Chapter 3: A Different Osborne.
Chapter 3: A Different Osborne.
"...Finally."
Osborne slowly straightened his back as a series of satisfying cracks echoed from his stiff muscles, letting out a long sigh while stretching both arms high above his head, the wooden bucket resting beside him almost completely full as he looked at the five cows lined up inside the barn with an expression that mixed exhaustion with accomplishment.
"I did it."
He wiped the sweat from his forehead before smiling proudly to himself.
"I’ve officially survived being a farmer." Osborne said.
A soft giggle came from beside him.
Turning his head, Osborne found Anny covering her mouth as she struggled to hold back her laughter, her shoulders shaking slightly while she looked at the bucket and then back at him.
"Young Master..." She tried to compose herself. "You only milked five cows."
Osborne blinked.
"...Only?"
"Yes."
He looked back at the cows as though they had personally betrayed him before pointing toward them.
"Do you know how much work that was? Those things are huge."
"They’re cows young master, they’re supposed to be big." Anny replied.
"Well I say they’re terrifying." He reputed.
Anny laughed even louder hearing his words.
"You still barely finished five, I always finish 10 on avg with less time."
" You really are lazy aren’t you young master.
Osborne folded his arms.
"I refuse to accept such slander." He said. "What do you mean 10, that’s a blatant lie."
"Oh? Can’t you do it?"
She smiled mischievously.
"Looks like my young master really is just too lazy."
Osborne gasped dramatically before placing a hand over his chest as though her words had pierced straight through his heart.
"...Anny."
She tilted her head innocently.
"Yes?"
"I never thought you’d hurt me like this."
"I merely spoke the truth." She gave him a sly smirk.
" You really shouldn’t stop after only doing this much."
He narrowed his eyes at her before a playful smile slowly spread across his face.
"I see... In that case."
He paused just long enough for Anny to grow curious.
"...Why not let me milk you instead?"
The barn fell silent.
Anny’s brown eyes widened until they looked almost perfectly round, while every trace of color disappeared from her face for the briefest moment before returning all at once in the form of a deep crimson blush that spread from her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears.
"...Y-Young Master!"
She stumbled backward so quickly she nearly lost her balance.
"T-That’s..."
She covered her burning face with both hands.
"That’s not something to joke about!"
Osborne stared at her for a second before bursting into laughter.
"Weren’t you the one who wanted me to continue."
Anny continued hiding her face.
" We both know that’s not what I meant..."
"You... you shouldn’t say things like that."
"Alright, Alright.
Osborne chuckled once more before scratching the back of his head.
"My mistake."
He smiled apologetically.
"Now then..."
He looked around the barn.
"What’s next on today’s agenda?"
Anny slowly lowered her hands, though the blush stubbornly remained on her face.
"Hmph."
She turned her head away while crossing her arms.
"I’m not telling you."
Osborne blinked.
"... You’re still angry?" He asked but all he got was silence.
She was deliberately ignoring him.
Osborne looked completely helpless for several long seconds before suddenly bringing both hands together in front of him, lowering his head slightly while speaking in the most dramatic pleading voice he could manage.
"Oh, lovely Anny." He said, She remained silent.
"Would you please forgive this ignorant young master of yours, who clearly spoke before thinking and now deeply regrets his foolish actions." He added, making one of her shoulders twitch.
"...Pretty please?" He said, yet another second passed.
Then another, until finally...
A small giggle escaped her lips.
She tried to suppress it, but of course she failed.
"Hehe..."
Slowly turning back toward him, she let out another laugh before shaking her head.
"I suppose..."
She puffed out her cheeks as though trying to look reluctant. "...I’ll forgive you." She said as she pointed a finger toward him.
"But only this once."
Osborne immediately straightened.
"As expected of my lovely Anny." He chuckled before glancing around the barn once again.
"So..."
He spread his hands.
"What’s next?"
Anny blinked.
"...You still want to work?"
Osborne nodded.
"Of course."
She looked at him strangely.
"But weren’t you just saying how tired you were?"
"I was."
"And now you want more work?" She said.
Osborne shrugged.
"Being tired doesn’t mean I don’t want to help."
He smiled casually.
"The more hands there are, the easier the work becomes, doesn’t it?"
Anny stared at him.
She didn’t respond.
Instead, she quietly covered her mouth as another smile slowly formed across her lips.
"Hehe..."
Her shoulders gently shook.
"...What?"
She looked at him carefully, almost as though she were seeing him for the very first time.
"...Young Master."
"Hm?"
"Are you really the Young Master?"
Osborne’s smile immediately became awkward.
"...Now you’re the one taking things too far."
Anny simply continued smiling.
He sighed dramatically before placing both hands on his hips.
"So this is how you speak to your Young Master now?"
She nodded innocently.
"I merely asked a question."
"I see."
Osborne slowly began walking toward her.
Anny instinctively took a step backward.
"...Young Master?"
He continued smiling.
"I’ve come to a very serious conclusion."
"W-What conclusion?"
"Such disrespect cannot go unpunished."
Anny blinked.
"...Punished?"
Before she could react, Osborne suddenly reached both hands toward her sides.
"W-Wait—"
He began tickling her.
"A-Ahaha!"
Anny immediately burst into uncontrollable laughter as she tried desperately to escape, twisting from side to side while unsuccessfully attempting to pry his hands away.
"Y-Young Master!"
"Hahaha!"
"P-Please!"
She laughed so hard that tears began gathering in the corners of her eyes.
"S-Stop!"
"I-I surrender!"
"Hahaha!"
Osborne couldn’t help laughing as well while chasing her around the small space inside the barn, the two of them looking less like a noble and his maid and more like childhood friends enjoying themselves without a single care in the world.
"No mercy!"
"A-Ahaha!"
"I’ve learned my lesson!"
"I don’t believe you."
"I-I really have!"
She stumbled backward against a wooden post, laughing so hard she could barely remain standing.
"P-Please..."
"I can’t breathe..."
Only then did Osborne finally stop.
Both of them stood there trying to catch their breath, while Anny leaned against the post with one hand over her chest, still giggling every few seconds whenever she remembered what had just happened.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Osborne found himself smiling without forcing it, because after spending an entire year trapped inside a miserable office where every single day felt exactly the same as the last, he had never imagined he’d one day find himself laughing this freely alongside someone whose smile alone somehow made the entire world seem just a little brighter.
"...You’re awful," Anny muttered between soft giggles.
"So I’ve been told."
She shook her head before finally calming down.
"You don’t have to do anything else today."
She smiled warmly.
"You should just head back to your room and rest."
Osborne immediately frowned.
"I don’t want to."
Anny looked surprised.
"...You don’t?"
He shook his head.
"I’ll just get bored sitting around."
"Really?"
"Really."
Before Anny could respond, hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the barn.
Both of them turned toward the entrance just as an elderly man wearing worn steel armor hurried inside, his white hair tied neatly behind his head while his weathered face carried an unusually serious expression.
Osborne recognized him almost immediately.
"Sir Roland?"
The old knight quickly bowed.
"Young Master."
Sir Roland was one of the very few knights who had remained loyal to House Bismarck after the incident that reduced their family from respected Counts to insignificant Barons, refusing to abandon his lord even when countless others chose to save themselves instead, earning Gustav’s complete trust through years of unwavering loyalty.
Osborne’s expression became serious.
"...What’s wrong?"
Roland straightened.
"It appears a group of visitors has just arrived at the estate."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Moreover, the Lord has requested your presence immediately."
Osborne’s smile slowly faded on hearing this.
"...Visitors?"