A Revolution in Clothing

"Lily Bathtub, Wendy Bigtoe, Jim Cowdung, Parker Rednose, and John Doorknob—after the selection process, you five have earned the opportunity to work at the castle."

Following three days of trials, the butler Carter finally announced the three men and two women who met his standards for castle servants.

The remaining seven or eight trialists asked with lingering reluctance, "Mr. Carter, please, give us one more chance! I promise I'll do better!"

"I am sorry, but once a decision is made, it cannot be changed. However, do not be anxious; for these three days of trials, each of you will receive three copper coins as compensation, in accordance with the standard for kitchen maids. Furthermore, your excellence has been noted in my mind. If the castle recruits servants again in the future, I will certainly prioritize you."

Strictly speaking, the ownership of all castle servants rested with Liszt.

However, they were not forced into unpaid labor; they were paid wages, which they could save to buy food, drink, and clothing, or send back to their families.

The castle's wage scale was as follows: kitchen maids and valet assistants earned one copper coin per day; maids and valets earned two; the head valet and the head cook earned three; and the male and female housekeepers earned four.

Except for Carter and Mrs. Morson, who were both unattached, the other servants in the castle chose to send their earnings home to subsidize their families.

Moreover, if a servant grew weary of their duties, they could apply to buy back their freedom—though, naturally, the decision to grant such a buyout rested with the nobility.

The young men and women who had been screened out left the castle in disappointment; to them, losing the chance to work in such a beautiful castle was a heavy blow.

The five who were chosen, however, could not contain their excitement.

"Oh my god, I was chosen!"

"Am I... am I staying at the castle?"

"Mother, I did it!"

Carter watched the five newcomers with a smile, recalling his own youth when he was chosen from a struggling serf family by the castle of a viscount's household to serve as a servant.

Starting as the lowest-ranking valet assistant, he gradually became an excellent servant. As the Tulip Family experienced a leap in development, he was sent by the Count to manage the family's secondary estates in other towns.

When Liszt came of age, he followed him here to serve as a butler.

Time had left heavy marks upon his face, and he could barely remember how he had cheered and leaped for joy when he first became a servant. For these past few decades, he had worked continuously in the castle; his loved ones had long since passed away, leaving him with both regrets and happiness.

His greatest wish now was to remain by Liszt's side, and when the day came that the red sun no longer rose, he would choose to sleep forever.

"Young gentlemen, ladies, please be quiet." He reached out and pressed his hand downward, signaling the newcomers not to be overly excited. "I shall now announce your work assignments."

Lily and the others hurried to quiet down.

"Lily Bathtub, Mrs. Abby thinks highly of you. Your position is that of a kitchen maid. Ms. Erin will guide you for a period so that you may assist Mrs. Abby as soon as possible."

Little Lily nodded like a chick pecking at grain: "I will familiarize myself with the kitchen work as quickly as I can."

"That is good, but do not put too much pressure on yourself. Mrs. Abby... she is blunt, but once you get to know her, you will realize she is a good person." Carter felt a bit of concern for the young girl; he wondered if she could withstand the "hairdryer" of Abby Spoon's booming voice.

He continued the announcements: "Wendy Bigtoe, Mrs. Morson will guide you through the duties required of a maid."

"Yes, Mr. Carter."

"And now, Jim Cowdung, Parker Rednose, and John Doorknob." Carter looked at the three young men, whose faces still bore the pallor of the fields.

"Mr. Carter." The three puffed out their chests, trying their best to appear elegant.

Carter was satisfied with their attitude; compared to a troublemaker like Thomas, these obedient young men were more to his liking. "In the time to come, I will guide you to familiarize yourselves with the work of a valet as quickly as possible. Soon, you will be busy, not only inside the castle but outside as well."

He looked up at each new servant: "You are not merely yourselves; you represent the image of the castle. Your attire must be proper, your behavior civilized. You must familiarize yourselves with noble etiquette as quickly as possible and bid a final farewell to the slovenly ways of your past as serfs. Do you understand, gentlemen, ladies?"

"We understand, Mr. Carter!"

"Then, you each have a half-day of leave to return home and share this good news. Starting tomorrow, you will reside in the castle."

"Mr. Carter, congratulations. You are nearly a head butler now." Mrs. Morson chatted with Carter after the new servants had left, impatient to report the good news to their families.

"Hmm, it is a pleasant feeling." Carter offered a rare, playful smile. "I must live a little longer to prevent Thomas from rising to the position; I would not want to see him enjoying this feeling as well."

"I think Thomas is more content following the Master; he is indeed cleverer than Tom and Jesse."

Carter said with a hint of mystery: "The Master has inherited the courage of the Tulip Family and the shrewdness of the Long-Yam Family. Sometimes, being a little duller in front of the Master is better than being too clever."

As he spoke, he suddenly tilted his head to listen, then said: "The sound of hooves—the Master has returned. I must go to welcome him."

"Go on, you dull yet clever Butler Carter."

Carter tilted his neck.

He had developed a tacit understanding with Mrs. Morson; only with two such synchronized butlers could the castle be kept in such perfect order.

Walking to the gate, Liszt, tall and handsome, rode toward them on the back of a Fire Dragon Horse. He galloped out from behind the sun, and the golden radiance spilled over his light-gold, slightly wavy hair, as if countless grains of gold were flowing.

The Master is like a natural-born noble; he possesses every quality of the aristocracy, Carter thought to himself.

He bowed slightly: "Welcome home, Master."

"Mr. Carter, have the new servants been selected?" Liszt handed the reins to Thomas and loosened the cravat at his neck. Summer had arrived, and noble attire was somewhat stifling; he did not care for such dress.

The noble attire of the Grand Duchy originated from the styles of the continent.

Female nobles primarily wore long gowns with crinolines inside, and pads at the hips, allowing the entire skirt to be propped up like a pyramid.

Lvera never wore such clothes; she preferred the attire of male nobles.

A full set of male noble clothing was called a "Frac Habillé," which included a tailcoat-like jacket called a "Frac," an inner vest called a "Gilet," and tight-fitting breeches called "Breeches." Naturally, this was paired with high boots and stockings.

Furthermore, male nobles were required to decorate their necks with accessories symbolizing noble authority.

For casual home wear, one could wear a bow tie; for business outside, one needed to wear a "Cravat," which Liszt called a neckcloth; for grand ceremonies, one wore a "Ruff," a large, circular disc worn around the neck, which Liszt called a pleated collar.

As he undid the knot, he immediately felt the heat from within his clothes rising up along his neck. Liszt could not help but complain: "I need to launch a revolution against this attire!"