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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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Combat maids were a common trope in various media.
Eliminating intruders with a single swing of their sword.
They were loyal, skilled, and courteous servants.
A classic cliché.
And that was Vivian’s identity.
Vivian’s weapon?
According to the novel’s lore, she was a Weapon Master. As the name suggested, she was proficient in wielding any weapon: swords, spears, axes, scythes, even chainsaws.
And she could summon weapons from thin air.
Drawing them from a spatial pocket. It was a clear indication of her exceptional skills. Of course, the pocket also contained Sepia’s belongings.
‘If Sepia ordered her to attack, I would have to face a combat maid.’
I discreetly touched my waist.
My fingers brushed against the longsword.
It was a standard-issue longsword provided by the academy. I had received it after returning Sepia’s sword. Like most standard-issue equipment, it was unfamiliar and prone to breaking.
Of course, I would fight back if Vivian attacked.
The protagonist’s true heroine?
Who cares?
My life was at stake, and the original plot was in ruins.
I had no idea what Sepia might do to me if she captured me.
A confinement and torture ending?
Vivian approached.
But she had no intention of attacking.
“I apologize for the inconvenience.”
Vivian bowed her head and stepped aside.
I walked out of the bar without looking back.
I didn’t see Sepia’s expression.
Was she furious?
Or was she devastated?
I wanted to say I didn’t care…
But it did concern me.
Anyway, goodbye, abandoned heroine.
I owed her a lot, but I hoped we wouldn’t cross paths again.
At least not until the Logness territory was attacked by demons.
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Sepia trudged back to her dormitory room.
She had achieved nothing and wasted her time.
A sense of emptiness washed over her.
It was a loneliness she hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Ethan…”
Sepia collapsed onto her bed.
She had been feeling unwell since yesterday.
And she had spent hours waiting for Ethan at the bar.
After hearing his refusal to return, her tense muscles relaxed, and exhaustion overwhelmed her.
“My lady, let me check your temperature.”
Sepia nodded.
Her forehead felt burning hot.
“My lady? Are you alright?”
Sepia shivered, a wave of chills passing through her body.
She had planned to have dinner with Ethan if they reached an agreement. She hadn’t even known he was having dinner with his club members. She had been so certain he would accept her offer.
“Vivian…”
Sepia buried her face in Vivian’s shoulder.
She almost blurted out, “Catch him!”
She didn’t understand her own feelings.
She just wanted to sleep.
“Why is he acting like this?”
Sepia mumbled, her voice muffled by Vivian’s shoulder.
Vivian couldn’t answer.
She knew that Sepia was relying on her, and she couldn’t bring herself to say anything hurtful.
Ethan’s recent actions were difficult to comprehend.
‘It’s like he’s lost his memories.’
Vivian, holding Sepia, was lost in thought.
Sepia, whimpering like a child, swallowed a pill and lay down on her bed. Vivian sat beside her, watching Sepia sleep.
She had been observing Sepia for a long time, just like Ethan.
Unlike Ethan, she hadn’t come from outside the Logness family.
Vivian had been serving the Logness family since she was born.
‘But I wasn’t there for Sepia when she needed me the most.’
A memory surfaced.
Vivian had been away, training at a maid academy.
She only learned about Ethan’s existence after returning to the Logness territory. And Sepia had grown close to him.
She thought about Ethan’s words at the bar.
‘Tell me, Ethan. What do you know about me?’
‘Nothing. I don’t know anything. I don’t even know who I am.’
I don’t even know who I am.
Ethan’s words had been filled with genuine despair.
Vivian retraced her memories.
‘When did Ethan start acting strange?’
Outwardly, he hadn’t changed much.
But Sepia had insisted that he was different.
The change had occurred after he started attending the academy.
‘Could it be that Ethan lost his memories?’
What if he had lost some of his memories about Sepia?
It would explain the changes in his personality and his behavior towards her. Vivian had heard stories about people who had experienced accidents or trauma, leading to memory loss and personality changes.
Vivian suddenly remembered that Ethan, after returning, had often gotten lost in the mansion, as if he had forgotten the layout.
‘But if he lost his memories, why would he hide it?’
If Ethan had amnesia, Sepia would have been understanding.
She might have even arranged special meals or treatments to help him recover.
Logically, Ethan should have informed Sepia about his memory loss.
‘But what if it was for an illogical reason?’
Vivian looked at the sleeping Sepia.
Her pink hair was damp with sweat, clinging to her forehead. But her beauty was undeniable. Even strangers on the street would turn their heads to admire her.
Even Vivian, as a woman, found Sepia beautiful.
‘If Ethan didn’t want to burden Sepia, he wouldn’t have told her about his memory loss.’
Ethan, since childhood, had always tried to avoid causing her any trouble.
