Hugo was waiting outside of the dining room door, and politely bowed his head.
“Did you sleep well, Master?”
“You did something useless.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Despite the Duke’s terse remark, Hugo opened the door, while maintaining an unwavering smile.
‘Was he going to hear something mean because of me? I’m sorry, what should I do?’
Hugo winked at me when I made a glum expression. It seemed to mean that it was okay, and I shouldn’t worry.
Honestly, even with my crazy social skills, I thought Hugo would be as hard to conquer as the Duke of Bastion…
‘Unexpectedly, he opened up his heart faster than the sister maids.’
Unlike the perfect ‘butler force’ he exuded that wouldn’t allow a single needle to enter, he acted like the old man next door towards me.
I didn’t know if he had a weakness for children too, or if there were other reasons, but I was lucky.
It was easier to court the Duke now that I had won the heart of the head butler, the pillar of the Bastion mansion!
As if answering Hugo, I smiled and followed the Duke into the dining room.
“Sit down.”
“Yes.”
The Duke pulled out a chair at a table that could easily seat 20 people.
At this point, it was obvious what he wanted.
‘This nobleman seems to want to feed me whenever he sees me.’
It was a pretty good sign. Originally, the measure of affection was a grain of rice.
If he started to worry about whether I had eaten, it was love, and if he didn’t care whether I ate or not, he was sick of me.
“Father-in-law candidate, the adjustment phase shouldn’t last long.”
“Adjustment.”
“There’s something like that.”
As I smiled and gently kicked my legs, the Duke walked around me and sat down at the head of the table near me.
At that moment, the chef appeared from the kitchen that was connected to the dining room and tactfully delivered two servings of food.
One serving in front of the duke, and one child-sized serving in front of me.
I waved my hands at the chef, who was stepping back after serving his simple but appetizing breakfast, and he slightly waved back.
The Duke, who’d been watching the scene, asked with an expression of puzzlement.
“Do you know the chef’s name?”
“Mr. Sanchez?”
“…Let’s eat.”
He shook his head after hearing the answer.
Then he started eating like an elegant jaguar, so I calmly picked up my fork.
I wasn’t hungry, but Aisha’s body was too tiny. I needed to eat well, grow up quickly, and marry the eldest son of this family after the Duke gave him to me.
I glanced around as I dipped a sausage into the gravy and ate it.
Maybe it was because there were so many empty seats at the table, but I felt lonely and underwhelmed, so I mumbled.
“Rice is delicious when eaten with many people.”
“If you’re looking for that child…”
“Yes, I heard about it. I heard that my potential husband is at the Academy. My husband-candidate’s younger brother is at the mansion in the territory.”
Naturally, as soon as I got to know the maids, I asked them. Who did he think I was?
The duke was silent about the overnight findings of the household affairs. Now, he seemed to be too stunned to say anything at all.
Yet, there was a smile on the tip of his lips, as if he didn’t mind.
As expected, there was an adjustment period.
***
“Hello, Aisha!”
“Hello!”
I walked out of the mansion with a package in my hand, greeted everyone I ran into, then rushed past them.
In my arms, there was a lot of jerky from Chef Sanchez.
“Guys!”
Even before I finished yelling, blue wolves came running down from the mountain.
I hadn’t met the wolves since I was assigned a maid’s room, and they’d refused my suggestion to return home.
That was because they didn’t want to leave me.
However, if they continued to wander around the grounds of the estate, people would be afraid of them, so they agreed to stay at a place that was called ‘The Yard’ that backed up against the mountain.
The knights, who were initially uncomfortable, seemed mildly pleased and said that security would be tighter.
Also, while I was eating breakfast with the Duke, he said it didn’t matter if there were wild animals on the mountain.
‘Is this what it feels like to get permission to raise a pet?’
All my life, I’d dreamed of raising a dog.
I couldn’t even think about it though because I was barely making ends meet on my own.
‘I guess all that sadness at that time gave me the momentum to be friends with the wolf pack.’
I laughed, threw jerky at the wolves, stroked them one by one, and talked to them.
“So, I’m your mommy, right? Oh, the ash colored ones are a couple. And that kid…”
I squeezed a ball, and it made ‘squee squee’ sounds, as if it was suffering.
The wolves needed names since we’d be together forever.
Having gobbled all of the jerky in the blink of an eye, I counted the exact number of wolves.
Oh, there’s 12.
Then…
“Organize!”
When I pointed to the alpha wolf and shouted, the wolves quickly lined up in order.
The first I would name was the majestic alpha wolf.
“January. Since you’re the alpha, the first one is January.”
“Arf!”
January wagged his bushy tail. Fortunately, he seemed to like the name.
