CHAPITRE TROIS: Claudette de Saint-Germain

THEODORE LOOKED HIMSELF AT THE MIRROR after he fixed his black tailcoat and collar. His hair was semi-slicked with his fringe shaped like a comma. He already wore suits on his past missions but this is the first time he’s going to wear a tailcoat as a butler, not as someone who pretends to attend a party under someone’s name who didn’t really exist.

He looked so goddamn formal with his getup.

In all honesty, aside from pretending to be a waiter on one of his missions, this is the first time that he actually pretended to be a butler. It’s kind of unusual to him but somehow, because he got used to blending into his environment, he easily learned and adapted the job, the duties of being a butler.

As soon as he finally fixed his white gloves, he went out of his room. After making arrangements early in the morning, he went straight to Claudette’s room.

When he opened her room’s door, he automatically caught an arrow that was aimed for him. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he stared at the arrow in his hand. “This is the first time you actually woke up early, without me waking you up, Mademoiselle.”

“No, you’re just being sloppy,” Claudette responded as she put her bow down the floor. “You’re actually no fun, you know that? Ever since the day we dueled, you’re actually getting a lot better.”

Well, I’m a spy with a lot of training and got used on duels so…

Theodore smiled at her and bowed. “I apologized for my tardiness, Mademoiselle.”

Claudette just sighed and let Theodore come in with the serving cart. She could actually smell the tasty morning snack as she stretches. Theodore opened her window and as soon as Claudette raised her arms, he carried her out of the bed and let her stand on her feet. She actually looked like a princess who just woke up with her long, lacy white nightgown and her soft curled hair was in a loose tie with ribbon.

“Your warm bath was ready, Mademoiselle,” Theodore notified her.

Claudette just nodded and went straight to the bathroom.

It’s been two weeks since Theodore worked—or more like pretended to work—as a butler inside the House of de Saint-Germain and he could actually say that he knew how things work inside the household. Both Monsieur and Madame de Saint-Germain were always out of the country which leaves Claudette being accompanied with the maids and butlers inside the house. At first, Theodore find it weird that for a family who owned such a huge manor, they only have two maids—which consist of the head maid and one maid—and three butlers: one is the head butler who also acts as the chef, the other butler who is the gardener and him.

But as he stayed in his first two weeks inside the de Saint-Germain manor, he learned something:

This is not the typical manor you’ve seen in movies and read in novels.

And the servants are not just the typical servants you’ve seen in movies and read in novels… which includes him.

As Theodore prepared the morning tea for Claudette after he prepared her dress to wear, he looked at the window and saw their head maid aiming a shotgun onto something—or rather, onto someone.

He couldn’t help but sigh as he also saw another butler also aiming a shotgun somewhere and he’s actually hiding on Claudette’s room’s balcony. As if he’s not aware, he opened the glass door and fixed the curtains. “You can just do it somewhere, you know?”

“The assassin is actually aiming here,” the butler responded and as if it was a cue, he shot the shotgun which made a loud noise that Theodore couldn’t help but shook his head. They could actually hear faint grunts even if the target was away from them.

“Next time, use a silencer. The young lady doesn’t actually like noises that exceed 40 decibels, Jean,” Theodore reminded him.

The butler named Jean stood up and fixed his eyeglasses, putting his shotgun down and as soon as he pulled a handgun to point at Theodore, Theodore was already pointing a gun on his head.

Jean couldn’t help but chuckle and put his gun down, giving it a spin as if he was a cowboy and slid it inside his tailcoat. “No wonder you’ve made it to be Mademoiselle’s personal butler. You’re really greater than I thought. Well, you’re actually the one who beat the young lady in one of her favorite games.”

“Oh, you. Stop flattering me,” Theodore responded, chuckling as he also hid his gun inside his tailcoat.

From a serious face, Jean’s expression looked like a puppy who's getting excited over something. “Oh! Oh! I have to hurry! You know I have to help Adele, right? I gotta go!”

Before Theodore could utter a word, Jean already went down from the balcony like a ninja he is and went on running excitedly at Adele who’s now picking fresh flowers. He couldn’t help but shook his head. “That dork.”

A dork with multiple personality issues.

“I told him I don’t like noises and he went shooting on my balcony. That damn Jean,” Theodore turned his head on Claudette who finally finished taking a bath and already hair-blown her hair dry and now wearing white lingerie, more like a thin under-dress but it doesn’t show any skin no matter how thin it is. Like usual, she’s wearing a blank expression on her face.

