2. Master, I Hate You. I Hate You. I Hate You... No, I Love You.
2. Master, I Hate You. I Hate You. I Hate You... No, I Love You.
"...M...aster-nim..."
"Mas... wake... up..."
A familiar voice echoes within my drowsy subconscious.
"Master-nim, please wake up..."
Ah, it's Alice.
Alice's gentle whisper as she tries not to disturb me sounds pleasant.
"Master-nim? Mmm... Did you fall too deeply asleep..."
Just as the whispering stops, I feel Alice slowly drawing closer.
Is she planning to shake me awake?
But... isn't she getting way too close?
"It's Master-nim's fault... You're always so defenseless like this... Just a little... just a tiny bit..."
As I slowly open my eyes to the warm breath creeping closer, lips that were just about to touch my cheek enter my sight.
Quickly raising my gaze, my eyes meet Alice's moist eyes as she looks down at me.
"Ah"
With a brief gasp, Alice tidies her clothes as if nothing had happened, wears a smile, and steps back slightly.
"Master-nim. Did you sleep well?"
"Uh... yeah, good morning to you too, Alice. I feel like I slept deeply after a long time."
...What would have happened if I had woken up just a little later?
I force myself to crumple up the question popping into my mind, slowly sit up, and get out of bed.
Stretching out fully, I ask Alice as she tidies up the bedding.
"Alice, what time is it now? I was supposed to train with Vivian at 9."
"...It's 8:10, Master-nim."
"Then... I should get ready soon. Thanks for waking me up, Alice."
As soon as Vivian is mentioned, Alice's expression completely crumples. Still, seeing her slowly compose her feelings, it seems yesterday's promise was effective.
Leaving Alice behind as she tidies the bedding, I wash my face with the warm water and towel she prepared.
Alice closely watches Jerome washing his face. Pretending to tidy the bedding, she hugs the blanket and pillow that still retain his warmth, taking a slow and deep breath.
"Seueup... heueeu..."
Her expression completely melting, her rabbit ears stretch out straight and twitch.
'Master-nim's... scent...'
She fully savors the reward she occasionally enjoyed.
Then, as the sound of water stops and she senses his presence, she nonchalantly finishes arranging the blanket and pillow she was hugging, as if nothing had happened.
"Thanks every morning. I can clean up this much on my own, though."
Wiping the remaining water off my face with a towel, I speak to Alice as she tidies the bedding.
She must be tired in the morning too. Coming to wake me up every time and making the bed is truly admirable.
"Not at all! It's something I do because I want to. So please don't worry too much about it, Master-nim."
"Still. Thank you as always, Alice."
Lightly patting Alice on the head, I change my clothes and head to the mansion's indoor training hall.
Fiddling with the spot where she was patted, Alice follows behind with a little guilt and a much larger pounding heart.
Opening the training hall door and stepping inside, I see Vivian warming up while humming in the cold early morning air and quiet silence.
"Darling~ Did you sleep peacefully? ♡"
When our eyes meet, the way she runs over with a bright eye-smile makes her look more like an obedient puppy than a fox.
"Yeah. Lately I sleep so heavily that I don't even dream. Did you sleep well too, Vivian?"
"Fufu, it's embarrassing, but... thinking about Darling all night long, this maiden couldn't fall asleep at all."
Vivian pouts shyly while sticking right next to me and trying to interlock arms.
At that moment, Alice, who was watching from behind, firmly grabs Vivian's arm.
"If your condition isn't good because you couldn't sleep, why don't you go back inside quickly? I'll be with Master-nim today."
"My... I appreciate your concern~ but Darling's instructor is this maiden, so could a mere 'servant' step aside?"
Before a fierce fight ignites, I quickly pick up a wooden sword and take my position.
"Now, Vivian. Let's start right away."
"Yes~ Darling~♡"
"That... fox...!"
Vivian winks at Alice and runs over, while Alice fiddles with her dagger, slowly suppressing her rage.
"First... shall we start with a light spar today? I feel like I need to know how stiff my body is."
Stretching slowly and lightly swinging the wooden sword, I loosen up my stiff body.
"My, will you be okay? It would be better to take things slow... But still, if Darling wants to make quick progress, this maiden is ready anytime....♡"
Even if she speaks like that, she's probably worrying in her own way. Since she knows I haven't held a sword in a long time.
I want to show the girls a slightly cooler side of myself. I might not win the spar, but showing them a miserable state rolling on the ground is... embarrassing.
"Yeah, then I'm counting on you, Vivian."
"Yes~♡ I'll match Darling's movements, so feel free to come at me anytime, alright?"
Gripping the wooden sword tightly with both hands, I take a slow deep breath and charge at Vivian.
I push off the floor hard. The power is pulled up through the rotational force of my hips and waist, seamlessly connecting from shoulders to arms. I feel the force transferring from the tightly gripped hilt to the tip of the sword.
As Vivian blocks the compact and heavy slash flying toward her with a wooden sword held in both hands, a loud 'Teong' echoes through the training hall, and a tingling impact travels through both my arms.