“Then after that it’s February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.”
The remaining eleven were named in sequence.
Don’t cuss at me just because I named them poorly. I was born without a naming sense in exchange for socializing skills.
Now it was time to smile proudly after doing my best.
“Wow, a real wolf is following you…”
A young man’s voice was heard behind her.
I calmed down and looked behind me just in case the wolves charged in, as the man I met yesterday was approaching.
The man, who had dark circles under his eyes down to the tip of his nose and looked like it would hit his chin soon, waved his hand at me from a distance.
[Baset: So I mistranslated this in the earlier chapter. I didn’t realize she was saying he had super insane black bags under his eyes. I feel very badly for him. D:]
“Will they bite me if I get too close?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Isn’t that right?” I scratched January’s chin as if seeking his agreement.
The wolves weren’t happy, but they snorted and sat down on their butts or laid down on their bellies, as if they could bear it because I was here.
“I was amazed when I heard about it, but it’s even more surprising to see it in person.”
The man approached carefully as he was bursting with excitement, and bowed to me.
“I had a bit of a situation yesterday, so I’m officially greeting you now. I’m Benjamin Cooper, assistant to the Duke of Bastion.”
“Oh, hello. My name is Aisha. Feel free to talk to me whenever!”
As I put my hands together at my navel and bowed, Benjamin looked at me with half a hint of curiosity and half a hint of adoration.
“You’re the daughter-in-law.”
“But I’m still a candidate.”
“Is that right?”
“It’s still to be decided.”
Benjamin opened his eyes wide in surprise, and soon smiled.
Was he laughing at me? I don’t think he’s laughing, so I’ll let it slide.
He chuckled, then cleared his throat, as if he had just felt a different kind of interest and enjoyment.
“I’m sorry. You talk so well for your age… you’re so smart.”
“I understand. You work with my father-in-law’s candidate, so you don’t get to have fun often.”
I deliberately pretended to be haughty as I answered, and he burst into laughter again.
He must have nothing to laugh about.
What job was more boring and stressful than being the assistant to the Duke of Bastion?
In name and reality, it was necessary to soothe the outsider of the empire so that he could still manage to live in society.
‘Even though he was an outsider, he still managed to torment the world all on his own.’
Considering the many struggles that Benjamin must have gone through, the history of those dark circles was understandable.
At an early age, his face was withering and dying. At this rate, he’ll be a bachelor with nowhere else to go.
Sensing my pitying gaze, Benjamin rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“Um, I’m sorry.”
Even if you understand. Then you should smile, and smile more. Should I make him laugh at a time like this, and how do I make him laugh?
I held Benjamin’s hand tightly, and asked seriously.
“Aide to my potential father-in-law, do you know what animal lies a lot?”
“What?”
“An animal that lies.”
“…There are other highly intelligent animals besides humans that are dishonest just to satisfy their desires?”
What are you talking about? That’s not even funny.
Sensing the stench of extreme mundaneness from the serious Benjamin, I quickly answered.
“The answer is a lion.”
Benjamin’s stiff face gradually began to twist.
Surprisingly, not because he was angry, but because he was trying not to laugh.
I’d made a decisive strike, as he covered his quivering mouth with his hand.
“Then what’s the name of a soup made from lions?”
“What, I don’t know.”
“The king of all soups.”
He sobbed and collapsed.
I didn’t expect it to go over this well. I guess there wasn’t as much hope for his life as I thought.
I let out a deep sigh while I touched my forehead.
‘Wasn’t this like Duke Bastion? Isn’t there a sense of suffering?’
How much seriousness did you create around you?
Anyway, it would be an invaluable opportunity for me.
I folded my hands over my chest and smiled benevolently at Benjamin, who was rolling around holding his belly.
Yes, assistant to the Duke of Bastion. Should I save you from your boring life?
“Aisha knows a lot more funny jokes.”
I got my first colleague!
***
Benjamin, who was now clinging to my tail like a pet in an RPG game, asked.
“By the way, Aisha, why are you dressed as a maid?”
“It’s my taste.”
“I see.”
“Of course, it’s Father-in-law’s taste.”
“I see.”
Did he really think so?
I was just joking around because I was bored, but Benjamin believed everything that I’ve said so far.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
He’d laughed so hard at my old man jokes and got distracted. That was how I harmed his brain.
An aide to the Duke of Bastion would definitely be smart, but intelligence and common sense were different things.
Afraid of getting in trouble, I corrected myself for fear of receiving a strict lecture about whether it was actually the Duke’s taste or not.
“Actually, I’m in bridal training.”
