Chapter 23: Maid’s Trick and My punishment.

"Did you sleep well?"

My maid asked, as she served me breakfast.

"Yeah, I did."

I really did.

I slept well, too well, in fact.

Too well to be natural.

"That's good."

My maid said with a slight smirk.

And...

...fuck.

The realization hit me.

"Amy, you did something last night, didn't you?"

After all, there is no way my thought process would suddenly change like that!!

That is, unless she did something.

"What are you talking about, Young Master!? Of course, I won't do something like that..."

She denied, but that meek ending there only confirmed my suspicion.

As expected, that change was just too much to be natural.

"What did you do exactly?"

I asked, completely ignoring her denial, while picking up a piece of bread she prepared for me.

So, after a staredown that lasted till I finished my bread, Amy broke the silence.

Starting with a quiet mutter,

"I have to be more careful when doing such things."

That was more for herself than for me, before continuing in a defeated voice,

"It wasn't something big, just a small suggestion to change the priorities of your thought process.

I just increased the priority of your thoughts of awe and rest."

"I see..."

I paused for a bit before I said.

"Can anyone who is more powerful than me do this?"

"Of course not, Young Master!!"

"As long as the Magical Array that Master setup in your mind is active, no one not even a Magus, can interfere with your thoughts sneakily!"

"That's a relief..."

I said as the terror of having my thoughts controlled by any random Joe left me as quickly as it came.

Honestly, it would be quite ridiculous if there weren't such measures in place, but then-

"I guess, only father, mother and you have the access to bypass this Array?"

-At least I had to know, who were the people that had this so-called access to my brain.

"Correct! I only have the most rudimentary access though."

"Okay.."

That's enough questioning for now, I thought.

After all, I don't want to ask anything insensible like, if Earl can read my thoughts or something.

For I knew he can't, if he could then he would have stopped Reonald before he joined the demons.

I know it was me who wrote it like that, but this world has common sense.

The things that I didn't explain or the plot holes I left; such things were filled in a way that it made sense.

So this much, I could conclude, and that meant my secret was safe.

Safe enough for me to eat my breakfast, and that was what I planned to do.

So, with a smile on my face, I picked up another slice as I said while eating,

"Okay, enough with the question and answers. Butter up another two slices Amy, cause this Young Master is still hungry."

I wasn't mad with her, after all I knew she did that to help.

I just asked these things cause I needed to know, nothing more nothing less.

Though, it was terrifying that I just noticed it now, knowing how it works reduced that terror a lot.

But still, I had to look for a way to get rid of the array.

If Earl found out my secret, or somehow I became his enemy, and I still had this array in my head, then there won't even be a fight, I would lose before it even began.

-Huuuuu

So many things to do, so many things to prepare, just thinking about it makes me feel tired.

Thankfully, my probation will end today.

Finally, I will be able to use something more than chore level magic!

...

..

.

"Oh! Young Master!, the Countess asked you to meet her, she wants to talk to you."

Just as I finished my breakfast my maid said this.

Say, important things first damnit!

I screamed inwardly.

As I exasperatedly asked,

"And why didn't you tell me that first?"

With a light chuckle, my maid answered,

"Just following the orders Young Master! Countess told me inform you that only after you finish your breakfast."

'Did she think I would leave my breakfast halfway or something?'

I know, I shouldn't think about my step-mother like this...

But, 'That's cute.', I thought.

And before I could ask what this 'talk' was about my maid slipped out of my room, her tail swaying beautifully behind her as usual.

Seeing her like that who would think that she tore off the head of a person, just because I told her to...

And her speed...

She was just too fast, last night.

For me not being able to see her, even in the Grey world.

She must be around Mach 1000 or something, for that to happen!

That's 343,000 m/s, too crazy!!

And that was not all.

That white mode.

And those five tails.

That mode doesn't just increase her speed...

***

[Inari's Blessing: Bloodline Ignition]

[Fifth stage: Tail of Specialization]

Fifth stage of the seven staged Bloodline Ignition skill.

It allows the user to borrow the power of their [Ancestor Goddess Inari], by igniting the fragment of Goddess blood in their bloodline.

When used, gives a 100 times boost to a body stat of the user's choice while reducing all other body stats by 10 times.

Each ignition uses the fragments of Goddesses blood. The blood can't be ignited again before these fragments are regenerated.

Can only be used by Inari's Priestesses.

Note: User can only use a single tail with each ignition.

***

It can increase anything she wanted.

A truly broken skill.

And that skill still had different lower stages with different tails, that had their own unique effects.

The higher the tail, the more absurd the effect, the 8th and 9th tails were so absurd that Goddess directly capped the skill at 7th tail.

This skill really made me jealous, but there is simply no way to acquire it.

After all, this skill is only given to the three Priestesses by the Goddess herself.

And to become a Priestess you have to be...

...a female.

As much as I liked this skill, I still like my PP more, so yeah, bye-bye broken skill.

For a moment, I imagined myself as a female kitsune, sweetly calling out Young-

-I shook my head violently.

'Fuck, my thoughts took a strange turn there.'

