(Part 5)

"Miss Louise," Kyrano offered kindly, "My arm is perfectly fine now. Please allow me to hold the bow."

"Are you, now?" Louise asked, pausing in her act of priming up the ribbon tied in front of her carefully in front of the mirror. Kyrano straightened to meet his mistress's eyes in the mirror, a soft smile on his lips in assurance. It seemed as if the fever had changed his mistress's character slightly, and Kyrano found that he embraced this small change well, for he appreciated the easy gentle expression that was free of worries and stress. Louise looked fresher with her look of relaxation, and it made Kyrano unconsciously at ease as well.

"Yes." Kyrano raised the box on the floor up and down a few times as if he were lifting weights to prove his point. "It does not hurt anymore."

"Good. Then you shall carry it to the duel. It would be rather shameful if I were to walk in carrying my own bow, wouldn't it? It would seem as if I am prepared to give you over to Amelia by taking your duties away from you." The new Louise now seemed much more talkative around him, and thought Kyrano knew not the motivation behind it, he still very much liked the improved interaction between him and his lady.

"Even if you take my duties away, Miss Louise, I am still your butler."

"Still, I am preparing to enter a duel to decide your mistress."

"Even if I end up forced to serve Miss Amelia, I will still be your butler and only yours."

"I would like to see you try make her understand that, Kyrano." The answer came with an amused smile, and Kyrano, too smiled depreciatingly at himself.

"Yes, I am bad with women when it comes to my true feelings. It is my fault that things have come to this. If I was more concise to Miss Amelia and made my stand clear, then maybe this duel wouldn't have come to be."

"It was my choice to take the duel, my stupid butler." The tease very much surprised Kyrano, for he had never been as affectionate with his lady as to have her tease him before. "What would they say of me if news came about that my butler had eloped with another lady? If it were a sin to elope with your own lady, then it would be a worse sin to elope with someone else's lady. Love your own butler; I understand. Love another butler, who has been serving another lady since he was 5... that is both admirable and laughable."

"Miss Louise," Kyrano decided that it was for the best that he allowed his mistress to know more about her opponent, "I have some things to tell you about Miss Amelia before the start of the duel..."

"That she is in love with Jet?" Louise asked as she smoothed her hair down, gave herself one last look over, and then decided that her appearance was presentable as the Rose of the Academy. She didn't even feel as if she had suffered a high fever the day before –and that only spoke for how well her butler had cared for her the day before. Louise didn't even know how she would have been in this condition if her butler wasn't here beside her.

"That is amongst the things I must say, but yes; she loves Butler Jet." Kyrano agreed, opening the door for his mistress and bowing slightly as she breezed by, a bounce in her step. His lady was confident and ready, and so was he. Despite all her practice trainings that had gained his lady either missed marks or out-of-target arrows, Kyrano knew what his mistress was entirely capable of.

"What else is there?" Louise asked as they began making for the archery range, well within the time. In fact, if they kept their usual pace, Kyrano predicted that they would turn up early for the duel. "Is the love affair not already a secret between the two?"

"Miss Amelia was not kidding about trying to raise my status. It is not a brief idea that she came across when she proposed it to me two weeks ago. I have asked around and investigated into the matter. Around a few months ago, Miss Amelia visited her aunt in the countryside with Jet. Her aunt was disowned by the family twenty years ago because she had fallen in love with her butler, and eloped with him. Miss Amelia must have gotten some idea from them, and in the days afterwards, it appears as if Miss Amelia spent her time researching about stories of ladies giving up their positions to be with their one true forbidden love. Her conviction must have been born from there."

"Then she is truly serious about marrying you?" Louise asked, utterly surprised at the lengths that the woman was willing to go for an idolized butler. Louise knew how her butler was idolized around the school by envious girls, but never had she realized that the desire for her perfect Butler in Black could extend to such lengths. Was she not putting enough effort to keep Kyrano beside her? She knew that if she ever decided to let go of him, he would be absorbed immediately, welcomed into a new family that would love him and cherish him much more than the Crawford family would ever do.

"No, she planned it all, but without me in mind." Kyrano answered knowingly, keeping his voice low as they passed a pair of ladies with their butlers.

"Then... Jet?"

"Yes. It appeared that the butler found out about it a few weeks before she talked to me. They must have had an argument, because the ladies from Class A said that there was a day where Jet was absent from school, and Miss Amelia appeared to be shoddily dressed for class. It must be from that day onwards where Miss Amelia began to focus on approaching me, and convincing me to go along with her."

There was a short chortle from Louise, and Kyrano could not help with an amused smile as well. The lady-and-butler pair that had challenged Louise and Kyrano were so caught in their own problems that it must have completely gone beneath their understanding that their opponents understood their motivations.

"You are but replacement for her butler, Kyrano." Louise continued, then paused shortly. "It both relieves and vexes me to know that you have been chosen by Amelia because you are a replacement for Jet."

"Why will it vex you, Miss Louise?"

"Because it means she doesn't think you're good enough for her. You aren't the best butler in her opinion, and the Crawford family only accepts the best butler, Kyrano."

"I am still a far throw away from where my father used to stand, Miss Louise." Kyrano offered in humble apology. "Kyrone must have been the best butler the Crawford family had while he was still alive."

"Yes, I remember my father sitting me on his lap when I was younger, and telling me stories about his youth. Your father was never far away from those stories, and it was obvious that my father cherished the presence of Kyrone. I could not understood how, but now that I've grown up with you... I understand a little of what my father meant."

"Master Luca and Kyrone grew up together and were childhood friends, brothers, and master-and-servant. My father told me stories about your father as well when I was younger. I am glad, Miss Louise, that I was able to share the same experience as my father and yours with you."

"As I." Louise's answer was short, but filled with all the honest feelings that could ever hold. "Promise to stay beside me until I become the Head of the family, Kyrano."

The young butler could not help but give a small deprecating smile. His mistress had demanded this promise from him more often these few days, and it appeared as if his promises weren't enough to quell some sort of strange worry about his leaving her side. He had promised and sworn that he would be there, but he guessed that it was only natural for his mistress to feel lonely at times; particularly when her family name bore the responsibility of being singled out in the society.

"I promise, Miss Louise. I will always be by your side to serve you, until you decide that you tire of me."

"Good." Louise seemed to hold on to a serene, peaceful expression now that he had given his promise once more, turning out towards the field, where a crowd had already gathered. This duel, unlike the previous one, was not presided by the school staff for it did not involve the possibility of physical harm. That said, the enthusiasm at which the rest of the school society met the duel was unchanged, as cheers and claps rose when Louise and Kyrano stepped forth from the school building, making towards the archery range.

Once more keeping the usual aura of self-confidence, Louise made through the crowd that, in honesty, amused Kyrano greatly. Here was a school that was supposed to educate ladies of high society, and yet the gentle, well-behaved and servile ladies were behaving like rowdy girls in a wrestling competition with their enthusiastic cheering and jeering.

The crowd eventually opened up to reveal Amelia and Jet already waiting at the range. The smile that appeared on Amelia's face appeared somehow forced, and though Kyrano took notice of the note of worry and fear that struggled in Amelia's eyes, he pretended that the fact did not register as he offered a bow of greeting, accompanied with a polite butler smile. Jet did the same in reply to Louise, but the smile was not duplicated as hard, protective eyes remained on Kyrano, easily singling the young man out to be the most dangerous enemy.

"Let's make things quick." Louise addressed with authority, and it did not take long for the hush to sweep across the whole crowd. Kyrano stepped forth, ready to fulfil his role as the Butler in Black, the Rose's butler.

"This duel has been called forth between Miss Louise Crawford, 42nd Rose of the Academy, and Miss Amelia Dewitt. The bet placed is over the possession of I, Kyrano Reyes, who currently serves the Crawford family. The duel will be carried out between the ladies, with an archery match. The lady with the highest score out of three matches will win the duel. There will be no aid given from the butlers, and all results will be decided purely on performance." Kyrano announced, to the awaiting crowd.

A short buffer time was taken as the ladies stood side by side, assembling their bows in full view to show no extra modifications to aid aiming. Kyrano stepped back, to give the ladies space, finding himself accompanied by Jet who knew of his role in the duel as well. Both ladies found their own positions before their own targets, and stood side by side, air of utter confidence. The poise in which both ladies held had no difference, though one lady was supposed to be the National Team Archer.

"Hey, isn't Amelia a National Archer?" A voice in the crowd asked, not exactly a whisper. A stir came from the quiet crowd, and whispers began flying even before the start. Kyrano sighed internally.

"Yes. Also, did you know that Louise scored less than 25 for a few trainings? I was there when she was shooting; she never hit the target once!"

"I heard Louise isn't good at archery at all. Is she going to lose Kyrano?"

"How will she live without the Butler in Black? What will happen to Jet? Will they exchange butlers?"

"Louise is just asking for it!"

Kyrano cleared his throat once more, earning the eager, enthusiastic eyes of the impatient crowd.

He met the eyes of his mistress and Amelia's fearlessly.

"Are the ladies ready?"

Both women nodded their heads in unison, determination clear in their eyes.

"Then let the duel begin."

_____________________________________________________________________________

"What are you planning?" Jet's low whisper came beneath the worried, enthusiastic gasps and whispers of gossip within the crowd. With the two butlers standing side by side, watching the duel go on impassively, Kyrano had not expected Jet to even try to scope him out.

Then again, Kyrano didn't expect Jet to remain silent as well.

"Nothing at all." Kyrano offered with an empty expression, a look of polite confusion. "I plan to support my mistress morally and pray that she wins the duel."

Jet shook his head subtly, knowing that the both of them were on full display like their mistresses. It would shed bad light on the both of them if the butlers were caught in a conversation while their ladies duelled.

"You are planning more than that. I know you've been asking around. You have talked to the maids of the Main House at Dewitt, and asked them for a photo of Amelia."

"They must have mistaken me for someone else. I am often remarked to have a common face." Kyrano betrayed no guilt as he smiled politely, the both of them knowing that he was putting on his mask. The man behind the mask didn't come out often, and in all honesty, Jet admired the young man for being able to wear his mask so perfectly. If only the enemy that he faced wasn't Kyrano, then maybe Jet wouldn't be so uncertain about his standing in his mistress's heart.

The young man and his young mistress Louise Crawford had taken the school by storm when they transferred in the middle of the first year. No one had expected the young Crawford lady to be so capable –for she had always been home-schooled –but it appeared as if the Crawford bloodline wasn't diluted in the woman. Jet had only heard of rumours about the Reyes family, and their newest addition into the butler industry, but the presence of such a young and capable butler appearing beside the efficient young lady had given butlers and ladies alike mixed emotions. They were both admiring of the duo, yet jealous of the ability to breeze through all perceived hardships in a show of effortlessness.

How could someone 8 years younger than he appear to be so much more experienced and worldly? Jet struggled to understand that Kyrano was holding much more power over his own emotions that he.

"If you are planning anything against Amelia, you'd better think twice. Don't believe, even for a moment, that the House of Crawford will be able to protect you when I-" Jet, feeling slightly threatened for his mistress's sake, began to say, but was cut off quickly by the politely smiling butler himself.

"When you what?" Kyrano offered a small-boy smile, the look of innocent completely flooded away by the glint of the evilness hiding behind flat black eyes. "I would advise for you to consider your words carefully first before you continue your sentence, Butler Jet. It would be unfortunate should a butler, whose lady is currently duelling with all her might and effort, be charged for unbecoming conduct."

The flood of words that rushed to Jet's lips was held back by his pure will, as he whipped his head back to the duel, where the ladies were taking polite turns to shoot –his mistress taking the lead. What surprised Jet was the fact that her opponent was catching up easily thus far, and was even matching up to his mistress without seeming to have put in even the slightest bit of effort. Louise Crawford remained with her easily, gentle expression, looking as if she were enjoying this duel very much. Was the mistress like the butler as well? A too-well-placed mask over their faces to hide the inner demon?

"I truly admire the stature of Miss Amelia as she aims to take her shot." Kyrano continued quietly, as Jet forced himself to keep still though his hands were simply itching to do something unbecoming. "You have chosen your woman well, Butler Jet."

"The woman has chosen me to serve her, not the other way around." Jet replied stiffly, but he heard soft chuckles coming from beside him.

"I didn't mean your servitude to your mistress, Butler Jet. I meant your choice of women, Mr. Jet Yale."

"Do not speak of my lady like that." Jet could not stop himself this time, and spun back around to glare at the amiable smiling face, the glint of utter amusement and entertainment in his eyes. It was the look of a monster, a scary being that hid behind the façade of a capable young butler. Had his mistress chosen the wrong man to turn her sights to? Jet had begun to solidify his regret at having turned down his mistress the first time months ago.

Had he known that his mistress would change her target and work actively towards a young man that Jet initially thought was simply the eye-candy for all the ladies of the academy, he would have never rejected her so outright. It was a fact that he loved Amelia; he could not change that. But did he want to risk her safety by agreeing to run with her? The woman was young –barely reaching her twenties. Was she honestly thinking about her future, or was it just puberty hormones attracting a young love-hungry teenage girl to him, who had followed her since she was ten?

"Yes, Mr. Yale." Kyrano's polite voice continued, as Jet returned to reality to find that he had been caught rudely staring at the young man in silence while he had been pondering over his troubles. Yet, somehow, it seemed as if the butler understood the thoughts in his head, for eyes of black betrayed the complete understanding. "Think hard and come to your conclusion as a man, no more as Miss Amelia's butler."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jet tried his best to dismiss, checking worriedly on his mistress once more, who was beginning to look a little helpless and panicked now that Louise was almost winning. The scores were almost equal now, with one more round left. The whispers and gossips in the crowd were getting louder and louder, unnerving Jet's already sensitive nerves.

"Your mistress's happiness is your own." Kyrano reminded faintly. "And should the happiness of your mistress demand you to stop being a butler and be a man instead, do question yourself if you have the guts to do it. Because if you do, we won't be here, waiting for my mistress to win."

Jet snapped.

"You bastard!"

Kyrano saw the punch sailing through the air quickly, but he made no move to dodge it as knuckle came flying towards him. He knew a gasp had arisen from the crowd, the silence filling the tense air as he stumbled with the force of the blow, the metallic taste filling his tongue as he caught his balance, straightened, and wiped the blood from the corner of his lip.

"Butler Jet," Kyrano said, his voice rising back to normal hearing volume, "why do you act so harshly?"

"You son of a bitch. You leave my mistress alone. If you have anything against me, come straight at me. Don't be a coward, whispering things like that." Jet growled, the self-control that made him a butler losing the fight against his instincts as he advanced forwards, the tingling in his knuckles demanding more contact with skin and bones. Kyrano remained where he was, watching as the progress of the enraged man be held back the fast actions of the other butlers within the crowd.

"Jet!" Amelia's reaction was a yell of authority, the focus of both ladies temporarily taken away from their duel at the stir that came in the crowd. "What are you doing?"

"You don't have to duel anymore, Amelia." Jet gave a rough shove, and the butler that had been holding back his right arm fell with the sudden shift in weight, freeing the angry man temporarily. "Once I beat this guy to pulp, he can't do anything to you anymore. You won't be duelling over a broken butler, believe me."

"I do not understand you, Butler Jet. What are you harping on about?" Kyrano acted his role perfectly, pretending to step forwards to clear the air while Jet fought against more restraints against him.

"You don't have to put on that mask anymore, Kyrano. I know what kind of demon you are beneath that face. You're the worst kind of butler around here. Anyone here is better than you; at least they have a heart. Even if it might be cold, they have hearts that beat. You... You disgust me."

With a bout of adrenaline and anger-fuelled strength, Jet shook off the restraints of arms holding on to him, taking a few threatening steps forwards –intent clear to read in his eyes. What surprised the both of them was the singing of an arrow through the air, and the dull thud as it buried into the ground inches away from Jet's foot.

"Stay away from my butler, Jet. You don't want to do this." Louise's threat was clear as the archer behind the amazingly accurate shot deliberately drew another arrow, the unquestioned ruthless determination clear in her eyes as she pulled on the string, aiming higher now. "The next arrow will not be on the ground."

"Miss Louise!" Kyrano rushed to say, putting both hands up in pretence of a flustered plea. "Please do not shoot. I will settle this with Butler Jet. I apologise profusely for interrupting the duel."

"Still sucking up, aren't you?" Jet sneered. "I wonder if your mistress knows exactly what you are underneath all that polite farce and humility."

Kyrano now allowed a small frown to draw on his face. "Please do not insult my mistress, Butler Jet. Your displeasure is with me, whatever the cause of it may be."

"You damn well know what problem I have with you!" Jet raised his voice along with his fist, but Kyrano was quick to block it, glad that his shoulder had healed up well. "You know that I love Amelia, and I'm already trying my best to stop her from doing something wrong. Why are you doing this?"

"Your mistress must be your own happiness, Butler Jet." Kyrano tried his best to sound reasoned in front of the public. If they weren't in front of a hysterical crowd, Kyrano would have said so much more. But he could not afford to appear to be the bad man in this fight. After all, he still had to remain here in the academy beside his mistress. Jet... maybe not.

"You don't have to tell me that, you creep."

Kyrano blocked another heavy blow; saw his chance to counter, but instead lunged forwards to twist his fist around the lapels of his opponent's coat.

"Then ask yourself; what do you think your mistress's happiness is? It definitely isn't seeing you fight me, losing all you have worked to stay beside her. It definitely isn't watching you with the knowledge that with all that you are doing and saying; you won't be staying here much longer with your unbecoming conduct as a butler."

"Damned all that!" Jet struggled to shake the young man's grip over his clothes, but was shocked to find that the seemingly thinner man was much stronger than he thought.

"Are you sure?" Kyrano pulled the man in closer, meeting the eyes of the angry man.

And for the first time, Jet saw black eyes that held no evil. There was no evil, no menace, simply complete understanding. It was the eyes that told Jet that help had come, but he couldn't –for the life of him –understand how the change had come about.

And then, a whisper: "When I let you go, give me a punch to the stomach. Then take Miss Amelia and run to the helipad. Take the route around the school. Don't go into the school building. The helicopter should be ready and waiting there. I've left the things you need in the helicopter for both you and Miss Amelia."

Jet struggled to pull back to see if he had heard the words from the same mouth that had threatened him, but Kyrano's strength kept him where he was.

"Love Miss Amelia the way she loves you. I am only a butler for my mistress, but you are more than that for yours. If you love, then run with her. Don't come back. You understand what to do from now on." Kyrano whispered.

And then, before Jet could react, Kyrano pushed the man back, clutching at his shoulder in the pretence that it still hurt.

"Now!" Kyrano hissed, and the reaction was instantaneous.

The punch hit hard, and Kyrano doubled over, pretending that his legs had given way. The enraged butler had taken instructions well amidst the confusion, and Kyrano watched as Jet spun around, dodging shocked and weak restraining hands to reach his mistress. The drama at which the shocked Amelia was swept off her feet in bridal style within Jet's arms was lost in the gaping silence when Jet began tearing off from the field.

The realization seemed to set in a little too late for the butlers, and calls came around for the security to be mobilized, to catch the dangerous runaway butler. Kyrano maintained his act with vigour, pretending to be troubled by the injuries received while reassuring the remaining concerned crowd that he was fine.

What surprised him as well was the genuine concern as Louise ran to his side, eyes of blue glinting with unshed shocked tears as she demanded him to give her a self-assessment of his well-being. The clean-up process was long-drawn, and Kyrano remained in his façade the whole time even as he explained what happened with Jet to the teachers of the academy.

His explanation was taken well, and the crowd was eventually dispersed with disappointment that the results of the duel would never be conclusive. Yet, the academy had gained a whole new story about how a brave butler had taken the mistress that he loved running away.

Kyrano knew he shouldn't be doing such things; encouraging the eloping of butlers and their ladies.

But Kyrano had the tendency to be unable to resist it when the problem came to his mistress's doorstep.

"Good job, Kyrano." His mistress's praise came in the silence of their walk back to the Rose Dormitory, where there would be one less lady with her butler staying over.

"I don't understand the cause for the praise, Miss Louise." Kyrano answered, but both of them knew that she had a secretive smile drawn across her face.

Of course she knew.

She always knew.

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