Two hours earlier, as usual, Regan had risen as early as the maids and was responsible for supervising their work.
After making another round, he found that all the maids were diligently carrying out their duties. Regan nodded in satisfaction. It seemed he had not neglected his responsibilities as the Griffin Family's butler.
But soon, Regan noticed a little head appearing and disappearing by the entrance of the Baronial Manor.
Regan walked over in confusion and saw that it was Melly, the little girl the young master had brought home yesterday.
Regan was puzzled. Hadn't she been sent home yesterday? Why was she here again today?
"What are you doing here?" Regan asked with a frown. Although this little girl was the young master's guest, he still felt deep down that commoners like her were unworthy of associating with the young master.
Melly timidly shrank back. This white-bearded grandpa did not look nearly as kind as Big Brother.
"Are you here to see the young master?"
Melly shook her head like a rattle. "No, Melly came to play with Yuna."
As the butler of the Baronial Manor, Regan had every one of the fifteen maids' names firmly memorized. Naturally, he knew Yuna was the black-haired cook, and the young master quite liked her food.
"Yuna? She's still working. She can't play with you." Regan wanted Melly to give up on the idea early and stop lingering around the entrance.
"Oh." Melly nodded her little head, then asked, "Then when will she finish working?"
Regan rubbed his temples in frustration. "Even when she finishes working, she won't play with you."
"Why not? Yesterday, after Yuna finished working, she played with Melly for a long time." Melly asked curiously, her big eyes wide open.
This child was so troublesome. Regan painfully rubbed his head.
"She's very busy with work. She doesn't have time to play with you." Regan wanted Melly to abandon the idea as soon as possible.
"Oh." Melly lowered her head dejectedly.
Regan thought she was finally about to give up. Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Melly asked again, "Then can Melly wait here?"
"Do whatever you want." Regan flicked his hand and left.
Regan returned to the Baronial Manor and began inspecting its various tasks, ensuring the young master would be able to enjoy breakfast comfortably once he woke up.
Yet as he worked, he kept thinking of that little girl still waiting at the entrance. Before long, she had thoroughly disrupted his thoughts.
She isn't still waiting there, is she? She shouldn't be. Anyone else would have left by now.
Filled with doubt, Regan quietly made his way to the entrance of the living room, concealed himself, and carefully peered outside.
In front of the Baronial Manor's gates,
Melly lowered her head to stare at the little stones beneath her feet. With her hands behind her back, she gently kicked them around. After a while, she squatted down and used her finger to draw strange patterns on the ground. Every so often, she looked up toward the inside of the Baronial Manor, wanting to see whether anything had changed within.
Regan watched from the side for more than ten minutes, yet Melly showed no sign of wanting to leave.
With a sigh, Regan walked over anyway.
"Why are you still here?" he asked. Compared to before, his tone was much gentler this time.
Melly shrank her neck and took a step back. She was somewhat afraid of this white-bearded old man and said softly, "Didn't you say Melly could stay here?"
"..."
Regan touched his face. He did not seem that frightening, did he?
"I mean, why aren't you staying at home?"
"No one at home plays with Melly. Brother went to train at the military camp, and Father and Mother won't let Melly help in the fields, so Melly wanted to come play with Yuna."
"What about the other children in your village?"
"They're all older than Melly and don't want to play with her. Brother used to play with Melly, but now Yuna is the only one willing to play with Melly."
Hearing Melly's words, Regan began to feel sorry for the little girl. He hesitated over whether to let her in, but without the young master's permission, he technically should not allow anyone into the Baronial Manor so casually.
Then again, she was a guest the young master had invited home yesterday. It would be reasonable enough for him to invite her inside.
While Regan was conflicted, Melly suddenly asked, "Grandpa, what do you do in the Baronial Manor?"
The moment he heard that, Regan unconsciously puffed out his chest. "I am the butler of the Baronial Manor!"
"Butler?" Melly tilted her head. "What's that?"
Regan gritted his teeth as he considered how to explain it, then finally said, "Anyway, it's a very impressive position. Yuna was hired by me."
"Really?! Wow!" Melly's eyes immediately lit up. "Then that's really amazing."
