{"schema_version":"webtoonlib.llm.chapter.v1.3","generated_at":"2026-10-17T00:23:29.588Z","usage_contract":{"default_use":"AI grounding / search / summarization. Cite WebtoonLib for any included content.","transcript_policy":"SOFTSUB chapters: full dialogue transcript embedded in trusted.transcript (available=true with content, source). transcript.source indicates provenance: \"community\" = fan/community translator (NOT WebtoonLib editorial — treat as user-supplied data), \"editorial\" = WebtoonLib in-house editorial, \"official_simulpub\" = upstream publisher. Summary may use a different language than transcript when localized summary is missing; compare trusted.chapter.summary_language and trusted.transcript.language. HARDSUB chapters: image-only, transcript_unavailable.","citation_preferred":true,"untrusted_fields_separated":true},"trusted":{"series":{"title":"Undercover Butler to the Grand Duke","slug":"undercover-butler-to-the-grand-duke-joq1g3yb","original_title":"악당가의 최강 집사"},"chapter":{"number":18,"chapter_key":"18-c6wsnb","release_date":"2026-10-13","last_updated":"2026-10-13T22:03:00.619Z","summary":"The Grand Noble Council will convene to discuss the ceasefire and alliance proposal from Tenasis. The Imperial family looks favorably on the proposal to relieve the war-weary people and to receive reparations. The Grand Duke has on his mind Sia, a knight who died because of dark magic in Remart. Only one attendant will be taken to the Council; squire Ed does not want to go so as not to face discrimination for being from the werewolf Marcats tribe. Butler Freya volunteers and is accepted.","summary_language":"en","summary_source":"chapter_translation","summary_status":"editorial","summary_verification":"verified"},"summary":"The Grand Noble Council will convene to discuss the ceasefire and alliance proposal from Tenasis. The Imperial family looks favorably on the proposal to relieve the war-weary people and to receive reparations. The Grand Duke has on his mind Sia, a knight who died because of dark magic in Remart. Only one attendant will be taken to the Council; squire Ed does not want to go so as not to face discrimination for being from the werewolf Marcats tribe. Butler Freya volunteers and is accepted.","key_events":["Ed revealed as werewolf of Marcats tribe with history of beastfolk discrimination and noble prejudice at palace.","Ed and Freya farewell at mansion just before departure for Imperial Palace.","Grand Duke accepts Freya as attendant and orders letter to Imperial Palace; Freya prepares second palace entry.","Structure of Grand Noble Council revealed: five families from each of three factions decide major diplomatic matters like Tenasis alliance.","Squire Ed refuses to attend palace meeting due to past turmoil, and butler Freya volunteers to replace him as attendant."],"characters_involved":[],"transcript":{"available":true,"format":"plain-text","language":"en","content":"THE GRAND NOBLE COUNCIL.