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After the grueling two-hour reading and writing lesson, Rudy finally exhaled in relief.
During the break, the four beastgirl maids arrived with trays of delicate pastries—fluffy, freshly baked bread and a lightly fermented fruit drink.
It was a taste of aristocratic academia that even the original story hadn't depicted.
Once served, the maids lined up behind Allen and Eris, hands clasped demurely, their smiles serene.
Eris, though momentarily surprised, adapted quickly. She leaned back into her cat-eared maid's embrace, inhaling the familiar mix of animal musk and perfume as skilled fingers massaged her scalp.
After all, she had actually studied for a full lesson—an unprecedented achievement.
Even if Rudy's face had turned green in the process.
Proud of her progress, Eris was practically glowing.
"I wrote Ghislaine's name!"
In her heart, she set a new goal:
"One week—no, one month!—to learn how to write Allen, Grandfather, and Mother's names!"
Meanwhile, Allen, ever the Water God Style swordsman, didn't need to turn around to sense the maids behind him.
Their perfume, more layered than last night's, mingled with their natural scent under the morning sun, creating something akin to musk.
Their tails swished happily, the rustling fur sending tiny vibrations through the air that prickled his skin.
Their burning gazes drilled into his back, making him stiffen like a board.
"Damn you, Philip. Still scheming?!"
Then—
Sylphie's voice cut through the tension, warm but no longer timid, carrying a newfound confidence.
"This is delicious~ Thank you! But class will start soon—was there anything else, sisters?"
Allen blinked.
"Huh?"
Sylphie's tone…
Since waking up, she'd grown steadier, resembling her post-timeskip self from the anime—the version who'd matured alone in Buena Village, later hosting Paul's family with grace.
"This is how she should be."
But it was still unexpected.
Had his interference—bringing her to Roa instead of leaving her behind—accelerated her growth?
The thought eased the discomfort of the maids' stares.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Good."
She'd grown without suffering.
His presence here…
Hadn't been in vain.
The maids, noting Sylphie's long ears (a hallmark of her race), exchanged amused whispers before bowing and retreating.
Fragments of their conversation drifted to Allen:
"So… he likes those ears?"
"Hehe… Alifa's rabbit ears are long too… maybe tonight…"
"Stop teasing! I can't do it alone…"
"A shame… we'll miss out on the young master's reward… half a year's salary…"
Allen's neck creaked as he slowly turned toward Sylphie.
Her amber eyes met his, a faint blush dusting her cheeks beneath wind-tousled white hair.
She smiled softly, then calmly flipped her "ten random words" paper facedown.
Rudy's respite was short-lived.
Phase Two: Arithmetic Torture.
Given Eris and Ghislaine's catastrophic literacy, he limited the math assessment to single-digit operations—four problems below 5, four above.
Fifteen minutes later, he collected their answers with trepidation.
Ghislaine's Paper:
2 + 3 = (5)
3 − 2 = (1)
1 × 4 = (4)
4 ÷ 1 = (4)
4 + 6 = (10)
7 − 3 = (4)
6 × 4 = (Blank)
8 ÷ 2 = (Ink blot) → Scratched out, replaced with (4)
"Not bad! She just struggles with multiplication and larger numbers. With practice, she'll improve."
"Most importantly, her attitude is earnest."
Feeling hopeful, he turned to Eris' paper—
And his soul left his body.
Eris' Paper:
2 + 3 = (5!)
3 − 2 = (5!)
1 × 4 = (5!)
4 ÷ 1 = (5!)
4 + 6 = (10!)
7 − 3 = (10!)
6 × 4 = (10!)
8 ÷ 2 = (10!)
The exclamation marks weren't real—just Eris' flamboyant penmanship echoing her fiery personality.
"Wait… did she just replace every operator with a plus sign?!"
Rudy's eye twitched.
"Eris… did your noble school only teach addition?!"
"Nah! The guy I beat up with a wooden sword taught me!"
"…So you did learn subtraction?!"
"Hah?! Numbers above ten are nonsense!"
Rudy kicked Allen under the table to stifle his laughter before wheezing:
"YOU DON'T JUST TURN EVERYTHING INTO ADDITION!"
"SHUT UP, SHORTY! YOU'RE SO ANNOYING!"
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 185 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 50 power stones I will publish the next chapter.