I felt my cheeks heating up due to imagining that, but I purged that image from my mind instantly.

Trying to divert myself, I immediately started thinking about how to dress up for my upcoming meeting with my Mother.

***

[Countess' Room]

-Knock

-Knock

"Come in."

-Clink

"Rayne, I was waiting for you. Go ahead, take a seat."

The Countess said as soon as I came in as she gestured to the couch in front of her.

"Okay, Mother."

"Just wait for a bit, I will finish this in a second. Umm, you can have tea as you wait."

She said as pointed the butt of her pen to the translucent tea set made of some red crystal.

I could see the tea already poured in three cups.

Three cups?

I questioned myself, but then didn't think of it much, and just picked one of the three cups.

Ah! Finally some tea!

I rejoiced, as I was always a tea person rather than a coffee person, but Earl's brewing skills shook my faith a bit.

But with this, this fragrant tea, I will return to my peak no even farther than that.

In short, the tea smelled absolutely amazing.

-Sip

I took a sip of it and, ecstasy...

The tea tasted something in between a Moroccan Mint tea and Russian Caravan Tea, but considering how different both teas actually tasted, it was hard to imagine such a tea which has both their tastes could exist.

Ah! Supreme Ecstasy...

When the taste was finally fading from my mouth I took another sip and thanked the person who made such convenient tea cups, that kept the tea just at the right temperature.

I sighed as I enjoyed the taste, before moving my gaze towards my mother.

And the first difference I noticed were her clothes.

Unlike the dress like clothes, she wore that day, today she dressed casually, in a blouse like white shirt, black jacket and blue jeans.

With her blond hair and green eyes, it matched surprisingly well.

Currently she had a thin stack of documents in her hand while two thick and one thin stacks of them were placed on the table.

I wasn't difficult to guess that one stack was of checked papers, one of unchecked papers and finally one of faulty papers.

After a few minutes, I finished my tea and she finished working.

She poured some tea for herself as she said, "Sorry to make you wait Rayne, but I just had to approve those urgently."

"It's okay, it didn't take long anyways."

"No Rayne, that's not okay, inviting someone and making them wait is considered rude in nobility, remember that."

"Um, ok-, ahem, I mean I will remember that, but let me add, I don't mind you being rude to me, Mother."

A smile emerged on her face as she heard that.

"I see that you are quite eloquent with your words, and here I thought that you didn't know how to talk much."

With a light chuckle I said, "Well, I can only blame myself for that. Anyways mother what did you want to talk about?"

"She wants to talk about your punishment."

But before she could answer, someone else did.

And that voice I remembered.

The only person in the Estate who could interrupt the Countess...

Who could it be, other than my very own father, Reynold Von Ellsworth?

Oh! I see now why there were three cups.

The Count walked in and sat beside the Countess, wrapping his hand around her waist in a very natural manner as he pulled her closer.

Thankfully, the women in question had some sense of decency, so even if she allowed herself to be pulled closer, that was it she didn't allow anything else.

Seeing the ambiguous atmosphere and still remembering that Earl said something about punishment, I quickly asked,

"Should I leave?"

"No."

"No."

Both my parents said at the same time, and looked at each other because of that, the ambiguous atmosphere that my voice had broken, returned again.

'Then stop flirting damn it!'

'Don't tell me this is the punishment you were talking about!'

In the end, I stood up, about to leave.

"Sit."

But a powerful voice stopped me.

I didn't care though, as I walked out.

Or I tried to do so.

After my first step, my body was frozen, I couldn't move.

And following that a unresistable force dragged me back on the couch, forcing me to sit.

"Nice try, but you can't escape."

"Sorry about that."

The Count said shamelessly while the Countess created a certain distance between them, before the Count continued,

"Amelia gave a report to me on what happened on the little 'stroll' you took in Ellesmere."

I stiffened up a bit, when I heard that.

After all, that means they are going to punish me for a murder.

Though, I didn't actually kill both times but it was me who made Amy kill those people.

As for Valen's mother, she shouldn't be dead yet.

"I see."

I said as my demeanor turned serious.

The Count looked a bit surprised at my attitude so did the Countess, but he continued nevertheless.

He took out some documents and handed them to me.

As expected they were the documents of the last night's victims.

Both the goons and the elf's name and photo was attached were on the documents.

Of course, the elf bastard's name was fake and he still had a mask on his head.

"These were the people Amelia killed on your orders, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"I see... this first man here was a confirmed criminal. As for the old Elf, I couldn't check the potions he made, as the spells hidden in them disappeared with his life, but I did find some interesting materials that are strictly forbidden to own by the Empire. So, he is more or less a criminal too."

"But I don't care about some small-time criminal."

"What I want to know is, how did you, someone in coma, found that out?"

"I also want to ask how you know someone from Vanzahra, when you haven't ever been there?"

Wait, that's it?

Nothing more about me killing them?

He doesn't care?

He doesn't find it wrong to kill people?

Is he serious?

"But Amelia told me that you want to keep that a secret, is that correct?"

"Correct..?"

I answered still bewildered at his thought process.

"I see, hmm, you handled most things correctly or I should say Amelia handled most things?

