The Crown Prince Who Raises a Side Character-Chapter 35: Servant Cedric (1). The Redvell Heiress

“One of the three pillars supporting the Birka Kingdom.”

That was how scholars described the House of Redvell.

To clarify: the other two pillars were none other than the royal family and a powerful count’s house.

A single noble house being grouped in the same category as the kingdom’s ruling family spoke volumes about House Redvell’s influence.

And that assessment wasn’t exaggerated.

Even the lands directly ruled by House Redvell made up 7% of the entire kingdom’s territory. Including regions under indirect control, the figure rose to nearly 20%.

Thanks to their grip on several major trade routes leading to other nations, they had amassed vast wealth. Their military might was relatively lacking—but only when compared to the royal family and the count’s house. Compared to the lesser lords, they were an overwhelming force.

The current Marquess of Redvell was praised as a brilliant hero who had revived a declining family and elevated it to its current glory within a few short decades. His children, too, were celebrated for their exceptional skills in various fields, raising the family’s renown even further.

Except for one.

The marquess’s youngest daughter—Claudia Redvell.

A sample of the colorful rumors surrounding her included:

– She keeps a giant, man-eating beast as a pet and feeds it anyone who displeases her.

– Her fondness for torture is so intense that her entire body reeks of blood. To mask it, she drenches herself in a perfume so overpowering it causes headaches.

– The reason her father gave her a secluded rural domain called Eched as her personal estate was because he feared what she might do if given control over a large territory.

Heavenly beauty on the outside, hellish filth within.

A noble young lady judged in extremes—this was Claudia Redvell.

Naturally, few were willing to work under such a person.

As a result, those who applied to serve at her estate in Eched typically fell into one of two categories:

First, those unaware of the rumors, drawn only by the exorbitant salary offered by the marquess’s house.

Second, those who knew the rumors—but whose lives were so desperate that they had no choice but to accept the risk.

Of the two, the head butler of the estate, Bestian, preferred the latter.

The former never lasted more than a few days before fleeing in terror, but the latter might—might—have a chance of surviving longer.

...This one looks like the former, Bestian thought, quietly observing the young man before him.

Brown hair, brown eyes. Not quite handsome, but inoffensive, with soft, even features.

He had an open, eager air about him—eyes that reminded Bestian more of a puppy than a man. There wasn’t a trace of bitterness or desperation in his expression.

“So, your name is Cedric, yes? Where are you from?”

“From the city of Collim, in the eastern part of the Eizern Empire!”

“That’s quite far. What brought you all the way to the Birka Kingdom to apply as a servant?”

“My father served for many years in the household of the Knuk family, one of the leading names in Collim. He mainly assisted in the kitchens. I planned to follow in his footsteps, but unfortunately, the Knuk family line ended, and with it, my prospects of employment. Since serving is what I’ve trained for since childhood, I’ve been searching for a new household to serve. That’s when I heard about this manor and came here!”

“Oh? Then you’re skilled in the kitchen?”

“I wouldn’t claim perfection, but I’m confident I can cook something edible!”

Quick on his feet, and cheerful in tone and manner.

There was no way to confirm the truth of his background—not with him being a foreigner—but that didn’t matter much.

Normally, a household of House Redvell’s caliber would verify such claims thoroughly. But with staff constantly fleeing, the Eched estate ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) was operating at barely two-thirds capacity. Standards had relaxed out of necessity.

The bigger concern was something else entirely.

Just how many days can this cheerful young man survive against the lady’s venom?

Bestian had watched many such eager servants wilt under Claudia’s oppressive presence. Full of passion at first, they’d wither day by day until they vanished from the estate.

He felt a pang of guilt, suspecting Cedric would walk the same path. But he had no choice.

The marquess wanted his daughter to maintain a lifestyle that wouldn’t cause trouble—or draw outside attention. And with the manor so understaffed, that order was currently being violated.

Bestian had to replenish the staff, no matter what.

“Very well. We’ll begin with a three-month contract. Obviously, if you quit before the period is over, you forfeit all pay.”

“Understood!”

If I put him in kitchen duty, he likely won’t interact with the lady. Maybe he’ll last a bit longer that way.

But that hope was shattered exactly one week after Cedric arrived at the manor.

***

The reason Cedric drew attention far more quickly than Bestian had expected was simple.

He was too competent.

“Cedric? He’s a godsend. Picks up on instructions fast—never forgets what he’s taught.”

“Normally it takes a few days just to adjust to the workflow, but he was working like a pro on day one. We’re all better off thanks to him.”

“I haven’t had a proper break in weeks, but thanks to the new guy, I finally got to breathe for a bit.”

“Great at conversation too. He’s the kind of guy who makes people laugh. Bet he’d fit in anywhere.”

Cedric was assigned to kitchen duty.

His usual movements were limited to the kitchen and pantry. Unless he was put on serving duty, he had no reason to encounter Claudia.

In that sense, Bestian’s strategy wasn’t wrong.

But the problem was the other staff.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Cedric hadn’t suddenly transformed everyone’s lives or created miracles.

But when a bright red tulip blooms in a sea of white ones, it’s bound to stand out.