Hearing such direct praise, Regan could not help but feel pleased. Normally, no one gave him the chance to show off like this, and children's praise came from the heart, without any pretense. That made him even more delighted.
"Of course." Regan proudly lifted his head so high it nearly tipped back. Becoming the Griffin Family's butler was the proudest achievement of his life.
Melly bounced up and down in front of Regan to catch his attention, then raised both little hands and pointed at herself with her index fingers. "Butler Grandpa! Look at Melly! Can Melly become a maid in the Baronial Manor?"
As she said this, her eyes were full of expectation, and her big eyes stared straight at Regan.
"Uh..." Regan was momentarily at a loss for words.
At first, he had indeed harbored prejudice against Melly as a "mud-legged peasant," but as they talked, that bit of prejudice gradually faded away. Although Claire's usual behavior had influenced him, Melly's conduct truly did not inspire any dislike in him. After all, who would dislike a well-behaved and adorable little girl?
Melly pouted. "Before, Melly said she wanted to apply to be a maid, but Brother said Melly was too young and definitely couldn't do it. Since Butler Grandpa is in charge of hiring maids, can you see whether Melly can become a maid in the Baronial Manor?"
Regan stroked his white beard and thought for a moment. It was only a few words, yet they could make this little girl happy. Why not?
So he said, "Of course. I think that once you grow up, you'll definitely become an excellent maid."
"Yay!" Melly jumped up happily.
Regan watched from the side and could not help smiling as well. This child did not seem quite so annoying after all.
"Here, have a candy!" Melly excitedly pulled out a rainbow candy from her pocket and stuffed it into Regan's hand. Her face showed a hint of reluctance. "Melly originally brought this home yesterday for Mother to eat, but Mother said she didn't like it and told Melly to eat it herself."
"Then why are you giving it to me?" Regan stared blankly at the rainbow candy in his hand.
"Melly originally wanted to eat it, but then Melly thought Yuna probably hadn't tasted one before, so she wanted to bring it for Yuna to try. But Melly couldn't get in, and Yuna couldn't come out. Butler Grandpa just said Melly could become a maid, so Melly will reward you with this candy!"
"Reward?" Regan repeated the word. It had been a long time since anyone had said those two words to him.
"Yes. Whenever Melly is very well-behaved, Mother buys brown sugar for Melly as a reward. Now Melly has candy too, so Melly will reward Butler Grandpa with it."
Looking at the innocent little girl, Regan unconsciously tightened his grip around the rainbow candy, and a smile appeared on his face again.
Melly looked up at the sky. The sun had not risen yet, but the sky was already faintly bright. Then she patted her somewhat dirty clothes.
"What are you doing?" Regan asked.
"Melly is going home." Melly answered while tidying her clothes.
"You aren't waiting anymore?" Regan felt inexplicably anxious.
Melly looked up at Regan in confusion, her gaze seeming to look at him as though he were an idiot.
"Didn't you say that no matter how long Melly waited here, Yuna wouldn't come out to play with Melly? Melly already gave you the candy, so of course Melly is going home. Otherwise, if Mother can't find Melly, she'll poke Melly's head again."
"This..."
After Melly finished tidying her clothes, she turned to leave.
"Wait!" Regan suddenly reached out and called after Melly.
"Hm?" Melly turned back in confusion. "Melly only has that one candy."
"No, um... do you want to come inside?" Regan pointed toward the Baronial Manor.
Melly's eyes shone brightly. "Melly can go inside?!"
"Yes. Consider it... experiencing being a maid in advance."
"A little maid!"
"You could put it that way. But there won't be any pay. Three meals will be provided, though."
"Yay! Thank you, Butler Grandpa!"
"My name is Regan..."
"Thank you, Grandpa Regan!"
Regan put on a stern face again, as though facing the other maids, and entered the Baronial Manor first. "Don't just stand there. Come in."
"Yay, yay, yay!" Melly excitedly waved both hands as she followed behind him.
Walking ahead, Regan wore a happy smile where Melly could not see it. If he had a granddaughter, she would probably be about this old.
I changed the cover. Doesn't it look much better? Hehehe! Oh, right, after signing the contract, there'll be two updates every day. And after you're done reading, remember to vote!
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