The Reader who became a Butler

Chapter 9

'Thoughts'

Cale burst into his father's office, his face flushed with anger.

"Cale, why ar-" his father began.

"Is it true?!" Cale cut him off, his voice trembling with fury and desperation. "Did you f*cking sending Hans to that place?!"

Deruth was left in shock, unable to reply immediately. But Cale didn't care. After learning where Hans had been sent, he had run straight to his father's office.

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Earlier, Cale had been walking down the hallway, trying to find a troublesome butler who he have not seen the whole day, when he spotted another butler who looked familiar.

'Oh, isn't that the butler who was always with Hans? What was his name? David? Thomas? Ugh... I can't remember.' He shrugged it off and called out, "Hey, you, Bob!"

The butler flinched and looked at him in shock and fear, a reaction Cale was used to by now. Not that it lessened the pain in his chest.

"Hey, where's Hans?"

"O-oh, young master, didn't you know? Hans was sent by the Count to..."

The next words hit Cale like a bucket of cold water.

"Harris Village."

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"Why the f*ck did you send him THERE?" Cale demanded, his voice shaking with anger.

Deruth, shaking off his initial shock, replied, "We needed some people to go there for the yearly inspection, and Hans is one of our most capable butlers, so I sent him."

"...."

Deruth looked at Cale, whose bangs now covered his eyes. He stood up and placed his hands on Cale's shoulders.

"Cale, don't worry. Hans is a capable butler; he will be okay."

'Your mother will come back soon; she will be okay.'

Cale started to shake, then pulled away from his father's embrace.

"Cale-"

"Haha... hahaha. HAHAHA... F*CK!" Cale screamed, making Deruth flinch as he tried to reach out to him.

"Cale, what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? WHAT'S WRONG?!" The commotion attracted some servants who peered in through the open door. "You have the audacity to ask what's wrong when YOU should know what that place means to me."

"I-"

Cale took a step forward, making Deruth step back. "YOU should know how I feel right now."

Step.

"YOU should never even think of mentioning that place around me."

Step.

"YOU should know not to send someone precious to me AGAIN to that place."

Step.