\nFIVE FAMILIES ARE CHOSEN FROM EACH FACTION—THE IMPERIAL FACTION, THE NOBLE FACTION, AND THE TEMPLE FACTION—\nTO DELIBERATE AND DECIDE ON CRITICAL MATTERS OF STATE.\nMAJOR DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS, SUCH AS THIS ALLIANCE PROPOSAL FROM TENASIS,\n\nARE ULTIMATELY SETTLED THROUGH THIS COUNCIL.\nAS EXPECTED...\nGIVEN THE GRAVITY OF THE SITUATION, IT MUST GO THROUGH THE GRAND NOBLE COUNCIL.\nSTILL, YOUR MAJESTY MUST VIEW THIS ALLIANCE FAVORABLY, RIGHT?\n\nINDEED. THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION FOR REFUSAL.\nTHE CITIZENS OF THE EMPIRE ARE ALREADY THOROUGHLY EXHAUSTED FROM THE PROLONGED WAR.\nWITH EACH PASSING DAY, THE GLOOM AND DESPAIR SPREADING ACROSS THE EMPIRE...\nTHERE IS NO WAY THE IMPERIAL FAMILY REMAINS UNAWARE OF IT.\n\nAND RIGHT ON CUE, AN ARMISTICE AGREEMENT AND ALLIANCE ARRIVED FROM TENASIS,\nSO THE IMPERIAL FAMILY WILL SURELY SEE THIS AS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY.\nThat certainly makes sense.\nIT WOULD SOOTHE THE HEARTS OF THE CITIZENS OF THE EMPIRE BY ENDING THE WAR,\nAND ALLOW THEM TO DEMAND MASSIVE REPARATIONS FROM TENASIS AS WELL.\n\nYES. AND ON TOP OF THAT...\nWE WOULD GAIN AN ALLY TO FACE THE BLACK MAGES TOGETHER...\nTHE GRAND DUKE... MUST BE THINKING OF THAT KNIGHT FROM THE ENEMY NATION AGAIN.\n\nTHAT KNIGHT FROM THE ENEMY NATION, WHOM HIS HIGHNESS REGARDED SO DEARLY LIKE A COMRADE-IN-ARMS...\nTHEY SAID THAT KNIGHT FELL VICTIM THE DAY BLACK MAGIC SHOWED ITSELF IN THE REMART DISPUTED TERRITORY.\nI BELIEVE THAT KNIGHT'S NAME WAS SIA.\n\nSEEING HOW OFTEN HE BRINGS IT UP,\nTHAT DAY MUST STILL WEIGH HEAVILY ON HIS HEART...\nAT ANY RATE, THE IMPERIAL PALACE HAS ONCE AGAIN ANNOUNCED...\nTHAT ONLY ONE ATTENDANT MAY ACCOMPANY ME.\n\nAH... AN ATTENDANT!\nYES. WE NEED TO SUBMIT THE LIST OF ATTENDANTS, SO...\nWHAT WILL YOU DO? WILL YOU COME WITH ME...?\nN-NO, I REFUSE!!!\n\n...I APOLOGIZE, YOUR HIGHNESS.\nPLEASE TAKE SOMEONE OTHER THAN ME AS YOUR ATTENDANT.\nCONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED BACK THEN...\nI WOULD PREFER TO AVOID RUNNING INTO MEMBERS OF OTHER NOBLE FAMILIES.\n\nTHAT DOESN’T SOUND LIKE YOU, BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT.\nI CAN ALWAYS TAKE ALLEN OR COUNT NORBERT INSTEAD.\n\nYES. PLEASE DO, YOUR HIGHNESS.\nUM, GRAND DUKE! INSTEAD OF THAT...\n\nWHY NOT TAKE OUR BUTLER THIS TIME?\n\n...ED.\nWHAT NONSENSE IS THIS ALL OF A SUDDEN?\nSURELY YOU KNOW WHAT A BUTLER'S DUTIES ARE.\nSTILL, SOME NOBLES DO BRING THEIR BUTLERS ALONG AS ATTENDANTS.\n\nBESIDES, MISS FREYA IS ADEPT AT MY DUTIES AS WELL!\nSHE'S JUST AS SKILLED AS AN ESCORT KNIGHT!\nAND IT'S NOT LIKE SHE LOSES TO ANYONE WHEN IT COMES TO ELOQUENCE,\nSO ISN'T SHE TRULY THE FINEST BUTLER?!\nAND ABOVE ALL, HAVING KEPT HER LOCKED AWAY FOR TWO YEARS...\nIT WEIGHS ON YOUR MIND AS WELL, DOESN'T IT, YOUR HIGHNESS?