115. Butler

Deep into the night, Colt remained awake. Mina and the children lay on the bed, fast asleep from the fatigue of the day.

But, Colt, he remained awake.

'It seems like practicing through the night until midnight has severe consequences.' at night, Colt could no longer sleep properly if he's not sufficiently tired.

If his body was not falling apart, then can one call that being tired?

'I need to train for an hour.' Colt thought as he slid out of bed. Inside the room, there was a mini-bed where Fluff and the Chick rested.

Colt walked over and casually picked up one of them.

The lucky winner was Fluff.

Fluff was dead asleep, its limbs even hanging from the side without a sign of life.

Couldn't care less.

'This fat devil had been waking me up every 2:00 am demanding for food. You better pay up the price for that.' Colt could still remember the scratches Fluff would give him if he refuses to stand up.

It was painful and irritating. It made Colt want to rip the fat cat into many pieces. Colt walked down the Inn's lifeless and dark hallway.

His steps didn't make a sound as his body was hidden in a dark aura. As he walked about, his mind raced with many thoughts.

'Should I torture this one? But what should I use? Tickle Torture won't work this little traitor is too fat, pain is no good because the littles ones might hang me…Filla and Lyra with Hylda leading at the lead is a headache…' Colt tried dealing with them once, and he never wants to experience such a thing again.

"Hmmm, should I lock you up and deprive you of any food for a week?"

"MYAAA!!?" Fluff came alive at the mention of the cruelest of tortures.

Colt just covered its mouth without much of a reaction, "Keep quiet, do you want to wake everyone up?"

"Meow, NYA!" It felt indignant and argued.

"Fine, I won't do it anymore. Jeez, just make sure you take me inside when I collapse, okay?" Colt could only bend.

"Nyaaaaight~" Fluff went back to sleep with a shrug. Which infuriated Colt even more for odd reasons reason.

Soon after Fluff fell asleep, Colt reached the back exit of the Inn. When Colt was about to go out, he heard it, the minute sounds of a sword flying through the air, cutting its resistance.

'From the aura, the practitioner should be around Rank-1. The blade holds sharpness, but its animosity is lacking. But more importantly, it's not a blade used to kill…hey, look at me, acting like a Master who knows it all.'

A laugh escaped the embarrassed Colt. He opened the door as he determined that the one behind it was weaker. He would stay inside if it was stronger, but if it's weaker than he, it was no problem. But even knowing that, Colt still hid his presence with the dark aura.

'Cowardly it may be, but it might save my life someday.' Colt said with a pleasantly shameless smile.

The back of the Inn was an Open Garden. It was spacious, and it was an excellent place to relax. The only thing that could be found there was a single Maple Tree and a swing. But now, another thing added as Colt saw the radiant red light of fire aura.

A sweat-drenched Sera was under the moonlight. Her eyes were focused, determined to execute the sword skill she was training.

On her hand was a single-edged curved sword. A crescent moon-like blade flowing under the moonlight's shine was a satisfying sight.

The graceful short sword flowed without gaps, but the red aura Sera had somehow made it seem unstable. Sera lowered her body and dashed forth. As low as her body could take, Sera executed a singular motion and made the sword travel from the bottom up like a rising dragon.

Her sword moved like a venomous snake, but then, a flicker of red smoke appeared amidst the graceful swing. The image of the venomous snake got devoured by the flames, and the silent strike became a roar!

The snake became a serpent! A serpent of fire bent on destruction.

"It's raging again!" Sera grew warry. Her blade did not sprout flames a real flame. The risk of anything catching fire was nowhere to be found.

However, the raging fire serpent that became unstable, backlashed, sending sharp waves to her face!

"Shit!" Sera tensed up and panicked.

Then, a sudden silent gust of wind swept to her side. A reliable hand took Sera, and from the tiny slits of her eyes, she saw Colt dispersing the waves of uncontrollable aura.

Colt looked at Sera, who was a head shorter than he and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Nn!" She barely eked out a sound as she nodded her head, and when Colt let her go, Sera's energy left her, and lost the ability the stand.

Colt knelt down on one knee and helped the lady properly sit up. He examined her condition, and only then did he saw the small cuts that were under her long green hair and some other places he didn't quite catch when he was far away.

'Cuts on the neck, wrist, arms, palms, and even face, this girl is quite lucky.' Remembering the raging fire aura, Colt was amazed that Sera had yet to lose a finger or two.

"Thank you, Young Master Colt, you saved me." Sera bowed her head.

"It is nothing, I should have acted sooner when I saw the flow of your aura and sword seemed weird." Colt stated, "You're already exhausted, I think would be best to rest for the night. I'll take you to your room…"

Colt gentlemanly offered his hand.

