A Morning of Lingering Desires

The night rain fell ceaselessly throughout the night.

As Claire’s butler, Gus’s workday commenced precisely with the sun.

Though arduous, this duty was also his profound honor.

He cherished this ‘azure hour’ when the sun had not yet fully awakened, for only a select few were permitted to move freely about Krieg Manor at such an early time.

In a sense, this freedom symbolized his standing as a prominent citizen of the Human Empire.

Many young ladies still slumbered peacefully, and the servants remained deep in their dreams.

As he strolled along the paths of Krieg Manor, he surveyed the estate’s beautiful scenery.

Gus firmly believed that, for these fleeting minutes, he was the true master of Krieg Manor.

But then—

“Achoo!!!”

‘What was that sound?’

His gaze immediately snapped towards the source of the sound.

There, at the entrance to the castle where Claire resided, a small, dark-haired figure emerged from the main gate, taking quick, trembling steps.

Perhaps it was the stark white blanket wrapped around her, or perhaps her dark hair, but the small figure stood out strikingly against the somber Western-style architecture.

Of course, it also helped that Gus recognized her.

“Seraphina?” Gus called out tentatively, his voice carrying through the damp air.

“Hm!?”

Startled by Gus’s voice, Seraphina lifted her head, which was the only part of her exposed from the white sheet, and looked at him.

“Ah, it’s Mr. Gus… Good morning.”

Gus scrutinized the small figure before him, truly wondering what ordeal she had endured last night.

Her face was deathly pale, her hair disheveled, and her voice a weak, breathless whisper.

Paired with the deep circles beneath her eyes, she resembled a mummy that had toiled through an entire night.

“Good morning, Miss Seraphina.”

Observing Seraphina’s frail, breathless state, Gus felt an inexplicable urge to offer her a bottle of stomach medicine.

“I have something to attend to; I must hurry back to the staff dormitory… Please excuse me!”

Without pausing, Seraphina hastily sprinted towards the staff dormitory—this time, no carriage awaited her.

Turning to watch Seraphina’s small figure disappear into the rain, Gus couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Consequently, he drew a massive umbrella from his pocket and, in an instant, shimmered into existence before Seraphina.

“What the—” Seraphina muttered under her breath, then quickly added, “Is there something you need, Mr. Gus?”

Muddy water stained the trailing end of her pristine white blanket, and the rain lent an unnatural sheen to her dark hair.

“…Take this umbrella,” Gus said, opening it thoughtfully for Seraphina before extending it to her. “Be careful not to catch a chill.”

“…Thank you.”

With a long sigh, Gus turned and resumed his walk towards the castle.

Immediately afterward, an unexpected voice reached his ears once more.

“Morning, Gus~”

‘What commotion was this now?’

As a butler, Gus naturally recognized his mistress’s voice at once.

However, it wasn’t Claire’s voice that astonished him, but rather… her attire.

“By the Goddess! I can understand Seraphina’s predicament, but why have you, too, ventured out wrapped only in a bedsheet?”

“Oh, my… She traveled such a long way to visit; as her host, I simply had to give her a proper send-off~”

“I understand the sentiment… but are you presenting yourself before His Imperial Majesty in such a state?”

Unlike Seraphina’s modest white sheet, Claire had draped the entire red silk quilt from her bed over herself.

She wore nothing underneath, emerging completely unclad.

The voluminous red and blue quilt formed a long train behind Claire, making her appear, at first glance, like a figure adorned in royal regalia.

“Ah, Gus… you simply lack a romantic sensibility.”

Cupping her flushed cheeks, Claire gazed wistfully into the distance, her eyes fixed on the retreating figure.

Only two or three minutes prior, they had concluded their final ‘battle’.

Yet, unlike Seraphina’s haggard appearance, Claire was radiant and invigorated.

Her skin, in particular, glowed with a dewy luster, as if she had just undergone a luxurious treatment.

‘As your butler, I am obligated to remind you of the dangers of staying up late and indulging in excessive pleasures…’

“Too many words, Gus. As a butler, your most crucial duty is not to meddle too much.”

