By Zephyria 
Wow, I’ve lived a long life and I’ve done all sorts of things. What is this again? The dark dawn just before sunrise. I held the wet blankets and clothes in my arms and tiptoed. I even checked to see if there were any servants guarding the hallway, and carefully moved the laundry I was holding in my arms.
“……”
System is impressed by how well you hide your presence.
It asks if you would like to try a horror thriller genre game instead of a BL romance simulation next time.
Next time? Neext tiiime? Is it really crazy…? I cursed inwardly with every curse I could think of, but I didn’t stop my feet from moving stealthily. I didn’t know it when I was experiencing it, but it turns out that everything I’ve experienced is useful in some way. The original Young Master Hamilton would have no idea where the laundry room was, but in the past rounds, I had been punished for doing hard work until the back of my hands were blistered, so I had a good sense of direction.
I don’t know how Andrew cleaned up the mess while I was unconscious, but I didn’t want to reveal the blankets and clothes that were soaked with all sorts of bodily fluids to Nicole. Even if they were of different status, Nicole was like a real younger brother to me in my heart. How could I show him this side of me? I was just going to bury it in the pile of laundry.
That’s when I was sneaking down the stairs like a thief.
“Young Master Noah…?”
“Hiiiiek…!”
I thought I was going to faint. Someone grabbed my shoulder as I hesitated and stumbled forward, relying on the dim moonlight without a candlestick. My heart was pounding like a drum without exaggeration.
System, you were watching everything, why didn’t you tell me…?
“What are you doing here? And at this hour?”
That’s when I was grumbling inwardly. The servant who grabbed my shoulder tilted his head and asked.
“Ah, Allen…”
I wanted to ask you why you’re here at this hour, but it was obvious that I was the more suspicious of the two. Just looking at the mountain of luggage I was holding in my arms.
“It’s nothing. I’m just… My pajamas and blankets were clammy with sweat, so I was going to put them away…”
“Then why didn’t you call me?”
“……”
It was hard enough to show it to Nicole, but even to Allen? I was already so embarrassed that I couldn’t come to my senses and clung to Andrew in front of him?
Hey, System, you crazy bastard. Take responsibility, it’s all your fault. What’s wrong with just coming back quietly? What’s with the return event…?
It was fortunate that the hallway was dark. At least Allen couldn’t see my face turning red.
“Puhut, you don’t have to answer if you’re in trouble.”
“Huh?”
“Give me what you’re holding, too.”
“Ah…”
By the way, isn’t he acting strangely sarcastic…? His attitude is somehow more coercive and shameless than when we’re all together during the day… Allen took the luggage in my arms into his arms almost as if he was taking it away.
“Ah. I was wondering what was going on… These things. You’re not just wet with sweat, are you?”
“……”
I have nothing to say. Other than the ridiculous excuse that there might be a few drops of sweat mixed in with the liquid that soaked the blankets and pajamas.
“It’s okay, go back and get some sleep, Young Master Hamilton. But… You’re more affectionate with the First Young Master than I thought.”
“No, that’s… Okay. Then I’ll ask… What?”
Allen smiled slightly and passed me by.
“Ask away. It would always be my pleasure to listen to your request.”
Allen disappeared down the dark stairs. Tap tap, tap tap, tap tap. The rough footsteps, which were overly careless for a servant who hadn’t been here for long, echoed in the silent air.
It was a peaceful mansion. The servants were busy with their work, gathering in groups of three or five with appropriate smiles, and I was leisurely listening to the performance of the orchestra that I had Nicole call, and nibbling on the luscious grapes on the silver tray.
It was as if the heavy rain that had been pouring down a few days ago was a lie, and the sky was just clear and bright. The pouring sunlight felt subtly annoying.
Maybe it’s because I didn’t sleep well at night, but I couldn’t help but yawn even when I was just standing still. Nicole, who thought that the reason why my attitude was somehow strange was because of the side effects of the sleeping incense that she used to prepare for me, cut off all incense from that day on.
It wasn’t necessarily because of that… But there was no good reason to make up a different excuse. That I was just in a good mood that day? Crazy, I can never do that even if the sky splits in two.
System wonders if you haven’t already seen the sky split in two many times.
You be quiet. If you knew who made me have nightmares that I can’t even remember again after sleeping so sweetly for once, huh? If you have a conscience, huh?
The real nightmare that you’d be surprised to know is something else…
Poor you.
System is moved to tears as it looks at you.
The performers were busy extracting a solemn melody with even more spirit, as if they were more focused on my appearance, which didn’t seem to be able to concentrate at all. Whether they did or not, my nerves were all focused on that side, on the remote corner of the banquet hall. There, one person in a servant’s uniform was laughing, moving his shoulders and giggling as if something was so funny. It’s Allen. I couldn’t hear it properly because it was buried in the sharp sound of the stringed instruments, but the laughter must be clear. The person standing opposite Allen is also smiling back with a refreshing smile, as if he is in a good mood because of Allen’s laughter.
My impressions of confirming that opponent were divided into exactly two directions.
As expected.
Or, oh my god.
