DGMYF 1

Kaiso Windermere waited for the news that his daughter had been rescued, reading through a mountain of letters without missing a single line. However, the news he wanted was nowhere to be found. The miracle of a hero walking in on his own accord to save the child did not happen either. It seemed today was not the day his child would return.

He dipped his pen deep into the inkwell and quickly scribbled a reply. It was only when Gordon, the butler, knocked on the study door that he finally lifted his head.

“Your Grace, today is the interview day for the aide position.”

“Was that today.”

Living in such a frenzy, he had completely forgotten about such a minor appointment. Kaiso placed a period at the end of the sentence ‘…I ask of you.’ and set down his pen.

“What time?”

“In ten minutes. The applicants are already gathered in the drawing room. Have you checked the resumes?”

“The resumes…”

He looked down at the mahogany desk, which was chaotically covered with various documents and books. He remembered Gordon handing him a few sheets of paper two days ago, saying they were the applicants’ resumes. At the time, he had tossed the documents somewhere without reading a single letter and had forgotten their very existence. Kaiso pushed aside the letter he had been writing and rummaged through the piles of paper. But it seemed impossible to find anything on the desk, which was as messy as his own mind.

“Please have a look at these, Your Grace.”

Gordon pulled new documents from his coat and held them out. His expression said he had expected as much. With a brief word of thanks, he accepted the documents and placed them on the desk. The papers were densely filled with at least ten different items. Name, origin, age, height, weight, experience, personal introduction…. Besides those, various other details were recorded, but Kaiso ignored them all, checking only one item as he quickly flipped through the pages.

“Their secondary genders are all Beta.”

“Yes, of course. In the end, only five remain, but in truth, there were a great many applicants. I suppose it’s because it’s a job serving the famous war hero up close. I had quite a bit of trouble with applicants flocking from all over the continent.”

Kaiso took off his reading glasses, set them aside, and rubbed his dry face. Gordon continued to ramble on about how many applicants there had been, but he let it all go in one ear and out the other. It wasn’t a particularly believable story. Gordon would sometimes tell such white lies to lift Kaiso’s spirits.

Though it was grandly called an ‘aide’, it was, in fact, a menial job no different from a porter. Moreover, it was for the position of aide to an ominous man who was followed by all sorts of grotesque rumors, so it was unlikely that applicants would flock to the job, no matter how good the pay.

“Shall I show them into the drawing room now then?”

“No, you go ahead and choose someone.”

Kaiso gathered the documents, tapped them neatly into a stack, and handed them back to Gordon. A look of concern appeared on the butler’s wrinkled face.

“Still, this is a person who will work closely with Your Grace. Wouldn’t it be better to meet them in person?”

Of course, that would be better, but unfortunately, the mountain of documents on his desk and the carrier birds incessantly tapping at his window would not let Kaiso go. He was too busy to have any time to waste, and he had no energy to be picky about hiring a mere porter.

“If you can, pick someone strong. It would be even better if they are tall and well-built. I don’t want to be anxious about falling to the floor every time I move. Other than that, I’ll leave it to your discretion.”

That was the only condition Kaiso wanted. He wasn’t going to entrust any tasks to him, so there was no need for him to be highly educated, and he wasn’t looking for a lover, so there was no need for him to be good-looking. All the person had to do was carry his luggage-like body around well, and that was enough.

Kaiso put on his glasses again and picked up his pen. It was a sign to leave now.

“Yes, then I shall do so.”

With the click of the closing door, an unfamiliar silence fell upon the study. Even the sound of the pen nib scratching against the rough paper felt like it had to be cautious. Kaiso slowly stopped the movement of his hand and lifted his head. Naturally, he was alone in the study. He had used this study ever since he inherited the title. It had been empty while he was away at the battlefield, but no one else had ever used it, so the study always remained the same. And yet, there had never been a time when this study, and this mansion, felt as alien as it did these days.

