Before training

After reviewing his studies, Ethan went to bed dead tired. He doesn't sleep well because he had a nightmare. It was about him playing with Alice and Milicent in the garden. He was happy in this dream. But all of it was interrupted by the sudden countless numbers and formulas crushing from heaven and destroying the beautiful garden. And on top of these numbers, there was a low voice that kept repeating the same thing all the time. It was urging Ethan to study. From intense fear, Ethan woke up. He was drenched in a cold sweat.

It was in the middle of the night.

[Can't sleep?]

[I just had a nightmare.]

[I guess people have nightmares sometimes.]

[What about you, mister? Were you asleep?]

[No, I can't sleep in this place. And it's not that bad.]

[But if you don't sleep, you can't see dreams.]

[Even if I can sleep, I can't see dreams anyway. And you should go to sleep again. After all, you have training in the morning. So you should rest well.]

[But I...]

[No buts. Close your eyes and breathe deeply. And if your mind is preoccupied with different thoughts, try not to focus on them. Just let your mind wander from one thought to another.]

[Um, okay.]

Ethan did what he was told. After ten minutes, he fell asleep again. And he doesn't have nightmares this time.

***

Night passed, and morning came.

"Ethan, wake up."

"No... Five minutes... more." 

"If you don't wake up, I'll splash you with water!"

Being splashed with water would be bad, so Ethan reluctantly opened his eyes.

"Um, Lena?"

"What? You expected someone else? If you forget, I am your personal maid now, so it's my duty to help you wake up."

"If you're my personal maid, shouldn't you listen to me?"

"Can't do. I am your friend on top of being your personal maid. If you forget, it was you who proposed it after interrogating all my maidenly secrets."

She really enjoyed herself at this moment. And Ethan wasn't against it. He prefers her in this way to a serious Lena.

"Okay, then what's the time?"

"It's half past seven o'clock."

"This early?"

"If you don't know, I woke up two hours earlier. So for me, it is not that early."

Ethan looked at Lena with wide-open eyes.

"What? Is something wrong?"

"No, I think you're amazing, Lena."

"Hehe, is that so?"

She was happy to hear this compliment.

"Khm...khm... You should get yourself ready and go down to the dining hall. Breakfast is ready."

After saying these words, Lena left.

Ethan stood up, and after washing his face and changing clothes, he too went down to the dining hall. The food was already served, and only Ethan and Lena were there.

"Where are aunt and uncle?"

"They are eaten already, and Master Karl has gone to the Anselm city to work."

"Okay. I should eat too."

With these words, Ethan begins his meal. And after he finished his food, Lena took away the empty plates and served him tea. After serving the tea, she almost tangled in the hem of her dress and fell, but managed to keep her balance. Ethan wanted to say something but was interrupted by Lena.

"If you say that I am clumsy, I'll hit you even if I am your personal maid. I am not clumsy. It's all this long dress fault."

"Um, okay. Then why don't you make it shorter?"

"Do you think I didn't try it? Of course I tried, but Christa scolded me for trying to do it."

"Um, I can talk with her and aunt about it if you want."

"Really?! Then pretty please do it, Master."

"Um, okay. And you should just call me Ethan."

Lena looked at Ethan, thinking, and after some time, her eyes narrowed slightly and the edges of her lips tugged upward. She asked teasingly.

"Why? You don't like it, Master?"

"I am not used to it, and it sounds weird."

"Is that so? Then I'll consider it, Master."

"Just call me Ethan."

"I cannot do it. I can't be so disrespectful towards you, Master."

Her serious voice didn't match her smiling face.

"Um, fine. Call me whatever you like."

"Hehe, I'll do as you say, Master."

After some time, Ethan finished his tea.

"Lena, do you know where the guard's quarters are?" And can you show me the way there?"

"Yes, I know. Do you want to go there now?"

[If you want to go to training, wait for at least an hour. You should wait for your breakfast to digest.]

"No, I go there after an hour."

"Then what are you going to do for now?"

[You should spend this time studying.]

"I'm going to talk with my aunt for now. Do you know where she is now, Lena?"

"Yes, I'll show you the way."

And Ethan followed Lena to one room in the mansion. It was on the first floor, and after knocking and receiving permission, Ethan and Lena went inside.

In the room, his aunt was sitting at the work desk looking at some documents, and Christa stood beside her. Christa greeted him simply with a slight bow.

"Good morning, young master."

And Brenda took her eyes off the paper and looked at him.

"Ah, Ethan, good morning. You woke up early today. So what's brought you here?"

"Good morning, aunt. Good morning, Christa. I came here because I want permission."

"Permission? For what?"

"Um, it's not for me, but for Lena. Can you allow her to shorten her maid's dress hem?"

Before Brenda managed to give her answer, Christa replied, adjusting her glasses.

"This can't be allowed. The dress is the maid's pride. You can't change it as you wish."

"Em, but I only want to shorten it slightly. Because it's not very comfortable to walk in it."

"It's because you are running in it. If you walk in it properly, it's not a problem."

Christa was adamant about it.

"Come on, Christa. You shouldn't be so adamant about it. You said that the dress is the maid's pride, but shouldn't her pride be more fitting for her? I am sure it wouldn't be bad if she slightly shortened her dress. And if I remember correctly, you can sympathize with her. Isn't it you who wanted to shorten your dress because it wasn't comfortable when you started working as a maid in my home?"

Two pairs of eyes looked at Christa.

"My lady, you shouldn't talk about someone's past without their permission. And I too remember well your past in the barony, my lady. I can tell them about it."

"No need to go this far, Christa. I only told you this because you can sympathize with Lena's situation."

"Then fine, I can allow her to shorten her dress. But only for fifteen centimeters at most."

Hearing it made Lena happy.

"Thank you, my lady. And you too, Christa."

"It's fine, but you should remember that you, Lena, before anything else, are the young master's personal maid. Try not to bother him with your problems."

"You shouldn't follow her advice. If you do that, then you will become stiff like her. I don't think Ethan would like that for his friend."

"My lady, you shouldn't say such things. Lena needs to behave herself like a proper maid. It will decrease the Anselm family's reputation if servants don't behave themselves as they should in front of distinguished guests."

"But there aren't any distinguished guests for now. So it's alright."

Ethan thought that this conversation could last for a long time and that he had already gotten what he wanted.

"Um, can we leave now?"

"Is this all why you came here?"

"Yes, this is all I wanted."

"Alright, you can go. Let's meet at lunch then."

"Okay."

Ethan and Lena left the room. Brenda resumed her conversation with Christa. or, if said appropriately, an argument. There were some parts about Brenda and Christa's past. But Ethan and Lena decided to forget about them for their own sake.

"Em, Ethan, can I go to my room to shorten my dress?"

"Of course, you can go."

"Then where should we meet after so I can show you the way to the guards quarters?"

[To the library.]

"I go to the library, so you can come there."

"Okay."

Lena left for her room, and Ethan went to the library.