"I'm sorry Young Master, but I can't stop now. I need to train in this sword technique." Sera refused.

"If you continue, it would only do you more harm than good."

"...It is fine, Young Master. I just need to train some more."

Seeing her stubbornness, Colt had no choice but to act tough as he spoke a rougher tone, "Sera, that's enough!"

He wanted her to gather herself through his reprimand, but the next thing Colt saw was Sera, shaking.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disobey your orders, I, I was out of myself! Please punish me accordingly." Sera buried her head on the ground as she begged for forgiveness.

Seeing her act as such made Colt unable to react appropriately.

'She's not acting her usual self nor her façade.' Sera was usually calculative and acts appropriately. Her façade was that of a cold person, but deep down, she was caring, especially to her family.

"Why are you acting like that, Sera? Do you think I'm someone who likes seeing others bow down to him? Do I look like that much of a tyrannical person?"

"Of course not, Young Master, I…" Sera wanted to say otherwise, but her shaking voice spoke volume.

Colt sighed at the sight of this lady Butler. With a thud, he sat on the ground and placed Fluff on his lap. As the cat made a purring sound as it slept, Colt spoke, "Okay, I don't think you're thinking straight. Tell me, is there something bothering?"

"…"

Her silence even hurt Colt. He sighed and thought aloud, "Am I really that untrustworthy?"

Sera, however, profusely shook her head, "No, Young Master, it's nothing like that! I-I just really need to relearn my sword skill."

Her voice was trembling still. She was scared of something.

Colt raised a brow at her words, "Relearn? What do you mean, did you already know of this sword technique?"

To relearn, something meant that one would have to at least learn one particular skill at some point.

But from Colt's perspective, Sera was nothing but a newbie who couldn't grasp the basic.

Sera nodded her head, "That's right, Young Master. This is the [Silent Venom Snake] that Butler Go taught me. I used three weeks to learn it and another month to master it without an aura."

'A month? Wow, this girl is talented at the sword. Even I have yet to grasp the sword technique Teacher taught me, and she's already mastered hers? That's some talent.'

Colt was jealous. But he kept a dignified face as he listened to the rest of the story.

"The aura suited for its use is supposed to be wind, and Butler Go taught me his expecting me to develop wind aura and become his successor. But, when I awakened my aura, I found myself awakening fire aura instead! Right now. My techniques aren't working, and I fear that…I would become useless to the one who gave my brother a chance to live a happy life. My Older Brother, I-I don't want to become useless and become a baggage to anyone again."

Colt remained silent for some time.

'So that's what's going on.'

There were two kinds of Butlers in this world. First, there were those treated like shit and the other treated with respect. Butler Neun and Butler Go were both treated with respect and was looked up to by many.

They held significant power for a Butler, and they took command of the house when the Masters were away. Butler Go commands the Capital and Butler Neun of the Fief.

It was a preposterous idea, but the only way this could have come to be was if they were given much trust. Butler Neun was a War Veteran together with Shickly, and Butler Go was a leader of an Espionage team also under the Count.

It was quite clear that the two have quite the past with Shickly. They even made a [Vow] to serve the family.

'I don't know how they became so loyal to us, though.' Colt honestly did not know.

It was understandable why they were in their position. Sera was a Butler, but she had yet to make a vow to anyone.

She held no position whatsoever but was not treated with respect and was being trained to succeed Butler Go.

She trained diligently without making any complaints and even built a persona to match her position.

She became stronger as time went on. Now, she was capable of dispatching thugs, and no soldier without aura could match her. She grew exceedingly pleased, but all that ended when she faced failure after failure.

It started when she failed to protect Colt from Julius and was told that he was forced to bargain for their lives.

The other would be when she became useless as she awakened the wrong aura, thereby losing her capability to regain her credibility to Colt.

And as she remained there, seated before Colt, she was shaking as she pleaded, "Please, Young Master, just give me some time, and I'll be able to force down my aura, I-I…"

She was afraid to drag Colt and Jin down.

'The little sister of the kind of Apothecary. According to Jin, Sera is 17 years of age. When they were young, Sera was in an accident where she witnessed her Father and Mother's death under the hands of a Thunder Panther.

'When the Hunters reached their place to save them, only Mina was found with her eyes widened with her parents in front of her. She was left trembling. Scarred and unable to think straight, at the age of five, Sera became someone close to a retarded person. She would hole up inside a room, and there, she would cry. She became terrified of the outside world and would break down as soon as she left their home.