“…This subordinate understands their transgression.”

“…Nevertheless,” Gus couldn’t suppress his curiosity. “Judging by the outcome… the ‘operation’ was a success, wasn’t it?”

“? So this situation is…?”

“Well now…” Claire mused, placing a finger to her lips, a knowing smile gracing her face.

“Let’s just say, Miss Seraphina is far more adventurous than she appears~”

“?”

Seeing Gus’s increasing bewilderment, Claire couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

“Oh, you old-fashioned relic of a bygone era! There’s no need for you to understand everything about us young people~”

“Here, this.”

From beneath the quilt, Claire produced a small glass bottle and carefully placed it into Gus’s hand.

“From now on, every morning, please prepare a bottle of this solution for me. The ratio is 10 parts water to 1 part this.”

“Just place it in the dining room when it’s ready. I’ll use it to soothe my throat before meals.”

“? Miss Claire, if I may be so bold.”

Gus held the glass bottle up to his eyes, meticulously examining the liquid within.

“What is this liquid? As your butler, I am obligated to ensure your health.”

“Hehe…” Claire chuckled mischievously. “It wouldn’t hurt to tell you.”

“It’s [Luther King]. Reverse the words, and you’ll find its true meaning~”

“? King Luther? What is that?”

Turning her head towards Gus, Claire offered a helpless smile.

“Figure it out yourself.”

“Hahaha—I’m going back to catch up on my sleep now.”

With that, the red and blue silk quilt swirled as Claire, yawning leisurely, ambled back to her room.

‘King Luther… King Luther… I’ve never heard of such a thing.’

As Claire’s butler, Gus’s mind worked quickly. ‘Could it be… that’s not how it’s meant to be reversed?’

‘Luther King… Luther King… Luther…’

Like a bolt of lightning piercing the night, that accidental pause allowed Gus, as a man, to instantly grasp Claire’s true meaning.

‘Hmph… as expected of the youth; they certainly know how to have a good time!’

****

‘Failure! Utter failure!’

Hiding in the lavatory, Seraphina released her grip, peeling back her pristine new maid uniform.

The white blanket instantly slipped away, revealing a faint glow beneath the uniform.

“Cardo! That… that power, can I use it now?”

“I need to get rid of this, right now!!!”

“Oh, why so angry? It was just a romp in the hay, wasn’t it?”

Yawning, Cardo floated out of Seraphina’s body, stretching languidly.

“Furthermore,” Cardo continued, circling around to perch on Seraphina’s shoulder, a mischievous grin plastered across his face. “Didn’t you enjoy it just now? Anyone unaware would think you were the Goddess of the Ocean…”

“Get lost!”

Shaking her shoulder, Seraphina dislodged Cardo. “Damn it! Even if my body was forced by her, my spirit will always belong to Iqiyah!”

“Oh, my,” the dislodged Cardo remarked, unfazed. “You’re quite the pure-love type, aren’t you~ I’ll thank Iqiyah on your behalf.”

“But I regret to inform you that even my power can only briefly extinguish your flames of desire.”

“Thanks to the great God of Joyful Union… no one can erase its existence until your dying day~”

“Hiss?” Hearing this, Seraphina’s heart sank into despair. “I’m staying here for seven days, and for six of them, I’ll have to carry this… How am I supposed to be bad… oh no, how am I supposed to get my revenge on Claire?”

“Hmmph…” Cardo turned, a mysterious smile playing on his lips. “I have a plan, but it depends on whether you’re willing to use it.”

“What, what, what!?” In every aspect, Seraphina was at a disadvantage, and she was desperate to grasp at any straw. “Tell me quickly! As long as it works, I’ll try anything!”

“Hmmph~ You said it yourself~ I won’t be responsible for whatever happens~”

Seeing Seraphina’s agreement, Cardo turned elegantly and produced a familiar small rectangular object from behind his back.

“It’s this~”

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake…’

Gazing at the object before her, which seemed to extinguish all light, Seraphina felt a profound fear welling up from the depths of her soul.

“It’s the [Fragment]?”