"What was all that about?" Lucy asked as they walked toward their next destination.
Cassian, while pulling out some silver coins, handed them to her and said, "Thanks for playing along, Miss Lucy. Here's the amount you paid for me."
Lucy pretended not to notice his outstretched hand and the coins, replying, "Just think of them as a welcome gift from me. Sorry I gave it a bit late..."
Surprised, Cassian still insisted, but Lucy waved it off, asking instead, "So, are you going to tell me why Mrs. Purner's face looked like she had eaten something foul?"
"Like she'd ever make that face while eating anything," Cassian scoffed, pocketing the coins again. Lucy watched him with an amused expression as he continued, "She was trying to scheme me, so schemed her back."
Lucy's smile faded slightly but remained amused as she asked, "Oh? How so?"
Cassian explained the scheme they were using to overcharge customers. Lucy listened carefully, nodding, but didn't seem angry. Instead, she shrugged and said, "At least they're not outright stealing. They are giving people what they pay for, in a way."
Cassian agreed. She was right; it was more of a clever sales tactic than outright theft. Still, the manipulation and dishonesty didn't sit well with him. What if some gullible person agreed to pay a whole gold coin for ordinary clothes? He didn't voice his thoughts, though. Instead, he shifted the conversation and asked about their next stop. "We're going to the bookstore, right?"
"Yeah, it's for the lady," Lucy replied with a smile. "As you can see, she reads a lot, and not just books on magic or other scholarly things—she also enjoys storybooks."
Cassian was a bit surprised. He had assumed all the books in Katherine's room were related to magic and other knowledge. He'd never dared to pick one up, fearing she might get angry.
"You know how to read, right?" Lucy asked, but before Cassian could answer, she added with a grin, "Obviously you do, since you learned those massage techniques from books."
"Yeah, those massage techniques... Why does the lady need me to learn that on top of memorizing every little thing in her room, down to the smallest detail?" Cassian asked, looking a bit worn out.
"I don't know..." Lucy shrugged, her large breasts jiggling with the motion, briefly catching Cassian's attention before he quickly looked away. She continued, "She's been like that since childhood—really particular about her things, like food and such. As for the massages, she started making Sumina do them a few years ago."
"Why?" Cassian asked, still confused.
Lucy shrugged again, causing her chest to jiggle once more, drawing his gaze before he quickly shifted his eyes back to her face. "I don't know, and honestly, I don't want to know." she stopped and turning to look at him. "Cassian, let me give you some advice," she said, her tone serious. Cassian snapped his attention back to her face, sensing the shift in mood.
"Don't get curious about nobles affairs," Lucy continued. "It never ends well for servants like us. Just do what they ask unless it's something morally wrong, like killing or something else shady. In that case, go straight to the head butler—he reports directly to the duke, you will be safe."
Cassian nodded, making a mental note of her warning. Lucy, seeing his understanding, seemed satisfied. "Good. And while we're on the topic, there are a few more things you should keep in mind as a servant to one of the duke's children."
"Like what?" Cassian asked, not minding the advice. He figured it didn't hurt to listen while they walked.
Lucy glanced around to make sure no one was within earshot before lowering her voice, though she maintained a casual air. "First, never talk about Lady Katherine to other people's servants. Especially not in detail," she began. "It's tempting to gossip, but nobles are always competing with each other, and they use us as pawns in their games. The last thing you want is for someone to twist your words and get you or the Lady in trouble."
Cassian nodded again, taking her words seriously. "So, keep my mouth shut. Got it. Anything else?"
"Oh, plenty," Lucy replied with a smirk. "Nowadays, since slavery's been banned across the kingdoms, nobles like to show off their servants more than ever. It's a status symbol now. A well-groomed, obedient servant who knows their place reflects well on their master. They'll parade you around like an accessory at banquets or events, so always be on your best behavior in public. Stand straight, speak only when spoken to, and make sure you know how to address other nobles."
Cassian raised an eyebrow. "It's like we're part of their collection or something."
"Exactly," Lucy said with a nod. "Nobles love that. They can't own people outright anymore, so now they take pride in how well they treat—or control—their servants. It's like a competition to see whose servants are the most refined or loyal. We're actually lucky the head butler was a friend of the previous duke. It means life in the castle is better for us than in most noble houses.
"Only a few members of the duke's family are what you'd call 'bad seeds,' like those arrogant nobles. Most are either good or too busy with more important things than showing off their wealth through servants. As you've seen, our lady doesn't care much for that either, but you still need to stay presentable."
Cassian furrowed his brow, unsure what she meant by "presentable." After all, he only had his servant's uniform, which was professional enough. "But how can I be more presentable?" he asked, confused.
Lucy looked him over thoughtfully. His red hair, neatly combed but slightly tousled, gave him a charming, somewhat rugged look. His milky white skin, with a touch of redness like the Ven Dyke family, and his striking red eyes made him stand out. Though he was still young and a bit slim, he had a certain handsomeness, even a youthful cuteness.
With a smile, Lucy said, "You're already presentable. Just keep it that way—stay neat and clean, and make sure your uniform's always in good shape."
