After hearing the news that I would be going to Destenebres' Mansion, I simply continued my training after lunch.
I was in the middle of my basic workout, though each set only required me to reach ten. Any more than that and my body would give out. To be fair, I probably would have died.
After finishing my routine, I collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
After a short rest, I slowly got up and went to the bathroom. I inserted a magic stone into a slot on the bathtub, and soon the tap connected to it began pouring out warm water, filling the tub. When it stopped, I placed my hand in the water to test the temperature.
Feels just right.
I slowly stepped into the bathtub, letting the warm water surround my body as I gazed up at the ceiling.
After a while, I got out, pressed a button that drained the tub, and changed into a fresh set of clothes, pyjamas to be precise.
I tossed my dirty clothes into the basket. Yukino always comes to my room in the morning to collect it.
After washing my hands, I went to bed and lay down.
Tomorrow is my birthday, and hers as well. Which makes me wonder, in the game, was Ragnar the older one, or was she? I cannot remember.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next afternoon.
After lunch, I was in my room, trying on a suit. To be precise, it was a suit fit for a servant.
I wore a white long-sleeved shirt that still left part of my forearms exposed, with a black vest over it. I also wore a pair of black trousers.
I looked at the mirror, just to check my appearance while wearing the suit.
I studied my reflection. My skin was pale, almost porcelain in colour. My face, although I am the son of a handsome father who never loved me and a beautiful mother who did, still carried traces of my original life's appearance. It rested somewhere between an ordinary man's face and that of a model. Sadly, it only reflected how I looked before I ascended, which makes sense, considering I am still a mere mortal.
My eyes were a pale gold. Whenever I looked into them, I could not help but feel detached, as though the person behind those eyes was not truly me. They had a certain sharpness, but not the kind I once possessed. Faint dark circles rested beneath them, perhaps the price of using the Authority of Sloth every day.
My hair was a pale shade of obsidian black, smooth yet lifeless in the dim light of the room.
Looking at my overall appearance, I could only think one thing. I miss my original body.
"Why are you comparing your original body to a four-year-old's body?" Wraith asked, sounding as if he found it ridiculous.
Shut up. It is just a sentimental feeling of an old man.
"But you are a child now," Wraith said, as if mocking my situation.
I am ignoring you.
After dressing up, I left my room and walked towards the manor entrance.
At the entrance of the manor, a carriage was waiting. It looked like the kind used by high-ranking nobles. Soon, the door opened, revealing a knight in full Silron armour. Strangely, I felt no sense of caution towards him.
That is strange. Why does he feel so familiar?
"My lord, that man is the one who keeps sneaking into the small library. He always brings new books and leaves them there," Envy said in my mind.
Huh? How did you know that? And why did you never tell me?
"You did not ask," Envy replied.
Whatever.
"Hello everyone, it has been a while," Jagid said in a calm tone.
"Greetings, Sir Jagid. Will you be the one escorting us?" my mother asked softly.
"Indeed, Madam Cesline. I will be escorting both you and Young Master Ragnar," Jagid said as he turned to face me.
"Mother, who is this?" I asked quietly, my eyes fixed on Jagid with a sharp gaze.
My mother opened her mouth to answer, but Jagid spoke first.
"Greetings, Young Master Ragnar. I am Jagid, the Endless Darkness Knight," he said politely as he knelt before me.
Hearing his introduction, I bowed in return.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Jagid. I am Ragnar Destenebres," I said formally, returning his greeting in the same manner.
Wait, Jagid? If I remember correctly, that was the name mentioned in one of the books about the Great War, titled The Golden Mane Guardian. So he is the Endless Darkness Knight. Interesting.
"Alright then, shall we board the carriage?" Jagid asked calmly.
At his words, my mother and I entered the carriage and sat together on one side. Jagid followed, closing the door before taking the seat opposite us.
"You may move now," Jagid said to the driver.
The carriage began to move, and silence filled the space.
"This is awkward," Wraith muttered, sounding bored.
Yes, it is awkward. I still cannot tell whether the man sitting across from me is an enemy or an ally.
