I Get Isekai'd Into an Otome Game

Chapter Five: The Duke and the Prince Duke It Out

My days off passed with me exploring the castle on my own. After two days, the dresses and shoes Landon had bought me were delivered to the maid's quarters. I got some confused looks, it was obvious people were wondering why I had such fancy clothes and shoes delivered to me. It wouldn't be long before I was given my permanent assignment, though. I wondered what it would be, I had no clue. I only knew it wouldn't be kitchen duty, considering how much of a disaster my time training there was.

"Isabelle," Amelia said, coming up to me one day. "I have your assignment."

I sat up in my bed, where I'd been reading a book I had bought from the city the previous day. It was a story about faeries. I'd always loved fantasy, but I'd never imagined I'd be living in one. "What is it?"

"Duke Kayden Harris has requested you as his personal attendant."

I blinked, trying to comprehend what Amelia had said. Someone that high of a rank wanted me as his attendant? The memory of my hand meeting his cheek flashed through my mind. "Huh?"

Amelia nodded. "Yes. His last attendant retired and he needs a new one, he's requested you. I want you on your best behavior with him, his family is close to the royal family. I don't want to hear about you doing anything uncouth, understand?"

"Yes, Ma'am," I replied, nodding. So she hadn't heard that I'd smacked the duke when I'd first met him. "When do I begin?"

"Tomorrow. You'll have today to prepare, you'll be given a special designation on your uniform as the attendant of high-ranking nobility."

I just nodded. Did this mean the real story was about to begin? I hadn't interacted with Kayden or Victor very much, not like my time with Damian or Landon. Not even Gabriel, who just kinda seemed to pop up randomly from time to time. He reminded me of Goemon Ishikawa from Nightshade with how he did that. In any case, why would the Impey wannabe request me? He knew I didn't like him flirting with me, I'd made that perfectly clear when we'd first met and smacked him. This world made no sense to me.

The next day, I got dressed in my uniform and pinned a small badge to my apron. The badge held an engraved design of a horse reared on its hind legs, a cape around its neck and a sword crossed in front of it. It must have been the Harris family crest, designating that I was serving a member of their family. The crest was beautiful in its simplicity, I thought. I had no clue why there was a horse, I hadn't been able to do much research on all of the noble families in this kingdom and there were quite a lot of them, so they were hard to keep track of.

I made my way through the palace to the duke's rooms and knocked on the door. "Duke Harris?"

"Come in," a groggy voice said from the other side of the door.

I opened the door and walked in, heading for the bedroom, only to feel my face grow hot at the sight before me. Although it was nearly breakfast time, Kayden was lying on his stomach in bed, a blanket covering his legs and waist. He wasn't wearing a shirt. I didn't want him to lift the blanket to reveal that he might also not be wearing pants. I managed to squeak out, "I-I'm sorry, Your Grace!"

I turned around and was about to leave when he spoke, "Wait!"

"Um. . .are you wearing any pants?" I asked, still facing the door. My voice was still squeaky.

". . .I forgot you were starting today," Kayden admitted, awkwardness filling his voice. "I can put some clothes on if you want to wait in the living room."

I just nodded and walked into the living area of Kayden's rooms. I focused on breathing, trying to calm my hot face and racing heart. That was the most ridiculous, cliché thing that had happened to me so far! Walking in on a love interest who was naked under a blanket! If I had been playing this on my Switch, it would have been a CG. I tried not to think about his toned skin, how sculpted his umber brown chest looked. It only made my heart race that much faster.