Too Big

"Aah!!" I suddenly jolted upright from my bed. I was sweating and breathing heavily.

"Dammit, another nightmare."

I shook my head, trying to forget the nightmare. It was the same nightmare I've been having for quite a while now. The ruins of the village, my dad's porcupine-like corpse from all those weapons stabbed into his back, and the thing behind it all. It was the same scene over and over again. The only thing that's different is the wind that forms around that thing and I was getting stronger each time. This time it was as if a tornado was formed. I wonder what that means?

I get off my bed and tidy myself. I was going to change clothes and wipe off my sweat but something was strange in my room. It was messy. Way too messy. It was as if a storm entered my room and made a mess. My spare clothes were on the floor, the dresser that contained my clothes was upside-down, and my blanket was in the corner at the very end of the room. The only thing in its proper place was my bed.

"Just what the hell happened here? Did someone sneak in and did this?"

If someone actually did this as a prank, whoever it is, I hope they stub their toe. I begrudgingly cleaned everything. I picked up the scattered clothes, folded them one by one, and put them all back to the dresser, but not before I had to place the dresser back upright and move it back to its original position. The blanket was returned to the bed and I made the bed while I was at it.

"There, nice and tidy." I smiled to myself.

I slipped into my butler outfit after that. Can't forget the reason why the Duke even bought me. If I don't want to be choked to death by this damn collar, I have to attend to the young lady of this house—Rosaline.

I exited my room and made my way to Rosaline's room. As I walked I noticed it was snowing. A month already passed since the Leghorn necromancer event and winter came.

After I entered the room I heard a loud snore from the bed. On the bed was a young 10-year-old girl, the same age as me. She was breathing gently as the morning sunlight passing through the windows gave her silver hair a lustrous sheen. Such a scene would've been beautiful if it weren't for her horrendous sleeping posture.

Her right leg was behind her neck, her arms were interlocked together, and her left leg slipped in between her interlocked arms. I don't even know how this is possible. In fact, how the hell is she even sleeping so peacefully with such a painful-looking sleeping posture?!

I couldn't help but take a moment to process in my brain what I just witnessed.

Recovering myself, I shook my head to refocus. This wasn't the first time I saw one of her bizarre sleeping postures. Actually, I don't even think this was the worst out of the ones I've seen.

"Milady, wake up. It's already morning."

"Mmmhrmm..."

"Lady Rosaline... please wake up."

"..."

"Oi... wake up."

"Hehe... pancakes..."

Running out of patience, I channeled Aura into my arms and I clapped.

*CLAP*

The sound of my clap reverberated in the room as if a firecracker was ignited and exploded.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!"

Rosaline immediately sat upright, startled by the loud noise. Mission success.

Rosaline looked around and saw me.

"LUKA YOU MEANIE!!!"

"Milady, I had no choice but to do that to wake you up. "

"Urgh..."

Oh shit, is she gonna cry? I have to stop this at all costs!

"Milady, it's snowing outside. Do you want to build a snowman?"

She suddenly jolted in excitement.

"YES!! Get out of my room, I going to change."

"As you wish."

I exited the room and saw a row of maids waiting outside. I signaled them that they can now enter the room. Nobles always need help when wearing their clothes, especially noblewomen. Since their clothes are too intricate that it was impossible to wear it by themselves.

Well... it's not like Rosaline's the same. Since she mostly plays in the garden and often trips, wearing expensive dresses would be too wasteful. So she just wears simple dresses... well... using the word 'simple' wouldn't be accurate. It's still expensive, but it just doesn't have as many accessories to it, making movement easy.

How do I know all this? Well, every time Duke Montampes visits the capital, Rosaline and Weiss follows, which meant I'm brought along as well. Weiss uses these visits as an opportunity to teach me more and more and more.

I appreciate the additional knowledge but... why the hell is he even teaching me about the dresses of noblewomen too? I don't think this information would even be useful to me. It's not like I'll have to wear a dress in the future. I'm a guy!!

The door swung open, and out came Rosaline with her usual bright smile.

"Let's go!!"

She immediately dashed off towards the garden.

I begrudgingly followed as I sighed. This girl's stamina is abnormal.

After going through a few hallways she suddenly stopped. What's she doing? I somehow have a bad feeling about this...!

"THIS HOUSE IS TOO BIG!!" Rosaline shouted at the top of her lungs.

She ran towards a nearby window and opened it. I heard her mutter while giggling, "Hehe, shortcut."

Then she jumped off...

Wait...she jumped off?

OH SHIT!!!

I quickly followed her and jumped out the window. We jumped off at the 3rd floor, I still have enough time to catch her and cushion the fall with my body.

Rosaline was spreading her arms like wings as she fell.

"I'M FLYING!!"

"NO YOU'RE NOT!!"

I straightened my body and dived towards Rosaline. The drag made me accelerate faster in the air and I quickly reached the falling idiot.

I stretched out my arms and wrapped them around her and pulled her close to me as she kept laughing and shouting "This is fun!". No, it's fucking not! If you die, I die!

Right after I reoriented my body and switched positions with her, making me closer to the ground than her. My back was now facing the approaching ground.

Very quickly I channeled all of my Aura towards my back, in hopes that strengthening my back would cushion the fall even more. White energy covered my back.

Rosaline's still laughing her heart out while spreading out her arms. I really want to knock some sense into this kid.

The ground is nearing...

This is gonna hurt.

"GUHA-!"

My back finally hit the ground. Despite reinforcing my back with Aura, the impact still knocked the air out of my lungs. The pain made my arms weak, which made my grip loosen, freeing the brat from my arms.

I thought the snow would at least cushion some of the impact. But nope, it didn't even help.

"Khh...Kuek!...GASP!! Haah....haah..."

With great difficulty, I managed to breathe.