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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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“Hmm hmm hmm~♪”
Eilly seemed happier than ever. Her lips curved into a contented smile, and her eyes crinkled at the corners.
Her cheerful aura seemed to brighten the very air around her, creating a fantastical atmosphere, like a field of flowers in full bloom.
“Master~”
Her cheerful voice drew his attention.
“Huh?”
But his face was stiff, his body heavy as if weighed down by iron.
The memories of last night flooded his mind, bringing a fresh wave of self-disgust.
“Today is the happiest day of my life!”
He responded with a faint smile, but his heart was filled with a mixture of helplessness and confusion.
She was so happy because of what had happened last night.
“That’s… good to hear…”
The memory of their night together, the lingering sensations that still haunted him… Just thinking about it made his face flush and his forehead break out in a cold sweat.
“Yes~!”
He forced a reply and averted his gaze, his mind still consumed by last night.
The moment she, his maid of many years, drugged him and forced herself upon him.
The memory of his helplessness, the uncontrollable pleasure his body had instinctively felt… and the shame and misery of being swept away by waves of desire, unable to resist.
The afterglow lingered within him, but she seemed oblivious to his feelings.
“Heehee~”
Eilly clung to his arm, rubbing her face against it, and giggled innocently.
She expressed her joy wholeheartedly, like a puppy basking in its owner’s warmth.
Her soft, shiny hair brushed against his arm, and the faint scent of soap tickled his nose.
“I wish this happiness would last forever.”
Her cheeks flushed, a mixture of shyness and boldness in her expression.
He remained silent, unsure what to say. Honestly, her reaction only made his feelings more complicated.
Did she know how conflicted he felt, this mixture of shame, self-disgust and unexpected affection?
“…….”
He tried not to show it. Seeing her so happy, he couldn’t bring himself to express his discomfort.
But that didn’t mean everything was resolved. Their relationship had changed irrevocably after last night’s events.
“Haa…”
He sighed deeply, the future seeming uncertain. She clearly loved him. And he couldn’t completely ignore her feelings, nor could he readily accept them.
They had gone too far to simply return to their previous master-servant relationship.
“I love you!”
Eilly hugged him without hesitation, her face radiant with love. He gently stroked her hair, feeling the need to say something.
He didn’t know how this moment would end, or how their relationship would change, but all he could do now was watch her happy expression.
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“Haa—”
The weekend passed, and everyday life resumed. As usual, Eilly and Varis were beside him, but today, Varis seemed different.
He was slumped over his desk, sighing deeply, his usually cheerful face clouded.
“What’s wrong? You seem down today.”
He asked, and Varis scratched the back of his head roughly, as if trying to clear his mind.
“Ah, well… I’ve been feeling a bit discouraged lately. Of course, I know you’re amazing, Arnold. But being next to you makes me feel so inadequate…”
He sighed deeply and lowered his head, his words carrying a heavy sense of helplessness.
Now that he thought about it, Varis hadn’t had many opportunities to shine. Due to his intervention, most of the important events had gone his way.
Varis was supposed to have saved Elisha from the monster attack and Melina from her death at the hands of the evil spirit, growing stronger in the process.
But with those opportunities gone, his growth had naturally slowed down. And he was partly responsible for that.
He hesitated for a moment and then spoke.
“Are you free later?”
Varis looked up at him.
“If you’re okay with it, I’d like to spar with you.”
His words had a visible effect on Varis. The life returned to his eyes, and they began to sparkle with renewed energy.
“Really?! If you, who’s so strong, are willing to spar with me… I couldn’t ask for more!”
He clenched his fists and smiled brightly, his confidence restored. He looked like a shonen manga protagonist.
“Then let’s go to the training grounds this afternoon when we have free time. I’ve never taught anyone before, so I can only be a sparring partner.”
He felt a bit pressured by Varis’s enthusiastic response. He added a disclaimer, but Varis just shook his head dismissively.
“It’s fine! Just fighting against a strong opponent like you will be good practice.”
It was a typical Varis-like response, filled with positivity and a strong spirit of challenge, just like in the original story.
“Oh, really?”
He couldn’t help but smile at his enthusiasm. He felt a sense of pride, seeing the Varis Arquerland he knew.
………
“Ready?”
Some time later, he and Varis arrived at an empty training ground. It was similar to the place where he had sparred with Instructor Lilton during the entrance exam.
“Mmm~!”
Varis, equipped with his gear, stood facing him and stretched lightly to warm up.
“I’m always ready.”
He replied, drawing his sword and maintaining a relaxed demeanor. He wasn’t trying to be arrogant; he just wanted to keep the atmosphere light since it was just practice.
Varis adjusted his grip on his sword.
“Alright!”
His eyes were filled with determination, but his demeanor was relaxed. It was the mindset of someone seeking training.
