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CHAPTER 09
After the young master left, the three of them quietly exited the training grounds so as not to disturb the knights who had resumed their drills.
“Want to go into town and look around?”
“I’ll rest in my room.”
Ilena immediately rejected Ruin’s suggestion. She was still thinking about the young master’s training.
“I reject your rejection.”
“Huh?”
Imitating the young master, Ruin grabbed Ilena and checked the clock standing in the garden. It was still early afternoon—far too early to spend a holiday properly.
“It’s only three. You can’t waste a day off lying in bed! Ilena, let’s go shopping!”
“I already have enough clothes.”
“I don’t think so?”
Bessie, who had once glimpsed Ilena’s wardrobe, muttered with a serious expression.
“Is it really that bad? I’m not attending any parties anyway. A few neat dresses and comfortable clothes are enough.”
Seeing Ruin and Bessie both look at her as if she were being completely serious, Ilena trailed off.
“…Is it that serious?”
Nod, nod. Two heads moved at the same time.
“It’s good to be frugal, but you are a noble lady. Don’t you think you should have a few more dresses?”
Bessie asked cautiously.
“I don’t plan on attending social gatherings.”
“But you still need proper dresses!”
Before Ilena could resist, Ruin had already grabbed her arm and was dragging her out of the manor.
“Let’s go! Today’s goal is getting Ilena a dress!”
In the end, that day Ilena ended up buying two dresses and a pair of shoes.
“Did you come to daytime training on purpose today?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have a capable servant… no, a maid?”
Beside the young master’s desk, Mihail recalled the maid who had been with Ruin and Bessie.
“Yes. A report said she might be useful.”
“Ruin, that girl?”
“Yes.”
The commander doubted that Ilena’s thin frame could even properly wield a sword. But if she was recommended by Ruin—who was meticulous and had sharp judgment—he had no choice but to trust it.
“She’s good enough that you showed the knights’ training to her?”
“The knight in charge of training also gave her a good evaluation.”
Karl gestured, and Robin placed a document in front of Mihail.
“I’ve heard of her, but I didn’t think she was worth recruiting yet.”
“Her grades in swordsmanship and other subjects are all good. Her attitude in class is average, but she performs above standard in everything. Among recently hired servants, she stands out the most—what’s interesting is that no one seems to notice it.”
At Karl’s words, Mihail turned the pages seriously. The documents contained Ilena’s basic information and overall evaluations of her activities since joining the ducal household.
Good relations with others, excellent swordsmanship, strong academic performance. Detailed notes followed underneath.
“Overall, she’s excellent. And yet people around her don’t realize it? Is that even possible?”
Mihail stroked his chin.
If someone is truly outstanding, people naturally notice. At first they might not, but eventually their value becomes clear.
“That’s why she’s unusual. She doesn’t stand out too much, so she doesn’t attract jealousy or hostility. Yet her results are excellent. Either a genius… or a spy.”
“If we recruit her, would she go to the Shadow unit or the knights?”
“I’m still deciding. We need to observe her further.”
“So we might get a decent recruit for the knights after a long time.”
Mihail subtly showed anticipation. In recent years, most promising talents had been taken by the Shadow unit, so the knights had been hoping for new recruits.
“I’m not sure she’s truly valuable yet.”
“I’ll assume she’s promising, then.”
After finishing his business, Mihail left after bowing.
“The commander seems unusually interested this time.”
“We don’t have any good trainees this cycle.”
“But you’ve never shown it this openly before.”
“We recently lost someone I liked to the Shadow unit.”
At Karl’s words, Robin’s face showed regret. Ilena Louis—the name written on the first page of the document on the desk—stood out in Karl’s eyes.
Whether she was a talent… or a spy sent by the Empress… would only be known after further observation. Karl needed a chance to watch her more closely.
The sun had already moved overhead. Ilena was wandering alone around the annex.
Her mind was filled with the young master’s swordsmanship from earlier.
