Settling In

"No, no! I'm not dissatisfied at all!" Damien quickly responded, panicking. "It's just… maybe it's a little too big for me…"

At Damien's hesitant admission, Theo and Ivan exchanged glances.

"Sebas?" Theo asked.

"However, this room is fitting for a guest of your status, young master. No other rooms in the mansion would be suitable. If you could wait about a month, we could have a separate guest house constructed for Sir Crowell," Sebas explained.

*Wait, what?!* Damien thought, horrified.

A separate guest house?!

"N-no! I love this room! It's perfect!" Damien blurted out in desperation. "This room is amazing, I swear! I don't want any other room but this one!"

"Please, don't hesitate to voice your concerns," Theo said, his gaze searching Damien's face.

"No, really! I'm not hesitating at all! I truly want to stay in this room!" Damien exclaimed, terrified at the thought of them building him a private guest house. He wouldn't be able to live with the guilt.

Theo seemed to believe him, a look of relief spreading across his face.

"I'm glad to hear that. Please, think of this place as your home and make yourself comfortable," Theo said with a warm smile.

Damien returned the smile awkwardly. Comfortable? he thought. That's impossible.

From Damien's perspective, having lived with his family of five (including the cat) in a small, modest house that could probably fit entirely into just the living room of this extravagant mansion, the sheer luxury of this place made it impossible for him to feel at ease, even while lying down.

"Th-thank you… I'll try to get used to it soon," he replied, forcing an awkward smile.

Theo's face brightened with a pleased smile and he nodded warmly. "Very well. I will introduce the person who will be attending to you shortly, so please relax until then."

This must be the Lupusregina that they had mentioned earlier, the one who would be assigned to him. Damien felt a bit guilty at the thought of having someone look after him, but since he didn't know much about this world or even this mansion, he had to admit it was a relief to have help.

"As for dinner, it will be served in about two hours. Will that be alright?"

"Yes, thank you very much," Damien replied, even though he didn't really know how long "two hours" was. Judging by the fading daylight outside, it probably wasn't far off.

"If you need anything before then, please ring this bell on the side table," Theo said, gesturing toward a small table next to the bed. On it was a silver water pitcher, a ceramic cup, and a large, handle-equipped bell that gleamed softly in the light.

"Understood," Damien said.

Theo nodded again. "I will return later then."

With a polite bow, Theo and his attendants left the room, closing the door softly behind them.

...

Damien listened intently, waiting for the sound of the door closing in the hallway. After a few moments of silence, confirming that he was alone, he let out a deep, heavy sigh.