I Became the Butler of the Seventh Princess, Who’s Regressing Into a Child - Episode 49

Episode 49

Safely back at the mansion, I finally let out a sigh of relief. I eased the tension in my shoulders.

…At least, we managed to get here without being pursued. Exhaling in relief, we headed inside.

Despite the late hour, Elena and the others were waiting for us at the entrance. Lian had been worn out from the long journey. To let her rest, Elena and Karin guided both Lian and Rinyan to their rooms.

“Rondo, you seem safe and sound.”

“Yeah, more or less.”

Removing my long-haired wig, I walked through the mansion with Lady Luciana.

“…Truly, I’m so glad. I was worried, you know.”

“But… I’m not sure what’s going to happen next. I can’t imagine Vanz will just let things lie.”

“…You’re probably right. He’s bound to make a move soon. For now, though, we’ll shelter Lian and Rinyan here. So don’t worry.”

“…Understood.”

But my concerns don’t end there. 

It’s likely Vanz will assume this whole incident was orchestrated by Lady Luciana herself. His targets might include Rinyan and the others, but… it’s more likely he’ll set his sights on Lady Luciana.

……I need to stay sharp.

With that thought in mind, I changed out of my disguise and took a brief rest.

—

The next morning, I was informed that Klaus-san had arrived. So I headed to the mansion’s garden.

It was unusual for him to come by consecutively, and so early in the morning, no less.

A bit perplexed, I called out to him. 

“Klaus-san, what brings you here this early?”

As he lightly swung his sword, Klaus-san replied, 

“I figured I’d put you through some training. Now, get ready.”

Though surprised by the sudden training session, I took up my sword and prepared myself. Training with Klaus-san is always valuable. So, even unexpected drills like this are no problem.

As I took my stance, Klaus-san spoke slowly. He then kicked off the ground… fast. Right from the start, he was going full throttle.

I combined every skill I had to counter him. But Klaus-san only picked up speed as he moved. His pace was intense. His relatively small frame zipped across the field with astonishing force.

…….This was the first time Klaus-san had attacked me with such intensity. Even as I struggled to defend, I looked for an opening to counterattack. Soon, I noticed his movements were shifting into position for a technique called [Celestial Severing Blade].

—It’s coming.

Predicting his finishing move, I prepared my own version of [Celestial Severing Blade] to meet his strike.

When Klaus launched his move, I mirrored it with a swing of my own.

My [Celestial Severing Blade] combined various skills on top of the basic technique: [Slash], [Acceleration], [Power Up]—”威力アップ” (iryoku appu), all forcing the effect to its maximum. Furthermore, if it landed, it would inflict debuffs like [Guard Break] and [Speed Break]—”スピードブレイク” (supiido bureiku).

However, unlike Klaus-san, I couldn’t unleash it instantly; I needed to set up certain sigils beforehand. Today, I’d sensed he might use [Celestial Severing Blade], so I’d been preparing since the start of the battle to respond.

Our strikes collided head-on.

…Evenly matched. No, Klaus-san’s strength was slightly higher.

Taking advantage of the impact, I leapt up. I then brought down a gravity-infused strike on Klaus-san, who had just reset his stance.

Klaus-san’s body sank under the weight of my blow. I activated [Strength Enhancement] threefold, launching him back.

Though he quickly recovered, he then sheathed his sword—not to attack, but to signal the end of training.

“…Well done.”

“…Thank you.”

As I bowed my head, Klaus-san looked at me.

“To have polished your skills this much in such a short time… you must have put in a great deal of effort.”

“…Yes, that’s true. Though, it’s not just thanks to my own efforts.”

It was probably thanks to Elena and Karin training with me. Especially Karin; with her help, I was able to extend my training time to several times what an ordinary person could handle.

“Don’t forget that mindset. …And make sure you never use that power for the wrong reasons.”

“Of course.”

As I responded, Klaus-san seemed to hesitate for a moment before slowly starting to speak.

“…..I’ve had several disciples in the past. But some of those who gained power… ended up using it to torment the weak.”

“…..Is that so?”

“Yes. I… I ended up eliminating those disciples with my own hands. Don’t ever make me do something like that again,” 

He said, giving a slight, almost joking smile before his gaze turned sharp.

But I could sense, even just a bit, the pain behind those words. To have to kill a disciple he had cherished and taught… he must have gone through an incredibly painful experience. I haven’t experienced something like that myself, but I can imagine how hard it must have been.

“I understand. I… for now, I want to use this power to protect the people here at the mansion.”

“That’s good,” 

Klaus-san said, letting out a small sigh. Then he began to walk out of the mansion grounds. 

I bowed deeply toward his retreating figure.