Disguised as a Male Servant in the Duke's House - Chapter 29

To Esteban’s sharp question, Klaus continued with a relaxed and insensitive expression.

“I’m talking about profits and losses. Every year, countless talented individuals who receive such education and stand out are produced in Rapelios, and they generate astronomical profits in the institutions and organizations where they settle.”

At Klaus’s words, not only the Crown Prince but also the Crown Princess looked at him with wide eyes.

“That’s why everyone in Rapelios wants to get involved in school construction. Because there’s a lot to gain compared to the cost invested.”

After finishing that, Klaus looked confidently at the Crown Prince and leisurely curled up the corners of his mouth.

“I’m making an investment. For those who will bring me benefits in the future.”

At Klaus’s words, the Crown Prince, who had been stupidly frozen, suddenly burst into laughter.

At his sudden laughter, the Crown Princess, Roselia, and even Closet wore astonished expressions.

“Ah… as expected of Duke Balthazar… You have an incredible nose for money and people. Alright, I’m thinking of getting involved in that business too.”

At the Crown Prince’s sudden words, Klaus’s brows furrowed.

“Your approval of the documents alone was already more than enough help…”

“No, I mean the Imperial Family will invest as well.”

Since Klaus was already overflowing with money, the Imperial Family’s money wasn’t of much help to him.

While Klaus was racking his brains on how to politely refuse this, the Crown Prince eased his worries.

“Of course, any monetary investment would be a drop in the bucket compared to the Duchy’s capital, but my proposal is to designate the school established by the Duchy as a national academy.”

Klaus’s eyes widened at the Crown Prince’s proposal.

The Crown Princess was equally surprised by the Crown Prince’s unexpected proposal.

If the school were built with only the Duchy’s capital, it would surely remain private.

But if the Crown Prince involved the Imperial Family and invested some of the Empire’s budget, it would be a different story.

As with all facilities, the difference in standing between private and national was remarkable.

Since there would be differences starting from the school’s prestige and influence, Klaus began to consider it with a tempted expression.

Looking leisurely at such a Klaus, the Crown Prince made his final proposal.

“But there’s one condition.”

Klaus’s gaze fell questioningly on the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince glanced briefly towards Roselia and then gave Klaus a meaningful smile.

“I’d like to receive reports on the progress of the school’s establishment from time to time, but there’s no need for the Duke to report every little detail personally. I’d like to receive reports through Antonio, the servant of the Duchy.”

For a moment, Roselia almost jumped up involuntarily, barely managing to hold herself back.

Wondering what on earth this absurd situation was about, Roselia glared at the Crown Prince with bulging eyes, but the Crown Prince nonchalantly ignored her.

In this place, only Closet and the Crown Prince knew her true identity.

Knowing her identity yet casually designating Antonio, it was clear the Crown Prince had some ulterior motive, and Roselia could only stamp her feet and look at Klaus.

Contrary to the thought that he would readily accept such an obviously beneficial proposal, Klaus wore quite a contemplative expression.

“Since you often visit the Imperial Palace to meet the Crown Princess anyway, couldn’t you just meet me as well on those occasions?”

“Does it have to be Antonio?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

To Klaus’s persistent questions, the Crown Prince curled up the corners of his mouth.

“Because I like him.”

In an instant, everyone’s expressions froze.

Although the thoughts they were having seemed to differ, one thing was certain.

The Crown Prince’s statement was quite shocking.

The Crown Princess, thinking that Crown Prince Esteban liked Roselia, seemed shocked by his sudden statement, while Closet wore a frightened expression, thinking that the Crown Prince might have noticed Roselia’s true identity.

Only Klaus continued to silently stare at the Crown Prince with the same cold expression as before.

Over the silent dining table, Closet’s hiccup suddenly echoed.

As Roselia looked at Closet worriedly, Closet muttered with a pale face.

“I think I’m going to get indigestion…”

In the carriage sat Klaus and Roselia side by side.

Because the Crown Princess had suggested to Klaus that it would be good to give her a ride on the way, Roselia had boarded the carriage with a feeling of being led to the slaughterhouse.

Closet had already left for the Duke’s residence in another carriage, saying she wasn’t feeling well in the middle of the meal.

As Roselia, sitting in an uncomfortable position, rolled her eyes anxiously, Klaus asked quietly.

“Where is your home?”

“Pardon?”

“If I’m to drop you off, I need to know where you live, don’t I?”

Roselia, taken aback, broke out in a cold sweat.

The Duke, who had no way of knowing that Roselia was Antonio, looked at her curiously.

“If you could just drop me off at the Duke’s residence, I’ll manage from there.”

