Boy, Be Ambitious (3)

That afternoon, on the day Ethan suddenly raised another strange flag, saying things like he felt he would win today, right from the morning.

I was, as usual, at the training ground to observe Ethan and Harold’s Swordsmanship Duel.

Although I had heard those words that morning, to be honest, I didn’t have much expectation.

After all, he had a precedent of saying the exact same thing and losing two weeks ago.

Moreover, it wasn’t even a close call where he almost won with equal skill. It was essentially a match where he relied on a feint, which was then discovered, leading to his failure.

If it had been a close failure with similar swordsmanship skill, it would be one thing, but there was no reason to be nervous against Ethan, who hadn’t reached that level yet.

So, today, too, I watched leisurely without expecting Ethan to perform properly.

Next to me, as usual, were Dietmeyer, the Head Butler, and the Healing Priest of the Blackwood Mansion, waiting.

-Clang! Clang! Clang!

“Put a little more power into your sword! Attacking from an irregular angle isn’t everything! Maintain your speed and power no matter which direction you swing your sword!”

“Uwaaaaaah…!!”

Unlike two weeks ago when he tried to feint, Ethan’s recent sparring had returned to straightforward, wild swings.

I might have had some expectations if he had picked up Twin Swords as I advised, but Ethan hadn’t shown any such attempts in the past two weeks.

Since I practically believed that Twin Swords was the only way to land a blow on Harold, I could watch the two of them spar with peace of mind.

‘At this rate, nothing will really happen until he enters the Academy.’

Harold would also be gradually grasping Ethan’s swordsmanship characteristics as they sparred, so it would naturally be harder for Ethan to close the gap while playing catch-up.

As I thought this, watching the gradually boring swordsmanship of the Blackwood father and son,

Ethan’s awkward grip on his sword suddenly caught my eye today.

‘Huh…?’

Instead of holding the sword with both hands close together as usual, he was holding it with his right and left hands quite far apart.

Seeing such an awkward grip, almost as if he were holding the very ends of the hilt, a strange question naturally arose in my mind.

If he held the sword like that, the rotation angles of his left and right hands would differ, making him lose much more power and tire his muscles when swinging.

Moreover, holding it like that wouldn’t necessarily make it more stable either.

It wasn’t the way one would hold a single sword, but rather a posture as if he were about to draw a sword from its scabbard. This sight naturally led me to a different idea.

‘…No way?’

As I focused my gaze on the sword Ethan held, wondering if the thought that popped into my head was correct, the hilt of the sword he held suddenly began to separate, as if lengthening upwards and downwards.

I instantly realized that this was the motion of drawing another sword hidden inside the first one.

In other words, Ethan had practically been swinging a scabbard until now.

It was the moment Ethan’s Single Sword instantly transformed into Twin Swords.

-Whoosh!

“……!!”

It wasn’t just me who was flustered by the sudden splitting of the sword; Harold was equally surprised.

Ethan, who had prepared his final blow without showing any awkwardness in his gaze until the very end, wouldn’t miss such a brief opening.

-Thwack!!

“Guh…!”

The moment the sword in his left hand, which had served as a scabbard, blocked Harold’s sword, and the sword in his right hand struck Harold’s side.

Harold, who had his waist exposed to the unexpected attack, let out a short groan.

My gaze, along with that of the other spectators, instantly sharpened.

“Pant, pant, pant….”

Ethan, as if he had truly poured all his strength into that one blow, plunged his sword into the ground and looked at me and Dietmeyer.

Dietmeyer, who was still unable to grasp the situation due to the astonishing sight, quickly hid his surprise and promptly declared Ethan’s victory.

“…Y-Young Master Ethan’s victory!”

“Congratulations, Young Master.”

Simultaneously with his declaration of victory, my body automatically burst into fervent applause, celebrating Ethan’s first win.

Seeing my reaction, Ethan subtly smiled and collapsed onto the floor.

Harold silently looked down at Ethan and spoke to him in a subtly accusatory tone.

“To think you’d separate your sword during a duel, Ethan. Your skill in employing tricks has grown lately.”

“Was it something I shouldn’t have done, Father?”

“Something you shouldn’t have done? Why do you think that, Ethan?”

“…Because it’s a method not used in general swordsmanship, and it was a cowardly victory without proper technique.”

In a situation that seemed to be turning subtly serious, I wondered if Harold would childishly refuse to acknowledge the victory, but-

Listening to his words that followed, fortunately, that didn’t happen.

“There is only one thing you shouldn’t do in a life-or-death match, Ethan.”

“Yes?”

“The most important thing to protect your life is not to ‘lose’. No matter what tricks you employ, or what mindset you approach the match with, the most important thing is not to ‘lose’, Ethan.”

“…….”

“You may be proud. Today, you are a swordsman who, for a moment, achieved victory against a Sword Master.”

“…Thank you.”

Seeing that he didn’t say things like the victory was invalid because cowardly means were used, Harold seemed quite pleased with Ethan’s growth.

It had already been three and a half years since Ethan began learning swordsmanship from Harold, so Harold would surely feel more joy than pain or shame from the blow he received today.

After all, it was a blow that clearly showed his son, Ethan, had grown.

“From the next lesson, I will teach you how to handle Twin Swords. It seems you have a talent for Twin Swords, not just Single Sword, Ethan.”

“……Yes!”

“Today’s duel ends here. Once you’ve recovered your energy, clean up and head inside.”

“Thank you, Father!”

Harold placed a hand on his hip and exited, followed quickly by the mansion’s Healing Priest, who seemed to be taking his cue.

