"All right! I-I'll do my best to help Sir Xian!" Hearing him ask for help seemed to fire Miri up, her expression becoming determined.
If he wanted to avoid disastrous situations, from now on, he needed to understand how Carmillia's days normally unfolded. The more he knew of her routine, the fewer mistakes he'd make trying to be a proper butler.
"Then, let's start with her mornings. Make sure whether the duties can be handled by just anyone or are exclusive to Sir Moris." There were two types of duties he needed to know: those that could be delegated to the maids, and those expected only of Carmillia's personal butler.
And so, the gathering of information about how Carmillia spent her days quietly began.
"Hm, usually the young lady is already awake ahead of time."
"Even if the sun hasn't risen?" Xian raised a brow. He hadn't expected someone as young as Carmillia to keep such disciplined hours. Then again, it might've been normal for most nobles, unlike the society he knew in his previous life.
"Yes. And then we'll help her out of her sleeping clothes and into her morning attire." She paused, tapping her cheek with an index finger as she recalled the routine. "Sometimes, she bathes first or takes care of personal business—"
"Wait." Xian raised a hand. "Skip those parts. Just summarize her whole morning."
It was one thing to admire a heroine through the safety of a screen. But hearing someone casually explain the intimate details of her daily routine now that she was a living, breathing person was another matter entirely. His mind wasn't quite prepared for that.
"Uh... well..." Miri nodded sheepishly. "We prepare the bath before sunrise in case the young lady wishes to use it. Then we help her change and prepare breakfast. After eating, Sir Moris shows her the day's schedule. If there isn't anything important, the young lady usually stays in the study until lunch."
'Schedules…' Xian pondered. So butlers also managed their master's daily affairs, almost like personal aides or executive secretaries back on Earth. Preparing one wasn't difficult. The difficult part was knowing what occupied the days of a duke's daughter in the first place.
If it was simply organizing appointments and reminding Carmillia of her obligations, then perhaps he could do it well enough.
"What about lunch?"
"Um, the young lady doesn't usually eat much. Most of the time, she only has light bread and tea."
"Hm... Then why did she...?"
The memory of that afternoon surfaced almost immediately.
When Carmillia had asked whether he'd arranged anything for lunch, she had eaten little, yet she had still sampled nearly everything that had been served. If she rarely ate lunch to begin with, then there was only one explanation.
'...I actually forgot to feed her this morning?'
Cold sweat slowly trickled down Xian's back. He had been so preoccupied with the fact that he had to start studying again that he had actually forgotten to arrange it.
"And if she skipped breakfast?"
"Then lunch would simply be prepared."
That answer drew a quiet sigh of relief from Xian. Things could have turned out far worse had he not improvised and taken Carmillia to a restaurant he knew would do well in the future.
'So she must've been hungry earlier...'
At least he'd managed to bring her somewhere decent to eat.
'...No, wait.'
'Doesn't the academy have servants assigned to the dormitories? Aren't they supposed to prepare and deliver her breakfast?'
His gaze shifted toward Miri.
'If Miri was absent that morning...'
Xian's expression gradually darkened as he realized that something obviously didn't add up. He had expected hostility from certain nobles within the Royal and Elite Classes. Schemes and political maneuvering were things he'd already prepared himself to face.
But the servants?
Were they truly neglecting their duties simply because Carmillia's personal maid was injured and her butler had yet to arrive? Someone should have attended to her regardless of who happened to be injured.
Unless…
'No one wanted to face the most fearsome noble, huh? Looks like I need to set some things straight in their heads.'
"All right. Then what about from the afternoon until night?"
"The young lady really didn't do anything else during her stay. It's said she took lessons and shopped around the domain back home, but here... she rarely participated in social events."
'Hm...'
Turns out Carmillia had left behind the routine she followed at the Montagne estate and instead secluded herself in the academy's study.
Earlier, Xian had observed everyone's levels within the Royal Class. Needless to say, only he and Carmillia stood noticeably above the rest. Just like him, she was already Level 14.
Gumin and Fahna were only around Level 9, while the remaining students were even lower. Even Rhykard, despite his reputation, was merely Level 7.
'She's spending most of her time studying... yet she's still stronger than almost everyone.'
His foot tapped lightly against the floor as another question surfaced.