"That reminds me, happy birthday, Young Master Ragnar," Jagid said, breaking the silence with a calm smile.
"Thank you. Though sadly, on my birthday, I must attend someone else's birthday," I replied with a faint smile.
"Come on, smile better. Even a child could do better than that," Wraith said mockingly.
I ignored his comment.
"Young Master Ragnar, do you have a goal or a dream in life?" Jagid asked, trying to lighten the mood after my earlier answer.
"To live a peaceful life with my wives in the future," I said as I looked out of the carriage window, watching the sky drift by.
"That is... a very unique... goal?" Jagid replied hesitantly, unsure whether I was being serious or not.
"Thank you," I answered calmly.
After that, we spoke quite a bit about various things, such as how I wished to live and how I planned to achieve that kind of life, as there was nothing else to do while the carriage made its way towards the mansion.
Before long, the carriage finally arrived at the front of the mansion.
Once the carriage stopped, Jagid stepped out, opened the door, and held it for my mother and me to exit.
As I got out, I saw the mansion standing tall before us. Looking around, I noticed that no other carriages had arrived yet, which meant we were earlier than expected for the party. Then, a young girl's cheerful voice came from the mansion.
"Auntie Cesline!" she called joyfully, running towards my mother and hugging her tightly.
She looked to be around my age, with dark obsidian black hair and deep golden eyes. Judging by her features and how she addressed my mother, she must be my supposed half-sister and the birthday girl for today, Lyraena Destenebres. If I remember correctly, I do not remember much about her, though I do recall that her stats in the game were decent enough for a damage per second role.
As she let go of my mother, her eyes met mine. Her expression shifted instantly.
"Who are you?" Lyraena asked with a disapproving look.
"I am Ragnar," I replied calmly, choosing not to mention my family name.
"I see. How do you have black hair and golden eyes? They look like our family's traits, but yours seem paler. Oh well, Brother Lysander is much better and far more handsome than you anyway. Please get out of my sight, you ugly servant child," she said sharply, her expression turning bright again as she continued hugging my mother.
My mouth fell slightly open at her words.
"Hahahahahaha, she is calling you ugly! Hahahahaha!" Wraith howled with laughter in my mind.
"I do not know why, but I feel so much joy that my lord was insulted," Envy said.
"It is alright, my lord. Sometimes in life, not everyone will like your face anyway," Lust added playfully.
"My lord, your appearance is fine as it is. You should not be bothered by her words," Pride said calmly and sincerely.
The rest of the devils stayed silent.
I hate you all, but thank you, Pride.
"Lady Lyraena, that child is," my mother began, wanting to say something about me but was interrupted.
"I see that you are all here," my father said calmly as he stepped out from the mansion and stood before us with a cold gaze. That gaze grew even colder when his eyes fell on me.
What? You think I want to be here too? Not a chance. I would rather go to the underworld than be here.
"May I ask what is with his attire?" my father said, his voice calm but his eyes sharp as ice.
My mother wanted to speak, but I interrupted her.
"Well, you see, back in my home, I do not have proper clothes. I only have these as my formal wear," I lied calmly. In truth, I had plenty of proper clothes, I was simply too lazy to wear them.
"Are you perhaps a child who will be doing servant work?" my father asked coldly, his eyes still locked on me.
"Wouldn't that be better for you?" I replied calmly, meeting his gaze head-on.
My mother trembled and said nothing. Lyraena did not understand what was happening, but she looked uneasy at my father's cold voice.
"Papa, is everything alright?" Lyraena asked nervously.
At her words, my father's cold expression softened into warmth.
"Oh, sweetie, everything is fine. There is no need to worry. I will ask the chef to prepare you some ice cream later. How does that sound?" he said gently, his tone full of affection as he tried to comfort her.
"Ice cream? Yes!" Lyraena said cheerfully, happy about the promise.
The devils and I remained silent, watching the scene unfold.
"Wow, I guess you really are what they call the middle child in your world," Wraith said, half amused and half bewildered.
I do not think that is how it works. Also, how do you even know that?