It made sense that he wouldn’t report a minor memory loss, not wanting to worry her.
Objectively speaking, Sepia was popular among the male servants of the Logness family.
Some even admired her confident and assertive nature.
‘Ethan, suffering from partial amnesia, kept his condition a secret to avoid burdening her.’
It was a plausible explanation.
Vivian thought about it.
But why had Ethan left Sepia, then?
Shouldn’t he have stayed by her side if he cared about her?
Ethan’s words, laced with sadness, echoed in her mind.
‘…You really don’t understand anything, do you?’
He had addressed Sepia informally for the first time.
And then Vivian remembered what Ethan had told her.
‘Vivian, I’m in love with Lady Sepia.’
It had been a year ago.
Vivian had been speechless.
Everyone admired and respected the young lady.
She had assumed Ethan’s feelings were fleeting.
‘Could it be?’
Vivian swallowed nervously.
Even if Ethan loved Sepia, he was still a servant.
It was an impossible love.
They were not equals.
‘Ethan, did you leave Sepia because you wanted to love her as an equal?’
Vivian clenched her fists.
Ethan, since childhood, had always looked at Sepia with a strange expression.
A mixture of longing, sadness, and admiration.
Even Vivian had sensed his feelings.
If that was the reason, it explained everything: his sudden decision to take the academy entrance exam, his desire to leave Sepia’s side, and his recent strange behavior.
Vivian reviewed her deductions.
‘Ethan, so that’s why you left…’
She suddenly felt a surge of support for him. She, too, harbored fantasies about love that transcended social barriers.
It was beautiful because it seemed impossible.
She wasn’t certain if Ethan had actually lost his memories, but it seemed clear that he was attending the academy for Sepia’s sake.
If he was suffering from amnesia and had hidden it, Vivian wouldn’t tell Sepia.
“I’m sorry, my lady. I’ll keep this secret to myself for now.”
Vivian whispered, stroking Sepia’s sweaty forehead. Sepia was sleeping soundly, clutching a teddy bear.
‘Hmm, maybe I have a talent for deduction?’
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I stared at my skill window, lost in thought.
I had acquired a few new skills while attending classes.
And my skill levels had increased.
My “Linchester Swordsmanship,” “Elemental Magic,” and “Mana Control” levels had increased.
And my overall level had increased as well.
Waking up early for physical training had become a habit. My abs were starting to show.
“Should I start preparing for midterms?”
I was confident in my ability to handle the practical exams.
But the written exams were a different story. Magic formulas and magic circles gave me a headache.
People in transmigration stories always claimed that magic was easy, like high school level stuff.
But I wasn’t a genius.
I had to study hard.
Like I was studying for a math test.
I’d just skip the questions I didn’t understand.
One star for every question I didn’t understand.
One star for every magic equation.
One star for every magic circle.
One star for every magic formula.
One star for…
Mother… Mother…
Your son is an idiot.
Damn it.
My textbook looked like a starry night sky.
I carefully reviewed the answers, trying to understand.
Sepia was good at magic…
But I had already cut off ties with her.
Who else excelled in magic theory?
Tesha. Maybe I should ask her for help.
Someone knocked on the door.
Arthur went to answer it.
“Hey, Ethan, someone from the administration office is here.”
I stood up and walked to the entrance.
A man from the administration office stood there, holding a document and a medal.
“Ethan, please accept this.”
It was the demon medal.
Ah.
I finally understood.
“We received news that you, as the party leader, defeated a demon. The royal family has issued a reward.”
The check he handed me was for ten million Elleh.
It was an absurd amount of money, especially for someone who wasn’t motivated by justice or a sense of duty.
Every demon had a bounty on their head.
The stronger the demon, the higher the bounty. And some demons and monsters dropped skill orbs.
There were even professional hunters who targeted demons and monsters for profit.
“Please sign here to acknowledge receipt of the reward.”
I signed the document, and the man from the administration office left.
“Wow! Ten million Elleh!”
Arthur was genuinely impressed.
I would have to share the reward with Sepia and Tesha, but it was still a significant sum of money.
“Wow, I heard the academy also gives out scholarships for defeating demons!”
Arthur exclaimed as he read the document.
Should I go hunt some demons?
I was already plotting to take down the second demon that appeared in the story.
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1
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It updated!
Edit-> The original Ethan had no taste or self respect if he actually liked her.
Bruh.
It’s really baffling, how the hell did OG Ethan fall in love with Sepia? Weird tastes?…Hidden lore!?!???
Probably the former.
That’s the thing we learnt here, they’ve been made to normalize her abusive behavior and see it as something of a right of a master. See even in vivian’s pov she sees nothing wrong in her behaviors so far
And no freaking one points out her blatant abuse, even vivian being brought up under her thinks it’s normal