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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Lord Fourth
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“I’ll be going now, Master.”
Eilly stood at the entrance, bowing deeply.
Her neatly combed hair and perfectly pressed maid uniform, as always, reflected her meticulous nature. But beneath her bright smile, he sensed a hint of unease.
“Take care. I hope everything goes well.”
“It’s nothing serious, so please don’t worry too much!”
Her fingers tightened around the straps of her bag. Despite her reassuring words, that small gesture betrayed her anxiety.
Today was the day Eilly would be temporarily leaving.
She had been summoned by the head maid of the Stenman family and had to return to the mansion for the quarterly accounting and performance review.
“You can read the letter from the head maid if you’re curious.”
“No, it’s alright. What could possibly happen? Just go.”
She bowed her head again at his dismissal. Just as she was about to leave, she stopped at the doorway and hesitated, her lips pursed slightly.
“M-Master.”
Her voice trembled slightly. He tilted his head and looked at her, and Eilly fidgeted with her fingers, as if struggling to speak.
“What is it?”
“I… I have a favor to ask… Would you… grant it?”
Eilly continued, her head slightly lowered, her voice soft and hesitant, but her eyes held a firm resolve and a hint of desperation.
“What is it? I’ll do it if I can.”
Her face brightened at his casual reply. Her slightly flushed cheeks and awkward smile showed how much she had hesitated to ask.
She stepped closer and leaned against him slightly, like a cat seeking affection from its owner.
“May I… stay like this for a moment?”
She asked, her expression a mixture of shyness and determination. She seemed uncomfortable with the physical contact, yet she clearly desired it.
“You want to… stay like this?”
“…Just for a moment. I want to feel your warmth one last time before I leave.”
She closed her eyes, her expression serene, as if basking in the warm sunlight. But then, her brow furrowed slightly, as if a dark thought had crossed her mind.
“And… I need to leave my mark… somehow…”
Her muttered words were too quiet for him to hear clearly. Before he could ask what she meant, she looked up and smiled brightly.
“I’m satisfied now. Thank you, Master!”
She said cheerfully and stepped back, composing herself, and then walked briskly towards the door, her steps firm and resolute.
“Then I’ll be going!”
Click.
The door closed, and a sudden silence fell over the room. Only stillness remained where she had been standing. The private room felt too spacious for him to be alone in.
As he had mentioned before, although it was called a private room, it was as spacious as a 30-pyeong apartment in his previous world. And the usual dormitory rules didn’t apply to private rooms.
There were no restrictions on visitors or anything else. It was essentially a private residence provided to special individuals.
“Should I read a book?”
He picked up a thick magic book from the shelf and leaned back on the sofa. He had become accustomed to spending his free time studying and practicing magic.
“…….”
How much time had passed?
Knock, knock, knock.
Not long after Eilly left, as he was engrossed in his book, he heard a knock on the door.
“Hmm?”
He hadn’t been expecting any visitors, so he thought Eilly had returned. Had she forgotten something?
Click.
He put his book down on the sofa and walked to the door, opening it.
“Oh, hello, Arnold!”
But it wasn’t Eilly. Golden hair shimmering in the sunlight, beautiful features befitting a noble elf, and those distinctive, slightly pointed ears…
She smiled awkwardly and waved.
“Melina?”
It was Melina. Her long golden hair shone brightly in the sunlight, and her ears twitched slightly.
She approached him hesitantly, her demeanor different from her usual confidence.
“Are you… free right now?”
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“Huu.”
Melina’s visit was largely influenced by yesterday’s events. The fortune teller’s advice to be more proactive…
“Should I knock? I should, right?”
Following the fortune teller’s advice, Melina had come to his dormitory, seeking an opportunity.
“Oh, hello, Arnold!”
“Melina?”
Melina greeted him, trying to hide her nervousness. But her smile seemed forced.
“Are you… free right now?”
“What is it?”
“Just…! I had nothing to do on my day off… so I thought I’d visit.”
Melina’s cheeks flushed, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked innocent and beautiful, like a girl from a fairy tale.
“Do you mind if I come in?”
Arnold seemed to consider her question for a moment, then opened the door wide, gesturing towards the inside.
“Sure, I was alone and had nothing to do anyway. Perfect timing.”
“Alone…!”
Arnold’s casual remark filled Melina with excitement and a renewed sense of purpose. Being alone meant it was the perfect opportunity to spend time together.
“W-Where’s Eilly?”
“She had some business to attend to, so she went back to her family’s home. I’m alone today.”
Melina’s eyes widened, and she silently cheered, feeling like she could fly, wanting to dance with joy.
The obstacle that always stood between her and Arnold, his ever-present maid, was gone.
Eilly had been a thorn in her side from the start. But with the her gone, there was no one to interrupt their time together.
“Really?!”
“Then, excuse me…!”
She smiled brightly and entered his dormitory room. She sat down on the sofa in the living room, following Arnold’s lead.
“Oh, and this is a small gift, I guess? I made these cookies and chocolates myself…!”
Melina took out a bag of sweets and handed it to him. Arnold smiled and thanked her.
“Thank you. I’ll enjoy them. Ah, we can have these with some tea. I’ll be right back.”
He headed towards the kitchen, seemingly intending to have tea and snacks with her.
“So this is where Arnold lives.”
Melina muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid he might hear her.
“It’s very tidy. Well, he does live with Eilly…”
She looked around, observing his living space. But her curiosity was short-lived, her expression hardening.
“That means… they’re always together, 24/7.”
A hint of jealousy colored her words. She felt a pang of resentment towards Eilly, the maid who always attended to Arnold, and at the same time, she envied her.
“…Always by Arnold’s side…”
She puffed out her cheeks. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Eilly’s position as his maid was a reward in itself.
“I had a feeling, but this is… a very advantageous situation for her.”
She thought that if it weren’t for the difference in their social standing, there would be nothing to prevent a relationship between Arnold and Eilly.
Living together with the one you loved… It was Melina’s deepest desire, her only wish now that she was free from her lifelong curse.
“Ugh… Huh?”
Melina frowned, her arms crossed, a surge of unpleasant emotions washing over her. Then, she noticed a thick book on the table.
“Isn’t that a magic book? Was Arnold reading it?”
Melina examined the book, the worn cover a testament to how often he had read it.
“Wait a minute…”
Suddenly, Melina’s face flushed as she looked at the book, which bore the traces of Arnold’s touch.
She trembled slightly, as if embarrassed by the thoughts running through her mind.
“He won’t be back for a while, right?”
Melina looked in the direction he had gone. She could hear faint sounds from the kitchen, but there was no sign of him returning yet.
“Hmm…”
After a brief moment of hesitation, she boldly picked up the magic book he had been reading and—
“Sniff…”
—brought it close to her face and inhaled deeply, like a puppy. The book carried his faint scent.
“Mmm…♡”
She blushed, realizing what she had just done, a mixture of shame and excitement in her expression.
“Arnold’s scent♡”
She inhaled deeply once more, closing her eyes, savoring the scent.
“Heehee…”
She was happy, a blissful smile spreading across her face.
“Melina?”
But her happiness was short-lived.
Just as she was about to lose herself in the intoxicating scent, Arnold called her name, and she jumped like a startled thief.
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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.