Sometimes, Theodore couldn’t help but wonder if this girl who’s actually the subject of his spying was a teenager or more like a kid because seriously, this girl can actually beat someone’s arse with you protecting her.

Imagine how many the licensed weapon she had in her separate room.

But of course, albeit she had the ability to fight, she’ll be going to be honest that she couldn’t beat and read Theodore’s movements.

“I apologized for the noise on his behalf, My Lady,” Theodore said, bowing at her.

Claudette just tilted her head and waved her hand. “Nevermind it. Just give him a word. I’m already tired of scolding him. Margaret couldn’t even handle him as well as Noah so just give him a word.”

She’s referring to the head maid and the oldest butler in the manor.

“Certainly,” he responded and proceeded to dress her up. She’s now wearing a white Lace and Pleated A-Line Dress from Louis Vuitton. Of course, Theodore personally combed her hair as she put set of jewelry on herself. He also put on her shoes and her lacy white gloves that match her dress.

After getting dressed, Theodore gave the latest newspaper to Claudette as he prepared her tea and gave the teacup to her. “For today’s morning tea, I made Darjeeling Namring Queen Upper Spring Flush.”

Claudette accepted the teacup and inhaled the tea’s aroma from the cup. “Mariage Frères, huh?”

“As you ordered, My Lady,” Theodore responded. “Right. Your private tutor will arrive for about fifteen minutes, My Lady.”

“Tell him I’ll take a half day of class,” after consuming her tea, Claudette stood up. She looked at her smartphone and tapped onto something before putting it on her table. “We’re going somewhere.”

Putting his hand over his chest, Theodore bowed. “Yes, My Lady.”

“You’ll be going to buy another set of jewelry, Young Lady?”

Both Claudette and Theodore went inside the famous jewelry store that the former loves to go to. The jewelry store was indeed exclusive by the looks of it. The silvers and golds were actually shining all over the place.

“Course. We bought a new dress for the party and that dress doesn’t match any of my pieces of jewelry so we’ll be going to buy a set of jewelry for it,” Claudette took off her slightly huge white hat and gave it to Theodore. She even let Theodore take off her white overcoat and he folded it and put it on his arm. One of the staff of the said jewelry shop approached them with a smile on her face. “Welcome, Mademoiselle de Saint-Germain. Please wait within five minutes. We’re going to prepare the VIP room for you.”

Claudette nodded in response. “Oui.”

Theodore felt something bumped his shoulder that he turned his head and saw a clumsy guy in a black beret and normal looking clothes. “I’m sorry, Monsieur.”

“It’s okay, no worries,” Theodore responded. The man nodded at him and went on the empty seat. He stared at him for seconds then turned his head at Claudette who was still talking to one of the staff of the said jewelry shop.

“Have a seat first, Mademoiselle,” the staff gestured her hand to the fancy sofa of the said shop and Claudette just nodded in response as she sat down, putting her white expensive Chanel purse on her lap.

When the staff finally left them, she sighed as she looked around. “I honestly thought we’re going to come here in the evening because I don’t want to see so many people but here we are.”

“I guess you should get used to it, My Lady… since you’re going to a party tomorrow evening,” Theodore commented.

Claudette sighed. “Seriously, socializing with people is actually tiring. I even got tired of Lucien’s presence.”

“That’s actually kind of rude for Lucien, don’t you think, My Lady?”

“He’s annoying and a pain on the neck to be real honest but I have to keep him around.”

That’s the reason why you decided to homeschool yourself. Theodore thought. “But it’s actually a good way for business, My Lady.”

“Right,” Claudette muttered, obviously getting tired of thinking that she’s actually going to deal with people.

“Uh, My Lady, can I excuse myself? I actually need to go to the restroom,” Theodore said.

Claudette made a face and nodded. “Finish at five.”

“Yes, My Lady,” Theodore bowed and went on asking one of the staff about the restroom’s direction.

When Theodore was already out of her sight, Claudette just sat on the sofa in silence. Albeit she thought that people’s presence is kind of annoying, she still finds them amusing by observing them.

All of the sudden, she sniffed and her eyes slightly squinted. “Gun powder.”

I smelled gun powder.

Suddenly, they heard a gunshot and all people screamed, covering their ears as they quivered, trembled and ducking themselves on the ground.

A man suddenly shouted. “On the ground! Give me all your money and jewelry if you still want to live!”