After a week(3)

It didn't take them long to return; after all, Ethan's condition improved after a week of walking, and it only took them five minutes.

When they came inside the mansion, they saw an unfamiliar brown-haired maid with a little girl around the same age as the twin sisters. What caught the attention of Ethan and Lena was the little girl's hair color, which was white with one black strand. And the maid was talking with Brenda.

Seeing Ethan and Lena walking in, Brenda and the maid turned to them, and the little girl hid behind the maid's back.

"Ah, let me introduce you."

Brenda said, moving her right hand towards two kids.

"This is Ethan, with his personal maid, Lena."

Then she returned her right hand to its original position and moved her left hand toward the maid.

"And this is Helen; she will work in this mansion from now on."

Helen made a curtsy, bending her knees outward, sweeping her right foot behind her, and slightly bowing with her back straight. Her eyes were cast downward.

"Nice to meet you, young master Ethan, Lena."

"Um, nice to meet you." "Nice to meet you."

Ethan nodded slightly in return, and Lena bowed.

"Um, then you must be Butler James's wife, and the little girl is your daughter."

"Yes, young master Ethan, that's right."

Then Helen looked at the little girl warmly.

"Ella, why don't you show yourself to young master Ethan and Lena?"

The little girl, Ella, removed her head from Helen's back and looked with her big, round garnet eyes at Ethan, and immediately returned to her original position, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, she's a shy girl."

"Haha, it's understandable. After all, it must be her first time in such a big mansion with so many people around."

"Yes, you are right, my lady."

"But is this alright with bringing her with you at such a tender age?"

"Thank you for your consideration, my lady. But it should be fine. After all, my mother too brought me at such a young age with her to this mansion."

"Then it's no wonder that you were Eliza's maid, and after she left, you became a head maid."

"Yes, my lady. I wanted to go with her, but she flatly refused, so I had no choice but to become head maid."

Her eyes became slightly melancholic for a moment.

"Although you had already quit your job due to pregnancy at the time I came to this household, you must know many things about Eliza and my husband's past when they were little kids."

"Yes, my lady. I remember it as if it were yesterday. When Master Karl was a young boy, he was always pestering Lady Eliza to play. And every time Lady Eliza would lightly smack his head and urge him to study more, although Master Karl was dissatisfied with it, the Old Count was always on Lady Eliza's side. After all, she was always very mature for her age."

Her eyes were closed, and a warm smile was on her lips.

"Haha, it sounds like it will be a good story. So why don't we go to my office and continue our conversation over some tea and refreshments?"

"I love to."

"Good."

Brenda turned towards the kitchen door.

"Leta, can you bring to my office tea for three people and refreshments? I think Christa too would be interested in our conversation."

Only now did Ethan and Lena notice Leta, who stood near the door leading to the kitchen.

"I understand, my lady."

"Good, let's go, Helen."

Brenda and, following after her, Helen with her daughter went towards Brenda's office, leaving Ethan with two maids behind.

"Young master, don't you think that this household is odd?"

Leta turned to Ethan abruptly after asking this question.

"No, I think that everything is okay."

"Really? But in other households, Lady would never talk with maids like this. And she would never look after her children like Lady Brenda. After all, this job is for nannies and nursery maids."

Ethan furrowed his brows.

"Um, how do you know about how other noble households work?"

"I'm sorry; I should excuse myself for now, young master Ethan. After all, I had a task in my hands."

She bowed and left to the kitchen, leaving a confused Ethan behind.

And seeing his confusion, Lena said:

"She's always like that, so you shouldn't be bothered with her antics, Ethan."

"Um, okay."

"So what do you want to do now?"

"I'll go to my room to study."

"Then can you give me a notebook and pencil? I want to practice my writing before I go to prepare for lunch."

"Okay."

Ethan took out the notebook and pencil and gave them to Lena. After all, Lena didn't have a place in her maid's dress where she could keep them. So they were usually in Ethan's ring when she wasn't practicing.

