Chapter 53

On a morning when the sun was particularly high in the sky.

The butler delivered the long-awaited news.

"Miss Daisy, do you remember the elder of Westwind you mentioned a few days ago?"

"Yes."

"I have received permission to visit him. I will go with Mr. Lu tomorrow..."

However, the arrival at Weatherwood Manor was not just about the news from Westwind.

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang sharply.

Beyond the iron gates, standing in the early summer sunlight, was a figure with silver hair that shimmered. He carried a heavy suitcase and a sword at his waist.

The uninvited guest bowed his head towards us.

"Hello, I am Jin Berkeleygrayton. I have come to see Lord Weatherwood."

It's finally here.

The butler glanced at me and our eyes met. Since we had been informed of this matter beforehand, neither of us was particularly surprised.

The butler walked familiarly to the gate and asked,

"Lord Weatherwood has not mentioned this to me. Was this a pre-arranged visit?"

"It wasn't a formal appointment, but I did express my clear intention to visit."

"I apologize, Mr. Jin Berkeleygrayton. Lord Weatherwood is currently out. You will have to come back another time."

The cold dismissal darkened Jin's already sullen face.

'Surprising.'

Jin, who had been raised as the heir to a duchy, had lived as a noble for a considerable time. Yet, instead of shouting at the butler, he appeared very composed.

If he could learn swordsmanship, his status meant nothing to him. Perhaps that's why he could leave the duchy.

At that moment,

Jin, who was standing beyond the gate, suddenly knelt down.

"Mr. Jin Berkeleygrayton?"

Jin, with a rough but determined voice, expressed his intention.

"I am willing to do any task. I have come here to receive Lord Weatherwood's teachings. Please accept me."

"Stand up! How can an heir to the Berkeleygrayton family kneel to a mere servant? Doing menial tasks is out of the question. Please stand up..."

"I am no longer the heir to the Berkeleygrayton family. You can treat me as a maid or even a servant in this manor."

Sigh. The butler, after a long sigh, looked around and let Jin in.

"Come inside. This will start rumors."

I approached Jin as soon as he stepped through the gate.

"Permission?"

I asked again, looking at Jin with a puzzled expression.

"Permission from the Sword Saint?"

Only then did Jin answer calmly.

"I have received it. My right to succession has been officially revoked."

"Did he send you here without any conditions?"

"..."

Is he bad at lying?

He can't even manage his expression when asked a direct question.

And did the Sword Saint really not know that Jin is bad at lying?

"What were the conditions?"

"..."

He still doesn't answer.

But it's not that he won't answer; he can't because of the oath.

'Sending him with such a clear mark. This is a clear provocation.'

Was the Sword Saint always this cunning? What kind of oath does this mark represent?

'An oath to uncover all the secrets of the Weatherwood family? An oath to find the relic of Dian Ket in the manor?'

Of course, I can easily sabotage it, but with the oath in place, it feels uncomfortable.

'This will disrupt my plan to accept him casually and then drive him away. I can't bring someone with an oath to destroy the Weatherwood family into the manor.'

Moreover, an oath is a promise made with one's soul.

If Jin fails to fulfill the oath due to my interference, he will surely die.

But I couldn't see any fear of death in Jin's eyes.

"This mark is a burden I must bear. I swear on my soul that I will never bring harm to the Weatherwood family."

The butler, moved by Jin's unwavering promise, responded.

"Since you can't reveal what the oath is about, how can we trust you?"

"If I cause any harm to the Weatherwood family, I will take my own life. If you wish, I can swear it with a mage."

Hmm.

'If he's willing to make such a bold claim... perhaps the oath is not closely related to the Weatherwood family.'

Then it must be an oath related to maintaining the security of the Berkeleygrayton family.

"Ha... In such a situation, you should ask for forgiveness, not take your own life."

The butler seems to have similar thoughts. She doesn't know that the Sword Saint is targeting the Weatherwood family.

While neither of us could easily make a decision,

Lu, who was reading a newspaper at the garden table, casually said,

"Why not accept him?"

"Is there a reason for saying that, Mr. Lu?"

"Because you remind me of Miss Daisy."

I was momentarily speechless.

I looked at Jin.

'Is this sword-obsessed kid like me?'

The only things Jin and I have in common are being sword enthusiasts and not having a family.

I am not as obsessed with swords as Jin, and Jin is not as laid-back as I am.

What exactly do we have in common?

"What do you mean by 'like me'?"

"Perhaps a clear sense of purpose?"

An unexpectedly ordinary answer.

I thought he would say, 'Blindly focused on the goal?'

"I am now a rootless wanderer. If you accept me, I will accomplish any task."

In front of the kneeling Jin, the butler shook her head with a regretful look.

"I'm sorry, but we don't have the means to hire another maid. I understand your situation..."

"Are you saying that I can't stay here because I am a woman?"

"Not exactly, but it's not far off."

"I see. I understand."

Swish.

Jin threw her suitcase and drew her sword from the scabbard. I didn't block her, as I didn't sense any murderous intent from her.

"If I cannot stay here as a woman."

Jin placed the sword under her high ponytail.

"Then I will stay here as a man."

Swish.

Her long silver hair was cut off. The silver strands, like snowflakes, fluttered and decorated the small garden.

The butler looked at Jin's crudely cut hair with a dazed expression.

"What are you...?"

Jin, kneeling again, shouted loudly.

"Please, Mr. Butler. Please accept me as a member of the Weatherwood family!"

Will you accept him?

'How picky the butler is.'

But the picky butler was looking at Jin with a conflicted expression.

"How... How could you cut such beautiful hair in one go?"

"Such trivial hair, if it can show my sincerity, I would shave it all off without leaving a single strand."

"…I can't deny it. Your performance was impressive. It moved me to the core."

"Thank you."

What are you thankful for, exactly?

The butler asked me seriously.

"Miss Daisy? Would you like to hold both me and Mr. Lu in your arms?"

It was a sudden request, but a maid must do as she is told.

I lifted the butler with my right arm and the garden chair where Lu was sitting with my left arm.

The butler asked Jin, who was blinking in surprise.

"To work at Weatherwood Manor, you need this level of strength. Although you are an excellent swordsman, not all swordsmen are strong. Can you do it?"

Jin nodded solemnly.

"I can. I will work hard to make it possible."

"Lord Weatherwood is a very busy man. You might not see him until you retire. Is that okay?"

"It's fine. I will find a way to see him."

"The salary will be much lower than what you could earn at other manors. This is an unexpected hire, so it can't be helped. Is that okay?"

"It's fine. I believe I will be well-fed."

Can I put them down now? I quietly lowered my arms.

"Following your suggestion, we will hire you as a man, not a woman, at Weatherwood Manor. We will require you to do all the household chores that we can demand of a male servant, including difficult and dangerous tasks. Can you handle it?"

"I can handle it. I welcome any orders that will help my training."

What is this? Why is the atmosphere so good? Surely, you're not accepting him just because he cut his hair short?

The butler, with raised eyebrows, solemnly announced to Jin.

"Alright. Mr. Jin Berkeleygrayton, or rather, Mr. Jin. We will hire you as a butler at Weatherwood Manor."

You, you!

You've done it again!