The Silver-Haired Guest and the Maid’s Challenge

Dusk was drawing near when the long-awaited distinguished guest finally arrived.

Initially, Tang Wenxu had assumed the esteemed guest would be an elderly person, given they were Father Kant’s visitor. It seemed logical that an old man’s guest would also be old.

To his surprise, however, Father Kant’s guest was a beautiful young woman with silver hair and crimson eyes.

The moment Tang Wenxu saw her, he knew she was a person of immense nobility. This wasn’t merely due to her expensive-looking black Gothic-style dress, nor her exquisitely crafted white lace gloves. Even the ornate pure gold scepter she carried couldn’t fully convey her aristocratic bearing.

Wealth and lavish adornments alone do not bestow true nobility. Without an intrinsic depth of character, one is merely ridiculed as a parvenu, incapable of embodying true grace.

This young woman, however, was the very antithesis. While each of her accessories was individually exquisite, when worn by her, they seemed to fade into the background. Their sole purpose was to accentuate her; her noble aura was so profound it could command all elegance in the world. She was, unequivocally, a true aristocrat.

Under the fading light, she walked slowly towards the church courtyard, her parasol held aloft. Though she appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen, she lacked the boisterousness typical of children her age. Instead, she moved with a serene elegance, each step perfectly measured, neither rushed nor hesitant. There was no hint of affectation; her demeanor surpassed that of any adult.

This was not a pretense. Nobility had seeped into her very blood, and elegance was her innate instinct.

‘Such a beautiful girl… a guest invited by Father Kant?’

Tang Wenxu was immensely curious about how they had met. The acquaintance of a bear-like man and a beautiful girl seemed like something out of a dramatic play.

As the sun completely vanished below the horizon, the silver-haired girl closed her parasol and stepped into the courtyard.

Ordinarily, the children would have swarmed a visitor by now, eager to ask questions. Yet, they stood perfectly still, like statues, as if awaiting her command to serve her as the most humble attendants.

Indeed, it wasn’t merely an act. Her very presence exuded an aura that compelled one to kneel in subservience.

Upon seeing Father Kant, the silver-haired girl gave a simple nod, a brief acknowledgment. Then, she turned and walked towards Tang Wenxu, who was leaning against a tree.

When she reached him, she remained silent, her emotions inscrutable. Her expression was placid, her head held high in a proud tilt. She glanced briefly at Tang Wenxu, then slowly raised her arm, her hand slightly lowered with the back facing him.

Tang Wenxu paused, then grasped her hand, still encased in the white lace glove. “Hello, my name is Tang.”

A fleeting flicker of displeasure crossed the silver-haired girl’s face. After their handshake, she promptly withdrew her hand.

“Master.” Kuroki Nao, witnessing this, covered her mouth with a soft smile. She then whispered to Tang Wenxu, “At that moment, you should have removed her glove and kissed the back of her hand. It’s proper etiquette, you see.”

Though finding amusement in her master’s blunder was perhaps inappropriate, Kuroki Nao had no desire for him to kiss the hand of a stranger, especially one sent by the cunning Dals. She wished her master would keep as much distance from these people as possible, for none associated with Dals were untainted.

“My name is Rosa Silver Bud.” The silver-haired girl’s voice was gentle. Her ruby-like eyes appraised Tang Wenxu from head to toe, seemingly pleased with his current appearance. She nodded and declared, “Excellent. From today onward, you are my butler.”

Her tone was direct, almost a command.

Tang Wenxu was somewhat taken aback. ‘The guest is satisfied before I’ve even cooked? When did finding a job become this easy?’ He scratched his head, forcing a dry chuckle. “I am quite confident in my cooking, but as for being a butler… I’m not very good at other tasks.”

“It doesn’t matter. I rather like your appearance. It’s fine if you’re not good yet; I will slowly train you into an excellent butler,” Silver Bud stated calmly.

“Alright, um, thank you.” Tang Wenxu nodded subserviently, hesitant to meet her gaze.

Tang Wenxu’s deference in demeanor clearly put him a step below her, which unsettled Kuroki Nao. Seeing him nod repeatedly like a servant, she could no longer hold back. She stepped in front of Tang Wenxu and addressed Silver Bud, “Hello, Miss Silver Bud. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kuroki, and I am his maid.”

Kuroki Nao did not display any humility despite her status as a maid. On the contrary, she greeted Silver Bud with an air of equality, as one would a friend. Like Silver Bud, a hint of pride gleamed in Kuroki Nao’s eyes.

“Your master is already my butler,” Silver Bud remarked with a dismissive glance, a slight sneer in her voice.

Silver Bud’s implication was clear: she was displeased with Kuroki Nao’s attitude. After all, if her master was now Silver Bud’s butler, then Kuroki Nao should behave with appropriate humility.

“So what?” Kuroki Nao scoffed, her voice sharp. “I pledge my loyalty to him, not to you. His being your butler is his affair; my being his maid is my affair. Do you understand?”

“Hey, Nao, that’s incredibly rude!” Seeing the immediate sparks fly between Kuroki Nao and Silver Bud, Tang Wenxu quickly lowered his head to apologize to the guest. “I’m sorry, Miss Silver Bud.”

“It’s fine.” Silver Bud chuckled lightly, adopting the posture of a victor. “I appreciate people with personality. However, personality must be accompanied by commensurate ability, wouldn’t you agree, Miss Kuroki?”

“You’re welcome to test that,” Kuroki Nao retorted, her tone equally unyielding and filled with animosity.

Kuroki Nao was behaving uncharacteristically. Normally, she was a serene girl, like a Yamato Nadeshiko, but now she was bristling like a porcupine. This sudden appearance of Silver Bud presented a threat, not only in appearance and temperament but also in underlying strength.

This silver-haired girl was dangerous—so dangerous that she made Kuroki Nao restless.

“Alright, alright, let’s all eat first.” Seeing the two beautiful girls on the verge of a storm, Tang Wenxu immediately stepped in as a peacemaker, heading towards the church’s dining hall.

Everyone proceeded inside, with the two beautiful girls lingering at the rear.

As Silver Bud walked ahead, Kuroki Nao suddenly tapped her shoulder and whispered, “A word of advice. Whatever your objective may be, if you dare to harm him, both you and Dals will pay the price.”

“And a word of advice for you as well,” Silver Bud replied, her voice a soft smile despite Kuroki Nao’s hostility. “Put away your pride. In my eyes, your pride is utterly worthless.”