Reincarnated as the Villain's Butler

Chapter 15

A/N: I thought it'd be fun to start making character profiles for a couple character appearances so far (and actually start committing to designs),  starting with the butlers! Hope you guys like them :D

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The sun had not yet risen, with the birds outside preparing to welcome the early spring morning with their calls. With the chill breeze against their back, a shadowed figure climbed the cobbled walls of the fort, hands and feet only grazing the barely protruding stones whilst they glided over the structure.

The crackling and smell of a smoldering torch and the sounds of heavy leather boots shuffling across the walkway above filled the otherwise silent premise. As the sounds grew more distant from them, they leaped over and darted across the walkway, clearing its width at a speed which even if the guard stationed had been standing there at that very moment, she would have missed them if she had blinked. As the guard in question let out a bored and tired yawn, the figure that had passed her without detection was already outside one of the windows of the fort, sliding down and hugging the outside wall. After confirming no one was inside, they entered.

The window was of the kitchen storeroom, opened for ventilation courtesy of its early morning operations. The room was unlit and the shelves stocked full of foodstuffs, the smell of stored meat and cheese especially prominent. The small window of the wooden door connecting to the rest of the building let some golden lamp light in from the other side, where the activities of the main kitchen can be heard. There were clashes of metal and wood, the sizzling of oil, and the shuffling and chatter of the men tasked with today's breakfast, along with the lovely aroma of their progress permeating through the doors.

The storeroom door opened, one of the men walking inside to retrieve some additional ingredients. The figure who had been flushed against the wall slipped past behind him, low to the ground and using the counters as cover so as to not let the morning staff spot them exiting the kitchen area to the rest of the building.

While the figure traversed the inner workings of the barracks with familiar ease, the morning bell called all the soldiers awake. After letting out choruses of groans, they rose from their beds and readied themselves, heading outside for their morning drills. Once the last of the soldiers went past, the figure emerged from the dark and entered the soldier's sleeping quarters where the door was left wide open. It was for the last soldier, who still lay sprawled across their bed lightly snoring away.

Avoiding the various personal belongings scattered across the floor of the room, the figure arrived at the head of the bed of the sleeping soldier. The soldier meanwhile, continued to sleep without a care, blanket half tossed to the side, and mouth hung slightly open as he snoozed on. Walter, his name was— the soldier that was always the last to rise from bed.

The figure leaned down silently, studying the other's sleeping form. They tilted their head pointedly, before driving their claws towards the man's skull.

Walter's eyes blew open as he craned his neck sideways to dodge it. The claws meanwhile tore through the fabric of the pillow, sending its stuffing flying.

"Hah— good morning to you too, kiddo." Walter gave him a shit-eating grin. "I didn't realize you wanted my pillow that much. Could've just asked for it, y'know?"

Twisting his body, Walter aimed a kick toward his face, using the momentum to grab his sword from his bedside, then jabbing its hilt upwards towards the other's chin.

"Good morning, Mr. Walter," Altair replied, grinning smugly as he leaned out of its way. The two began exchanging blows, a fierce dance of parries and narrow dodges. "I figured you could use some time away from it, since you're sleeping in again, as usual. If you rush now, you could still make it, unless you'd rather do Sir Antonio's punishment exercises after breakfast again."