The Lord of Servants 6

The butlers brought intoxicated and unconscious Vixon as Lady Ludwig requested while the maids cleaned the dining table. Lady Ludwig smiled as she ascended the stairs to the second floor, to where Vixon was.

Half an hour later, Vixon barely opened his eyes. His head felt heavy and dizzy because of the alcoholic beverage. His sight was also blurry, as he couldn’t see everything clearly.

He was inside a vast chamber lit by lanterns and candles. It had a compact fireplace, a bookshelf, a wardrobe, several vases, and a curtained king-size bed. Paintings, portraits, and an animal trophy of a black bear's head decorated the wall. Green carpets with patterns covered the wooden floor. The room itself smelled sweet, like flowers and honey.

The king-size bed was in the middle of the room. To the left of the bed, there was the bookshelf, the wardrobe, and a large clear glass window covered with a magenta curtain. Behind the glass window, it showed the garden and the night sky view. To the right of the bed, there was a vase and the fireplace.

Vixon laid on the right side of the bed, looking at the ceiling. His head rested on something soft, presumably a cushion, while his body laid on the bed and his legs hanging on the side of the bed.

“I’m in… a bedroom?” he thought as he stared at the ceiling with tired eyes. “But whose? This bedroom… It’s luxurious, more than the one from the inn…”

He noticed that he was lying vertically on the bed. The cushions were next to him; he wasn’t lying on a pillow. He moved his head, only to be greeted by the familiar voice of a woman.

“Good evening, Vixon,” a familiar voice greeted warmly.

He recognized the voice; it’s Lady Ludwig’s. He was lying on Lady Ludwig’s thigh all along, surprising him. He raised his body in a second and jumped out of the bed.

Lady Ludwig lied on the left side of the bed while reading a book. She wore a white nightgown and a head veil.

“Hm? What’s wrong?” she asked.

Vixon faced away with his face reddening

“N-Nothing…” he replied.

She closed the book and put it on the bookshelf.

“Come, Vixon,” she said with a smile. “You must be tired right?”

Vixon sat with his back to her.

“How did I end up here?” he asked.

"You passed out during our dinner."

"Oh…! I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine. I shouldn't have forced you to eat but, I just can't help it." Lady Ludwig got closer to him and leaned on his broad back. "You kept making such a cute face back there."

Vixon was shy; he had never been in the same bed with another woman before.

"I… I will leave at once…” he said.

She hugged Vixon on his waist and put her head on his shoulder.

"Stay with me,” she whispered.

"I… I cannot, Lady Ludwig.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“What if Lord Ludwig were here now? He would be furious—”

"Let him be! I care not pertaining to that matter!” she snapped as she clenched her fists, much to Vixon’s surprise. Her happy voice turned into a furious rant as her smile turned into a hateful scowl. “He rarely comes home because he’s busy sleeping with those harems outside! The moment he’s home, he would abuse me!”

“Lady Ludwig…” Vixon muttered.

She calmed down as her tone lowered. She hugged Vixon tightly and smiled.

"Besides… I'm happy when you're here with me, Vixon. I... I don't want to ever let you go. I want you to stay with me forever..." She leaned her head on Vixon's back and cried.

Vixon said nothing and waited for her to calm down.

"Vixon…” she called. “Please call me by my name. Call me… Judecah.”

"But, Lady Lud—"

She embraced him tighter.

"Please..." She sounded desperate. "Just for once… Call me that…"

Vixon took a deep breath and calmed his heart.

“Think of her as my mother…” he thought.

"J… Judecah…" Vixon muttered softly with a stoic face.

“Again,” she requested.

“Judecah.”

“Again!”

Tears flowed from her eyes as she heard Vixon called her by her name.

“Judecah…”

“And… again…”

“Judecah…”

“It’s… It’s been a long time since someone called me that…” she said in relief with a smile. “Vixon, from now on, please address me by that only.”

"Isn’t that too much, Lady Lud—”

“Address me by that name!” she scolded as she pinched his chest from the back. She returned to her usual self.

"O-Okay, please stop pinching me—!"

"Say. My. Name!”

"J-Judecah…! P-Please stop…!"

Judecah released her pinch and embraced him.

“This must be fate…” she thought as she indulged in her thoughts and fantasy as she leaned on his back and closed her eyes while Vixon stayed still, not wanting to disturb her.

“Now what?” he thought.

A minute later, she removed her embrace and stood. Vixon turned, looking at her. She stood in front of her wardrobe and opened it. She wore gold accessories and a blue shawl.

“Judecah?” Vixon said.

“I… I want to dance.”

