Volume 4, Prologue (1/2)

Volume 4, Prologue

Translator: Raylight (proofread by elisa, Rose, C/E edited by Doza, lucathia)

I drew open the curtains on the French windows in the living room. It was only five in the morning, so there was not much daylight coming in. The sun had just risen, and it was now the beginning of a new day, a new dawn.

As a vampire, I ought to have loathed dawn—sunlight was always what vampires hated the most. For those vampires with higher generation numbers, dawn was not merely the start of a new day. It was practically a symbol of destruction.

Even so, for me, dawn was like a type of redemption.

I had lost count of how many times I could see hope in the morning sun—be it my honorable father’s calm but resolute expression, or Sadina’s radiant smile…

“Charles, would you fall in love with me?”

“Charles, Charles?”

Hearing her call out repeatedly, even my unwillingness to upset her did not prevent me from steeling my heart and answering, “No, that is definitely not allowed!”

I shut my eyes, not wanting to see her disappointed expression. However, I could not keep my eyes shut forever, so when I had prepared myself to face her and once again opened my eyes…

The young master’s eyes were wide, and as though at a loss, he fired off a series of questions, “Not allowed? I-I can’t go running? Why? Did something happen?”

“…”

I quickly explained, “My apologies, Young Master. My mind had merely wandered off, and I did not mean to tell you that it is not allowed.”

“Charles can actually become absent-minded too?” The young master asked, stunned. He didn’t look like he minded though. Instead, he asked, full of curiosity, “Then, who are you telling ‘no’ to? What is not allowed?”

I was just about to explain when I heard my cell phone ring. I took it out and glanced at it. On the display, it showed that the caller was Sadina. I could not help but feel a little troubled. Taking a personal call in front of the employer was strictly forbidden by the butler’s code of conduct. However, it was Sadina calling, and she would not call me unless it was a serious matter.

I looked at the young master, a little hesitant. The young master returned my gaze, and with a slight hint of anxiety in his voice, urged, “Charles, hurry and pick it up, or they’re going to hang up.”

Just as the young master finished his words, the phone really did stop ringing. However, this did not come as a surprise to me. Anyone born to an influential family of butlers would know that if they were to call a butler, letting the phone ring too long would be extremely disrespectful. The butler may be in the middle of serving their employer and would not be free to pick up the call.

In fact, all butlers know that they should have two cell phones, one for official business and one for private matters. During work, one should not carry their personal cell phone around, of course. Alternatively, they could set their cell phone to vibrate.

However, I had not done so. The reason for that was that there were simply too few people who would call me for private matters. It would either be X, who might not give me a single call for ten years, or Sadina, who usually avoided times a butler might be serving their master.

Five o’clock in the morning was rarely a time when the employer needed a butler’s services. At that time, the employer was usually still asleep. Our young master was an exception.

“Ah!” The young master exclaimed, and he asked anxiously, “The phone hung up. What should we do?”

“It is fine. I will call back at a later time.” I smiled and asked, “Young Master, are you going out to exercise now?”

The young master looked at me and then lowered his head to look at the cell phone in my hand. After a while, it still seemed like he did not have any intention of going out… I then understood and corrected myself. “It may be an important phone call. Young Master, may I ask for your permission to call back right now?”

He immediately nodded his head vigorously.

I dialed the number, and the phone immediately picked up. “Sadina, this is Charles.”

From the phone, a somewhat hoarse and aged-sounding female voice responded. “I know. Did I wake you?”

“No, I am awake.” I looked at the young master, and his face was full of incomparable curiosity. I could not help but find it amusing. “I am currently serving the young master.”

“Eh? Then how could you call me back?”

“The young master allowed me to do so.” I laughed as I said, “He is very interested in you! Are you interested in conversing with him?”

“Of course.” Sadina gave a laugh. “Just hearing you say that he is a good employer is enough to pique my curiosity. After serving him for some time, do you still think he is a good employer?”

“Indeed. Moreover, he is even better than what I had thought originally.” After I gave my reply, I pressed the speaker button on the phone and then introduced her to the young master. “Young Master, this is Madam Sadina. She is my cousin and Curtis’s paternal grandmother.”

The young master went “Ah,” and respectfully said, “Madam Sadina, nice to meet you. I’m An Xiang Ye.”

“Young Master An, nice to meet you. I am Sadina Christopher of the Elysees Family.”

Sadina introduced herself, using a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing. It was, however, a little reserved, as she did not know the young master well, so an introduction like this was the right choice. After all, a person who was able to pay an annual salary of twenty million to hire a butler was definitely someone of importance. Being polite was always more suitable than being disrespectful.