'Then how do levels actually increase in this world? Is it like me, who gained levels after dealing with the coachman? Can people actually feel themselves growing stronger? Does "experience" even exist here?'
'Probably not.'
If accumulating experience were that straightforward, powerful families would've long since found ways to exploit it. Elderly nobles could simply have their heirs slit their throats at the end of their lives, passing on a portion of their accumulated experience and power instead of dying pointlessly.
That kind of world wouldn't have survived.
Which meant only one of two possibilities remained. Either the system worked differently for everyone, or it worked differently for him alone.
The leveling system he knew had become intricately intertwined with reality, yet its existence remained both one of his greatest advantages and his most dangerous secret.
'I need to investigate this.'
Xian gave a small nod, committing the information to memory before gesturing for Miri to continue.
"When the sun's about to set, Lady Carmillia does have a particular routine."
This time, Miri's eyes softened, tinged with melancholy as though she had recalled a quiet memory she held dear.
"She watches the sunset until it's finally dark, then strolls through the gardens, picking whatever flowers happen to be in bloom. No one really knows why, but... they say that's where she got her nickname." Miri hesitated before quietly adding, "Y-you know... the Guillotine Flower..."
The timid fear in her voice contrasted sharply with the peaceful image she had just described.
"Hm. Isn't it because she executes her subordinates by beheading them?"
"I-I don't know if that's true!" Miri hurriedly shook her head. "I only heard the nickname from the other gossiping maids..."
"I see."
The image the rumors painted and the Carmillia Miri described hardly seemed like the same person. One was a merciless noblewoman who inspired fear wherever she went, while the other quietly watched sunsets and wandered through flower gardens alone.
'But in this case, both portrayals are correct in their own right.' Xian grinned, finding the thought amusing.
"Then how does Lady Carmillia usually spend her evenings? Anything unusual? Any habits that stand out?"
"Uhh..." Miri lowered her gaze, thinking. "She usually has tea with Miss Serika and Miss Lucinelle after returning."
'That's three tea times a day... Did noble ladies really drink that much tea?'
Thinking back, he hadn't paid much attention while staying at the estate. Ironically, none of the seven heroines he had conquered truly fit the image of a refined noble lady either. The closest comparison was probably Fahna, yet she behaved far more like the leader of an organization than an aristocrat.
"Anything else?"
"Well..." Miri hesitated. "Sometimes... the young lady asks for something alcoholic instead."
"Alcohol?"
The events of the previous night immediately surfaced in Xian's mind. Carmillia had nearly killed both of them, and she had been obviously drunk, even though the wineglass that had somehow survived the ordeal was still more than half full.
"Yes." Miri nodded. "The other maids said Sir Moris always hid the stronger bottles before evening because of that."
"Hid them? But why?"
"I-it's because the young lady tends to get drunk quite easily... or so I heard from the chief maid."
"Is that so..."
'No wonder the wineglass still contained more than half of its contents.'
Back then, he'd assumed Carmillia had simply gone on a drunken rampage after emptying several glasses. Instead, it seemed she'd barely managed to drink even half of one.
'Turns out she gets drunk that easily without even realizing it.' A faint smile tugged at the corner of Xian's lips.
'Maybe once she trusts me a little more... I'll let her try something stronger.' He couldn't help but wonder what kind of person Carmillia became when she was completely intoxicated.
"Mmh. Miss Serika and Miss Lucinelle usually stay close to the young lady whenever that happens." At this point, Miri's eyes visibly lost their light and cheerfulness.
"L-last night... they weren't there." Miri's voice trembled as her hands slowly crumpled the blanket resting on her lap. "I thought I could stop her... but I failed."
Xian quietly watched the downcast maid.
Normally, he'd have to carefully consider every word and action around one of the heroines. Miri, however, was different. She was simply an ordinary girl who had become entangled in Carmillia's life.
"It wasn't your fault. You only did what you thought was best."
Xian gently caressed her head before slowly pulling her into an embrace. Whether she had consciously wanted that comfort or not hardly mattered. He already knew how she felt about him.
Besides, there was nothing to lose by earning a little more of her affection. More importantly, Miri could become his first real subject for observing how affection truly behaved in reality.
"Mm... Yes, Sir Xian."
[Blue Heart: 90]
'That's the third increase today.'