"Just to provoke you," Wraith replied without hesitation.
…I am ignoring you.
As Caedros lifted Lyraena into his arms, he gave me another cold glare while her head rested against his shoulder.
"Butler, please escort Madam Cesline to the party. As for him, send him to the kitchen until the party ends or until Madam Cesline is ready to leave," my father said calmly, noticing his butler standing nearby.
Hearing his words, my mother reacted with surprise and tried to protest.
"That—" she began, but I interrupted gently.
"It is fine. I am curious about the life of a chef," I said, trying to reassure her that I was fine with my father's decision.
"But—" she tried again, but I interrupted once more.
"It will be fine. This will be a good experience for my special day anyway. I also hope you can enjoy yourself since you rarely come here," I said with a gentle smile.
"Goodbye," I said cheerfully as the butler escorted me towards the kitchen while a few servants led my mother away to the party.
After the butler escorted me to the kitchen, we found the staff and chefs busy preparing the meals for the party.
"Greetings, Chef Seraphina," the butler said calmly and casually to the woman before him.
I turned my gaze towards her.
She had bright red hair tied into a long braid, secured neatly so it stayed in place, with a few strands tucked behind her ears. Her light blue eyes were sharp and piercing, and her fair skin carried a gentle glow with a faint natural blush on her cheeks. Her heart-shaped face was defined by high cheekbones, a smooth jawline, and naturally full red lips, giving her a composed and confident look. She appeared to be twenty-four.
She wore a black double-breasted chef's jacket with red trim and buttons, tailored to her waist to emphasise her hourglass figure. A black apron was tied securely around her middle, the fabric smooth and well-kept, falling over her hips in neat folds that shifted slightly as she moved. Her dark straight-leg trousers allowed ease of movement, and her black slip-resistant kitchen shoes were practical, polished, and closed-toe. A tall black pleated chef's hat, like the traditional toque, crowned her head and marked her status as head chef. Her uniform was plain in detail but meticulously maintained, giving her a professional and quietly commanding presence. Her posture was graceful and assured, the kind that drew attention without effort.
Her figure was hourglass, with a slim waist, a fuller bust, and balanced hips.
Those thoughts naturally appeared in my mind, as if I had gathered information about her.
Wait, what...
"Her body measurements are ninety-two, sixty-two, ninety as well," Lust said in a pleased tone.
How did you know that?
"Because I was analysing very, very closely," Lust replied, his voice full of delight.
What on earth... Wait, were you using your authority to gain information about her?
"What's wrong with that? You did the same in your previous life," Lust said, sounding almost offended.
…
"Nothing to say, right!" Lust declared triumphantly, convinced he had won.
Except I did that to my wives, not a random woman I had just met...
"Oh yeaa... I forgot about that," Lust said playfully, as if he had just remembered an important fact about me.
We all remained silent at Lust's words.
I was too tired to even care.
"What is it, Mr Lato?" the woman said calmly, first looking at the butler before shifting her sharp gaze to me.
"Chef Seraphina, the Lord has ordered me to bring you this child, Young Master Ragnar, as your employee for the duration of this birthday party or until Madam Cesline leaves," Lato said calmly.
Seraphina's eyes fixed on me as she analysed me carefully.
"This child, Young Master Ragnar? The one abandoned by the Lord for being weak and worthless? How could a child like him be of any use? He would merely cause trouble. It would be better if he does not help," Seraphina said calmly, as if the idea itself were ridiculous.
Wow… am I really that unreliable?
"Yes," Wraith said without hesitation.
Your opinion does not count.
"It is by the Lord's will," Lato added calmly.
Seraphina looked at me again, then glanced around the busy kitchen, noting the staff preparing ingredients and cooking, before returning her gaze to me.
"Child, do you want me to call you Young Master Ragnar in my kitchen, or shall I call you whatever I feel like?" she asked, her tone disapproving.
Seriously… why am I getting disapproving looks today? Is it my outfit that's causing this?
"I believe it is your appearance," Wraith said, trying to provoke me.
It's either that… or not.