'Jin and Sera did not have anyone else other than themselves, and being who he was, Jin lovingly took care of Sera without a single complaint. When she was twelve, she managed to head out and return to normal, and to help Jin, she went to learn words and numbers and became a receptionist of the Apothecary Guild.'

Colt sighed at her story. He already knew of Sera's story, and remembering how she was initially suspicious of him, it only made Colt sigh.

'She was once an anchor to her brother's life, is that how she sees it? And now that she gained a chance to prove herself useful and helpful to those around him, she felt needed and now that she was stripped away of that — she grows scared.'

Not everyone possesses a strong heart. Many, like Sera, have a fragile heart.

In her case, just when she was beginning to strengthen herself, the rope she clung onto snapped, sending her plummeting down far lower than where she originally began.

Was she scared of abandonment? Eyes of contempt? Or the cackling of others? Colt had no idea neither could he understand.

"Well, I can't have my Butler bumbling having so much problem." Colt stated, and Sera dejectedly lowered her head.

'Like I thought.' Sera felt like the ground swallowed her. Her hopes we crushed.

But then, Colt gently placed his right hand on Sera's head and ruffled it as if he was playing.

"Young Master, what are you doing?"

Bewildered, Sera raised her head and saw her Young Master showing her a broad and energetic smile.

"Come on, stand up, we'll calibrate your technique to match the flow of your aura and get this over with."

"Huh?" Sera was utterly confused, "You're not firing me?"

"Huh? What are you talking about? I need you to go through the accounts mother would send me. You know I'm no good with that. I need you in your top form to take care of them, and if your mind wanders, then I'll be facing problems. So, to avoid that, it would be more efficient to help you deal with your problem. I may not look like it, but I'm rather ingenious when it comes to manipulating aura, now, draw your sword and show me your grit, or did your words held no weight?"

"T-thank you, Young Master! I'll do my best!"

"Good."

A Butler needs a strong heart to support the Master he or she serves. Sera neither have any of that quality. But, Colt knows Sera has the potential to become someone like that.

'She already broke once, and she managed to climb out of that darkness. She also didn't run away when the danger that is the Genesis Family loomed over them. It's clear that she has a strong heart, mind, and is loyal. She's also smart and very quick to pick up on things…in time, she'll be very useful.'

As Colt thought of his genius, he failed to catch Sera's shining eyes.

Sera idolized Colt when she learned of what he did for Jin and Vyra. Despite being a noble, Colt risked everything to help Jin and Vyra after learning of their predicament.

The Edgeworth Family may be strong, but the Genesis Family was stronger. Colt could've died if all went south. However, that didn't matter to him and even helped Jin become rise. He already even began searching for a cure on the spreading disease to ensure the safety of the populace.

She saw him as someone extraordinary and wanted to repay him for helping Jin. She became a Butler as she thought that would be the position where she'd help him at all times. And now, seeing how he was willing to spend time on a useless servant was when she knew that her decision wasn't wrong.

'He's indeed different. A strong yet kind man, this is the Young Master that I serve.' Sera's reverence to Colt only strengthened that night.

That night, Colt didn't train. He instead helped Sera with her predicament. Sera trained like a madman and would collapse around midnight. Colt was the one who had drag Sera back to her room.

When Colt returned to his room, he saw Mina, Hylda, and Filla happily sleeping.

'Oh, good, they're still asleep.' He didn't think about it earlier, but it would have been a catastrophe if Mina saw him with Sera like that.

After throwing Fluff, who ended up useless, back to its bed, Colt went to sleep. He was tired.

"I never thought thinking how to use aura would be this tiring…in the end, I didn't get to help her much," Colt whispered to himself.

He was mentally tired, and that was enough to put him to sleep.

Four in the morning came, and he and Hylda trained like any other day. Sera was nowhere to be found. Only Colt could train only hours after he already underwent grueling training.

After training, he and Hylda went back home and saw Mina preparing the food.

Everyone at the table ate happily as they got to eat Mina's cooking. But, Colt, on the other hand, felt like his mouth was at war.

'This is too spicy…what the hell is in this thing?'

The food he was given was spicy beyond compare. He looked at Mina, and with a twitching smile and swollen lips, he asked her, "Dear?"

"Yes? Is there a problem? I heard that it helps in metabolism, so I thought it would help you in your training."

Mina answered with a smile.

Colt looked at her, and when she showed him that cheery smile, he already knew what's going on.

"Is that so, thank you then, dear." He sounded cheerful.

But on the back of his head, he screamed, 'She knows!'

Colt, however, was still surprised she didn't stop what he was doing last night if she knew all along.