Pig Prince Ethan (3)

“Young Master Ethan, are you alright?!”

“……Yeah.”

“Thank goodness it doesn’t seem life-threatening. I suspect you lost consciousness from sheer shock.”

“What a relief, Young Master. If something had happened to you, the master would surely…”

Waking from a brief, warm slumber, Ethan immediately surveyed his surroundings upon opening his eyes.

The familiar bedroom scenery. Servants gathered around him.

Realizing he’d been moved to his bedroom after collapsing, young Ethan quickly grasped the situation.

The servants’ gazes held none of their usual hopeful expectations – only worry.

He instantly recognized the shift in emotions directed at him.

For reasons unknown, everyone’s gaze had abruptly changed.

The only difference in himself was one simple thing.

He’d missed a step on the central staircase and fallen.

That tiny misstep alone had created this dramatic shift in how people saw him.

At his tender age, Ethan began forming terribly misguided values from this experience.

This suspicion turned to certainty when his father entered the room.

“Ethan! Ethan!!”

A frantic voice and distorted expression unlike anything he’d shown before.

Ethan wasn’t so foolish as to mistake this for simple concern.

Having always sensed the countless emotional gazes directed at him, young Ethan could read every raw emotion in his father’s tight embrace.

“Ethan! Thank goodness you’re safe… If I lost you too…!”

A father’s love he’d never felt before.

Just one injury could make it this palpable.

All from a simple fall down the stairs.

At his young age, Ethan learned a terribly twisted way to receive love from others.

And so for two years, Ethan strove to be loved.

“Young Master Ethan, are you alright?!”

“Young Master, if you skip morning training, the master will worry.”

“You missed etiquette lessons again today… Please don’t forget tomorrow, Young Master.”

“Young Master Ethan… Coming out of your room like this at night…”

“Young Master…”

With every injury, mistake and misdeed, the hopeful gazes vanished, replaced by worry and pity.

People gradually stopped expecting perfection from him.

As time passed, Ethan came to perceive these shifting emotions as love.

Some whispered the young master had grown dull since his fall, but nothing could be further from the truth.

If anything, he’d only grown more cunning.

Realizing no one could criticize him, Ethan began ruling the mansion as he pleased.

Sleeping in till noon, eating whenever hungry, skipping sword training and magic lessons – nothing could restrain him.

Even as his body deteriorated and he lost all noble graces, no servant dared discipline him.

All knew how dearly Harold loved his last remaining family.

Too many had been transferred to harsh postings or outright dismissed for upsetting the young master.

None remained in the mansion who could oppose Ethan’s whims.

They could only quietly hope he’d someday mature to resemble his father Harold.

All but one new maid in the vast mansion.

“My apologies, Young Master Ethan. In my fright, I made a mistake.”

“……”

Cold eyes that held no expectations despite knowing he was Ethan Richard Blackwood.

Accustomed to reading gazes, Ethan easily deciphered the new maid’s expression.

Normally, servants would regard him with hopeful expectations that faded over time.

But this maid showed no such expectations from their first meeting.

Her difference intrigued Ethan greatly.

“If the dark hallway frightens you, I’ll accompany you.”

“It’s perfectly normal, Young Master. Growing boys get hungry at night.”

“Just leave it, I’ll clean up later.”

Her calm demeanor never wavered at his disappointing behavior.

Her eyes seemed to say she’d never held any expectations to begin with.

Somehow, they reminded Ethan of someone he missed dearly.

Someone long gone, long mourned.

“You needn’t live up to others’ expectations, Ethan. Mother will love you no matter what.”

“……”

Sneaking back from the kitchen at dawn, Ethan secretly thought:

If I come to the kitchen at this hour tomorrow, I might see that maid again.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

Third day of kitchen duty.

My eyes opened automatically at 4 AM, body rising from bed.

Carefully, slowly, so as not to wake Isabel…

“Going to work, Lillith?”

…Damn.

“Sorry, did I wake you again?”

“Nuh-uh… Just woke up on my own…”

I really tried to sneak out quietly today.

I felt guilty making Isabel lose sleep over me. She needs rest at her age.

Not that I chose kitchen duty or these 4 AM shifts willingly.

“If the top bunk’s uncomfortable, you can sleep in my spot. I’m leaving for work anyway.”

“Mm…”

Apparently finding the top bunk bothersome, Isabel took my spot.

Wriggling under my blanket, she looked oddly cute.

Well, she’s basically a high schooler back in my world, so that figures.

“If the top’s uncomfortable, want to switch tomorrow? I’ll take it.”

“It’s fine… Doesn’t matter…”

“Huh?”

“Hnn… Warm…”

Mumbling something incomprehensible, Isabel burrowed into my blanket and fell asleep.

After confirming she’d drifted off, I carefully exited into the mansion hallway.

Now familiar with Blackwood Mansion’s predawn corridors.

Walking like this reminds me of night watch in the military.

Except this shift never rotates, no matter how many days pass.

-Rustle.

“Huh?”

“……”

What was that?

Thought I heard something behind me.

Worried Isabel might have followed unconsciously, I glanced back but saw no one.

Probably nothing. I trudged wearily toward the kitchen.

“Haah… I really want to stop chewing garlic…”

After Ethan left yesterday, I spent over an hour chewing garlic while prepping vegetables.

Naturally, my efficiency plummeted the next day.

『Current Mana 245 / 245』

I expected reduced efficiency, but not this drastic.

Rough calculations showed similar mana expenditure to the first day. My capacity just increased, making gains less noticeable.

At least my maximum mana was clearly growing.

But I’d come too far to quit now.

The senior maids already expected me to handle everything.

‘Great work today, Lillith~. See you tomorrow~.’

‘We need you, Lillith~. Want to keep working with us?’

‘……’

Are you insane? Why would I want to work with you?

What junior would want to work with seniors who dump work after two years?

I’m only enduring this for the magic training. Once this rotation ends, I’m avoiding those damn seniors.

Just five more days until I’m back with Isabel.

-Creak.

Entering the kitchen, I sighed involuntarily.

Mountains of vegetables replenished overnight. Same work awaited me.

…Except I’d failed to consider another unexpected presence.

“Haaa…”

“Maid, was that a sigh?”

“……Huh?”

An unpleasant voice nearby. Had I misheard?

Unfortunately not. My eyes found a short, pudgy silhouette.

I nearly swore aloud.

…But given who it was, I swallowed the words.

“The maid sighed because she hates working~. Should I tell Daddy~?”

“……”

“Maid, I’m hungry. Cook for me again today.”

…Damn it.

Starting my shift with this nonsense.