Volume 8 Chapter 1: My Brain Is Still Processing

"Mgah," A yawn came from Keith's mouth as he slowly left his bed. Walking to the mirror, he saw the dark bags under his eyes. Figures. They would be tired from what had occurred just yesterday night. Need to cool down my face. After a few minutes of rubbing, he exited his room.

"Good morning, Sir Keith." Two maids were waiting by the door. Keith took a sigh, "Good morning as well." Are they going to wait by my door all the time now? These last few days gave him so much freedom. No one waited for him or anything; that was something he preferred. However, he couldn't complain since this wasn't his home.

"Good morning, Princess." Next to his door, a beautiful woman came out of her room. There were maids by her door as well. The woman nodded and then turned to Keith.

"Couldn't sleep after what occurred, huh?" Despite the woman's beautiful appearance, under her eyes were dark bags.

Krystal nodded, "I couldn't sleep after what had occurred. And how do you look like that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't try to be coy. Why is your skin so sparkly and bright?" There was something off. Those dark bags under it were nowhere to be found. His skin sparkled and smooth.

"Oh, that's because I put some of this on my face? Want to try it later?" Keith raised a vegetable.

"Cucumbers?"

"Oh, these are galecumbers. They're surprisingly good for the face. Also, they get rid of dark bags as well." Keith had rubbed them on his dark bags, and poof, it cleaned them up.

"...There are many different things that I heard." Krystal blinked. But she was most surprised about how Keith was focused on his skin. Never pegged him to be the type to care.

"Want me to help you out at night?"

"...Sure." Krystal touched her skin and felt the ruggedness. After the incident, she felt like she aged a few years. Then she stared at Keith's flawless skin, which made her slightly envious.

"Alright, let's head to the dining room."

"Mmhmm." The two headed to the dining room. And when they entered, three people were there.

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"Good morning, you two." The woman was the first one to greet the two. She was the spitting image of Krystal. She was Violet Rustchil, Krystal's mother and Grand Duchess of Rustchil.

"Hello, Aunty Violet." "Good morning, Mother."

"Good morning." There was the first Keith was meeting this person.

"Good morning, Sir Edmund." This was none other than the head of the Rustchil duchy, Edmund Rustchil, the current Grand Duke.

"Father," Krystal took a deep sigh of relief. That caused Edmund to relax, "Don't worry, daughter. I'm here." This was not a dream.

"I wasn't thinking that!" Krystal shook. A few weeks before, her father was labeled as a traitor to the Solis Kingdom. However, he only returned yesterday.

Are you really going to act like this? We all know you were worried? Keith shook his head at how Krystal tried to be cool.

"Hey, Kid! Aren't you going to greet me?" Besides the two, one more person was sitting at the table. It was someone that Keith actually knew.

A weird expression formed, "I kinda don't want to say it, sorry."

"Eh?"

"My brain is still processing that you were a Grand Duke." The person he was talking to was a long-time customer of his cart, Cedric. Recently, he hadn't been coming to his cart due to some issue. Turns out, he was actually a grand duke!

"Is me being a grand duke really surprising?"

"Yes," Keith nodded, "Also more so about you being Krystal's grandfather." That was something he did not expect at all. It threw him for a loop; people he knew were family.

"Hmpf! You're lucky you're sitting across the table."

"Father." Edmund really didn't know what to say. Why are you threatening a child?

"Heh," Violet chuckled. All this arguing created a calming atmosphere; it was good after what had occurred a few hours ago. Rodrick, Edmund's brother, tried to assassinate the interim head, which was her. Keith and the others dealt with it.

"Grand Duke, Breakfast is served." Winston, the head butler, stated as the food was brought over to the table. What was placed was boiled potatoes and eggs.

It's been a while since I've seen this. Boiled potatoes and eggs were sort of a rare thing in the household.

Edmund clapped his hand, "Let's eat now."

"Mmhmm." Keith nodded as he started to eat. But while he did,

"Hey, Kid. Can't you do something about this?" Cedric called out; a frown was plastered on his face. Keith tilted his head,

"What do you mean, Grandpa Cedric?"

"You know what I mean! Can't you spice this up?!" Cedric stared down at his food. He couldn't deal with it any longer, not when he tried the brat's food.

"Father! Stop bullying the child." Edmund couldn't believe it. Why was he asking the child to do so much? But that caused Cedric to scowl, "You shut it. You don't understand that child's capabilities."

"Uh?"

"…Keith, can you do something?" Cedric wasn't the only one; Violet also glanced at him. She ate the boiled potatoes and realized what she had missed out her whole life. Comparing it to the tomato soup, the flavors were lacking. Actually, it was nonexistent!

"Eh?" Wife? What are you doing? Never did he expect his wife to say something like that.

"Dear, you wouldn't understand." Her husband never tried it. Cedric, Winston, Krystal, and she were the only ones who tasted it.

"Guys, Krystal isn't even asking. Why are you two being so childish?"

Cedric turned to Krystal, "My little gem, don't you want to have the kids cooking?"

"...Little gem?"

"Grandfather?" Krystal's cheeks turned red. Cedric continued, "Don't you want to try it?"

"Hah," Krystal then turned over to Keith. This guy had the calmest look ever. It was not even a surprise.

"…To be honest, I do want your cooking."

"…" Edmund really was speechless. Her daughter was the last person he expected.

"Alright then, but what do you want to have? You choose."