She turned the fireplace, candles, and lanterns off and opened the curtain. She stood in front of the clear window, illuminating the room with night stars and a full moon.

“And I want you to see it,” she said with a subtle smile.

"Lady L—! I mean, Judecah! I don't think I'm worthy to—”

"Vixon, I’m dancing for you. So, as your mistress, I want you to look. Any objections?”

“Ah… N-No.”

“Then enjoy.”

She jumped and moved elegantly around the room. Her hands and her fingers' movement was exquisite and alluring. The night sky illuminated her body with gleaming light. Enchanting and emphasizing the beauty of her movements.

Vixon felt nothing when he saw her dancing, but Judecah was overjoyed that Vixon watched her dancing. Tears of happiness dropped each time her body moved, but she was smiling and laughing while staring at the one she deeply loved. She danced for about fifteen minutes. On her last jump, she slipped.

"Ah—!"

"Judecah—!"

In reflex, Vixon jumped and held her waist, accidentally finishing the dance with the dip pose. Vixon's face was very close to her’s. She stared and admired Vixon's serious and worried face. The moon was directly above them, illuminating Vixon's face. Her face turned red as she slowly got closer to his face, trying to kiss him.

Before their lips met, Vixon pulled her body up. She regained her balance and stood while Vixon sat on the bed afterward with his back to her. Vixon sighed in relief.

"Thanks, Lord," he thought. "I made it in time."

Judecah's heart went wild; her mind went blank; her body went hot, and her limbs went cold. She sat next to Vixon. Her face was red and sweaty, causing Vixon to worry.

"Judecah, are you okay?" he asked, concerned about her condition.

She tried to mutter her words, but her lips quivered, causing her to stutter.

"I… I… I-I am…"

She couldn’t even finish her sentence because her mind went blank suddenly. Vixon sat closer and looked at her.

"Excuse me," Vixon said before he touched and caressed her neck, her cheeks, and her forehead to check her condition.

"V... Vi... V-Vixon?!"

Her body temperature was relatively normal.

“Her body must be all worked up from the dance earlier. She almost fell, surprising her too. It’s normal,” Vixon thought.

Her body became warmer and her breath became heavier.

"I thought you have a fever," Vixon said.

"V-Vixon…?"

“Yes?”

“I…” She didn’t finish her words as she got closer.

Out of the blue, she hugged Vixon tightly and forcefully tried to pull his body to the bed with all of her might, but Vixon's body was too firm while her body was quivering, making her effort wasted.

"He's heavier than I thought," she thought as she kept pulling him with her weight.

"Judecah?"

She gave up and lied on her bed, facing him.

"Vixon," she called. "Lie next to me." Her body returned to normal. She could speak without stuttering.

Vixon lied on the bed next to her and kept his distance.

"Come on. Don't lie too far," she said as she reached her arm for him.

"I cannot—"

"You dare to defy me?"

Vixon obeyed her and got close. She embraced him, but Vixon removed her arms from his body carefully, annoying her.

"Stop struggling!" she said aloud.

Vixon ceased struggling and let Judecah embrace him. They were face to face. She caressed his cheek and closed her eyes, ready to kiss Vixon, but before she even landed a kiss, Vixon blocked his mouth with his right hand. Judecah opened her eyes and distanced her head a bit.

“Have you ever kissed a woman before?” she asked.

“No—”.

"Then—" She closed her eyes and got closer to Vixon’s face. "—allow me to be the first—"

Vixon pushed her shoulder slowly.

"I... I don't want this..." he said. "I... I'm still far too young for this. I'm sorry, I—"

Judecah hugged Vixon, putting his head on her chest.

"I'll wait until you're ready. So promise me, Vixon. Please promise me... When you're older, please…" She closed her eyes for a moment. "Marry me."

Vixon stayed silent, not knowing what to say.

“Please... Please—” she begged.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what to say…" Vixon was full of doubt. His voice reflected his feelings. "I haven't thought about that matter—"

She shook her head.

"Sorry…" she said as she caressed and played with Vixon's hair. "I’m being too forceful again, am I not? That must be a tough question for a young man like you… Moreover, we just met for less than a day. But still, it felt like a thousand years worth of happiness for me… I don’t want this night to end…"

After talking, she noticed that Vixon had fallen asleep in her embrace. She could feel his warm, tired breath on her chest. Judecah pulled his body up to see his sleeping face.

“He looks peaceful in his sleep. I wonder what he’s dreaming…” she thought.

She got closer to his face, trying to kiss him. But she stopped and kissed his forehead instead.