“Oh my, oh my… Isn’t that Young Master Frederick?”
“……”
Okay. When I first heard that Allen would become my exclusive servant, Frederick, who had been so noisy, saying that Andrew wasn’t in his right mind and that I couldn’t possibly keep someone of unknown origin by my side, was already busy chatting amiably with Allen whenever they met.
Yesterday, Frederick even came to me and abruptly asked about Allen’s whereabouts. I was dumbfounded by his thoughtless face as he asked, ‘Ah, Noah. Where’s Allen?’ It seemed that this Iteration was completely different from the previous ones. Considering that only I, a mere villain, had changed my mind, the repercussions were quite significant. Even the great Allen, when he was a servant, had hardly any contact with other major characters besides Kyle…
“It’s strange, isn’t it, Young Master Hamilton? Right? I’m right, aren’t I? There’s something weird about him, I’m telling you!”
Nicole, his eyes narrowed, chattered incessantly as if it were a very strange thing. I chewed on the grape in my mouth without saying anything. Only Nicole was frustrated by my outwardly calm appearance and urged me once again.
“We have to get rid of him quickly, using any excuse! Quickly! I have a really bad feeling about this. Okay? Okay?”
“Come to think of it, Allen has been taking good care of me lately… But still, such jealousy is ugly, Nicole.”
“Young Master Hamilton!”
Nicole finally screamed. If this were only the third or fourth repetition, I would have happily conspired with Nicole to figure out how to kick Allen out of the mansion, or hide him somewhere no one could find him before the original story began, and then deny everything.
“Tell me something I can understand. Has Allen been rude to you? Has he acted without knowing his place or showing any respect?”
“No, it’s not that… But, but…”
But I know too well that such artificial efforts are useless. I gave a signal to the musicians, who were frozen in place, watching my every move as if a pause button had been pressed on Nicole’s voice, to start playing again, and then I took Nicole’s hand and sat him down next to me.
“I know why you’re telling me all this.”
“No, Young Master Hamilton, you don’t know anything. I feel uneasy just looking at him. I feel like I’m going crazy with anxiety.”
“Why? Are you afraid I might like Allen more than you?”
“I’d rather that were the case. Ah, I don’t know, I can’t explain it well in words… I just keep getting a bad feeling…”
His freckled, youthful face was swirling with unbearable anxiety. It was enough that I alone felt burdened. If Nicole rashly tried to harm Allen…, it would be Nicole who would really suffer. That’s the ‘law’ of this huge game world.
“Shh… Calm down, Nicole. Nothing will happen. Nothing will happen. Think rationally. How much trouble can a mere newly arrived servant cause, even if he does cause trouble? Huh?”
“I do think so too…”
“Good. Then let’s stop listening to this boring performance and go get Frederick and Allen.”
“Young Master Hamilton.”
“You’re anxious, aren’t you? Then you should watch him more closely. So he doesn’t explode unexpectedly.”
Nicole, with an unhappy expression, immediately got up and followed my instructions. It was a strange thing. In this vast mansion, Nicole was the only one who hadn’t fallen for Allen, who even Andrew and Frederick had succumbed to without resistance, and who even harbored an inexplicable animosity towards him. If I told Nicole that Mrs. Seymour had personally breastfed Allen until he was four years old, wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and raised him with care, and that Allen was the one who had followed me around, calling me ‘Young Master Hamilton, Young Master Hamilton’ in clumsy pronunciation when he was just learning to speak. What kind of reaction would he have?
In all the previous Iterations, Mrs. Seymour and Nicole had sided with me without hesitation, not with Allen. I was very grateful, but I wondered if it was because they felt sorry for me, who had lost everything, rather than for Allen, who had everything, and had chosen me instead of Allen.
So I was even more curious. This time, I have no intention of giving up or losing anything. I wondered if Noah Hamilton, who was no longer pathetic, would still receive their unconditional choice.
It wasn’t just a rash suspicion. Rather… it was close to a desperate wish.
“Ah, Noah. What’s wrong?”
Frederick, accompanied by Allen, approached me quickly with his long legs. Really… You’re still the same, Frederick. You’re not even my brother yet, but as soon as Allen appeared…
“Wow. That’s disappointing, Freddy. Can I only call my brother when something’s wrong?”
“Ah! No, no, it’s not like that!”
Frederick, as if he had said hello without realizing it, waved his big hands in the air as soon as I pointed it out, making a big fuss.
“Hmm…”
“No! It’s really not like that! Don’t misunderstand, you know how I feel, right?”
“Yeah, I know, whatever… Let’s say that’s the case. By the way, what were you and Allen talking about so excitedly? You looked so happy, I could see it from here. I was curious, so I called you.”
“Uh, uh, well, that is…”
Instead of Frederick, who was only mumbling, his voice fading away as if he were ashamed of his size, Allen stepped forward. Allen, who was standing behind Frederick, watching the situation even though he was my exclusive servant, grabbed Frederick’s arm and stepped forward, bowing his head to me first.
“I’m sorry, Young Master Hamilton. I can’t tell you yet. This is a secret just between Frederick and me.”