—
“Young Master—”
Knock knock knock.
Eir stood outside the door, tail wagging, holding a basket of dirty laundry.
When Will had returned earlier, he had gone straight upstairs without saying a word, leaving Eir unsure if he had even heard her.
“I’m here to collect your dirty clothes from today! Since we finally have a proper house, I can wash them tomorrow during our rest day.”
“I also brought your clean clothes—”
“Young Master…?”
Hearing no response, Eir worriedly cracked the door open and peeked inside. She saw Will, having removed his outerwear, lying slumped over his desk in just a thin undershirt. It seed he had sat down to write sothing but had fallen asleep from exhaustion.
“Hmm… I guess it’s okay to go in. It’s not like I’m breaking any rules about privacy. Besides, he might catch a cold like this…”
Eir tiptoed into the room, carrying the laundry basket, and approached Will.
“Young… Master…”
“Mmm…”
Will stirred slightly, groggily lifting his head from the desk and rubbing his eyes. He looked half-asleep, his movents sluggish.
“Eir here, Young Master… I’m just here to collect your dirty clothes for the laundry…”
Will, still clearly not fully awake, nodded absentmindedly at her words.
“Mmm…”
Then, without hesitation, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and began lifting his undershirt to take it off.
“Wait, wait, wait, Young Master—!”
Now it was Eir’s turn to panic. She covered her eyes with her hands—though she couldn’t resist peeking through her fingers.
Thud.
In her flustered state, the laundry basket slipped from her grasp, spilling its contents onto the floor. Among the items that fell out were Leah’s robe and Treya’s stockings.
“Huh? Huh…? Huh…?!”
It was only then that Will fully woke up, lowering the shirt he had already pulled halfway up his torso.
“Th-this…”
He was clearly still groggy and not entirely alert.
Eir thought back—she hadn’t seen her Young Master like this in years.
Before he started school, back at the Hysterm family estate, Will’s health had been frail. Occasionally, when he was sick, he’d have these monts of fatigue and disorientation.
But after starting school, as he grew older and began exercising more, his physical condition had improved significantly. It had been a long ti since she’d seen him look so dazed and listless.
Eir found herself feeling nostalgic.
“It’s fine. Young Master must be really tired today. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him like this—it actually makes happy.”
Eir smiled warmly, a mix of relief and joy.
Ever since Will started school, Eir had harbored so concerns. For instance, it seed like he needed her less and less. He had his own friends now, and his physical and magical abilities had grown stronger.
He had even ford a dungeon team. Just like today, he could safely stand at the back, fully understanding the boss’s chanics.
But…
Eir had just seen it!
Not only Will’s tired, groggy expression but also the glimpse of his exposed abdon when he lifted his shirt…
Her Young Master was still the sa slender, delicate boy.
He still needed her… by his side.
He still needed her protection…
Her fragile Young Master.
“Even you noticed, huh,” Will muttered, scratching his head. He realized that even his brief mont of lancholy had been picked up on by all three girls.
He knew this was a good thing.
It showed that they had beco much more perceptive, able to quickly sense changes in those around them—keen observation and sensitivity were the most crucial steps before “blackening”!
“Of course Eir noticed. Eir has been by your side since you were little. No one knows you better than Eir.”
As she spoke, her tail wagged happily. She crouched down to gather the spilled laundry back into the basket.
“It’s really nothing serious. Just think of it as the typical frustrations of a man newly stepping into society.”
—Will had experienced that feeling before. It was… sowhat similar, maybe?
“Wait a mont. Let change my clothes first.”
“Young Master—”
Thump.
Eir set the basket aside and reached out, placing her hand on the back of Will’s head. Sitting as he was, his head was at the perfect height to press into her chest. She pulled him into a firm embrace.
“Uh!?”
“The 123rd question from The 300 Questions of Blackening: When his heart is at its most fragile, offer him comfort so he unknowingly becos dependent on you.”
“Huff…”
“How’s that, Young Master? Feeling better?”
“You… you’re holding too tightly. I can’t… breathe.”
Eir was usually gentle with Will—likely a habit from her childhood care for his fragile health.
But…
For so reason, this ti she held him with surprising strength, reminding Will of the ti she had shielded him from an Infernal teor during an attack. She had embraced him just as tightly then.
“Ah, sorry!”
As Eir released him, Will erged from the soft, fragrant embrace, feeling slightly more energized.
Though…
Uh?
Was The 300 Questions of Blackening really ant to be used on him?
Sothing about this felt… off. No, the biggest concern should still be the missing “forr Morning Star.” That was far more important than this!
“Alright, Young Master, once you’ve changed, co find .”
“Got it.”
“Oh, wait… one more thing…”
Eir, holding the basket in one hand, rummaged through the pocket of her maid uniform with the other.
“A letter from Mr. S arrived! After we updated our address with the Adventurer’s Guild, it was forwarded here!”
“Ah, great. Co to think of it, I haven’t told him about officially forming the adventurer team yet.”
Hearing about the letter, Will’s eyes lit up.
In this cold, predetermined world of fate, Mr. S was the one person who offered him a glimr of warmth—a true, low-key expert living outside the spotlight.
However…
This letter wasn’t just a written ssage. It seed to contain sothing else as well—sothing solid, like a stone.
The thin envelope felt oddly textured as he held it.
Will opened the letter and placed it on the desk, reading as he began changing his clothes.
—
[To W:
How have you been? I imagine, with all your preparation, you’ve successfully ford your adventurer team by now. If you have any questions about team managent or formation, feel free to ask .
Recently, while accompanying a few adventurer teams, I encountered so strange things in the dungeons. After defeating certain monsters, they didn’t drop loot but instead left behind these stones.
The average strength of these dungeon monsters seems off. Based on the data you provided , I estimate they’re about 30% stronger than expected.
Oh, and I heard you’re in Novice Town. Coincidentally, I have business there as well. If you don’t mind revealing your identity, I’d like to et you in person.
S]
—
—!!!!!!
“Mr. S is coming?!”
“This… this… this is like eting an online friend in real life, isn’t it?! This has to be a et-up!”
“I’m finally going to see S in person?!”
“No, no, I shouldn’t be this excited. He’s probably just so old guy. Why am I so worked up…”
“But I am excited! Who needs won when you have brothers?!”
After reading the letter, Will, dressed only in his boxers, started hopping around the room in excitent.
But…
When he changed into his pajamas and opened the envelope to shake out the stone inside, the smile vanished from his face.
“Why… why is this thing here?!”
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