No Hero Volume 3: Non-Human Killer

Original novel in Chinese by: 御 我 (Yu Wo)

Prologue – translated by lucathia

Today is a morning that is somewhat ordinary yet not exactly ordinary.

What was ordinary was that I was currently cooking various breakfast foods, just like every other day.

What was not ordinary was that when the young master returned from his run, he suddenly said that he wanted to eat beef noodle soup. The reason was because he pa.s.sed by a store selling beef noodle soup during his morning run and smelled the aroma of cooking beef. It seemed very delicious.

Therefore, I could only quickly begin to cook noodles and then consider all the methods I could think of to cook the beef so that it would become tender in the shortest time possible. Otherwise, I dreaded that it would not be done by the time the young master went to school… Thankfully, it just so happened that there was beef stored in the refrigerator. What luck amidst misfortune.

Ding dong.

The doorbell? Who would visit at such an early hour? I quickly called out in the direction of the living room, “Dell, may I trouble you to help me answer the door?”

“I’ll do it!” Immediately, a response came from the living room.

This is the young master’s voice… Letting the young master personally open the door was truly rude of me. However, during this busy time where I had ten different types of breakfasts cooking in front of me, there was perhaps no harm in making a slight compromise.

“Charles.” The young master suddenly extended his head into the kitchen.

I hurriedly turned and answered, “Yes.”

“Someone is looking for you!”

Looking for me? Surprised, I asked, “May I ask if it is X?”

The young master shook his head and replied, “It’s someone I don’t know. He says his name is Curtis Christopher.”

Curtis? Christopher? I had absolutely no recollection of this name. It should not be someone I was familiar with. Might it be a fellow vampire who caught wind of me?

Since he had not broken into violence on the spot, I believed that this fellow vampire did not possess any great malicious intent. Still, I turned and looked at the ten different types of breakfasts, feeling somewhat distressed…

It seemed that the young master was aware of my distress. He suggested, “Make breakfast. I’ll tell him to wait a bit! Remember to prepare breakfast for him too! He seems to be human!”

Not a fellow vampire? No matter what, I heaved a sigh of relief and sincerely said, “Thank you, Young Master.”

I hurried around for another ten minutes or so. The beef was at the last stages of cooking in the pot, while the rest of the food was ready. I lifted the food that was done, bringing it into the living room. The moment I stepped into the living room, a stranger suddenly rushed forward, s.n.a.t.c.hed the plates from my hands, and placed them on the dining table.

I was a little surprised, but I did not forget to politely respond, “Thank you for your help.”

He turned and immediately said, “Please do not say so, Master Endelis.”

…Master Endelis?

Only now did I seriously observe the other person. His appearance was extremely neat and clean. He wore a black suit and a red bowtie. His hair was combed back without a single strand out of place. On his face sat a pair of rectangular gla.s.ses. Other than his tidy appearance, his expression was fairly reserved, to the point where it could be said to be completely blank.

But no matter what his appearance was like, I was extremely certain that I did not know this person.

I smiled as I asked, “May I ask who you are?”

All of a sudden, he did a ninety degree bow. He introduced himself, “I am your butler, Curtis Christopher, Master Endelis. I am in your care.”

My butler? I was fairly confused as I said, “I do have a butler, but…”

“A butler’s butler?” Dell suddenly yelled, “What in the world is that?”

May was very serious as he answered, “A butler.”

“…That’s obvious!”

“It’s obvious, yet you still needed to ask?” May rolled his eyes.

“Charles!” The young master tugged at my sleeve, face full of curiosity. “You really…”

“You are being too rude.” Curtis suddenly reprimanded, “How can you pull the master’s sleeve? And you dare to ask random questions!”

The young master froze. He looked at Curtis and then quickly released my sleeve.

At this, I turned my head and, with a hint of warning, calmly explained, “Mr. Christopher, I believe that there is a huge misunderstanding between us. This is the young master I am serving. Of course he has the right to ask me questions, and I do not mind the young master tugging at my sleeve.”

Curtis was obviously shocked. His face looked fairly stiff, but he still did not reveal any expression. It seemed that he was truly a well-trained butler. He bowed deeply and apologized, “I am very sorry. Earlier, this young master had opened the door, so I misunderstood and thought him to be the living room attendant. Truly, I offer my utmost apologies.”

The young master was never one to mind such matters, so naturally he was not angry. He merely turned and asked me with great curiosity, “Charles, what is a living room attendant?”

I smiled as I answered. “They are servants who take care of matters pertinent to the living room, such as answering the phone, receiving guests, making sure the living room is presentable and always ready for guests, and such.”

“Is there really something like that?” Dell yelled, “Why haven’t I heard about it before? Butler, are you pulling my leg? Who would purposely find a servant just for the living room!”