Hundreds of books were neatly arranged on the bookshelves, clean without a single speck of dust. There wasn’t a single toy rolling around on the floor, nor was there a single scribble on the walls. No monstrous screams echoed through the garden or the hallways. It was strangely quiet and clean.

The situation was the same in other parts of the mansion. The corridors were so spotless it was hard to find a footprint, and not a single handprint stained the windows. The closely-trimmed lawn in the garden was so neat it was as if there had never been a hole, and the playground was also arranged in an orderly, undisturbed fashion. This was not the result of hiring more servants or whipping them to work harder. It was simply that the absence of a single person had changed the entire mansion.

It had already been six months since Kaiso Windermere’s only daughter, Lady Ingrid, was abducted by a forest dragon. He had gathered all the famous knights from across the country to save the child, but there had been no notable results yet. No matter how renowned and skilled the knights were, they would usually run away as soon as they got close to the dragon’s castle, and the rare brave souls who did enter the castle never returned alive.

The people of Trianne’s fiefdom cherished and loved Ingrid, the lord’s daughter and the young lady, but they realistically thought the child was already dead. Yes, it might be right to think so. But Kaiso could not give up, even if it killed him. After the child disappeared, everything around him changed. The choked silence was more terrible than a scream, and his reflection in the mirror was more somber than an old portrait. The mansion, devoid of a child’s laughter, was no longer a home but a massive tomb.

Kaiso shifted his gaze back to the desk. He was scheduled to leave the fief soon, so he had to handle an even larger amount of work than usual. Just because he was busy didn’t mean he could skip contacting as many people as possible. If only one among them, just one person, would be willing to help him….

He unfolded the letter closest to him. Contrary to his hope that it might contain good news, it was, unfortunately, a letter from a relative of the family.

Do you intend to ruin the family for a child who doesn’t even know who her father is?

The moment Kaiso read that sentence, he tore the letter in half. It was bullshit not even worth a reply.

No matter what anyone said, Ingrid was the child he had borne from his own womb. The fact that he didn’t know who the biological father was posed no problem. However, the stodgy family elders had disapproved of the child from the very beginning. That was why they did not actively help even when the child was kidnapped, and acted as if it didn’t matter at all if she died. They simply wanted Kaiso to make a fresh start before it was too late and produce a child with legitimacy to succeed the Windermere Duchy. Every time he heard such words, Kaiso felt as if his life was being denied and his character was being insulted.

But his situation was too desperate to be offended by a few mere words. He once again gripped the pen with a trembling hand. He had never bowed his head to anyone in his life, but he had no pride to assert in his current situation. He wrote one groveling letter after another.

How much time had passed? Kaiso pressed the final wax seal and turned toward the carrier bird. The sky outside the window had already been dyed a shade of orange.

Kaiso watched the carrier bird fly away for a long time, then rolled the wheels of his wheelchair and left the study. The sound of the wheels rolling and the creaking of the floorboards mixed together in the dark hallway.

Unlike the custom where the master of the mansion usually occupied the middle floor, all of his spaces were located on the first floor. To make it easier for the wheelchair to move, the thresholds were either removed entirely or ramps were installed here and there, and all the cumbersome carpets were taken away. The bedroom was also located in the room right next to the study for ease of movement. Thanks to this, Kaiso could move freely within the mansion. Though, of course, there were limits.

When he entered his room, a bath filled with steaming water was waiting for him. Usually, a servant would also be on standby to assist with his bath, but for some reason, no one was there today. Puzzled, he waited for a moment. But even as the bathwater slowly cooled, no one appeared.

“Come to think of it, they said they were hiring a new aide today.”

That person was probably late. Kaiso had no choice but to start undressing by himself. Unlike his two legs, which were as good as useless, his two arms were perfectly fine, so taking off his upper garment was not a problem. Kaiso took off his jacket and tossed it onto a chair, and also loosened the necktie that was choking his neck and threw it on top. Then he undid the buttons one by one.

At that moment, he heard the sound of footsteps outside the door.

“Are you here now.”

