//Melki: This is my first time translating, so bear with me a bit please. Machine Translation by DeepL alongside my own edits and comprehension of Romaji to fill in gaps. I'm also trying to keep names the same as the first translator did, except I changed Strom to Strohm because it looks better lol. Also changed some of the 'lady' and 'Mr.' to leaving 'san' or 'sama' because it looks nice like this, and maintains some of the original flavor too. These first 5 chapters starting from here to chapter 6 have actually been translated by me a long time ago around the time when I first read the first chapter of this so I only did final edits before posting them.
The Master has awakened.
This news spread through the house and reached me, the master's butler.
It was the early summer of Alfred Strohm's 36th year.
The master of the house, Duke August Werstein, had fallen ill one day.
The cause is unknown.
...... No, it’s said to be unknown, but in fact it was not.
Assassin.
It had infiltrated the mansion.
Now, a month later, the Master has awakened.
I'm sure that only I, the butler, the private army, and the maids who have been with him for a long time are happy.
That's how much the Master has changed.
It all started when his wife, Julia-sama, died of an illness.
While the countries were snarling and at war with each other, Julia-sama died.
Of all times, it was in the middle of a war with a neighboring country that had a cure for the disease.
Why should she be sacrificed, the Master cried, and his heart was broken.
The master, who had been working for the country, began to do the exact opposite.
He raised taxes and wasted money in order to increase the number of dead so that the country would be exhausted.
And even he himself has changed in appearance by repeatedly eating and drinking in order to welcome death sooner.
I could not stop him, nor even admonish him.
Because he would not listen to anyone.
Even the words of his own son, Young Master Michaelis, could not reach him any longer.
It was as if he was alive, whilst being dead.
Words repeated day after day, like a curse, all about how he wished the country would die.
There was a will, and conversation was established.
However, once his mouth opened there was only abusive language, cruel orders, and immediate resorts of unreasonable violence.
The only time he doesn't do that is when his niece, Lady Christia, comes to our house.
Such a master finally did something he shouldn't have done.
He made a peace agreement with the Count, who was embezzling public funds, trafficking human beings, selling drugs, and many other things that were causing trouble in the kingdom, and started supporting him.
If he did such things, it was inevitable that he would be noticed by the kingdom and that he would be resented by others.
Therefore, the master was poisoned and laid down on the floor.
While he laid on the floor, I took care of him.
I wondered about how much pain he was going through. During the month he was on the floor, his body, which had become deformed through binge eating and drinking, had returned to its previous state, but there was no guarantee that his mind had returned to normal.
This made me feel gloomy.
As the head butler of the Duke of Werstein's family, this is not appropriate, I thought.
As I walked with heavy feet to the master's bedroom, I found that something inexplicable was happening there.
A maid who had joined the house about a month ago had entered the master's bedroom and was rudely expressing her opinions to him.
“But why, sir? This person is a formally employed doctor, who has looked after Master for many years!”
The maid shouted at the master in a loud voice that echoed down the hallway.
It was so shameless that I didn't want to admit that such a maid was in our family¹.
More importantly, the voice I heard after, made me feel as if my heart had been squeezed.
"…… Do you really think that I could be fooled by such poor acting?"
The cold voice said. I’m so dumbfounded that no sound will come out of my mouth.
It's not the ranting and raving that I've grown accustomed to over the past twelve years, nor does it show any of the usual lack of composure.
“Acting, I wouldn’t dare.”
"Just now I only left to get someone to.."
A cold voice of absolute zero degrees.
It was the nostalgic voice of the master back when he was feared as the "White Knight of Ice Flames".
"How could that be… ! It’s a misunderstanding. I didn’t…!"
Now I no longer care about the maid and start to seriously concentrate on master's voice.
"Hmph, if only you obediently captured that doctor. Your acting is too forced, it’s about time you gave in.”
Ah, it's Master.
The Master has returned. ......!
"Annoying", the master's voice comes out of the blue again accompanied by a sigh.
"In that case, die gracefully!"
A woman's voice interrupts, and the maid moves.
However, a single assassin, against master who has regained himself from the time when he was once dubbed as the number one knight of the country, stands not a chance.
Looking at the situation again, as expected, the woman was easily neutralized by master.
