The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 17

1.

The dawn after all the situations were settled.

"Please take care of the cleanup."

"Yes, Captain."

Ian, who received the request, slowly drew his sword.

And then he swung it.

Vertical Slash.

It was just a basic move of drawing the sword and swinging it horizontally in a long stroke.

However, the moment Ian's sword drew a line,

Saaaaaaaa...

The grounds of the Happiness Circus Troupe, which were beyond the line, vanished instantly.

As if only stones and sand had existed there from the beginning, it became a clean plain.

Ian nodded with satisfaction, sheathed his sword, and approached.

"It's finished."

"...Amazing."

"You're flattering me."

What flattery?

I had barely caught up to the Ian from three years ago, and in the meantime, he had grown even stronger.

I asked out of genuine curiosity.

"How on earth do you do it?"

"Are you talking about Moon Shadow? Didn't I already teach you that?"

The name of the Vertical Slash was Moon Shadow.

It was named so because it was swiftly drawn out and sliced.

I asked bluntly.

"It's different from what you taught me."

"Ah, is that what you meant?"

Ian answered with a bright smile.

"Captain, you're still a rookie, so you can't use it."

"What?"

"A rookie."

"?"

I didn't know what it meant, but it made me angry.

However, since it wasn't wrong, I trembled with frustration.

"It's the same as magic. A sword also becomes sharper the more personal it is. I believe you'll understand just from that explanation."

Ian erased his mischievous expression and gave me sincere advice.

After finishing his words, Ian shifted his gaze.

"By the way, what are you planning to do now?"

"About what?"

"I'm talking about Miss Claudia."

Ian let out a sigh.

"Though Asha has talent with the sword and was taken in, I'm not sure about Miss Claudia."

That was understandable.

Claudia in her previous life, like me now, handled both sword and magic, but if asked which talent was superior, it was undoubtedly magic.

The members of Moonlight had been described as monsters, but he was asking this because he couldn't see that potential.

I nodded.

"That's right. Claudia is a jack of all trades but not a genius in swordsmanship."

"Then you're saying it's more on the magic side?"

"That's right."

"That's not within my expertise. And since you're busy as well, it's impossible for you to teach her directly."

Ian hesitated as though he was troubled.

Then he asked.

"Have you perhaps found other members? If it's Kali, whom you mentioned back then, they could certainly provide magical support."

"No. I haven't met Kali yet."

"Huh, then what are you planning to do?"

Grin.

Before I knew it, the corner of my mouth lifted.

"Don't worry. I've already prepared everything."

"Prepared, you say?"

"Yes."

A magical genius who's also ridiculously wealthy.

2.

"You don't need a maid, do you?"

"I don't need one."

"I figured as much and prepared accordingly."

"?"

The young lady frowned, but that wasn't the important thing right now.

"Let me introduce Claudia, the applicant for your exclusive maid!"

Cute Claudia was far more important.

Clap clap.

As I clapped twice, the young lady's door opened, and Claudia entered.

"Nice to meet you, young lady!"

"That bastard's speaking informally?"

Oh no.

I had forgotten that Claudia at this point hadn't installed the honorifics patch.

Just in case, I asked.

"Isn't it rather refreshing and nice?"

"You want to die?"

"So, you don't like it."

I immediately backed down.

At this point, there was no choice.

"Claudia."

"Yes! Captain!"

Damn it, I told her not to call me Captain.

As expected, the young lady's eyes narrowed at the unfamiliar word.

"Captain? What Captain?"

I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I've recently become interested in cheerleading. Wearing skirts and cheering is surprisingly—"

"...Take it back."

"...Yes, ma'am."

Though I suffered slight dishonor, it was still within acceptable limits.

I puffed out my chest and declared confidently.

"Anyway, after seeing this, you'll have no choice but to make Claudia your exclusive maid."

The young lady remained silent.

Silence meant agreement.

I didn't miss the opportunity.

"Claudia, show her."

"Yes! Captain!"

Claudia, upon hearing my command, gently lifted the skirt of her maid uniform.

She bent her knees slightly and immediately performed a somersault.

Though she almost lost her balance due to being unaccustomed to the maid uniform, she overcame it perfectly.

"Ta-da!"

Having magical talent and still being able to pull off such an aerial somersault.

I clapped my hands and asked again.

"What do you think?"

"What about?"

"I mean Claudia."

"No, I mean, what about her?"

The young lady's expression had worsened.

So frustrating.

I raised my thumb and answered.

"Isn't she insanely cool?"

The young lady also smiled following me.

"Both of you, get lost."

"Huh?"

"Why!?"

This isn't it? The plan I thought was perfect had gone awry.

The young lady glared at us with annoyance.

"Why would I need a maid when I already have an exclusive butler?"

"It reduces my workload?"

"Then I'll hire her by cutting your salary."

"How much?"

"Both of you, unpaid."

"Ah, that's a bit much."

Why is she acting like this when she's from a wealthy family?

Of course, if I could work unpaid, I would, but clearly, she's just against it.

Even if I said I wouldn't take money, she would definitely refuse citing various reasons.

I politely declined.

Then the young lady's expression became even more displeased.

"Then what do you expect me to do?"

The sharp eyes unique to the House of Salvatore swept over me and Claudia.

I immediately lowered my gaze, but Claudia didn't avoid her eyes.

Sssss....

Instead, she exuded an ominous aura and scanned the young lady with her murky green eyes.

"Aha."

After scrutinizing the young lady for a while, she returned to her lively and cheerful demeanor.

"You don't have any friends, do you?"

"...What?"

A chuckle.

Claudia gave a decadent smile and clasped the young lady's hands with both of hers.

"Everyone runs away, saying you're scary. Even those who stick around only try to use you. So, you've become used to pushing them away."

