"Oh god, we need to stop him. That man is too dangerous and he's going to kill everyone. Lady Rui, we need to do something to save everyone."
The other evaluators around Rui looked shocked at the violent display happening on the screen. They diverted their eyes as their chosen butlers fell one by one.
While some were shocked, others shivered in rage as they watched their easy chance to control the Abstel family wash away in front of their eyes. What was more? The stupid bitch was not disqualifying the wild card.
If anything, she seemed interested in the wild man who was making a joke of this exam.
"Lady Rui, are you hearing what we are saying?"
Another aid tried to snap the lady out of her daydream. He even touched her which finally caused Rui to look up with an annoyed expression. But she relaxed as soon as she noticed who was in front of her.
"Ah, you are right. We do need to save everyone. Hurry and announce Yohan Strout as the winner and ask him to meet me alone. Everyone else needs to be treated."
Rui Abstle gave the order and everyone else flinched. The worst-case scenario had come to pass and someone wild had won their lady's favor.
Since Lady Rui was a gentle but foolish soul, she would be easily influenced by this cruel man by her side and then it would be difficult ot get away with things.
"M-My lady, reconsider your choice, please. A brute like that does not suit a gentle soul like our lady."
The primary air called out. He was the one who had the most candidate in this election and he had also been a personal aid of the house. He had a lot of influence and he did not want to lose it.
But he could see his dreams crashing and burning in front of his eyes right now. His heart boiled in anger as he watched his dream crumble.
"Huh? Why not? I mean, Yohan Strout is the most powerful person in that room and this test was about finding a powerful aid for me. And I also want to meet him."
Lady Rui asked the question back and the butler flinched. Lady Rui hardly ever spoke back but when she did, she did not take any other consideration. Despite being a gentle lady, Rui was a demoness and a high-ranking one at that.
Everyone looked at the butler in anticipation but he knew when to back down. His lady had spared his life once already by overlooking his ignorance. It will likely not happen again.
"I understand, my lady. I will go out and announce the results. You should go and prepare for your upcoming meeting as well."
The butler folded like wet paper in front of Lady Rui and everyone else resigned to this fate as well. If the trusted butler could not get Lady Rui to back down, then no one will be able to either.
It was better to look for more chances to increase their influence rather than depending on someone else.
However, the butler was cooking up another scheme in his mind. What if 'something unfortunate' happened to Yohan Storut before he was able to make it to Lady Rui? Surely this whole thing will have to be called off.
Or rather, this competition would have to be held again and someone from his side could win it.
Yohan Strout would be an unfortunate sacrifice they will have to make but it was for the better good of everyone else. Yohan Strout was not from any respectable house so he should know his place.
Ants should not try to shoot up from their status or it could cause trouble for everyone else.
Of course, there was no way Lady Rui was unaware of what the head butler was planning to do to Yohan Strout. But she had seen Yohan Strout's skills and realized that he was the real deal.
Yohan Strout had made Rui's heart beat faster and her body feel aroused by his display of power. So there was no way he was going to fall here.
And if he did, then he did not deserve to have Rui's attention. Only the strong survive in the demon world and that was the same for the Abstle family.
________________
Yohan stepped through the portal that had opened up, especially for him. He checked his map to find himself in a new place,
There was only one other person with him in this space. It was an elder butler who looked prim and proper. But the hard eyes looking back at Yohan were not as friendly as he had hoped for.
'So not a friend at least. I should be careful while dealing with this man.'
"'Greetings, young man. I am the head butler of the Abstel house and also your guide. I will lead you to Lady Rui's room so that you can have your hiring interview."
The butler bowed gracefully but he did not lose his tension. His sharp eyes kept on observing Yohan with a doubtful look.
Yohan held the butler's eyes with his own, not willing to back down and look away. That caused the butler to sigh in irritation. The butler was trying to sign to Yohan that he did not belong there.
But Yohan was purposely ignoring the butler and his obvious dislike of Yohan. It did not matter to him that he was despised even if had not done anything yet.
"First of all, you should change your clothes. You are not fit to appear in front of Lady Abstel with your current attire."
Yohan looked at the clothes he was wearing and almost let out a laugh. Everyone else in the room before had been dressed like him which likely meant that it was a dress code of sorts. But not he was remanded that it was 'not proper' to be dressed like him.
The butler was just speaking out of turn to make Yohan feel uncomfortable but it was not going to work. Yohan was a tough cookie to crack.
'Well then, I guess I am going to comply with the butler for now. But if this man thinks that everything will go his way then he is sorely mistaken.'
Yohan took the offered clothes and got ready to change into the side room. The shirt was a little tight on his frame but the clothes seemed to fit otherwise.
He did have to take out two or three poisonous needles from the clothes if he did not want to die but that was all at least.
"Hmmm, not bad. I guess black suits me."
Yohan quickly went out to meet the head butler again. The head butler looked unhappy to see Yohan emerge from the room unharmed but not surprised. The butler was not hiding his dislike at all.
"How are the clothes? You feel comfortable in them?"
"Yup, all good. They fit me well."
Yohan replied with a cheer in his voice. He could feel the man in front of him getting more and more annoyed with Yohan by the second. But despite his feelings, the butler just led Yohan after him.
There were too many petty tricks the butler tried to pull on their way but Yohan was able to easily dodge all of them. The butler liked the thought of him as an easy target before but not now.
Finally, they arrived in front of the forest and the butler stopped.
"You need to go ahead alone from here. Just go straight and you will find Lady Rui's room. But be sure to make it there on time."
Yohan looked at the forest and then back at the butler. He doubted that the butler was sending Yohan into the forest with pure intentions. There was too much malice in his eyes for this.
Then there was the fact that the butler did not like him and the forest gave off a dark and forbidden feeling. It was a nest with no way out.
'I guess the butler is really trying to get rid of me. I can give him some face and not question his pathetic attempts.'
Yohan decided to give in for the time being. The desperate butler looked taken aback when Yohan did not ask him any questions. Whatever the butler was planning, it was going smoothly.
And the butler was beyond happy right now.
'This is why no-name low lives are no good for our lady Rui. These people have no class and knowledge when it comes to traps. Even now, look at this pathetic demon, walking to his doom.'
The butler went through the list in his head for appropriate people who could replace Yohan in his lady's life. The test screen showed faulty images sometimes so he could potentially vouch for someone else to act as Yohan.
Once there was trust and affection established, they could break the news of her butler not being Yohan slowly. It was a perfect plan in many ways.
'Goodbye Yohan Strout. I hope we never have to meet in this lifetime.'
The butler could not help but be happy with this outcome. It was exactly as he had wished it to be and he finally had control now.