At the forgotten sensation, old memories that were asleep begin to resurface one by one.
I must not lose the momentum.
Since right now I'm below Vivian. I throw away all useless technique and flashiness, focusing purely on the basics.
Concise movements. Applying power only when necessary, deflecting attacks I can't block as much as possible, trading blows in sync.
My heart beats fiercely, and every time the swords clash, a pleasant recoil is transmitted.
Was sparring always this fun?
'Eueut...! That expression. His cold and calm look back then... This maiden feels like she could die right now with no regrets..♡'
Seeing Jerome quietly settled while concentrating on his sword, Vivian feels a novel thrill.
Trembling at his gaze—not his usual soft and gentle look, but slightly closer to how he looked when he had just taken them in—a slow desire begins to bloom within her.
She wants to see more of Darling's other side.
"Darling, this maiden... shall exert a little more of her full power."
Vivian's tail swishes to snatch a wooden sword lying in the corner of the training hall, sticking to him stickily at a speed incomparable to before, pouring down a fierce assault.
Barely keeping up with Vivian's movements—decidedly different from earlier when she only used light counterattacks—a sharp pain flashes in my right knee, momentarily collapsing my stance.
It'll be dangerous if I don't widen the distance and break the momentum.
In the end, swinging my sword hard to push Vivian back slightly, I leap back to widen the gap. As if waiting for this, she hurls one of the wooden swords she held in her hand like a projectile. Then, quickly dashing forward, she transfers the wooden sword held by her tail into her empty hand and begins swinging swords with both hands.
"Uh... V-Vivian?!"
Three attacks flying at me in an instant.
As soon as I reflexively strike away the quickly flying wooden sword, light strikes fly in from both sides. Having closed the gap in an instant, Vivian begins driving her assault home.
When did she even learn something like this...
In the end, with Vivian's attacks tapping lightly through my completely broken stance, I drop the wooden sword and raise both hands.
"Haa... haa... I lost. You've gotten ridiculously strong, Vivian."
"Darling.... I'm sorry. I got too absorbed... Is your knee alright...?"
Noticing that there's pain in my injured right knee, Vivian droops her tail and ears apologetically. I deliberately bend and straighten my leg in an exaggerated manner to show her I'm fine.
Ugh. It still tingles a bit, though.
"Yeah, it just got a little startled because I moved intensely after a long time. Look. Fine, right? Besides, the injury healed a long time ago."
"What a relief then... I understand. But in exchange, you must promise to get examined if anything goes wrong."
"Yeah. I promise. Ah, more importantly, did Vivian come up with that swordsmanship just now?"
"Fufu, to think you recognized it. It feels like a dream. It's a method I devised while thinking about what I could do with my tail. What I showed you is merely a fraction, so please look forward to it...♡"
"There's still more left...?"
The two of them, exhaling excited breaths, are completely absorbed in talking about swordsmanship.
Sitting on a bench, Alice grumbles heavily while watching the two.
'He didn't sign my contract. What's so great about that fox-like bitch anyway? I'm confident in my swordsmanship too. No, more than that, aren't those two way too close? There's no need to help her adjust her posture. That bitch Vivian... rubbing her breasts on purpose to seduce him. In the first place, the problem is Master-nim having no sense of personal space. Always acting all silly-grinning towards Vivian and the other girls. I called dibs first. The only one who assists, cares for, and thinks of Master-nim by his side is me. I liked him first. I hate Master-nim. Hate him. Hate him.... Eueu no, I love him. I love him so much... Why is Master-nim so kind and handsome? Even when he's drenched in sweat like that...'
Alice begins breathing heavily.
Her breathing grows rapid, a haze gradually spreads across her pupils, and a small heart pops into existence before disappearing.
'Eueu... What am I thinking'
She slaps her cheeks with a 'Chak' to snap out of it, then hurriedly runs over holding a towel to wipe off his sweat.
"Master-nim, shall I wipe your sweat?"
"Ah, Alice. It's fine. I'll wipe it."
"My, is there no towel for this maiden? This maiden is drenched in sweat too~"
"...Why don't you just roughly wipe off with those rags lying over there?"
I wipe my face drenched in sweat with the towel Alice handed me.
"Vivian. Thank you so much since this morning. Thanks to you, it was a huge help. Could I ask you whenever I have free time from now on?"
"Anytime. If it's Darling's request, anytime, anywhere, with a joyful heart... I'm ready to sweat plenty."
"Uh-huh... Thanks. Shall we go get washed up first? Being drenched in sweat all over feels so uncomfortable."
At those words, Alice's and Vivian's eyes flash brightly.
It looks like the brightest expression I've seen on them lately.
"Ufufu♡, shall this maiden wash your back?"
"M-Master-nim! I will serve you!"
I barely calm down and dissuade the two, who really look like they're about to enter the bathhouse together right this instant.
"No, well... you two must be busy too... Vivian should wash up quickly too. Alice, don't you have something you need to do as well?"
If I bathe with you guys, something serious might actually happen.