“I can’t just steal his first… I have to win it… Fair and square… I have to obtain his love...” she thought as she smiled. “Good Night, Vixon.”

She closed her eyes and embraced him tighter. She fell asleep afterward with a smile on her face.

The next day, the morning came, shining through the clear window. The light passed through a small opening between the bed curtains to Vixon’s eyes, waking him up.

He opened his eyes and saw Judecah’s sleeping face right in front of him. In an instant, he distanced himself from her. He removed her arms from his body and sat on the bed with his back to her.

“I will be home soon. Just wait, father, mother…” he thought.

He headed down the stairs and saw the maids and butlers busy doing their chores. Some maids were cleaning the first floor while some butlers were preparing breakfast or helping the maids. The moment they saw Vixon, they lined and bowed in front of him as if he were noble.

"Good Morning, Mr. Vixon!" they all said respectfully.

Vixon was speechless, unable to say anything.

“Ah, please raise your heads,” Vixon said.

They raised their heads and continued their works except for an old butler.

"Anything you want to do, Sir?" he asked.

"I want to take a bath—”

The butler immediately prepared him a towel and fancy clothing in less than half a minute. Vixon only took the towel and headed to the bathhouse, bathing in the male servant’s bath.

The male bathing pool size was half of the noble's bathing pool because an enormous wall split the bathing pool for male and female servants. The servant's bathing pool was relatively the same as the nobles' but it lacked decorations.

“Nobles get to enjoy a bath every day while commons bathe in their own sweats…” he thought.

Vixon felt something next to his hand. He grabbed and lifted it out of the water. Much to his surprise, it was the stone of Adar.

"Good morning, master," it greeted telepathically.

"I almost forgot about you. Why were you so silent last night?"

"I was busy watching your love with the woman. Do you enjoy your night with her?"

"I don’t know.”

"What a lecherous and desperate woman she is!" Adar mocked and laughed. "She appears as a pure role model for noblewomen, but inside, she’s but a goat in heat so far as going after a young man with such lustful intentions in her heart and mind!"

"Say that again and I'll void you out of my possession." Vixon wasn’t pleased to hear such an insult towards Judecah.

"Oh, you're threatening me? You should thank me for giving you such a fiendish charm that no woman could resist—!”

"You what?" Vixon asked as he raised one eyebrow in disbelief.

"I gave you the charisma you needed to win the trial and the charm you needed to entice women."

"Why would you do that?! You're toying with her emotions—!"

"I'm not toying, fool! I'm giving both of you mutual needs! I'm giving her the love and attention she needs and in return, you've got yourself an important ally! You've got The Archduchess down on your feet!"

"Well, sorry. But… Are her feelings genuine?"

"What do you think?"

“I don’t know.”

Adar giggled.

"When one is in love, a wart grows on one’s nose," Adar said.

Vixon immediately grabbed his nose but, there was no wart growing there. Adar laughed even harder.

"Ha! You fell for it!" it said. "That means you are in—!"

Before it could say anything further, Vixon threw the stone away and continued bathing in peace.

Inside the chamber, Judecah woke up. She opened her eyes and the first thing she noticed was Vixon's being nowhere. She sat on her bed while rubbing both of her eyes. She was still sleepy. Her hair was messy, and her clothing was loose-fitting.

"Where's Vixon?" Judecah thought as she looked around with her sleepy eyes. "Was it all but a dream?”

She noticed the chamber door was open slightly. She stood and removed all the accessories. She folded her shawl and left it on the bed. She went outside, searching for Vixon on the second floor.

"Vixon?!" Judecah called repeatedly as she moved from here and there on the second floor.

She found no one there, making her anxious that Vixon had left her.

"No...!" she muttered in desperation. Her eyes were wavering while her lips quivered. "Don't tell me he left without a goodbye!" She fell on her knees, weeping.

A maid arrived on the second floor and saw Judecah crying. The maid hurried and helped her mistress to stand up.

“Milady? What happened?” the maid asked.

“Vixon… Where’s he?!”

Before the maid answered, Vixon arrived on the second floor. He had finished his bath and wore his usual tunic. Judecah stood and hugged Vixon.

“I thought you left me!” she cried on his chest.

“Ah…”

She wiped her tears and ordered the maid to prepare her towel. Judecah went to bathe while Vixon waited outside the mansion door.

Fifteen minutes later, Judecah finished her bath and went to her chamber with other maids. She went downstairs complete with her white and blue dress and makeup. She ordered a butler to prepare a carriage for Vixon. Judecah went to where Vixon was and stood next to him.

“How long will you be away?” she asked.