Kaiso was a little irritated. It had already been five years since he had come to rely on a wheelchair, but he still couldn’t get used to being unable to do anything without someone’s help. And facing that fact head-on like this was a very unpleasant experience.

When Kaiso flung the door open, the unfamiliar man standing in front of it was startled and took a step back.

“Y-Your Grace?”

It was a man of unusually great height and build. This must be the new aide. Kaiso stepped aside to make way and said.

“Try to be on time.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I was a bit late.”

The man answered, his head bowed to the floor. But he did not enter the room and just stood there blankly. Kaiso spoke again with patience.

“What are you doing, not coming in?”

Then the man awkwardly took a step and entered the room. Absurdly, it ended up with him, the Duke, escorting his aide. Since it was their first meeting, it would have been proper to ask his name, where he was from, and say things like ‘I look forward to working with you,’ but Kaiso was not the least bit curious about such trivial stories. He only wanted to soak his body in the bathwater as quickly as possible. And so, Kaiso, though it was a bit abrupt, got straight to the point.

“Undress me.”

“Yes? Y-yes?”

The man finally lifted his head. He stared at Kaiso with wide eyes, then hastily lowered his head again.

“I said, undress me.”

Kaiso grabbed his loose shirt and shook it. Since he began relying on a wheelchair, his body had become weaker than before, and after Ingrid’s abduction, he had started to lose weight even more rapidly. That’s why all his clothes were big and baggy.

The man took stealthy steps and finally came to stand in front of Kaiso. After hesitating for a long time, he finally began to unbutton Kaiso’s shirt with trembling hands. It was at a speed that would have been faster if he had done it himself.

“Why are your hands shaking?”

“It’s, uh, because I’m so nervous.”

The man scratched his head awkwardly. He still hadn’t made eye contact with Kaiso even once. Seeing him tremble like that with such a large frame, Kaiso started to feel sorry for having been too harsh from their very first meeting. Thus, he spoke in a much softer tone.

“I’m not going to eat you, so take your time.”

“Ah, yes, Your Grace.”

After finally unbuttoning all the buttons, the man took the shirt off Kaiso’s body. He folded it neatly and placed it on the table, and also tidied up the clothes that had been thrown onto the chair. Then he stood blankly by his side. Seeing that, Kaiso felt his anger surge once more.

“Do I have to explain everything one by one?”

“What do you mean, sir?”

The man asked back in a timid voice that didn’t match his large build. His bright blue eyes held a look that said he didn’t know what he had done wrong.

Kaiso slowly observed the man’s appearance. His youthful face was filled with bewilderment, and his shoulders were hunched with tension. Seeing his neat suit, it seemed he had come straight here right after the interview.

If so, it was natural that he didn’t know. It seemed Gordon hadn’t had enough time to train him properly either. For the time being, there would be many things to order and ask of him, so it would do no good to be on bad terms. Kaiso calmed his uncomfortable feelings and replied benevolently once again.

“I want to wash before this bathwater gets cold.”

“Ah, the pants.”

“Yes. You have to take off the pants.”

Unlike his upper body clothes, he could not take off his pants by himself. After that terrible battle, Kaiso had become completely unable to move his two legs. The man who was once a war hero who commanded the continent now withered away quietly in a wheelchair.

At first, he would struggle to do it alone, feeling embarrassed and awkward asking his servants for every little thing. He felt worthless, unable to even take off his own pants or get into bed properly. At times like those, Kaiso’s pride would plummet through the floor, heading for the deep abyss below. The irritation he felt at this very moment was, in fact, perhaps anger directed at himself.

The man’s hands slowly moved toward Kaiso’s waist. With trembling hands, he unbuckled the belt and unfastened the button. Then he stopped again.

‘Do I have to explain again.’

Kaiso let out a short sigh and stretched both his arms toward the man. At that, the man bent down and held Kaiso tightly in his arms.

“Hehe, Your Grace.”

“No, I wasn’t telling you to hug me. I meant to lift me up slightly. How else are you supposed to take off my pants.”