The doctor, in a hurry to escape, is stunned with the back of a hand knife and lightly tied with the cloth that had been wrapped around a nearby curtain.
"…As I thought. There are no tricks."
"Shut up! Why aren't you dead? It should have been a lethal dose!"
Master’s annoyed soft muttering voice was drowned out by the painful to hear shrill voice of the woman.
However, not even seeming to mind, Master sneered.
“Who knows, that so-called God probably has a really bad personality. You simply have no luck"
If there really is a god, I can't thank him enough.
I'll rejoice with tears, to thank you for bringing back August-sama to our family and I will gather as many offerings as I can.
"Damn it! Why! Why won't you die! If only you! If only you died!"
The woman's voice is deafening.
It's hard to hear Master's voice.
"… A persistent woman. How many times should I tell you so you understand, you simply have no luck?! Hey, is anyone there?"
"You called for me, master?"
At Master's call, I quickly rush to his side.
I don’t do anything as shameful and ugly as entering a room I have not even been called into.
If something like that happened, the name of the butler of the Ducal Wersteins would be disgraced.
Master opens his mouth as if it were natural for me to be by his side.
"Seize her."
With these words, I momentarily doubted my own ears.
The coldblooded master, to bother, for a single assassin like this?
"...... Is it okay to let her live?
To my question, Master throws back calm words.
"…It's only some annoying flies… Do I even need to say it?"
"— … If it’s you, you know what to do, no?"
Master says implicitly.
... Ah, it's the Master from back then.
Without mercy for those who defy, thoroughly beating them senseless.
With this incident, Master has finally regained his true self, which he had lost sight of for twelve years.
Then, as a butler, It’s already determined what I must do.
I will squeeze as much information out of this woman as I can, find out who hired her, and present the ringleader to the master. That's all.
Satisfied with the Master's intentions, I nodded and bowed again.
"If that's the case. Leave the rest to me"
"If so, I’ll leave it to you. …Oh~ and"
Just as I decided to secure this woman first, I’m unexpectedly stopped by the master.
"Ah. What is the matter?"
"It seems I’m in some confusion and missing a lot of my memories. I’d like to quickly check. I don't care if it's later, just find me some documents."
Oh, my God!
You have perhaps lost your memory in exchange for getting yourself back...!
I almost let my surprise show on my face when Master told me so, however as a butler, I quickly managed to catch myself and fix it.
"In that case, Master, with all due respect, is it not better to get a medical examination.”
"If the memory loss continues, then."
"Very well, then, so be it."
After receiving Master's words, I bow.
I then take the hand of the still screaming woman from Master's hand, quickly tie her up with a sheet, and drag her away from the room.
Without forgetting, I bow to master once again before leaving the room.
Then, I leave the woman and the comatose doctor I had picked up with my old friend, the captain of Master's private army, Gulf Trasse, and also tell him that the Master has returned.
It must have been very frustrating and disappointing until now.
Gulf cried and rejoiced.
He laughed, his face a mess of tears and snot, and said he was going to have a good drink tonight.
After that, I went back to master's study, quickly swept through his materials, and returned to master in the bedroom.
I knock on the door and wait for permission to enter, but there is no response.
...... It seems that the master has regained some of his old bad habits.
He was always so focused on his thoughts that he can’t hear the sounds around him.
A smile appears naturally on my face, and I hurriedly tighten my face and put on a butler-like expression.
I gently opened the door to see what was going on, and sure enough, Master was there staring into space, seemingly pondering over something.
However, I am a butler.
The Master's orders are absolute.
I'm very sorry to interrupt him, but I must call out to him.
"Master, I have brought you some documents, there is only the family and ancestor book for now, if that is alright!?"
As I say this, I gently present the two books to him, and he accepts them as if they were a matter of course.
"I see, then look for other materials later"
"Yes, I understand."
I smiled inwardly as he quickly looked through the list, half listening to my words.
It's not unusual for people to neglect other things when they concentrate.
Tempted to throw both my hands up in the air and shout in joy, I somehow manage to stop myself.
And seeing this kind of master, my tears nearly fall.
"...... Master."
"... What's the matter?"
“Nothing… it’s just that, seeing Master read like this reminded me of the time when Julia-sama was still alive.”
