Neighborly Gestures

It was another mousse cake, and Avery wasn't one to repeat the same dish consecutively.

"No, actually, this was a gift from our neighbors," Avery said, standing up straight.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "Why would they send us that?"

Avery shot him a look. "My dear sir, have you forgotten basic social etiquette simply because you've never had neighbors before?"

"As newcomers to the neighborhood, it's customary to introduce ourselves. We can't pretend they don't exist. So, this morning, I baked a Black Forest cake in your name and paid them a visit."

Managing the estate, handling affairs both big and small, and dealing with relationships with the neighbors fell under Avery's responsibilities as the butler.

He continued, "That's why the Drake family sent over this dessert in return. By the way, their child is quite adorable, they just started school not too long ago."

Bruce Wayne shook his head, not particularly interested in the neighbor's child. Seeing that Avery had handled the matter well, he let it go, refocusing on how to quickly gather more evidence to rescue the children in the orphanage.

Moreover...

As he stared at the computer screen displaying information about Margaret, his brow furrowed.

Just as Avery was about to leave, something occurred to him, and he turned back toward Bruce, pulling out an invitation from his pocket. "I almost forgot, with all this talk about the case. Didn't you say there was a charity gala tomorrow that Margaret was attending and that you were sure to be invited? Well, the invitation arrived today."

Bruce extended his hand and took the invitation.

...

A butler's job requires early rising and staying up later than anyone else.

At dawn, when the first rays of sunlight filter in, the butler begins the day by ironing the newspaper. This removes excess ink so the master's hands won't get smudged while reading.

Once everything is ready, the butler's daily service begins. The first task is to enter the master's bedroom with breakfast, placing the freshly ironed newspaper on the tray, waiting for the master to read it, and finally drawing the curtains gently to let in the light.

After breakfast, the butler helps the master dress, ensuring that all clothes are neatly pressed and free of wrinkles.

If the master plans to go out, the butler is responsible for reminding them of the day's schedule, ensuring that no appointments are missed.

Of course, the butler's biggest role is managing the staff and coordinating the household, especially when the master is hosting events. The butler is in charge of planning the details, setting up the venue, preparing drinks and food, and attending to every guest's needs to ensure no one feels neglected.

In short, nearly every aspect of the master's daily life is arranged by the butler, making it a busy profession. Even vacations require careful planning so that the master's life remains uninterrupted in the butler's absence...

However, none of this applies to the Wayne household or its current butler.

Sorry, wrong example! Let's start over.

In the Wayne household, the butler's job is quite different. Avery's father often "complains" that his professional skills are wasted in a mansion that houses fewer people than he can count on one hand.

Avery's response: "..."

When it comes to professional butlering, Avery's late grandfather, Jarvis, probably had no shortage of it, having undergone formal training in the field.

But Alfred, who came into the role halfway through his life after working as a spy, had a unique set of skills. Whether those skills involved proficient use of firearms or flying planes, rather than traditional butler duties, is up for debate.

As for Avery himself, he's no better. His professional expertise seems to lie more in wizardry than in butlering. This otherworldly focus makes his situation even more bizarre than the previous generation's. One can only imagine what his grandfather would think if he could witness the current state of affairs.

All things considered, with a master who sometimes sleeps in until the afternoon and a manor that has no other servants besides the butler, even the most capable employee would have little room to shine.

Well, not exactly little room. Since there are no other servants, Avery, whose original job was to manage the household, now also has to serve as both the chef and, at times, take on tasks meant for a maid. Any colleagues hearing about this situation would likely feel a pang of sympathy.

On this particular day, since Bruce Wayne had no appointments until the charity gala scheduled for 7:30 p.m., no one bothered to drag him out of his cozy bed. Instead, this sleep-deprived night owl was allowed to enjoy a long, well-deserved rest.

In the past, the Wayne household never employed any staff beyond the butler, and even today, it's not suited for having too many servants, as this would pose a great threat to a master with secrets to keep.

So, for a long time, the vast estate's cleaning has been handled by housekeeping staff who come periodically. After all, the workload is far too much for one butler alone.

Alfred used to manage this task himself. But ever since Avery took over, a simple snap of his fingers can make the dust and dirt vanish, needing less than a minute to clean the entire place.

After snapping his fingers, Avery was preparing... breakfast? No, lunch? Not quite. Afternoon tea? Still not right. Well, he was preparing a meal when Bruce Wayne stumbled down the stairs, looking groggy from just waking up.

Bruce pulled out a chair and sat down.

He naturally picked up the utensils and began to eat.

Once his meal was finished, with plenty of time left in the day, Bruce Wayne returned to his long and tedious investigation work. Avery and Alfred occasionally helped him. It wasn't until the charity gala neared that Avery called Bruce's attention, snapping him out of his focus. Bruce got dressed and prepared to leave.