Kaiso, who was unexpectedly held in the chest of a strange man, was dumbfounded. Even if he was a newcomer, how could he be this clueless? He must have been told that he would have to assist a person with a disability…

“Huh? Aha.”

Only then did the man start fumbling to pull down Kaiso’s pants. Once the pants passed his buttocks and reached his thighs, they became easier to remove. The man knelt down and slowly took off the rest of the pants and underwear. Kaiso naturally picked up the large towel placed beside him and wrapped it around his waist.

The air was chilly, and it was getting colder. All he wanted was to get into the warm water quickly. Fortunately, the man caught on quickly this time and lifted him up in one go. He was slightly surprised.

“You’re quite strong.”

“Right? I’m quite useful, aren’t I?”

Though slightly foolish, he was quite strong. No matter how weakened Kaiso had become, he was a knight who had once commanded the continent. He was naturally large-boned and quite tall, so it was not easy for one person to lift him alone.

Perhaps feeling good from the compliment, the man let out another ‘hehe’ laugh. Then he slowly lowered Kaiso into the water.

Fortunately, the water was still warm. Kaiso untied his long, black hair, which he had loosely tied up, and wet it in the water. He splashed water on his body and also washed his face.

While he was doing so, the man, far from assisting with the bath, just stared blankly at the scene. The soap was over there, and the bath towel was over there too. What was he doing, not coming over immediately to scrub his back? Thinking this was the last chance, Kaiso asked him.

“What do you think you should do next.”

The man blinked his large eyes and asked back.

“Should I take my clothes off too?”

At the unexpected answer, Kaiso was at a loss for words. What? Who takes off what? While he stood there with his mouth agape, the man was already unbuttoning his shirt one by one. Before he had a chance to stop him, he had stripped off his shirt and taken off his pants as well. At the sudden feast of flesh that unfolded, Kaiso’s eyes widened.

“What is this…!”

The man, on the other hand, calmly walked over and plunged one leg deep into the bathwater. Soon, he plunged the other leg in as well and plopped down with a grunt. The water sloshed, creating a huge wave, and eventually overflowed from the tub. Only then did Kaiso come to his senses and shout.

“Why are you getting in here?”

“Because the tub is spacious!”

The bathtub Kaiso used was large enough for two adults to fit in comfortably. This was because he used a wide tub due to his disabled legs. Kaiso found himself unconsciously nodding his head.

“That’s true.”

For a moment, he was almost persuaded by his words, but then he snapped back to his senses.

“What does that have to do with anything!”

Following Kaiso’s shout, someone urgently opened the door and entered. It was the butler, Gordon.

“Oh dear, Your Grace. The new aide hasn’t arrived yet, I was told…, huh?”

“What did you say?”

Gordon seemed very flustered by the scene unfolding before his eyes.

“Then who is this fellow?”

Kaiso gestured with his head toward the intruder who was sharing the bathtub with him. The intruder smiled brightly and introduced himself.

“I am Troy Elliot, Your Grace.”

After finishing his introduction, the man submerged himself up to his chin in the water. When his long legs touched Kaiso’s weak legs, he was startled and folded his body. His struggling caused the water to overflow for a good while, turning the floor into a sea of water. Seeing this, Gordon furrowed his brow.

“Mr. Elliot, how did you end up here?”

“I just… was told to come in, so I came in.”

Kaiso realized his mistake. It seemed he had invited a completely wrong person into his room.

“I thought this man was the new aide.”

“Ah, was that it?”

The man’s face fell, and he cautiously watched for their reactions. He burrowed deeper and deeper into the water as if something terrible would happen if he were chased out of the tub. Every time he scrunched up his enormous body, water splashed and overflowed.

“No, sir, he is the one who came to see Your Grace since this morning. I told him that Your Grace was busy today and sent him away, but I had no idea he was still in the mansion. Goodness, please come out at once, Mr. Elliot.”

Gordon slapped the man’s back, but he only shook his head from side to side and showed no sign of getting out.