Even back then, she used to read books during her occasional free time like this.
It's a good thing to have an idea of what you're going to do with your time.
"I see."
The Master was not offended when I spoke to him while he was reading.
This is a sign that he trusts me as his butler.
"Since you’ve lost so much weight like that, there will be a need to update your wardrobe, I shall bring you a seamstress later."
"...... Have I changed that much?"
"I believe you've lost a little more than half your body weight."
After saying it, I am flustered.
To speak without thinking much due to a mere overwhelming amount of joy, what on earth am I doing.
"My apologies, I’ve said something unscrupulous."
"Hmm... Don't worry about it."
I hurriedly apologized, but the master didn't seem particularly bothered by it and just lightly brushed it off.
"By the way, how long has it been?"
… The way the question lacks a subject, is just the same as always.
"It has been 12 years since Julia-sama’s death if that’s what you mean."
"I see."
The last twelve years have been long.
It really felt like a long time.
"Your son, Young master Michaelis, has reached adulthood, and he's grown a lot.
"My son... I see."
"It would be no exaggeration to say that he is your pride and joy. He's grown up brilliantly."
"...... I see."
He said he was having trouble remembering, but he seems to remember Young Master Michaelis, who is his son.
He stares somewhere into the air with a deep emotional gaze.
"Master... Why don’t we stop taking revenge now?"
Before I realized, the words had left my mouth.
"... What’s this so suddenly?"
The Master's words were true, but I couldn't stop myself from speaking, perhaps because I had been accumulating for too long.
"Do you still bear a grudge against this country?"
I'm sure you've heard of it.
It was war time at that time, and the medicine to cure Julia's illness could only be obtained in hostile countries.
... I'm sure the Master knew that it was impossible.
Ah, my apologies, Master.
—Once I let my heart out, I couldn’t seem to stop.
"It's already been twelve years. I'm sure Julia-sama wouldn't have wanted for Master to become like that."
As I said this, the Master, who had been quietly listening to my entire conversation, suddenly opened his mouth.
"Let me ask you something."
"...... What is it, sir?"
With Master staring at me calmly and expressionlessly, I had the illusion that my stomach was slowly draining of warmth.
"Why are you talking about this now?"
I thought that if it was the current Master, perhaps you would listen to me properly.
I bowed my head and waited for the Master's words, feeling like a prisoner waiting for his death sentence.
However, contrary to my expectations, Master’s state seemed strange somewhere.
"Is it so different?"
"With all due respect, you seem to be much more calm than before you were laying on the floor."
"I see…"
While scanning the list at hand, Master muttered as if convinced of something.
"Alfred Strohm."
"... Ha."
Suddenly, I feel my body tense up as my first name is called alongside my family name².
I am happy that he remembers this Alfred, even as it seems his memory is incomplete, and I trembled in joy and fear that I had said something rude.
"How on earth did I seem like?"
A simple question asked in a calm voice.
As I tried to answer, my mouth began to tremble, but I could only muster strength to hold it back.
"... I'm afraid to say that I felt as if you were in a hurry to die."
I've said it.
Ah, what a mess.
I'm sure the Master would be upset by such a thing.
In front of me who is afraid of a declaration of war, Master’s neat face distances³ as if ridiculing himself.
"…… How ironic"
"Master...?"
I was about to call out to him, but then Master,
"It seems that once a person experiences death, he wants to live."
With that said, he had an expression on his face that resembled a tearful laugh⁴.
"Master..."
The Master, who had thrown everything away in despair, given up on even living, and was previously desperate, was now saying that he wanted to live.
This truth made me feel as though my heart was squeezed.
"...... Alfred, what is the head of the family?"
"... Well I fear that it is the symbol, the model, and the lord of the house."
"Am I worthy of that?"
The Master who asked this question looked as if cursing his uselessness and as if he might start crying.
Could it be he intends to give up the family reign and retire.
That can’t be.
No way.
Only that can not happen.
"Master…! What are you talking about? Regardless of what has happened in the past, there is no one more suitable than you to be the head of the family!"
At this affirmation, my husband⁵ looked a little surprised, and then opened his mouth with a slightly embarrassed look that only I, the butler, could understand.
