Chapter 15: Royal Birthday (4)
All eyes fixated on us as we made our entrance.
The tardiness was apparent, a fact not lost on anyone, especially Vanessa and Cornelius. However, their demeanor suggested a deliberate choice rather than a lapse in punctuality. It was as if they intended to make a statement, boldly asserting that royal conventions held no sway over them.
Mindful of the distinguished gathering, I opted to conceal my face slightly. Though the likelihood of someone recognizing me was slim, the memories recovered a year ago—details of my life before the age of seven—were far from pleasant. I sought to avoid any potential revelations tied to my unique features, which set me apart in all of Britannia.
"Dear, your mother and I have some important matters to discuss. Be kind and behave, okay?" Cornelius lowered his face, adopting a doting expression directed at his granddaughter.
"I know, Grandpa. Don't worry," Celastrina replied, her smirk doing little to reassure.
Turning his attention to me, Cornelius's demeanor underwent a swift transformation as he glared down, his tone sharp and threatening. "And you, brat. Even if you die, I don't care. Not a scratch should happen to her. If I hear you've tried anything, I'll kill you and serve your body as a dish for the guests. Understand?"
Despite my inclination to ignore him, I met his gaze with a cold stare. "Understood."
"Good!" Cornelius delivered a swift slap to my head before departing.
"Guh!" My head snapped forward, a grunt escaping me in response to the pain.
Suppressing my anger, I clenched my fists, quickly recovering as I discreetly clasped my arm behind my back.
I will kill this old man one day, I swear.
Vanessa concluded her interactions with a reassuring pat on Celastrina's shoulder before casting a final glance in my direction. With a nod, she headed purposefully toward the King.
"Where is Prince Arthur?" Celastrina voiced her frustration, stomping the ground angrily as her gaze darted around the room.
I trailed closely behind her as she forcefully made her way through the crowd, using her mana to clear a path without a care for her public image. Those in her way wisely chose to step aside.
"Kyaa!" A girl standing ahead found herself pushed away by Celastrina's determined advance. Though she possessed her own appeal, it was clear she didn't measure up to Celastrina's standards. I paid her little attention, and when she extended her hand toward me with puppy eyes, I remained indifferent and continued following Celastrina but she suddenly gasped and my sleeves were firmly grasped.
What?
I turned to find the girl looking up at me again, this time with tears threatening to fall. While I could have chosen to ignore her, the presence of onlookers and the fact that she was a noble while I was a commoner prompted me to extend my hand.
"Are you okay, milady?" I asked, adopting a gentle tone.
"Thanks, um, Sir?"
"I'm a mere butler, milady."
"Still, may I know the name of my helper?" she insisted as she stood up.
My eyes flickered toward Celastrina ahead, still visible in the distance. Returning my attention to the girl, I replied, "Night."
"Night? Oh, it's a beautiful name. I'm Veronica Foxner! Pleased to meet you!" Veronica greeted me with a lady-like bow.
I found her behavior peculiar and took a moment to observe her. Veronica possessed long brown hair with blue eyes, coupled with a pretty face. However, she didn't seem to fit into the narrative of the erotic romance game I was familiar with. While I hadn't played through every aspect of the game, I was certain she wasn't one of the 7 Heroines meant to be conquered or the 7 Villainesses meant to be eliminated.
Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but there was something about Veronica that caught my attention.
Foxner is her House?
I quickly browsed through my mental database of Noble House names and identified her as the daughter of a Viscount.
"Then, if you'd excuse me—" I began to say to leave.
"Hum! Sir Night, is a Lady Celastrina's butler?" Veronica interjected before I could leave.
A slight frown crossed my face, but I swiftly erased it. "Yes, Milady."
"Oh? Why are you hiding your face, Sir Night?" she asked, catching me off guard.
Choosing to maintain my silence, I stared at her intently. Veronica blushed and averted her gaze, but my focus shifted to a nagging thought.
This girl wasn't ordinary.
"Then, I hope we will see each other again, Sir Night!" Veronica declared, departing in haste.
