Chapter 2: A Hindering Proposal
A week passed by without incident, and Gumi spent most of her time indoors as her father had ordered. However, one morning, her monotonous life was interrupted by an unexpected visitation. Miki opened the door to her mistress's room, carrying in a breakfast tray as usual. Her cheerful face displayed a hint of uneasiness, although she seemed to be trying her hardest to conceal it.
"Good morning, Milady. I had them prepare your favorite this morning... a nice cheese omelette and toast smothered in blackberry jam." She carefully set the tray down in the other female's lap while forcing a smile.
Gumi seemed to notice her servant's strange behavior and raised her right eyebrow slightly, picking up a slice of toast that had been cut in half diagonally.
"Is something the matter? You're acting odd this morning..."
"W-well... it's just... a visitor has stopped by..." Miki lowered her head slightly, desperately trying not to meet the other young woman's gaze.
"Oh? Who is it?" Gumi lifted the toasted bread up to her lips and took a dainty bite of it.
"It's... Lord Gakupo..."
"Wha...?!" Gumi's eyes widened in surprise, and she suddenly began coughing.
"H-here, Milady!" The maid lifted an elegant glass of orange juice up to the heiress's lips and tilted it backwards, helping her to take a drink. After a few gulps, the green-haired female sighed in relief, and Miki set the glass down. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine now. Thank-you, Miki. I just... was not expecting to hear that. I have not seen Lord Gakupo in years. What business would he have here?"
"I'm not certain, but your father wishes to speak with you in the dining hall once you've donned the proper attire."
"Well, I'm certain this cannot be good..."
Meanwhile, in the dining hall, Gumi's father was sitting at the end of a large rectangular table. To his right sat a young man in a black suit. His sapphire eyes held a faint demonic glint in them, and his long purple hair was pulled back into a ponytail. His voice possessed an arrogant tone as he spoke with the older gentleman at his side.
"It would be wise for her to accept. I sincerely doubt she'll find a better offer anywhere else..."
"Oh, she will accept... even if I must convince her." The older man chuckled softly, crossing his right leg over the left one.
"Are you implying that my charm alone would not be enough to win her heart? What utter nonsense..."
"Well, Gumi is a strange, stubborn girl sometimes. She seemingly prefers the lifestyle of a peasant over the exquisite life her own father has given her. I would not put it past her to reject your offer."
"Hmm... if such is the case, then I shall just have to help her realize the superiority of a noble lifestyle. It should not be a difficult task for me."
"Unfortunately, my skepticism will remain unrelenting for the time being. The task may be more difficult than you believe thus far, Lord Gakupo."
"Perhaps. Although it should prove to be interesting at the very least."
"Indeed." The middle-aged man nodded in agreement and then rang a small, golden bell that had been resting on the table a few inches in front of him. "Kaito! Prepare some drinks for us. Our guest is surely parched after consuming that array of appetizers."
A few seconds after this was said, another young man with short blue hair passed through two swinging doors and into the dining hall. He was sporting a butler outfit and carrying a round, silver tray. Atop this flat, circular surface sat two clear glasses and a large bottle of red wine. The young male stepped over to the table and set the tray down on it. Next, he placed one glass in front of each nobleman before carefully removing the cork from the top of the large, green bottle. Afterward, he filled his master's cup halfway with the crimson liquid. He then proceeded to do the same for Gakupo, but when he pulled the bottle back, some of the beverage accidentally dripped onto the purple-haired male's suit.
"I-I'm terribly sorry!" Kaito's eyes widened in horror when he realized what he had done, and he took a few steps backward.
"You clumsy fool... have you not received proper training?" Gakupo's eyes narrowed as they locked on Kaito, and his voice became much deeper.
"Y-yes, I have... I j-just..."
"Then, there is no excuse. Such a mistake is unforgivable." The young duke picked up a napkin and began to dab at the damp area on his chest. As he did so, he slowly turned his head toward the master of the mansion once more. "You should rid yourself of this pathetic excuse of a butler immediately. If he cannot even pour wine without spilling it, then he has no right to remain in this household. He is not even worthy of licking the dirt from the bottom of your shoes, Lord Eldridge."
"I suppose you are correct. Kaito, begone from our sight." The older nobleman released a deep, disappointed sigh from his lungs as he turned his head to face Gakupo in return. "It is quite difficult to find decent servants."
"...b-but My Lord...!" Kaito's eyes started to fill with tears, and when he realized that he was being ignored, he quickly set the bottle of wine on the table and shuffled back through the swinging doors.
At the same moment, another figure stepped into the dining hall through another set of doors on the opposite side of the room. Both of the noblemen turned their heads in that direction, and Gakupo stood up shortly while a smile returned to his face.
"Ah, Lady Gumi... you've become even more lovely since the last time I beheld you." He bowed slightly as he spoke those words, and his voice had regained a cheerful tone again.