It was half true. No one else knew this, but I decided to think like that! If I said so, then it’s like that!
I clenched my fist, and spilled the other half of my heart.
“And I think it would be easier to entice my potential father-in-law.”
“Oh, and this outfit is to his taste…”
“That’s not true. Phew, watch closely.”
I greeted the oldest of the servants, the maid I had befriended first, with a wave of my hands.
“Miss Joan!”
“Oh my, Aisha. What are you doing here?”
And with Cooper.
Joan’s grimace insinuated that her words had finally been swallowed.
That was because the place where Benjamin and I were squatting down whispering was right in front of the door into the Duke of Bastion’s office.
‘I had timed it perfectly, and Benjamin thought it was entertaining, so he just copied me.’
Then Joan appeared with a tray of refreshments for the Duke.
Was there another savior? A savior who would give me the opportunity to plant an apple tree right now.
I gathered my hands together, then gave a sparkling look to my savior named Joan.
“Hey, sister. Can Aisha bring it in for you?”
“Huh? To the Master?”
Nodding
I nodded my head enthusiastically.
Joan was a bit reluctant though.
It wasn’t because I was going to take her work, but because she wasn’t sure if it was okay.
“The butler told me to let you do whatever you want…”
Hugo, nice assist!
I wanted to take possession of the ball from her, and advance on the goal post.
“I couldn’t properly serve the Duke in the morning. Aisha is so upset. So, please give me one more chance. Please? Pleeeeaaaassseeeeee?”
I gently clung onto Joan, who was holding the tray, with only enough force that the refreshments wouldn’t be in danger.
My expression was gloomy, my voice was desperate, but I didn’t whine too much.
Joan’s resolve shook with a small groan.
I was almost there. A little more! A little more!
Then I prayed with all my heart, like I was looking at a Jenga tower that was about to collapse. That was when Benjamin stepped in to help from beside me.
“If it’s a problem, I’ll take responsibility, so leave it to me.”
“Yes, of course… be careful.”
When even the Duke’s aide took my side, Joan handed over the tray as if it couldn’t be helped.
“Yay!”
I cheered and received it excitedly, but the tray was heavier than I thought.
Without a doubt, I was leaning within a moment.
“I was wondering how long you were going to keep messing around.”
The Duke of Bastion, who looked like he had a lot on his mind, appeared with a grimace on his face and took the tray.
Hugo was waiting outside of the dining room door, and politely bowed his head.
“Did you sleep well, Master?”
“You did something useless.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
Despite the Duke’s terse remark, Hugo opened the door, while maintaining an unwavering smile.
‘Was he going to hear something mean because of me? I’m sorry, what should I do?’
Hugo winked at me when I made a glum expression. It seemed to mean that it was okay, and I shouldn’t worry.
Honestly, even with my crazy social skills, I thought Hugo would be as hard to conquer as the Duke of Bastion…
‘Unexpectedly, he opened up his heart faster than the sister maids.’
Unlike the perfect ‘butler force’ he exuded that wouldn’t allow a single needle to enter, he acted like the old man next door towards me.
I didn’t know if he had a weakness for children too, or if there were other reasons, but I was lucky.
It was easier to court the Duke now that I had won the heart of the head butler, the pillar of the Bastion mansion!
As if answering Hugo, I smiled and followed the Duke into the dining room.
“Sit down.”
“Yes.”
The Duke pulled out a chair at a table that could easily seat 20 people.
At this point, it was obvious what he wanted.
‘This nobleman seems to want to feed me whenever he sees me.’
It was a pretty good sign. Originally, the measure of affection was a grain of rice.
If he started to worry about whether I had eaten, it was love, and if he didn’t care whether I ate or not, he was sick of me.
“Father-in-law candidate, the adjustment phase shouldn’t last long.”
“Adjustment.”
“There’s something like that.”
As I smiled and gently kicked my legs, the Duke walked around me and sat down at the head of the table near me.
At that moment, the chef appeared from the kitchen that was connected to the dining room and tactfully delivered two servings of food.
One serving in front of the duke, and one child-sized serving in front of me.
I waved my hands at the chef, who was stepping back after serving his simple but appetizing breakfast, and he slightly waved back.
The Duke, who’d been watching the scene, asked with an expression of puzzlement.
“Do you know the chef’s name?”
“Mr. Sanchez?”
“…Let’s eat.”
He shook his head after hearing the answer.
Then he started eating like an elegant jaguar, so I calmly picked up my fork.
I wasn’t hungry, but Aisha’s body was too tiny. I needed to eat well, grow up quickly, and marry the eldest son of this family after the Duke gave him to me.
I glanced around as I dipped a sausage into the gravy and ate it.