The young lady's expression slightly softened.

Claudia didn't miss that gap and leaned in to whisper into her ear.

"I know everything. Because I'm a monster too."

Hwaak.

The young lady pushed Claudia away.

"What the hell―!"

Just as she was about to shout something, the young lady's expression completely softened.

"Fine, I'll leave if you don't want me here."

Because Claudia, smiling, had tears streaming down her face.

She let go of the hands she was holding and stood up.

"It's okay, young lady. You don't need to feel sorry. I sincerely understand you."

She turned her body and briskly walked toward the place she had entered from.

"...I'm also used to rejection."

Just before Claudia left the room, the young lady urgently called out to me.

"Yu, Yuri! She's leaving?"

"It seems so."

"That's all? Isn't she someone you know?"

"But you said you didn't want her."

There was nothing I could do.

A worker cannot work if the employer doesn't want them.

"Ah, damn it!"

The young lady abruptly stood up.

Without even putting on the shoes she had taken off, she ran toward Claudia.

"Hey! Claudia!"

All eyes in the vicinity turned to the young lady. Yet, the villainess didn't care.

"Young lady?"

Claudia, whose name was called, stopped in her tracks and turned toward the young lady.

The hesitant young lady asked.

"Are you any good at fighting?!"

"Suddenly?"

"I have my academy entrance exam next week."

The Imperial Academy entrance exam.

One of the prides of the Hyperion Empire, known for gathering geniuses from across the continent.

"If you're going to be my exclusive maid, you need to be strong enough to get in there."

The young lady's red eyes shone resolutely.

She already knew.

That even if she became her exclusive maid now, staying in the mansion alone would be meaningless.

Even if she took her in, she would soon be left alone, which was no different than discarding her.

Therefore, the young lady asked.

"Are you strong enough?"

Are you prepared to stay by her side?

Are you someone who can go with her?

Claudia nodded.

"Yes! I'm strong, young lady!"

"Then let's go together."

"What do you mean?"

"...To be my exclusive maid."

Wiping away her overflowing tears, she spread her arms and ran toward the young lady.

"Young lady, you're the best!!"

Wham!

She hugged the young lady in one swift motion and started crying sorrowfully like a child.

"I love you! Young Lady Frey, I love you so much!"

"Again with the casual speech... You do know I'm a noble, right?"

"Sorry, young lady!"

"Enough, stop crying."

"Okay! But I can't stop the tears...."

"Hey! Don't rub your face! Your snot's getting on me!"

"Huhuh, sorry!!"

While grumbling, the young lady still patted Claudia's head.

I looked at the two warmly and murmured softly in a gentle voice.

"Saved some money."

All three people had a happy ending.

3.

A week passed after that.

"It's done!!"

The young lady had reached the 5th Circle.

It was thanks to relentless practice day and night and Count Vasello's special guidance.

"I'm done too! Yo!"

Claudia had reached the 2nd Circle.

This was an unknown fact, but Claudia's heart had already accumulated a considerable amount of mana.

It seemed to have unconsciously gathered as she endured years of all kinds of abuse just to survive.

Compared to the young lady, it might seem trivial, but compared to mages of the same age, her growth rate was astonishing.

And I...

"Where did you pick him up again?"

Vasello scolded me. I avoided his sharp gaze and mumbled evasively.

"Ultimately, it was beneficial to the young lady, wasn't it?"

"That may be true, but...."

Vasello let out a sigh.

The butler was a genius in swordsmanship.

The maid was a genius in magic.

He had worried about the young lady being left alone since ranks would disappear in the Imperial Academy.

But now, she had two strong allies, so it was ultimately a good thing.

Vasello looked at the place where the young lady and Claudia were practicing.

"Young lady! Hug me! Yo!"

"At least speak properly."

"Understood!"

"...Let's not talk."

She seemed a bit loose in the head, but even so, her affection for the young lady was evident.

It felt like watching an excited puppy and its owner, who, despite grumbling, still took care of it.

Just as I was starting to feel warm inside, Vasello smiled and asked.

"This afternoon, right?"

"Yes, that's correct."

After completing the final inspection in the morning, they planned to move to the capital city through the Blue Magic Tower's gate.

"Yuri."

"Yes, Head of the Family."

"Thank you for protecting Frey."

Vasello was smiling.

In the first and second lives, he had been a cold and stern father.

In the first life, he was excommunicated while trying to protect the young lady from the Demon God's cultist, and in the second life, he saved the young lady despite being mana-exhausted and died.

-What a foolish man. Smiling again only when it's time to die.

The young lady had always missed this current Vasello. Her kind and warm father.

Vasello made a request to Yuri.

"From now on, take good care of my daughter."

Swoosh.

I quietly knelt on one knee.

Placing my right hand on my chest, I raised my head toward Vasello.

"Even if it costs my life, I will protect her."

The young lady too.

And you too.

"Haha.... It's been a while since I've received an oath."

The House of Salvatore had always been casual.

Despite holding the rank of Border Count, they had always mingled freely with their subordinates.

"It's a bit awkward, though."

Surely, both parties would find such an oath quite embarrassing.

Even so, Vasello upheld his dignity.

Despite it being a rare oath, he placed his hand on my head with such majesty.

"I accept it."

"Glory to the House of Salvatore."

With that, all preparations were complete.

The young lady, Claudia, and I returned to our rooms, packed our belongings, and came out.

"We'll be leaving!"

"Travel safely. Frey, Yuri, and Claudia."

"Yes, Head of the Family."

"Got it, Head!"

"Don't worry, Dad!"

That was the end of the farewell.

Thus, we set off for the capital city.

"Let's go! My underlings!"

"Lead the way, young lady!"

"Oh, such chaos."

Soon, Sion's entrance exam would begin.