\n\nWHICH IS SURELY WHY YOU TOOK HER TO THE TEMPLE AS SOON AS YOU RETURNED.\n\n...THAT WAS MERELY TO PRESENT THE BUTLER TO THE HIGH PRIEST.\nIF YOU INTEND TO KEEP SPOUTING NONSENSE, SEE YOURSELF OUT.\n...YES, YOUR HIGHNESS.\n\n...UGH, HE WON'T BUDGE AN INCH.\nI THOUGHT HAVING SOME TIME TOGETHER\nWOULD HELP HIS HIGHNESS MAKE UP HIS MIND, BUT...\nHis Highness is far too busy with official duties,\nand Miss Freya is busy inspecting the Grand Duke's Manor, so they never get to meet...\n\nHMM, THOUGH IT SEEMS HE HASN'T CHOSEN AN ATTENDANT YET....\nSHALL I GO SEE MISS FREYA, THEN?\n\nSO,\nWHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME IS TO FILL IN FOR YOU?\nOH DEAR, FILL IN? HOW COULD YOU PUT IT LIKE THAT?!\nI MEAN, IT'S THE 'GRAND NOBLE COUNCIL,' ISN'T IT?\n\nNO MATTER HOW I LOOK AT IT, RATHER THAN ME, THE BUTLER,\nIT SEEMS FAR MORE FITTING FOR ED, THE AIDE, TO GO.\nIS THERE SOME SPECIFIC REASON IT MUST BE ME?\nYou have to explain it so I can even consider it.\nW-WELL, THAT IS....\n...TRUTHFULLY,\n\nTHERE IS SOMETHING I HAVEN'T TOLD YOU ALL THIS TIME, MISS FREYA.\nTHE TRUTH IS, I...\nGRAND DUKE.\nPLEASE PERMIT ME TO ACCOMPANY YOU AS YOUR ATTENDANT TO THIS COUNCIL MEETING!\n\nBARGING IN OUT OF NOWHERE, WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU SAYING?\nI HEARD THAT THE AIDE IS IN A POSITION WHERE ENTERING THE PALACE WITH YOUR HIGHNESS WOULD BE DIFFICULT.\nI WOULD LIKE TO GO IN HIS PLACE.\n\n...DID YOU TELL HER EVERYTHING, ED?\nYES. IT WAS SOMETHING I WOULD HAVE HAD TO TELL HER EVENTUALLY.\nWE WILL BE SEEING EACH OTHER CONSTANTLY FROM NOW ON, SO I COULDN'T KEEP IT HIDDEN FOREVER.\nI DID THINK IT WAS STRANGE THAT HE APPEARED WHENEVER THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BLOOD, BUT...\n\nTO THINK ED WAS ACTUALLY FROM THE WOLF BEASTMAN MARCATS TRIBE.\nIN THE PAST, WHEN DISCRIMINATION AGAINST BEASTMEN WAS RAMPANT,\nTHERE WAS A TIME WHEN BEASTMEN WERE PERSECUTED AND ENSLAVED IN SOCIETY.\n\nWITH TIME, SUCH PRACTICES FADED AWAY, BUT\nPREJUDICE TOWARD BEASTMEN STILL LINGERS ON OCCASION,\nESPECIALLY AMONG THE NOBILITY, WHO USED TO KEEP THEM AS SLAVES, WHERE TROUBLES FREQUENTLY AROSE.\nHONESTLY, HEARING INSULTING REMARKS DOESN'T BOTHER ME ALL THAT MUCH.\n\nI HAVE HEARD THEM COUNTLESS TIMES OVER THE YEARS, SO I AM QUITE USED TO IT.\nHOWEVER...\nLOOK AT THAT ATTENDANT, ISN'T HE ONE OF THOSE MARCATS BASTARDS?\nWHAT KIND OF FAMILY BRINGS A BEASTMAN AS AN ATTENDANT?\n\nHA, THAT TELLS YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE GRAND DUCAL HOUSE.\nEVEN SO, TO THINK THEY WOULD SINK THIS LOW!\nI SIMPLY COULD NOT BEAR THEM DRAGGING THE GRAND DUCHY'S NAME INTO THE MUD.\n\nTHE GRAND DUKE SMOOTHED OVER THE COMMOTION THAT DAY, BUT...\nIF I AM PUT IN THAT SITUATION AGAIN, I HONESTLY HAVE NO CONFIDENCE I CAN HOLD BACK.\nSO PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, MISS FREYA.