"...... You’re overestimating me too much."
"No! You've always been that way. You're always so quick to belittle yourself!"
After making a big mistake, the Master always tends to lose sight of himself.
He doesn't realize the fact that what he couldn't do, no one else can.
No matter how much I tried to explain this point to him in the past, he never understood.
"... That’s not what I meant."
The Master muttered with a somewhat mysterious expression on his face.
However, I would like to say this.
"I've been with you for how many years now? I have a very clear general idea of the way you think.”
The fact that you are not familiar with the subtleties of the people around you is really no different.
I'm sure you didn't realize how much I looked out for you in the dark, Master.
"I also know how deeply you loved Julia-sama.
And also how your heart had missing parts after Julia-sama’s death"
When I said this, Master listened to my words in silence.
“... Therefore, I could not stop you."
I wanted to stop you.
But I couldn't.
"Originally even with the price of my life I should’ve stopped you.
However, there was no guarantee that you would be able to return to your sanity."
I would have gladly given up my entire body if Master would have come back to me in exchange for my life alone.
However, even if I, a mere butler, bet on my master, who couldn't even hear the words of his son, Young Master Michaelis, I'm sure that nothing I did would be able to reach him.
"Had I been acting so mad?"
"I dare say, in the beginning there had even been once when you tried to⁶ towards a war horse."
If it's Master, it would be easy to destroy one division⁷, but if he did that at that time, much less causing a big problem, he would have been defeated.
If that had happened, the duke's family would have been destroyed, and the master would have been exiled at best, or executed at worst.
That was the only thing I had to avoid.
"Had lost sanity for 12 years, huh"
The Master's words were muttered in a whisper.
When I looked at him, I saw that he was smiling thinly, sadly.
My heart tightened, as if in pain.
...Why do I have to be a butler?
It would be rude to even offer comfort at a time like this.
"Alfred."
"What is it, sir?"
Master suddenly opened his mouth.
I quickly put on the right attitude and expression as a butler and bowed.
"How long have I been asleep?"
"About a month, sir…"
"I see."
He only muttered this softly.
The facial expression was with no brewing emotion, expressionless.
When the Master has this kind of expression on his face, he is thinking about something important.
Suddenly, Master looked at me.
"It looks as if I died once."
Oh, I see, so that 's how it is.
"That seems to be the case. Congratulations on your “resurrection”, Master."
"Hmm, I see."
When I congratulated him reverently, he nodded his head with a somewhat satisfied expression.
What a wonderful thing to celebrate.
"Now Master is also a “wiseman”."
"...... I'm a 'wise man'?"
Master who seems to find an ironic meaning to these words mutters with a sarcastic smile.
"Like this the Werstein territory will remain stable for another 500 years.
Now the reign of August, once dubbed as the best in this generation will be revived"
"I don’t feel like I'll be able to live that long."
"What are you saying? Sir Sylvest hasn't fallen for four hundred years since he became a wise man. You will have to live at least a hundred years longer than that."
And, in that way the name of Duke August Werstein, who was once dubbed as the number one in the kingdom of Luna Milia, will be heard all over the world.
Ah, how wonderful.
Now we can make a fool of those new nobles who have disrespected and despised our family for the past 12 years.
"I had thought I was human."
Inwardly delighted to be able to see Master’s beautiful face, I open my mouth while nodding.
"To become a wiseman, it's like stepping into the path of becoming a god, it’s inevitable to be confused."
In fact, at the time, the Master was so beautiful that he looked like he had stepped out of a painting, and I even wondered why he wasn't an angel, so I'm very happy that he has become a sage.
In fact, now that he is a little older than he was then, the word sage is more appropriate for Master.
Could it be that the existence of sages has existed for the sake of Master until now?
It must be so.
A duke with power second only to the king, and a sage.
That's the master... Ah! What a wonderful thing...!
"Ah I can no longer pass the family to Michaelis"
The Master muttered a little regretfully.
It may be unavoidable as one day he had planned to pass the family to Young Master.
But as for me, I'd rather Master rule than Young Master Michaelis, who is the child of Master and Julia-sama, and the oldest son, but shows little interest in governing.
However without saying such out loud, I only tell of Young Master Michaelis' current situation.