They went towards Ethan's room, and Ethan went inside, leaving Lena behind.

***

Inside the room, Ethan came to the table and sat down. He took out a book about the fire element and began to read. He had already been reading this book for a week but wasn't able to finish it, which was strange. After all, it wasn't difficult like the book written by The Great Sage, which he, surprisingly, finished in one day after he focused on reading. But the same thing didn't work with this book.

[It looks like you weren't slacking when I wasn't around.]

Ethan jumped up at the surprise.

[Teacher! You are awake. Haha! I'm happy to hear you.]

[Huh, you're very enthusiastic.]

[It's because you were silent for a whole week.]

His teacher became silent for some moments.

[Huh, I was unconscious for a week.]

[Yes! What happened to you?]

[It's because, unexpectedly, that pill had an effect on me.]

Ethan didn't find anything strange with the pill working, and he was too eager to show what he was able to achieve this week.

[I see. Then I want to show you what I was able to achieve this week. Look.]

Ethan immediately started to draw his mana and form the ball of flames in his hands without waiting for his teacher's answer. In two seconds, the ball of flames was formed and was burning steadily without any flickers.

[Although your understanding of fire is still lacking, your control over mana has greatly improved. Good job.]

[Haha. Thank you, teacher. And, um, I went to the shooting range, and Captain Siegfried told me that I have a talent for shooting.]

[I saw it already.]

Ethan furrowed his brows.

[Really? Then, for how long were you awake? And why didn't you talk to me?]

[I woke up this morning before you awoke from your sleep. I didn't talk to you because I was familiarizing myself with my improved mana and I wanted to see if you were slacking or not.]

[You are very mean, teacher. And I was so worried about you.]

Ethan grumbled slightly.

[If you find my behavior mean, then it's your problem.]

Ethan had expected such an answer from his teacher. But it didn't change the fact that he was still unhappy.

[Uhh, fine.]

He knew that his teacher didn't care if he was unhappy or not. So Ethan's only option was to accept it.

[Um, teacher, you saw how I was shooting, so what do you think?]

[It was strange.]

[Strange? But Captain Siegfried said that I have talent for it.]

[It's strange because it was like shooting a veteran who had been on the battlefield for a long time. And your movements were identical to how I usually would shoot.]

Ethan furrowed his brows.

[Um, I don't understand.]

[Hm, I think that somehow my memories can affect you, and your body condition and memories can affect me.]

Ethan's eyes, for a moment, opened wide. And shortly returned to their usual position.

[Um, then it can explain why you were unconscious for a week and why I was able to finish that difficult book written by The Great Sage in one day but wasn't able to finish this book.]

[I see, so you managed to finish it. So, do you understand what was written on it?]

[Yes, I understand everything perfectly.]

[It's looks like my theory has become more and more plausible.]

Ethan thought for a few moments.

[Um, teacher, if your memories can affect me, should I still study math and other subjects that you already know?]

[Hm, I doubt that you know what I know; after all, if that were the case, you should already have all my memories.]

[Um, then...]

But he was interrupted.

[But you can simply be unaware of them. So let's check. Do you know how the brain works?]

Ethan has begun to think. It took him some time, but the answer didn't come to him.

[Um, I don't know.]

[Then, it looks like you can't drop math and other subjects. Too bad for you.]

[Uhh...]

[But don't be dispirited. Although we can't be sure for a hundred percent that my memories can affect you without proper checking, it still might be the case why you were able to finish that book in a short time, perfectly understanding the content, and with your skill when shooting.]

[Um, okay. Then, can we check it immediately? If you, teacher, read this book and understand it, then I too would be able to finish it and understand the content.]

[I see. So you want to use me for your own benefit?]

Ethan flinched.

[But I don't mind. So let's begin with reading this book.]

His teacher's voice was playful. And Ethan understood that he was being played again.

[Teacher, you are too mean.]

[Don't talk. Let's read.]

And so their reading session began.