The day after the night party. The day after his memories of his previous life returned.
Cyril was already troubled.
“...I have no clothes.”
What on earth had he been wearing until yesterday? In his closet, there were only the bare minimum of shirts and slacks. Was he really the son of a Duke?
(Looking at it again, this is terrible.)
It wasn't that the servants had thrown them away, or that he had been treated poorly.
Cyril himself had stubbornly refused to increase his wardrobe... because he had been a weirdo.
“...Sigh.”
Cyril had no choice but to ring the bell.
◇
Meliza Taskod, the head maid of the House of Louzer, couldn't believe her eyes. She had heard the story from the butler last night, but seeing it in person, she still couldn't believe it.
Meliza had served the Duke's residence for a long time. She had been there since before the twins were born. She was surprised that she had been called by the second son of the Duke's house, with whom she had not spoken for many years.
The Cyril who used to look down and couldn't even meet the opponent's eyes. Now, he was speaking clearly and confidently, as if he were a different person. Although his eyes were hidden by his bangs, his very posture made him seem like a different person.
“Meliza? Are you listening? I would like you to prepare clothes for me to go out.”
Meliza snapped back to her senses and hurriedly replied.
“My apologies. Even if I call the tailor immediately, I am not sure if they can be ready by this morning...”
“Hmm... it can't be helped.”
Cyril was reluctant, but he needed them right now.
“I'll borrow some of my brother's.”
Meliza was speechless with shock at Cyril's words.
“...!? Ah... no. I understand. I will prepare them immediately.”
Meliza felt ashamed of her own agitation.
(Could it be that Master Cyril is borrowing Master Alex's clothes...?!)
Looking at Cyril, she could see his eyes smiling slightly through the gap in his bangs.
“Sorry. Get used to it. From today on, I'll be like this.”
“There is no need for you to apologize, Master. Where are you heading? Along with the clothes, I shall prepare the carriage as well.”
Meliza heard the destination from Cyril, then bowed and left the room.
Closing the door, she turned around with a light step.
(Master Cyril is getting clothes for an outing! The maids will be so happy if I tell them. I must find some larger items from Master Alex's dressing room.)
Cyril's bright expression. Meliza had always felt it was a pity.
She had seen Cyril be treated harshly by Alex since childhood, and as a result, she had stopped seeing his smiles.
As he grew older, Cyril had become dark and gloomy. She had thought that he would continue to live closed off in the Duke's residence, never appearing in public, and would simply support the territory in the shadows as a substitute for Alex.
In the Duke's residence, Meliza was the only one who called Alex and Cyril "Master" (bochama).
Alex had told her early on not to call him that, so now she only called Cyril that. But since she hadn't seen his face for many years, she had accidentally called him "Master" for the first time in a long while.
(I shouldn't call him Master anymore, should I?)
Meliza hurried along the corridor, hoping Cyril wouldn't change his mind.
◇
“What? Cyril is going out? To the House of Viscount Augusta?”
The Duke had drunk too much last night and had only just woken up. He held his head in his hands at the first report of the morning.
“Yes. I have already had the head maid prepare clothes for his outing. He is likely heading to the House of Viscount Augusta. Shall we stop him?”
When the butler asked, the Duke stood up and left the room.
“Did you send a prior notice to the Augusta residence?”
The Duke asked the butler as he walked with long strides down the hallway.
The butler followed the Duke and replied.
“No. I have heard nothing of the sort.”
“Good grief. It seems he has forgotten that he was a shut-in until the other day. Cyril!”
He opened the door somewhat roughly. It should have been the target room, but for a moment, the Duke felt he had entered the wrong room.
There was no way there should be so many maids in Cyril's room.
However, the room was spacious but empty, with a simple interior that didn't seem like the room of the son of a Duke's house. This reminded him that this was indeed Cyril's room.
“Meliza. What happened?”
The maids were fluttering about in excitement.
“I wonder if the indigo blue gilet would have been better? It would look great with his hair color.”
“No, with those features, a vermilion gilet would make him stand out! Let's have him wear this next.”
“Seeing him with his hair tied up is such a feast for the eyes, isn't it?”
The maids were blushing, talking over each other.
Meliza noticed the Duke and clapped her hands twice to dismiss the maids.
“You all! Clean up and move on to your next task.”
“Your Excellency, my apologies. Everyone was simply caught up in Master Cyril's change.”
“I see.”
(Both he and Alex are just as good-looking as their mother was.)
“Where is Cyril? To visit a Viscount's residence without a prior notice is only to trouble the other party. Tell him to visit with proper etiquette.”
When the Duke said this, Meliza's expression clouded for the first time.
“Did you not send a prior notice?”
It was the minimum manner for the son of a noble to visit the home of a noble lady. Especially since the Louzers were a Ducal house. If they were visiting a house of lower rank, they had to contact them with plenty of time to spare, otherwise it would be nothing but a nuisance to the other party.
“Master has already left by carriage.”
Meliza turned pale. As did the other maids.
“What shall we do...?”
The Duke looked out the window. He could see the carriage, but he wondered what to do.
“Well, let it be. He probably won't be turned away at the gate, but Viscount Augusta's opinion of Cyril will likely drop. Let him receive the consequences of being a shut-in and neglecting etiquette. He needs to learn his lesson the hard way.”