Before I was even able to respond, Curtis very seriously answered, “Master Endelis has two living room attendants, seven cleaning maids, four gardeners, two cooks, one secretary, and one butler.”

After he finished speaking, everyone stared at me, their gazes full of disbelief.

I sighed to myself and said, “I understand now. Did Sadina tell you to come?”

“Yes. Madam Sadina appointed me here.” When Curtis mentioned Sadina, he even bowed slightly. He seemed to greatly respect her.

“Sadina?” The young master was very curious, but did not pull at my sleeve this time.

I explained in detail, “Young Master, Sadina is my cousin, and she is the current family head of the butler family I belong to. I asked her to help me manage my two castles. Perhaps the previous butler left the position or has pa.s.sed away, so she has sent the new butler for me to a.s.sess.”

I looked at Curtis. Although I did not ask him anything, all that a good butler needed was a glance, and he should know what he needed to do.

“It is not so, Master.” Curtis immediately responded, “Your castle’s butler is still employed.”

“Then, why have you come?” I felt somewhat puzzled. Sadina would not send a butler to me for no reason. She knew that I was currently employed as a butler.

“It is to appoint the next family steward. Madam Sadina is already advanced in years and has the intention to retire, so she wishes to choose the next steward.”

“Then, Sadina can choose on her own.” I was even more puzzled.

Curtis explained in detail, “It is Madam Sadina’s belief that she is merely a stewardess responsible for managing the family in your absence, so she does not have the right to choose the next steward. She has chosen me to receive a trial from you. Madam wishes for me to serve you for a year. If you believe that I am a butler capable of taking charge, then please appoint me as the next steward of the family.”

This Sadina is truly too… Although my honorable father had left the family to me, I had no intention of leading the family, so I gave the position to my cousin Sadina. However, Sadina actually said, other than helping to manage the family as a steward, she would not accept any other position.

I had agreed. At the time, I had thought that as long as the years pa.s.sed, Sadina would naturally become the official family head. I did not know that even after fifty years, she would still be so stubborn.

“Charles.” The young master looked at the clock on the wall and said, “I’m about to be late for school. Even though being late is fine, I know that you’ll definitely be distressed if I’m late, so I thought I’d still tell you.”

Ah!

I hurriedly said, “I will immediately serve breakfast.”

“Master, allow me…” Curtis suddenly interjected.

I turned my head. In a commanding tone, I cut him off, saying, “Sit in the living room. I will discuss things with you later.”

“Yes.” He obeyed my command and sat down.

At this time, both the young master and Dell looked at him with smiles, seemingly very interested in him. Therefore, before I walked into the kitchen, I gave him an additional command. “No matter what the young master asks you, answer him.”

Curtis nodded somewhat stiffly and answered, “Yes.”

I hurriedly went into the kitchen and then walked back and forth to carry all of the dishes onto the table. As I served the last plate of food, I saw that everyone was already seated at the breakfast table. They were likely all very hungry.

Before the young master began eating, he even waved for Curtis to come over and said, “Come and eat, Mr. Butler!”

I wonder what questions the young master and the others asked him? The smile Curtis had on his face was already looking forced. He replied, “I have already eaten.”

The young master’s expression looked somewhat disappointed, but he did not say anything and merely began eating breakfast.

When this happened, Curtis finally showed some expression on his face. He was fairly alarmed as he watched the young master eat breakfast. If the young master were to see, he would probably say, “His eyes widened by one centimeter!”

His control of his expressions still needs work. I made a note to myself in my mind. At the same time, I was a little proud. The young master always said that my eyes or my mouth would change by zero point something, or even zero point zero zero something centimeters.

Afterwards, everyone began quietly eating breakfast. Mr. Bramble picked up the television remote in pa.s.sing. Just as he was about to press the b.u.t.ton, the doorbell rang for the second time. This made me feel quite bewildered. It seemed that the doorbell would either not ring for a very long time, or it would ring nonstop.

I was planning on answering the door, but Curtis made the first move and opened the door instead. I was not quite accustomed to this.

Curtis used a standard butler’s movements to open the door, and then he politely said, “h.e.l.lo, this is the Endelis family. May I ask who you are seeking?”

No, this is young master An Xiang Ye’s home, so it should be the An family. I sighed to myself.

An unfamiliar woman stood outside the door. Not only was she a cla.s.sic oriental beauty, the apparel she wore was quite unique too. It was an intricately embroidered red qipao which accentuated her Eastern origins.

“The Endelis family? Then I am not in the wrong place.” She smiled sweetly and asked very politely, “May I ask if Young Master Charles is here?”

…Young Master Charles?