It was the first time in her life she had been so absorbed by someone else’s sword technique. Karl’s style was fundamentally different from hers.
Ilena’s sword was light and fast. But it lacked the raw power to overpower a man. Of course, her strength was above average thanks to constant training, but against someone of equal skill who was male, she would inevitably be overpowered.
Especially against opponents who pressed forward with brute strength—resisting directly drained stamina quickly. That was why Ilena preferred redirecting the opponent’s force instead of clashing head-on.
Her sword was soft and flexible. But remembering Karl’s overwhelming technique from the knight training made her acutely aware of her physical limits.
“Still, it’s better to focus on what I can do rather than regret what I can’t achieve.”
She quickly headed deeper into the garden. If something couldn’t be reached, it was better to use it differently instead. In that sense, she liked the technique the young master had used earlier—it redirected a stronger opponent effortlessly.
Excited, Ilena’s steps quickened.
She extended her senses and confirmed no one was nearby. The annex servants were in the break room, and no one was walking around the back of the garden.
She broke off a straight branch from a tree.
“Sorry, I’ll borrow this.”
The branch in her right hand bent smoothly. Holding it like a sword, she slowly raised it.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
She repeated the motion. Similar, but not quite right. It felt like she was striking deeper—but how exactly had he done it?
She kept copying the young master’s stance again and again.
Just a little more—
“Move your left foot a bit wider.”
Startled by the voice, she turned and instinctively pressed the branch against the throat of the person who had appeared.
“…Ah.”
Under the orange glow of sunset, the young master stood by the tree, his hair tinted red by the light.
“I greet you, young master.”
Ilena quickly dropped the branch and bowed. He waved it off.
“Keep going. I’ll guide you.”
“No, it’s fine. I was just reviewing the swordsmanship taught by the instructor.”
She quickly corrected herself, realizing her slip.
Derek had warned her endlessly that being caught would make life complicated. It was better to appear as just a slightly sword-interested maid.
“It doesn’t look like practice. It looks like you’re copying the technique I used before, isn’t that right?”
Karl deliberately brought up the unconventional technique he had used that day.
“How could someone like me possibly imitate such an incredible technique? I only just started learning proper swordsmanship. The sword is more interesting than I expected—haha.”
Ilena rambled nervously.
“I could never match even a fraction of the young master’s skill. Maybe someday I’ll be able to imitate it if I keep working at the ducal house.”
“But it looks quite similar to my technique.”
Karl raised his arm calmly, recalling her movements from training day.
She was caught. While reenacting his technique, she had been constantly sensing her surroundings…
No—was it even normal to notice a Sword Master deliberately hiding their presence?
She forced a laugh.
At least she had been moving slowly since it was her first time.
…Would knocking him out and erasing his memory be possible?
She immediately discarded the idea.
No method came to mind that could subdue someone of equal or higher skill instantly.
“Ha… you must have mistaken it.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“How could a beginner like me imitate your swordsmanship? It was far too fast and incredible for me to even follow with my eyes.”
Karl’s lips curved slightly.
Her movements were almost identical to what he had seen during training. This bold maid was desperately lying to hide her skill.
“If you say so, then that must be the case. I only spoke because your posture was good. I’ll teach you a useful technique—try learning it.”
“T-thank you?”
Ilena ended up accepting the young master’s offer without thinking.
“Is this your first time learning swordsmanship?”
“Yes.”
Ilena had actually been holding a sword since she was five years old, but she decided to bury that truth far away.
“Your stance is quite good for a beginner.”
“Is it? Thank you.”
She accepted the praise without hesitation. Karl raised an eyebrow slightly.
“I’ll teach you how to deflect attacks when your opponent is stronger.”
Karl spoke with both goodwill and intent. If this maid truly had nothing to do with the Empress, he needed to keep her close. He had to determine whether she was a hidden talent—or someone hiding her true abilities.
