STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

03. KITCHEN CHAOS

The trip home had no problems, thankfully. South dropped them off at the main entrance where Ron was waiting, and then excused himself to put the carriage back.

He sighed, leading Horsejamin back to the stables, and then Julianeigh. The other horses bleated when they saw him, like they were demanding to know where he went without telling them.

"Hi guys," he greeted, "sorry I couldn't brush all of you today after lunch. I'll do it now."

They were always cranky if they weren't pampered before bed. South looked around. The other stable boys had already fed them and hung up the saddles, as well as fixed the schedule for tomorrow— oh, Young Master Basen is going to take a horse tomorrow. Then South had to prepare that.

"South, you're back!"

The head coachman exclaimed as he saw him.

"We were all worried! We heard that the trainee butler told someone to take the Young Master out, but none of us were here!"

Then came more people. "You're alright? No injuries? I saw Young Master was drunk!"

"Ron got very angry at Hans for not training that guy properly," another said. "Poor guy. One of the kitchen staff was complaining that the guy just kept doing things and claiming he could because he was the third son of some Baron or something."

"The maids, too! The guy's looking down on us because we're commoners and he's not!"

South couldn't help but chuckle at that. Seems like the guy was causing trouble everywhere today, it's still his first week of work too. He'll get fired soon enough.

He'll deserve it.

"His name was Gian, I think?" South recalled.

"Yes, that guy!"

"I knew that guy was behind it!"

South envied their energy.

"Were you really okay out there?" The head coachman took his shoulder and inspected him up and down. "It was a whole day, too."

"Did you take your medicine?"

"Uh, no," South admitted, narcolepsy medication didn't work very well in this world, and even then it costs half his entire month's salary each dose. "That's expensive and I didn't have time. But I was fine! I didn't crash the carriage! I really thought I was going to die a few times, honestly."

"...And Young Master Cale did not get violent?"

South paused. Oh, that's what they're worried about. "Not at all! He was actually really nice to me. I got to sleep on a noble's sofa, too."

That was the exact opposite of assuring to many of them. They exchanged glances of terror behind South's back.

"It's fine, these two are calm and don't fright easily, so they took care of me," South caressed Horsejamin's back. "I'm going to brush all the horses now, since I didn't get to do it today. Did anything else happen?"

"Ah. Right," they decided to drop it, since South looked unharmed. "Sir Ron warned us that the Young Master may want to go out again tomorrow."

"One of us will be here, so rest tomorrow, alright?"

"Okay," South agreed. That's what he wanted.

"And South? Leave the brushing for later," the head coachman took him by the arm. "We're going to see the nurse in the servants quarters first."

"Whuh?"

-

"I knew it... you're freezing," the nurse sighs. "We did tell you to dress warmly. Your body temperature keeps dropping along with your blood pressure. That's making your muscle atrophies more frequent. I'm surprised you made it home in your state."

The nurse squeezed his forearms, and it was all tense. South barely reacted beyond a wince as he pressed harder.

"I'm used to it."

"You should not be," the nurse said, annoyed. "I'll write you a note. Bring this to Vicross and tell him to make you something warm to eat before you come back. No horse brushing today."

"Ehhh."

"You have other stable boys!"

"But the horses like my brushing the most!"

"Then they can cope. Your health comes first."

"Okay..."

-

"Uhm, Head Chef Vicr—"

He opened the door to Ron and Vicross, death-battling against Choi Han, knives in their hands and a sword in the other. They've destroyed a table and bench so far, and half the kitchen's dishware is shattered. Choi Han's cloak looks like it's been grabbed, and Vicross' apron has a splash of suspicious blood. Ron looks like he avoided decapitation.

They all freeze at the same time, turning to stare at South at the door.

Emergency evacuation, "I'll come back later—"

Ron snatched him by the scruff and pulled him back in.

"Please don't kill me, I'm sorry!"

"For what?" all three of them asked back in differing levels of exasperation.

-

Somehow, now South is in the kitchen with the three most dangerous men in this estate. Choi Han is eating something that seems similar to the servants' meals— Vicross is making a soup for South, and Ron is seated on the table with a towel to his neck, the top half of his clothes pulled down so South can sew up a gash on his shoulder blade.

"You're surprisingly adept at that," Ron mused.

Usually, he would have Vicross do it since it's in a spot he can't reach on his own, but that would be a health violation while he's cooking.

South tried not to answer, focusing on sewing while his fingers were still slightly shaking. He did this a lot in his past life for himself, so it's not a big deal.

"If you guys are going to fight, I would rather it happen when I'm not watching," he dismissed. "I'm not new to it, but I still don't like watching people get hurt."

He looked up after a moment of silence to realize they were all staring at him.

Flustered, he finished the stitch quickly, "anyways! If you need stitches, it's bad! Can't you at least not use your blades? How will any of you explain this to Young Master Cale if any of you actually die?"

South directed the last part at Choi Han and he looked offended.

"Rest assured, stable boy," Ron said. "If we were using anything but the knives that were meant to prepare the Young Master's food, we would not have needed more than one strike."

South paused at that.

More than one— that means—

Then, turning to Choi Han, he scowled at his left side. The side suspiciously never taken out and used to pick up the fork. This guy was just eating one-handed.

"Hey, move down that sleeve for me."

Immediately caught, Choi Han averted his gaze, arms shrinking further away under his cloak. "Uhm... I refuse."

South is a stable boy. He's used to taking care of large animals, especially when they're being stubborn about treatment. He might be small in size and not very intimidating, but never underestimate the core strength of someone who can bridal carry a horse.

No wonder Ron just let himself get patched up without protest.