The air in the room was cut short. Even Ren seemed to realize it only after the words left his mouth. That there was no way a teacher to instruct a servant in etiquette would emerge no matter how much you searched this castle.
Ren looked at Beni once. His gloomily sunken expression clearly showed he wanted to be a personal attendant. Etiquette and refinement seemed important for a personal attendant, but from what Ren had seen of the Demon King so far, it seemed he would casually overlook whatever mistakes Beni made.
However, saying this would be completely useless. Beni absolutely wouldn’t believe it completely until he experienced it himself. He was quick to notice and readily accept bad things, but always guarded and self-deprecating about good things.
That was probably also due to the environment he grew up in as a beastkin half-breed. Finishing his thoughts, he spoke. Ren was only satisfied when he said everything he wanted to say.
“Hey, but I don’t think the Demon King would say anything even if you make some mistakes? If he was going to say something, he would’ve kicked you out already.”
“I suppose so…”
Surprisingly, agreement came right back. Ren blinked rapidly. Usually this guy would timidly insist otherwise, but now he was even nodding his head, leaving Ren speechless.
“Uh… then what’s the problem?”
“Hm? I just don’t want to be more of a burden to His Majesty. He’s already looking after my convenience more than enough. It would be better for him to bring in a more capable servant than me.”
Beni’s eyes hardened firmly. They were the eyes of someone who had already made up their mind. It wasn’t due to Beni’s pointless misunderstanding like before, and he clearly recognized it was his own lack of ability. Ren realized this was no longer something for him to get involved in.
He leaned his back against the headboard and laid down.
“If that’s the case, it can’t be helped.”
“Yeah, and besides, if I become His Majesty’s personal attendant, I have to move quarters.”
This also weighed on his mind. Leaving this room he’d grown attached to, and no longer being able to stay with Ren—both were very regrettable. Most of all, he was concerned about Ren who would be left alone if he left. Although he had been using it alone until Beni came, lately Ren had been falling asleep while reading a book next to him.
Ren clearly liked sleeping with him too. However, that belief of Beni’s was shattered in an instant.
“So what.”
Ren looked up at Beni as if genuinely asking what the big deal was. An attitude of not caring at all whether he left or not. Beni’s mouth fell open in shock. At the betrayal filling both eyes, Ren cried out flustered:
“I mean, it’s not like we won’t be able to see each other anymore just because you move quarters, so what’s the problem! Even personal attendants will have free time, right? We can meet then. And if you can’t do what you want because you’re hung up on trivial things, that’s a bigger loss. Unless it’s a life-or-death matter, just do what you want.”
“…Mm.”
Ren’s words weren’t wrong. He just hadn’t expected him to be this nonchalant at all.
Beni closed his mouth. His eyes wandered through the air as if reconsidering something. Since Ren had no intention of disturbing Beni who was lost in thought, he pulled out a book that had fallen between the bed and wall. He roughly dusted it off on the floor and opened the book.
〈Unless it’s a life-or-death matter, just do what you want.〉
〈But can’t you just learn things like that?〉
Ren’s words brushed past Beni’s ears. Etiquette and refinement. The virtues a personal attendant should possess. Beni’s eyes caught sight of the book Ren was reading. Come to think of it, he’d heard before that there was a large library near Roath Tower.
Perhaps he didn’t need to give up on becoming a personal attendant yet.
On the second floor of the greenhouse, a space decorated like a small study. Beni sat at the table there, seriously reading a book he’d borrowed from the Demon King’s Castle’s great library, Bellatrium.
The book cover had written in large letters “100 Mistakes First-Time Servants Inevitably Make.” Besides this, Beni had borrowed “Etiquette Primer for Servants,” “The Art of Proper Service,” “Surviving the Demon King’s Castle: Is It Okay That This Is My First Time at the Demon King’s Castle?,” “Bedchamber Service Theory, Revised Edition,” “Until the Master Falls Asleep: A Servant’s Day,” “Relearning How to Walk,” and so on, reading through them whenever he had time every day.
Mistake 8. Moving before the master.
The more enthusiastic the newcomer, the easier it is to fall into this trap. When the master shows signs of rising from their seat, the desire to rush over and pull out the chair is understandable. But think for a moment. What if the master has no intention of getting up yet? You’ve just presumed the master’s intentions on your own.
A servant’s movements should always be half a beat behind the master’s. Not half a beat ahead… (omitted).
“So it’s not about moving ahead of time…!”