Vixon thought for a second.

“Give me a week,” he replied.

“A week… Okay. I’ll wait patiently until then.”

Before they could have the last conversation, a maid informed them that the carriage had arrived faster than Judecah thought.

“Oh. I’ll be going then,” Vixon said as he moved towards the gate, but Judecah held his shoulder.

“Wait Vixon.”

“Pardon?”

Judecah removed one ring from her finger. It was a splittable gold ring. She gave the other half to Vixon.

"Judecah?!" Vixon said, surprised. "I-I can’t accept such that."

"I want you to wear it for me. As long as you wear that, I hope that you always remember me… And I promise that I’ll never forget you.”

“Understood.”

Judecah wore the ring on her left ring finger and Vixon mimicked her. He put the ring on his left ring finger, not knowing the meaning of it. Judecah smiled, seeing Vixon accepting her feelings. She gave Vixon a pouch of coins for her transport fee. Vixon didn't look at the inside and just accepted it.

"Ah, Vixon! There's something on your forehead," Judecah said.

"Oh? Where?" Vixon touched his forehead. "Where is it?"

"Let me help."

Vixon leaned his head forward, close to Judecah's face, and she caressed his forehead out of the blue, Judecah kissed Vixon on his forehead. Vixon's face turned red. He faced away, hiding his red face.

“That was too much…” he said.

Judecah giggled.

“Now, you may go.”

As Vixon was close to the gate, the carriage driver opened the carriage door, not for Vixon, but the one inside the carriage. As soon as Judecah saw the person, shock etched onto her face as it was none other than her husband, Archduke Ferdinand Reis von Ludwig.

Lord Ludwig was a slightly overweight and muscular man with ivory skin in his mid-30s. He was slightly taller than Vixon. He had brown eyes, bald hair, and a bulbous nose. He wore a dark blue noble garb and a dark green coat with fur. He had a monocle on his left eye and a walking cane with a diamond.

"I-It's..." Judecah muttered as her body trembled in fear.

Vixon's eyes met with his' and both of them felt an immense mutual hatred towards each other for no particular reason. Lord Ludwig just moved past Vixon, and Vixon could feel an unsettling aura about him.

"He's dangerous!" Vixon thought as he stood in silence.

The maids and the butlers all lined vertically in front of him and bowed.

"Good Morning, Lord Ludwig!" the servants greeted.

"Raise your head!" Lord Ludwig ordered. He had a deep voice.

The servants left and continued their work, and Lord Ludwig's carriage left. Judecah just stood trembling with fear. Lord Ludwig approached her and stared into her eyes.

"What is it?" Lord Ludwig asked with an intimidating stare.

"N-Nothing."

"Then out of the way!" Lord Ludwig said aloud as he brushed her aside forcefully. She fell to the ground and he, without care, entered the mansion.

"Judecah—!" Vixon shouted as he hurried to help Judecah.

Hearing Judecah’s name being said, Lord Ludwig stopped and looked at Vixon.

"You there, how did you know her name?" he asked.

"I-I told him—!" Judecah answered.

Lord Ludwig immediately hit her back hard with his walking cane.

"Silence! I'm asking that common-born! Not you!" he yelled at her as he hit her repeatedly.

Vixon grabbed the cane, preventing Lord Ludwig from hitting her.

"Don't do such a thing to your own wife—!" Vixon said aloud.

"Release my cane, filth—!"

"As long as you stop hitting her—!"

"How dare you to tell me what to do-!" Lord Ludwig said as he pulled the cane forcefully, dragging Vixon's arm and body along. He immediately punched Vixon with his left fist, right on Vixon's face. His punch was powerful enough to knock a strong person like Vixon down, releasing Vixon’s hand from the cane. Lord Ludwig entered the mansion with no further words.

"Vixon!" Judecah shouted as she approached Vixon.

"I'm fine!” Vixon stood and cleaned the dust from his pants.

She stroked where Lord Ludwig punched Vixon. Blood flowed from Vixon's nose, making her worried.

"Vixon... You're injured!" she said, worried. "You're bleeding—!"

"I'm fine. I should leave soon.”

She wiped the blood using a handkerchief.

"So... He's The Archduke... The one who made commons' lives miserable!" Vixon thought. "His punch was too powerful. I can't believe that his power belongs to a human.”

“How dare he…!” Judecah muttered, angry. “He may abuse me to his heart's contents but… I won’t stay silent if he does this to you!”

She stood and ran to her husband.

“Judecah! Don’t!” Vixon said aloud as he tried to grab her hand, but he was too late. Judecah confronted her husband.