After remaining in his embrace for a while, Miri's eyelids gradually grew heavier. Perhaps due to relief, she began to doze off, so Xian quietly laid her down on the bed and excused himself from the infirmary.
There was only one last place he needed to go before retiring to his own chambers.
Xian eyed the maids instinctively avoiding both his path and gaze as he walked toward the exit of the Maid Quarters. As much as he wanted to reprimand whoever had purposely neglected their duties to Carmillia, for now, he decided to deal with it tomorrow. Besides, his reputation would take a hit if he suddenly started terrifying helpless maids in their own quarters.
It didn't take long to leave and reach the Butler Hall. The Maid Hall stood beside two other places: the Butler Hall and the Retinue Hall, where the academy's military personnel were housed. Towering walls enclosed the entire Staff Quarter, while the castle-like Retinue Hall loomed over the surrounding buildings, making the district feel like a small town gathered beneath its keep.
Xian stood there for a brief moment to observe before proceeding to the Butler Hall. True to its name, the Butler Hall had a rather simple and practical interior. Unlike the Maid Hall's softer atmosphere, with its various sofas, flower vases, and curtains, practicality defined everything here.
Tall windows remained open, allowing fresh air to circulate freely. Instead of decorated lounges and elaborate furnishings, sturdy wooden tables, stools, and work desks occupied most of the hall.
Personal belongings rested openly atop many of the desks: ledgers, books, letters, and small keepsakes. Unlike the Maid Hall, where personal effects rarely appeared outside private quarters, the Butler Hall bore the quiet signs of people who worked and lived in the same space.
It felt less like a residence and more like a workplace where people happened to live. The hall proved far busier than he'd expected.
Butlers of every age filled the room. Some looked no older than himself, while others had long since entered old age. Their uniforms varied according to the noble families they served. Some wore formal black tailcoats, embroidered suits, fur-lined attire, or even striking crimson outfits.
Of course, the academy butlers were easy to identify. Their plain brown uniforms were unmistakable. Unlike the ornate attire of household butlers, the academy's uniforms were intentionally modest, ensuring they never outshone the nobles they served.
Xian, meanwhile, still wore the academy's white Royal Class uniform, and the moment he pushed open the saloon-style doors, everyone stopped their conversations, and every pair of eyes turned toward him.
He quickly focused his vision and adjusted his glasses, a simple gesture to judge everyone's potential and level's in the room.
'Hm, looks like heir's will indeed have more powerful butlers as servants.' He counted more than ten men at their prime or twilight to be Level 30 and above, and although they had lower potential than any Elite or Royal Class student, they probably possessed the same or even higher stats than him.
Several butlers also displayed something labeled Aura Progression.
'Aura is like mana, but for warriors, right?' Aura was a familiar term from fantasy novels, yet Rozenfall: Romance and Ruin had never used it. Warriors had simply been represented by SP, while mages relied on MP.
'Then Aura must be what SP represented all along.'
Xian assumed those Aura Progression stages translated into something related to the game's power system mechanics, although he still didn't know what they corresponded to.
The conversations that had died upon his arrival gradually resumed, though quieter than before. Some of the elders returned to their own discussions, and those from the various houses did the same. No one acknowledged his presence or stepped forward to welcome him.
However, a single clap drew everyone's attention once again. Usually, this was how head butlers quickly gathered the servants scattered throughout a household, and the servants followed suit.
"I require someone to guide me to the head butler."
His voice, as always, was raspy and intimidating at higher volumes, but at least the words that came out were polite. The act itself, however, carried a challenge no butler in the room could mistake.
'Not even the academy butlers would move?'
"I see." Xian found the scene amusing. Most of the crowd's expressions had soured, yet no one desired to move first, silently holding their tongues. It was as if they were asking whether he was seriously considering his actions despite the number of better, more experienced, and stronger butlers present.
"Has every butler here suddenly grown an unnecessary spine?"
"To neglect the reception of a Royal Class student... and one who stands above you in the very profession you serve."
"Especially the finest butlers Rozenfall has to offer. Or is every butler in this room directionally impaired?"
Still, most butlers remained silent, merely staring with restrained emotion. Xian knew that the veteran butlers had not reached such heights by allowing themselves to be taunted by every provocation thrown before them.