“I’m actually a little nervous about fighting you, Arnold~”
But there was also a hint of nervousness beneath his cheerful facade. He was smiling, but there was a serious, almost tense, aura about him.
“Even though it’s just sparring, I’m still a bit nervous.”
Varis tried to ease his tension with a joke, but his true feelings were evident.
He had witnessed Arnold’s strength up close and understood the difference in their abilities. He seemed to be aware that he wasn’t on Arnold’s level yet.
“It’s alright, I’ll go easy on you. Relax and don’t worry.”
He twirled his sword casually. He hadn’t intended to go all out from the beginning. What Varis needed was training that would help him grow, not a serious, all-out battle.
Besides, if he fought seriously, he might actually injure Varis.
“Whenever you’re ready, come at me.”
He pointed his sword at Varis, a slight provocation. Varis’s fighting spirit ignited.
“Then, let’s begin?!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Varis launched a preemptive strike. It was fast and precise. He had clearly been training diligently.
“Haa!”
But it was slow from Arnold’s perspective. He easily sidestepped the attack just before the blade reached him.
“Slow.”
He commented casually. From Arnold’s perspective, with his superhuman reflexes, it felt like watching someone swing a sword underwater.
“……!”
Varis’s expression hardened slightly. He changed his approach and launched a series of attacks.
“Then take this!”
He swung his sword left and right, shifting his footing to create openings. He had clearly prepared diligently.
“Good. That’s faster. But…”
He parried Varis’s attack and pushed his sword aside. Varis’s stance crumbled like a tower of matchsticks.
“You lack power.”
Varis gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with passion.
“Then I’ll show you my power!”
He swung his sword with all his might, putting his entire body into a downward strike.
But Arnold remained motionless, parrying the blow. The clear clang of metal resonated through the training grounds.
“You’re definitely improving. But your movements are too simple.”
He was improving on the points Arnold had mentioned.
It seemed he had some talent, as physical movements could be difficult to master, even if it seemed like simply adding more power and speed was all it took.
“I can predict where you’re going to attack.”
He deflected Varis’s attack, turned, and stepped back.
“If you don’t want your movements to be predictable, add more variety. And focus on maintaining your balance.”
As he spoke, he aimed the tip of his sword at an opening in Varis’s stance. His sword was still some distance away from Varis’s neck, but Varis froze.
“Ugh?!”
He looked up at Arnold with a startled expression, sweat dripping from his forehead. He looked exhausted, but strangely, a smile spread across his face.
“You’re strong. But that’s what makes this exciting!”
He wiped the sweat from his forehead and adjusted his stance, his smile filled with confidence and determination.
“Here I come again!”
He swung his sword again, his face bright with renewed enthusiasm.
“Haa!!”
It was the same attack as before.
He was about to block it in the same way, thinking it was predictable, when—
“Got you!”
“…?!”
—Varis changed the trajectory of his sword. He had used an unexpected move to counter Arnold’s defense.
The attack, which was originally aimed at his head, curved and targeted his side.
Clang -!
“Not bad.”
Although Arnold could easily block it with his superhuman reflexes, it was a good move.
“Whoa?!”
But then.
“Varis?”
Varis, seemingly not expecting his surprise attack to be blocked, lost his balance and stumbled as his full-powered strike was deflected.
“Are you okay?”
He instinctively reached out and caught Varis before he fell. He pulled him towards himself, and Varis was about to fall on top of him.
‘Did I pull too hard?’
Thud -!
But by the time he realized it, his vision was spinning. He fell to the ground, cushioning Varis’s fall with his own body.
“Ugh.”
He felt the impact on his back and his breath hitched. Something heavy was on top of him.
He opened his eyes and saw Varis lying on top of him. The situation was awkward, and he reached out blindly, trying to push him off. And then, it happened.
Soft –
His mind went blank as his fingers brushed against something soft and yielding.
‘Soft…?’
But before he could process the strange sensation, Varis jolted awake and scrambled to his feet.
“Whoa?!”
He looked as if he had seen a ghost, his face pale, or was it red? He stared down at Arnold.
“A-Are you okay?!”
His face quickly turned crimson. His expression was a mixture of embarrassment and panic.
“S-Sorry! Arnold!”
Varis looked at him with wide eyes and said in a trembling voice,
“Maybe… we should stop here today?! Y-Yeah… that would be best!”
He hurriedly stood up and brushed the dust off his clothes, his flustered demeanor evident. He seemed to be trying to avoid something.
“And… maybe we should end it here…?”
He wanted to stop the training, even though they had barely started. His previous enthusiasm was gone, replaced by embarrassment.
“I-I’ll be going now!!”
He ran towards the exit, gasping for breath, as if fleeing the scene.
Varis’s flustered, almost girlish, demeanor was something he had never seen in the original story.
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Hi Lord Fourth here!
I’m new to translating so if you find some mistakes or inconsistencies let me know about it on the dedicated channel on discord.
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