12 An Aberration

Days turned to months, and months turned to years. The school had been a resounding success for Napoleon, who continued to excel in his studies. Ever since winning the duel, he was never bothered by the spoiled brats of nobility and instead left alone by himself. This was the good situation that he could ever hope for as he could do his business more easily without having to bother himself with them.

But during class, Napoleon would sometimes show off his knowledge learned from every subject. He would participate in recitation in an eloquent manner and even put words into writing when his teacher asked him to write them on a board. His classmates could only gasp at his knowledge and were left to improve their own.

As he excelled in his studies, more and more teachers began to take notice of Napoleon's exceptional abilities. They recognized his potential and sought to challenge him with more difficult assignments and projects. Napoleon welcomed these challenges and worked tirelessly to surpass the expectations of his teachers.

Despite his academic achievements, Napoleon was still an outsider in the eyes of many of his classmates. He was often the target of their subtle ridicule and scorn, but he remained undeterred, refusing to let the petty insults of others get in his way.

He would also write letters to his family in Corsica about his achievements, and they would respond with pride and encouragement. They would even reward him by giving him an additional allowance to spend where he could treat himself.

In addition to his academic pursuits, Napoleon was also focused on maintaining his physical health. He was aware of the historical record indicating that Napoleon, whom he had become in this world, had been of average height for his time. However, he believed that he could alter his own height by changing his diet. To that end, he incorporated regular milk consumption into his routine, as he had learned it could promote bone growth. He also made a point to include plenty of protein-rich foods like meat and fish in his diet to support his muscle development. Additionally, he recognized the importance of eating fruits and vegetables, as they provided essential vitamins and minerals crucial for maintaining good health.

But Napoleon's commitment to physical health didn't stop at his diet. He was also an avid exerciser, making time for daily runs around the Brienne-le-Château and bodyweight exercises like push-ups and sit-ups in his room. He would wake up early in the morning to do a quick routine and then would allow his body two to three days of rest to recover after intense workouts.

After adopting that disciplined lifestyle, Napoleon soon began to witness remarkable changes in his physique. His once lean and average frame transformed into a lean, toned, and muscular body, complete with the strength and endurance that he had always wanted. The contours of his muscles were visible under his skin, a testament to his hard work and dedication. He no longer struggled to keep up with the physical demands of his daily life, and instead found himself thriving in every task that he undertook.

So far, things had progressed the way history progressed in his previous world. This cemented the fact that he hadn't reincarnated into another world as a parallel Napoleon, but rather had been transported back in time.

At least that was the case when he encountered an aberration.

***

The year was 1781, and it was during his semestral break. He was in his dorm at that time, drawing up schematics and diagrams for every significant invention made during the industrial revolution.

There was a knock on the door, causing him to shift his attention from the paper he was working on. Napoleon stood up and opened the door, revealing a woman who is about two inches shorter than him and the same age as him. She was stunningly beautiful, with delicate features and a slender frame. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied in a French braid with a blue ribbon, cascading down her back in waves. But what caught Napoleon's attention the most was her striking blue, a color that was both mesmerizing and rare.

"Can I help you?" Napoleon asked, trying to hide his surprise at the unexpected visitor.

The woman smiled at him and began.

"Delighted to meet you, Master," she said with a curtsey. "Hopefully it is not too forward of me to greet you in such a manner. I'm Ciela, your most loyal personal maid that you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting." Her tone was teasing, and her smile hinted at a mischievous streak.

Napoleon cringed a little and tilted his head to the side, confused. "Uhm…I think you have mistaken me for someone, I don't have a maid. Perhaps if you could give me the name of your master, I would be happy to assist you in telling you where his dorm room is."

Ciela shook her head. "No, you are my master. You are Napoleone Buonaparte, your parents hired me to become your maid. I have a letter here from your parents that can explain everything."

Ciela took out a letter from her basket and handed it over to Napoleon. He quickly scanned through it, confirming that indeed, his parents had hired a personal maid for him. But why? He was doing fine on his own and he doesn't need a maid. What's more, hiring one would be a waste of money. What are they thinking?

A thought came to mind in the middle of his contemplation. Did Napoleon Bonaparte's family hire a personal maid for Napoleon? He searched that information through the user interface and found none. So does this mean that this girl could be an aberration of some sort? A sign that this world is indeed a parallel and not similar to his previous world?

Well, maybe Napoleon and other historians didn't bother writing about the existence of this girl but that couldn't be the case as Napoleon Bonaparte is an important figure of history, they would write anything about the person that stood and worked next to him, including a personal maid. But seeing that there is none in history, it is safe to assume that this world is indeed a parallel world.

Still, he couldn't understand why his parents would hire a personal maid in the first place. Nevertheless, he has to take care of this woman.

"Uhm, Ciela was it. Well, I have confirmed that you are indeed hired by my parents but I didn't ask for one…"

Ciela didn't reply and instead only looked at him, smiling warmly.

"Uhm…Ciela, I am asking if you can return some other day once my parents and I have discussed this matter," Napoleon said, trying to be polite.

"That won't be possible, master as I have no place to go back to and have no money for food and lodging," Ciela interrupted, still maintaining her posture. "I would be eternally grateful if you could let me stay and serve you as your maid. I promise to work hard and be loyal to you, just as your parents have instructed me to."

"This is going to be troublesome," Napoleon muttered under his breath. "Eh?"

Suddenly, Ciela grabbed his hand and enveloped it with both of hers.

Napoleon felt a jolt of surprise at the sudden physical contact. He pulled his hand back slightly, but Ciela's grip was firm. Her hands were warm and soft, and he couldn't help but notice the faint scent of lavender emanating from her.

"Please, master," she pleaded, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes. "I have nowhere else to go. I will work hard and make sure that I don't become a burden to you. Just give me a chance to prove my worth."

'What the heck is this girl? She is so persistent and too overly forward,' Napoleon thought. But still, her eyes said it all, that if he were to send her away, she would be stranded and homeless. He doesn't want to be the cause of something that could happen to her. Plus, he couldn't deny the fact that having a personal maid would be convenient, even if he didn't necessarily need one.

"Fine," he said finally, relenting. "You can stay for now."