Chapter 211 Ch 209: Transfer Of Duties [Pt1]

Finally, the outing came to an end and it was time to go back home. Yohan, who had managed to get his hand on incredibly rare information, could not help but be happy.

It also helped that he had grown closer to Lady Rui throughout the day. And now he was certain - he will be able to seduce her if he wanted to.

The Abstel mansion was a dark and gloomy place for most people. Even Yohan got a dreadful feeling from him once he looked at it from the outside. It was a place that had the history as well as the dignity of being an important place.

Lady Rui had Yohan accompany her right outside her room and then he was made to wait. There was not much for Yohan to do other than observe the walls.

And then the disaster struck. Not for him, but for the head butler and Hobbit who somehow miraculously appeared on the scene.

"Well well, look who is here - the new butler. I heard that you did not finish a single task you were given and had the other servants do it instead. Tsk, what a bad butler you are."

Yohan ignored Hobbit's provocations. The young teen sounded confident but Yohan was sure that he had the full story by now. He was only cocky because Lady Rui and the other servants were not there.

But despite his 'cleverness' of the timing, he was a babble mouth who did not have enough situation awareness. But Hobbit was lucky that the head butler was not as inexperienced as him.

"Hobbit, you should watch your words. Think of where you are standing right now."

The head butler tried to signal for Hobbit to stop talking. But Hobbit either was not interested in what the head butler was saying, or he refused to take the clue.

But Yohan was more than sure it was neither case. Hobbit just did not fear lady Rui enough to be mindful of her presence.

"Come on. You know I am right, head butler. Even if it was Lady Rui who asked Yohan to accompany her, he should have been diligent enough to finish his work first. Shouldn't we tell him when he had made a mistake?"

The head butler stood there in disbelief. He could not figure out what happened to Hobbit. Where had that shrewdness and cleverness he had seen in this kid once upon a time gone?

"I am sorry to say but I have to follow Lady Rui's words before the head butlers. I am her butler before I am house Abstel's butler and her words are a law for me."

Now, Yohan was exaggerating some words and expressions here. His real interest was House Abstel and its influence. But it was all dependent on lady Rui and her relationship with the queen.

In that way, it would not be wrong for Yohan to say that his interest was the 'lady' of the house, not the house itself.

Besides, Yohan had sensed Lady Rui's presence behind the door. She was listening in on this exchange so it was a good opportunity to show that he was on her side.

"Huh? I never said that you were not on Lady Rui's side. But let's be honest here. We are on her side because she's 'The Abstel heir' and not because of herself, right? It's common knowledge in the nobility that you pledge your alliance to the house rather than an individual."

Hobbit spoke as if he was stating a fact. And he might as well be stating a fact right now. Even Yohan knew that what he had said had been the truth.

It was common practice to swear allegiance to the house rather than an individual.

"Hobbit, that is enough. Don't forget that you are a butler of Lady Rui as well. Such insubordinate would not be tolerated by me in the future."

'Tsk, Hobbit got lucky.'

Yohan had been gloating for Hobbit to speak more but the head butler managed to interfere before Hobbit could speak any more on this topic. His compulsion magic was strong but Yohan decided to back down for now.

Any more and he would make the head butler suspicious of his moments.

"Anyway, Yohan Strout, even though Hobbit was out of line, his words did have some semblance of truth to them. You cannot leave your work to other servants, even if you are to accompany Lady Rui."

"As you are aware, there are three exclusive butlers for her to choose from. So next time you are busy and Lady Rui came to you, you should point her to someone who is freer than you."

The head butler coughed into his hand to hide his discomfort and to change the topic. Yohan had to say that the head butler was good at diplomacy.

Yohan could have spoken more but he decided to Lady Rui a chance. Her aura was flaring behind her door with rage and she was about to explode. He did not need to interfere now.

The door opened with a bang and Lady Rui came out. Everyone except Yohan looked a little startled but they settled down as soon as they noticed the unbothered look on Lady Rui's face.

The head butler, especially, breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he noticed Lady Rui and her unbothered attitude. It seemed like she had not heard anything he and Hobbit had said.

'Thank god Lady Rui did not hear Hobbit. It would have been a major disaster otherwise.'

And how did you know that Lady Rui did not hear Hobbit speak? Simple- her expression. Lady Rui had never been able to hide her expression well in front of people.

"Yohan, I was thinking - ah, head butler and…who are you again?"

Lady Rui was certainly pissed off but only Yohan noticed. Her subtle jab also went unnoticed over everyone else's head but Hobbit could not help but feel ticked off.

'H-How can she not even remember me? Lady Rui, this arrogant woman.'

Hobbit was pissed off but he held his rage in. Now is not the time to make this bitch pay for insulting him. His time would come soon enough.

"Lady Rui, it is nice to meet you. Please, let me introduce myself again to you. My name is Hobbit and I am here as your 'exclusive butler.'"

Hobbit wanted to smile as he noticed Lady Rui staring at him. He had thought of her as a naive little girl who was innocent and difficult.

But she was a girl in the end and would fall for his charms. As long as Hobbit gave her a pretty smile and gentle words, she would end up falling in love with him.

'I guess Lady Rui is nothing special-'

Hobbit looked up from his bow and his forehead broke out into a sweat. Then he blinked and that look was gone from lady Rui's eyes. He was also afraid that he had been hallucinating this whole time.

"Ah, now I remember who you are. You are one of house Abstel's butlers right?"

Hobbit breathed a sigh of relief as soon as he heard Lady Rui's words. It seemed like he had been mistaken.

Lady Rui was not behaving out of the ordinary at all.

Even the head butler had not reacted or shown any other emotion other than annoyance. And the head butler would have certainly reacted had Lady Rui been acting anything but normal.

"That is right, my lady. It is good to know where your priorities lie. I will surely serve you to the best of my abilities."

Hobbit smiled playfully and winked at Lady Rui. Most girls swooned when he did that because he was just that dashing.

"Oh, is that so? You are a *really* capable butler, huh? Then you would not mind doing something for me, right?"

Hobbit's ears sharpened and he instantly puffed out his chest in pride. Lady Rui had recognized his greatness and now she would fall in love with him.

"Can you take over Yohan's duties for him? I want him to come with me to the meetings but there is just too much work he had to do. I am sure an *experienced* person such as you would be able to handle all that."

Hobbit's smile froze as soon as he heard Lady Rui speak. Even the head butler was taken aback.

But the harmless and gentle smile on Lady Rui's face was the same as ever. Everyone else was at a loss for words.

"L-Lady Rui, this request is a little….can we talk about it first?"

Hobbit knew how much of a burden Yohan Strout was given. His tasks were not something a single person would be able to finish in a day.

Hobbit would not be able to do them on top of his already heavy workload. But he could not back down as well. He needed to find a way to get out of this.

"Ara? I thought that an experienced person such as Hobbit would be able to handle it. But I guess I was mistaken."

Lady Rui sounded disappointed and Hobbit looked at the head butler for help. The elder man just sighed and prepared to interfere. He had made the foolish choice of using it after all.