Episode 7
I mean, it’s not like we were planning to go anywhere extravagant—just a short trip to the shops near the estate.
Still, I shuffled nervously as I stepped carefully into the study.
The man seated at the desk, eyes fixed on a stack of documents, came into view.
His face, shadowed by the backlight, bore the marks of age, and with it a weighty dignity.
But there was something heavier than mere dignity or refinement.
Duke Henry Brighton.
The father of Ian Brighton, and the undisputed master of this ducal household.
“Pardon the intrusion…”
And my employer.
I absolutely must make a good impression.
One wrong move here and my hopes for a raise, a promotion, even the dream of owning my own home would go up in smoke…!
“So, you’re the one serving as Ian’s personal valet.”
“Yes, sir. My name is sissi.”
“I hear Ian tried to dismiss every servant in the house except you.”
“Yes, he did give such an order.”
“He can’t just dismiss people on a whim because they’ve displeased him. I reassigned the others to our townhouse in the capital.”
Well, that’s a relief. I was worried such an unreasonable order might actually go through.
“And today, you say you want to take Ian out?”
At last his eyes lifted from the file and met mine.
Just one glance, but it carried a strange pressure.
Well, he is the Duke of Brighton. A blood relative of the imperial family, one of the empire’s true power brokers.
The Brighton domain’s wealth and military might are such that even the imperial court treats it warily.
And he is the man who commands it all…
‘…but in the novel, he barely had any screen time.’
He too ended up as nothing more than an extra who fell victim to Ian once the demon awakened.
Thinking about the fate of the man standing right in front of me filled me with an odd sensation.
“Yes. For safety’s sake, I’ll be by his side the entire time.”
“Safety…”
The Duke trailed off.
“Whose safety?”
I flinched a little.
‘Right. He’s not worried about Ian.’
It was the citizens of the duchy. The ordinary people going about their day in the marketplace.
‘He sees Ian Brighton as a danger to others.’
The Duke’s crimson eyes fixed on me.
They resembled Ian’s far too closely—it was unsettling.
What must it be like for him, to look at a son who looks so much like himself?
“You’ve attended Ian for a week now. Why?”
“Pardon, sir?”
“You’ve seen his every tantrum, his every violent outburst. And his…”
The Duke broke off.
He couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence, but I knew exactly what he meant.
The Ian of ten o’clock at night.
The countless whispers, the suffocating darkness.
How he had dragged up the horrors of the Grington Count’s household from my own memories, replaying them to exploit my weakness.
“…And still, you want to take him outside?”
His words were heavy, pressing down on me.
But at the same time, I found myself thinking—
“I don’t see any reason not to, sir.”
The Duke’s eyes widened a fraction.
Was I about to be flogged for insolence? At the Gringtons, just answering back was enough to set the Count, his wife, and James off in a frenzy.
My throat was parched, but I decided to trust in Duke Brighton.
“Of course, Ian does have his… unusual sides. But in the past week, I haven’t thought of him as bad.”
“Not bad?”
“More than anything, he seems to have had very little chance to play with kids his own age. If he went out for a change of pace, maybe he’d behave a little more gently.”
That, really, was the crux of it.
For the Brighton Duchy—the place I’ve staked my hopes for a lifelong career—to survive the next decade, Ian Brighton must remain more human than demon.
If that was to happen, I had to try.
And this was one of the methods I’d thought of.
Give Ian Brighton more ‘human’ experiences.
‘Because that night, at ten o’clock, he asked for warm milk with honey.’
That alone proved there was still a chance. A chance to preserve his humanity.
The Duke’s eyes flashed. I instinctively hunched my shoulders.
“Forgive me, I’ve overstepped, haven’t I?”
“…I’ll permit the outing. Only until sundown.”
Good heavens. I hadn’t expected things to go this smoothly.
“Thank you, sir!”
“That’s enough. You may go.”
“Yes, your Grace!”
I bowed again and again. His eyes on me were strange—hard to read, complicated somehow.
“Will it be different this time?”
I left the study behind as he muttered to himself.
Whatever turmoil lay in the Duke’s heart, it wasn’t my concern. What mattered was bringing Ian the good news.
“Young master! Ian!”
Full of excitement, I rushed to his room—only to find chaos.
“You wretch! And you call yourself your mother’s son?”
“Shut your mouth. What do you know about that woman?”
“That woman? That woman?! How dare you insult your own mother?!”
Several servants were desperately holding back a young lady, while two knights of the ducal guard were restraining Ian himself.
Staring blankly at Ian’s bloodshot eyes, I turned to the girl.
Black hair like the Duchess’s, violet eyes, sharp features—
‘Rosa Brighton.’
The Duke’s eldest daughter, and Ian’s elder sister.
“Why don’t you go and say that in front of them? They’re the ones who call me a demon, say I clawed my way screaming out of her belly.”
“Hold your tongue! How dare you spout such filth in this house?”
“Filth is for parents to spew. Did they ever even treat me as a son?”
“Do you have any idea how much effort Father and Mother have put into you?!”
Oh no. It was a full-blown fight.
And I’d just gotten the Duke’s permission for the outing, too.
“M-my lord!”
My shrill cry made both of them freeze mid-lunge.
That was all the opening I needed. I darted forward and wrapped my arms around Ian’s waist.
“My lord! Please calm down! You can’t do this here!”
“…Let go.”
“I understand you’re furious, I really do! But let’s just… let’s go out for a bit, get some air! That’ll help you cool off!”
“Go out? Where?”
“The Duke gave his permission! For you to go outside!”
The room fell dead silent.
I was the only one left baffled. What, was the Duke allowing Ian to leave that much of a bombshell?
“Who… who gave permission?”
Rosa was the first to find her voice.
Her pale face tightened under her dark hair as she stammered in disbelief.
“Father… what did Father do…?”
“The Duke permitted Ian to…”
“Insanity! They’d let that thing out in public?!”
“Oh dear, my lady!!”
“How can they let out someone who insults my mother?! Do you want our family honor dragged through the mud?!”
Ah. Ian Brighton snapped.
The cords in his neck stood out—he’d lost all control.
“Fine then, sissi.”
“W-what? You’re actually using my name kindly for once…”
“Let’s go.”
“…Sorry, what?”
Wait, what? Where had the Ian Brighton gone who, just two hours ago, was raging at me for suggesting we leave the house?
Instead, the boy’s lips curled in a grin that was almost a sneer as he urged me on.
“Let’s go out and turn the Brighton Duchy upside down.”