Though she tried to speak as calmly as possible, Klaus’s expression crumpled.

“Are you saying you’ll walk from the Duke’s residence at this late hour?”

“Well… it’s fine…”

As Roselia awkwardly trailed off, Klaus continued with a deeply displeased expression.

“Even after what happened last time, you say such things?”

Only then did Roselia remember being chased by men in the back alley and fell silent.

After racking her brains in embarrassment, she finally ended up telling him about Nadia’s house in the back alley.

The carriage, now heading towards Nadia’s house by chance, rattled along quickly.

Unlike Roselia, who was in a state of half-resignation, Klaus gazed out the window lost in thought.

In the end, he had accepted the Crown Prince’s proposal.

Although his mind had fully calculated and concluded it was sufficiently beneficial, it had taken quite some time to verbally accept.

This confused Klaus even more.

It was just about using a servant, yet what was so bothersome and displeasing about it…

Suddenly, the image of Antonio when he had saved him from the water came to mind.

Unlike his usual self, always on edge like a sensitive cat, he had been curled up like a frightened puppy, stirring an inexplicable protective instinct.

Perhaps he had accepted the Crown Prince’s proposal out of a desire not to understand this unknown emotion.

Klaus, sighing deeply at his confused feelings, looked at Roselia, his younger sister.

As the image of Antonio kept overlapping with Roselia, who was looking out the opposite window with a worried face, Klaus let out a self-deprecating smile.

He had unintentionally caused friction with her not long ago as well.

Let’s sleep together… even now, it seemed like such a ridiculous thing to say.

Klaus could only think that when it came to matters related to these Hesink siblings, his head seemed to malfunction temporarily.

“About what happened that day…”

At Klaus’s sudden voice, Roselia’s gaze turned curiously from the window.

“I apologize again.”

“That day?”

At the words ‘that day’, Roselia retraced her memories.

The day she cried pathetically after being saved by Klaus at the lake?

No, she was Antonio then…

The last time with Roselia was…

Only then did Roselia remember what happened that day and awkwardly froze her expression.

“Ah… that day…”

Roselia, who had been awkwardly touching her neck, opened her mouth awkwardly.

“You apologized right away, so… Well, I didn’t behave very politely either…”

An awkward silence fell again.

While they sat facing each other awkwardly, fortunately, the carriage arrived at its destination on time.

Klaus got out first and politely took Roselia’s hand to escort her, then looked at the shabby house that was their destination.

“Is this… where you stay?”

Looking at the house with one side of the roof collapsed and about to fall down, his expression involuntarily furrowed.

Roselia quickly blocked Klaus’s view and smiled awkwardly.

“Ah, yes. As you can see, the house is humble, so it would be difficult to invite you in.”

“Is it… a place where people can live?”

“Of course! I’m living quite well! Now then, please hurry and go!”

Almost pushed onto the carriage, Klaus looked at Roselia with a displeased expression mixed with worry and reluctantly set the carriage in motion.

Watching the departing carriage, Roselia slumped her shoulders.

“It seems… I’ll have to impose on Ms. Nadia for today…”

Having returned to the Duke’s residence, Klaus suddenly stopped his steps towards the study.

Antonio’s room, on the opposite side of the study, came into view.

Suddenly, he remembered the bandages visible under Antonio’s shirt when he had saved him from the lake.

It seemed he had fallen into the lake while his wounds hadn’t fully healed…

He became worried that the wounds might have worsened or there might be aftereffects making him unwell.

Then, startled by the realization that he was worrying about him more than necessary, Klaus nervously ran his hand through his bangs.

To be worried about a mere debtor, to Klaus, Antonio was no different from one of the many servants in the mansion.

A servant who was quite irritating…

After standing and pondering for a long time, Klaus’s feet were already heading towards Antonio’s room, contrary to his thoughts.

Stopping in front of the room, Klaus had to spend a long time in front of the door, as if reproaching his own actions.

And then, sighing deeply, he rationalized that as an employer, he had a duty to check on the health of his employee and knocked on the door.

Knock knock-

But despite knocking after much deliberation, no sound came from inside the room.

After waiting for a long time with no response, Klaus knocked on the door again with a puzzled expression.

Knock knock knock-

Still no response from inside the room.

Furrowing his brows, Klaus carefully opened the door and called out for Antonio.

“Antonio.”

In the still quiet room, Klaus hesitated for a moment before carefully stepping inside.

A quick glance around the room showed no trace of human warmth, with not a single light on.

To be out of the room at this late hour meant…

Klaus, furrowing his brows, let out a scoffing laugh as if finding it unbelievable.

“Ha… Is this what they call staying out overnight?”