The Returning Butler

Chapter 2: The Selections

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When Shin opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was their position with Raon. Shin was holding Raon tightly in his arms, as if in a fetal position. Raon, seemingly content with this, had buried his head in Shin’s neck. It was quite a sweet sight.

However, Shin thought Raon, who disliked people, might not enjoy this and gently repositioned him as they had been the previous night, careful not to wake him. He then patted Raon’s head to rouse him.

After a moment, Raon stirred and opened his eyes. He looked around, and his gaze rested on Shin; his body visibly relaxed. Though he wouldn’t admit it, having Shin still there made him happy.

"Good morning. I hope you slept well?"

Raon didn’t answer and turned his head away, but his blushing ears hinted at a restful night. With a sigh, Shin stood up, Raon still in his lap. He gently placed him down.

"Well, it’s time for me to leave."

Hearing this, Raon looked sadly at the ground. Though he wouldn’t say it, he didn’t want Shin to go.

"Don’t worry; I’ll visit whenever I get the chance. You won’t get rid of me that easily."

Shin bent down and patted Raon’s head. "I would free you now, but that’s Cale’s duty. I can’t interfere with the future," he thought. Embarrassed, Raon spoke in an irritated tone.

"Who’s worried? Hmph! Stop imagining things, human."

Shin laughed at his reaction, raising his hands in surrender.

"Alright, you win. That’s it for now. We’ll meet again soon."

He pulled out a teleportation scroll from his dimensional pouch. Tearing the paper, the area filled with a bright light, and when it faded, Raon was alone in the cage.

He lay down in the spot they had shared the night before. When Shin held him, he had felt a strange sensation, but in a good way. Thinking about that feeling, he drifted back to sleep.

༺༺༻༻

When the light faded entirely, Shin opened his eyes and found himself where he’d used the scroll the previous day. Without wasting any time, he set off toward the Henituse estate; he didn’t want to be late.

After about a fifteen-minute walk, he arrived. There were about 20 people at the gate, and he mingled among them. Just then, a hand clap drew everyone’s attention.

"Alright, you must be the candidates for this year’s Henituse family servant recruitment."

Shin turned toward the voice, immediately recognizing the speaker. With light brown hair, gray eyes, and a cheerful spirit, it was none other than Hans. "He looks quite young," Shin thought. The last time he’d seen him, Hans had been older.

"Follow me. You’ll all go through a series of tests. If you’re skilled enough, you’ll be able to start working here." One by one, everyone lined up behind Hans.

After a long walk, they stopped in front of a room. Hans turned to face them. "This is the room where your exam will take place. Each of you will enter when your name is called. If you complete the five tasks we assign to you perfectly, you’ll pass the test and be eligible to work here. Good luck to everyone." Hans finished speaking, smiling, and walked away.

Once he left, everyone waited to be called in. When the first name was read, a nervous young man stepped forward and entered the room.

After about half an hour, the door opened again, and the first person came out with red-rimmed eyes. Seeing his expression, it was clear he hadn’t passed. Another name was called, and the next candidate entered.