"Young master… about us…" her words trailed off as though she didn't dare complete her statement.
I smiled down at her.
"I love you, Lydia."
Her face flushed slightly.
Perhaps it was due to the lingering feelings of my predecessor, but I felt my heart race slightly as I uttered those words.
It was uncertain if I actually loved her, the true me.
…but I'd just go along with this body's emotions and see how things played out. That was what I decided.
Although Lydia blushed, there was still a hint of worry in her eyes.
Normally, most nobles would be married off to strengthen the clan or for some other reason.
Due to that, it was clear that she… a maid, couldn't be with me forever. Hence the reason for her worry.
"I'll handle it." I commented confidently.
Since I was just an adopted son, it was only a matter of time until the truth came to light.
As they say, there was nothing hidden under the sun…
"I don't want to burden you. Perhaps we should just sto—" Lydia bit her lips and tried to advise.
When she felt me stroking her hair, she paused and her words trailed off.
"I need you to do something for me. If you want to be helpful…"
Lydia stared into my eyes with resolve and seriousness as she waited for my response.
"…Train harder."
"Train harder? How did…" Lydia was shocked and bewildered.
Not only by the request, but because servants were forbidden to train in cursed arts.
How did Aristarkh know she was secretly practicing cursed art? And for how long had he known?
Since he knew it was forbidden, why wasn't he stopping her but asking her to train harder?
Many questions raced through her mind.
But noticing my faint, calm smile brought a sense of security to her heart.
That's right. She had a man now. Her man.
And he'd handle all the consequences for her.
Still… the thought of burdening her young master too much gnawed at her.
Lydia clenched her fist and nodded firmly.
"I'll do my best."
"That's enough." I smiled.
Feeling secure, Lydia leaned onto my muscular chest and gently twirled her fingers around.
She liked this feeling of being intimate with me.
No sex, yet. Just pure physical romance.
Her slender fingers trailed arcs around my fingers, and we just remained lost in our own thoughts.
Time drifted on… so smoothly and swiftly that, in just a while, more than a few hours had gone by.
With a reluctant expression, Lydia stood up.
"I… have to prepare your meal, young master."
She stood up naked, then began to dress.
"It can wait. I don't feel hungry." I replied.
"The matriarch…" Lydia bit her lips as she slid her bra across her chest.
I nodded in understanding and smiled faintly.
Lydia tried to hook her bra but seemed to encounter some difficulty.
She glanced at me with a wry smile and turned around.
I stood up and smoothly helped her.
My hands couldn't hold steady, sliding across her breast, into her bra, massaging her boobs. I gave her nipple a light pinch, eliciting a moan from her.
"I expected that…" Lydia giggled and distanced herself from me. "You're too much, young master!"
I laughed lightly as I watched her slide her panties on.
"You're going to attend to the matriarch with my seed and your juices flowing out of you?" I asked with an incredulous expression.
Lydia froze, her face turning crimson before she boldly uttered, her brow slightly raised.
"Makes it more fun, right?"
"Damn." I exclaimed. In that moment, Lydia looked so exceedingly beautiful that I felt my heart race.
"Interesting… you seem to be learning a lot of bad things from me. Where did you learn to be confident like that? Should I teach you another lesson before you leave?"
Lydia quickly shook her head.
"Unfortunately, I'm already late."
Not wanting to tease me anymore, she quickly slid on her skirt, then her shirt, did the buttons, and finished with the apron and other stuff.
From naked beauty, Lydia was now clad in the familiar maid's outfit, but it still did nothing to hide her beauty.
She stared at me with a smile, walked up to me, then gave me a warm, tight hug.
"I'll miss you, young master."
"You'd be back in a few hours." I said quizzically.
"It's not the same." Lydia inhaled my scent like she was trying to familiarize herself with it.
We hugged for a few minutes before she waved me off and went to attend to her duties.
I let out a breath before collapsing onto the bed with a dull thud.
"Emotions, huh…" I muttered calmly, staring at the ceiling.
My eyes began roaming about as I tried not to think too deeply on it.
Suddenly, my eyes caught something… it was slid underneath the table not too far away.
And if it wasn't for my enhanced eyesight, I wouldn't have seen it.
It seemed like a book, some sort of journal that had been hidden in haste.
"What's that?" I questioned no one in particular as I approached the journal.
I struggled a little before finally pulling it out from underneath the table.
It seemed that whoever the owner was, the person had been trying to hide it.
I opened it up, and the first words hit me like a sledgehammer, making my heart jolt violently.
"I AM GOING TO DIE!!!
I AM FUCKING GOING TO DIE! I DON'T WANT TO DIE… SO I AM GOING TO TRY SOMETHING.
IF I SUCCEED, THEN I WILL LAUGH AND LOOK DOWN ON THE WORLD.
BUT IF I FAIL, IT SEEMS MY FATE IS TRULY INESCAPABLE.
IF SOMEONE COMES ACROSS THIS JOURNAL, MOST LIKELY MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AFTER MY DEATH…
PLEASE TAKE REVENGE FOR YOUR ANCESTOR.
I WILL GIVE YOU A LIST OF NAMES AND I WANT YOU TO KILL THEM ALL.
WYATT. ZOROS. GRETA. AZATOTH. GREAM
WHILE GETTING THE TREASURE TO CHANGE MY FATE, I SEEM TO HAVE BEEN MARKED BY ONE OF THESE BEINGS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RIGHT HAND OF MY CORPSE, YOU WOULD NOTICE THE CURSED SYMBOL.
IT CANNOT BE ERASED, SO I'M CERTAIN IT'S STILL THERE.
KILL THEM ALL!!! KILL THEM ALL!!! KILL!!!
FUCK… I'M BEING CONTROLLED… FUCKKK… NOOOO…"
I noticed the writing gradually became messy until it was incomprehensible.
My heart was still beating wildly as I slowly glanced down at my right hand.
I hadn't noticed it before, but there… the faint, glowing mark of a detailed, outlined eye pattern could be seen.
"I'm fucked." I gasped.