The Damgaard estate was a relatively short distance from where they had been in the forest. But, if Felix had kept wandering in the same direction he was before, he would’ve accidentally gone the opposite way. If that had happened, well, his and Emil’s fates would have been sealed.

But, luckily for them, their uninvited presence had set off the duke'sdetector the moment they stepped foot onto his land. This sort of magic was common amongst nobles, but the cost of the equipment that could run it was more than the average person could afford in their entire lifetime.

So what Felix believed to be a joyous coincidence was actually the exact opposite. He didn’t know that if he didn’t have Emil with him, he would have lost his life without ever realizing that he had been hit.

Even with that, if it hadn’t been William who had gone out to meet the intruders, it was hard to say if Emil’s presence would have helped…

This was something that everyone was aware of.

But, ultimately, since this hadn’t happened, their lives had been spared.

Currently, they stood outside of the duke's manor.

Emil, who was no longer in his father’s arms, was staring up at the building with wide, appreciative eyes. He had grown up in a glorified wooden hut, so it was no surprise that he looked at this. He had never seen a building made out of stone in his entire life. And the widespread lawn was well-kept, with fresh greenery and flowers growing round. In his mind, this place was no different than the castles that he had heard about when his mother would tell him stories!

On the other hand, Felix’s father was an earl in the northern half of the empire, so he wasn’t as moved by the size of the duke’s manor because his childhood was full of grandeur. Of course, the Damgaard’s were far richer and more prestigious than his family--meaning their estate was far larger and its land was more expansive. This was because the Duke Alexander was a decorated war hero with considerable power and even the king had to be careful not to offend him—the two were on each other’s side, though, so it wasn’t much of an issue.

Thinking of this, Felix’s heartbeat began to accelerate. Families like the Damgaard’s did not care about people like them.

Since they were not allowed inside, the house steward came out to meet them after being fetched by Celina. He was an elderly man, with his thin lips drawn into a perpetual frown. He stroked his wiry beard, wearing an expression of deep contemplation as he took in their dirty and haggard appearances. And the smell, too…

Both of them looked like they would be blown over if the wind blew too strongly.

To be honest, if William hadn’t been the one that had brought them here, he wouldn’t have hesitated to send them away. But since the duke’s eldest son had personally escorted these two here, it was hard for him to turn them down without reason. How could he cause William to lose any face? He would basically be undermining William’s authority and decision-making! If he did that, he’d be kicked to the curb, too.

Gerhard would be able to find some use for the boy, but for the father, well… they weren’t exactly short-staffed. It would be a little difficult to find some work for him. But he had no other choice.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke to the man behind him, “Jon, go clean out the old shed for them to stay in…”

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The butler nodded his head and darted off into the distance.

Felix’s tight heart loosened. Yes! This old man wasn’t going to cause them anymore difficulties. He had been a little nervous that they were going to get shut down.

“Come with me. I’ll explain your jobs.” Gerhard began to walk towards the back of the manor where the servant’s entrance was. Needless to say, Emil and Felix would never be allowed through the main doors unless granted special permission. “Emil, was it? You’ll be one of Johan’s personal servants. He’s the youngest son, you two should be around the same age. It’s your duty to be absolutely loyal to him and follow his every command. Understood?”

Emil pouted, not liking that idea. Why did he have to listen to someone if they were the same age? But his father gave him a stern look, so he nodded his head furiously.

Gerhard continued to speak to Felix, “Until we find somewhere to put you permanently, you’ll be with whoever needs you at the moment. Whether it be servants or any of the lords.”

“Okay.”

“Your payment will be…” Gerhard threw out some numbers he made up in his mind, “One tal a week for Emil, three for you, Felix. Is that okay?”

“Yes! Of course,” Felix rapidly agreed. He didn’t even need time to consider it. Money was money.

If it had been anyone else, they would have laughed in Gerhard’s face. Even the most lowly servants around fifteen tals a week! The amount that Gerhard offered to pay them was nothing more than petty change. In consideration to any expenses they had, it’d take them a month to even be able to afford a half-decent meal.

But to Felix, even a single tal was an amazing treasure. Back in that village, the had a bartering system. Someone who had one tal would be considered the wealthiest out of all of them! Felix wanted to hug and kiss his wife to share the excitement with. But since she was not there anymore, his mood withered within an instant.

As for Emil, the boy didn’t have the concept of currency in his mind. The most he knew about the world came from fairytales.

Gerhard did not speak to them again until they came round to a shed that was located almost fifty hundred yards from the servant’s quarters. It was smaller than their cottage before… and the “cleaning” that the butler had done was just him taking the sheets off of the dusty items that cluttered the already compact space.

“These will be your quarters,” Gerhard announced proudly.

Felix grinned from ear to ear, appearing to be unbothered. “Thank you so much! We appreciate your endless kindness.” He bowed his head and made Emil do the same. “Truly, we are unworthy!” Even though the words he spoke sounded superfluous, it apparent from his tone that he genuinely meant what he was saying.

“Good.” Gerhard gave them an overbearing and forced smile. Inwardly, was unsatisfied with their complacency. If they had dared speak out, he would have had a reason to kick them out without a second thought. But, sadly, the two took everything that he dished out to them. Being the servant to everybody? Who would ever want that position? But Felix had accepted it without batting an eyelash. He had even let his son get relegated to the same status as a doormat… offered them terrible pay, then he had thrown the two of them into a glorified shed! But still, it garnered no reaction. All he could do was grit his teeth.

The pure desperation of these talentless people was horrifying! Scum like this would cling to any pieces of scrap they could get.

Gerhard wanted to strike the man down and demand him to have at least an decibel of shame!

“There’s a river nearby where you can get cleaned up… and I’ll have a maid deliver you some suitable clothing to wear. She’ll also give you a quick rundown of the manor.” Without saying another word, Gerhard pivoted and walked away from them.

Felix finally revealed a bitter smile when Gerhard was gone. He may be illiterate, but he was far from stupid. Rather, growing up in a place where he constantly had to look over his shoulder, he was quite good at seeing through people’s intentions. He was well-aware from Gerhard’s attitude that the man was trying his best to get rid of them.

He was even keeping them separated from the other servants and told them to bathe in a river when the help’s bathhouse was in view… They were being treated like dogs. But Felix’s ability to lie down and take it was unparalleled. For his son’s sake, for Clara’s sake, he wouldn’t allow his conviction to shake. Thus, if being treated like this meant keeping their lives intact?

Then so be it.