“No, I don’t want to get out.”

Kaiso ignored his desperate gaze and asked Gordon.

“Then where is the new aide?”

“He said he got lost while looking at the back garden. He went over the back hill and has only just now returned…”

Gordon answered, looking extremely troubled. Kaiso clicked his tongue.

“Nothing but a bunch of fools.”

“I apologize, Your Grace.”

“Fire that one. Kick this one out too.”

“No!”

The man shouted loudly and shot up from his seat. At the embarrassing scene unfolding before his eyes, Kaiso squeezed his eyes shut.

“W-wait, either sit down or put on some pants!”

As if realizing his mistake at those words, the man got out of the tub and fumbled to put on his clothes. However, because he hadn’t dried himself properly, his clothes were completely soaked, making them as good as not being worn at all. At the explicit silhouette, Gordon grimaced, and Kaiso turned his gaze away.

Contrary to his gentle-looking face, he had a very powerful physique. His snow-white skin was packed with muscle without a single gap, and the bulging sinews were enough to evoke admiration. Kaiso had roamed the battlefields for a long time and had seen countless naked male bodies, but he had never seen a body as beautifully sculpted as this. But the admiration was only for a moment.

Kaiso found himself unconsciously comparing his own thin body to the man’s. The skin that had once been tanned a copper color by the heat of the battlefield and the southern sun had now turned deathly pale, and the muscles that had once seemed ready to burst were gone, leaving only lean muscles barely attached for survival.

He too had been that radiant in his youth. Though now, he had withered miserably.

To escape the distracting thoughts filling his head, Kaiso asked the man.

“You came to see me. What business do you have with me?”

“I came because I have something important to tell you.”

The man answered, wringing out his wet clothes.

“Then wait a moment. I’ll finish my bath first and then decide whether to listen or not.”

Ignoring the man standing blankly in the corner, Kaiso finished his bath simply. With Gordon’s help, he dried his body and put on a bathrobe. Then he wheeled his wheelchair near the fireplace and began to dry his wet hair. The man, who had been watching him with his mouth agape, approached.

“Shall I help you?”

“That’s alright. Instead of doing that here, why don’t you wait in the drawing room.”

Gordon stopped him, then gently combed through Kaiso’s long hair with a comb. But the man, far from leaving the room, kept stealing glances at Kaiso. When he was caught looking, he would pretend he wasn’t and squeeze his eyes shut. For someone trying to steal a look, it was so obvious it was ridiculous.

‘What on earth did that guy come here for.’

In the past, residents of the fief would occasionally visit, but since he had started secluding himself in the ducal mansion, it had become a very rare occurrence. But he had ordered a guest he hadn’t seen in a long time to undress him out of the blue, and they had even ended up soaking in the same bathtub, which was quite embarrassing.

“By the way, what exactly does an aide do?”

The man, who had approached right behind Kaiso at some point, asked. Gordon seemed a little burdened by him but soon answered kindly.

“You assist His Grace, attend to his needs, and follow his orders. You must become His Grace’s legs. Especially since we must go to the capital soon, you must do your best to ensure there is no inconvenience during the long journey.”

Just hearing it, it sounded like a simple job, but because Kaiso was so sensitive and picky, it wasn’t easy. One had to endure the gloomy aura Kaiso emanated all day, and lifting and moving a grown man who was six feet (183cm) tall was no ordinary task. Moreover, since it also involved simple guarding duties, one’s swordsmanship skills had to be excellent, but in truth, a talent of that caliber would usually want to do something more productive.

“It’s a boring job.”

Kaiso muttered self-deprecatingly. Really, who in this world would want to be a porter for a crippled duke? Perhaps the new aide who had gone over the back hill had also realized that fact early on and run away.

“Wow, is there really such a great job in the world?”

The man’s blue eyes sparkled. He clasped his hands tightly in front of him as if genuinely impressed. At the unexpected response, Kaiso was bewildered.

‘What’s so great about it.’