy.

“You’re here?”

The Duke, greeting me somewhat shyly, was dressed up as if he were working. A black coat with sapphire buttons matching his eye color. Long black velvet pants coming down to his ankles. What made the achromatic outer garment look splendid was the deep blue satin vest with impressive double fastening and a shawl lapel (the part where the front body of a coat or vest is connected to the collar and folded) pulled out to overlap the coat.

I inhaled to suppress the emotions surging up for no reason. I put the tray down on the floor and approached the Duke. Perhaps because of the unannounced approach, I heard the sound of inhaling breath above my head.

“Your cravat is crooked.”

Still, I didn’t slow down my hands tidying the Duke’s attire. I untied the unevenly tied cravat and tied it again, and fixed the lapels of the coat and vest. My hands, skilled from serving him over the past year or so, made the Duke even more perfect.

Only after confirming that the soft satin flowed naturally along the Duke’s body without wrinkles did I step back.

“You look wonderful.”

Even with the compliment, the Duke’s stiff expression didn’t relax. The realization that stating my impression first was the correct order came belatedly, but there was a reason I couldn’t.

“And you’ve grown taller.”

It was because his growth caught my eye before his attire. The coat sleeves that should have covered the back of his hands were fitted to his wrists. The extent of the change that occurred in just one week was extremely large. Enough that I couldn’t help but check it myself.

How did he take my words? The Duke’s expression became even stiffer. It was indeed a phenomenon that couldn’t happen to ordinary people. But magic and pheromones were also things that couldn’t exist in the world I knew. Compared to that, growing about 5 centimeters in a week was much more plausible. I sighed and confessed my true feelings.

“You might say I’m impertinent again if I say this, but I’m really envious. When will I ever grow taller?”

“If you grow fast… No, no, growing slowly doesn’t seem bad either.”

“Fast or slow, I just wish I’d grow. So I can wear long pants too. Although I won’t be able to pull it off as stylishly as the Duke.”

“Stylish?”

Perhaps realizing now that he had grown taller, the Duke raised his eyebrows looking at the pant hems touching his ankles. According to fashion, the pant hems should also cover half of the instep.

“Because the Duke is handsome. If you go out as you are and watch an opera or something, the length the Duke is wearing now will become a trend from the next day. I guarantee it.”

The completion of fashion is ultimately the face and body. In that sense, the Duke’s fashion was perfect. Even more so with my finishing touch added.

“I have no intention of going out like this, so I won’t be able to verify your words.”

“Ah, that’s a shame. If you had said you’d make a bet, I would have made a lot of money. Because every dress shop would be making clothes exactly like what the Duke is wearing now. Sapphires would have sold extremely well. Since they match the Duke’s eye color, they would have stood out even more.”

“You are really…”

The Duke shook his head, covering his face with one hand. His earlobes visible through his hair were red.

“I’m hungry.”

Embarrassed, the Duke responded by changing the direction of the conversation. It was also pointing out my duty as a servant.

“Would you like to have coffee first? I will bring the meal properly again.”

Trying to lift the coffee from the tray I put down, I ended up groaning ‘Mmm’.

“Ah, it’s all mixed up this time too.”

The coffee and condensed milk layers I had separated prettily had mixed and become murky before I knew it.

“I will brew coffee again and come back. I should bring a table and chair too.”

“That is enough.”

The Duke settled down on the floor just like that. Even in that short moment, I could tell his movements were awkward. It seemed he hadn’t adapted to the suddenly changed center of gravity.

Naturally, he must be very hungry now. Even if his food intake increased compared to the previous Rut, it wasn’t an amount to handle this tremendous growth.

Thoughts of people waiting for me desperately in the annex crossed my mind briefly, but I erased them soon. If they are really curious, thirsty people should dig their own wells. Though I don’t know if they can.

“Hmm…”

The Duke, having settled comfortably, was hesitating with the Cafe Bonbon in front of him.

“I prepared it because it’s a drink that can quickly replenish the nutrients needed by the body, but if it’s hard to drink, I will bring something else.”

“No.”

The denial came very quickly. However, his hand movement was slow. The Duke poured the sweet Cafe Bonbon into his mouth at once with a frowned brow, as if drinking bitter medicine. Wanting to wash away the lingering sweetness quickly, he tore the plain bread with an elegant gesture and put it in his mouth much faster than usual.

If he’s that perplexed, I should definitely leave it out next time. Last time, I made him drink it sip by sip with my own hands, so I didn’t know it would be to this extent. The Duke was also so exhausted that he couldn’t even frown while saying it was sweet.

“Perhaps you can drink chocolate with cream and sugar… Uh, then black tea with fruit jam…”

As I listed high-calorie drinks I could make as they came to mind, the Duke’s brow furrowed even more and the speed of tearing bread became faster. I changed the conclusion to a different direction.

“I will just have the chef make something. Food that is easy to drink and quickly replenishes consumed stamina.”

The Duke’s hand tearing bread stopped. His frown deepened more than when he drank the Cafe Bonbon at once.

“…This is enough.”

It was an unbelievable statement.

“Are you really okay?”

“Yes.”

However, the Duke nodded.

“Then next time too, I will bring coffee with condensed milk.”

“Next time too.”

Repeating the promise, he smiled. It was pleasing to see him looking comfortable. It was a bearing that made the corners of my mouth relax loosely too.