Cassian glanced around the bookstore, hoping to find something that might aid him in his training, but most of the shelves were filled with fiction. Lucy, meanwhile, was busy buying at least twenty books for Lady Katherine. Disappointed, he realized there were no useful training materials here, as he'd hoped. The whole reason he'd come to the market was to find something to help with his training.
Feeling a bit down, he thought about asking Lady Katherine for more books like the one she had on mana, which had opened his eyes to the vast world of magical knowledge. However, not wanting to leave empty-handed from here, he shifted his attention to history books. His knowledge in that area was sorely lacking, and he knew that learning more about history—especially about nobles and how they came to power—could help him better understand their decisions, the wars they fought, and the kingdoms they built. Understanding their history might make it easier for him to navigate the world he was now a part of.
Cassian knew that his life was now entangled with the nobles unless he chose a different path. However, in this world, every kingdom had its royalty and noble families. There was no real escape from interacting with them, so he figured it was better to understand how they thought and operated.
His eyes landed on a book titled "The Human Kingdoms in the World of Surias." The title was a mouthful, but it was exactly what Cassian needed. With a surprised tone, he read aloud, "Of the Past 2000 Years..." That was also part of the title, adding to its weight—both literally and figuratively.
The book was hefty, likely weighing several kilos, and made of rough but sturdy paper. Its leather binding, though like most books, appeared a bit worn and scrappy. Still, it seemed valuable.
As he approached the counter, where Lucy was finishing her purchase, she glanced at him and asked, "Did you find something you want?"
Cassian nodded and placed the heavy tome next to her stack of books with a small thud.
Lucy looked a bit surprised at the book's title but didn't comment on it. She turned to the store clerk and said, "Include this one in the bill too."
Cassian quickly interjected, "No, Miss Lucy, I can pay for it." He didn't like the idea of her covering his expenses, especially since he was earning his own money now.
Lucy smiled, waving off his concern. "Don't worry, I'm not paying from my own pocket. It's the lady's money. She won't mind if you buy a book with it." She paid for the books with a rather large coin pouch, the cost seeming higher than the clothes Cassian had bought earlier. "In fact, she'll probably be happy you're showing an interest in reading. Just don't forget to thank her later."
Cassian nodded with a smile. He figured Lady Katherine wouldn't get upset over spending a few coins on a book for him. And even if she did, he could always apologize and accept whatever punishment she gave him, though he doubted it would come to that.
Now that there was nothing left on Cassian's list, he thought about how he'd have gone to buy a real sword if he had enough money. But swords cost gold coins, and he only had one of those while they cost many. As they exited the bookstore, Cassian's stomach growled, and spotting a restaurant across the street, he turned to Lucy with a grin.
"Let's eat, my treat," he said cheerfully. Without waiting for Lucy's response, he headed toward the restaurant, balancing the books and clothes in his hands since he didn't want her to carry them.
Lucy smiled, following behind. "Just don't complain later if I eat too much," she teased.
"You can eat as much as you want, Miss Lucy," Cassian replied, playing along.
"Oh? Are you trying to make me fat? I'm already so overweight!" she said with mock outrage, continuing the playful banter.
Cassian suddenly stopped, turning to Lucy with a serious expression. "You're not fat, Miss Lucy," he said, his tone firm.
Lucy, caught off guard by his seriousness, blinked in surprise as he continued, "Mrs. Purner was fat. But you..." He paused, his eyes briefly scanning her from head to toe before locking back onto hers, his voice still serious as he added, "You are pure desire."
Lucy's cheeks turned a light shade of pink, but she quickly recovered, her lips curling into a teasing grin. "Oh, you little flirt," she said, reaching out and gently squeezing Cassian's cheek. Her touch was playful, but the warmth of it made his heart race.
Cassian's face immediately flushed a deep red, feeling the heat rise up his neck. He looked away, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "I wasn't... I mean... I just said the truth," he mumbled, embarrassed.
Lucy chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "So serious, huh? You've got a way with words, Cassian. Keep it up, and you'll have all the ladies in the estate wrapped around your finger."
Cassian, still blushing, shook his head and smiled shyly. "I-I wasn't trying to..."
"Relax," Lucy said, her tone softer now as she let go of his cheek. "It's cute. But let's get inside before you turn as red as your hair."
Cassian and Lucy took seats in a bustling corner of the restaurant, settling near a table where a group of armored men and women sat, talking loudly as they ate. They weren't soldiers from any noble family or the duke's army, judging by the mismatched gear. Some wore leather, others metal, while a few didn't even bother with armor at all. Yet all of them had weapons within reach, slung casually by their sides as they joked and spoke with booming voices.
Despite the noise from their table, the rest of the restaurant was just as lively. Other patrons chatted away, lost in their own conversations, while the staff moved briskly between tables, serving dishes without a care for the louder group. Neither Cassian nor Lucy paid them much attention either as they settled in and placed their order.
After a moment of comfortable silence, Cassian glanced at Lucy and, with a curious look, asked, "Miss Lucy, you were married before, right?"
Paragraph comment
Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.
Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.
GOT IT