"It's just as well, as Young Master said he wanted to prioritize the knights over the family."
"I see. ...... But there is a problem."
Towards the convinced but slightly embarrassed expression Master made while looking at the list at hand, I became a bit skeptical.
"What would that be, sir?"
What could be the problem with Master who is already perfect?
"I told you, right, I have a major memory lapse."
I see, that's what you mean.
But with the current Master, that won't be a problem at all.
"Not to worry, I can assist you with that."
Above all, with this master included butler, Alfred Strohm, by your side, everything will work out.
No... I will make sure it does.
When I bowed, Master nodded, seemingly convinced.
"Hmm, I see."
Then, as he looked down at the list again, a question occurred to me.
This change in Master.
Could it really be true.
"...... Master…"
"...... What?"
"I've heard that when one becomes a wiseman, he meets someone who has died before."
"...... I guess so, huh."
The name on the list of the family in front of the master's gaze.
That is.
"...... You've met Julia-sama."
I'm sure that Julia-sama, who was beautiful at that time, is passing through Master’s mind right now.
When I asked him to affirm, Master let out a small smile.
"...... I’m no match for her, you understand"
"Yes, I certainly do. This is about the mistress, I’m sure she was very mad the moment she saw you."
"… uhm, I was scolded that she didn’t wish for this at all"
With that said, Master gently stroked Julia-sama’s name on the list.
He looked at it nostalgically and lovingly.
Then the master said sadly.
"...... To live."
Cruel and affectionate words.
"...... How very like Julia-sama"
I knew Mistress would say that.
'My God! If you may please not do stupid things as the Duke! This kind of August is not the one I love, huhn!’
I can easily imagine her saying that, lifting her large, droopy, pretty eyes in desperation and resentment with a pout.
As a duchess, she would have been too overwhelmed as a member of the Count's family, but I felt my heart tighten as I remembered how hard she worked to absorb various things and become worthy.
"Alfred."
"Hhn?"
When he called my name, I snapped my consciousness out of the past and back into reality, and my eyes met Master's serious gaze.
"Is it alright if I live?"
It sounded like a question, not for me as a butler, but for me as an old friend.
"No matter what happens, I declare that I will always want you to live, sir."
"… That is, even if I’m not the same August as the one you know?"
Oh my, I wonder what Master is saying such a thing now.
"My lord is you.
Even if you lack the memories of our childhood and the past we grew up together in, this fact will not change.
I will continue to be your butler."
I can't at this point change my Master, who I have been with since I was a child and watched over at all times, for something so little as the fact that he lacks some memory.
Above all, there is no such option for this Alfred.
There is only one Master for me.
There is no one else but August Werstein.
I closed my eyes quietly and bowed reverently, in a manner befitting of the butler of the Duke of Werstein's household.
And again, I pledge my allegiance to my Master.
Author has something to say: ...This butler is low-key creepy …….
Click on the number to go back to where you were before.
[1]: this could either mean family or house, aka the mansion or Werstein household which includes maids, butlers, soldiers, any servants
[2]: name and family name are too completely different words that's why its like that, it feels a little awkward in English because both have 'name' in it and its the same even if i change it to surname instead
[3]: this was kind of a mess but it's understandable right? Basically Alfred is afraid that August will get really angry but instead he makes a face that looks like he's far away.
[4]: 'crying laugh', or maybe something like 'not knowing whether to laugh or cry'
[5]: pfffff I had forgotten to change this to Master, the Japanese word 旦那様 Dan'na-sama can mean both husband and Master. Naturally Alfred is referring to Master here, but i decided to leave it like this lol.
[6]: I'm a bit unclear here. I assume it's something like tried to attack maybe..
[7]: a division of horses I assume. The numbers generally change from division to division but war horses are usually more than 100 to a million, although it can also change a lot from region to region, in terms of power and dependent in other factors
[At this affirmation , "my husband" looked a little suprised]
Danna-sama
Could be both master and husband , but I am sure it is master in this case?
Ty for the chap
Thank you for the chapter
Thanks for the chapter!
well holy sheet that was smooth, there wasn't any miss match between the dialogue considering there was a whole missunderstanding in her mind ＃(ಥ∀ಥ)