But, there were still things you did wrong, first and most important, you should have informed me about your plans.

You can punish criminals if you find them, but you have to inform me first, remember that."

Wait, wait, wait, is he really saying that?

Like fucking really!? Me ordering to kill someone isn't a problem?

But me not informing them is one?

And why is the Countess nodding like that, am I the strange one here?

Or they are just crazy?

"As for the second..."

The Earl's voice suddenly grew serious, as his casual voice just disappeared.

"This was supposed to be your probation period, your rest period, you know that, right?"

"So, why are you doing such things?"

"I told you to rest, didn't I?"

"So, why are you doing stressful things?"

"Can't you just rest for five days?"

The Earl's voice kept getting firmer with each question he asked, but after hearing what he said earlier, I couldn't find the strength in me to retort.

"Sorry."

So, I simply apologized.

"You should be-"

"Now, now, don't be too harsh husband. It's good that Rayne is trying to improve the territory in his own way. So just point out his faults and let it be."

The Countess who had not talked till now suddenly defended me.

"No, Latina he needs to be punished or he will do that again-"

"Can't you see he is reflecting on that."

She pointed at my face as she said that.

What?

I look I'm reflecting?

I bet, I'm more shocked and confused here.

"He looks more bewildered than reflecting to me."

"You don't know how kids think, dear. They will be shocked and confused at first, but when they finally find where they erred, they will reflect on that. It's a step-by-step process."

I know Countess was taking my side.

I also understand that the Earl somehow covered up the murders I ordered.

But even then, even when faced with such kindness...

...I couldn't help but notice, how light the weight of a life was for them.

And that, made this farce unbearable.

I couldn't watch them any longer.

I just wanted to leave.

Pumping Mana in my vocal cords, I asked the only question I could,

"What is my punishment?"

Fortunately, it was enough to stop their discussion.

They looked at each other for a moment.

Before the Countess summoned another piece of paper, from the ring she wore.

And with that her expression changed from the soft and kind to serious and firm, and in an equally firm voice she explained,

"This is the least punishment you can get. It can't be changed, modified, or negotiated."

Before passing that document to me, while she continued explaining.

"I reduced you training time by three hours, allocated some small rest periods in it, and cleared the time you will spend on having dinner with us."

***

[Training Schedule]

Physical and Magical Training, 6 am to 9 am.

Rest 15 minutes.

Sparing, 9:15 am to 11:30 am.

Lunch, 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.

Magical Training (Runes), 12:30 pm to 3 pm.

Rest 30 minutes.

Sparing, 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

Rest 30 minutes

Physical and Magical Training 6 pm to 8 pm.

Dinner, 8 pm to 9 pm.

Miscellaneous Training, 9 pm to 11 pm.

Sleeping at 11 pm is absolutely necessary.

***

Huh?

Did I read this correctly?

Or did she give me the wrong paper.

The training schedule was so absurd, that I couldn't believe that it was real.

"Oh! I will send some things that you have to absolutely eat during your rest time, I forgot to mention that, there."

But as soon as I heard that, black lines appeared on my forehead.

Because I grimly realized, 'The Countess isn't joking.'

She wants me to train for more than 13 hours!!??

And that is after reducing my previous training time by 3 hours, and adding rest time!!??

Just how much, did this guy train previously!!??

Or was this really my punishment!?

Maybe my disbelief was too apparent for her, because she sternly said.

"You can't train more than this, remember this a punishment even is you don't like this, I will not change this."

'You are misunderstanding something here, woman!!'

I screamed inwardly, as all the thoughts of just escaping were purged from my mind.

For, I can't train like this.

"I can't train like this."

So, I said what I thought.

I can't go from light exerciser to a full-blown training manic.

"Rayne, I already told you-"

The Countess was already denying me, but the Count placed a hand on her shoulder as he looked at her, "Latina, at listen what he has to say, first."

Before turning to me.

"Say your piece."

"Yes."

I nodded lightly to the Count, and turned to the Countess, who had calmed down and was waiting for me to speak.

Thankfully, my superhuman brain churned out a passable excuse for me.

"Mother, I can't follow this schedule. Actually, I have lost quite a lot of my memories and knowledge, so I have to re-learn the things I lost first, before doing anymore training, and I have to try and setup my [Mental Avatar] too. So, I can't train like this till I finish that."

"Rayne, you are saying that you will read books!?"

The Countess asked as soon as I finished, in a disbelieving tone, as her eyes widened a lot.

"Yes, that is exactly what I saying. I will read books and do some light training."

The Countess sighed at that, finally believing what she heard.

"I see... Okay, you can do that, just make sure that the light training you mentioned, is actually light."

"Yes, I will make sure of that.", I said to the Countess, before adding, "Is there anything else you want to add, father?"

"No, nothing, you can leave."

"Okay, have a good day, Father, Mother."

With that I stood up, and walked towards, before I paused.

Turning around, I did something unnecessary.

"Umm, make sure to finish that tea, it was great."

'Umu, as a tea person, no matter what, I couldn't have such great tea wasted.'

I thought as I finally left, under the bewildered gaze of duo.