I Became the Maid of the Lout Prince

Chapter 410

Swish! Swish! Swish!

…

As I arrived at the private training ground in the courtyard where I guessed Ethan would be, I saw him silently practicing his sword swings. He was wielding the familiar twin swords engraved with the Blackwood crest, working up a sweat before dinner. Although he had no sparring partner and was slicing through empty air, his stance remained steady.

Ethan had been at the level of a Sword Expert for quite some time, so this level of discipline was only to be expected.

“Master Ethan,” I called out.

“…Oh, Lilith.”

“So, this is where you were. As I suspected, you’re practicing your swordsmanship. Was this what you meant by your unfinished business for today?”

“…Something like that. I can’t just put down my sword, even if Father isn’t here.”

With a slightly embarrassed smile, he lowered his sword for a moment. Even without any immediate reward from me, it was clear he had no intention of neglecting his training. Considering he was the second-best in the academy’s fencing club, that was to be expected.

If Ethan and Harold had sparred as planned, he would have won at least once every three days.

Of course, I couldn’t just say, “You would’ve won against Harold roughly once every three days, so let’s just pretend you did and I’ll give you the reward.” That would not only ruin the delicate balance of our relationship but also undermine his pride.

The only remaining option was to find another sparring partner for Ethan, someone he could beat and still earn his reward. But that was easier said than done.

The problem is that Harold is one of the Three Swords of the Empire, an opponent of absurd skill.

In the original story, it had taken the entire hero’s party to bring him down, even when he was already weakened. Finding someone who could stand in for him and spar with Ethan daily was next to impossible.

The alternative was to find someone who was a bit below Ethan’s skill level. While I mainly used a dagger, I had sparred with Ethan before, and I was well aware of the gap between our skills.

…Though by choosing someone below him, I’d be reversing the roles of who does the challenging.

“Master Ethan, I have a proposal. Would you be willing to hear me out?”

“What is it, Lilith?”

“It’s a suggestion regarding the reward you usually receive after sparring with Master Harold.”

Ethan’s attention shifted to me at the mention of a “reward,” his quiet gaze indicating that he already had some thoughts on the matter.

“It’s fine, Lilith. There’s no need to go that far.”

“Pardon?”

“While it’s true that I enjoy the rewards you give me after sparring with Father, that’s not the only reason I train. You don’t need to lower the bar for my sake.”

“What kind of misunderstanding are you having, Master Ethan?”

“Eh?”

Lowering the bar? As if I would even think of that. If anything, the conditions for the reward would be stricter. Up until now, I’d never managed to win a single match against Ethan.

“What I’m suggesting is that if I win against you, then I should be the one to receive a reward.”

“…What?”

“Isn’t it a bit strange? When you win against Master Harold, I reward you, but you’ve never offered me any reward when I win against you. Isn’t that a little unfair?”

“Well, that’s true. Were you interested in receiving a reward as well, Lilith?”

“It’s not a matter of wanting it; it’s a matter of fairness. You’ve won against Master Harold dozens of times and received rewards from me. So, doesn’t it seem fair that I’d have the right to demand a reward if I manage to defeat you?”

Ethan stared at me thoughtfully, processing my logic. Covering his mouth with one hand, he seemed to be deliberating before slowly nodding.

“…You know, now that I think about it, you’re right, Lilith.”

“Yes, indeed.”

“So, from now on, if you beat Father, you’re going to ask me for a reward? If there’s something specific you want, you know you could just ask…”

“No, I’m not after anything material. And I wasn’t talking about sparring with Master Harold.”

“Not something material? And not Father as your sparring partner…?”

“Exactly. Since Master Harold can’t return to Blackwood Estate, I propose a sparring match with you. If I win even a single match, I’d like to request a reward from you—the same kind of reward I usually give you.”

This was my proposition for Ethan. With Harold absent, we needed an excuse to exchange rewards, and I saw no reason why sparring with Ethan couldn’t provide that.

“You… against me? And if you win, you want…?”

“Yes. I’d like the right to take the lead for one night.”

For a moment, Ethan seemed taken aback by my request, left speechless. I knew it was a bold suggestion—something one wouldn’t normally propose to their master. However, given the nature of our relationship, which blurred the lines between maid and lover, I felt I had the right to make such a request.

Besides, lately, it had been bothering me how often Ethan took the lead, especially considering what had happened at Professor Mamari’s villa and in the beach cave. I wanted a chance to set the pace.

“That kind of proposal sounds pretty favorable for me, don’t you think?” Ethan replied.

“What do you mean?”

“To be honest, I don’t mind if you’re the one initiating. If I were to throw the match just because I wanted to be with you, that wouldn’t really count as a genuine win, would it?”

This pervert, I thought, trying to hold back a sigh. He was predictable, to say the least.

“Obviously, if you intentionally lose just to satisfy your desires, that would be unacceptable. The idea that you’d even consider such a thing is disappointing, Master Ethan.”

“…I was just pointing out a potential loophole, not that I’d actually do it.”

“I’ve sparred with you often enough to know whether you’re giving your all or throwing the match. Especially this term, you’ve had plenty of one-on-one training with me during the frequent breaks. I know your style well enough to tell.”

“…Yeah, I suppose you do.”

“If I think you’re not putting in a real effort, or if I feel you’re not at your best due to any other factors, I’ll forfeit the reward myself.”

No holding back, no pretending. If he didn’t take it seriously, I’d refuse the reward, even if I won. The terms were clearly in my favor, but I knew Ethan wouldn’t object. After all, we both wanted a reason to be together, and he understood the thrill of earning his rewards through true effort.

Ethan looked at me, a faint smile forming. “So, you’re serious about improving your sword skills, Lilith.”

“…What? No, that’s not what I—well, I mean, I just think we should be balanced in these things…”

“Alright, Lilith. If you’re this serious about it, I won’t go easy on you. I’ll give it my all in our sparring matches, and you can try your best to beat me. If you do manage to win, I’ll grant you whatever you ask.”

“Thank you, Master Ethan.”

I hadn’t expected him to take this quite so seriously. Still, with this agreement, Ethan and I had established an excuse to exchange rewards even during the summer weeks when Harold was away.

…Now, all that’s left is for me to figure out how to win a match against him.