Maybe it was because there were so many empty seats at the table, but I felt lonely and underwhelmed, so I mumbled.
“Rice is delicious when eaten with many people.”
“If you’re looking for that child…”
“Yes, I heard about it. I heard that my potential husband is at the Academy. My husband-candidate’s younger brother is at the mansion in the territory.”
Naturally, as soon as I got to know the maids, I asked them. Who did he think I was?
The duke was silent about the overnight findings of the household affairs. Now, he seemed to be too stunned to say anything at all.
Yet, there was a smile on the tip of his lips, as if he didn’t mind.
As expected, there was an adjustment period.
***
“Hello, Aisha!”
“Hello!”
I walked out of the mansion with a package in my hand, greeted everyone I ran into, then rushed past them.
In my arms, there was a lot of jerky from Chef Sanchez.
“Guys!”
Even before I finished yelling, blue wolves came running down from the mountain.
I hadn’t met the wolves since I was assigned a maid’s room, and they’d refused my suggestion to return home.
That was because they didn’t want to leave me.
However, if they continued to wander around the grounds of the estate, people would be afraid of them, so they agreed to stay at a place that was called ‘The Yard’ that backed up against the mountain.
The knights, who were initially uncomfortable, seemed mildly pleased and said that security would be tighter.
Also, while I was eating breakfast with the Duke, he said it didn’t matter if there were wild animals on the mountain.
‘Is this what it feels like to get permission to raise a pet?’
All my life, I’d dreamed of raising a dog.
I couldn’t even think about it though because I was barely making ends meet on my own.
‘I guess all that sadness at that time gave me the momentum to be friends with the wolf pack.’
I laughed, threw jerky at the wolves, stroked them one by one, and talked to them.
“So, I’m your mommy, right? Oh, the ash colored ones are a couple. And that kid…”
I squeezed a ball, and it made ‘squee squee’ sounds, as if it was suffering.
The wolves needed names since we’d be together forever.
Having gobbled all of the jerky in the blink of an eye, I counted the exact number of wolves.
Oh, there’s 12.
Then…
“Organize!”
When I pointed to the alpha wolf and shouted, the wolves quickly lined up in order.
The first I would name was the majestic alpha wolf.
“January. Since you’re the alpha, the first one is January.”
“Arf!”
January wagged his bushy tail. Fortunately, he seemed to like the name.
“Then after that it’s February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December.”
The remaining eleven were named in sequence.
Don’t cuss at me just because I named them poorly. I was born without a naming sense in exchange for socializing skills.
Now it was time to smile proudly after doing my best.
“Wow, a real wolf is following you…”
A young man’s voice was heard behind her.
I calmed down and looked behind me just in case the wolves charged in, as the man I met yesterday was approaching.
The man, who had dark circles under his eyes down to the tip of his nose and looked like it would hit his chin soon, waved his hand at me from a distance.
[Baset: So I mistranslated this in the earlier chapter. I didn’t realize she was saying he had super insane black bags under his eyes. I feel very badly for him. D:]
“Will they bite me if I get too close?”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Isn’t that right?” I scratched January’s chin as if seeking his agreement.
The wolves weren’t happy, but they snorted and sat down on their butts or laid down on their bellies, as if they could bear it because I was here.
“I was amazed when I heard about it, but it’s even more surprising to see it in person.”
The man approached carefully as he was bursting with excitement, and bowed to me.
“I had a bit of a situation yesterday, so I’m officially greeting you now. I’m Benjamin Cooper, assistant to the Duke of Bastion.”
“Oh, hello. My name is Aisha. Feel free to talk to me whenever!”
As I put my hands together at my navel and bowed, Benjamin looked at me with half a hint of curiosity and half a hint of adoration.
“You’re the daughter-in-law.”
“But I’m still a candidate.”
“Is that right?”
“It’s still to be decided.”
Benjamin opened his eyes wide in surprise, and soon smiled.
Was he laughing at me? I don’t think he’s laughing, so I’ll let it slide.
He chuckled, then cleared his throat, as if he had just felt a different kind of interest and enjoyment.
“I’m sorry. You talk so well for your age… you’re so smart.”
“I understand. You work with my father-in-law’s candidate, so you don’t get to have fun often.”
I deliberately pretended to be haughty as I answered, and he burst into laughter again.
He must have nothing to laugh about.
What job was more boring and stressful than being the assistant to the Duke of Bastion?
In name and reality, it was necessary to soothe the outsider of the empire so that he could still manage to live in society.
‘Even though he was an outsider, he still managed to torment the world all on his own.’
Considering the many struggles that Benjamin must have gone through, the history of those dark circles was understandable.