And I, still remaining at the training ground, met Ethan’s eyes as he rested and offered him words of encouragement for his hard work.

“You worked hard, Young Master Ethan.”

“Maid….”

“Today’s blow was truly magnificent. …Though, against Master Harold, it probably won’t work a second time.”

“…Yeah. He won’t fall for it twice. I was planning to give up on this method if I failed today.”

“Was the fatigue you’ve accumulated recently perhaps from practicing this technique?”

“…If you’re talking about the method of drawing the sword naturally, then, a little.”

…His tenacity is truly incredible, I must say.

To think he would prepare a special sword and even practice how to wield it, all just to land a single blow on Harold.

And that all this effort was merely to touch his exclusive maid’s chest….

‘……Ah.’

…Right, I had forgotten.

That in this match, the side I should have been cheering for wasn’t Ethan.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

And, that night.

After finishing dinner, it was time to prepare for bed.

Having taken a bath with a little more care than usual, I quietly entered Ethan’s room with a slight sense of nervousness.

To uphold the agreement of the proposal Ethan and I had made earlier.

‘Haa, I’m such an idiot. Why did I make such a strange proposal that day….’

If only I hadn’t let Ethan touch my chest due to a strange misunderstanding in the first place, this situation probably wouldn’t have happened.

Not only did I add the condition that he could touch them more if he landed an effective blow in the Swordsmanship Duel with Harold, just to somehow cover up what had happened without being found out.

My unnecessary meddling and even giving advice on Twin Swordsmanship had ultimately led to this outcome.

‘Still, it’s only for one minute.’

What could a kid with no sexual knowledge possibly do by diligently touching for one minute?

Last time, it only felt strange because I was unnecessarily aroused by a peculiar sense of crisis, fearing I might lose my exclusive maid position. If I just prepared myself mentally, letting him touch my chest for about a minute was truly nothing.

And honestly, I also thought Ethan deserved that much reward.

Thinking too deeply would only lead to strange self-justification, so before any more odd thoughts could arise, I knocked on Ethan’s door three times and spoke.

-Knock, knock, knock.

“Young Master Ethan, may I come in?”

“…Come in.”

The reply from inside the room came back cautiously, tinged with a slight tension.

Opening Ethan’s door, I quietly stepped inside.

-Creak.

“…….”

“…….”

Ethan’s bedroom light seemed even softer than usual tonight.

He, who had already entered, was sitting cautiously in a chair at the table, quietly avoiding my gaze.

Before we began the main act, I carefully asked him what position would be comfortable.

“Is it more comfortable for you to sit in the chair?”

“U-uh?!”

“I asked because you are sitting at the table, not on the bed. If you think it would be more comfortable on the bed, you may move to that location.”

“N-no, Maid. S-sitting in the chair is…. B-because there’s something I need to say to you first, Maid….”

“Something you need to say first?”

“…Could you please sit opposite me for now?”

“…Understood.”

I didn’t know what Ethan was going to say, but as his exclusive maid, I obediently followed his words and sat in the opposite seat.

Sitting across the table from him, I met his eyes and asked about what he needed to say first.

“What is it you wish to say, Young Master Ethan?”

“W-well, I was going to talk about what we agreed to do today….”

“You mean, as a reward for Young Master Ethan landing an effective blow on Master Harold, you get to touch my chest for one minute, correct?”

“…Yes, that.”

…Is he perhaps going to ask if one minute isn’t enough and if he could touch them for a little longer, or if the condition for touching them is too strict and he wants it eased?

Well, Ethan is a boy in his prime, so I can understand his desire to say such a thing, but naturally, I had no reason or intention to grant his request.

If I were to concede and extend it little by little like that, I would eventually find Ethan touching my chest without any conditions at all.

Firmly resolving in my heart to refuse any condition he might propose, I met Ethan’s eyes and demanded his next answer.

“Speak, Young Master Ethan.”

“C-can I really touch them…Maid?”

“Yes. Because that was the promise.”

“M-Maid…? What do you… think, Maid?”

“Yes?”

“Do you really want me to touch your chest because you think I’ve become stronger…? Or are you just here to keep your promise, even if you’re forced to…?”

What kind of nonsense is he suddenly spouting?

He just won a round against Harold, so that should be the end of it. Why is he suddenly trying to gauge my feelings?

Not wanting to argue over something pointless, I simply gave him a perfunctory answer.

“That is not important, Young Master. You have won the duel against Master Harold, so you may touch my chest as your reward.”

“…If you don’t want to, Maid, but are forcing yourself because of the promise.”

“Yes?”

“…If that’s the reason, you don’t have to force yourself, Maid.”

“…….”

“…I won’t say you broke your promise or anything like that.”

…What is this boy blabbering about right now?

I came all the way to his room in the middle of the night, having finally steeled myself to let him touch me.

Don’t have to force myself? Suddenly?

Is he perhaps pitying me right now?

And all because he thinks I might feel burdened by merely letting him touch my chest?

“…Don’t bullshit me, Young Master Ethan.”

“M-Maid?!”

“Are you saying such things even after I have witnessed all the effort Young Master Ethan put in to defeat Master Harold?”

“…….”

“I do not go back on my word, Young Master Ethan. If you are going to try to gauge my feelings with such shallow pity, know that touching me boldly would make me less ashamed.”

It wasn’t like I was giving him my first experience, or my first kiss.

I had no intention of being pitied for merely letting him touch my chest, so-

I dismissed Ethan’s utterly unconvincing words and simply stood up and approached him.

Because I didn’t want to be a cowardly runaway who couldn’t even give this much reward to a boy who had worked so hard for so long.