His cheerful presence brought small, involuntary smiles and chuckles to the faces of staff who’d grown used to misery and duty.

Even that little change was massive.

“So, you’re the new servant I’ve heard about?”

It happened too suddenly.

The kitchen staff, chatting idly while preparing dinner, froze at the voice from the entrance.

They turned in disbelief—and then went stiff.

Two maids stood at the door, heads bowed, faces pale with dread.

Between them, a girl stood smiling.

Silvery-platinum hair, pink eyes.

She was beautiful—blossoming like a flower on the verge of bloom, blending innocence and allure.

But the moment the staff saw her smiling face... they began to tremble like they were staring down a monster.

Perhaps out of a sense of duty, the head chef—the highest-ranking servant present—gathered his courage and spoke.

“L-Lady Claudia... What brings you to such a humble place—?”

“Hey.”

“...Pardon?”

The doll-like smile shattered.

With contempt, fury, and irritation flooding her expression, the flower of Redvell began to spew venom.

“When did I say you could speak? Who gave you permission to open your mouth?”

“M-My deepest apologies!”

“And where I go is my business. Who the hell do you think you are, acting like you get to comment on it? Just because you’ve got some fancy title like ‘head chef,’ you think your master’s a joke now? Huh?”

There was no nobility, no elegance in her demeanor.

No graceful admonishment, no tactful turn of phrase.

It was like watching a street thug hurl insults—except the face delivering them was that of an angel. The dissonance was so extreme it bordered on absurdity.

Step.

That’s when Cedric took a half-step forward.

He didn’t stomp. He didn’t speak.

But for some reason, that small, unbothered movement pulled every eye toward him.

A flicker of interest crossed Claudia’s eyes.

Losing interest in the head chef, she turned her gaze toward Cedric.

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“What, are you commoners sticking up for each other now?”

Even at the sudden insult, Cedric merely blinked. He said nothing.

Claudia frowned.

“Are you not going to answer me?”

“Hm. Thank you for granting me permission to speak, my lady. I was having some trouble, as I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to speak freely.”

For a moment, Claudia looked confused.

Then, as if recalling her own recent scolding of the chef—“Don’t speak without permission”—she realized he was using her words against her.

Maybe even mocking her.

Her face twisted with fury. The other servants paled.

But it was short-lived.

Suddenly, Claudia gave a sweet little smile.

“You. Yes, you.”

“My name is Cedric, Lady Claudia.”

“Right. So if you’re working here, I assume that means you can cook?”

“I wouldn’t claim to be a master, but I believe my skills are at least good enough to cook for myself without complaint.”

“Great. Then tonight, you’ll make my dinner. And you will bring it. To my room. Yourself.”

In many ways, the order was outrageous.

Not only was she demanding someone as low-ranked as a kitchen assistant to cook her dinner, but she also wanted him to personally enter her chambers—a serious breach of propriety for a male servant.

But Cedric didn’t even flinch. He responded calmly.

“Though I may be lacking, I’ll do my best if it is your command. Might I ask if you have any dietary preferences or dislikes?”

“Anything that tastes bad.”

“A wise and enlightening answer. I’ll begin at once.”

As Cedric turned to prepare the ingredients, Claudia eyed him suspiciously.

Everyone else in the room had been on edge since she arrived—but he alone looked completely at ease. That irritated her.

She briefly considered slapping him across the face, but then changed her mind.

It won’t last. That confidence of his is fleeting.

She smiled to herself, then threw a final warning at the staff.

“If any of you interfere in this, I’ll punish you all. Stay out of it.”

The kitchen staff bowed their heads in silence. The maids followed Claudia out, visibly shaken.

Once she returned to her room, she dismissed the maids and stepped inside alone.

Then, taking a small blade, she made a tiny cut on her fingertip.

As a drop of blood fell to the floor, it began to swell unnaturally.

—Grrrrr...!

What emerged from the blood was a massive beast.

Its form resembled a wolf, but it had two heads—each one large enough to swallow a human torso in a single bite.

Claudia stroked the twin-headed wolf affectionately as it nuzzled up to her.

Then, she gave it an order.

The moment Cedric opened the door and stepped inside—attack.

She passed the time imagining his expression as that oh-so-confident face twisted in horror and panic.

Soon, there was a knock.

—“My lady, I’ve brought your dinner.”

Smiling darkly, Claudia called out:

“Come in.”

The door opened. Cedric entered, pushing a food cart.

At that exact moment, the wolf launched itself from the corner of the room, fangs bared.

From its mouth came a bloodcurdling growl—only to be cut short.

Yelp?!

...Yelp?

Claudia blinked.

She rubbed her eyes and looked again.

The wolf—her personal pet, capable of treating most monsters as chew toys—was cowering like a beaten stray, whimpering on the floor.

In front of it stood Cedric, calmly wiping his knuckles with a handkerchief after giving it a flick to the head.

Turning to Claudia, he spoke with utmost seriousness.

“My lady.”

“...Yes?”

“It’s not proper for pets to lunge at people carrying food. It’s bad for their health. It seems someone’s allowed poor habits to form.”

“...............”