This was a completely unknown fact. The servant Beni had in mind was one who briskly predicted the master’s actions to make things flow smoothly, and he thought that’s what he should do. But after reading the book, he wasn’t someone who could read others’ minds, and even if he could, it would mean he was arbitrarily deciding or peeking at the master’s intentions.
Beni nodded and took out the notebook from his front pocket to jot down a brief memo.
Mistake 9. Flaunting one’s presence.
The most common mistake of novice servants is trying to show that they are ‘working hard.’ Deliberately making footstep sounds and bustling about while the master reads in the study, or constantly repeating “Is there anything you need?”
The ideal state for a servant is to stand at the boundary between presence and absence. Appear immediately when needed, but be faint as air at all other times.
He hadn’t intended to flaunt his presence, but it did seem like his behavior had become somewhat bustling since entering the Demon King’s Castle. He’d need to practice the gait and posture from “Relearning How to Walk” again later. He should also move without making a sound like when he lived at the estate. Beni clenched his fist, raising his enthusiasm to become the Demon King’s personal attendant.
It was when Beni was holding his pencil again and writing “Presence? What does it mean?” in his memo pad.
The sound of the greenhouse door opening rang out. Beni more swiftly than ever put the book behind a large flowerpot and ran to the railing.
“You’re here, Your Majesty!”
Even though Beni came down cheerfully calling out, Ruan seemed somewhat listless. As he stretched his arms toward the approaching Beni, Beni naturally stood close by his side. The moment he raised his head to look up at the Demon King, Ruan’s hand rested on Beni’s shoulder. Then his other hand covered Beni’s head as if cradling it, and he gently lowered his chin on top.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
After asking, Beni thought “oops.” Was this perhaps him jumping to conclusions about the master’s condition? But looking again, Ruan really did seem listless. It wasn’t just a thought—he couldn’t ignore what was visibly apparent.
As soon as he asked, Ruan, as if he’d been waiting, leaned on Beni who was much smaller than himself and mumbled:
“It’s been so hard to get up lately. I wish there was someone to wake me in the morning.”
For example, a lovely rabbit, the Demon King whispered softly while lightly tapping Beni’s head teasingly with his finger. Beni immediately wanted to answer that he would become that rabbit, but he held back. It wasn’t time yet.
Yesterday too, when Ruan sighed saying, “Haah, I wish the one who has lunch with me would also have breakfast and dinner together,” Beni barely held back from reflexively answering “I will!” He pretended not to hear and asked back “Yes?” and fortunately Ruan didn’t ask again. If he’d said it again, he would have almost answered that he wanted to do that.
As Beni only smiled awkwardly, Ruan’s eyes narrowed. Lately, Ruan had begun subtly expressing his wish for Beni to become his personal attendant again.
Of course, it was only once a day, and if he didn’t answer properly, Ruan would let it go without pressing further. But just the fact that Ruan still had the desire for him to become his attendant was enough to greatly kindle the small spark inside Beni.
Beni wanted to at least have the minimum basics when he became the Demon King’s personal attendant. But with how slow he was at learning, when he’d acquire those basics was uncertain, and the Demon King’s heart might change before then, so he didn’t want to bring it up rashly.
If later the Demon King found another personal attendant, it would be something he’d have to accept.
“How about having lunch today and taking a nap in the greenhouse, Your Majesty? The sweet dew flowers are in full bloom lately and smell really nice. Sweet dew flowers are said to help with sleep too, so it will relieve your fatigue!”
Because Beni deflected the topic, Ruan had a bitter taste in his mouth but didn’t show it. Ruan raised his face that had been leaning on Beni’s head and straightened his posture.
“Let’s do that. You know quite a lot about plants now.”
“Yes! I’m learning a lot from James-ssi.”
“…I see.”
A brief silence flowed. The greenhouse door opened again, and several servants came in pushing trays with food. Beni unconsciously almost ran ahead to their usual dining spot but stopped short. Come to think of it, he’d moved too bustlingly again. Like air, faint presence.
Beni tried to walk quickly but quietly, then found it awkward to even extend his foot forward. Ruan’s bright red eyes couldn’t leave Beni’s round bottom that wiggled with each step, more so than usual today.
Ruan, who had been watching Beni’s bottom motionlessly from that spot, averted his gaze pretending not to look when he turned around.
“Come to think of it, Beni.”
“Yes?”
“Do you have time this evening?”
Ruan approached Beni and spoke quietly enough that others couldn’t hear.
“If you have time, I’d like you to come to my bedroom early today.”
The bittersweet scent emanating from the Demon King grew thicker.