Some resumed their conversations as though nothing had happened. Others simply watched with detached interest, waiting to see who would make the first move. A few veterans even returned to their paperwork, leaving the matter entirely alone.
Judging from the occasional whispers, his arrival had apparently become yesterday's gossip.
First Seat, Royal Class. A servant who had arrived only yesterday.
Some believed he had merely gotten lucky. Others believed Lady Carmillia had simply carried him through the labyrinth.
Whatever the truth, few seemed convinced he deserved the position.
Ironically, those same rumors also made them cautious. If Carmillia truly favored him... touching him might mean crossing the Guillotine Flower herself.
There was nothing to gain from answering him. Every butler here served a different household, carried a different family's reputation on his shoulders, and represented a different master's interests. If someone wished to make a fool of himself, the others had little reason to interfere.
'None from the threatening bunch will move.'
But in a place like this, there was bound to be a butler who had yet to learn the difference between wounded pride and professional duty, eager to prove himself where restraint was expected.
Exactly the opposite of what their role should be. Thus, eventually, someone would.
"Then, I'll help myself and search every nook and cranny until I find the head butler, since there might as well be no one in this hall at the moment." Xian smirked, waiting for the fish to bite the bait. Even if no one did, there was no loss in putting on such a show before these butlers.
Carmillia would've done worse had she been here with Serika and Lucinelle by her side, if they had even had the guts to ignore someone like her.
SLAM!
'There's my ticket to a guide.' As expected, there was one who couldn't hold back.
Xian slowly turned toward the source of the sound.
A rather young butler, perhaps close to his own age, with wild brown hair tied into a low ponytail and an aggressive expression, had slammed both hands against the table, scattering papers and an ink bottle across the floor. Beside him, an older butler merely sighed.
"Hoh, is the young butler over there different from everyone else?" Xian asked calmly. "If so, then do step forward and guide me."
The young butler scoffed.
"Yeah, I'll guide you, all right. I'll damn well teach arrogant kids like you who only got lucky." The young butler spoke, his voice rough and strained, as though he were forcing down the urge to shout.
'Hm... Ironically, we share the same type of vibe.' Xian studied the fish he'd reeled in with mild disappointment. 'Standing side by side, we'd probably look like a pair of thugs about to shake down the protagonist.'
"Then what are you waiting for?" Xian tilted his head. "Are academy butlers also slowpokes?"
The young man responded with actions instead. His features twisted into a scowl as he strode forward. One final step was all it took before he exploded into motion.
His fist shot straight toward Xian's face.
Xian's body moved almost instinctively as his eyes widened faintly. The punch brushed past his shoulder before he replied in kind with his own fist.
The young butler barely turned his head aside in time. Surprise flashed across his face before vanishing just as quickly.
Both men reset their footing at once, drew their fists back, and struck again. Their forearms scraped past one another as each tried to redirect the other's blow.
Their fists collided almost simultaneously as their forearms brushed past each other, wrestling for control in an attempt to redirect the other's force.
BANG!
The impact, which sounded like a whip crack, echoed through the hall. The young butler's anger disappeared almost entirely. His wild aggression gave way to concentration, as if he'd met a formidable opponent.
His eyes widened for only an instant before another punch came flying.
This time, Xian pressed the attack, starting with a jab, then a hook, and finally an elbow spinning toward the young butler's temple. The young man crossed his forearms just in time to receive the impact, sending him back several steps, his shoes scraping against the polished floor.
'He's better than I expected. But not better or faster than Serika.'
Perhaps... Serika's continuous beatings had simply skewed his standards.
Just as the young butler gritted his teeth and stepped forward—
"That is enough."
A weathered but sturdy hand seized his wrist before another punch could be thrown. The older butler who had sighed beside him intervened, not even sparing the young man a glance.
"Compose yourself."
"...Hah!" The young butler clicked his tongue, shook off his frustration, and stepped back without another word.
"..."
Only then did the old man turn toward Xian.
He offered a slight bow.
"My apologies for my junior's conduct. If it is the Head Butler you seek... I shall guide you personally."
Throughout the exchange, the rest of the hall had remained silent. Some had watched with detached curiosity, while others had quietly begun wagering on the outcome. Now that it was over, they returned to their conversations and paperwork as though nothing had happened.