"You flatter me, Lord Gakupo..." Gumi's voice was emotionless, and she barely managed to conjure up a small smile as she stepped toward the large table.
"Not at all. I am merely stating the truth. I must also apologize for appearing before you in such unsightly garments. It seems your former butler was not properly prepared for his profession." Gakupo walked over to the opposite side of the table and pulled out a chair, gesturing for the green-haired female to sit down upon it.
"Former...?" Gumi took a seat in the chair that Gakupo had pulled out for her, and her eyes suddenly widened slightly. "Wait... Father, you don't mean..."
"It was his own fault for acting careless. I shall not discuss this matter any further." Gumi's father replied, and a somewhat stern expression returned to his face. "There was another subject which we wanted to bring to your attention."
"I see. What is it?" The heiress lowered her head, and her concealed sorrow had become more evident.
"Well, as you already know, my fiancee, Lady Luka, recently passed away." Gakupo remained at Gumi's side as he spoke. "Ever since, I have been searching for another woman to become my future wife. When I remembered you, I knew that you would be a perfect choice, and so I decided to pay your father a visit. He assured me that you have not been promised to anyone as of yet, and he believes that our marriage would be a prudent decision." He slowly bent down on one knee and grasped onto Gumi's left hand gently, then pressed his lips against the back of it softly. "I would be honored if such a beautiful woman would become my bride. Well, Lady Gumi? What will your answer be?"
A few moments of silence ensued before Gumi finally responded. Her eyes were dim as she turned her head to look down at the man who was holding her hand. "If I should refuse... what would you do?"
"Hmm... well, I suppose I would just have to repeatedly visit you until you finally fall for me. I'm certain that it would not take too long..."
"I see. Well, your response has just reaffirmed mine." She slowly rose to her feet again, pulling her hand away from the young nobleman's grasp. "I will never marry you, not even if you come to visit me over a hundred times. You utterly disgust me."
"Tch!" Gakupo clenched his teeth in rage, and his eyes once again narrowed... the demonic glint in them was even more visible.
"Now, if you'll both excuse me... there is someone else I wish to speak with." Upon saying those final words, she began walking toward the swinging doors that their butler had entered from previously. She did not even stop to respond when her father spoke up in a low tone.
"We shall discuss this later, Gumi. I will not allow you to make such a lamentable mistake."
Whilst ignoring the patriarch, Gumi stepped through the doors and into the kitchen. Kaito was crouched in a corner, holding onto his head with a horrified expression still present on his face. Judging from the red coloring of his eyes, he had been sobbing immensely. A young woman with short brown hair was busy chopping vegetables on a table in the center of the room. She was wearing a short black dress that stopped at her upper thighs, and she also wore a white apron over it. When she noticed that the other female had entered the room, she immediately stopped and set her large knife down.
"You're the second person to waltz in here lookin' like the world's about to end. What exactly happened out there?"
"I'd... rather not say at this time, Meiko." Gumi focused her vision on the floor and began to rub her left arm.
"All right then. It's got somethin' to do with that Gaku-bastard though, doesn't it?" Although the cook was a female, she most certainly did not act or speak like a proper lady.
The green-haired woman slowly nodded in response, causing Meiko to sigh.
"I figured as much. Kaito came runnin' in here, mutterin' that he got fired because he spilled a lil' wine on that guy's suit. It's tragic that we lost some precious wine, but I still think that asshole deserved it. Hell, if I wouldn't get fired for it, I'd definitely go out there right now an' spill a whole bucket of hot gravy on him!" She reached out shortly, picking up a bottle of whiskey that had been resting on the table beside her cutting board. Then, she took a few swigs and sighed in a content manner as she set the bottle down again. "'Sides, he's probably got hundreds of suits just like that at home... why does it matter if one gets soiled? Hic!"
"I do not know..." Gumi slowly shifted her gaze toward the distressed butler, and an expression of concern promptly appeared on her face. "I'm truly sorry about everything, Kaito. You do not deserve to be treated this way. You have been a loyal servant to this family for many years, and you seldom spill anything at all. If I could, I'd gladly take your place... because if Father ordered me to leave, I would honestly consider it a blessing."
"It's no use tryin' to calm him down... I already tried." Meiko glanced over at Kaito briefly, and then something caught her attention outside the window. "Well, will ya look at that? Guess we drove him away finally..."
Gumi followed Meiko's gaze out the window, and she released a deep sigh of relief at the sight. Gakupo's black carriage was moving down that long path, departing from the mansion at last.
"I just hope that I will not see him again soon..."
"Don't jinx that, hon." Meiko spoke in a sarcastic tone, picking up her knife and resuming her job.
Once Gakupo's carriage was no longer visible, the master of the mansion entered the kitchen. His arms were folded over his chest, and every muscle in his body was tensed up. "Gumi, come with me." His voice was mostly firm, but it was trembling slightly due to his anger. "We have much that we need to discuss."
"As you wish, Father."