"I believe Wraith is correct," Pride added calmly.
Sigh… what is wrong with my look? If this were my home world, it would have been fine.
"Just call me whatever you feel like. After all, I am not here as the abandoned Young Master Ragnar, but as your employee," I said, trying to keep my expression indifferent.
"Alright. Although we do not have clothing for your size, especially for your gender, I suppose you will wear the Young Miss' clothing instead. Mr Lato, you should help him get changed," Seraphina said calmly, giving the order.
Wait… what did she just say?
"Alright," Lato answered calmly, guiding me to another room in the manor to change.
Wait, wait, wait… what did she just say? WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY?!?!?!
I screamed in my mind as the butler led me away to change.
After I was brought to a room and changed into clothes suitable for the kitchen, the result was completely unexpected when I looked in the mirror.
I was wearing a small pink double-breasted chef's jacket with white trim and bright buttons. A short pleated pink skirt was worn over plain white shorts, with a pink apron tied neatly at the waist in a tidy bow. Across the front of the apron were the words "I love my brother, I wish to cook for him, I wish to marry him" written in bold lettering. A tall pink pleated chef's hat sat firmly on my head. On my feet were simple white slip-resistant shoes with closed toes, paired with plain socks.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAA!" Wraith laughed so loudly it sounded like he was having an asthma attack in my mind.
"My Lady, are you alright? Do you need anything? I cannot, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!" Lust joked playfully, but he soon gave in to laughter.
"My La-Lord, mhmm… you look mmhmm splendid… mhm hahahhahahaha!" Pride attempted to compliment me, though it was clear he could not resist laughing.
"My Lord, did you just change gender all of a sudden? Is it the temperature that made you like this?" Sloth said, confused and sounding as if he had just woken up.
What do you think I am? A reptile that can change its gender because of a sudden temperature change?
"My lord, I see no value in this, but you look ridiculous," Greed added bluntly.
"Pftt… thank goodness, pfftt hahahaha… that is… hahahaha not me…" Envy laughed as well.
I regretted not wearing my formal suit and challenging my father.
I stared at myself in the mirror with an indifferent expression, resigning myself to getting this over with.
Soon, the butler came in to escort me to the kitchen, though he struggled to hold back his laughter.
Years of experience, and you are laughing over something like this? Ridiculous, I tell you, ridiculous.
"You have to admit, it is pretty stupid, and you look stupid wearing it," Wraith said in my mind, trying to mock me.
…I ignored him.
When we reached the kitchen, Seraphina noticed me and the butler and walked over.
"Not bad. You are looking great, Young Miss," Seraphina said with a mature smile, clearly mocking my outfit.
"Was there really no other outfit?" I asked calmly, gazing at the butler with indifference.
"My apologies. Young Miss Lyraena is the only child of your age who wears a chef outfit as she wishes to learn how to cook," the butler replied calmly, still suppressing his laughter.
Wow, it seems he has improved while we walked.
"Alright, Young Miss. Your job is to prep the ingredients, which in simple terms means peeling them with this peeler. You can start with the potato," Seraphina said with a mature smile, handing me a peeler and having one of the staff escort me to my station.
Let's just endure this for the day. It is a good chance, as I get to avoid my father's stare, and my mother would not be troubled by my presence near her. This is all part of the plan.
"Was wearing that also part of the plan?" Wraith said, provoking me.
No. If it was, I would rather go back to hell than endure such humiliation.
As I sat at my station, I saw a huge pile of potatoes beside me and a container for the peeled ones.
"Hey, kid, you better peel properly, or you'll sabotage our kitchen operation by not doing your job well. I'll give you a quick introduction on how to peel a potato. I bet you've never learned because your maids always took care of your meals. Well, not anymore. It doesn't matter that you're the abandoned Young Master Ragnar. Here, you are a chef, and as a chef, you do what you're told. Understand? I'll show you how to peel the potatoes first, then I'll go back to my station," the staff said rudely, clearly unconcerned with who I was, simply demonstrating how to peel a potato.
…Let's just endure this until the party ends.