Observing her departure, I turned back toward Celastrina, who remained rooted in the same spot, seemingly frozen. As I approached her, I followed her gaze and spotted Arthur conversing with three individuals—Irisdina, Melvin, and likely Robin Greenmore, the daughter of Duke Greenmore and a secondary target for Melvin's affections.
They engaged in cheerful conversation, but I couldn't help but notice Irisdina's occasional furtive glances towards Celastrina, who stared at them with a blank expression.
"Milady—" I started, but Celastrina cut me off coldly.
"Shut up," she commanded, and I recognized the simmering anger beneath her seemingly calm exterior.
Having served her for three years as a butler, I knew the signs. She was on the verge of exploding, and I couldn't allow her anger to be directed at Arthur or Irisdina. Recognizing the potential danger, I swiftly devised a plan: separate Irisdina from the group and leave Celastrina alone with Arthur. It seemed the safest course of action to prevent a volatile situation from escalating further. It was clearly a red flag for Celastrina in which she becomes the villainess and in which she is cast out of the Kingdom and in which obviously her butler is beheaded as traitor.
"Milady, be ready," I whispered to Celastrina before stepping forward. Grabbing a glass of lemon water from one of the tables, I walked past Irisdina and tilted the glass.
"Haah!" Irisdina yelped as water lightly spilled onto her dress.
"My apologies, Milady!" I quickly bowed my head in a hurried apology.
"You...!!" Prince Arthur didn't seem pleased, and he swung his fist toward my cheeks. Timing it perfectly, I allowed his fist to graze the air just an inch from my face, then took a step back, intentionally stumbling and falling to the ground.
Seated on the floor, holding my cheeks, I stood up and bowed my head again. "Your Highness, Milady. My deepest apologies."
"No! You must pay—"
"It's okay, Your Highness," Irisdina intervened before Arthur could pursue any further action against me. She then looked around looking for the restroom.
"Milady, please allow me to make amends," I interjected in a panicked and insistent tone, almost pleading for the opportunity to help Irisdina. The fear of potential repercussions if left alone with Arthur fueled my urgency, that was what I wanted to convey to her.
Irisdina, grasping the situation, smiled and nodded. "Gladly."
I noticed Arthur's peculiar gaze on me, his fist clenched in an odd manner, as if dumbfounded on his own surreal force at how easily he brought me down. However, my focus was on Celastrina, who was already making her way toward Arthur.
A red flag pulled out.
Under normal circumstances, Celastrina would have erupted at Irisdina, tarnishing Arthur's image and worsening their situation. Yet, with Irisdina now out of the equation, the expected confrontation seemed averted. Their relation shouldn't turn wrong at least until the academy arc in two years.
"You are Seila's butler, aren't you?" Irisdina suddenly asked.
"Yes, Milady," I replied, while confirming that she didn't guess that I had willingly spilled the water.
"Hmm. I see." With her hands clasped behind her, Irisdina nodded before glancing at me and asking, "Your name?"
"Night, Milady," I responded, opening the door leading outside the birthday hall and into the corridors.
I had memorized the palace's layout with Alfred's help, knowing exactly where the restroom was located. Irisdina continued to glance at me, and I sensed her hesitation to inquire further about her half-sister. Despite her composed exterior, she harbored a desire to forge a closer bond with Celastrina—the only blood-related sibling she had. But Celastrina had attempted to harm Irisdina, resulting in either exile or death at the hands of Melvin.
As the final thoughts settled in my mind, my gaze turned cold as I watched Irisdina, the supposed cause of Celastrina's demise, walking ahead.
I vowed silently within myself—I would never allow that fate to befall Celastrina. She wouldn't become a villainess, nor would she die.
The same determination extended to Seraphina, another villainess marked for elimination within the game's logic.
I harbored no compassion toward the 7 Great Heroines or the protagonists; in my eyes, they were all living death flags for Celastrina, myself, and Seraphina.
The best solution might be to kill Irisdina and Melvin.
In this outcome, Celastrina would never die, so consequently I would avoid death.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone