The Villainous Son Loves His Mother - Chapter 90

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In front of the main gate of Duke Aster’s Mansion, a colossal figure stood like a guardian deity, silhouetted against the soft evening light.

It was Gaddem.

His massive frame exuded more menace than the gate itself.
With copper-red skin inherited from his ogre lineage, Gaddem bore faint vestiges of horns as small ridges on his forehead. His muscular arms resembled thick logs, and he gripped a massive battle axe in one hand.
Anyone attempting to pass through the gate without permission would likely be cleaved in two. He had done it before.
When Hein appeared, Gaddem’s stern face softened slightly.

“Welcome back, Lord Hein,”

He said in a deep, resonant voice, bowing respectfully.
Hein raised a hand in a casual greeting.

“All is well.”

Gaddem responded with a crisp salute.
As Hein passed through the gate and walked down the stone-paved path, he saw five women lined up before the mansion’s entrance.
Leading the group were Feri and Misha, with three maids standing behind them. All five were Dalfen, their dark skin glowing faintly in the evening light.

“Welcome back, Young Master.”

Feri bowed deeply. Her long silver hair shimmered softly in the setting sun.
Hein turned his gaze to the three maids behind them.
On the far left stood Rachel, her amber eyes striking against her dark skin. Her short, neatly trimmed black hair gave her an energetic air.
In the center was Parash, her skin even darker than Rachel’s. Her waist-length braided hair cascaded down her back, and her eyes were a deep green.
And on the far right stood a face Hein didn’t recognize.
A slender girl with striking lavender eyes. Her delicate shoulders trembled slightly, likely from nervousness.

“Is the one on the far right a new recruit?”

Feri immediately replied.

“Yes, Young Master. Her name is Riche, and she will be serving you from today.”

The girl, whose name had been called, bowed deeply in a flustered manner.

“Y-yes, Young Master. I am Rische. I will be in your care from today.”

Her voice trembled slightly.
Hein looked at Rishe with an appraising gaze.

“Is she one of your kin?”

“Yes, Young Master. She is a distant relative of mine.”

Feri replied calmly.

“I don’t mind how many you add, but make sure you have Mother’s permission.”

“Understood. I have already informed Madam.”

Hein nodded slightly and glanced over the maids.
Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, he frowned and turned on his heel.

“I’ll be in my chambers,”

With that, he quickly disappeared into the mansion.

◆

As soon as Hein’s figure vanished, the tense atmosphere immediately relaxed.

“Phew…”

Rishe let out a deep sigh.

“You must have been nervous.”

Rachel turned around and spoke to the newcomer kindly.

“Y-yes… He’s even more intimidating than I imagined…”

“Well, everyone feels that way at first,”

Parash chuckled.

“But the Young Master isn’t as scary as he looks, as long as you do your job properly.”

“Exactly, in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever even been scolded by him—”

Misha cleared her throat.

“Enough chatter. We still have work to do.”

Feri had been observing the exchange quietly, but she finally spoke up.

“Rische, today you’ll learn the ropes by following the senior. There’s no need to rush.”

“Y-yes, Lady Feri… I mean, Princess Feri.”

Feri’s brow furrowed slightly at Rische’s slip of the tongue.

“In this manor, I am simply Feri. There’s no need for titles like ‘Princess.'”

“B-but…”

“Just do it.”

Feri’s voice left no room for argument.
At that moment, heavy footsteps echoed from the depths of the mansion.

“Ah, everyone’s gathered!”

Gramman comes walking down the hallway.
Rische’s shoulders twitched at the sheer volume of his voice.

“How’s dinner preparation coming along? Madam and Lord Hein have returned.”

“Preparations are already underway in the kitchen.”

Misha replied.

“Excellent. Now, Feri,”

Gramman’s gaze shifted to Feri.

“Who’s on night watch tonight?”

“Rachel and I will take the first half, while Misha and Parash will handle the second half.”

“Hmm, understood. Then I’ll go inform Oma in the courtyard that my shift is over.”

With that, Gramman walked away again.
As they watched his retreating figure, Rachel murmured under her breath,

“The Head Butler’s voice is as loud as ever.”

“But he’s so reliable,”

Parash said, shrugging.

“Do you think it’s true that he’s lived for over two hundred years?”

“Who knows… but it wouldn’t be surprising in this mansion, would it?”

Listening to the maids’ conversation, Rische cautiously asked,

“Um… who exactly is Oma?”

For a moment, the room was silent.
Rachel and Parash exchanged glances.

“Ah, that’s right. You haven’t met him yet.”

Misha said with a wry smile.

“Oma is… hmm, how to explain… he’s a rather unique individual…”

“He’s our gardener.”
Feri replied flatly.

“But he’s no ordinary gardener. You’ll meet him eventually, so try not to be too surprised.”

Rische looked anxious, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask any more questions.

◆

The courtyard was bathed in the soft glow of twilight.
Well-tended flowerbeds overflowed with vibrant blooms, while the central fountain murmured quietly.
Gramman walked confidently deeper into the courtyard.

“Ouma, your shift is over.”

He called out to the seemingly empty space.
Then—
The soil in one of the flowerbeds began to bulge unnaturally, and a black, liquid-like substance seeped out.
It oozed across the ground with a viscous sound, gradually coalescing into a humanoid form.

『 I see. 』

A flat, emotionless voice answered.

『Understood..』

The black figure – Oma slowly headed towards the back of the mansion.
Its movements were as fluid as flowing water, as if it were one with the earth itself.
After watching Ouma depart, Gramman turned toward the main gate.
Gaddem still stood guard in the same unwavering posture.

“Gaddem, it’s time for your shift change. Your replacement should be arriving soon.”

“Ah, understood,”

Gaddem nodded.

“Anything unusual to report?”

“No, nothing in particular. I’ll go grab some food then.”

“Hmm, rest well.”

The two nodded to each other and went their separate ways.
These shift change announcements were usually handled by Gramman or Feri.

The others were simply too afraid to do it.

Not that their relationships were strained.

In fact, they had a stronger sense of unity than most noble households.
The pay was exceptionally good, and more importantly, the working conditions were excellent.
Lord Hein strictly regulated working hours to ensure each servant could perform at their peak.
Mandatory breaks and vacations were part of the established routine.

In this era, most noble families rarely cared about their servants’ working conditions. Duke Aster’s Household stood out as a rare exception, a noble family with a worker-first mindset.
Still, fear was fear, and there was no denying it.
And so another day at the Duke of Aster’s mansion comes to an end.