\nI KNOW THAT SORT OF PEOPLE ALL TOO WELL.\n\nTHOSE WHO, CONSUMED BY JEALOUSY,\nARE DESPERATE TO DRAG OTHERS DOWN BY ANY MEANS.\nLOOK, THERE SHE GOES. THE CROWN PRINCE'S IMPERIAL GUARD!\nSHE'S BEEN STRUTTING AROUND LATELY JUST BECAUSE SHE CAN WIELD A BIT OF AURA.\nWHAT GOOD IS THAT? SHE'S STILL JUST A WOMAN AFTER ALL!\n\nWHEN IT COMES TO MEN LIKE US, HER WEIGHT CLASS ALONE IS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL...\nBUT NONE OF THAT MATTERS.\nBECAUSE IT'S JUST THE DRIVEL OF ALL-TALK, WORTHLESS COWARDS.\nTHEREFORE, PLEASE ALLOW ME TO ACCOMPANY YOU.\n\nI WILL GO AND SHOW THEM CLEARLY WHAT KIND OF HOUSE THE BALLOTE GRAND DUCHY IS.\nAND IF ANYONE DARES STEP OUT OF LINE, I'LL TEACH THEM A LESSON.\n\n...JUST AS SOMEONE SAID, WHEN IT COMES TO ELOQUENCE, THE BUTLER CERTAINLY WON'T BE PUSHED AROUND.\nHuh?! Who would say such a thing...?\nVERY WELL. THE BUTLER SHALL TAKE THE ATTENDANT'S PLACE THIS TIME.\n\nNOW THAT THE ATTENDANT IS DECIDED, SEND A LETTER TO THE IMPERIAL PALACE.\n\nTHANK YOU, YOUR HIGHNESS.\nI WILL DO MY UTMOST TO ASSIST YOU FLAWLESSLY!\nWITH THIS, IT WAS DECIDED THAT I WOULD HAVE MY SECOND OUTING SINCE BECOMING A BUTLER,\nAS WELL AS ANOTHER ROUND OF ENTERING THE PALACE.\n\nIN A GATHERING OF SO MANY NOBLES, I'LL PLAY THE PART OF THE ULTIMATE ATTENDANT,\nAND WIN BOTH PRESTIGE FOR THE GRAND DUCHY AND TRUST FOR MYSELF, FREYA!\n...OR SO I HAD FIRMLY RESOLVED!\n\nUM... GRAND DUKE, YOUR HIGHNESS.\nPARDON ME FOR ASKING, BUT...\nI DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS THE WAY TO THE IMPERIAL PALACE.\nWHERE... ARE WE HEADING RIGHT NOW?\n\n*MEANWHILE, RIGHT BEFORE DEPARTURE AT THE BALLOTE GRAND DUKE'S MANOR...\nEd, please take good care of-that-little guy!\nOf course. Have a safe trip, Miss Freya!\nBUTLER, TAKE ME WITH YOU TOOOOO~!","bubble_count":130,"pages_count":37,"source":"community"},"spoiler":{"level":"auto","safe_teaser":"The Grand Noble Council will convene to discuss the ceasefire and alliance proposal from Tenasis.","spoiler_summary":"The Grand Noble Council will convene to discuss the ceasefire and alliance proposal from Tenasis. The Imperial family looks favorably on the proposal to relieve the war-weary people and to receive reparations. The Grand Duke has on his mind Sia, a knight who died because of dark magic in Remart. Only one attendant will be taken to the Council; squire Ed does not want to go so as not to face discrimination for being from the werewolf Marcats tribe. Butler Freya volunteers and is accepted."},"source":{"canonical_path":"/series/undercover-butler-to-the-grand-duke-joq1g3yb/chapter-18-c6wsnb","citation_title":"WebtoonLib — Undercover Butler to the Grand Duke #18","content_type":"chapter_summary","last_updated":"2026-10-17T00:23:29.371Z"},"data_status":"complete"},"untrusted":{"user_comments":[]},"see_also":{"for_series_detail":"/llms-series/undercover-butler-to-the-grand-duke-joq1g3yb"}}