At an early age, his face was withering and dying. At this rate, he’ll be a bachelor with nowhere else to go.
Sensing my pitying gaze, Benjamin rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.
“Um, I’m sorry.”
Even if you understand. Then you should smile, and smile more. Should I make him laugh at a time like this, and how do I make him laugh?
I held Benjamin’s hand tightly, and asked seriously.
“Aide to my potential father-in-law, do you know what animal lies a lot?”
“What?”
“An animal that lies.”
“…There are other highly intelligent animals besides humans that are dishonest just to satisfy their desires?”
What are you talking about? That’s not even funny.
Sensing the stench of extreme mundaneness from the serious Benjamin, I quickly answered.
“The answer is a lion.”
Benjamin’s stiff face gradually began to twist.
Surprisingly, not because he was angry, but because he was trying not to laugh.
I’d made a decisive strike, as he covered his quivering mouth with his hand.
“Then what’s the name of a soup made from lions?”
“What, I don’t know.”
“The king of all soups.”
He sobbed and collapsed.
I didn’t expect it to go over this well. I guess there wasn’t as much hope for his life as I thought.
I let out a deep sigh while I touched my forehead.
‘Wasn’t this like Duke Bastion? Isn’t there a sense of suffering?’
How much seriousness did you create around you?
Anyway, it would be an invaluable opportunity for me.
I folded my hands over my chest and smiled benevolently at Benjamin, who was rolling around holding his belly.
Yes, assistant to the Duke of Bastion. Should I save you from your boring life?
“Aisha knows a lot more funny jokes.”
I got my first colleague!
***
Benjamin, who was now clinging to my tail like a pet in an RPG game, asked.
“By the way, Aisha, why are you dressed as a maid?”
“It’s my taste.”
“I see.”
“Of course, it’s Father-in-law’s taste.”
“I see.”
Did he really think so?
I was just joking around because I was bored, but Benjamin believed everything that I’ve said so far.
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
He’d laughed so hard at my old man jokes and got distracted. That was how I harmed his brain.
An aide to the Duke of Bastion would definitely be smart, but intelligence and common sense were different things.
Afraid of getting in trouble, I corrected myself for fear of receiving a strict lecture about whether it was actually the Duke’s taste or not.
“Actually, I’m in bridal training.”
It was half true. No one else knew this, but I decided to think like that! If I said so, then it’s like that!
I clenched my fist, and spilled the other half of my heart.
“And I think it would be easier to entice my potential father-in-law.”
“Oh, and this outfit is to his taste…”
“That’s not true. Phew, watch closely.”
I greeted the oldest of the servants, the maid I had befriended first, with a wave of my hands.
“Miss Joan!”
“Oh my, Aisha. What are you doing here?”
And with Cooper.
Joan’s grimace insinuated that her words had finally been swallowed.
That was because the place where Benjamin and I were squatting down whispering was right in front of the door into the Duke of Bastion’s office.
‘I had timed it perfectly, and Benjamin thought it was entertaining, so he just copied me.’
Then Joan appeared with a tray of refreshments for the Duke.
Was there another savior? A savior who would give me the opportunity to plant an apple tree right now.
I gathered my hands together, then gave a sparkling look to my savior named Joan.
“Hey, sister. Can Aisha bring it in for you?”
“Huh? To the Master?”
Nodding
I nodded my head enthusiastically.
Joan was a bit reluctant though.
It wasn’t because I was going to take her work, but because she wasn’t sure if it was okay.
“The butler told me to let you do whatever you want…”
Hugo, nice assist!
I wanted to take possession of the ball from her, and advance on the goal post.
“I couldn’t properly serve the Duke in the morning. Aisha is so upset. So, please give me one more chance. Please? Pleeeeaaaassseeeeee?”
I gently clung onto Joan, who was holding the tray, with only enough force that the refreshments wouldn’t be in danger.
My expression was gloomy, my voice was desperate, but I didn’t whine too much.
Joan’s resolve shook with a small groan.
I was almost there. A little more! A little more!
Then I prayed with all my heart, like I was looking at a Jenga tower that was about to collapse. That was when Benjamin stepped in to help from beside me.
“If it’s a problem, I’ll take responsibility, so leave it to me.”
“Yes, of course… be careful.”
When even the Duke’s aide took my side, Joan handed over the tray as if it couldn’t be helped.
“Yay!”
I cheered and received it excitedly, but the tray was heavier than I thought.
Without a doubt, I was leaning within a moment.
“I was wondering how long you were going to keep messing around.”
The Duke of Bastion, who looked like he had a lot on his mind, appeared with a grimace on his face and took the tray.
